A New Moth, a Warning, and a New Venture
13 June
Eight-spotted Forester Moth (Alypia octomaculata)
As far as I recollect this is a new species for my personal list ... but not a particularly rare one, albeit this is the northern edge of its range. It is said to be “Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery” which may be why I have not encountered it before. They are to be found in edge habitats where wooded areas meet open fields.
A pest of vines. Mature adults feed on nectar from flowers of herbaceous plants. When threatened, the first line of defense of their larvae is to vomit a “foul orange tinted liquid”. It then escapes by falling off of its perch, still attached to it by the silk thread excreted from its mouth. Larvae who are still around during the fall spin a soft-walled cocoon into partial decayed material such as wood, soil, and even trash.
… and a New Writing Venture
There are times when I want to share a note on a subject that does not align neatly with the general theme of Whilst Out Walking. I have no wish to scare off, annoy or lose any faithful “Walking” subscribers by going off piste into an area that does not interest you. Hence I have launched a new and complementary Substack newsletter under the title of “Offshoots and Byways.” I have posted an introductory piece to stake a claim to space on the internet and you can find it by following the link below:
If I can persuade readers here to follow Offshoots and Byways … well that would be most encouraging. I promise not to be boring or too provocative and will do my best to provide short pieces that will be of interest. Looking forward to seeing you over there.
