Arfon Williams very recently discovered some online photos of two Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moths near Meinciau, Pontyates (in the Gwendraeth Fawr valley in SE Carmarthenshire) and he duly informed both Sam Bosanquet and myself of this extremely exciting and significant record. This is a very rare species in Wales and George Tordoff informs us that he is not aware of any post-2000 records. There is an old, unlocalised record for what seems to be SN62 (the general Llandeilo area) in The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland (Vol 9, p 31). The two moths were seen by Stuart Rees on 5th July 2024. He supplied two photos - see below.
The larvae make distinctive feeding marks on honeysuckle leaves - a row of holes, often near the centre line, so please `keep an eye out` for these in July (and take photos). See the bottom photo below (via online source).
Searching for feeding signs on leaves is definitely the best way to find this!
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