Rye Harbour Moths (and a beetle)
20th April 2011, WednesdayStill not great numbers of moths, despite the warm weather (about 15 of six species this morning), but the still a steady trickle of ‘reserve rarities’. This morning it was a Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria) another common species which has rarely been recorded on the reserve, with the last record in 1999. This particular individual is male as can be told by the feathered antennae which are used to detect chemical scents released by the female.
Brindled Beauty
Another surprise this morning was a female Minotaur Beetle (Typhaeus typhoeus). The species gets its name from the male, which has three horns on the front of the thorax (see here), Larvae feed on rabbit droppings which are buried by the adults in sandy soils. Strictly speaking this individual represents a first record for the reserve, though it has been recorded just ouside on a couple of occasions.
Minotaur Beetle