Rare species of moth once believed to be extinct in Britain found at Warwickshire country park

A rare species of moth has been found at one of Warwickshire’s country parks.

Rangers at Ryton Pools Country Park found presence of the Dusky Clearwing Moth – a species once believed to be extinct in Britain.

The Dusky Clearwing Moth had not been sighted in Britain since 1924 until, in 2021, a female specimen was documented on a farm within the county, although the precise location was kept confidential at the landowner's request.

Subsequently, the species was spotted twice in undisclosed locations in June of this year.

At Ryton Pools, conservation efforts are centred around promoting biodiversity through the creation, maintenance, and enhancement of various habitats.

Among the many species found at Ryton Pools, ten varieties of the nationally scarce Clearwing moths have been recorded, including two Hornet Mimics and the rare Sallow Clearwing.

Building on the discovery, on August 4 visitors to Ryton Pools can join the rangers for the annual ‘moth night’.

The evening will include a presentation covering tips on moth identification, why and how to record them, and their importance to other biodiversity, before visitors head out to set traps in the park.

The following morning, visitors can return to take part in the ‘moth breakfast’ event, where they will check the moth light traps from the previous night.

Children can also learn more at the ‘Moths, Butterflies and Flying Creatures’ event on August 10, where they will be equipped with bug pots, shaker sheets and sweep nets before heading around the park, guided by rangers.

More information about these events is available on the Warwickshire Country Parks Eventbrite page.