Light Crimson Underwing confirmation

This is just a quick post for all of those that joined Two Owls at Bentley Wood.

Do you remember the caterpillar we had at lunch time in the car park.  I thought I recognised it but couldn't put a name to it at the time.  Well when I got home I did a little checking and quickly realised that if it was what I thought, it was a pretty special species to find.

So I sent photograph to Phil Sterling and he was able to confirm from the photographs that I was correct that it was the caterpillar of the Light Crimson Underwing, a rare species found in mature Oak woodlands the larva are rarely seen as they believe they feed in the high canopy.

Light Crimson Underwing © Nick Hull

For a little more information and to see the super looking adult moth follow this link.

http://ukmoths.org.uk/species/catocala-promissa/