Jersey Tiger Moth

This was the first time I had seen one of these, and have found it to be a Jersey Tiger Moth, The photo one of many I took with its wings closed it refused to open them except to fly away, it was a chilly day,. The colouring was very beautiful on the upper side of the wings a pretty Light Burnt Orange with creamy spotting. This was the info I found on it....

One of the most attractive of the Tiger moths, this species was until recently restricted in distribution to the Channel Islands and parts of the south coast . On the mainland it is commonest in south Devon, but colonies have recently appeared in Dorset and the 'Isle of Wight', and it has also been found in other southern counties. It now seems to be expanding its range quite quickly.

It flies both in the daytime, ( I took the photo at lunchtime) when it can be found feeding on various flowers, as well as at night, when it is attracted to light. The main flight period is July to September.
The hairy larvae feed on a range of herbaceous plants including nettle (Urtica)... (probably why it likes my Garden!!)