I'll happily admit to having fallen in love with moths. They have a mystique out there in the dark that I had not previously suspected, and just when you thought you were getting to grips with them, they bowl you a googly.
In Britain, four native moths can be considered truly aquatic; the Brown China-mark (Elophila nymphaeata), the Beautiful China-mark (Nymphula stagnata), the Ringed China-mark (Parapoynx stratiotata), and the Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella). Most females of this species are wingless and live on the surface of the water or just submerged. A few females have wings and are able to fly, these are larger than the males. The fully-winged males mate with the females usually on the surface of the water. The larvae are entirely aquatic, feeding on various aquatic plants. Hibernation takes place from October to May with larvae becoming mature by May or June; pupation occurs in a silk cocoon beneath the water surface. And then on warm summer nights they emerge, sometimes in huge numbers, and head for the nearest moth trap.
Water Veneer, Acentria ephemerella.
Nikon D7200
Tokina 100mm f/2.8
f16 1/200 ISO 100
