Warm Days, Chilly Spring Nights

Daytime temperature bis up to 20 Celsius, but the nights are clear and still quite cold at night, even a touch of frost some mornings. It’s also nearly full moon, so there are not too many moths flying yet. These though are a pretty trio, and harbinger of more to come as Spring draws on.

#606 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)

#739 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)

#741 Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria)

Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa, #739)

This nicely marked Angle Shades moth was resting up in the greenhouse. Angle Shades moths fly throughout the summer from May-October, with the population supplemented by migrants from the continent. The caterpillars eat a variety of plants including nettles, docks and brambles.

Angle Shades

This moth had somehow got its way into the brown bin along with all the garden composting waste. The Angle Shades has two generations, the Autumn one from August to November being the larger. It’s a nicely marked moth; I hadn’t noticed previously the way it turns up the outside edges of its wingtips to look more like a leaf.

#739 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)