Amazing moths!

Moths are often thought of as being dull and boring - a poor relation to the butterflies. This could not be further from the truth. Many moths are stunningly bright, like the scarlet tiger, and some, like the gothic, have beautifully cryptic colouration. They can also vary in size from the tiny micro moths like Incurvaria masculella to giants (occasionally mistaken for bats!) like the convolvulus hawk moth. Their names are also fun to learn, like burnished brass, puss moth and true lover's knot.

This tiny mico moth, incurvaria masculella,
has a wing span of only 16mm
Photograph by Phil Boggis

There are 2,500 different moth species found in Britain, some of them very tiny and many easily confused with others. But don't turn away, there are still plenty that are easy to identify, and once you get your eye in they can be quite compulsive.

The Puss Moth a very furry moth with beautiful markings
Photograph by Roger Driver

Most years we the Cornwall Wildlife Trust recieves reports of exotic humming birds form excited people. These, of course, always turn out to be the hummingbird hawk moth living up to their name, nectaring during the summer months just like hummingbirds do.

Bernard Skinner's The Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles has long been the moth enthusiasts' bible. It is a very comprehensive guide to the larger moths, with detailed descriptions and colour plates of pinned specimens, but it can be quite daunting for the beginner. The newly published Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland by Paul Waring and Martin Townsend has detailed illustrations of the moths in their natural resting positions by Richard Lewington. It looks far more user friendly and although it will probably never replace Skinner's, hopefully it will encourage more people to take a closer look at these fascinating creatures.

The Burnished Brass looks metalic as its name suggests
Photograph by Jayne Herbert

Moths and their caterpillars are the main prey item for a lot of our British wildlife such as birds, lizards, bats and other small mammals. According to figures recently released by the Rothamsted Insect Survey, there has been a devastating decline in moth numbers in the last 30 years. Species such as the once-common garden tiger could have diminished by something like 40% across Britain. If this initial research is true for other species it could have a huge impact on our wildlife.

Privet Hawk Moth Caterpillar a tasty snack for a bird
Photograph by Roger Driver

Other items that may be of interest:

• National Moth Night
• Photographs of British moths
• Checklist of butterflies in Cornwall
• Large Blue butterfly - reintroduction into North Cornwall
• British Invertebrate Books available from Amazon.co.uk
• Visit the Cornwall Moth Group's web site

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