Day-flying Moths
Of britain's 2,500 species of moth the vast majority only fly at night but there are a small number that regularly fly or are easily disturbed during the day. This page shows a few of the more common or more easily recognised day-flying moths that you may see in this area. Moths with a body length of less than a centimetre are generally known as micro-moths.
Six-spot Burnet
![Six-spot Burnet](400/burnet-6-spot.jpg)
These are quite common and can often be found on thistles or knapweed. Their caterpillars feed on Bird's-foot Trefoil. There is also a less common 5-spot Burnet.
Cinnabar
![Cinnabar](400/cinnabar.jpg)
This is the only moth with similar colouring to the Burnets. Its black and yellow banded caterpillars are often found on Ragwort.
Common Carpet
![Common Carpet](400/carpet-common.jpg)
This is probably the most common of the so-called carpet moths and will readily fly if disturbed from low growing vegetation.
Silver Y
![Silver Y](400/silver-y.jpg)
This common moth can often be seen around gardens and is identified by the inverted Y mark on each forewing.
Brimstone Moth
![Brimstone Moth](400/brimstone.jpg)
Doesn't normally fly in the day but is unmistakeble if disturbed. This one had just been dropped by a bird.
Blood Vein
![Blood Vein moth](400/blood-vein.jpg)
This moth, with a pink fringe and a dark red line spanning all 4 wings, prefers damp places with tall vegetation.
Common Purple and Gold
![Common Purple and Gold](400/purple-and-gold-common.jpg)
This small moth can be found in dry coastal grassland. There is a also a similar Small Purple and Gold.
Common Tubic
![Common Tubic](400/common-tubic.jpg)
A very distinctive moth that can be found in marshy woodland.
Yellow-barred Longhorn
![Nemophora degeerella](400/longhorn-nemophora-degeerella.jpg)
The extrordinarily long antennae mark out this micro-moth. Groups are often seen in damp woodland in May and June.
a Grass-veneer
![one of several similar Grass-veneers](400/grass-veneer-1.jpg)
One of several Grass-veneer micro-moths that can be found in long grass and all have a similar shape.