Finally I’ve found something that eats bindweed, the plague of so many gardeners and allotmenteers. Nice wings too.
This is an adult White Plume Moth and its caterpillars apparently feed exclusively on bindweed…..I suspect we’d need a plague of them to solve the ongoing infestations at the allotment which even six years on still seem to crop up on some beds. The only other creature I’ve found that will eat it is Esio, our recently acquired Tortoise and he doesn’t actually live at the allotment (and if he did I suspect his desire for lettuce and dandelions would mean that the bindweed barely got touched anyway).
Wonderful detail! The wings look "feathery".
I just had to look up Esio… and now, if I ever have a tortoise, I shall name mine Esio, too!
Terrific photo! I've only ever seen one on my plot so little wonder the bindweed thrives!
Where can you get hold of these moths? And how would you persuade them to stay in your own garden? I think I'll have to continue pulling the stuff up for the time being.
The detail is just amazing, fantastic wings.
This moth looks menacing at this level of detail. Thanks for another amazing photo!
I want to see the tortoise!!!
i will send you some lady bird beetles if you will send me some of these moths.
What a beauty! It would take a flock of those critters to eat up all the bind weed in my garden. Once it gets going, you have to run to keep up with it! Lovely blog.
THanks all. Yes, it would require an awful lot of these to make any headway I fear.
As for the tortoise, SSS, I'll see what I can do….but he's a nippy little chap. ;D
Beautiful moth, brilliant capture
Beautiful moth, it looks almost angelic, well, it is in my book if it eats bindweed!