Insect mystery soon solved

Tuesday 30th June 2009, 8:15AM BST.

The moths found by Doreen McGowan

Telford resident Doreen McGowan certainly started something when she spotted a pair of unusual moths fluttering on her garden gate.

She brought them in to the Shropshire Star’s Ketley head office and appealed for help from readers in identifying them.

After the story and photograph appeared in Saturday’s paper, we were been inundated with answers. Among the experts to contact us was Pete Lambert, Telford greenspaces officer with Shropshire Wildlife Trust, who said: “The moths pictured are eyed hawkmoths.”

Joan King, who contacted us by e-mail, said: “The eyes are on the underwing and not showing as they have other things on their mind in your picture!”

Doreen McGowan

Several readers sent us photographs of eyed hawkmoths spotted in their own gardens, including John Graves, of Randlay, Telford, and Jacqueline Harper, of Buildwas.

Reader Sue Churm e-mailed us to say:” I had two moths exactly the same as those pictured, bodies locked together at the rear, on my wall outside the front door for over two hours on Saturday.”

Melvyn Robinson, of Ashbourne Close, Dawley, said: “The caterpillar is two-and-a-half to three inches long, light green with beautiful markings and a small spike that sticks up from the rear end.”

And Josie Hotchkiss, of Brooklands Estate, Wellington, said: “I’ve been baffled by exactly the same type of moth in my garden. I found it on a Himalayan pine.”

View more: Ketley news, Telford news.