h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... Burnished brass and Poplar Kittens,
The Spectacle, Purple thorn, Oak hook-tips, Scorched wings,
These are a few of my (new) favourite things

Getting to know my ermines from my carpets,

Weirdly 3D - http://public.fotki.com/h2g2Waz/for-sharing-with-friends/moths-and-butterflies/moths/buffarches.html

Drop-dead cute - http://public.fotki.com/h2g2Waz/for-sharing-with-friends/moths-and-butterflies/moths/burnishedbrass.html

! - http://public.fotki.com/h2g2Waz/for-sharing-with-friends/moths-and-butterflies/moths/june081415048.html

Even the Common Quaker has these subtle lines, points and fringes - http://public.fotki.com/h2g2Waz/for-sharing-with-friends/moths-and-butterflies/moths/commonquaker.html

There's a whole, unexplored, weird and wonderful world out there at night. I'm getting right into moth-trapping...

Very dear LLWaz,

Your Flutterbyes/moths look as strange as my green hair. !!

Much affection to you both.

Christiane
AR80

Wonderful photos Waz. Have you any more like that? You will see why I ask when comes out. You must be ideally placed to get such photos.

Websailor

Hi Waz! I've not yet looked at all of your photos, but the ones I saw are amazing. I've always believed moths are vastly underrated for beauty! If I can figure out how to do close-up work with my camera, I'll try and get some shots of the nice ones we have over here.

That would be lovely Willem, watch out for later this week.

Websailor

Incidentally Waz, I noticed the Edited Guide is sadly lacking in moth entries

Websailor

I've an excessive number of moth photos, of very varying quality, Websailor. Close to 100 species now . Photographing them helps with learning how identify them in the first place, and then remembering their names. That's my excuse.

We set the moth trap last week to do the moth count, got 42 species but only eight of the target ones. After sending in the results we found Shropshire wasn't in the project! Anyway, the 42 were well worth it, particularly Peach Blossom. (Collected at 4.30am - couldn't get back to sleep so went to see what was around on the walls before the birds started picking them off.)

Peach Blossom was the one I really wanted. Then I wanted Swallowtails. Never seen one. Untill last night one flew past the kitchen door and two came in the bedroom window. Beautiful things.

I'm giving a guide entry some thought, moths ought to be represented.

Willem, my digital camera has a macro setting, which does the work.

Christiane, flutterbyes/moths is the truth - the difference is pretty ambiguous apparently.

Hi Madame Waz,

thank you for your lovely tales about the flutterbyes/moths. Can I really call them that?

So glad you managed to find your specials and that tbey are so beautiful Can I see them.? I am tired and have not looked to see if you have given us a link.

Go well, and enjoy everything forever!

With much affection to you two.

Christiane and K.

I told K. about the Mabelreign cpnnection and he was fascinated. !
AR80

Waz, I only looked at your links initially but I have just gone back and looked at more. Found the Elephant Hawk moth. Absolutely stunning photos. You clearly live in a place blessed with beautiful moths. I still haven't seen them all. Found your butterflies too and I have marked to look later.

What a shame Shropshire wasn't part of the project - perhaps it is because it is known that you have so many species?

I shall go back for more when I have more time. You have given me enormous pleasure already and brightened my day. Thank you.

I shall look forward to an entry as you seem eminently suited to writing it.

Websailor

Mabelreign! There's a navy-tunicced and lemon shirted blast from the past!

Give my regards to K .

Here is Peach Blossom. Pretending to be dead. She's not, she took off before I managed to get a livelier looking photo. http://public.fotki.com/h2g2Waz/for-sharing-with-friends/moths-and-butterflies/moths/peachblossom-1.html

And a slightly more obliging Swallowtail. http://public.fotki.com/h2g2Waz/for-sharing-with-friends/moths-and-butterflies/moths/swallowtail-1.html Which is a good example of the flutterby/moth thing. The Skippers, classed as butterflies, are much more like moths than this moth.

Glad you enjoyed the photos, Websailor. (Assuages the guilt on spending as much time on photographing them as I have ). That entry needs to wait till I've finished the book I'm reading - I'm a beginner with moths and realising how much I assumed about them isn't wholly right.

About the many species - here's another assumption out the window. I assumed I'd never seen all these moths before because I'd just not looked closely. But I've just had a look through my sister's town garden and although she has lots of unweeded wild stuff and overgrown corners I flushed up nothing but a handful of micromoths. At home I've never not flushed up a couple of macromoths from the long grass, the raspberries or the nettle patches, and with far more micromoths.

It's tempting to see if it's feasible, weather permitting, to bring the moth trap here one night and see what that brings. Meantime I'll try leaving a light on by an open window this evening (see if I ca turn N's house into a moth trap...).

Very dear LLWaz,

Keith hurrumped and said Hi in return.

His neice has sent him a paiting outfit - something special from Holland and he is thrilled and is busy experimenting. I am very pleased because thanks to some info from Strangely Strange, I was able to eventually contact a potter near us and she is coming to tea us on Wednesday. It will make such a difference to his life if he is able to do something Cosntructivwe.

Perhaps one day he may even collect flutterbyes and motns. !!

We had a visit from a little bird on the balcony this morning. what a joy. Now we are off to buy bird tables etc. etc.

With much affection to you both.

Christiane and Keith.