6 October 2014 - The Most Beautiful of Moths

Merveille du Jour (Dichonia aprilina)

The forecast warned of heavy rain at 7am so the trap had to be gathered in by 6am. Fortunatley  the relatively warm night had brought a reasonable catch of moths.  A visit to the museum and gardens had been booked by a group of German 'garden tourists' and it seemed sensible to draw their attention to the beauties of our little environment after seeing the splendour of Fountains Abbey and Rievaulx Terraces.  What we lack architecturally we make up for entomologically.  The Berliners were impressed with the Green Brindled Crescent and the Orange Sallow and were suitably enchanted by the Merveille du Jour - the one that everybody loves.  Mouths were opened in surprize and delight when they realised the stick of wood had more than lichen attached to it.  

It has been recorded and photographed before (see September 2011) but this is only the third time for Shandy Hall. 

Marvel du Jour (illustration)

The illustration (above) is an excellent record of 'this fine species'.