I was recently shown an image of Heart and Club, a species I had always assumed uncommon in Cheshire. Upon checking Cheshire Moth Charts, I found that there are 64 records, and some of those records were not too far away from my site.
This morning I recorded what I initially thought was a Turnip Moth, but on checking it I remembered something I had been told a few years ago. A friend who records them annually, in his Norfolk garden, stated that Heart and Club often looks as though it has blond highlights.
Mine also did, so I photographed it and did a few further checks.
British Moths – Manley (Third Edition) shows that the male has feathered antenna, and that the feathering covers two thirds of the antenna. whereas on Turnip Moth the feathering only covers half.
35 species last night (min. temp 13.3 deg. C)
Heart and Club (NFG), Light Arches, Gothic and Red-barred Tortrix all NFY.
Mel.
- Heart and Club - SJ381751
- Heart and Club showing feathering on antenna