Red Underwings, Farcet Fen

I have at least four Red Underwings around my Farcet Fen house at present. I attract them at night to over-ripe bananas (as above) and wine/suger solution, and occasionally trap them at both MV and actinic light traps (I caught a very worn individual the other night which was a new moth).

I'm interested in their day-time roosting behaviour. In the morning they are often disturbed from low down on exposed walls of the house, or even from the ground close to the walls, and nearly always in sunny spots. When disturbed they fly around a great deal before usually resettling on a shaded part of the wall - always higher than their original position. They then spend the day repositioning themselves as the sun works its way around the house.

If disturbed several times, or by rain or strong winds, they then take cover in one of the large willow. So why not go there in the first place? Does roosting in sunny, wamrer areas at least give them the warmth to 'eject' if disturbed?

Also, I've rarely found them roosting in the same place twice! Whys that?

© Steve Dudley toadsnatcher.com