UKMoths What people are saying...
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Kate Faulks - 28 June 2009
I found a large moth at work which I caught to put back outside. We had no idea what it was but your site provided the answer in seconds. It was a Poplar Hawk-moth. It was beautiful although he didn't take kindly to my rescuing him as he excreted on my hand. Is this a defense thing?
John Turney - 28 June 2009
Hi Not used to doing this, but Ive used your site a couple of times over the last few weeks. This morning I had 25 species in my trap of these there was only one that I had trouble with this species was initially identified with the help of Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain & Ireland by Waring,Townsend & Lewington but was confirmed with the help of your site The species in question was The Mottled Beauty just goes to show that photo's are some times better than illustrations. Many thanks for a great site.
Fiona - 28 June 2009
Thanks for a great site. Found exactly what I needed in two clicks! Had a beautiful Swallow-tailed moth in our bathroom last night and had to know what it was! Many thanks :)
Peter John Edwards - 27 June 2009
Good website!
I was bemused however, when I put in 'red data book uk moths' 12 came up (images only) that were in fact mostly common species!
I was looking for recent data on Toadflax Brocade, which I recently trapped in Osterley Park, Middlesex (photo available),
I was bemused however, when I put in 'red data book uk moths' 12 came up (images only) that were in fact mostly common species!
I was looking for recent data on Toadflax Brocade, which I recently trapped in Osterley Park, Middlesex (photo available),
Bob Davidson - 27 June 2009
A moth that looks like a cross between a privet and a lime flew into my study. It's a bit of a whoppa with a wingspan a good 4 or 5 inches, and head thorax abdomen around 2 1/2 to 3 inches. I've taken some pics, but am struggling with the technology to attach from my Blackberry. I've see some big jobs before, but this takes the biscuit. Are they common? or, becoming more common with anthropogenic climate change?
sue avery - 26 June 2009
my daughter has today 26th june photographed on her mobile phone a large brown moth with pointed wings when at rest it is about 2 1/2 inches long from head to wing tip/tail any ideas of what it could be. thanks Sue
Laura Thomas - 26 June 2009
Fantastic resource - up to now have had to rely on Observer book of Larger Moths. Today checked with your website and can confirm a sighting of Scarce Silver-Lines. Block of flats in Central London - obviously drawn to landing lights. Have a communal woodland garden at the back but no oak trees.
Kate Tomlinson - 26 June 2009
excellent site for identification and information.
Vince Hall - 26 June 2009
I found two unusual moths on some Penstamon in my garden. I had not seen anything like them and to me they were huge. I thought I would check them out online, so on doing a google search I accessed this site first. Checked out the top twenty moths as reccommended on first page and there they were No 1 - the Poplar Hawk Moth. Then I realised that the penstamon is next to some 'Black Poplar' hedging I have put in. Excellent site.
claire - 25 June 2009
This site was very usefull for identifying a large moth that had falling into the dog bowl,i rescued it and left it to dry and it was ok, was a large lime hawk moth! Not seen a moth of that size or colour before.
G. Mower - 25 June 2009
Very interesting site; many more types than I thought existed.
Richard - 25 June 2009
managed with the help of your key word search to identify a Scarlet Tiger that came into my garden today (25-06-09).
your website is now in my favorites,just in case i find any other moths that dont appear in my small books.
thank you for taking the trouble to set up this site.
your website is now in my favorites,just in case i find any other moths that dont appear in my small books.
thank you for taking the trouble to set up this site.
jules humphreys - 24 June 2009
Just had a visit from a 1991 Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor
(Linnaeus, 1758) and am totally hooked. Was blown away by the beauty of this and want more!!
(Linnaeus, 1758) and am totally hooked. Was blown away by the beauty of this and want more!!
Jane - 23 June 2009
I found what I think is a moth on the iris in my garden, but I cannot find it on your site. I wondered if you could identify it for me. It is large and light brown in colour with long narrow wings, rounded at the ends. About 1mm up from the bottom of the wing and at the very edge it a small black dot. Showing underneath is yellow with a black strip going across. When the wings are folded back they look to have a yellowish tinge.
Hope you can identify it.
Thanks Jane
Hope you can identify it.
Thanks Jane
Caroline Bell-Syer - 23 June 2009
I'm really sorry to say that my cat brought in the moth which I'm trying to identify :-(
It has wings like a dragon/damsel fly which are at a 90deg angle to the body but body and head of a moth. The body is brown/beige/gold. it's about 1.5\" long and probably 2-3 wide. I can send you a pic. but be warned, it's not very pretty. I do hope this is nothing rare, but it's unlike anything I have seen before.
Regards,
Caroline
It has wings like a dragon/damsel fly which are at a 90deg angle to the body but body and head of a moth. The body is brown/beige/gold. it's about 1.5\" long and probably 2-3 wide. I can send you a pic. but be warned, it's not very pretty. I do hope this is nothing rare, but it's unlike anything I have seen before.
