This doesn't seem to have a common english name (I'll track one down eventually). It is a tiny "micromoth", about the size of my little finger nail, and is called "Pyrausta auratus". It can be told apart from the very similar Pyrausta purpuralis by the fact that its dorsal front wing gold markings are not three in number, nor do they nearly form a continuous band, (as they do in P.purpuralis). (That was for my benefit really - I thought it was a P.purpuralis originally).
I have noticed a few of these beautiful, tiny (remember, they are no bigger than my LITTLE fingernail!) little moths flying very low around our vegetable plot recently, but haven't (until now that is), been able to photograph one. Purple in colour when fresh - fading to brown with age, they are locally common in gardens over the south of the UK and like feeding on wild thyme and mint etc... No wonder they're in our bleedin' garden!
Nice to see though.
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