dantheman
Bah humbug
This afternoon in the womenswear department of our local Asda I watched a Hawkmoth flying around for a good couple of minutes. It was above me most of the time, hence a little uncertainty over the id, as well as it being in a supermarket. But it appeared to be this species on size, greyish brown forewings/back and bright rusty brown back wings. (I've seen a few before, so do know them reasonably well ...) It had its long black proboscis extended much of the time.
It was flying around a (fluorescent?) light fitting about 10' up most of the time, scooting up to the high ceiling at times and then back down again. Thinking about it, this surprised me somewhat, would a day-flying moth still be attracted to lights? (What are the chances it could have been a superficially similar exotic night-flying species imported in with some foreign produce??)
I lost it when it went up to the ceiling and possibly rested up on the backside of a beam or similar.
I see from Skinner that they overwinter as adults, but rarely, if ever, in Britain ...
Any similar occurences anyone knows of?
Cheers, Dan
It was flying around a (fluorescent?) light fitting about 10' up most of the time, scooting up to the high ceiling at times and then back down again. Thinking about it, this surprised me somewhat, would a day-flying moth still be attracted to lights? (What are the chances it could have been a superficially similar exotic night-flying species imported in with some foreign produce??)
I lost it when it went up to the ceiling and possibly rested up on the backside of a beam or similar.
I see from Skinner that they overwinter as adults, but rarely, if ever, in Britain ...
Any similar occurences anyone knows of?
Cheers, Dan