Canary

Moths are normally more active on warm and cloudy still nights. So with a forecast of clear skies and possible the first frost of the autumn I knew that the moth trap may be quite empty this morning. I was proved right, with only six moths attracted to the trap overnight. There was nothing new or unusual, but it was an opportunity to have a closer look at one the species I regularly catch.

Canary-shouldered Thorn

This is a Canary-shouldered Thorn, and it is a quite beautiful moth. It has an improbable yellow body (thorax), from which it gets its unlikely name. It also holds its wings at an angle, and these are dusted with beautiful markings.

This is a common moth and is a regular fixture in both of our traps. It just shows what is lurking unseen in gardens in the Strettons.