I had found this once before, in a Cardiff Park back in July 2016, but was reminded by a post on Twitter/X to start once again checking the flower heads of Hogweed (Heracleum species) and Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) for the larvae of the bland-looking little moth Depressaria radiella, the Parsnip moth.

I wasn’t checking very thoroughly but still found two examples during my recent visit to Slade Wood, where they were living in Hogweed growing along the side of the lane that leads to the woodland. The larvae spin silk to bind parts of the flower heads together, making themselves a cosy little home amongst their food source. The UK Moths website reports that the larvae will eventually insinuate themselves into the plant stem to pupate, hatching in early Autumn and overwintering as adults, before beginning the whole lifecycle once again the following Spring.