There are over 2,500 moth species recorded in the United Kingdom, compared with around 80 butterflies, and they exhibit astonishing diversity, which is largely hidden to us humans because moths are mostly nocturnal. Yet many moths do fly by day and are as beautiful as butterflies, including the emperor moth and the hedge beauty moth. Bizarrely, the female of the lesser bagworm moth does not have wings, legs or scales, the very things that define moths and butterflies as Lepidoptera, the scale-winged insects.
The number of species in the UK is rising as our warming climate encourages moths to move north from Europe, and as the warmth is allowing once rare southern species, such as the dark crimson underwing moth, to become much more widespread.
Moths have a bad reputation as clothes-munchers, yet only two species in the UK eat wool and feathers. Caterpillars of others eat a remarkable range of food, including leaves, fruits, living and dead wood and even fungi.
A Presentation Pack including all 10 stamps is priced at £14.45. The stamps go on general sale from 9 July.
Featured on the stamps are the:
- Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia)
- Puss Moth (Cerura vinula)
- Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris fuciformis)
- Dark Bordered Beauty Moth (Epione vespertaria)
- December Moth (Poecilocampa populi)
- Dark Crimson Underwing Moth (Catocala sponsa)
- Scarce Crimson and Gold Moth (Pyrausta sanguinalis)
- Swallow-tailed Moth (Ourapteryx sambucaria)
- Hedge Beauty Moth (Alabonia geoffrella)
- Buff-tip Moth (Phalera bucephala)
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