Regards,
Caroline
derek smart - 23 June 2009
I have a photo of a small moth which i cannot id, can i E mail it to you for id.There is no moth quite like it in the D K pocket book of butterflies and moths.
Des McKenzie - 23 June 2009
A wonderful website for a fantastic group of insects. Keep up the good work.
Chas Whight - 22 June 2009
We had a pair of Privet Hawk Moths mating on our front door yesterday and have now discovered one no longer alive in our rear garden,first time that we have encountered these moths,.........Northamptonshire
Tony Rogers - 22 June 2009
Hi
I saw a number of red/black moths at Pennington Flash (Greater Manchester) this afternoon. I hadn't seen these before and wondered what they might have been, They were approx 2 cm long black bodied with dark black/red wings - red was 1 large and 2 small circles on each wing.
They were very distinctive and should have taken my camera - particularly as I found myself just 10 feet away from a kingfisher perching and feeding an hour or so later.
I saw a number of red/black moths at Pennington Flash (Greater Manchester) this afternoon. I hadn't seen these before and wondered what they might have been, They were approx 2 cm long black bodied with dark black/red wings - red was 1 large and 2 small circles on each wing.
They were very distinctive and should have taken my camera - particularly as I found myself just 10 feet away from a kingfisher perching and feeding an hour or so later.
Patricia Berkelmans - 22 June 2009
I saw two Privet Hawk Moths copulating on my gate post this morning,something not witnessed in my garden before quit a sight!!
John Rutter - 20 June 2009
Thanks to your guide, I was easily able to identify a Swallow-tailed Moth that I saw today - in broad daylight, late June, on my front door.
Photo take and published at flickr.com/photos/rutthenut/3644176464/
Regards,
John
Photo take and published at flickr.com/photos/rutthenut/3644176464/
Regards,
John
David Jones - 20 June 2009
3 June 2009
For the moth experts!
Oleander Hawk Moth Spotted In Bromley (Kent)?
My wife and I spotted what I'm fairly certain was an oleander hawk moth a few days ago (end of May). It was perched on the face of a brick wall in full sun on a hot day. It was a vivid olive green with a green body.
I think it may have recently emerged though its wings were fully expanded when we saw it.
On checking in one of my books at home its seems that this moth is unusual in England.
The book says its larva can feed on periwinkle here.
Its colouring was much more like the illustration of the oleander HM in my book than the somewhat similar lime HM.
Is there a similar (more common) species I could confuse it with?
For the moth experts!
Oleander Hawk Moth Spotted In Bromley (Kent)?
My wife and I spotted what I'm fairly certain was an oleander hawk moth a few days ago (end of May). It was perched on the face of a brick wall in full sun on a hot day. It was a vivid olive green with a green body.
I think it may have recently emerged though its wings were fully expanded when we saw it.
On checking in one of my books at home its seems that this moth is unusual in England.
The book says its larva can feed on periwinkle here.
Its colouring was much more like the illustration of the oleander HM in my book than the somewhat similar lime HM.
Is there a similar (more common) species I could confuse it with?
John Leader - 18 June 2009
What a fantastic site to find, way over & above any other to help identify types.Thanks for allowing me to name a beautiful large specimen Poplar Hawk Moth found low down on the wall of our house,right beside the front door, early one evening last week. It had all the appearance of a''bat-moth' from TV's 'Bat Cave' as it rested with it's wings spreadeagled.
Brilliant.
p.s I didn't even know I was interested in moths!
Brilliant.
p.s I didn't even know I was interested in moths!
Martin Buckland - 17 June 2009
What a fantastic site!
Arthur Parslow - 16 June 2009
Thankyou for your guide I have spotted my first Lime Hawk Moth. I had never seen such markings and your guide was invaluable in identifing the moth. I spotted the moth in the Derbyshire area in a suburben setting.
janice grainger - 15 June 2009
Saw what I think was a Tiger Moth on my lawn this morning. It was blue/black background with white/yellow oval spots and a very distinctive red tail. It was beautiful.
We live in Kidlington near Oxford.
We live in Kidlington near Oxford.
susan thomson - 14 June 2009
I found an eyed hawkmoth in my brown recycling bin today . I removed it to the safety of an open shed where it could shelter in the dark.
Les Ferdinand - 12 June 2009
Long live the moth
Shirley Lynch - 10 June 2009
Today we saw a beautiful pair of mating Scarlet Tiger Moths (identified through your Web Site). We live near Worcester and have never seen these moths before. Thank you - great site.
james glasner - 10 June 2009
i have a picture on my phone of what i think was a moth in my garden. it had a shiny black head with a grey stripe going from its head down its body to its tail. either side of this alternating red and black stipes, 6 of each, ending in grey point at the base of its tail. its wings were tones of grey, and wide, fully spread, my hand kind of wide. the strangest part of all was it had pure white antenni which were 2cm long, maybe longer coming from its head. never seen this before, and was wondering if anyone has come across something like this before, and if they knew what breed it was? thankyou....