Identity unmasked / myLot

United Kingdom

December 26, 2021 12:47pm CST

Almost two months ago I posted about discovering that a couple of caterpillars were feasting on my houseplants. https://www.mylot.com/post/3481355/a-new-friend-moved-in Well I was curious to see whether my identification was correct, so I set up a tub with some compost at the bottom and a little dish of water (so I could feed them fresh leaves) and settled the two caterpillars into it, with a piece of an old nylon stocking over the top. I tried feeding them an assortment of leaves and dock turned out to be the favourite. They munched their way through a succession of leaves for a couple of weeks - and then the leaves stopped disappearing and the caterpillars disappeared instead (apparently they pupate in the earth, which is why I added the compost). Nothing happened for a while - until yesterday when I suddenly noticed an adult moth had appeared in the tub! And yes it was an Angle shades moth - here it is. All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2021.

10 people like this

9 responses

Fiacre Banks

@xFiacre (14782)

• Ireland

26 Dec 21

@fleura Goodness, you’re very thorough in your research. Well done.

2 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

26 Dec 21

Thanks. Once a scientist always a scientist I think!

1 person likes this

Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21504)

• London, England

26 Dec 21

I have not heard of this month, but no surprise there! Still, the mystery is solved

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

26 Dec 21

It's rather an attractive species isn't it?

1 person likes this

Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21504)

• London, England

27 Dec 21

@Fleura It is and the pattern looks a bit like owl eyes

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

27 Dec 21

@Ronrybs I never thought of that! I guess that's a clever ploy to scare of birds.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

Shavkat

@Shavkat (141906)

• Philippines

27 Dec 21

I think it is a moth.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

Shavkat

@Shavkat (141906)

• Philippines

28 Dec 21

@Fleura We sometimes have them as visitors, especially during the summer season.

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

27 Dec 21

You're right, it is.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

DianneN

@DianneN (254949)

• United States

1 Jan 22

How cool! The kids must have loved that. Next time, try a butterfly

What will you do with it now that it’s too cold to let loose into nature?

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

1 Jan 22

Well at the moment it is ridiculously warm here - the past couple of days have been 13 or 14 C (55 to 57 F), more like we would expect in, say, April. I decided that if it was ready it would find a place to hibernate, so I left it outside.

1 person likes this

DianneN

@DianneN (254949)

• United States

1 Jan 22

@Fleura Perfect temperatures. We have the same, but tomorrow should feel more like winter. Good luck to it!

1 person likes this

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

28 Dec 21

I'm glad your patience and perseverance paid off. I didn't realize that was a moth. It's very pretty.

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

28 Dec 21

They are pretty markings, aren't they?

1 person likes this

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

29 Dec 21

@Fleura They're beautiful.

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381760)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Dec 21

I just think it is so clever to do all that and to have the caterpillars hatch out. I know the whole process sounds pretty simple but not too many would bother. Well done you.

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

27 Dec 21

Thanks! I was afraid I would forget about them and not notice when a new moth emerged and was trapped in the tub, but I had it by the door so I pretty much had to see it several times a day.

1 person likes this

rebelann1949

@rebelann (117199)

• El Paso, Texas

26 Dec 21

There haven't been any caterpillars that I've seen around here and if I had I wouldn't have thought to do anything like this, it's really interesting.

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

26 Dec 21

I was curious to see what they turned into and now I know for sure : )

1 person likes this