ON THE WILD SIDE

PEPPERED MOTH - WHEN you are a delicious and soft bodied moth, with big silly slow flapping wings and no way to defend yourself, not getting eaten is an eternal priority.

- With Lily Woods

Most moths have evolved some form of camouflage with some looking like leaves, dead plants, and some in far away lands even trying to look like dangerous snakes! Today’s subject is well camouflaged on the bark of a native birch tree. Although very hard to spot, these moths are strangely one of the most famous. They are known all over the world and often quoted in everything from scientific papers to school textbooks. Friends, say hello to the peppered moth.

The adult peppered moth is not something you are going to see very often. They range in wingspan from about 4cm to 6cm, and most of them have fluffy white bodies and wings with a varying amount of black spots on them.