ELEPHANTS AND TIGERS

Found two of these colourful elephant hawk-moths in the moth trap on Wednesday 4th June at the country park. Although it is quite a common and widespread moth, it is one of the most colourful and striking moths to grace the trap.

The picture below shows the moth at rest side-on with its shocking pink coloured body and underwings. The moth gets its name from its large grey caterpillar which swells its front end out when threatened and appearing like an elephant's head.

The other striking moth resting inside the trap was a cream-spot tiger with its bold creamy spots on black wings. Underneath these forewings are the tiger-coloured hindwings and the bright red body. A photo of one of these moths was posted earlier on 23rd May.

About 50 moths of 18 species were found in the trap, these included the shark, white-point, small square-spot, light emerald, heart and dart, sandy carpet and lots of marbled minors.

Two moth traps were set up on Wednesday evening at the park for Renee Hockley-Byam to record the goings-on for the local radio BBC Essex, to help publicise the forthcoming national moth night on the 7th June.

As the traps were being set up at dusk the nightingale was singing loudly across the empty car park and the reeling song of the nearby grasshopper warbler became clearer to hear after it became dark. A couple of pipistrelle bats were seen swooping low over the area near the traps just after dusk.

More elephants and tigers were out in force in the first three hours of darkness with 3 elephant hawks and at least 7 cream-spot tigers - a good showing. The most notable moth found was the nationally scarce water ermine which was first recorded here last summer. Other ones to catch the eye were the peppered moth, green silver lines, figure of eighty and pale tussock.

Earlier in the day, ten sand martins were flying around the sandy cliff, a little egret flew over the park and a whimbrel called from the mudflats. In the early evening a male peregrine was seen flying along the beach by Steve Entwistle.

An adder was reported basking in the afternoon sunshine in the usual place at the park.