Lockdown has meant so many of us have been restricted to our gardens during this grim pandemic. However, amongst all the gloom it’s great that we are showing more interest in our own garden wildlife. A surge of enquiries, particularly … Read More
Oak Processionary Moth caterpillars create amazing patterns when resting in large numbers on the trunks of oak trees. They’re also fascinating to watch when on the move, walking head to tail in a long processional line, hence their name. However, … Read More
This Jersey Tiger moth caterpillar was a welcome surprise. Not only had it survived the winter as a tiny, 3 mm long caterpillar but it was already 25 mm long and half grown by the time I found it. A … Read More
Some sun at last encouraged several caterpillars to show yesterday at Polly Joke on the north Cornish coast. 3 Scarlet Tiger caterpillars were sunning themselves on nettle leaves, 2 Drinker Moth caterpillars were on bramble leave and 2 Fox moth … Read More
Another overwintering Red Admiral butterfly was feeding on winter flowering heather in our Cornish garden today. This follows two different Red Admirals recorded in January. Even in this mild part of Cornwall it’s unusual to see them flying during the … Read More
The Catalonia region of Spain is well known for having some wonderful butterflies. One of the most beautiful is the stunning Swallowtail Butterfly, Papilio machaon. Lieve De Strooper took this great photo of one feeding on zinnia flowers in her … Read More
These three sightings of very different looking caterpillars were recorded in Germany. A magnificent Goat Moth caterpillar was seen by Eva Almajan near the Krumme Lanke Lake in Berlin. While, in Bavaria, Germany, Normajean Spencer spotted a green form of … Read More
This Giant Swallowtail (Papilio crespontes) butterfly caterpillar, also known as the Orange Dog, was feeding on a Lemon Tree in Bell, Florida. In the United States and many other countries worldwide the caterpillars of several species of Swallowtail butterfly feed … Read More
This scarce, white form of Small Copper Butterfly was photographed on the Lizard Peninsular, Cornwall. It was one of several other Small Coppers nectaring on yarrow, hemp agrimony and fleabane. Earlier in the year Ted Benham sighted a white form … Read More
The twentieth anniversary of National Moth Night takes place over three nights between 26th and 28th September. This year the magnificent Clifden Nonpareil Catacolia fraxini also known as the Blue Underwing, is one of the targeted species. For those unfamiliar … Read More
A Long-tailed Blue butterfly was an unexpected but very welcome recent arrival to our Cornish garden. Being my first Long-tailed Blue in the British Isles I could scarcely believe my eyes when it dived at speed onto a lavender bush … Read More
Anita Smith had a rare but very welcome visitor to her garden in Morayshire, Scotland. This magnificent Death’s-head Hawkmoth was first seen in her neighbours garden and then photographed on a trellis in Anita’s. This long distance flyer is the … Read More