Websailor's Wacky Wildlife World
Created | Updated Jun 24, 2009
A quirky look at wildlife. To be taken with a pinch of
salt, but with more than a grain of truth!
Bob-owlers—or moths to you!
Watching nocturnal wildlife on the trail camera has awakened an old interest that I enjoyed as a child. I have been surprised at how many moths are flying around in the night, not to mention bats, and I am seeing more moths at night than I see butterflies during the day.
Unfortunately the infrared camera shows them only as white shapes, and there is no way to find out what they are. I cannot go back to my childhood hobby of gassing and pinning them for display, a habit which horrifies me now! So I think I must try some of the various methods of catching them to have a better look.
My abiding memory is of a large, strange bright pink moth, with a bulbous head. This exotic looking creature caused great excitement (I was only eight) and had us combing through our wildlife books for ages until we identified it as an Elephant Hawk moth Deilephila elpenor. How things have changed. A quick look on the Internet now and there is an amazing amount of information and some stunning photographs.
This is the perfect time to 'moth watch' as this is the week of the
Garden Moths Count, 2009 in the UK, between the 20th and 28th June, so there is still time. We could do with some warmer evenings first, though. Perhaps by the time you read this the promised warmer weather will have arrived. Failing that, there is the National Moth Night 18-19th September 2009. If you miss out on events this year, perhaps it would be worth putting in the diary for future years, especially if you have children or grandchildren. This is an ideal activity for those nights when it is just too warm to sleep, and children are restless and fractious.
It is worth trying a moth count if only to dispel some of the fears that many people experience when a winged insect flies round the room, heading for the light and battering its wings in the process. In my neck of the woods, the big fat moths that come in through windows and doors, attracted by the lights, were called 'bob-owlers' and struck terror in the hearts of many, and still do. I have tried to find the origin of the expression, or use of it elsewhere, but only Birmingham (UK) or Black Country references come up, though it appears to go back at least a century. It has been passed down through generations of 'Brummies' and Black Country people. If anyone elsewhere knows the expression, please post.
I think we see less than we used to of the few species of tiny 'house' moths which eat clothes closeted in dark corners, left undisturbed. Incidentally it is the larvae, not the moth itself, which does the damage. Such tiny creatures, flimsy, dusty almost, yet with a huge determination to live. These appear to be dullest of species. If you are really interested in learning more about these and other moths you can learn some surprising facts from a Natural History Museum video. Stay with it, it is much more interesting than you might think! Among other things I learnt why my horsehair carpet tiles have been decimated.
If you have never caught moths before you will be amazed at the beauty, colours and intricate patterns of some of them, and even the less 'showy' ones are fascinating. Many of them rival butterflies for glamour. For a quick 'appetiser' take a look at this gallery, or at these pictures, and marvel. As a child I saw many of these, but moth species and numbers have declined badly, so it would be interesting to see what is still around.
Such enchanting names as Garden Tiger, White Ermine, Cinnebar, Yellow Underwing, Death's Head Hawk moth, Scarlet Tiger, Magpie moth, Puss moth and the Hummingbird Hawk Moth promise exotic colours far beyond the usual grey/brown that most people envisage. Many species of moth fly during the day, too, contrary to popular belief, and some are very attractive indeed.
Moths are an important food source for many creatures and they are valuable pollinators. It is also believed that some might be a good pollution indicator, too, changing their colouring over time as camouflage, according to circumstances. The Peppered (or Darwin's) moth Biston betularia
has been noted for this for some time. This moth has changed colour over decades from white speckled with black to almost completely black in industrial areas, and is now increasingly found with its original pale colouring, as the industrial grime gradually disappears from the UK.
Reading up on the different methods of attracting moths, I am wondering if the smell of raisins (put out for the badgers) is attracting them to my garden, along with the smell of apple, both of which can be quite pungent when soaked (raisins), or overripe as the apples sometimes are.
Going out after dusk with a torch can reveal moths on plants and fruit, and children love the spooky feeling of being out and about in the darkness. The garden looks quite different! Failing that you can put out artificial nectar, the making of which might render you incapable of doing more than tottering about in the dark! It involves the heating and mixing of cola or brown ale (if you have no other use for it), dark brown sugar, and black treacle. Some rum stirred in also helps to attract moths, but frankly I find that a step too far! You can find more details on the moths count website.
This nectar mixture should be applied to tree trunks, fence posts and panels before dusk, at eye level, and checked with a torch a couple of hours later. As a precaution I would suggest cleaning the sticky mixture off afterwards if you do not wish to attract wasps the next day. Bees might like the treat, though, which would be a bonus.
Alternatively, should you have a left-over bottle of red wine (heaven forbid), you can heat this with a kilo of sugar and soak some cloth (an old sock will do) in the liquid. Hang the material low down, and again check after a couple of hours. Try not to hang it where you will be walking, as being smacked in the eye by a soggy, sticky sock is not pleasant and might lead the moths to land on you instead. Definitely not an experience for the timid.
Probably the least troublesome method of attracting them is to leave a low energy light bulb switched on near an open window or hanging outside, and see what turns up. A white sheet with a torch shining on it works well outside. The neighbours might consider you a bit strange, but if you are a wildlife lover you will be used to that.
For the more dedicated lepidopterist or entomologist there are moth traps available to buy, or you can make your own. If all this sounds like too much work, then there are events run all over the country where you can take part and learn more.
Should you be lucky enough to trap any species, do not touch them as you could damage their delicate wings. The same goes for caterpillars. It is wise not to touch them as some can cause unpleasant side effects.
There is one thing that has changed to our advantage from the days when I first caught moths, and that is the advent of digital cameras. It means you can take photographs easily, to keep for reference, and release the moths to enjoy life a little longer. Information about their feeding habits, breeding and longevity are available on the Butterfly Conservation website.
You might of course come across the Death's Head Hawk moth Acherontia atropos, but be not afraid, even though its name has frightening connotations. Its spectacular skull and crossbones markings and noisy habits have given it a dreadful reputation. In the past it was thought to forewarn of war, plagues and epidemics, and its appearance in a dwelling, especially if it snuffed out the candle, was said to foretell a death in the house. Perhaps that was the origin of the fear of our 'Bob-owlers'?
In France it was thought that dust from its wings could bring blindness and the tale once caused panic in Brittany when large numbers arrived at a time when they were afflicted with much disease. The sound it makes, being a sad and haunting mouse-like cry, led it to be called the 'wandering death bird' in Poland. Both the pupae and the larvae also make a noise!
Unlike other hawk moths it cannot take nectar from deep within flowers because it has a short proboscis (snout). It feeds mainly on honey from bees' nests and sap from trees, so it might just take an interest in your artificial nectar. The loud squeaking noise is believed to subdue worker bees while they steal honey! In parts of Britain its honey thieving habits have led it to be called the 'Bee Robber'. It arrives here for our summer from Southern Europe and Africa and so far has not survived our winters.
There are many interesting species which should wet the appetite for more knowledge. So, if I haven't frightened the wits out of you (the children won't be scared!) enjoy your summer evenings, your barbecues and your flying visitors.
Websailor's Wacky Wildlife
World Archive
