Herald and Plumes

Herald, Scoliopteryx libatrix.   In my garden light trap on 15 April 2015

When I put out a trap on my small balcony, I catch a different range of moths than when it is sheltered down below.  Most are the same, but I get more micromoths and a few beauties.  This is such a moth.

The Herald overwinters as an adult, and comes to light in the spring, showing its dead-leaf shape and beautiful autumnal colours in quite the wrong season.  Hibernating butterfiles also have dead-leaf disguises, but none quite so lovely.  I photographed this on one of my collection of bark backgrounds.

I am also seeing some plume moths.

Common Plume, Emmelina monodactyla.   Near my garden light trap on 9 April 2015

This Common Plume was on my garden seat, resting in its typical geometrical shape.  Plume moths roll up their wings like umbrellas when at rest, giving this T-shape.  (You might also notice that my garden seat has a thriving population of very tiny beetles, as small as a moth's foot, not identified.)  Here is a slightly more fancy plume moth:

Beautiful Plume, Amblyptilia acanthadactyla.   Near my garden light trap on 9 April 2015

The Beautiful Plume does not furl its wings quite so tightly, leaving gaps at the end between fore and hind wings.

This year I also saw a March Moth for the first time.

March Moth, Alsophila aescularia.   In my garden light trap on 24 March 2015

It's not rare, but there are so many species of moth that often it's pure chance whether one comes to my trap.