I visited the Llandyry-Pontnewydd area this afternoon (7/7/22), both sites only about 15 minutes from my Llanelli home, being located in the Lower Gwendraeth valley. I`ve only done one (unproductive) `long distance` trip so far this year, with most of the sites visited being within 5 miles, the majority even less.
In addition to the commoner species that were noted, a second sighting of lunar hornet clearwings was pleasing as this was a brand new 10km square (SN40) for the species. I`d actually visited this very site last week (with the same intention) but had no luck, as was the case at Ffrwd Fen, Pembrey. It was disappointing, as both sites had ample old willows and looked perfect.
At Pontnewydd, I was walking down the very overgrown footpath (the ex-mineral line) not looking for lunar hornet clearwings, but rather keeping my eyes open for day-flying moths or leaf mines. I had just found Phyllocnistis unipunctella on a true black poplar (one that I had planted c 20+ years ago) and was walking along the track, carrying the plastic pheromone trap with the appropriate lure inside.
Suddenly a large yellow wasp-like insect appeared and - crazily - I thought `hornet`. A second later I realised that it was a lunar hornet clearwing - why I thought hornet when I was carrying a lunar hornet clearwing lure is perhaps just a spontaneous reaction to the efficacy of the mimicry. I immediately had to self-admonish myself! In fact two lunar hornets appeared virtually simultaneously. I had been carrying the lure along the path for about 15 minutes before they appeared at c 12.15pm which was, coincidentally, the same time as my Bynea sighting.
Above: one of the two lunar hornet clearwings attracted to lures today. After a quick photo session, the moth was released within a minute.
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