Dog-sitting has its benefits

I'm not a "morning person" but having to look after my daughter's dog this weekend has got me up and out early.  The dog and I generally take the same route for a walk when this happens, and it takes in a line of mixed poplars (black and lombardy) along the edge of the old airfield at Westcott, only about 150m from our house at its closest point.  As always at this time of year I pay particular attention to the black poplar trunks, the bases of which are riddled with old Hornet Moth workings, and I've found fresh pupal exuvia sticking out of exit holes quite a few times there in past years.  However, in this morning's dismal drizzle a freshly emerged adult female was discovered sitting on a trunk a couple of feet above ground level.  That certainly made getting up early worthwhile!

Hornet Moth, Westcott 27th June

For more than ten years now I've been trying to get a garden record of this species using the appropriate pheromone lure but have never had any success even though the moths are active so close by.

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks