We continue on January 31st for an intriguing look at the insects that brave the winter chill. From the mesmerizing nuptial dances of winter gnats to the early appearances of honey bees and the hidden lives of hibernating moths, this article reveals the fascinating behaviours and adaptations of insects during the coldest month of the year. Don't miss out on this captivating exploration of nature's most resilient flyers!
Article
Insects
The most abundant insects this month are probably the swarms of winter gnats Trichocera spp. seen engaging in their nuptial dances along woodland paths and on waste ground. These insects seem to have antifreeze as they are so active when so few other insects are. The swarms constantly go up and down and are more commonly encountered in the late afternoon on warmer days, especially approaching sunset. They look like small crane flies with long legs and are present the rest of the year but tend not to be noticed.
Earwigs are now quietly laying their eggs and bluebottles, with the occasional dronefly Eristalis tenax can be seen basking on warm walls when the sun is out. Wasps are still asleep, but the first honey bees and solitary bees may well be abroad. The latter are quite possibly queens which are often seen visiting snowdrops with much larger humblebees. Trees such as the hybrid strawberry tree Arbutus andrachnoides which are in now full flower, are excellent nectar sources and a good place to look for these and other early insects. Most other insects are either hibernating in decaying wood, the soil, grass tussocks or at the bottom of hedges.
Clusters of ladybirds are commonly encountered in porches and around window-frames. Insect eggs remain well hidden and cocoons well camouflaged. Both suffer badly if disturbed in any way. Other insects such as leaf hoppers, jumping plant lice, true flies and lacewings can all still be seen if conifers are swept with a net.
Moths
There are very few moths on the wing in January, but one or two may be encountered on mild days and a few more may be accidentally disturbed from where they have chosen to hibernate. The winter moth Operophtera brumata is an undistinguished grey-brown and is normally thought of as nothing more than a pest in orchards, where its caterpillars can defoliate the trees. The wingless females run up the trunks of the trees and attract males with their pheromones. Males are also occasionally seen near lights as centrally as Hyde Park. The early moth Theria primaria is another undistinguished species which also has wingless females. In this case, the male has dark brown forewings with black dots. The females are fond of sitting at the end of hawthorn twigs where they emit their irresistible scent to attract mates in the early evening. The males are attracted by this aphrodisiac, but unfortunately also by lights.
Another moth very much associated with January is the Pale Brindled beauty Apocheima pilosaria. The male of this species is equally non-descript, being a mottled grey with transparent wings, giving the moth an overall worn out look. Once again, the female is flightless but can be found resting on tree trunks in woodland. The Chestnut Conista vaccinii and Dark Chestnut C. ligula both have distinctly brown forewings and lighter-coloured hindwings, those of the Dark Chestnut being a little darker. Both these moths are widespread in London, the Dark Chestnut often being found near blackthorn bushes. They can also both can be confused with the Satellite Eupsilia traversa which also has a brown forewing and a grey hindwing. Satellites are known to enjoy feeding on rosehips.
The only other moth liable to be encountered flying now is the Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria which is one of the few insects known to feed on sycamore. In this case the male is a dark ochre colour with a dark band across the wing and although very common is only likely to be seen in the first half of the month and never centrally. Like many other London moths it has different colour forms and many of them are confusing dark ones.
Of the moths that hibernate as adults the Herald Scoliopteryx libatrix is known to inhabit the tunnels of the London Underground and therefore may perhaps be seen by commuters. It gets its name from its different colours, red, purple-brown and gold, all of which are to be found commonly on heraldic shields. Another reason it might be seen is that it is also a long-living moth with individuals living as long as six months which is quite elderly for a moth.
