Muslin

Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica)

We added another new moth to the garden list last week: Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica). This one is a male, identified by those dark grey-brown wings (with a specific arrangement of black dots) and those feathery antennae. A female's wings would be a somewhat translucent white and her antennae would be simple and straight. Muslin Moths overwinter as pupae, wrapped in the case the caterpillar creates to metamorphose into an adult. Most emerge to fly as adults between late April and June, so ours was a wee bit early. They're common and widespread in England and Wales, less so in Scotland and Ireland, occuring in woodlands, downland, sand dunes, hedgerows and gardens. Larvae feed on many common, low-growing "weeds", including dandelions, plantains, chickweeds, docks, heathers and some sallows, so they should feel right at home in our garden. Intriguingly, according to the Butterfly Conservation website, females fly by day and males by night, so how they ever find each other is beyond me!