This is a Lunar Hornet Moth, spotted by my partner, Kevin and I in July. At first we did not know what it was, only that it didn't look quite like a hornet! When we looked it up later, we found out what it was and I entered it into my moth database, thinking not much more of it, as it was listed in my book as 'resident and common'.
At the start of this year, I sent my moth records to Peter Williams, the county moth recorder and he quickly responded asking for clarification regarding my sighting, as this species was considered extinct in the county! On examination of the photo, he confirmed that it was indeed a Lunar Hornet Moth, the first county record in at least 50 years!
What's the point of this story, you may ask? Well, the adults of this species are rarely seen, as they aren't attracted in any of the normal ways. Rather than being rare in the county, it's likely that they are simply under-recorded.
So, the moral of this story is to keep your eyes peeled and more importantly report your sightings, as you never know when you might find something new or unusual. Remember the three essential items for a record: DATE, SPECIES & LOCATION; the most useful format for the latter is British National Grid reference and there has never been an easier time to get a grid reference, as there are plenty of websites which can provide one for you - try this one: Grab a Grid Reference.
Excellent post Tammy and very important that we all record wildlife sightings
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