Triodia sylvina – This is from a primitive moth group called Hepialidae, which contains just 5 species found in the British Isles. The adults cannot feed for they have no functional proboscis. The images featured are that of the male. The sexes look quite different from one another.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Date taken: 2nd August 2011
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Ypsolopha scabrella – Quite an extraordinary looking little moth with distinctive raised tufts which can be seen when the moth is at rest.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 20th July 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Acleris variegana – An extremely variable micro-moth species in patterning and colouration. A melanic form also occurs. Like other similar species of Tortrix, it mimics bird-droppings to evade predation. The larvae feed on the leaves of a variety of trees and shrubs, including roses, brambles, hawthorns, cherries and apples.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 23rd, 24th & 30th September 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Mormo maura – You know when this one pays a visit because it is fairly large with a wingspan of up to 65mm (2 1/2in). Not one of the brightest of moths, but it has an interesting, fine-lined pattern.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 26th August 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Euzophera pinguis – Quite an unmistakable micro-moth with distinctive zig-zag markings. The larvae feed under the living bark of ash, which if becoming infested may kill the tree. This is a localised species in England.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 20th July 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Emmelina monodactyla – An odd-looking moth which often rests with its wings rolled tightly up. It is quite a weak flier, and will only travel a short distance before settling down again.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 8th July 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Notodonta dromedarius – A moth which looks like it is suffering from oxidation with its distinct red rusty markings. One of the easier of the night lepidoptera to photograph. They are fairly calm and will remain still for a long time.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 20th July 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Euthrix potatoria – An unusual moth. This is the female of the species. The name comes from the habit of the caterpillar which apparently has a preference for drinking drops of dew.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Date taken: 26th June 2011
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Cyclophora punctaria – A finely detailed and beautifully coloured moth from the family Geometridae.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 20th July 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Omphaloscelis lunosa – There is a dark ‘crescent moon’ marking on the pale underwing of this moth which gives it its name.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 23rd, 24th & 30th September 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Tiliacea aurago – Although this is somewhat faded, it is quite an attractive moth with autumnal colours and a very diagnostic yellow or yellow-orange central band.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 15th October 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Callimorpha dominula – This is a wonderfully bright coloured day-flying moth.
I found the larva to the adult above feeding on Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) on a walk along a local woodland margin back in the spring of 2012.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200 (2019) Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 (2012)
Date taken: 29th June 2019 (adult) 16th May 2012 (caterpillar)
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire (adult), local woodland margin, Staffordshire (caterpillar)
Pempelia palumbella – This is another rarity for my county, and only a few have been noted by the Staffordshire Ecological Record, most of these before 1995, the first in 1877. I really like the colours and patterns on this moth. It kind of reminds me of Inca art and design.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 8th July 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Hemistola chrysoprasaria – This is rarely seen in my county, and there has only been but a handful of ecologically recorded sightings since the first one in 1967, this one being one of them. A beautiful green moth with distinctive pale crosslines.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 8th July 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Ypsolopha dentella – If you grow honeysuckle in your garden the chances are you may have some of these. This is a chestnut-brown and cream to whitish patterned micro-moth with distinctive upturned wingtips. It has a forewing length of around 11mm ( almost half an inch).
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 20th July 2017
Place: Rear garden, Staffordshire
Cameraria ohridella – One can easily overlook this tiny micro-moth as it is only has a forewing length of up to 5mm (1/4in) long. The forewings have an attractive ginger ground colour with distinctive white cross-bands and dark-brown cross-lines. It was first recorded in the south of Britain in 2002 and has rapidly spread north and west across England and Wales where it is common.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 20th July 2017
Place: Rear garden, Staffordshire
Carcina quercana – This is a fairly colourful moth with very long antennae. Is also called the Oak Long-horn. It has recently been introduced to North America where it is called the Oak-skeletonizer Moth.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 8th July 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Want to learn more about this moth? Please visit the species main page.
