Isn’t this a beauty? I don’t manage to see many moths (and, as I live in a first-floor flat, I can’t use a moth trap) so I was delighted to see my first Angle shades moth (Phlogophora meticulosa), sunbathing on south-facing stone wall the other day. Its common name is a reference both to the sharp angle of the darker patterns on its wings and to the numerous shades of colour in those patterns. The UK Moths website likens it to a withered autumn leaf, not a very flattering comparison for such a lovely creature.

Angle shades moths are usually seen flying from May through to October so this one, like so many insects this year, is out and about a little early. They can be found throughout Europe and in parts of the Middle East and are, apparently, strongly migratory, as a result of which they are sometimes seen in large numbers in southern coastal areas of Britain. Wouldn’t that be a sight to see!