Hello all,

The other day, my work collegue, a charming Christian housewife with no interest in nature, said she was bitten by a moth early one evening in a park in Wales. She claimed that her husband pointed out blood running down her leg and she saw a moth on her, which she duly flicked off. Then she started talking about the relative merits of teabags or something, I forget. I stopped her and asked her to repeat her moth story. So she did. Naturally, I scoffed, laughed and beat her to within an inch of her sorry, lying life. Then I looked up the subject on the internet.

Imagine my embrassment to discover there are such creatures, Calyptra Thalictri, that are native to various hot places, including Southern Europe and have made it as far North as Finland (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,2095257,00.html). We spent a little time discussing the subject, looked up pictures of horseflies to double check that wasn't what nibbled on her and looked up pictures of the moth, which she identified as being the nibbler.

I even went as far as to email a moth person (my collegue had lost interest by this point), who said it was a horsefly. He also said it couldn't have been Calyptra Thalictri, as they're night fliers, no Stephen King pun intended.

My colleague is sure it was a moth and has no reason to lie, largely because she has little or no interest in the subject and asked me to "stop asking questions about that bloody moth".

Moths have been coming out in the daylight because of global warming http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/6744209.stm
Moths from the same area of the world have also been found over here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/732546.stm

It seems entirely possible to me that we have these creatures in Britain. What's everyone else think? Any entomologists out there?

Actually, when gathering pictures for this, it turns out the bottom one was taken in France, that's so close!
Ok, I've convinced myself. We have vampire moths in Britain. Probably.

Wow, the only thing worse than a Vampire Moth, is a Highgate Vampire Moth.

This moth would be much more fearsome if it wore an interesting hat.

A Tophat Vampire Moth? Interesting. All that's left is a cape and a cane....that's one bad-a** moth, right there.

I'd certainly be scared if I saw a moth in a hat.
What about a moth in a WWII German army helmet? Or one of the older ones with a spike on top? Now that's got to give you the fear.

would it be thwarted off by turning on the porch light?

No, for God's sake, don't do that! That's exactly what they want you to do!

Important vampire moth facts:
They can't get into your wardrobe unless they're invited.
They're fine with garlic, but not keen on sprouts
Bug Zappers work, but only if you stab them through the thorax with one.
They're vulnerable to rolled up silver newspapers
You can spot one cos their antennae meet in the middle

Hang on, I think I'm confusing them with Were-moths.

Well, this is just great. I'm moving to the north pole.

Don't worry, you've had them in finland for nearly ten years according to the boffins. If they haven't carried you off yet, you'll be ok. Just don't trust any unusually charming moths with foreigns accents.

Yanno, even worse is if they were sporting a tuxedo and a Bowler hat. Dandy moths, indeed!

Blood-sucking society moths, there goes the neighborhood.

The only blood-sucking insects I have heard of are Mosquitos and Gnats! Oh and some "hoodies" that hang around train stations in the UK that are not worth much more

Assassain bugs too.

You mean a hun helmet? Naw, a tophat would be much more stylish. That, or a pimp hat.

They're native to Asia, and they feed on fruits and the blood of deer....A fruity vampire!

sounds like we have some pretty interested moths here.......hey wat are the odds of it getting to australia?

I've just spat my coffee out!

Bwahahahahahahahaaaaaa Schnaffler, you took the words right outta my moth, sorry mouth!

& playing bagpipes...the tophat vampire bagpipe killer moth. ...(this could go on & on).

I can't see anything on the net suggesting that you have them in Australia.
Surely you can't be worried though. You live in a country where pretty much everything can kill you.
Or would it be a welcome relief to have a bug that just sucks on you for a bit, instead of making your head explode or legs fall off?

Just when you think you've heard it all....VAMPIRE MOTHS!!!!!
(cues creepy music in stark, jaw-dropping amazement and horror!)

Yeah, hey, here in Indonesia we got the rival for this moth! It's the Vampire Mosquitos!!! Bwahahaha!

Surely this is all codswallop ya? As for these "moths that are coming out during the day, as a result of Global Warming"... What's the diurnal moth's excuse??

That's the point, that night moths are coming out in the day. No need to use your high-fallootin' fancy words.
AND THEY EAT YOUR BLOOD. YOUR BLOOD THEY EAT YOUR BLOOD.
YEEEEEAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!


EDIT - apologies for the ott nature of this post. i was drunk. i'm still drunk actually and may yet edit this when sober.
anyway YEEEAAAARRRGH!!!!

yer im not worried...(sits bak in chair and franticly looks around)

yer... my turn...uummmm...

a top hat , vampire, bagpipe, agoraphobic , killer moth

Let's hope it was just a Calyptra thalictri. It might even be worse.
Maybe it was a Mahr

says the Encyclopedia Mythica. So you better watch out. The next hair you see might be out for your blood.

LMAO Saard! Good response! Can't get into your wardrobe unless they're invited ... good oneeeee!

But this is an interesting topic. Never heard of vampire moths. It was only a few years ago I saw my first Hummingbird Moth, buzzing from flower to flower in Idaho. I never knew such a moth existed and, at first glance, thought it was a tiny hummingbird. A colleague on the newspaper told me what it was, and then looked at me odd for never having seen one.
So yeah, nature can still surprise and amaze even a grumpy ol' desert cat like me!
Some insects bite, as a defense or for food, so why not a moth? Very interesting critter. I'm just glad they're not out in droves like mosquitoes. Can you imagine how aggravating that would be?
Uh oh ... I think I just gave someone the latest plot for a B-grade horror movie! Hope there's a lot of scantily-clad women in it! And car chases! And exotic weaponry! Throw in a doubting clergyman and it writes itself! Throw in a bunch of grauitous female nudity and give it an R-rating and they'll beat down the theater doors to see it!

Now ... all we need is a bunch of tiny black capes to put around the moths and we're set ... heh.

That made my day.

That is so cool! I've never heard of Vampire Moths before. Move over Dracula!

If you make this film, do I get a credit?