No sightings of Orange-tip butterflies in the garden yet this year. However, its not going to be long judging by the development of two chrysalis brought inside from the cool garage where they’d been overwintering. The orange wing tips of … Read More
This pre overwintering Oak Eggar caterpillar, Lasiocampa quercus, was found in our Cornish garden in early October. A good example of a moth species with larvae that radically alter their appearance as they moult skins and grow. Unrecognisable from the … Read More
In the South West of Cornwall the larvae of the Vapourer Moth that inhabit the moorland regions have yellow setae and pale yellow or pale orange markings. The one featured with unusual bold, rusty orange dorsum markings was recorded by … Read More
Red Admiral caterpillars have been busy over the last few weeks constructing their nettle tents in our Cornish garden. Several are fully grown now and it was fascinating to watch a pale form of the caterpillar construct its final nettle … Read More
Hopes are high for the stunning sight of large numbers of brightly coloured Scarlet Tiger Moths later in the summer. This species is prone to sudden explosions in numbers and the many recent reports of their caterpillars from the southern … Read More
Recent fine weather has seen the arrival in the British Isles of some large migratory moths from the continent. These have included several Convolvulus Hawkmoths. This species is one of the strongest flying moths and recorded as far north as … Read More
This unusual sighting of a Swallowtail caterpillar in Brighton, England was received from Nick Fry. Given that it’s a long way from the only resident UK Swallowtail Butterfly population in the Fens of Norfolk the origins of the female butterfly … Read More
This magnificent Death’s Head Hawkmoth caterpillar was found by Glenys Phillips and her granddaughter, Emily, in their Cornish garden. Following recent sightings received from the Provence in France and Norfolk in the UK a Death’s Head caterpillar in my home … Read More
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