Mynydd Merlin said:
The one we had was feeding on petunias in the hanging baskets. Great because it was at eye level and I got some great views.
Thanks for your expert input Harry. My fieldguide for moths and butterflies is pretty old and I'm not sure how accurate it may be now. It is a bit contratidictory in that it states these are migrant moths from the south of France but also hibernate. Do we get overwintered moths here in the UK? It also says they lay eggs on Bedstraw. Do these mature in the UK (under natural conditions) or do we only get migrants?
I also thought Silver Y's were native UK species - thanks for pointing that one out for me. Not a being a moth specialist, I'm happy to learn more!
Hello Merlin,
I'm not at all certain whether migrant moths can overwinter here in the adult stage, although certainly there are many resident moth species that do so, ranging from small 'Micro's to quite large 'Macro's'.
Some species which are resident here have their numbers boosted by migration, which, I suppose, helps some of them from becoming extinct here.
The Silver Y moth is a species which I consider can possibly survive here overwinter, but in one of the pre-adult stages. Note that is my opinion only, others may disagree.
Many migrant moth species are continuously brooded in their homeland and are stated to have no overwintering stage, yet I have successfully brought four Convolvulous Hawkmoth pupa (that I bred from ova last year), through the winter, these are still alive after being in that stage for eight months, and I'm wondering when they will emerge?
Given the right conditions, I'm pretty certain that some migrant species will be overwinter in one stage or another, but this will be the exception rather than the norm.
It is interesting to note that until fairly recently, it was stated by the 'experts' that Painted Lady and Red Admiral butterflies couldn't hibernate successfully in Britain in the adult stage, yet there have been many reports in the last few years that they managing to do just that. Again it depends a lot on the prevailing weather conditions and the hibernation site. It's far from a commonplace occurrence, but it does happen, especially in the milder winters we have been having. Possibly another side effect of 'Global Warming'.
I do recollect a report a few years ago that one Hummingbird Hawk Moth had taken up residence in an unheated room in a house in October, possibly with a view to hibernating, but I don't know what the outcome was.
Anything is possible I suppose, it's just a matter of collecting hard evidence.
The British Butterfly and Moth species (resident and migrant) are perhaps the best studied insects in the world, but we still have an awful lot to learn about them.
Harry
