Being a moth’er, friends always come up to me with wonderful pictures of moths or caterpillars they have found (or any invertebrates for that matter). Last year I got very excited when our Volunteer Officer had the same experience from his friend who had shown him what he assumed was an ordinary, if somewhat very large moth that turned up in his bathroom. It was however a Clifden nonpareil, also known as the Blue Underwing.
This absolutely stunning moth is high on any moth’ers wish list because of its beauty and also because it is very rare. We were obviously very excited to have a new record for the county, only to find out that the moth was actually recorded just over the border in Oxfordshire. Technicalities meant it was not a county record, but a very exciting record none-the-less.
I am fortunate enough to check two moths traps almost daily as part of my role at Pitsford Water nature reserve. The other morning I was extremely excited when, what I initially assumed was a Red Underwing, (the common relative of the Blue Underwing), jumped onto my hand, and then flashed her beautiful blue hindwings at me!