Some, like painted lady butterflies, migrate south to warmer climates, others, such as ladybirds, huddle together for warmth, while many will time the stages of their lifecycle to ensure they spend the winter secreted away as an egg, caterpillar or pupa. However, some hardy moths can front out the season as adults by employing some very ingenious strategies. The first is alcohol…not swigging mulled wine and eggnog, but specialist alcohols inside their bodies that act like ‘anti-freeze’ to stop ice-crystals forming. They can also expel water from their system to prevent their insides freezing and also create their own body heat by vibrating their wings. These specialisms enable them to fly on cold nights and you may be lucky enough to catch sight of one.

(In the bleak mid) Winter

Dressed in more understated tones of buff and biscuit and much smaller than the December moths, winter moths have a wingspan of 22-28mm and are widespread throughout Britain. The adults fly from October through to January or February and can often be found resting on tree trunks. Female winter moths are virtually wingless and cannot fly so must crawl up tree trunks and release pheromones in order to attract a mate. Small green caterpillars hatch in spring and feed on tree foliage; amazingly, they can also travel between food sources by spinning a silk thread and waiting for a breeze to carry them to the next tree – this known as ‘ballooning’ but perhaps a bet term might be ‘Tarzaning’!

Winter and December moths are attracted to light so hang a light sheet outside and shine a torch on it to stand a good chance of seeing one.

The Chestnut (roasting on an open fire)

With its thick, furry scarf, the chocolatey chestnut moth is another that seems dressed for the season. They can be seen any time between September and May but most often during mild spells over winter or visiting willows during spring. Its close relative the dark chestnut can also be seen in winter but less frequently and its flight period is shorter – October to March.

(A kiss beneath the) Mistletoe marble

Any stolen kisses at the Christmas party may well be witnessed by mistletoe marble caterpillars who spend the winter tucked away in this evergreen plant. Usually found on apple trees; they burrow into a leaf creating a small mine which keeps them safe until they are ready to pupate in early summer. Once hatched their party frocks are  marbled in beautiful swirls of white, fawn and cobalt blue, however, these colours are actually a disguise to discourage predators as it makes them look like bird poo! Despite this trickery, numbers have declined significantly, and the mistletoe marble is now only found in six counties in western England.