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Underwing Moth (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Michael A
- Start date
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
Old lady.
Very nice condition as they often get damaged quickly.
https://ukmoths.org.uk/species/mormo-maura/
Very nice condition as they often get damaged quickly.
https://ukmoths.org.uk/species/mormo-maura/
Wow. I want one of those too! Whereabouts in NW Durham, Michael? I'm in nearby Washington Tyne and Wear and wonder if they might be in my area. Any tips on how to find them in the daytime, Paul? Since a) I don't have a trap up here and b) the link suggests they don't come to light all that often. I have had success recently with daytime Treble-bar and Shaded Broad-bar, (both new for me) but I got too close too soon to a daytime Vapourer and it flew off before I could photo it.
honeym
Well-known member
Although they emerge this month they often aestivate in out-buildings, tunnels, caves, etc., reappearing in September. Somewhere I have a photo of about 16 all tiled over each other in what was essentially a shed. They stayed in this position for several weeks before dispersing. Attached is a photo of a group of adults aestivating in a cave in Mallorca, from a publication by a friend.
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Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
No attachment Martin.
I get them in Notts too, they look like Bats flying they're so big!
A
honeym
Well-known member
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
Martin
Very pleased that a proper entomologist came along! I was struggling to know what to suggest.
Thinking about it - I have bumped into a number of Old Lady moths away from light. Probably the three highlights were chasing one around a restaurant in Bristol to try and release it to the amusement of my work colleagues and bemusement of fellow diners, one roosting at our favourite café on our patch and being shown a picture of one by my wife's friend as it had landed on my wife in Clevedon High Street. My delight in identifying the picture as one showing an Old Lady put me in the dog house for a week!
All the best
Very pleased that a proper entomologist came along! I was struggling to know what to suggest.
Thinking about it - I have bumped into a number of Old Lady moths away from light. Probably the three highlights were chasing one around a restaurant in Bristol to try and release it to the amusement of my work colleagues and bemusement of fellow diners, one roosting at our favourite café on our patch and being shown a picture of one by my wife's friend as it had landed on my wife in Clevedon High Street. My delight in identifying the picture as one showing an Old Lady put me in the dog house for a week!
All the best
Michael A
Well-known member
Found it in my garage near Shotley Bridge Consett Co. Durham caught and released it outside wife intimadated by it lol.
Here's my story, sad but true...
I was hanging around the Souter Point Lighthouse moth trap, Tyne and Wear, at 0530 three mornings ago, waiting for the local expert to arrive at 6 and open the trap. I'd got there early since a family of Pied Wagtails were regular early-morning visitors, picking the moths off the outside before the guys got there. This morning there were no sign of the Wagtails and few moths outside that were likely to be taken. Still I sat there. Suddenly a Wagtail swooped down from the roof above, holding what at first one might mistake for a medium-sized butterfly in its bill. I rushed it and forced the bird to drop the insect, and on inspection it turned out to be the attached. An Old Lady still very much alive, but with only one wing! I wonder how long it's going to haunt me til I find a whole one!
I was hanging around the Souter Point Lighthouse moth trap, Tyne and Wear, at 0530 three mornings ago, waiting for the local expert to arrive at 6 and open the trap. I'd got there early since a family of Pied Wagtails were regular early-morning visitors, picking the moths off the outside before the guys got there. This morning there were no sign of the Wagtails and few moths outside that were likely to be taken. Still I sat there. Suddenly a Wagtail swooped down from the roof above, holding what at first one might mistake for a medium-sized butterfly in its bill. I rushed it and forced the bird to drop the insect, and on inspection it turned out to be the attached. An Old Lady still very much alive, but with only one wing! I wonder how long it's going to haunt me til I find a whole one!
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Paul Chapman
Well-known member
You'll see a proper one soon enough.
There is a famous story about a really rare moth only being found dessicated in a spider's web. Can't remember it at the moment........
All the best
There is a famous story about a really rare moth only being found dessicated in a spider's web. Can't remember it at the moment........
All the best
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
Excellent news! (Now find us a Yank mega :king
Personally, I am obsessing about Blue Underwing..... Two Clifden Nonpareils trapped on my patch this autumn. Still none for me.
All the best
Personally, I am obsessing about Blue Underwing..... Two Clifden Nonpareils trapped on my patch this autumn. Still none for me.
All the best