65: DREPANIDAE AND 68: EMPERORS

65.001 Scalloped Hook-tip to MV light at the cabin, Cromwell Bottom, July 21st 2018. One of an impressive five individuals making an appearance that night. 

65.002 Oak Hook-tip to MV light at Thornhills Meadow, Clifton, July 28th 2026. It's quite a worn and battered individual but the only other one I've seen was dead so this is quite an improvement!

65.003 Barred Hook-tip, one of two to a LepiLED light near to Bower's Mill, Barkisland on May 2nd 2025.

65.003 Barred Hook-tip, one of two to MV light at Clock Face Quarry on Aug. 10th 2023. This is a male with the impressive, bipectinate antennae.

65.005 Pebble Hook-tip to MV light at the cabin, Cromwell Bottom, June 2nd 2018. My first ever hook-tip and an exciting arrival to the light.

 

65.005 Pebble Hook-tip to MV light at the cabin, Cromwell Bottom, July 21st 2018.

The Cromwell Bottom moth trap at emptying time in the early hours of Aug. 19th 2018. Often over run with Yellow Underwings and caddisflies (not to mention midges and wasps!) it is none the less the easiest way to see the fantastic hook-tips.

65.008 Peach Blossom to MV light near Bower's Mill, Barkisland on July 2nd 2025.

Persistent overnight drizzle ensured that many moths were still grounded at daybreak with over 40 species in the grass around the trap including the rather damp specimen above.

65.008 Peach Blossom to MV light at North Loop, Cromwell Bottom on June 11th 2023.

65.009 Buff Arches, Bankhouse Wood, June 27th 2010. Netted at dusk.

65.010 Figure of Eighty to MV light at the Rush Field, Hardcastle Crags on June 16th 2023.

65.013 Common Lutestring to MV light at the cabin at Cromwell Bottom on July 9th 2023.  

65.016 Yellow Horned, one of two to MV light at Midgehole Car Park, Hardcastle Craggs, Mar. 15th 2014.

65.016 Yellow Horned, one of 14 to light at Clock Face Quarry, Krumlin on Mar. 9th 2026. This one had its oval and kidney marks fused together.

65.016 Yellow Horned to MV light at Norland on Apr. 14th 2022. It shows the orange rather than yellow "horns".

68.001 Emperor Moth cocoon, Pecket Well, May 20th 08. An empty cocoon found by eagle-eyed moth-er Winston Plowes.

68.001 Emperor Moth (female), Norland Moor, May 4th 05. Standing out like a beacon in a sea of Heather this remains one of my most exciting finds. I spent around half an hour in her company and didn't see a single admirer come to visit so I think she must have already mated and stopped releasing pheromones. Female Emperors don't feed and die shortly after egg-laying.

68.001 Emperor Moth, details above. I was surprised to see eye spots on her underside as well.

68.001 Emperor Moth (male) at Norland Moor on Apr. 30th 2022. It was attracted to one of Anthony Arak's pheromone lures, although this one was content to land a few feet away in among the Heather.

68.001 Emperor Moth. Later, on the same trip, some of the pheromones from earlier must have landed on my boot and attracted this male - a surprisingly small moth, as is evident when there's something to gauge their size by (photo by Anthony).

68.001 Emperor Moth, eggs and newly hatched larvae May 17th 2026. 

20 days previously a female laid eggs in Anthony Arak's trap and he gave me them to rear through. Should be a nice little project.......

68.001 Emperor Moth larvae May 21st. Four days on and the larvae are doing well. They're naturally communal at this age.

68.001 Emperor Moth 2nd instar larva, May 28th. Showing a small amount of colour now.

68.001 Emperor Moth larva just moulted at 23mm, June 8th 2026. Details above.

68.001 Emperor Moth larva, 4th instar at 30mm on June 14th, details above. Larvae in this instar can be quite different to one another with various patterns of yellow, green and black. 

As the larvae reached their final instar their appetites grew accordingly and so I released them in to the wild to let nature take its course, after all I had already seen the adults a few times.