Silver-Y's?

[Cetti]

Having a meal recently in an Abbotsbury pub garden we noticed the Valerian bushes were absolutely full of hovering moths. At first I thought they were Humming Bird Hawk Moths, but then realised they were too small and no orange was showing. The only other similar day flying moth might be the Silver Y , but I don't remember them hovering. Any ideas? PS. Idiot - I've just posted this in the Arts & Literature.

[New Forester]

I think golden Y is the more usual day-flying moth, and it does hover quite well. Very similar to silver Y. Presumably not skipper butterflies, (which look very mothlike)?

[Cetti]

Thanks NF, I've just had a look at a picture of the golden y's and sadly not the right ones, as mine were very dull and hovering so fast most were just a blur. The reason I said silver-Y's is they are arriving en masse at Portland, and where I was is only a very short distance away. Any more help would be very welcome as I really need to know the names of these little critters!

[Elfin]

Silver Ys do hover - we've had loads on our Valerian, Buddleia and also on Willowherb, day and night. You can only really identify them when they stop though eh. If they are the right size, then I'd go for Silver Y. If they are smaller, I shall consult my other half - a veritable moth expert!

[Cetti]

Hi Elfin. It would be great to have confirmation if you have an expert hanging about! I am inclined to go for the Silver-Y as the size and flight period do tie up - and also realised that the feeding frenzy would be to fuel them for migration - although I wish they'd taken a rest just to see that little mark!

[Elfin]

Hi Cetti - your question fuelled a debate in my house about what hovering actually is!! He says Silver Ys don't hover as such, rather than use their wings to stabilise them whilst on the flower, whereas HBHMs don't land on the flower in the first place and therefore truly hover! Crikey - another gripping friday night discussion round mine! Still, we do agree that Silver Y is most likely candidate from what you said. Incidentally, to me, they seem easier to identify at night because when you shine a torch at them, the Y reflects back through the blur. Not much good unless you were in the pub for the duration though, eh! We welcome all moth questions, as we actually run a moth trap every night of the year for recording county species. Takes all sorts ;-)

[Cetti]

Hi again Elfin - It was still daylight/ dusk so my eyesight had not caught up with the drink as yet, but that was a good point about true hovering as I hadn't really thought about that before - pedantic chap, isn't he ;-) Last midsummer after midnight we were on our way home after watching Nightjars on a very isolated moor, when a very bright light appeared from nowhere with what seemed to be some strange pagan ritual in process. Men and women were dancing about about in this light, their arms waving about in the air - frightened the life out of us. They turned out to be moth catchers - perhaps you were there? I've digressed like mad I know but I also send reports (birds) to the county recorder and occasionally add other things of interest, so I need to get it half right. So that's settled then - I'll go for the Y's.

[Avian]

Definately Sliver Y, the habit of "hovering", Valerian, day flying all fit the bill perfectly, Golden Y's are a lot scarcer, certainly you are very unl;ikely to see more than one or two at the same time, Silver Y's however are migratory and come here in large numbers, so seeing many at once is a common sight.
I have been interested in moths for over 35 years.

[Cetti]

Thank you Avian for your answer. They were indeed Silver Y's - and were there in their hundreds, but then anywhere near Portland has to be  the perfect spot to see  migrating creatures, whether it be bird, butterfly or moth.

I wonder what this year will bring? I do hope you will post if you come across anything exciting.