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Oak Processionary imago - front view, Heesch, Netherlands Front view of the imago of an Oak Processionary moth. Here it is hanging on the steel cage that holds the light I used to attract moths. The light is an old fashioned construction light which is normally used to light up construction sites, for example to continue painting a wall after sunset. There&#039;s a 75W light in it which runs very hot. <br /> <br /> I&#039;m not really sure if this is a good or bad thing regarding moths. This one seemed to like it though. On the window:<br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63356/oak_processionary_imago_heesch_netherlands.html" title="Oak Processionary imago, Heesch, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/63356_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=LIVLS65UkP8mFN4jJ0n%2FguOvdK8%3D" width="136" height="152" alt="Oak Processionary imago, Heesch, Netherlands This photo is the result of Lisa and Christine putting in motion Moth Week. For the first time, it made me try out a little moth trapping exercise in the garden. An extremely simple setup: white blanket sheet on the wall, illuminated with a strong light. <br /> <br /> My expectations were low. Because the area we live in has many light sources, our garden being small and fully renewed this spring, and very likely I&#039;m using the wrong light (I&#039;ve read success rate dramatically increases with light of a specific wavelength that more closely resembles that of the sun). <br /> <br /> I had a spectacular start. First, I duck-taped the sheet to the wall, but it kept collapsing. Then I used screws to hold it in place. When trying to hang the light on one of the screws, I dropped it, and I cut my thumb on the shatters. Replacing the light bulb after the bleeding, it started to rain. We&#039;ve had a record breaking drought for 2 months, yet at this very moment it started raining, endangering this open electricity that includes a very hot lamp.<br /> <br /> Persisting some more, the rain was gone, and the second I turned on the light and turned of all other lights, immediately this one appears. The morning after, only now do I realize its the infamous Oak Processionary in its adult form. The caterpillar of this moth is considered a severe pest to people, and as soon as they are found, the tree is treated with a fluid poisonous only to this species. Furthermore, blue tit birds, which we have a lot of around the garden, deliver biological pest control.<br /> <br /> Somehow this individual survived all that and made it to adulthood. I respect that. On the light:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63377/oak_processionary_imago_-_front_view_heesch_netherlands.html Europe,Heesch,Moth Week 2018,Moths,Netherlands,Oak Processionary,Thaumetopoea processionea" /></a></figure><br /> On cloth:<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63375/oak_processionary_imago_-_top_view_heesch_netherlands.html" title="Oak Processionary imago - top view, Heesch, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/63375_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=AZOpI1UdKvr%2FiR%2BfcMHUxRia1hk%3D" width="144" height="152" alt="Oak Processionary imago - top view, Heesch, Netherlands Taken on the same night as this observation using a simple light trap on a white blanket:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63356/oak_processionary_imago_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> Yet this one being on the cloth instead of the window. I saw 3 individuals of this same species. This one may be missing one antenna. As explained on the other post, this is a notorious pest in the larva stage. This species originally occurs more south, where it has natural enemies and is naturally controlled. This far north, there&#039;s no natural enemies (other than blue tit birds). On the light:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63377/oak_processionary_imago_-_front_view_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> On cloth:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63375/oak_processionary_imago_-_top_view_heesch_netherlands.html Europe,Heesch,Moth Week 2018,Moths,Netherlands,Oak Processionary,Thaumetopoea processionea" /></a></figure> Europe,Heesch,Moth Week 2018,Moths,Netherlands,Oak Processionary,Thaumetopoea processionea Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Oak Processionary imago - front view, Heesch, Netherlands

Front view of the imago of an Oak Processionary moth. Here it is hanging on the steel cage that holds the light I used to attract moths. The light is an old fashioned construction light which is normally used to light up construction sites, for example to continue painting a wall after sunset. There's a 75W light in it which runs very hot.

I'm not really sure if this is a good or bad thing regarding moths. This one seemed to like it though. On the window:

Oak Processionary imago, Heesch, Netherlands This photo is the result of Lisa and Christine putting in motion Moth Week. For the first time, it made me try out a little moth trapping exercise in the garden. An extremely simple setup: white blanket sheet on the wall, illuminated with a strong light. <br /> <br /> My expectations were low. Because the area we live in has many light sources, our garden being small and fully renewed this spring, and very likely I'm using the wrong light (I've read success rate dramatically increases with light of a specific wavelength that more closely resembles that of the sun). <br /> <br /> I had a spectacular start. First, I duck-taped the sheet to the wall, but it kept collapsing. Then I used screws to hold it in place. When trying to hang the light on one of the screws, I dropped it, and I cut my thumb on the shatters. Replacing the light bulb after the bleeding, it started to rain. We've had a record breaking drought for 2 months, yet at this very moment it started raining, endangering this open electricity that includes a very hot lamp.<br /> <br /> Persisting some more, the rain was gone, and the second I turned on the light and turned of all other lights, immediately this one appears. The morning after, only now do I realize its the infamous Oak Processionary in its adult form. The caterpillar of this moth is considered a severe pest to people, and as soon as they are found, the tree is treated with a fluid poisonous only to this species. Furthermore, blue tit birds, which we have a lot of around the garden, deliver biological pest control.<br /> <br /> Somehow this individual survived all that and made it to adulthood. I respect that. On the light:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63377/oak_processionary_imago_-_front_view_heesch_netherlands.html Europe,Heesch,Moth Week 2018,Moths,Netherlands,Oak Processionary,Thaumetopoea processionea

On cloth:

Oak Processionary imago - top view, Heesch, Netherlands Taken on the same night as this observation using a simple light trap on a white blanket:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63356/oak_processionary_imago_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> Yet this one being on the cloth instead of the window. I saw 3 individuals of this same species. This one may be missing one antenna. As explained on the other post, this is a notorious pest in the larva stage. This species originally occurs more south, where it has natural enemies and is naturally controlled. This far north, there's no natural enemies (other than blue tit birds). On the light:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63377/oak_processionary_imago_-_front_view_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> On cloth:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/63375/oak_processionary_imago_-_top_view_heesch_netherlands.html Europe,Heesch,Moth Week 2018,Moths,Netherlands,Oak Processionary,Thaumetopoea processionea

    comments (3)

  1. View morpheme's profile
    morpheme
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Wow - looking at the thumbnail, at first I thought this was a bat! Posted 7 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Lol, and I believe Lisa saw a goat in it :) Posted 7 years ago
      1. View Flown Kimmerling's profile
        Flown Kimmerling
        Lion
        View Lion class
        Yep! Cute widdle upside down goat here! Posted 7 years ago

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The Oak Processionary

The Oak Processionary is a moth whose caterpillars are pests in oak forests and pose a health hazard because of their poisonous setae, which may cause skin irritation and asthma.

Info 18 1
Similar species: Moths And Butterflies
Species identified by Ferdy Christant
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By Ferdy Christant

All rights reserved
Uploaded Jul 21, 2018. Captured Jul 21, 2018 01:27.
country flag of Netherlands Explore Netherlands 8,314 2,306 0
  • NIKON D850
  • f/16.0
  • 1/60s
  • ISO64
  • 105mm