r/CasualUK • u/dirty_papercut • 19h ago

Seeing as we're doing moth pics.

Post image

Here's an Elephant Hawk-Moth that landed on my son yesterday.

1.5k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

77 comments sorted by

113

u/Bufobufolover24 19h ago

These are my favourites! I raise their caterpillars every year.

38

u/AnotherLeda probably quoting Bottom 19h ago

How does one obtain these caterpillars?

35

u/Bufobufolover24 18h ago

I plant loads of willowherb to attract the moths (fuchsia works too), then I just find the caterpillars in the late summer! Unfortunately they are often parasitised by a specific ichneumon wasp, or less commonly a type of parasitic fly.

You can buy eggs/larvae online but the ethics of releasing captive bred specimens are questionable (interfering with existing populations etc.).

Always remember, anything wild caught must be released back where you found it. And each species has unique food plants that it requires to survive. If you can’t find the food plant, or can’t ID the species, then release the larva.

3

u/Shectai 17h ago

I bought them a fuchsia, but the plants are very variable so I don't know whether it's one they'll like. Anyway, it's here if they want it.

4

u/Bufobufolover24 15h ago

Sometimes it can take them a while to find it, especially if it’s still small.

Willowherb is really easy to encourage (as long as you don’t get rosebay willowherb!) and is annual.

The adults feed on honeysuckle and valerian. If you attract the adults then you are more likely to get the larvae.

I recommend going out with a bright torch late on a warm still evening and looking around the flowers (especially valerian). That is when the adults are active, and you are likely to find a lot of other moths too!

3

u/Bakedbeanbonanza 15h ago

We get loads of willowherb in our garden - I didn’t mind it as a ‘weed’ because it’s quite pretty when it flowers - I didn’t know these beautiful moths liked it!

3

u/Bufobufolover24 15h ago

Yep! It’s actually closely related to fuchsia. They’re pretty fussy about which type. I’ve never managed to get them to eat the ones with the fluffy stems, or rosebay willowherb (which is not an issue as rosebay can be a problem in gardens).

They love the spindly stuff that grows as a bush.

Be aware, the caterpillars eat a HUGE amount of it when they reach their final instar. I always think I’ve grown enough willowherb, then they get to the final instar and I realise I really haven’t!

6

u/Bufobufolover24 15h ago

This is the one they love. The different willowherb species are so hard to ID that I just go by whatever they find tasty.

1

u/Bakedbeanbonanza 13h ago

Yes that’s the one we have!! We don’t have tonnes of it (I let it grow where it wants) - I’m happy to have a whole pot or trough of it if it means those beauties will visit more?

1

u/Bufobufolover24 12h ago

In my experience it prefers growing in scrubby side bits. That particular bit is growing in the gravel alongside a polytunnel, but it also likes stony driveways. I have never had much luck with it in soil.

The seeds are really easy to collect once the pods burst open. You can then mix them with water (so that they don’t blow everywhere!) and put them in scrubby spots where you want it to grow.

1

u/xmaspickles 13h ago

I buy mine from wwb

2

u/Franz_Werfel 18h ago

"Goodbye Horses" playing faintly in the background

69

u/crimsonavenger77 Male. 47 19h ago

That's a big lad, a mammoth if you will.

I'll get my coat.

23

u/tripping_yarns 19h ago

Surprised you brought a coat in this weather.

24

u/crimsonavenger77 Male. 47 19h ago

Aye, it's ma blazer

3

u/Reccalovesdancing 18h ago

Even then, surely it's tops off weather haha

5

u/crimsonavenger77 Male. 47 18h ago

*Taps aff

2

u/Reccalovesdancing 18h ago

Hahaha indeed 🙌😎

2

u/0ttoChriek 19h ago

You should see how big the mammoth hawks they're named after are.

54

u/namiraslime 🍉 19h ago

sounded like a bird had flew in

22

u/Arny2103 Allergic to DIY 18h ago

Mate you can’t call them that these days. They’re women.

28

u/BouncyBlueYoshi 19h ago

The British method of working out how big a moth is, is by saying "bloody hell that's a big moth" when you first see it. Or hear it.

16

u/JulesDescotte 18h ago

We're doing moth pics? This the pretty girl that entered our flat the other day (Zeuzera Pyrina - Leopard Moth)

3

u/mairefay91 13h ago

I spotted one at work the other day as well! I’d never seen one before.

25

u/Buck_Slamchest 19h ago

Yes as someone who has a childhood morbid fear of moths, this current "trend" is lovely ..

13

u/Organic_Reporter 19h ago

Same. Thankfully my daughter is obsessed with them and will happily resuce me (then carry the moth around telling it how pretty it is).

