Wednesday 16 July 2014

Happy Birthday Penny, from the moths



It's Penny's birthday today and the moths of England usually rise to these family occasions - producing a glorious Green Emerald, for instance, on our son Olly's birthday in Leeds several years ago.


This year is no exception; look at the lovely pair at the top: a Ruby Tiger and a Yellowtail, the first in our garden in 2014. The latter is not showing the reason for its name. I hope that will become clear in future posts (or, if you have time, by checking back to previous Julys). And top things off in the macro world, a debut by that lovely moth the Black Arches, left in the second picture, molesting one of the trap's many, many Mother of Pearls.

Penny is of course a mother of pearl too. And there was another small insect tribute to her yesterday when we were down in London doting on our granddaughter. A baby ladybird paid us a tiny call.

Finally, the Birthday Girl is also paid a delicate bow by this pretty pair of micros, below. But I am going to be too busy with celebrations to sort out exactly who they are until long after the cake candles (quite a few now...) have been blown out.

Update: The goodly Ray (see Comments) has saved me the trouble with the ladybird - almost certainly a 14-Spot - and the second micro, which is Catoptria falsella. The first, I am 99 percent sure, is Ypsolopha dentella, aka the Honeysuckle Moth. We have plenty of honeysuckle so it should be happy here.



2 comments:

Ray Walton said...

With birthday wishes to your good lady Penny, I can inform you that your ladybird is a 14-spot ladybird, which are quite variable in their markings, but the central dorsal line is always present.
Micro No. 1 has me stumped
Micro No. 2 Catoptria falsella
Great postings as always Martin
Ray

MartinWainwright said...

Hi Ray and many thanks

I'm sure you're right about the micro and I'm also pretty sure that the other one is Ypsolopha dentalla aka the Honeysuckle Moth. Thanks for the ladybird info too. Penny thanks you v much for birthday wishes

all warmest

M