Mint Moth

I was playing with my new extension tubes and a very small and to my eye unusual moth came along. I don't know if it really is unusual or that the act of looking for macro subjects makes one notice the things that otherwise pass unnoticed. Either way I like it.

Pyrausta aurata is less than 2cm across and shown here on a flower on the rosemary bush. It was lurking around near our out of control peppermint patch, which we grow for making mint tea except it's under the big dead tree where all the birds like to sit and chat. As a consequence the mint is often less attractive for tea than it might otherwise be.

I'm really pleased with the extension tubes, this was shot hand held and is better than I could have hoped for a first try out. The lens, by the way, is a Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM, which I bought a few weeks ago after much pondering. It was expensive but captures quite brilliant images, is a joy to use and was I felt more flexible than a dedicated macro lens.