I spent 30 minutes on Barden Moor yesterday afternoon (National Moth Night) in sunny, but breezy, conditions.
A pair of Lapwings chased me along the path presumably warning me away from their chicks.
I didn't venture too far up the hill, this time, but spent some time looking in the heather for larvae and was rewarded with the find of another Northern Eggar caterpillar.
I then noticed a small micro-moth, low down amongst the heather, which I briefly potted to photograph. This is Argyrotaenia ljungiana which can be common on moorland and heaths in all five Yorkshire vice-counties.
Hi Derek, my Northern Eggar that I've been rearing since last October (must be crackers!) is now 52mm long and has stopped feeding - not because it's ready to pupate but to moult again.Because of having to regrow the hairs each time,it takes around 3 days of not feeding and generally not moving at all before it's able to shed its skin.They reach from 60-80 mm fully grown,dependant I suppose on which sex they are.
ReplyDeleteHi Charlie, I now have two. The largest one moulted last Sunday giving me quite a shock when it seemed to have duplicated itself!
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