Buff-Tip

This remarkably distinctive moth resembles a twig from a Silver Birch, one of the caterpillar’s foodplants, and can occasionally been seen resting on twigs by day. The caterpillars also eat a range of other broadleaved trees and can be seen on the ground near trees in late summer or early autumn looking for somewhere suitable to pupate. They make a cocoon-like cell of silk and soil under the ground and emerge as moths the following year in late spring to early summer. They can be seen throughout open wooded areas, such as The Kilometre and Farm Lane.

Suggested Posts

Silver-Washed Fritillary

his beautiful fritillary is one of Britain’s largest butterflies. Like many species, it declined during the twentieth century, but it is now making some encouraging recovery, particularly in southern England.

Read More »

Keeled Skimmer

This dragonfly prefers a habitat with water and acid peat, such as our SSSI, where they can be seen on the wing throughout the summer.

Read More »

Beautiful Demoiselle

The demoiselles are relatively large damselflies and have a graceful flight like that of a butterfly. They are particularly sensitive to pollution, so their presence here is very encouraging.

Read More »

Common Blue Damselfly

Common Blue Damselflies can be seen throughout the main College grounds, but especially over and around Swan Lake, where they often emerge in their hundreds.

Read More »