Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata)

Status: Common throughout the UK.

'A Caterpillar, Pearly'

(Campaea = a caterpillar: from the Greek kampe, margaritata = pearly: Latin).

In France, this moth is known as 'Le Céladon' (celadon is a type of ancient Chinese pottery with a pale jade-green glaze): a more fitting description of the colour than the English common name.

The colouration is most intense in freshly emerged specimens and fades to whitish within a few days.

Larvae are brown and twig-like, with hairy extensions fringing the ventral surface - this may help the larvae cling to branches - they rest with their ventral surfaces pressed tightly against tree branches (overwintering as larvae in exactly this way).

Close-up showing the shimmery, pearlescent scales on the wings.

Flight Period: Late May to early September.

Foodplants: A variety of broad-leaved trees & shrubs (including Pedunculate Oak & Hawthorn).

Celadon pottery - which gives this moth its common name in France.

(Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art - http://www.metmuseum.org)

White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda)

Status: Common and widespread.

'Spotted Body and Slippery Feet'

(Spilo = spotted/stained + soma = body: Greek, lubrici = slippery + peda = feet: Latin).

Like many other members of the Arctiidae family, the White Ermine can sequester pyrrolizidine alkaloids, making all life-stages toxic to predators. The larvae are also covered with irritating hairs (like those of other Arctiidae) and are known as 'wooly bears'.

Some individuals have heavier black markings (which may form stripes) and in parts of Scotland a form occurs with a grey-buff ground colour (see the UK Moths website: http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=3124).

Flight Period: Mid May to late July.

Foodplants: A variety of herbaceous plants (including Stinging Nettle and Docks).

This moth's namesake - a rather fanciful 'dalmatian' ermine (the moth is closer to this than a real ermine).

(Courtsey of Hatfield House: http://www.hatfield-house.co.uk/)

Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)

Status: Common and widespread.

'Naked-legged with Reddish Bands'

(Gymno = naked: from the Greek gymnos + scelis = leg: from the Greek skelis, rufi = reddish: Latin + fasciata = bands).

One of the more distinctive pug moths (a notoriously difficult group to identify), this species has reddish bands across the wings and dark dashed lines along the wing-edges.



Flight Period: Double-brooded - first brood from late March to May, second brood July to August.

Foodplants: The flowers of a wide range of plants including Gorse (Ulex) and Holly (Ilex).

Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata)

Status: Common throughout Britain.

'Yellow-flow, Mountain-shaped'

(Xantho = yellow + rhoe = flow: Latin, montanata = mountain-shaped: Latin).

Look closely at this moth's wings to see the 'snowy mountain peaks' mentioned in its specific name 'montanata'.
Easily disturbed from vegetation during the day, the Silver-ground Carpet also flies at night.
There is considerable colour variation in this moth but the Silver-ground Carpet can be distinguished from similar species by its silver ground colour (though the dark central bar may be various shades of brown, black and grey).






Flight Period: Mid May to late July.

Foodplants: A variety of low-growing plants including Bedstraw (Galium).

Peach Blossom (Thyatira batis)

Status: Common and widespread, more local in Scotland.

'Thyatira, Batis'

(Thyatira = ancient city, now Akhisar in Turkey, Batis = a student of ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus).

With its striking pink-petalled wings, the Peach Blossom moth always makes me think of cherry trees and spring. The patterning on its wings bears a strong resemblance to the flowers of its foodplant - bramble.










Flight Period: Late May to late July (peaking mid July). A partial second brood may emerge in August.

Foodplants: Bramble (Rubus fruticosus).

The Flame (Axylia putris)

Status: Common over most of UK, more local in Scotland (it is commonest in the south-west).

'Rotten Chopped-wood'

(Axylia = chopped wood: Latin, putris = rotten: Latin).

The delicate colouration of this little moth, its habit of resting with its wings held close to its body and the pale colouration on the front of its head, enable it to perfectly mimic a snapped twig. Linnaeus refers to this camouflage technique in his very descriptive choice of scientific name.

Flight Period: June to July. Sometimes a partial second generation in autumn.

Foodplants: a variety of herbaceous plants including Stinging Nettle and Bedstraw.

The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis)

Status: Common and Widespread in UK.

'Webbed/woven(?) Snout'

(Hypena = possibly from the Greek 'hyphaino': webbed/woven, proboscidalis = snouted: Latin).

A most distinctive moth: the long labial palps (which have a chemosensory function) give The Snout its name.

The long labial palps form a 'snout'.

Flight Period: double-brooded. First brood from June to August, the second brood in south: late August to mid October.

Foodplants: Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)