Macroglossum stellatarum – I feel quite privileged to have been able to take these photographs of this splendid hawk-moth. I took them quite a few years ago with my first digital camera purchase back in the summer of 2005, and haven’t been able to capture one in flight and feeding since back then. A spectacular brightly coloured diurnal moth which can be seen sipping nectar in full sunlight with its extraordinary long proboscis. It looks and sounds like a hummingbird as it feeds from tubular flowers such as Red Valerian, Buddleia, Lilac, and the like.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Sony Cybershot DSC-W1
Date taken: 21st August 2005
Place: Rear garden, Staffordshire
Pyrausta aurata – Also called the Small Purple & Gold, this moth has always been a regular visitor to my garden, yet I have always grown mint, so that is not really very surprising.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 20th July 2017
Place: Rear garden, Staffordshire
This is how I manage to get to see and photograph so many different species of moth in my garden. With Mk III of my homemade moth trap, utilising 2x 20w blacklight bulbs which do not cause light nuisance issues with the neighbours as some of the more powerful mercury vapour lamps do. Already made moth traps can be bought online, but they can be quite expensive.
You can see more clearly where I have removed one half of the lid of this relatively cheap plastic storage box to show how I access the moths the next morning and the egg boxes which they rest inside. I fixed a timber framework to hold the lighting above the funnel (one light worked okay originally, but two seems better – I have since swapped out one of these bulbs for an LED) and then cut the lid in half and around the framework. I fixed a plastic party plate above to help direct the moths between the bulbs into the funnel, and this also acts a rain protector just in case there is any drizzle. I always check weather forecasts for dry nights. Warm and still nights are usually the best. The bulbs are fixed into two batten holders which are wired to a plug. It is always advised to plug into an RCD socket so that if there are any issues with the electrics it should cut out. Please note that any electrical work should be done by a competent person.
The full set-up at the side of my shed can be seen here. The cheap plastic shower curtain reflects the UV light and some moths will settle on it and around it, sometimes around the corners out of the light. A white bedsheet will do just as well. I sometimes leave the outside shed light on in conjunction with the blacklights, and this appears to increase numbers slighty. The trap can be set up up anywhere in the garden, without the shower curtain or white sheets, and if weather conditions are favourable it can still get a fairly decent catch. I have it elevated for convenience’s sake, but it can be placed on the ground, which some trappers prefer to do.
All moths are released unharmed into a safe environment once they have been checked and photographed. I do not trap frequently, and very rarely on consecutive days, as this may disrupt their feeding and mating cycles.
When mothing you can also attract other interesting nocturnal visitors as can be seen in the examples below. These were found resting near the trap and in the trap.
To note not all moths are attracted to light. Some species are attracted to sugars or feromones, which I have not really done as to yet. Some moths can be seen flying during the day just like their butterfly brothers and sisters, but it is at night many of the moth species can be seen attracted to a light source, even if it is just a garden light, or a light in a window.
Deilephila elpenor – This hawk-moth always reminds me of a fond time during my boyhood when my brother and I discovered the caterpillar for this moth, and subsequently watched it pupate and turn into this magnificent adult. Hawk-moths can be quite docile creatures in the daytime, and they will let you handle them readily, and tend to be very cooperative and accommodating on a photo shoot. This is one of our most beautiful moths with large pink and olive-green streamlined wings. The name comes from the caterpillar which looks like an elephant’s trunk when it extends itself. This is one of the few caterpillars that can actually swim, in which it may resemble a small grass snake.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 6th July 2019
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Mimas tiliae – This is a large and impressive hawk-moth with scalloped-edged forewings and olive-green and pinkish markings. The central dark forewing markings may be variable, and in some individuals may be joined to form a cross-band.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon Coolpix P500
Date taken: 26th June 2013
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Monopis laevigella – A tiny micro-moth with a forewing length of between 5-10mm (1/4-3/8in). The wings have a purple sheen peppered with pale scales and a pale blotch just off centre on the forewing. The larvae feed on animal foodstuffs like bird’s nests, owl pellets and dead animal carcasses.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 28th August 2017
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Adela reaumurella – This is the male with his extraordinary long white antennae, which are three times the length of the forewing. The adult flies in May and June, and in the daytime, where they may swarm.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D3200
Date taken: 4th May 2015
Place: Local wood, Staffordshire
Celypha lacunana – This variable moth has a forewing length of up to 8.5mm (3/8in), and is a common species which can be numerous visiting moth traps.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 15th July 2019
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
I love seeing these Comma (Polygonia c-album) butterflies in the garden, and occasionally they briefly settle for a moment or two.
