NOVEMBER MOTH

You may see the odd Comma butterfly or a Red Admiral but most butterflies are overwintering now either as adults, pupae, larvae or eggs.  

Several moths, however are on the wing and the obvious one to look out for is the November Moth.  They fly at night in October and November but you may see one in the day, perched on a tree trunk or somewhere else where it can melt into the background.

The November Moth is quite variable in colour and has a few close relatives that look a bit similar but spotting any moth at this time of year is heartening.

Here are two photos showing different colouration, from the Butterfly Conservation website, kindly donated by members.

photo: Peter Maton

photo: Ian Leach

There is also a December Moth but you are unlikely to see it unless you have a light trap.  It's dark brown, almost black, with a few white lines.