Back Home

 Wednesday May 25

The holiday seems like a distant memory. We have been so busy this week, mainly catching up with medical appointments deferred by our time away. Chiropodist yesterday, xray at Cromer hospital today, Eye Clinic on Friday. Some enjoyable moth-ing in between. Our minds were boggled by our own traps on Monday morning. Instead of being led gently into the season with a gradual build up, we had over 20 species to identify, largely a dredging up of identity from this time last year.

 

Garden Carpet

May Highflyer

Eyed Hawk-moth

Yesterday at Natural Surroundings beat that into a cocked hat, with 67 species. The sheer size and variety of planting and habitat in the trapping area, produces a rich variety of species.

The Emperor moth caterpillars we brought back from North Uist are flourishing, twice their size already. Pam gives them fresh food twice daily - and cleans up their droppings. They started off on willow leaves and are now eating Hawthorn, we have plenty of that.This is a moth found country-wide, so bringing them home for release here is acceptable. There are about 80 of them.

 

In 4-5 weeks time, they should change to a green colour before pupating on their food plant. We shall then need to keep them through the winter for emergence next year.all good fun, and increasing the moth population. Unprotected, many of the caterpillars would be eaten by birds or predated by wasps.