After yesterday afternoon's thunderstorm I counted at least forty Diamond-back moths Plutella xylostella. They were flying up from our lawn at each step I took, these are the first I have recorded in my Essex/London garden.
Diamond-backs are a tiny brown moth, about 7mm in length, normally best identified by the pale diamond pattern on its back. However, the colour is variable ranging from dark brown to pale and on some specimens the diamond back pattern is almost indeterminable from the overall wing colour.
In the British Isles it is one of the commonest migrant moths with annual influxes often in the millions. This year could see one of the largest arrivals for many years, with thousands being recorded along the east coast of England.
In many parts of the world they are also referred to as Cabbage Moths due to the damage they can cause to cabbages and other crucifers by their caterpillars.
