Orangey red form of Jersey Tiger attracted to light in a Cornish garden.
Amidst the gloom of plummeting insect populations worldwide news of a species actually expanding its range is always cheering.
In our Cornish garden Jersey Tiger moths have now become a common sight in the summer. Increasing numbers of this boldly marked insect suggest it’s become well established since the first arrivals turned up in the garden as migrants from the continent in the summer of 2019.
The presence of caterpillars/larvae in the Spring has shown this species can survive the Cornish winters. In the garden in 2022 between July 14th and August 24th there were 64 records of both daytime flying Jersey Tiger moths and those attracted to light. With numbers peaking on August 14th when 20 were attracted to light. During this period several other records were also made nearby and further afield in south west Cornwall suggesting the species is establishing itself elsewhere in the county.
Portland Ribbon Wave attracted to light in a Cornish garden
Another moth species once restricted nationally to very small numbers of annual migrants that has now been breeding in the area for over a decade is the Portland Ribbon Wave. Last year in the garden a record number of 90 sightings were recorded, all between August 15th and September 11th apart from a single early sighting on the 11th of June. Numbers peaked on the 20th of August when 23 fresh specimens were attracted to a single light. All were attracted to light at night, the majority to a less powerful actinic light rather than a MV lamp, with few actually entering the trap. During peak times of emergence it isn’t unusual to have several attracted to the light of the lounge window.
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