‘CINNABAR’ I enjoy the sound of this word and, like the mineral from which it takes its name, the moth’s markings are a beautiful, deep pink.
The BURNET FAMILY have such striking colours and bold markings, I enjoy drawing them.
TIGER MOTHS are colourful day-flying moths, similarly shaped to butterflies.
The HAWK MOTH family are easily recognisable due to their distinct shape.
The PEPPERED MOTH has adapted to changes in its habitat caused by pollution. It was originally a pale-winged moth with a ‘peppering’ of dark speckles. However, during the industrial revolution when polluted air killed off many tree lichens (which hid it from detection by its predators) the Peppered moth’s pigmentation darkened to enable it to become camouflaged against soot-covered tree bark. Its colouring is lightening again as pollution levels are on the decline.
The images on this page show a Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet and a Death’s Head Hawk moth.