25th March 2012..... Latin !

(no, not the moth !)...Overnight min. temp. 1.1 deg.  calm, clear, cold
Not much about so :-
Ever wondered what the Latin names really mean ?
Try it literally translated word for word and you come up with some very strange meanings indeed, just by adding a few spaces here and there.
Take a common micro.....Epiphyas postvittana, the Light Brown Apple Moth.
postvittana ? after vittana..... vittana ?
No direct translation for vittana, but break the word down to "vitt a na" and you get a literal translation of "the nature of life"
So postvittana literally translated means "after the nature of life"
Or does it ?
Break down postvittana to "post vit tana" and it then translates to "after he has been so".
OK let's try some more......
Go to Google Translate, set it to "Latin to English"
Then type the moths latin name but add a few spaces here and there.
Some of the translations are beyond belief
All of the below were translated, typed in as shown.....

Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi
"Orthos ia cerasi" = "Supports that feeling cherry"

Codling Moth, Cydia pomonella
"Cyd ia po mo nella" = "Cyd could have that feeling of movement Nell"

Heart and Dart, Agrotis clavis
"Agro tis cla vis" = "The field is out of power"

Oak Beauty, Biston strataria
"Bis tons trata ria" = "Twice the source of rights and kicks"..........

 probably the most sought after moth at present.......
Dotted Chestnut, Conistra rubiginea
"Con istra rubi gin ea" = "the servants of the sick in a bush".

Bearing all of that in mind, here are last nights trap results.
22 moths of 9 species :-

1 Eu doni a angus te a ....."Your gift to you from the narrow".
3 Emm eli nam on od act yla ....."For a performance for an act of charity on Isla".
4 Epiphyas postvittana ...see above text
3 Double-striped Pug,  Gymnos celis rufi fasci ata ... "WRESTLING heaven given red bra".
2 Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi ... see above text
2 Early Grey, Xy locam pa ar e ola...."Xy is the official father of Ola".
2 Small Quaker, Ort hos ia cru da.... "Ort legs give them that feeling".
3 Hebrew Character, Ortho sia gothic a ... "Supports a gothic church".
2 Clouded Drab, Ortho sia incer ta............"Supports the Church of uncertainty as well".

You couldn't make it up !

Eudonia angustea