Those moth-ers who run nightly moth traps have been reporting, on social media and despite the often detrimental weather, that small numbers of moths have begun appearing in their traps during the past couple of weeks. As I don’t trap, I’ve just been keeping an eye out in the places I sometimes see moths, usually on walls near where outside lights are on at night. And, finally, last Thursday, I spotted my first moth of the year, a new species for me, an Early moth (Theria primaria). As you might guess from its name, this is one of the first species to be seen each year, appearing in January and February. Though the UK Moths website says it’s usually found in woodland margins and hedgerows, this one was on the panelling around a building site, though the opposite side of the path is full of trees and scrub.

I have seen 2 moths this year in the same sort of places as you mentioned, on walls under outdoor lights. One was an Early Moth too and the other , a pale Brindled beauty.
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Excellent. Well spotted, Shazza. 🙂
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I was very surprised late last week, when I caught a very brief sighting of a Peacock butterfly, up here in the Western Yorkshire Dales. It was was being buffeted about in a sub-zero winter conditions, coming straight down off the fell, on an extremely dull and dreary day!
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Amazing sighting in those conditions. I know over-wintering adult butterflies will rouse themselves in warm winter sun but that’s crazy!
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