Top 5 Friday!

Technically 30 Days Wild ended with June but we’ve carried on the ethos of trying to put a little bit of wild into every day so this week’s T5F is a bit wild again.

As promised, this week is all about MY TOP 5 BRITISH MOTHS.

There are 50-something species of butterfly in the UK but a staggering 2,500 or so types of moth so my knowledge of them barely scratches the surface, even though I know more off the top of my head that most of my friends. (That’s what happens when you grow up with an Entomologist in the family – I can’t find my way out of a cardboard box with a map, but I can tell you which butterfly has landed on your elbow.)

5. Garden Tiger

RAWR! Firstly, they have the best name and secondly they are super cool. Tiger-striped body, funky black and white forewings and then shockingly bright underwings that they flash at you if they feel threatened. A pretty awesome way of saying ‘go away’ if you ask me!

They have super hairy caterpillars, too, that are called Woolly Bears. Bears that grow into Tigers! (Moths often have better caterpillars than most butterflies…)

4. Cinnabar

Probably one of the moths (and caterpillars) I see most often. If you’ve ever seen a ragwort plant covered in yellow and black stripy caterpillars – those are going to be cinnabar moths. When we went to see the Silver-Studded Blues last month we saw hundreds of the caterpillars and a few adult moths whilst we were there as well.

It turns out I like my goth-moths. Black moths just look so cool!!

cinnabar_1_2069_mark_parsons-web — Photograph Mark Parsons @ The Butterfly Conservation Website

3. Hummingbird Hawkmoth

These are the coolest moths. I am so desperate to see one in the wild – I haven’t managed it yet! I’d quite like to see a hummingbird, too, but I’ve never been to where they live!

humming-bird_hawk-moth_1984_dave_green-web — Photograph by Dave Green @ Butterfly Conservation Website

2. Elephant Hawkmoth

Not gonna lie, I love these because they’re pink. And fluffy.

Always a winner.

1.elephant-hm-1_for_web_robert-thompson — Photograph Robert Thompson @ Butterfly Conservation Website

1. Death’s-Head Hawkmoth

I did say I had a thing for goth-moths.

Not only is this the best Hallowe’en moth ever, it squeaks when alarmed and also has one of the coolest caterpillars. I’ve never seen one of these in the wild either, but maybe one day I’ll manage it.