Mark Lane
Head Gardener, Buckingham Palace

Moths of the nettle patch

Although sometimes not as showy as their cousins, the butterflies, moths are often just as beautiful and often more fascinating. In general moths are more cosmopolitan in their choice of larval foodplant, the caterpillars of some moth species will eat a wide range of foodplants and are said to be omniphagous.

Let's take a look at those moths you may come across in your local nettle patch

	Burnished Brass - Diachrysia chrysitis [more] Distinctive metallic patches are a key identification feature of this moth.
	The Spectacle - Abrostola triplasia [more] Is it a moth or a broken twig?
	Beautiful Golden Y - Autographa pulchrina [more] Found throughout the British Isles in June and July.