Twenty-plume Moth
Alucita hexadactyla

August through to June.

Woodland and gardens with honeysuckle, its foodplant

Uniquely among British species, the wings of this moth are each made up of six 'feathers'. Despite its delicate appearance it is very long-lived, often entering conservatories or outbuildings to hibernate, though it may bcome active on mild winter days.

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Brussels Lace
Cleorodes lichenaria

Caterpillar August - May.

Woodland.

Though associated with trees, this species feeds on the lichens growing on their trunks and branches rather than their leaves. Thus it is able to feed slowly throughout the winter, perfectly camouflaged by its shape and colour and presumably able to tolerate freezing temperatures.

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Pink-barred Sallow
Xanthia togata

Egg stage: September to April.

Woodland, scrub and carr.

When eggs must survive for seven or eight months it is worth choosing the oviposition site carefully. This neat row of tiny eggs has been laid in the crevice between the bark and a plump bud that will produce a sallow catkin - nutritious food for the caterpillars when they hatch in spring. Several other identical rows were found on the same branch.

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Satellite
Eupsilia transversa

October through to April.

Woodland, scrub, rural gardens.

The Satellite probably gets its name not from the lunar crescent on its forewing but from the detached dots at either end, often of a different colour as in this case. It does not truly hibernate, but becomes active on mild nights even in the depths of winter, feeding on the juices of any fermenting berries still left on trees and bushes

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Rush Veneer
Nomophila noctuella

Migrant, commonest in late autumn.

May turn up anywhere.

Although fewer of our resident moths are on the wing, late autumn can be surprisingly good for migrants if the winds are from the south. This distinctively long and narrow pyralid reaches northern Scotland annually and may be seen as late as November, sometimes in the daytime.

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