Wintery moths

CC image of sallow catkins

At the weekend I was surprised to see a tiny moth on the window in our kitchen. Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised - just because I think it's cold and horrible doesn't mean to say that other creatures haven't made up their minds to get on with things.

So what have moths and butterflies been doing over the winter? Different species take different approaches. Some overwinter as caterpillars or pupae. Others hibernate as adults. Some survive as eggs. The adults of some species migrate for the winter to warmer climes (quite an effort but you can appreciate why).

The Yorkshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation has a page illustrated with Moths of the Month - for February they include the macro moths below. Yorkshire's probably a little different to the SW but I imagine most will be in common. I've given links to the pages at 'UKMoths' as they offer some clues to where you might find them. I think there's a bit of a theme...? Examination of woodland trees and sallow blossom (when it arrives) plus another go with the light trap sound like profitable methods.

Achlya flavicornis (Yellow horned)- woodlands and heaths with birch
Agriopis leucophaearia (Spring usher) - wingless females on tree trunks. males attracted to light.
Agriopis marginaria (Dotted border) - wingless females. males attracted to light.
Alsophila aescularia (March moth) - wingless females on tree trunks. males attracted to light.
Apocheima pilosaria (Pale brindled beauty) - wingless females on tree trunks
Autographa gamma (Silver y) - adults attracted to light
Biston strataria (Oak beauty) - deciduous woodland and suburban habitats
Cerastis rubricosa (Red chestnut) - southern woodlands
Conistra vaccinii (The chestnut) - apparently fond of sallow blossom in early spring
Ectropis crepuscularia (The engrailed) - woodland and gardens from March
Eupsilia transversa (The satellite) - seen all winter if mild, attracted to sugar and light
Operophtera brumata (Winter moth) - females virtually wingless, found on tree trunks
Orthosia cerasi (Common quaker) - attracted to light, adults seen in March/April
Orthosia cruda (Small quaker) - attracted to light, adults feed on sallow blossom March/April
Orthosia gothica (Hebrew character) - often attracted to light, sallow blossom March / April
Orthosia incerta (Clouded drab) - light and sallow blossom March to May
Phlogophora meticulosa (Angle shades) - mostly May-October "but can be found in any month"
Scoliopteryx libatrix (The herald) - hibernates as adult in outbuildings, visits light and sugar
Theria primaria (Early moth) - females almost wingless, likes woodland margins and hedges
Xylocampa areola (Early grey) - lightly wooded areas, suburban areas, attracted to light.

I've read elsewhere that you might see these very early (just out of hibernation) butterfly adults too:

Gonepteryx rhamni (Brimstone) - page in UK Butterflies

and Aglais io (Peacock) - page in UK Butterflies

The strange wingless female of Agriopis leucophaerea. CC image Fred Kohler.

I do like the tone of some of the Victorian naturalists' guides, and they're often full of practical tips (although it can be a trial to work out what species they're talking about when names have changed). Here's an excerpt from 'The Lepidopterist's Calendar' by Joseph Merrin (1860).

Most Lepidoptera, except the many hybernated species, out thus early, have apterous [wingless] females. Pilosaria males come freely to light; females occur on trunks of elm and other trees. [...] [Agriopsis marginaria] and [Theria primaria] occur freely on hedges. The females may generally be detected sitting on the twigs by the males fluttering round. Box carefully, or they will fall to the ground, and be lost. The females of [Theria primaria] may, however, be often obtained by beating hawthorn hedges, with the aid of a lantern, at night, into an open umbrella.
  
You will probably look strange with your lantern (or torch) smacking at a hedge in the dark whilst brandishing an open umbrella. But this could be the way forward if you want to see these strange creatures.