Lizard, Cornwall .. long weekend, non-birding highlights

moth-trap set up at Barnside Cottage

Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli)

Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon)

Nomophila noctuella

Palpita vitrealis

Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)

Burnished Brass (Diachrysis chrysitis)

Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea)

Mullein Wave (Scopula marginepunctata)

Windmill Reserve arable weed margins

Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa)

Small-flowered Catchfly (Silene gallica) LIFER

Annual Woundwort (Stachys annua) LIFER

Corn Spurrey (Spergula arvensis) LIFER

Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) LIFER photo courtesy Tony B

Ping Pong Bat (Favolaschia calocera) photo courtesy Tony B

On the Chalk .. Oxenbourne Down and Noar Hill

track to Oxenbourne Down

Chalk Hill Blue (Polyomattus coridon)

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)

Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma)

Noar Hill

Pyrausta nigrata

Autumn Gentian (Gentianella amarella)

Autumn Lady's Tresses
(Spiranthes spiralis)

Yellow-legged Clearwing (Synanthedon vespiformis)

As a Christmas present to myself I purchased “The Classic Ten Clearwing Pheromone Lures” from Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies, along with their Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia) lure. Planning on using them at work mainly to add a twist to the biological recording over the summer. I was also keen to see if I could coax a few clearwing moths onto the garden list.

I have never seen Emperor Moth and I had high expectations of using the lure on Target Hill - even convincing some of the volunteers to extend their working day and join me for a lure session. This year it was not to be, and no Emperor moths were seen.

To date I have only been successful using the Yellow-legged Clearwing (Synanthedon vespiformis) (VES) with 3 (possibly four) individuals being recorded on Target Hill adjacent to Oak (Quercus) stumps; and today when a single Yellow-legged Clearwing was attracted to the lure – set up in the plantation (again in the vicinity of Oak stumps).

Yellow-legged Clearwing
Buchan Country Park 27.7.2025

Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) Branscombe Beach, Devon

R & L kindly picked us up from Sidmouth Folk Festival to take us to Branscombe Beach to find Wood White and Purple Gromwell (Aegonychon purpureocaeruleum). We saw both, although the latter was not found in flower.

Wood White

Purple Gromwell

Flook

Grace Petrie