Tuesday 16 May 2017

Why worry about the little things?

Sulphur Tubic


Due to a combination of personal circumstances and weather I haven't had chance to run the moth trap properly yet, but I have managed to grab a couple of quick hours here and there. Moths are still in relatively short supply although numbers and variety is starting to pick up now. No spectacular finds so far, although I did miss one very interesting specimen which buzzed by in the dark. So far, for me the fascination has been in the micro moths, such as this pretty little Sulphur Tubic. After spending its larval phase munching dead wood, it's now on the wing for a few short weeks and then it'll be gone for another year.

Micro moths are ignored by many - they're certainly hard work to identify. But for me, these micro marvels are at least as fascinating as a fat hawkmoth. If this 12mm moth was 12cm long people would be paying good money to stand in sweaty greenhouses full of screaming kids at half term to take photographs of it. But why worry about the little things? Here's why.


Sulphur Tubic, Esperia sulphurella.

Nikon D7200 Tokina 100mm f/2.8 f11 1/125 ISO 500