This morning, Jenna, Harley, and I visited Pensychnant Nature Reserve in North Wales during an open day, providing the public with an insight into the reserve’s daily operations.
We spent a few informative hours on site, during which I recorded several moths that had been trapped overnight, adding them to my life list. While enjoying a drink and some homemade cake, a Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) put on a spectacular display on a nearby buddleia
After the event, we met my good friend Marc Hughes and spent the afternoon exploring the Great Orme near Llandudno
During our walk, Jenna was thrilled to add the Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus caernensis) to her list.
During our walk, Jenna was thrilled to add the Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus caernensis) to her list. This subspecies emerges about a month earlier than others in the UK and has a fascinating life cycle: black ants tend the caterpillars, taking them into their nests and protecting them. When the caterpillars feed, the ants accompany them and, in return, consume a sugary secretion produced by the caterpillars.
Another notable sighting was the Grayling butterfly (Hipparchia semele thyone), a distinct subspecies recognised by its smaller size and earlier emergence compared to other UK populations. While common across Europe, it is declining in distribution and numbers in the UK and is considered at high risk across Europe due to projected climate change.
We also encountered the Horehound Plume Moth (Wheeleria spilodactylus) and its larva. This micro-moth has been the focus of the “Cryptic Creatures of the Creuddyn” project, which surveys limestone habitats on the Great Orme and surrounding areas.
Horehound plume larva
During our walk, other moth species included the Silky Wave (Idaea dilutaria), named for its pale, washed-out wing markings. In recent years, this delicate moth has been recorded at only a few locations in Wales and western England, including the Great Orme, the South Gower coast, and the Avon Gorge near Bristol. We also spotted the Small-purple Barred (Xanthorhoe biriviata).
Silky Wave
Small-purple Barred
As the afternoon drew to a close, we came across four Slow Worms (Anguis fragilis) basking in the sun—a perfect end to an eventful day.
It was a wonderful day, filled with new sightings for all of us and the chance to enjoy some remarkable wildlife in stunning locations.
Marc, Harley, and I enjoying the day’s wildlife discoveries.
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