TL:DR – A “proboscis-in-palp” glossary of mothing terms and slang in alphabetical order. Italicised terms have a definition in the glossary.
Aberration – A deviation from the more common form of a species. Some aberrations have a technical name. For instance, the Jersey Tiger (Euplagia quadripunctaria), which commonly has orange-red hind wings also has a form with yellow hindwings (E. quadripunctaria f. lutescens).
Actinic – A technical term referring to the ability of a light source to trigger chemical reactions or affect biological systems. Colloquially, moth-ers use it to refer to fluorescent and compact fluorescent tubes that produce ultraviolet light and are used as a lower-power and more accessible alternative to MV lamps.
Aggregate – A term used in moth recording where a definitive species-level identification is not possible.
Amyl acetate – A chemical with the odour of pear drops that might be used as an auxiliary attractant. Can be quite harmful to skin, eyes, lungs. Caution required.
BBYU – Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata).
Big Blue – See Clif.
Blank night – Also known as a Wogan, night when no moths are to be found in or around the trap. The idea of a blank night fills the moth enthusiast with dread. Blank nights are most common between November and April, but can happen at any time of year depending on conditions.
Blue Underwing – See Clif.
Butterfly – A sub-group of the Lepidoptera, evolutionarily the most advanced, one might say. Butterflies, with some exceptions lack the frenulum that allows moths to disconnect their forewings from their hindwings.
Carpet moths – A reference to species within the Geometridae family that are patterned beautifully in a way that to the early entomologists resembled the then luxury items. These species do not eat carpets. Indeed, there are only a couple of micro moth species the larvae of which can ingest textiles.
Chrysalis – The pupa of a butterfly.
Clif – Clifden Non-pareil, Catocala fraxini, large and fairly rare moth, mostly grey upper wings, the hindwings are dark with a chalky blue band. Occasionally referred to as the Big Blue or the Blue Underwing.
Cocoon – A silk casing spun around a pupa for additional protection during this vulnerable transformation stage.
County Moth Recorder, CMR – Your local moth expert who will collate, check, and maintain records for the vice county. Often sufficiently skilled to carry out gen det.
EHM – Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)
Entomology – The branch of the zoological sciences that deals with insects. A lepidopterist is an entomologist who specialises in Lepitoptera.
Extant – A living species, the opposite of extinct.
Extinct – It has ceased to be, when referring to a species. The opposite of extant.
Eyespots – Wing markings that give the appearance of eyes staring back at a would-be moth predator. Famously, the Emperor has two pairs, one pair on its forewings which are visible when the moth is at rest and a second on its hindwings which can be exposed when it is disturbed.
Flight period – The weeks or months in which the adult moths are on the wing, feeding, and seeking a mate.
Flutters – Affectionate term for moths.
Flying tonight – A phrase often used by moth-ers when discussing the likely species one might see on a given night of the year.
Food plant – The plant species on which a particular larva will feed. The larvae of some species of moth can eat various plants, they are polyphagous, but some have a single food plant.
Forewings – The pair of wings attached on the thorax closest to the moth’s head.
Frass – Usually, larval faeces, but more generally any detritus left behind by insects.
Garden list – A record of moth species recorded in and around one’s home.
Gen Det – An abbreviation for genitalia determination. This is the definitive method of species-level identification where two species are superficially the same. Given that the genitalia of each species are unique to that species, microscopic examination or dissection can reveal the specific ID. For instance, without gen det or having raised adults from larvae it is impossible to distinguish between Dark Dagger (Acronicta tridens) and Grey Dagger (Acronicta psi). Where no distinction is made, recording the sighting would usually be listed as Dagger “agg”. The “agg” means “aggregated” or “aggregate”. One might also write “Dagger sp.” where sp. is an abbreviation for “species” and implies the same as “agg”.