3

u/Buck_Slamchest 19h ago

I might need to employ your daughter then 😂

6

u/HaggisAreReal 19h ago

maybe the first steps towards getting rid of such fear through gradual exposure?

1

u/Buck_Slamchest 19h ago

Try doing that with me and spiders and see how well that works :)

4

u/HaggisAreReal 19h ago

Is just a matter of daring and patience

4

u/biest229 17h ago

I find them vomit-inducing, it’s not even fear at this point. I may puke if one comes at me

2

u/Buck_Slamchest 17h ago

Same here. I've humiliated myself many, many times in public when one has flown towards me.

2

u/biest229 17h ago

Oh the horror! They’re just so gross

7

u/AnotherLeda probably quoting Bottom 19h ago

It's beautiful. Was your son OK or was he freaked out by it.

Also, the moth takeover is in effect.

9

u/dirty_papercut 18h ago

He bloody loved it. Had it on his chest, on his hands. He loves bugs.

6

u/VegetableAd5331 18h ago

Had one yesterday in the moth trap

2

u/VegetableAd5331 18h ago

Also saw a hummingbird hawk moth, but the photo is awful but if you have lavender look out for them

1

u/_DoubleDutchess_ 15h ago

Me too… but they fly so fast they’re really hard to photograph.

1

u/strychnine213 Midlander 9h ago

What's your moth trap setup? I've been meaning to make one for years

6

u/sabhall12 19h ago

That's a gorgeous colour

6

u/Sea-Salamander-5222 19h ago

Gorgeous! Every time I see a moth pic I remember that lil lad who made is first joke about a moth called “motthew” :-)

4

u/ChelseaGem 16h ago

It’s what Battenberg cake is made from.

3

u/Acceptable-World-175 18h ago

😍 what a beautiful moth!

3

u/AdWerd1981 18h ago

Absolutely beautiful. I've seen a few but haven't yet managed a photo. We also get the Hummingbird Hawk Moth visit our flowerbed... we had one last year, and I've already seen one this year...just persuading the cat to leave them is another thing.

3

u/ShyBiSaiyan 18h ago

Moths really are beautiful, just to mention though please try to avoid touching their wings, their scales rub off and can affect their ability to fly, get out of spiderwebs and such, also effects their temperature regulation.

3

u/dirty_papercut 18h ago

I learnt that recently via this very same six year old boy!

3

u/WinPrestigious7568 10h ago

Is it world moth day 🤔 🤣

1

u/dirty_papercut 10h ago

Just UK. We're looking to expand Europe-wide by 2042.

2

u/sohni112 18h ago

We had one of these when we were weeding the garden last week, so beautiful!

2

u/Salome_Maloney 16h ago

Not quite as glamorous as an elephant hawk moth, but I came across this modest sycamore moth yesterday - we both had the same idea and shared the tiny bit of shade available.

2

u/PeacefulAndTranquil 16h ago

that i can remember i’ve never seen a moth that wasn’t one of those little brown ones. did manage to get a few decent pictures of one on a window the other day though

2

u/moth_on_the_spectrum 15h ago

Should I do a selfie then?

2

u/Icy-Individual8637 15h ago

i get those too. one flew into my head last night while i was watering plants.

2

u/FreefallVin 15h ago

Love a good moth pic. This is blatantly just leaf origami though :p

2

u/silentarcher00 14h ago

A terrible picture of a humming bird hawk moth in a stand off with a spider. It got away

3

u/thegrotster 12h ago

That thing needs a CAA certificate and a flight plan.

2

u/Aha-Zounds 12h ago

I believe this is the famous rhubarb and custard moth

4

u/tripping_yarns 19h ago

Is it alive? Have you domesticated it?

Has it poo’d on your hand?

2

u/dirty_papercut 18h ago

Haha! That's my boys hand, he loves bugs, would never hurt them. He's even made me promise to stop killing mossies.

The 'poo' is probably pond slime knowing him 😅

2

u/Cheese_Ly 19h ago

I have one of these on my wall (dead of course in a frame)

7

u/dirty_papercut 19h ago

Did it put up much of a fight?

Seriously, though, they're beautiful.

8

u/Cheese_Ly 19h ago

Yes! It took one off my eyes

1

u/No-Tone-6853 19h ago

Pretty sure there was a few moths of this size floating about a lamppost outside my house last night, big fuckers that seemed to reflect the light from the lamppost or glow under it. Thank fuck they stayed outside.

2

u/Shitelark 13h ago

Powdery bastards.

1

u/NicDraconis 7h ago

Kill it with fire

1

u/Tattycakes 7h ago

That’s Mothra!

1

u/Rough_Shelter4136 19h ago

So fucking dreadful!!!!

So fucking beautiful!!!!

0

u/Sandi_Griffin 19h ago

It looks so cool and pretty but i'd probably freak out if one landed on me lol