Sallow Moth – Cirrhia icteritia

Reported to www.norfolkmoths.co.uk on the 9th of October. This moth loves catkins, damp woodland and not being predated. However, soon that bats will wake up from hibernation…

I saw this moth resting on an oak tree in the woodland about 2 metres away from the edge of the lake on campus. It was at my eye level which made snapping a picture with my phone a lot easier! I love it when nature co-ordinates with me and stays at my towering 5’5″ range. 

The forewings were about 15 mm. They are more narrow winged than the other sallow moths. The raggedy edges suggest that this moth has been flying for a while and is getting old. I know how it feels. 

This sallow moth took me a while to identify with a decent amount of certainty because there is a lot of variation in marking and colouring within the species.

These moths are quite common and can be seen flying in September and October. Their habitat includes carr (damp woodland), broad leafed woodland and fens. The perfect Norfolk moth! 

Adults have been seen feeding on overripe berries and at ivy flowers, whilst the caterpillars eat Salix catkins and then when they are older herbaceous plants. 

A sallow moth caterpillar. Photo by Ben Smart. 

Many moths, including the sallow moth, are furry in order to absorb and distort the sound of echo locating bats, in order to avoid predation. Moths are a delicacy on the bat menu at this time of year, as many are mating and building up fat reserves to see them through their winter hibernation.

The maps created by the Norwich Bat Group (www.norwichbatgroup.co.uk) show which bats are found in the area where I found the moth, and my estimate is that a 30-40g Noctule bat would definitely chow down on a sallow moth or two. Watch out lil fellas! 

Spring Update

There are definitely lots of bats around! You’ll see loads of common pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) around their roost trees at sundown, before they all start swooping low over the lake to drink and hunt insects. Pipistrellus means “little squeaking beast” in Latin. 

In closed/edge habitat that is a bit cluttered, such as the tree line by the lake, pipistrelle echolocation calls can be picked up at a frequency of 44-51 kHz, with an average interpulse interval of 102.5 ms. Note the fast erratic repetition. 

British Bat Calls: A Guide to Species Identification by Jon Russ is a brilliant book for identifying bat calls. 

“A myth is a female moth this is a guaranteed fact that I will not dispute.” – Eve Cavey, stubborn visionary.