A few hours this morning in the sunshine was a pleasant experience at Mayesbrook Park. Among other things I was pleased to find a Red-tipped Clearwing moth and hear then see my first Whitethroat for the year.
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| Red-tipped Clearwing |
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| Red-tipped Clearwing |
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| Red-tipped Clearwing |
The Red-tipped Clearwing Synanthedon formicaeformis was not easy to photograph as it was continually moving and feeding low down about a foot above the ground. With a wingspan 17-19 mm, this moth derives its English name from the reddish patches at the tips of the forewings.
It can be found locally throughout much of England, southern Scotland, south Wales, and scarcely in parts of Ireland, and flies between May and July.
The species inhabits fens, marshes and other damp localities, and feeds as a larvae inside the stems of various species of Salix, especially osier (S. viminalis). See more at
UK Moths
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| Helophilus hybridus |
As well as a number of hoverflies there were lots of butterflies, damselflies and dragonflies.
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| Holly Blue |
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| Essex Skipper |
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| Small Skipper |
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| Emperor Dragonfly |
