Kentish Glory

The Kentish Glory (Endromis versicolora) is one of Scotland's most iconic and rare moths, with a fascinating life cycle and a misleading name. Despite its name, it is no longer found in Kent or anywhere else in England, living exclusively in the birch woodlands of the Scottish Highlands. 

Here are some interesting facts about the Kentish Glory in Scotland:

1. It Doesn't Eat as an Adult 

Kentish Glory moths do not feed once they emerge from their pupae. They live entirely off the energy reserves stored while they were caterpillars. Because of this, their adult life is short, focusing entirely on mating and laying eggs. 

2. Males Can Detect Females from 1km Away 

Male Kentish Glory moths have large, feathery antennae designed to pick up female pheromones from up to one kilometer away. Males are active in sunshine and sometimes overcast conditions, searching for females in the mid-morning to early afternoon. 

3. A Misleading Name (Extinct in England) 

The moth was named because it was once found in Kent, England. However, it has been extinct in England since the 1970s and is now restricted to the central and eastern Highlands of Scotland, particularly areas like Strathspey, Deeside, and Culbin Forest. 

4. They Have a "Rare" Fly Schedule 

While most moths are nocturnal, male Kentish Glory moths are active during the day. They can be seen flying rapidly through open birch woodlands between mid-April and May. Females, on the other hand, are mainly active at night, when they lay their eggs in batches of 10–30 on young birch trees. 

5. They Depend on Young Trees 

These moths prefer, and almost exclusively live, around young Silver Birch trees (roughly 1–2 meters high). Their habitat is threatened by both a lack of birch regeneration and sometimes by over-grazing from deer, which eliminates these young trees. 

6. Pheromone Lures Helped Find Them 

Due to their rarity and short flight season, they are hard to track. However, researchers from the "Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms" project have used artificial pheromone lures to locate male moths, helping to discover them in over 90 new 1km squares in recent years. 

7. They Can Stay Underground for Years 

After feeding on birch leaves, the caterpillars turn into pupae in a webbed cocoon on the ground. While they usually hatch the following spring, some adults can remain tucked away in their pupae stage underground for several years before emerging. 

8. They Are Very Well Camouflaged 

When resting on dead leaves or twigs, their mottled brown and white wings make them nearly invisible, mimicking a dead leaf to avoid predators