Purple Thorn

The rear view of a Purple Thorn moth. This is not an easy insect to photograph as it doesn't fold flat like most moths. It's even less easy when it buzzes off just as you ease it out of the catch jar to pose it neatly for its portrait. So I have to make do with this view of it sitting perfectly still in the plastic jar. It's about the size of a Gatekeeper butterfly.

Its resting position is like this with its wings upright, somewhat like a dead curled leaf. It's a dead leaf mimic that perches perfectly still during the day relying on its cryptic colouration and shape to fool would be predators. This particular one was bright and freshly emerged, rich in pattern and colour. Several of the thorns have the little lunar marks on the forewings, this specimen has markings that look rather like a man in a crescent moon. Tuscany blipped an Early Thorn on 27 April this year, one of her last entries. The purple thorn emerges later in the season, from end of July.

It was a mixed day today. I was up early for the usual rescue mission to beat the resident blackbird clan to the moths scattered about the moth trap. The purple thorn was one of those, it would have made a tasty morsel for a greedy bird.

Then we had a visit from Pam and Bern who we haven't seen for ages. Pam came bearing a home made tea loaf, which was truly scrumptious. An excellent team talk as always, that ranged far and wide. If you are reading this, P & B: "Stay Safe".

The afternoon was much less enjoyable, when it should have been a positive experience. The deadline was looming for the AONB photography competition, and the computer and Photoshop Organiser conspired to go into agonisingly slow, deeply frustrating, want-to-throw-the-PC-out-of-the- window mode. I had 18 photos to edit and upload, and each one was taking roughly 45 minutes. Then I realised there was another way, and with the calming influence of Wifie, we rattled through them. So that's a job done, it will be a long time before the competition is judged, which after the initial shortlisting will be by the democratic process of exhibition visitors voting for their favourites. I will report back later in the year.

Anyway, after all that excitement, it is now late and again I am apologising for being way behind with commenting.

Quite a few people last night recognised the blip syndrome of accumulating unsorted photographs. I haven't counted the number taken in the last year, but at a conservative estimate, I would say I have 40 to 50,000 images. Scarey.