The Joys Of Photographing Moths.......or not

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melbellingham
Posts: 834
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 7:00 pm
Location: Great Sutton, Cheshire. Mapmate.

The Joys Of Photographing Moths.......or not

Post by melbellingham »

When a favourite moth is recorded most recorders that I know also like to obtain a reasonable photographic image of it. If it is not a favourite moth it could be one that is new for the garden or site, or even one that is not recorded very often.

However, getting the photo doesn’t always go well and my efforts this morning bear that out.
Last night (11/03/22) while checking around the trap I found Acleris literana on the wall. It is one of my favourite micro’s and is a species that I have not recorded very often.

I’m sure all photographers will identify with the situation when the moth in question will just not ‘pose’ anywhere suitable. It looked good in the pot, and usually just to make sure I have a record shot, I take a photo of the moth in the pot.

I couldn’t do that as the moth would just not settle in a suitable position. I let it settle again and tried to knock it out onto a flat piece of wood, but it immediately flew to the window. This happened twice so I gave up on that idea.

I tried different pieces of wood and vegetation in different shapes and textures but still it wouldn’t settle.

The image below is the best I could get. It was managed by adapting a trick I started to use when photographing the underside of Copper and Svenson’s Copper Underwings. I knock the moth out of the pot onto a piece of glass the put the top of a specimen pot over the moth. When turned over the underside of the wings can be examined and photographed.

I cut a leaf to fit into the lid of a specimen pot which is deep enough to avoid damage to the moth, but not deep enough for the moth to turn over. I then knocked the moth out of the specimen pot onto the leaf, gave it a little time to settle and then removed the pot and placed a piece of glass over the moth. If that sounds easy, I have to say that it took 5 or 6 attempts to succeed.

The moth walked around for several minutes but would only settle at the edge (as seen on the image) so the photo is still not ideal.
Acleris literana
Acleris literana
Mel.
CliveJ
Posts: 210
Joined: Mon May 16, 2016 4:02 pm

Re: The Joys Of Photographing Moths.......or not

Post by CliveJ »

A story with which I can fully empathise! The glass over a pot idea is one I'll no doubt be using in future, avoiding the fizziness of the bottom of a plastic pot.
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