September 2019 © Pete Hillman.
It appears it has been quite a good year here for butterflies, which is really good news. This Large White (Pieris brassicae) made a fleeting visit to my garden before fluttering off over the fence to elsewhere.
These ‘Whites’ can be quite a challenge to photograph, especially in bright sunshine. Auto camera setting never seem to work as the whites get blown out loosing the fine lines and detail in the wings, so I always drop exposure on full manual to try and compensate.
September 2019 © Pete Hillman.
Of 2 images. I was sitting in my living room looking out the window when I caught a glimpse of this butterfly as it searched and settled for some shelter between rain showers.
© Pete Hillman August 2019.
No wonder the birds don’t fancy eating them and the Ragwort in the fields is teeming with these brightly coloured caterpillars of the Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae), a moth which can be seen flying amongst the grasses during the daytime, especially when disturbed. Please see the adult last in line below.
Local field, July 2019. Nikon D7200 © Peter Hillman.
July 2019, rear garden, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Out in the local fields these Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) are flourishing this summer. An odd perspective, I know, but sometimes all you get is all they want to show you before they flutter 🙂
Feel free to click to enlarge and click again to get even closer on the images …
July 2019, local field, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola). The fields have been teeming with these lovely little ones. Many thanks to Brian from the brilliant blog ‘Butterflies To Dragsters‘ for accurately identifying this beautiful species.
Feel free to click to enlarge and click again to get even closer on the images …
July 2019, local field, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Thankfully it appears to be quite a good year for these butterflies, with me spotting quite a few out in the local fields.
July 2019, local field, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
July 2019, local field, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Eudonia mercurella –
This small moth comes from a challenging group of moths to accurately identify. With a forewing length of up to 9mm (0.4in), this moth can be quite variable, but can usually be identified by its white cross-lines and markings. The adults fly from June to September, and are attracted to light. They are a regular visitor to my garden, and fairly common throughout Britain. It can be found in woodland, grassland and gardens. The larvae feed on mosses.
Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, July 2019. Nikon D7200 © Peter Hillman.
Yponomeuta evonymella – These moths frequently visit my garden, and they are often attracted to light. Its white silken forewings with fives rows of dots make this one of the easier ermels to identify, as many of them can pretty much look the same.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 15th July 2019
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Ditula angustiorana – This is quite a small species of Tortrix moth, and I believe this to be the male which is darker than the female, and is a little smaller.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 15th July 2019
Place: Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire
Peribatodes rhomboidaria – The Willow Beauty is a variable moth and may be confused with other ‘Beauty’ species. It has a wingspan of 30-38mm. An important feature in identification is the cross-line on the forewing beyond the middle which is strongly kinked near the leading edge. It is more or less straight in trailing half, and forms a dot on each vein. The adult flies mainly June to August, but in the south a second generation form August to October. Readily comes to light, sometimes in fair numbers. Found in woodland, hedgerows, parks and gardens. Common and widespread, and resident. The larvae feed on a range of broadleaved trees, shrubs and climbers, including privet, Honeysuckle and birches.
Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, July 2019. Nikon D7200 © Peter Hillman.
Feel free to click to enlarge and click again to get even closer.
July 2019, local field, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
I believe this is the first time I have seen one of these gorgeous butterflies visit the garden.
Feel free to click to enlarge and click again to get even closer.
July 2019, rear garden, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Nature Journeys 