Moths of Macedonia

As well chasing the obvious on our Greenwings butterflying and birding trip to Greece, there was also time for a few moths. Some during the day, some that overnighted in the stairwell of our little hotel, and some from fellow amateur Lepidopterist, Martine’s field trips around the village of Chrisochorafa. Thanks to her and Michael … Continue reading "Moths of Macedonia"

As well chasing the obvious on our Greenwings butterflying and birding trip to Greece, there was also time for a few moths. Some during the day, some that overnighted in the stairwell of our little hotel, and some from fellow amateur Lepidopterist, Martine’s field trips around the village of Chrisochorafa. Thanks to her and Michael for IDs on the local species and for Mrs Sciencebase’s eagle eyes in spotting much of the wildlife.

The yellow and black micro moth with large, feathery antennae is a male Euplocamus ophisa (Tineidae). Spotted several of these in the stream-side woodland where the Glider butterflies were seen. No ID for the arachnid.

Mrs Sciencebase spotted the first Speckled Yellow (Pseudopanthera macularia, Geometridae) of the trip, at the Lailias Ski Centre, I think it was.

I spotted this large moth, Catocala nymphaea (Erebidae), which was roosting on a derelict building near a barely used dirt track we butterflied. It is related to Red Underwing, Crimson Underwing, Clifden Nonpareil, but, while it has orange on its hindwings, it is not an orange underwing.

The Geometrician, Grammodes stolida (Erebidae). Potted by Martine on her late-night field trip not far from Chrisochorafa.

Knot-grass (Acronicta rumicis, Noctuidae) larva feeding on spurge, I believe, Vironia Quarry

The filled band on this Riband Wave, Idaea aversata (Geometridae), is rather more pink than I have seen before.

We were watching lots of butterflies and the nectaring Hummingbird Hawk-moths on a purple patch of vetch at the side of the road up towards the Lailias Ski Centre when a couple of Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, (Hemaris fuciformis, Sphingidae) put in a timely appearance.

Michael spotted a couple of Spurge Hawk-moth (Hyles euphorbiae, Sphingidae) larvae feeding on some roadside spurge, like they do.

Early-morning phone snap of a long-legged moth which was roosting at dawn at our accommodation. Euclasta splendidalis (Crambidae) is restricted to SE Europe onwards to Turkey and the Middle East. The food plant is a vine called Periploca graeca (Asclepiadaceae – Milkweed family).

There were lots of Nine-spotted Moth around on our wanderings. They are also known as the Yellow-belted Burnet (Amata phegea, Erebidae) or in Michael’s parlance, the “lazy moth” on account of their general indolence.

Wood Tiger (Parasemia plantaginis, Erebidae) spotted and potted by Martine before being released back on site for a photo or two.

The Passenger (Dysgonia algira, Noctuidae) was fluttering around the hotel stairwell with several micros when we returned from our evening meal with the Little Owls.

Black-veined Moth (Siona lineata, Geometridae), not to be confused with the Black-veined White butterfly, which we also saw.

I recorded some 37 moths and perhaps saw a few more: Black-veined Moth, Bright Wave, Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, Burnet Companion, Catocala nymphaea, Chrysocrambus cassentiniellus, Common Heath, Crambus perlella, Crocidosema plebejana, Dingy Shell, Dotted Border Wave, Euclasta splendidalis, Eucosma cana, Euplocamus ophisa, Five-spot Burnet, Forester, The Geomatrician, Grass Rivulet, Gypsy Moth, Hummingbird Hawk-moth, Knot Grass, Lead Belle, Mother Shipton, Nine-spotted Moth, The Passenger, Poplar Grey, Pyrausta purpuralis, Ragades pruni, Riband Wave, Rusty Dot Pearl, Silver Ground Carpet, Six-spot Burnet, Speckled Yellow, Spurge Hawk-moth, Transparent Burnet, Treble-bar, Wood Tiger.

The Macedonia of my blog headline refers to the ancient Greek region which coincides with the area of modern, northern Greece where we were staying and exploring. North Macedonia was west of us, just over the border. At one point, we were within a few metres of the North Macedonian border patrol as we headed for a known site – the woodland and scrub around the Doiran Memorial – seeking, unsuccessfully as it turned out, the Tessellated Skipper butterfly.