Common Lizard and Garden Tiger larva basking in the sun

It's not just us that enjoy the sunshine, had my first Common Lizard of the year warming in the sunshine and a single Garden Tiger larva also benefiting from the weather. They overwinter as the larva but then need sunshine in the Spring before they pupate.
First Swallows locally today and single Tree Pipit.

Common Lizard

Garden Tiger larva

Garden Tiger - threat display

A number of animals give a colourful display to warn off, or distract predators. Displays are classified as deimatic, where the threat is a bluff or aposematic where the animal is genuinely distasteful. 
The Garden Tiger has an aposematic display, the body fluids are poisonous,  where it walks whilst opening and closing its wings to flash the bright hindwing colours and eye like spots. After repeating the wing flashing several times the moth generally flies away, as this one taken in the garden last night did.
Estimates vary, but the Garden Tiger moth has declined by as much as 89% in the past 30 years and is listed for further research under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. 
Locally it can still be caught in reasonable numbers in some years in areas bordering the moors but appears to be absent in others. It's an occasional visitor to my garden in Darley Dale.

Garden Tiger - threat display

Garden Tiger caterpillar on Comfrey

Numbers of Garden Tiger moths have declined significantly during the past decade, encouragingly I caught quite a few adults around the moors last year and I am seeing plenty of their distinctive caterpillar at the moment so they are hopefully on the increase.

Garden Tiger caterpillar

Garden Tiger

The Garden Tiger has suffered a major decline in most areas of the UK since the 1980's and no more so than in Derbyshire. I've only caught 3 or 4 in the last decade so I'm very pleased to add this to the blog after catching it last night.

Garden Tiger