Rye Harbour Moths
31st May 2009, SundayHighlight in the Lime Kiln trap this morning was a super female Pale Tussock (below). This is a common species, though less than annual at Lime Kiln. The larvae feed on a wide range of trees and shrubs and used to be a pest on Hop when this was more widely grown, and an alternative name for the furry larvae is ‘Hop Dogs’. Though it looks distinctive to our eyes, the silvery colouring apparently mimics a silk mass, camouflaging it from predators
Pale Tussock female