It’s unusual to see a moth feasting during the day, but this Silver Y is a day flying moth and it was ravenous.
Silver Y moths are migrants and travel long distances, usually at night, some of them crossing the channel to the UK from mainland Europe. This particular moth probably made that journey in recent days along with many others that have been spotted here.
Arriving in Devon unnoticed, this Silver Y became trapped in our house. I’m not sure for how long as I didn’t notice it, perhaps a couple of days. Certainly enough time for it to be low on fuel as when I released it into the garden it spent a very long time sipping nectar from our Geums.
As the name suggests, the Silver Y moth has a distinctive silvery Y-shaped mark on each of its forewings. This marking makes it easily identifiable from other moth species.
Silver Y moths are highly adaptable and can be found in a wide range of habitats, including gardens, farmland, and woodland edges. They are known to thrive in both urban and rural environments and consume a wide range of vegetation, including nettles and dandelions.