Is summer just arriving?

It has been so poor for moths this year that the arrival of a few of the more interesting species this week has been most welcome.

The Shears is a common moth but its relative, the Tawny Shears, above, is a less frequent, but regular visitor to the garden. 

Even a Common Cockchaffer was good to see. This large beetle, that normally starts to be seen at the end of May, flies round in the evening and has a very poor sense of direction, frequently flying into the unwary. It has a lot of "country" names including,  May bug, mitchamador, billy witch, and spang beetle. They seem far less common than when I was a lad!

It is always good to see Hawk Moths and two of my favourites are the Elephant Hawkmoth, above,

and its smaller relative, the diminutive Small Elephant Hawkmoth.They certainly both add some colour to the catch.

Lastly, a much more understated moth is the Scalloped Hazel. A good example of the cryptic patterns that so many moths exhibit, once it has landed it is very difficult to see amongst the vegetation.