Red Belted Clearwing

Our garden is relatively new, sitting on a housing estate that is only about 15 to 20 years old, with our house being one of the last built around ten years ago. Like all new housing estates, the gardens are small and essentially started as green concrete — but in the six years or so we have been here, I have worked hard on turning it into a little oasis. 

We now have a hedge at the bottom, two apple trees, a pear tree and a plum tree along the side, a wildflower area and loads of flowers for bees and butterflies. The hedgerow and fruit trees have matured nicely, and now when I put a lure out I can expect ten or more Red-belted Clearwing moths. A species that would have been completely unseen here just a few years ago — proper proof that if you build it, they will come. 

I took this back in June, during a family BBQ of course!