Moth Gods keep Smiling........

........and they really do! In my last post, I dared to hope for a Pearly Underwing and Halloween night duly obliged. Having waited a long time for this species, I made sure all the diagnostic features were there before calling it. This particular individual really does resemble a Turnip Moth, as colour, pattern and size are all very similar.
 It has just laid c60 eggs in the pot I was keeping it in- apparently they feed on low growing plants such as Docks, Dandelions and Clovers. But the larvae are rarely found in Britain.

Pearly Underwing

 The size of the 'mohawk' is one of the distinguishing features- Pearly Underwing display a prominent raised stripe down the middle of the thorax. This one has very little frosting though.

The best feature is the 'pearly' hindwing and this one does have dark-veined, semi-translucent wings so is a clincher!

Feathered Thorn

Nice to see a few of these about too.

So what's left to get now?

Well I can think of a few more- Scarce Umber, Herald, Sprawler and December Moth are all possible.

Oh, and dare I hope for a Clancy's Rustic or a Delicate................

Upper Caldecote Garden- 31-10-2013- 1 trap- 6 of 6 species

1524  Emmelina monodactyla  1
1760  Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata)  1
1923  Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria)  1
2119  Pearly Underwing (Peridroma saucia)  1 NFG
2240  Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri)  1
2306  Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)  1