Genus – The taxonomic classification of living things above species and below family level. For example, the Hummingbird Hawk-moth is Macroglossum stellatarum, it is the species stellatarum in the genus Macroglossum. The family to which it belongs is the Sphingidae, the sphinx moths, which is one of the many families in the order of insects known as the Lepidoptera.
Ghost trap – Related to a blank night but the lack of moths in one’s trap is due to a feeding bird having picked off all your flutters before you got your lazy backside out of bed.
Hawk-moth – Any of numerous species of large moth sharing various characteristics but not necessarily genus. They are grouped as the family Sphingidae family, which means Sphinx Moths. They commonly have “hawk-like” features and can hover. The “hawk” in question when they were given this epithet was perhaps the kestrel, a falcon, rather than any hawk. Often abbreviated in one’s records as HM, as in Privet HM, Convolvulus HM, etc.
Heath trap – A portable, and usually collapsible, version of the Robinson trap.
Hindwings – The pair of wings attached on the thorax furthest from the moth’s head.
Hummer – Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum). A migrant species that seems increasingly common in the UK. Not to be confused with US species known as hummingbird moths.
Ichneumon Wasps – Also known as Darwin Wasps, there are numerous species of these parasitoid wasps in the Ichneumon genus. They commonly seek out invertebrates and lay their eggs in the animal or its larvae. It is not common to find them in one’s moth trap.
Imago – Adult form of an invertebrate.
Instar – A stage in the maturation of a larva from hatching to pupation.
Invasive species – Usually refers to an unwanted migrant or import that has appeared in relatively large numbers and is causing harm to native ecosystems, crops, or other managed plants. The Box-tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) is perhaps one of the most well-known of the invasive moth species.
Irruption – The arrival in relatively large numbers of a species not commonl seen in a given region or country. Commonly migrants or vagrants.
Larva – The technical term for the juvenile stages of Lepidoptera, colloquially, caterpillars.
Larval nest – Several types of moth larvae will feed in groups and some will spin protective enclosure around themselves on their food plant.
LBAM – Light-brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana). A variable species originally seen only in Australia.
LBBYU – Lesser broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe).
LED – Light-emitting diode. UV lamps that use these low-power devices are becoming increasingly common. There are various options readily available, such as adhesive strips of UV LEDs, but also sophisticated gadgets such as the LepiLED.
Lepidoptera – Any of the 180000 or so invertebrates we refer to as moths and butterflies. The word comes from the Greek meaning “scaly wings”.
Lepidopterist – A scientists specialising in the Lepidoptera.
Life list – A record of all the moths one has ticked in one’s life.
Lifer – A moth seen for the first time by a moth-er and added to their life list.
Local patch – One’s immediate environs in which need travel only a short distance to built a patch list. Usually includes one’s garden where the trap might be employed most commonly, but also local areas where one might make a field trip.
Macro moth – A term once used to allude to the relatively large size of various species, however, it now refers to the evolutionary position of the species with the macro moths being more advanced among the Lepidoptera than the micro moths. There are several macro moths that are much smaller than some of the micro moths.
Mega – A moth very rarely, if ever seen on a given patch, one that will be a lifer for almost everyone on the patch who sees it.
Merv – Merveille du Jour, a beautiful, largely green and black winter moth, often referred to as the Wonder of the Day, although Marvel of the Day would be more fitting.
Micro moth – A term once used to allude to the relatively small size of various species, however, it now refers to the evolutionary position of the species with the micro moths being closer to the common ancestor of Lepidoptera than the macro moths. There are numerous micro moths that are much bigger than many of the macro moths.
Migrant, immigrant – Species of Lepidoptera that are not native to a given country but arrive when conditions are suitable or are carried on a wind to another region. Migrants and immigrants may be common in a given year. Vagrants are migrants seen less commonly, perhaps a one-off appearance.
Moth – Any of the Lepidoptera with a frenulum connecting the forewings and the hindwings that might be disconnected so the forewings can be oscillated independently of the hindwings. Cold moths with commonly use this rapid flapping of their forewings to warm up. There are exceptions.
