Pterodroma
21-May-09, 18:18
The White Ermine is a real gem. It over winters as a pupa and the adult moth starts to appear in Caithness in mid-May and can be around until July. In the south the wing colour in white (hence the name) but up here it is this lovely honey/buff colour. It is a good reason to keep an area of nettles and docks in your garden as they are among the caterpillar's food plants. It is potentially poisonous to predators as it takes in pyrazine alkaloids from it's food plants.
http://forum.caithness.org/picture.php?albumid=79&pictureid=409
http://forum.caithness.org/picture.php?albumid=79&pictureid=409