Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Showing posts with label Moths of Europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moths of Europe. Show all posts

Monday 22 November 2021

FOX MOTH (Macrothylacia rubi) caterpillar at Blacksod Village, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland



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 The Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi) is of the family Lasiocampidae which is in the genus Macrothylacia.

Tuesday 21 September 2021

BRIGHT-LINE BROWN-EYE MOTH or TOMATO MOTH (Spilosoma lubricipeda) caterpillar Blacksod Village, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland


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 The Bright-line Brown-eye Moth (Lacanobia oleracea) or Tomato Moth is of the family Noctuidae which is in the genus Lacanobia. This common and widespread species occurs in the temperate areas of Eurasia as well as parts of North Africa.   
Having overwintered underground as a papa, the adult merges in early May and is on the wing until early July. In warmer regions there is a second generation and that flight season is during August and September. The caterpillar or larva stage is from June into early October.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds  
 
References and highly recommended reading:
Field guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland  by Paul Waring, Martin Townsend and Richard Lewington
Field guide to the Caterpillars of Great Britain and Ireland  by Barry Henwood, Phil Sterling and Richard Lewington

Tuesday 14 September 2021

WHITE ERMINE MOTH (Spilosoma lubricipeda) caterpillar Blacksod, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland


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 The White Ermine Moth (Spilosoma lubricipeda) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Spilosoma. This common species is found throughout the temperate regions of Eurasia. The adult is white with dark antennae and has black speckling on the forewing. The normal flight season is from mid May to end of July but infrequently there is a second generation later in the autumn. Larval stage is from July to late September. Then a  hairy cocoon is formed among plant debris in which the pupal stage remains and emerges the following year as an adult in early summer.
 
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds  
 
References and highly recommended reading:
Field guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland  by Paul Waring, Martin Townsend and Richard Lewington
Field guide to the Caterpillars of Great Britain and Ireland  by Barry Henwood, Phil Sterling and Richard Lewington 

Monday 13 September 2021

KNOT GRASS MOTH (Acronicta rumicis) caterpillar Blacksod, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland


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The Knot Grass Moth (Acronicta rumicis) is of the family Noctuidae which is in the genus Acronicta.

Tuesday 17 August 2021

RED UNDERWING MOTH (Catocala nupta) on 17-08-2021 attracted to security light Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Red Underwing Moth (Catocala nupta) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Catocala. This is a large macro moth with a wingspan of 80mm and occurs in the temperate regions of the Palearctic. There are less than fifteen Irish records. The first record was from Co. Cork on 16th September 1906. There were no further reports until September 2016 when it was found in Co. Louth. All subsequent reports have been from that county as well as several from Co. Dublin and there is a single record from Co. Meath.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 

Tuesday 3 August 2021

GOAT MOTH (Cossus cossus) caterpillar on 12-08-2020, Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Goat Moth (Cossus cossus) is of the family Cossidae which is in the genus Cossus. This large species occurs in broad leaved woodland across North America and Eurasia. In mid summer when the lava (caterpillar) hatches it bores into a deciduous tree. Having spent up to five year feeding inside the trunk or branch, the fully grown 10cm long larva emerges from the tree during August. It then makes a cocoon among debris on the ground where the pupal stage takes place and remains there until June the following year when it becomes a moth. The flight season, during which the adults don't feed, peaks in June and July. There is a strong musky smell reminiscent of goat from the larva (caterpillar) hence the adults name.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
With thanks to the local lady and her two children who found the caterpillar and pointed it out to me.

Sunday 11 July 2021

CINNABAR MOTH (Tyria jacobaeae) displaying Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Tyria. This striking day flying macro moth occurs in Europe and western Asia. It is also found in North America, Australia and New Zealand as an introduced species. The larval food plant is Common Ragwort (Senecio Jacobea) and flight season peaks in June and July.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 28 December 2020

CLOUDED BORDER MOTH (Lomaspilis marginata) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Clouded Border Moth (Lomaspilis marginata) is of the family Geometridae which is in the genus Lomaspilis.

Tuesday 1 December 2020

BURNET COMPANION MOTH (Euclidia glyphica) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Burnet Companion Moth (Euclidia glyphica) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Euclidia. It occurs through the Palearctic region. This day flying species is on the wing from April to late July, peaking in June. Larva (caterpillar) can be seen from late June to the end of August and then overwinters as a pupa, in a cocoon.
 
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 30 November 2020

Friday 26 June 2020

LATTICED HEATH MOTH (Chiasmia clathrata) Lullymore West Bog, IPCC Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland



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The Latticed Heath (Chiasmia clathrata) is of the family Geometridae which is in the genus Chiasmia. This day flying moth occurs throughout the Palearctic region. It is on the wing from mid May to mid September over two generations, peaking in June/July. In Ireland it has a scattered distribution where it can be locally common but is largely absent from the southwest. It overwinters as a pupa (chrysalis).

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Thursday 11 June 2020

BURNET COMPANION MOTH (Euclidia glyphica) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click here to see distribution map for Ireland
 
The Burnet Companion Moth (Euclidia glyphica) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Euclidia. It occurs through the Palearctic region. This day flying species is on the wing from April to late July, peaking in June. Larva (caterpillar) can be seen from late June to the end of August and then overwinters as a pupa, in a cocoon.
 
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 6 June 2020

SMALL PURPLE BARRED MOTH (Phytometra viridaria) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Small Purple-barred Moth (Phytometra viridaria) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Phytometra. It occurs in central, southern and western Europe. In Britain it has a widespread distribution in the southern half but is scattered and local further north. In Ireland it is very local and scarce with less than 300 individuals recorded and there are no records from a number of counties. The flight season extends from May to late August, peaking in early June.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 References:
https://www.leps.it/indexjs.htm?SpeciesPages/PhytoVirid.htm
 http://www.mothsireland.com/gallery3/index.php/tag_albums/album/11/Day-Flying-Moths
http://www.mothsireland.com/images/2470.gif
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytometra_viridaria

Friday 5 June 2020

NARROW BORDERED BEE HAWK MOTH (Hemaris tityus) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris tityus) is of the family Sphingidae which is in the genus Hemaris. It occurs through out the Palearctic region. This day flying bumblebee mimic is normally on the wing during May and June extending occasionally into July.
 It is the only bee hawk-moth found in Ireland where it has a very local and scattered distribution. Elsewhere it can be confused with the very similar Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris fuciformis).

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday 2 June 2020

CINNABAR MOTH (Tyria jacobaeae) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click here for detailed species information
The Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Tyria. This striking day flying macro moth occurs in Europe and western Asia. It is also found in North America, Australia and New Zealand as an introduced species. The larval food plant is Common Ragwort (Senecio Jacobea) and flight season peaks in June and July.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 

Thursday 28 May 2020

NARROW BORDERED BEE HAWK MOTH (Hemaris tityus) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris tityus) is of the family Sphingidae which is in the genus Hemaris. It occurs through out the Palearctic region. This day flying bumblebee mimic is normally on the wing during May and June extending occasionally into July.
 It is the only Bee Hawk-moth found in Ireland where it has a very scattered distribution. Elsewhere it can be confused with the very similar Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris fuciformis).

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds