Page 41 - ALG Issue 3 2022

Elephant Hawk-moth
Neighbouring plotholders lost tomatoes to Bright-line Brown- eye caterpillars last year.
Others, like the Brindled Green, are hard to spot on alga- and lichen-covered branches, while there are several which resemble dead wood, with the Pale Prominent a prime example.
it’s hard to match the vividness of a Canary- shouldered Thorn or an Elephant Hawk-moth or the intricacy of an Angle Shades.
Another currant specialist is the V-Moth.
already a ‘mother’ on your colony. Failing that, every county has its own Moth Recorder who should be able to put you in touch with someone who’d be only too happy to trap on your plot and share their findings (the Butterfly Conservation website has a list). If you really get bitten by the bug then you could get your own moth trap and ID guide; an internet search will quickly reveal several suppliers.
My species total for our allotment colony currently stands at over 240, although the 60-odd species I’ve seen more than five times are outnumbered by about 90 which have turned up only once; a species list is no real measure of ecosystem health, and who knows how many moths could have been seen when the colony was established ninety years ago.
If you really get bitten by the bug then you could get your own moth trap and ID guide
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 41
Elephant Hawk-moth