The master of disguise, although not immediately apparent in the photograph, the Buff Tip is a favourite moth. This individual was the first to be recorded in my garden on 7 July 2021. Had I a birch tree to place it instead of a rose it would be almost invisible. The mimicry to a bit of broken birch twig is breath-taking. This is the moth’s strategy to outwit predators so it also behaves like a twig and is quite reluctant to fly – hence the photograph with a natural background. Most of my moth photos are on a blue towel, or in the pot and taken quickly before they take off – not to mention the ones that escape altogether.
They can be seen from late May until the end of July or early August. The larvae feed on a wide variety of plants and trees which include birch, oak and hazel. It is a resident moth – pupae overwinter underground – and is found in Guernsey and Alderney. Records for the other islands need to be checked.
Scientific name: Phalera – white marking – family members have a white spot near the top of the forewing. The Buff Tip is the only member of this family resident in the Bailiwick. Bucephala – probably ‘oxen-like head’ as it is so broad.
Conservation Status: Common.
Natural history of the Bailiwick of Guernsey 