Where the wild things hide.

 Just where do moths go during daylight hours to be safe from danger?

Last year, I trapped an adult Green Arches during a survey near Machynlleth. Intrigued by the above thought, when it came to release it along with all the other moths, I wondered what was the ideal location where it might hide out during the day time?

As it is a very mossy, lichen coloured moth, I placed it on the trunk of a Crab Apple tree, just below a patch of moss and lichen. It immediately ascended the trunk until it encountered this area and almost disappeared as it blended in. I looked on, in awe of evolution. 

                                                  Well disguised Green Arches. Phil McGregor.

This year, at the same site, I tried this "experiment" with a lovely Great Prominent. Being a very mossy coloured moth indeed, I placed it on a bare buttress root of a smallish Oak tree, close to where it was trapped, which had a mossy area above. Sure enough, just like the Green Arches, it moved up the bare bark until it encountered the moss, (about 20cm above) and settled there for the rest of the day.

                                           A very well disguised Great Prominent. Phil McGregor.

Just these two moths has got me thinking about all the other moths I have caught and where they hide during the daylight hours. Emerging from a  cocoon, just how are they aware of their own colouration and the natural instinct to hide in a complimentary background? Utilising self-evolved camouflage as opposed to just hiding under a leaf seems far more specific. Is this related to population dynamics? Nearly all moths seem well camouflaged to me but do species with high population bursts, such as Brown Silver-line suffer greater losses at the expense of ability to hide? I don't know.

I think I will try releasing moths onto complimentary backgrounds more often and see how they react. I appreciate these two moths may be obvious examples, but what about a Rosy Footman, Ghost Moth or Garden Tiger? Do they hide in complimentary backgrounds too or just under a leaf/dense growth?

I was wondering if any one else has photographs of moths in their daytime hideouts they may like to share here or comment on moths and their respective day time survival techniques?

Phil.