After numerous moth trapping sessions in bad weather over the last few weeks with no success at all, I was delighted to open the trap this morning and find a catch – only four individuals of two species, but it’s a start!
The first out of the trap were three common swifts, Hepialus lupulinus to be scientific, two males and one female. A common species throughout much of the UK, the larvae feed on the roots of various species of grasses and herbaceous plants. Their favoured habitat is grasslands, gardens, heathlands and woodland rides and edges. The adults can be found flying from May – July, look for the males flying low over the ground at dusk. This individual from this morning is quite worn.
Today’s other species was a beautifully marked coronet, or Craniophora ligustri. A local species throughout most of England, the larvae predominantly feed on ash and wild privet. They fly in one generation from late-May to July and inhabitat woodlands, scrub and more open land with ash trees.
Also in the trap this morning was an alder fly, Sialis lutaria. Alder flies are often considered related to the lacewings and indeed they used to be classed in the same Order as lacewings, the Neuroptera, however they now have their own Order, the Megaloptera. Their predatory larvae are aquatic.