Holt Island Nature Reserve

RED-TIPPED CLEARWINGS

August 2024

At the end of July I was asked to go moth trapping on Holt Island, but not the conventional moth trapping in the evening but in the middle of a very hot day.

Clearwings are a form of day flying moth. They are from the Sesiidae family, related to the Burnet and Forester moths. There are about fifteen species in the British Isles, they have clear panels in their wings, from which their name derives, so the wings resemble stained glass. They are wasp mimics, due to the shape and transparent wings. They are very under recorded.

The particular Clearwings we were after live in Sallow trees, a form of Willow. They are very difficult to see. To catch them a special trap (see photo, left) is needed with a pheromone lure which will attract the males who are looking for females at this time of year. We had lures for Red-tipped Clearwings and Luna Hornet Clearwings.

We were unsuccessful with the Luna Hornets, but we caught 13 Red-tipped Clearwings in three different areas of the Island, round both Osier beds. The Red-tipped Clearwing is one of the commoner ones in this county. Hopefully it will not be long before we find more species on the Island.

Julian Limentani

 Photos © Julian Limentani