Moth-er, mothing – Someone interested in observing moths, the moth-related hobby. Akin to birder and birding.
Moth trap – One of various open-ended containers into which one might entice moths for subsequent observation and recording.
Moth-trap intruder – Species other than Lepidoptera that might be found in one’s trap including Ichneumon wasps, spiders, ladybirds, ants, beetles, amphibians, even birds.
MV lamp – Mercury Vapour lamp. Powerful ultraviolet lamp known to attract large numbers of many species of moth. Once common these high-tensity, high-wattage bulbs are no longer for sale legally in the EU. They get very hot and are easily damaged by rain. UV safety goggles are essential when using an MV lamp, but it is advisable not to stare at such lamps.
NFG – New for garden.
NFY – New for year.
Noctuid – One of the owlet moths, members of the Noctuidae family.
Occam’s razor – A useful tool for novice moth-ers to use when reporting a sighting of a rare species that looks very like another species. Occam’s razor suggests that the simpler explanation is more likely than the exceptional. For instance, that Speckled Yellow on the north Norfolk coast in late August was most likely not a Speckled Yellow, but perhaps a Yellow Shell, given that the Speckled Yellow is confined to The Brecks and its flight season ends in late July. Honest mistakes are not to be confused with deliberate stringing.
Owlet – One of the noctuid moths, members of the Noctuidae family.
Palps – Usually protruberant anatomy on or close to the mouth used in sensation and feeding.
Pheromone trap – Usually a small, cylindrical trap with a funnel-shaped opening into a vessel. Above the funnel is a basket into which a rubber bung infused with a sex pheromone for the target species will be placed. Commonly used during the day to entice and trap various clearwing moth species, Emperor moth, Gypsy Moth, and others. Similar traps are often used by non-mothers in a vain effort to protect garden plants, such as box hedges from invasive “pest” species.
Positive ID – Definitive identification of a species based on appearance and perhaps gen det or it having been raised from known eggs/larvae.
Proboscis – Insect “tongue”. In Lepidoptera it is usually a bifurcated feeding tube that can be coiled up, hose-like, below the palps when not in use.
Pupa – The lifecycle stage between larva (caterpillar) and imago (adult).
Retaining – The act of keeping a given specimen for gen det or other purposes. Usually, reserved for rare or vagrant species for which one has only an ambiguous ID.
Resident – Species that remains in its native territory throughout its lifecycle and does not migrate.
Robinson trap – Usually a large bucket-shaped or box-like structure with a hole in the top into which a snug-fitting funnel is sited. The lamp is suspended above the funnel. Some designs will have vertical panels, vanes, that incoming moths may collide with and so drop down into the funnel and into the box. The box will be filled with egg cartons or trays to provide dark roosting sites where they will settle until one examines the trap contents at first light.
Scientific name, scientific binomial, Latin name – The technical, and usually unique name for a species. The first part of the binomial refers to the genus the second part the species, if there is a third part this usually refers to a sub-species. The name may have an additional descriptor to refer to an aberration.
Second brood – Some moth species breed early in the season and their offspring have a chance to breed later in the summer. So they are double-brooded, or bivoltine.
SHC – Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum). Setaceous means bristly, the “hebrew character” of its name refers to a marking on the forewing thought to resemble the Hebrew letter nun. For that latter point there is also a species that appears earlier in the season, Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica).
Skinner trap – Usually a large box-like structure with an open top. Two snug-fitting panels are held in place to form a V shape in profile with a narrow slot. The lamp is suspended above the funnel. Incoming moths will fly into the gap between the panels and hopefully then roost among egg cartons or trays within until one examines the trap contents at first light.
Species – A term commonly used to refer to moths that are physiologically the same in terms of appearance, behaviour, biology, and genetics. They can breed and produce fertile offspring.
