SUCCESS WITH SALLOW CLEARWING AT ANTON LAKES, HAMPSHIRE

After an unsuccessful visit last week, I returned to Anton Lakes in Hampshire this afternoon, just half an hour from where I'm currently working, with one target species in mind, the elusive Sallow Clearwing.

The weather could hardly have been better, with scorching sunshine throughout the afternoon, ideal conditions for a day flying clearwing. Armed with a pheromone lure and renewed optimism, I settled in to see what might appear.

For a while, it looked as though history might repeat itself, and I would leave empty-handed once again. Then, suddenly, a Sallow Clearwing made a brief visit to the lure before disappearing as quickly as it had arrived. Fortunately, persistence paid off and, a short while later, I managed to successfully trap one for a closer look.

Sallow Clearwing

The Sallow Clearwing is one of Britain's most fascinating and unusual clearwing moths. A highly localised species, it is found predominantly in Southern England, East Anglia and parts of the Midlands, favouring damp habitats, woodland edges and areas where sallows thrive.

What makes this species particularly remarkable is its two-year life cycle. Adults emerge and fly almost exclusively in even-numbered years, with records from odd years being exceptionally scarce. This unusual behaviour makes every encounter feel all the more special.

First discovered in Britain in 1926 near Southampton, its secretive nature means it is often overlooked.

The larvae develop inside the stems of sallows (Salix species), producing distinctive galls as they feed. Adults are on the wing during June and July and, like many clearwing moths, are most readily detected using synthetic pheromone lures. The increased use of these lures in recent years has revealed that the species is far more widespread than previously thought.

After last week's disappointment, today's success was particularly rewarding. It's always satisfying when perseverance pays off, especially with one of Britain's more elusive species.

Another clearwing has safely been added to the list, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon spent in Hampshire before the thunderstorms arrived.