Day Flying Moths

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Although many moths fly by night there are a number of distinctive species which fly either exclusively by day or are as active during the day as they are at night.

Many may well be under recorded and to help here is information on a few of the more common species that may be found in the Hertfordshire and Middlesex area. You should also refer to a good guide to these species such as Skinner's Moths of the British Isles, Collins Guide to Insects or to Butterflies and Day-flying moths.

	2462 Mother Shipton Callistege mi Named because of a resemblance to a portrait of Old Mother Shipton a sixteenth-century soothsayer on each of the forewings and is found in meadows, downland, open woodlands and hedgebanks. Its larvae feed on clover and the pupa is a cocoon spun within a twisted grass blade. When disturbed it flies fast and low close to the ground and once settled is difficult to see. It is not attracted to flowers as the adult does not feed. © photo: Sandra Standbridge
2463 Burnet Companion Euclidia glyphica Probably more widespread than the Mother Shipton. It inhabits hedgerows, wet meadows, woodland margins and downland. The larvae use clover and pupate in a cocoon of silk and plant debris spun on the ground © photo: Trevor Chapman
	2397 Small Yellow Underwing Panemeria tenebrata In May and June this moth can be found in grassy areas visting a variety of flowers. It is a small moth with a brown upperwing and yellow underwing which can be seen when it is settled. It is smaller than any butterfly and is most likely to be mistaken for the "micro" moth Pyrausta aurata which is a purple brown and gold and also flies by day. However that is always associated with herbs such as mint and marjoram whereas the Small yellow Underwing larvae feed on common and field mouse ear. © photo: Andrew Wood
1894 Latticed Heath Semiothisa clathrata Fairly common, it inhabits downland, embankments, heathland, open woodland and brown field sites. The larvae use lucerne and various species of clover and trefoil © photo: Sandra Standbridge

From May look out for the Mother Shipton and the Burnet Companion, both in the family Noctuidae. These are brown moths are easily confused with Grizzled and Dingy Skipper butterflies - see Identification Guide page. Another moth that flies at this time of year and again from July to September is the Latticed Heath, which can also be confused with Grizzled Skipper. This moth is a member of the Geometridae family

In June the Burnet moths begin to emerge. Burnets are brightly coloured, black and red, day-flying moths which are attracted to various wild flowers. There are 7 species of burnet moth in Britain, 2 of which are common and widespread in our area. These are the Six-spot Burnet and the Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet

0169 Six-spot Burnet Zygaena filipendulae This moth flies from the end of June to late July, and is the most widely distributed and commonest burnet species. It can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including chalk downs, derelict meadows, waste ground and roadside verges. The larvae feed on Common and Greater Birds-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus and C. uliginosus, whilst the black pupa can be found enclosed in an opaque cocoon, which varies in colour from bright yellow to dirty white and is attached to grass stems and other vegetation. The adult has 6 red spots on each forewing. © photo: Andrew Wood

0171 Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Zygaena lonicerae This flies from mid June to late July. It is also widespread, in England at least, apart from the south-west. It is common on roadside verges, occurring also on chalk downs, railway embankments and in roughmeadows, woodland clearings and marshes. In addition to Lotus the larva also feed on Meadow Vetchling Lathyrus pratensis.This species also has black pupa enclosed in transparent cocoons attached to grass stems but these tend to vary from pale whitish-yellow or greenish-yellow to white. The adult has 5 spots on each wing, with the single spot near the wing tip. People often confuse the Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet with the very similar Five-spot Burnet Zygaena trifolii. This species is actually represented by two sub-species; ssp. decreta which is probably extinct in south-east England and has been absent from the London Area since 1948; and ssp. palustrella which is restricted to chalk grasslands. © photo: Archie Lang

2069 Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae Another cause of confusion is with this black and red species often encountered during the day but which is in the family Arctiidae with footman and tigers. The Cinnabar is not strictly a day-flying moth either but is easily disturbed from rest in long vegetation during the day. Its larvae are the familiar yellow and black devourers of Ragwort Senecio jacobea. This species is also widely distributed in England, flying from May to July and inhabiting meadows and wasteground where the foodplant is abundant. Adult © photo: Andrew Wood & Larvae © photo: Liz Goodyear
2026 The Vapourer Orgyia antiqua From July until October this is the commonest day-flying moth. Only the male is seen flying as the female is little more than a wingless egg sack. The male flies fast and often quite high along lines of trees and hedges seeking out the female with its large sensitive antennae. The female does not move from her pupal case and can be found on twigs or fences surrounded by groups of several hundred eggs. The caterpillar is red and back with pale yellow tufts and very distinctive and can be found on many wild and cultivated plants including hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, oak Quercus sp., willow Salix sp., Buddleia davidii and cultivated roses. It is probably under recorded since it has even been found in the heart of London, with a large colony on the plane trees in Leicester Square. Adult © photo: Liz Goodyear & Larvae © photo: Clare Gray

Some of the more unusual day-flying moths include:

1900 Speckled Yellow Pseudopanthera macularia This attractive moth flies from mid May to the end of June. This is a very local species in our area since it prefer sunny rides in older woods, such as the Broxbourne Woods complex. © photo: Steven Penn

1661 Orange Underwing Archiearis parthenias This flies in bright sunshine mainly at tree top height from mid March to April. Its larvae feed on birch Betula pendula, and it is probably under recorded. Its chocolate coloured upperwings and orange underwing make it quite distinctive if it descends to ground level. It has even been seen drinking from mud puddles

1662 Light Orange Underwing Archiearis notha This has a similar appearance, habits and flight period to the Orange Underwing but its larvae are restricted to aspen Populus tremula.

Several other moths will be encountered during the day by disturbing vegetation including various Carpets and Shaded Broad-bar but these are not day-flying species although are still worthy of a record.