Species, Sub – A population of a species that exists in a different area and might vary in physical characteristics (morphology), but can nevertheless breed with members of any other populations.
Sphinx Moths – The US term for the Sphingidae, or Hawk-moth, family of moths.
SSD – Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)
Stigmata – Distinctive markings on the forewings of many species of moth that can guide identification. The orbicular stigma is a small, often circular spot found toward the middle of the forewing. The reniform stigma, or kidney mark, is a kidney-shaped mark located near the orbicular stigma, usually positioned slightly behind it. The claviform stigma is a more elongated mark, often shaped like a club, sometimes located closer to the base of the wing. The discal spot is found on the discal cell of the wing, it can also serve as a key identification feature for many species.
Stilted posture – A posture adopted by several micro moths when at rest in which their body is raised up by extended forelegs.
Stringing – Deliberately reporting a sighting of an interesting species in a given location when said species was most certainly not present, often used maliciously.
Sugaring – Related to wine-roping. The use of a heady mix of sugar (molasses), alcohol (stale beer) often boiled up to make a treacle like syrup that can be painted on wooden posts or other surfaces in the garden to attract moths that may not otherwise come to light. Sugaring and wine-roping were both used by lepidopterists and other entomologists alongside candles and sheets in the days before electric light, but they are still used by some enthusiasts to this day.
Target species – A specific species that a moth-er wishes to observe. Often enticed with a pheromone lure into a pheromone trap for recording and examination.
Tented – A moth posture in which the wings are folded over the body in a way that resembles a tent. Common with many noctuids.
Tick – A new sighting of a species for one’s life list or year list, recorded in one’s proverbial notebook, on an “app” or simply in one’s head.
Tippex – White correction fluid often applied to the thorax of a large, and perhaps rare species by a moth-er so that they might identify the appearance of the same specimen on a subsequent trapping session. Might be seen as akin to bird ringing.
Trap – A device for attracting and usually retaining, temporarily, moths for scientific observation. There are many different types of trap – the most commonly discussed are the Robinson, Skinner, and Heath. They usually comprise some kind of storage unit and a lamp. The simplest of traps may be a net or sheet (sheeting) which is illuminated with a lamp. There are also traps that use a pheromone lure rather than a lamp to attract, commonly, dayflying moths. The act of attracting and retaining (temporarily) moths.
Twitch – The act of twitching or a specific venture aimed at twitching a species. To make unusual effort or expense to see a rare species. Usually refers to birders of that disposition, the term twitcher often used erroneously or derogitarily.
Ultra-violet, UV – Light sources that produce UV are generally known to be most attractive to nocturnal invertebrates, including Lepidoptera.
Vagrant – Species of Lepidoptera that is not native to a given country but may arrive when conditions are suitable or are carried on a wind to another region, but usually only rarely. Migrants and immigrants may arrive in larger numbers more regularly.
Wine roping – Not dissimilar to sugaring, but uses a heady mixture of wine and other ingredients in which rags or ropes are soaked and suspended around the garden to attract moths that are generally indifferent to light. Sugaring and wine-roping were both used by lepidopterists and other entomologists alongside candles and sheets in the days before electric light, but they are still used by some enthusiasts to this day.
Wogan – A blank night when no moths are to be found in or around the trap. Refers to the original host of BBC TV quiz series – Blankety Blank.
Worn – The bedraggled, frazzled look of an adult moth usually well into its flight season. Usually refers to the loss of scales, which often makes a definitive ID more difficult.
Year list, life list – Most moth-ers keep records of the different species they see. A year list would, as the name suggests, be the moths that person has seen in a calendar year, whereas a life list, obviously, is a list of all the species the person has seen. Many keep a garden list too, which is a record of species recorded in and around one’s home.
YU – “Yellow Underwing”. There are several species: Large, Lesser, Least, Broad-bordered, Lesser broad-bordered, Small, Oak, Beautiful, Small Dark, Lunar, Langmaid’s Lesser.
