Phew. A very hot moth-ing session at Cley NWT Centre. All of us trying to huddle in the small amount of shade provided by the wall of the main building.Upper 20s C again but, with much more cloud.
Long-time friend Betty told me about a day flying moth session she and Steve had had at a local fruit farm. Clearwings are a family of moths I've long wished to see. Steve later showed us photos on his camera, warning that they were only hoverfly size and it had to be sunny.
After a cuppa, off we went, parking at the cafe before walking to the currant bush area. Not yet ripe, the currants were swathed in green netting.
Walking slowly along the row, Pam out-stripping me by yards as I kept seeing small flying things. Ladybirds, shield bugs, hoverflies and, on several occasions, possible Clearwings which kept darting past me and not landing.
Seeing me use my camera, Pam re-joined me - lucky chance - when I saw something very small land and said 'What's that'? Our first Currant Clearwing Moth. Scarce nationally. It wasn't still for long, I only managed two photographs before it was off again.
Three yellow stripes on the abdomen means that this is a female, the male has four.
Too hot to linger, that was it for the day. We'll try again.
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