All of this hot weather has brought mixed blessings to our local wildlife – some are thriving whilst others are wilting (just like our readers I expect). If any of our readers run a moth trap, they will have noticed an increase in moth numbers visiting the trap each night; I have recorded over 1,000 moths over the last four nights. With these sorts of numbers it is almost inevitable that you will find some moths that you have never seen before. My trap was visited by a Necklace Veneer, only the second specimen recorded from Leicestershire. This is a migrant species which is normally found infrequently on the south coast so the combination of warm weather and unusual wind patterns will have brought the moth to our area. Veneers are the small pale moths that are commonly found in grassland, so it is always checking to see if you have one of these rarer species amongst your catch.

Another rare visitor was the European Corn-borer, a species that has been found occasionally around here over the last 8 years. On the continent it is a pest on maize crops, but our local populations seem to feed on Mugwort. This species has colonised the area around London and the south-east and is now spreading to other areas to the north, but it is still very local. This year has seen 8 records so far in Leicestershire, more than ever before, so it is probable that it is now breeding locally.

One other group of insects that seem to be thriving in the hot weather are the dragonflies and damselflies. These are predators on other flying insects, which they catch on the wing using their excellent eyesight and superior flying skills. They are able to move their four wings independently enabling them to stop and start and change direction rather more quickly than most of their prey. As you can see from the photograph of this Common Darter, the eyes are very large and take up most of the head. These adaptations also allow them to avoid most predators; one of the few exceptions is the Hobby, a small falcon that is fast and agile enough to catch dragonflies. Watching the aerial contests between these is particularly exciting.

Climate change now guarantees that we will see different species around our local area whatever we do to try to reduce our use of coal and oil. However, it is still essential that we do everything possible to avoid further damage to our world.