Emperor Update

 Wednesday June 8

The Emperor Moth caterpillars we brought home from Scotland - they hatched out in an egg tray plastic bag, are thriving. Pam is still changing their food twice a day, they are eating machines. Hawthorn and Birch form the bulk of their diet. We think that they may be in their final instar before pupating. They are in a zipped breeding cage made of fine netting.

I counted 39 of them on the surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I counted

We've trapped some nice moths during the last few days, despite the rain. Lime Hawk-moth is always anticipated. We only trap one or two a year.

Bird's-wing

 

 Tortrix Viridana. Green Oak Tortrix

These micro moths appear in numbers during June and July. In very variable shades of green, many had to be rescued from the water lying at the bottom of the trap. A paint brush to cling onto, and then a few hours drying out on an egg box, and even the most desperate seem to survive. We had 19.