I've never seen a Lunar Hornet Moth, but my daughters and I found 5 pupal cases (exuviae) on the trunk of an old Goat Willow near Llanishen Reservoir today (ST186811). They were found sticking out of emergence holes, caught up in the ivy which covered most of the trunk, or on the ground beneath.
According to my MapMate there is just a single previous Cardiff record, from 1906. I'd love to see the adult - maybe I need to return in the early morning to try and catch one newly emerged, though it might be getting a bit late in the season now.
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| Pupal case in situ |
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| Pupal cases |
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| Host tree with kids for scale! |
When Cardiff Council felled some willows in Bute Park, along the banks of the Taff there were feedings signs that could have been Lunar Hornet, but having not seen them before (nor the beetle confusion species), I couldn't confirm the record. So this is great stuff George.
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