Dark Crimson Underwing

 The Dark Crimson Underwing (Catocala sponsa) is a rare Red Data Book moth species in Britain, only breeding in the New Forest area of Hampshire. 

However, sponsa has been turning up regularly at moth traps in Sussex and beyond in recent years and it seems probable that it is now breeding in the county, most likely from migrant stock.

Back in May 2017, I came across a mature sponsa larva in a West Sussex wood and it turned out to be the first larva to be found in the wild in Sussex since 1857. (Ref; "A Complete History of the Butterflies and Moths of Sussex" by Colin R. Pratt.)

Since 2017, I have been hoping that sponsa would make an appearance at my garden moth trap but alas it hasn't happened yet but as luck would have it, I disturbed one from a tree trunk in one of my local wealden woods during August. It took off just ahead of me but luckily it landed again on another tree.

Dark Crimson Underwing (Catocala sponsa)

Dark Crimson Underwing (C. sponsa) (larva resting on pendulous sedge, 2017)

Here are a couple of favourites from the moth trap during July and August.

Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides)

Gold Spot (Plusia festucae)

I have often thought that trying to identify flies to species level would be like treading a slippery slope to oblivion but the pandemic lock-down gave me the opportunity to take a much closer look at some of them, particularly hoverflies and sawflies.

Here are some images of  a few common hoverflies and a not so common sawfly species.

Blotch-winged Honeysuckle Sawfly (Abia fasciata) (female)

                                                                                         Myathropa florea (hoverfly sp.)

                                                                                              Syrphus ribesii (hoverfly sp.)

                                                                                                   Eristalis pertinax (hoverfly sp.)