As is so often the case when finding an exotic looking moth that I've never seen before, I look it up quivering in anticipation of having found a rare specimen, only to discover that it's common as muck. This is a classic case in point, but not too disappointing as this Swallowtail moth is really rather beautiful. It's large at about 50mm across and delicately coloured, with that exquisite pinched and marked swallowtail on the wings. Apparently they live mostly on ivy and are seldom seen because they are nocturnal (aren't most moths…) and only emerge for a short period in July. 

This one is photographed lit only with the 100W light in my bathroom (no flash) so required ISO 3200 even at f2.8. Just a few years ago that would have given an unusably noisy result so it's a testament to the progress in camera sensors that I can get a useful handheld result even in fairly dim conditions.