Rare Flame Brocade Moth From Mediterranean Makes Its Migration To UK

Rare Flame Brocade Moth From Mediterranean Makes its Migration To UK

The rare and stunning Flame Brocade Moth is usually found in the Mediterranean but appears to have opted for the rather chillier shores of the UK to begin a new colony.

In the past just a few Flame Brocade Moths have been sighted on UK shores leading researchers to believe that this is the largest number of the rare moths seen in the country for more than 130-years.

Researchers from the charity Butterfly Conservation have attributed the arrival of unusually high numbers of the rare moth to the recent warmer weather and are describing this year’s migration season as the best in years:

“Autumn is usually a good time for immigrant species, but it’s the sheer number and diversity this year that’s special.

“I’d never seen one of these moths before so I grabbed my net and went off to find out if there were any others about at a suitable site nearby.

“I saw 10 that night and there have been recordings of 20 or more there every night since”, said Butterfly Conservation officer Michael Blencrowe.

The Flame Brocade Moth is perhaps more famously recognised as the chilling insect used by Hannibal Lector from the Hollywood blockbuster film Silence of the Lambs.