Jenna, Harley, and I visited the Pensychnant Nature Reserve in North Wales this morning. It was an open day for the public to learn about the reserve's daily operations.
We had a few informative hours, during which I saw some moths I needed for my list, as they had been trapped overnight. While I enjoyed a drink and homemade cake, a Hummingbird-hawk moth put on a fantastic display on the nearby buddleia.
After the event, we met up with my good friend Marc Hughes and spent the afternoon on the Great Orme near Llandudno.
Another new sighting was the Grayling butterfly, a distinct subspecies, Hipparchia semele thyone, recognised for its smaller size and earlier emergence compared to other UK populations.
The butterfly is common in Europe but is decreasing in both distribution and numbers in the UK. It is considered to be at high risk across Europe due to anticipated climate change.
We also encountered the Horehound Plume moth and its larva next. This micro-moth has been the focus of a project called "Cryptic Creatures of the Creuddyn," which surveys its limestone habitats on the Great Orme and surrounding areas.
Horehound plume moth
Horehound plume larva
Walking over the Great Orme, we came across other species of moth:
Silky Wave
The species name ‘dilutaria’ is derived from the Latin word "dilutus," which means "washed-out." This refers to the pale colour and faint wing markings of this small and delicate moth. In recent years, the species has been recorded at only a few locations in Wales and western England, including the Great Orme in Conwy, the South Gower coast in Glamorgan, and the Avon Gorge near Bristol.
Small-purple Barred
As the afternoon was coming to the end of are walkover, we found 4 Slow worms basking in the sun
Marc, Harley, and I.
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