Orange Swift – Triodia sylvina

Orange Swift (Triodia sylvina) – A first for the garden 13th August 2018 in three weeks or so of moth-ing with Rob’s homemade actinic Robinson trap.

Given how brightly coloured this specimen is compared to other photos on UKMoths, for instance, I am assuming it is a male. The males are also smaller than the females, such sexual dimorphism does not seem to be a common trait in the moth world. The species is a member of the Hepialidae of which there are, it seems, only five members in the UK: Orange Swift (Triodia sylvina), Common Swift (Korscheltellus lupulina), Map-winged Swift (Korscheltellus fusconebulosa), Gold Swift (Phymatopus hecta), and the Ghost Moth (Hepialus humuli).

The orange, apparently flies, at night, later in the year than the other Swifts, July-September (in the British Isles), to spotting one in the middle of August is about right, although UKMoths explains that it inhabits waste ground, moorland, and other wild places. Doesn’t say much for my gardening skills.
The larva (caterpillar) feeds on the roots of bracken, dandelion, dock, hop, and viper’s bugloss. It overwinters twice as a larva.

Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - August 13, 2018 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Moths Sciencebase Source Type: blogs