Nice photo, nice easy moth: Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata), which is also the foodplant. A common autumn species.
These are the sources to use for larger moths:
Skinner, B.: Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles (Viking, 1984 & subsequent edns);
Waring, Townsend & Lewington: Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain & Ireland (British Wildlife Publishing, 2003).
With either (or both) of the above vols, moth ID is usually fairly straightforward and rarely requires dissection. (Methodologically much less complex and frustrating than pursuing monsters, and more likely to spring the desired surprise.)
David Brierley (Rochdale, Lancs) asks if anyone can identify this little beauty. He found it in his bath recently.
Nice photo, nice easy moth: Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata), which is also the foodplant. A common autumn species.
ReplyDeleteThese are the sources to use for larger moths:
Skinner, B.: Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles (Viking, 1984 & subsequent edns);
Waring, Townsend & Lewington: Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain & Ireland (British Wildlife Publishing, 2003).
With either (or both) of the above vols, moth ID is usually fairly straightforward and rarely requires dissection. (Methodologically much less complex and frustrating than pursuing monsters, and more likely to spring the desired surprise.)