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Tag Archives: Opisthograptis luteolata

Lightning and Brimstone

25 Saturday Jun 2022

Posted by sconzani in insects

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Brimstone moth, British moths, Opisthograptis luteolata

Showcasing this Brimstone moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) I found on Thursday seems entirely appropriate today as I was caught out during this morning’s walk by a sudden thunderstorm. One of the lightning strikes was very close by, almost overhead, and there was a very strong smell of brimstone, the archaic name for sulphur.

220625 brimstone moth (2)

The moth was resting, perched upside down under a blade of grass. Amazingly, it stayed completely still as I got very close and twisted the grass to get better photos. Very obliging and very beautiful!

220625 brimstone moth (1)

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The Brimstone flyers

26 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by sconzani in insects, nature

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Tags

Brimstone, Brimstone butterfly, Brimstone moth, British butterflies, British moths, Gonepteryx rhamni, Opisthograptis luteolata

Recording the biodiversity around us can sometimes be a tricky business. Take, for example, the Magpie: there’s a bird called Magpie (Pica pica) and a moth (Abraxas grossulariata) and even a fungus (Coprinopsis picacea). The same is true of the Grayling: there are both a butterfly (Hipparchia semele) and a fish (Thymallus thymallus) of that name. Then there are the Brimstones: in this case, it’s even more confusing as both are lepidoptera – one’s a butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) and one’s a moth (Opisthograptis luteolata). And by sheer coincidence, I saw both Brimstones yesterday.

170726 Brimstone butterfly

I spotted the butterfly drinking from a Buddleja bush while I was out walking and the moth came to visit me here at home. I had left my windows open until around 10pm and this little moth came into my kitchen. I tried putting it out but it flew straight back in again and is still sitting on my kitchen bench, despite the window again being open. Not that I’m complaining, as it’s a beautiful little creature.

170726 Brimstone moth

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Three moths in one day

20 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by sconzani in insects, nature, nature photography

≈ 6 Comments

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Brimstone moth, Burnet companion, Cathays Cemetery, Cinnabar moth, Euclidia glyphica, moth, Opisthograptis luteolata, Tyria jacobaeae

The day I did my biodiversity hunt at Cathays Cemetery was a bumper day for moths, with three new species spotted.

brimstone (1)
brimstone (2)

The first was this beautiful Brimstone (Opisthograptis luteolata), not to be confused with the butterfly of the same name, though both are a mellow buttery yellow. I was flat out on the grass photographing this when a group of young school children passed by. ‘Teacher, what’s that lady doing?’ ‘I don’t know, David’, came the reply, as the teacher quickly ushered her charges past the mad lady lying down in the cemetery!

cinnabar (1)
cinnabar (2)
cinnabar (3)

The Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) is a colourful character. It starts out life as a bright orange and black caterpillar, then transforms into a bright red and black moth – it gets its name from the bright red mineral mercury sulphide, also known as cinnabar. The caterpillars can be cannibalistic when their food source is scarce and, though I never saw them there, these moths were introduced to New Zealand in an attempt to control the invasive ragwort plant on which their caterpillars feed.

160620 burnet companion (3)
160620 burnet companion (4)
160620 burnet companion (5)

Last but certainly not least, as I saw several of these in one small area, was the Burnet companion (Euclidia glyphica). It apparently gets its common name from the fact that it’s often seen in the company of Burnet moths – not on this day! I make no excuses for showing its bottom, as the colour of its underside is a rich orange, almost more attractive than its top. Though they were mostly skittish, one very obligingly remained still long enough to get a head-on shot, which I love.

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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