Moth Trapping
With the weather being so warm, I decided to set the moth trap last night. It was probably my best session so far with 10 moths from 5 species, 3 of which were new to me. So, 14 species for the garden this year so far.
- Light Brown Apple x5
- Heart and Dart x2
- Clouded Bordered Brindle x1
- Peppered Moth x1
- Spectacled Moth x1
The spectacle is a superb moth named after the 'spectacles' in it's fur above the head. I remember studying the peppered moth as part of my evolution work as a student and was fascinated that as cities became more industrial and buildings and trees covered in grime, a dark version of this moth adapted and became successful because its dark colouring camouflaged it on the polluted surfaces. The dark coloured or melanic form was not known until 1811. Because predators were able to spot the light moths more easily, the dark moths were more likely to survive and reproduce. The peppered moth case is an example of natural selection. In this case, changes in the environment caused changes in the characteristics that were most beneficial for survival.
To view large, please click on an image.
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| Clouded Bordered Brindle |
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| Clouded Bordered Brindle |
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| Peppered Moth |
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| Peppered Moth |
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| Spectacle Moth showing the 'spectacles' |
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| Spectacle Moth |
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