The winter months are generally quiet for adult moths on the wing. The Winter moth Operophtera brummata which will have been flying since mid November may be seen right through December, January and February. Scarcer is the Northern Winter moth Operophtera fagata which is very similar but distinguished by its generally larger size and whiter hindwings which when the moth is at rest often protrude from underneath the forewing. It is seldom seen after the end of December.

The lovely December moth Poecilocampa populi will also have been on the wing since mid November and can continue through all of December. The males are a lot smaller than the females and have very feathery antennae which they use to locate the females by scent. Females will readily lay eggs and the larvae are quite easy to rear on blackthorn or hawthorn.
If you live in the Poole/Bournemouth conurbation and are anywhere near some big Holm Oaks, you could be the first to record the Oak Rustic Dryobota labecula on the mainland. It currently occurs in the Channel Islands and recently on the Isle of Wight. As it flies in December it may already be on the south coast undetected.

Scarce Umber Agriopis aurantiaria and Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria also fly through December and like the Winter moth can happily fly in subzero temperatures due to internal anti-freeze. As the Latin name suggests, the Scarce Umber has a generally very orange overall appearance. There have been quite a number of records of Spring Usher Agriopis leucophaearia from December and January in recent years. Traditionally it is the first moth of spring, emerging in numbers in February, but it is definitely worth looking for on milder winter nights. The banded forms are similar to Mottled Umber and Dotted Border, but it is a lot smaller. Also on the wing is the Early moth Theria primaria , again with more January records of late. The Latin name proclaims this species as the first of the year.

More usual in February but again often encountered in January is the Dotted Border Agriopis marginaria. Superficially similar to some forms of Mottled Umber but the row of small black marginal dots is characteristic. All these have flightless females with vestigial wings which can be picked out on bare branches with a torch. Female Spring Usher and the soon to appear March moth are completely wingless, the Scarce Umber has uni-coloured wing stumps, the Winter moth has rounded wing stumps, and the Dotted Border has quite large ( maybe 1/3rd of normal size) stumps.

Much bigger, and furrier than the other Geometers listed above, the Pale Brindled Beauty Phigalia pilosaria may also appear by mid January in woods and orchards and shrubby habitats. Again, the completely wingless females can be found on tree trunks in the early morning.

It is still possible that any hibernating species may fly during warm spells right through the winter months.

P.Butter. Nov 2004.