Operophtera brumata - Damaged male
This one must have had trouble during eclosure and the subsequent pumping up of the wings, but it didn't seem to influence his competitive qualities much - it was running around with verve on a tree populated by many, many females (on female in the background of the image to the right).
The winter moth is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is an abundant species of Europe and the Near East and one of very few Lepidoptera of temperate regions in which the adults are active in the depth of winter. The female of this species is virtually wingless and cannot fly, but the male is fully winged and flies strongly.
Similar species: Moths And Butterflies
comments (1)