Some exciting mothing today. Two new species in the garden trap this morning, a Copper Underwing and a Golden Plusia, which was either playing dead or actually dead. The latter is quite scarce in Yorkshire these days, after a major national decline, so not surprising I've not seen one before.
Next up, I headed down to Bank Island and Wheldrake to see if any waders had dropped in. Two Black-tailed Godwits were roosting with 240 Lapwings, and nearby, three well-grown Redshanks were happily feeding in the shallows, closely watched by their parents.
Whilst I watched, the pheromone lure I'd hung on a nearby plant did its work, and I was delighted to see several Lunar Hornet Moths buzzing around it. These are such good hornet mimics that they even buzz when they fly. If you didn't know, you'd easily assume they were their namesake. Lunar Hornet Moths are one of the commoner clearwing moths, but without a lure, they are very hard to find. The larvae feed in Willow wood, of which there is a lot along the Derwent here, so it is pleasing that they seem to be common. I popped on to Wheldrake and within ten minutes the lure had attracted another male here too.
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