tempus fugit

By ceridwen

Autograph please!

Red valerian grows like a weed here and is a great insect attractant.  Right now it's alive at dusk with Silver Y moths, hovering like tiny fairies in and out of the blooms. What with the vibration of their wings, the cats' attempts to capture them and the fact I was being bitten by midges as I tried to do the same, I failed to get a very good image. However its just possible to see  the moth's trademark letter Y (or gamma, as its scientific name suggests.)

Autographa gamma is a visitor from  warmer climes, often arriving in Northern Europe, and even Scandinavia, in large numbers during the summer months. In 2016 they achieved sporting fame when they all but disrupted the final of the European cup between France and Portugal after the stadium lights had been left on all night and, as the Daily Mail put it, the pitch was invaded by a massive swarm of MOTHS!! One was even seen to have alighted on the forehead of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as he was stretchered off in agony - not  for insect-related reasons but it would hardly have been a good moment to request... an  autograph (sorry!)

For an account of the match in entomological terms see here.

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