More from the Cutting Room Floor

This is the time of year when I look back at some of the photographs that I didn't get around to posting. Once the new breeding season gets underway then the life of the amateur naturalist can become rather busy as one tries to keep up with the varying emergence times of different species.

 

 

Puss Moth (Cerura vinula)

 

The larva of the Puss Moth is a fascinating creature and when I found four early-instar specimens feeding on a small sallow bush beside a hedgerow on Pevensey Levels in early June, my intention was to observe them through to maturity. Sadly this was not to be and a week later they had all vanished, probably predated upon by a bird.

 

Apart from the curious postures that the larva adopts, its most obvious feature is the modification of its tail claspers into flagella. When at rest, what you see is the flagellum sheath but when the larva is threatened, the whip-like structures emerge from the sheaths and are waved over its back to deter predators such as parasitic flies.

 

 

Larva feeding on sallow.

 

 

 

Larva in resting posture.

 

 

Larva in defensive posture with flagella being waved over its back.

 

 

Three ova on a sallow leaf, two of which are showing emergence holes.

 

 

 

Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

 

Whilst checking out a local Wealden pond for any interesting damselflies back in early September, I noticed that several Wasps were walking about on the lily pads. On closer inspection they were feasting on tiny aphid-like creatures that were emerging from the water in abundance and leaving their shed skins floating on the water surface.

 

 

 

 

Rhododendron Leafhopper (Graphocephala fennahi)

 

This non-native species of bug has been established in southern England since the early 20th century. A native of North America, I spotted this mating pair on a rhododendron leaf in a National Trust garden in August. Once I had got my eye in, there were thousands of them! 

 

 

Life Cycle of the Comma

The Comma (Polygonia c-album) is an attractive member of the Nymphalidae family. It has a rich orange ground colour with dark markings which can be quite variable in their detail and it has strikingly jagged wing edges. The underside is cryptically marked in browns and greys and there is a prominent white 'c' mark on the hind wing that gives this species its name. The sexes are very similar but the female generally has slightly less jagged wings.

 

 It is a double-brooded species and hibernates as an adult butterfly, emerging in early spring to breed. The summer brood, resulting from eggs laid in spring, produces a paler orange butterfly with slightly reduced dark markings. This is form hutchinsoni which accounts for about a third of the summer brood. A second brood is produced in late summer and early autumn which goes into hibernation for the winter.

 

 

Comma (Polygonia c-album) (male)

 

 

 

Comma (P. c-album) (female) (form hutchinsoni)

 

 

Comma (P. c-album) (male)

 

This specimen has just come out of hibernation and is enjoying some early March sunshine. It is displaying quite pale wing borders. 

 

 

Comma (P. c-album) (male) (ab. obscura)

 

In this aberration, the wing borders are blurred and indistinct and the hind wing markings have become fused and blotched.

 

 

Comma (P. c-album) (roosting male)

 

 

Comma (P. c-album) (ovum on nettle)

 

 

Comma (P. c-album) (final instar larva on nettle)

 

The Comma larva is a classic bird-dropping mimic.

 

 

Comma (P. c-album) (pupation)

 

The following sequence shows the emergence of a fresh pupa as the larva sheds its final skin.

 

 

Comma (P. c-album) (pupa)

 

After a couple of days, the pupal membrane has fully hardened and has adopted its usual brown colour with reflective mirrors.

 

 

December Moth

There are several species of moths that specialise in flying through the winter months and one of those is the rather attractive December Moth (Poecilocampa populi). This species, like other members of the Lasiocampidae family, have no feeding mouthparts and they have enough body fat reserves to see them through their breeding season. One presumes that the main advantage to breeding during the winter is to avoid predators such as bats, which will be hibernating.

 

As with other members of this family, the males have impressive feathered antennae with which to scent-track the slightly larger females.

 

 

December Moth (Poecilocampa populi) (male) 

 

 

December Moth (P.populi) (female)

 

 

 

Mottled Umber (Erannis defoliaria) (male)

 

This is another winter flying species, the females of which are flightless.

The wing markings on the males are extremely variable.

 

 

Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) (male)

 

An autumnal species.

 

 

Udea ferrugalis

 

A migrant species.

 

 

Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus lactipennis)

 

This species hibernates as an adult and will re-appear in early spring.