Day-dreaming about Moths!
In the winter I wrote a post called “Day-dreaming about Flycatchers“. When I wrote it I was dreaming of sunny summer days in July and Flycatcher chicks. Well the Flycatchers are back but so, unfortunately, is the rain.
Today the Met Office issued several severe weather warnings in the South of England. It has rained NON-STOP all day, even my new pond is flooding. So I’ve come up with a novel idea for feeding my hungry Flycatchers…. at night!
Peppered Moth
Above is one of the Peppered Moths that we looked at during the moth course last weekend. I don’t know much about moths however I do know that they are (a) attracted to light and (b) mostly fly at night. As I type this post there is a hint of better weather on the horizon. The rain is finally stopping.
Buff-tip Moth
What if I tried to attract some extra juicy moths to the garden this evening so that the Flycatchers could at least have supper – even though they have missed out on breakfast, lunch and dinner? Anyway, I’ve put my cunning plan into action: I’ve turned on all the security lights.
Chocolate-tip Moth
Within the hour the garden will be lit up like Buckingham Palace (sorry neighbours!) and hopefully the moths will arrive! Glad to be flying after a wet and soggy day spent hiding in the bushes. The bigger and juicier the better. It’s not a totally loony plan, Spotted Flycatchers have actually been seen hawking for moths around street lights at night, it’s just that my security lights are a little bigger and a lot brighter than your average street light.
Don’t worry all you green-eco-moth-lovers, I won’t leave the lights on long. Just enough time for the birds to get a good feed before they turn in. Will it work… hell I don’t know but at least I’ll be doing something.
Lets just hope they don’t try to feed them with hawk moths – they will be bigger than the chicks! Be interested to hear how many moths you get flying around – it must be the ultimate in moth traps! ps. it’s still raining…..
Hi Steve. Yes, the rain is still p***ing down and it’s now 9.45pm. The poor old flycatchers are still hungry. I’m hoping the rain will stop EVENTUALLY… maybe then they will venture out for a feed. No, moths seen yet (hardly surprising in a rain storm…) but I live in hope!)
Good idea Jane!
Security lights would always be my number one on the list for my personal “room 101″, but I suppose they do have their uses after all?!
Doug
Hi Doug. Yep, instant moth trap and flycatcher feeder (all in one). All chicks still alive this morning and parents catching loads of flies in the morning sunshine! Jane
Did the moth-trap work? I’m glad to see you have sun this morning, and with all the preceding wet the place should be absolutely humming (!) with insect activity.
It was humming with flies Dragonstar. Unfortunately the flycatchers survived the rain but didn’t survive a predator attack. Very sad.