Golden Twin-spot – Moth of the Moment

There was a shiny moth sitting on the sheet behind the trap last night when we returned from our evening’s entertainment, I didn’t immediately recognise the species, so potted it for a closer look. Golden Twin-spot, Chrysodeixis chalcites. It didn’t seem to be mentioned on the latest updates on our county mothing site nor in the Cambs online discussion group. So, I was vaguely excited that my specimen of this rare migrant from the Continent might have been a first for the county. I asked our County Moth Recorder who quickly rained on my parade, telling me that there are quite a few about. All that glistens is not gold, as it were. Still, this moth was new for the garden (NFG) and also, entirely NFM (new for me), so lively to have the chance to see and record it in all its metallic glory. Chrysodeixis chalcites, a name that loosely translates as golden-bronze, is a noctuid moth in the subfamily Plusiinae. Its cousins are Silver Y, Burnished Brass, Ni Moth, Gold Spot, Dewick’s Plusia,…