- The set of 10 stamps showcase intricate illustrations bringing each moth species to life with exceptional detail
- The illustrations were created by Oxfordshire based wildlife illustrator Richard Lewington
- The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order from today (2 July) at www.royalmail.com/moths and by telephone on 03457 641641
Royal Mail has today unveiled images of 10 stamps that showcase vibrant illustrations of moths from across the UK.
The full set of stamps features striking illustrations by renowned wildlife artist Richard Lewington, whose work brings each moth species to life with exceptional detail and scientific accuracy.
The issue celebrates the remarkable diversity of British moths, highlighting species found across a range of habitats throughout the UK. Each design reflects the richness and variety of these often-overlooked insects.
Together, the collection offers a vibrant celebration of British biodiversity, capturing the beauty of moths in their natural settings and showcasing their important place in the UK’s ecosystems.
Featured on the stamps are the:
– Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia)
– Puss Moth (Cerura vinula)
– Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris fuciformis)
– Dark Bordered Beauty Moth (Epione vespertaria)
– December Moth (Poecilocampa populi)
– Dark Crimson Underwing Moth (Catocala sponsa)
– Scarce Crimson and Gold Moth (Pyrausta sanguinalis)
– Swallow-tailed Moth (Ourapteryx sambucaria)
– Hedge Beauty Moth (Alabonia geoffrella)
– Buff-tip Moth (Phalera bucephala)
David Gold, Director of External Affairs & Policy, Royal Mail, said: “British stamps have often showcased the natural world, and this beautiful set puts the remarkable diversity of British moths in the spotlight. These delightful illustrations capture their detail and colour with precision, showcasing species that are so vital to our ecosystems.”
Royal Mail worked with ecologist and leading authority on British moths and butterflies Dr Phil Sterling on the stamp issue.
Dr Sterling said: “Interest in moths has blossomed in recent decades, with the advent of phone cameras, ease of identifying them, and sharing finds on social media. These stamps are part of that journey of widening public appreciation, bringing the beauty and diversity of moths into our daily lives.”
Moths:
There are over 2,500 moth species recorded in the United Kingdom, compared with around 80 butterflies, and they exhibit astonishing diversity, which is largely hidden to us humans because moths are mostly nocturnal. Yet many moths do fly by day and are as beautiful as butterflies, including the emperor moth and the hedge beauty moth. Bizarrely, the female of the lesser bagworm moth does not have wings, legs or scales, the very things that define moths and butterflies as Lepidoptera, the scale-winged insects.
The number of species in the UK is rising as our warming climate encourages moths to move north from Europe, and as the warmth is allowing once rare southern species, such as the dark crimson underwing moth, to become much more widespread.
Moths have a bad reputation as clothes-munchers, yet only two species in the UK eat wool and feathers. Caterpillars of others eat a remarkable range of food, including leaves, fruits, living and dead wood and even fungi.
The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order from today (2 July) at www.royalmail.com/moths and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 10 stamps is priced at £14.45. The stamps go on general sale from 9 July.
