Magpie cubed.

A few more moths today and a first of the year for one of my favourites.

The Magpie Moth, Abraxas grossulariata, is a common moth of the Geometridae family, but I only catch a few each year, and the first one each year is always around this date. The caterpillar has a wide range of food plants including, Hawthorn, Blackthorn and several of the soft fruit bushes, and it over-winters as a small larvae.

In the same egg box as the Magpie was a Small Magpie, Eurrhypara hortulata, not closely related to its larger namesake this belongs to the family Pyralidae, which is normally put with the "micro moths", although several are as large as many "macros". The caterpillar feeds most commonly on nettles and the adults are often seen flying in daylight.

Of course while I was sorting the moths out a pair of Magpies were feeding on some left-overs on the lawn.

I reckon I've got pictures of four more bird species (taken on my travels) and one more moth (in the garden) with "magpie" in the name. List tomorrow.