A special nighttime magic …
Day 52 #365DaysWild
The nocturnal natural world has a special magic.
We were mothing in the woodland garden last night accompanied by a conversation between tawnies.
134 moths of 35 species came to the light. Moths come to the light, are identified and released unharmed.
Moths are too-frequently overlooked. Their forms, size and coloration give so much interest throughout the year. They are good indicators too of the health of the local flora as moths are frequently very specific about their larval food plants as I show (thanks here to Northumberland Moths whose links these are..)
Some favourites....
Canary-shouldered thorn is an exquisite moth.
The blood vein may not have the most attractive name but its' colouration.
Common Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna
Large-leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos
Midland Hawthorn Crataegus laevigata
Also in the ensemble were a big hornet, many wasps, some stinking scarabs and a myriad midges.
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