Conifers are fantastic trees - in winter at least. Their dense, sheltered leaf structure combined with the fact that they retain leaves all year around makes them ideal refuges for many insects that attempt to live out the winter in the vulnerable adult stage of their life cycle.
A brief search around the base of a Larch tree on campus the other week produced these fantastic micro moths, all three of which commonly overwinter...
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| Choreutis pariana |
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| Caloptilia semifascia |
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| Lyonetia clerkella |
How they manage to survive the snow and freezing temperatures beggars belief.
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