NORWICH: More Hornet Moths

Late June 2022

Having found a mating pair of Hornet Moths for the first time a few weeks earlier, I repeated the trick on the way home from work on a tree near to the original find. The first pair had been a bit tricky to photograph under nettles, but these were on a poplar trunk so afforded great views.

NORWICH: Mid-June invertebrates & wildflowers

Mid-June 2022

Various species of interest seen around the city, mostly whilst walking too or from work. Beetles included Black-clouded Longhorn Beetle agg (Leiopus nebulosus agg), Umbellifer Longhorn Beetle (Phytoecia cylindrica) and Dorytomus ictor. Plants included Carthusian Pink at UEA and Perennial Wall Rocket, a species I had been searching for amongst the commoner Annual Wall Rocket. Other species of interest included the plant bug Neolygus populi on Aspen, a mating pair of Hornet Moths at Train Wood and the leafhopper Kybos smaragdula at Wensum Park.

NORWICH: Hornet Moth

Mid-June 2018

A couple of years ago I saw my first Hornet Moth, which had been attracted to James Lowen's garden using a pheromone lure. They are a spectacular sight, but I wanted to find one the 'traditional' way, by checking the bases of Poplar trees in the early morning. I'd not had any luck before, but having noticed some old excavation holes in some Poplar trees nearby, I thought I'd try again this year.

My first visit drew a blank, there were lots of holes, but they appeared to be old ones. On the second visit I found one chrysalis half out of a hole - a Hornet Moth had emerged recently! A few days later I tried for a third time. There were five empty chrysalises, I appeared to have missed the emergence. A final check revealed a sixth one, and looking closely I saw that it hadn't opened! I gently eased it out and put it in a pot to take home for Cathy and Rose to watch the moth emerge, but in the few minutes it took for me to get home it had emerged! I put it in a large tank to allow the wings to enlarge and harden, then later took it back to the tree I had found it one. They really are spectacular moths. There is a closely related species called Lunar Hornet Moth, which has a similar life cycle but on Willows. I've not seen one of those, so the search goes on for some trees nearby that host Lunar Hornet.

NORWICH: Clearwing and Hornet Moth

3rd July 2016

After Saturdays exertions I wasn't planning on going out on Sunday, and after lunch I found myself perusing Twitter. In particular I noticed that naturalist, author and all-round nice chap James Lowen had posted about a Red-belted Clearwing that he had attracted in his garden. For those not familiar with the clearwings they are an interesting family of day-flying moths with clear panels in their wings. They are occasionally seen nectaring at flowers, but usually are only seen if attracted by special lures that contain a pheromone. Red-belted Clearwings are scarce in Norfolk, and associated with old fruit trees, so not a particularly widespread habitat.

Shortly later, I received a message from James, saying that if I wanted to see the Red-belted Clearwing I could pop round to his later that evening. I gratefully agreed, and at the appointed hour I arrived to see several other moth enthusiasts were present. We were given tea and biscuits, and told that there was a bonus moth to see. Whilst sitting in the garden James had tried out a second lure, and had also attracted a Hornet Moth - the very species I had tried and failed to see last week! Many thanks to James and his family for their hospitality, and why not buy a copy of his latest book for good measure ;-)

 Red-belted Clearwing

 Hornet Moth

Hornet Moth front on