RECENT hot weather may be to blame for the sudden appearance in Weymouth gardens of a mystery moth.

One site which proved attractive for the insects was the garden at the Acorns Day Centre off Grosvenor Road.

Disabled unit senior officer Frances Dench said she was surprised to suddenly see so many moths and she appealed for anyone who knew what type of moth it was or anything about the creature to get in touch.

She added: "Every flower seems to have one of them and there are more of them in my own garden at home in Mount Street which is about two miles away."

Frances said she didn't know anything about the moths and had never seen them before.

She added: "I think it might be something to do with the heatwave we have been having because it has been so warm for so long.

"I am not a lover of moths really but these ones don't seem to bother me so it's not too bad.

"I would like to know more about the moths and so would our visitors here.

"They don't seem to just like one type of plant. If it has got a flower on it then they are interested."

The national wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation based in East Lulworth said that markings on the moth's wings meant that it was likely to be a Silver Y moth.

Spokesman Dan Hoare said: "This moth gets its name from a little white 'Y' on each of its wings.

He added that this type of moth is about at the moment and it is a type of moth which flies during the day.

Mr Hoare said: "It sounds to me like Autographa gamma which is Greek for writing and the letter "Y".

"The moth actually has a bright silver symbol on its wings which looks like the letter 'Y' which makes it quite recognisable.

"The moth comes over to us each year from Europe and there seem to be particularly large numbers of them this year because of all the hot weather we have been having.

"They will take any nectar source they can find but they are particularly fond of buddleia.

"Normally they arrive in early summer and breed, so these latest moths are probably the offspring."