LARGE RED DAMSELFLY AND BELTED BEAUTY MOTH

Jen and I met our good friend Paul Brewster this morning at his local patch near Northwich. He had discovered several early Large Red damselflies the day before, which we had never seen before.

The site is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is notable for its acidic wetland, which is particularly important due to its two mature schwingmoors. Upon our arrival, we quickly spotted our first Green Hairstreak butterflies of the year; by the time we left, we had counted them in double digits. Additionally, we observed a few day-flying moths, including Common Heaths.

Green Hairstreak

Unfortunately, after a couple of hours of searching, we had no luck finding any damselflies. The weather was overcast, and the temperature had dropped since the previous day, so we decided to head back to the car. As we walked back, fortune smiled upon us—a Large Red Damselfly flew in front of us and landed nearby.

My first sighting of a Large Red damselfly

Paul and I

We had a lovely morning exploring Paul's patch, and we are grateful for his time showing us around.

Jen and I travelled to Morecambe in Lancashire, hoping to see the Belted Beauty moth, Lycia zonaria Britannica, which is an endemic subspecies in the UK. This location is the only remaining site in England with a healthy population of this species. The Belted Beauty moth was critically endangered at two other sites in Caernarfonshire and Cheshire but has since become extinct in those areas. Coastal protection schemes and developments, such as housing and golf courses, led to the loss of the colonies that existed in the 1920s. Fortunately, the Belted Beauty continues to thrive in the Outer Hebrides, where the natural landscape is well-preserved. This is due to the commendable environmental stewardship of the island's communities, although the form found there is a different subspecies.

Jenna starts the search.

Luckily, we weren't on site for very long when Jenna found a male Belted Beauty.

Shortly after, three additional people joined the search, but no findings were made beyond Jenna's initial sighting. We searched for about an hour, hoping to find a female since they are wingless (see below).

However, as the weather worsened with stronger winds and cooler temperatures, we decided to head back to the car, feeling satisfied that we had at least seen one.

Another great day out, and I'd added a few more sightings to my ongoing list!