Rearing Cornwall Moths

Erebidae, Lymantriinae Final Length: ~45mm. Another of the showy caterpillar forms of this moth. It never fails to impress people who see it.

Erebidae, Lymantriinae Wingspan: 64mm. The females of this species rarely come in to light traps, so one seen is always an event. It tends to be more cleanly marked than the males, appearing whiter, and with stronger bands across the wing. It's always nice to find one, as there is the possibility of gaining some eggs and rearing the often quite showy furry caterpillars.

Erebidae, Lymantriinae Wingspan: 46mm. An often-common species in the UK, with sometimes a number coming into Moth Traps on a night. By far the main form arriving is the male, whilst the female is rarely seen.

This tiny hatchling is struggling into our world from its 1mm diameter egg. I'm always amazed how insects form, including hair, within such a tiny pack and then manage to bite their way out. In most cases nothing is wasted, and the hatchling's first meal will be the transparent shell of the egg, often of primary importance, as it won't eat anything else until the first meal has taken place.

See Albums in my "Cornwall Moths" Folder for more UK moth photographs in all stages. This Garden Tigermoth is in defensive display mode, using shock colour to frighten off likely predators. Normally the bright hindwings are hidden under the more camouflage patterned forewings.

Erebidae, Lymantriinae Wingspan: 46mm. "The Stare" - Sometimes moths eyes light up, but this one certainly is intense. Strangely only one other insect which came in at the group trapping event here reflected light at all. See Album: Small Families 2

Erebidae, Lymantriinae Wingspan: 46mm. The Male which provided the picture with the glowing eyes, in a more natural pose.

Erebidae, Lymantriinae Wingspan: 54mm. This female was placed on the trunk of our big fir tree after a trapping night, and stayed there for 2 days. A close inspection showed that she was laying eggs, by tucking them under a bark flap on the trunk. I marked the area with a pen to check after she had finished, and found the eggs inserted between the flap and the trunk. They stay like this over Winter, hatching in the following Spring.

Erebidae, Lymantriinae Lifting the Bark Flap from the trunk revealed the eggs laid previously.