SWSEIC Recording Group at Loch Lig, near Barrhill, on 1 July 2025

The Loch Lig recording day was with a small group of four recorders. However, the day’s survey work produced the greatest value from all this year’s events. Before the recording day only Red Squirrel and Ringlet butterfly had been recorded in the immediate area. It is very pleasing to report that between the four of us we have now recorded 320 species in and around Loch Lig!

As usual we began the day with moth and mammal traps. Unfortunately, the mammal traps did not catch anything. The moth traps however did very well catching 62 different species. Of particular note were abundant Double Dart Graphiphora augur, an uncommon and declining species which bizarrely seemed to huddle tightly together on eggboxes in the trap; it was not something any of us had seen before. Other notable catches were the micro-moths Poplar Cosmet Batrachedra praeangusta, Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, Sallow Flat-body Agonopterix conterminella and Dark-striped Groundling Gelechia sororculella. in reality many of these species will not be uncommon, but most micro-moth species are generally overlooked by recorders so these are very good records. Uncommon macro-moths from the haul included Welsh Wave Venusia cambrica, a species in long term national decline, and Valerian Pug Eupithecia valerianata.

Beyond the traps several moths where also recorded in the field. Notably most of the Hemlock Water-dropwort Oenanthe crocata on site was infested with caterpillars of Dingy Flat-body Depressaria daucella, previously recorded in Ayrshire for the first time at one of last year’s recording days at Dunure. A few migratory moths were on the wing, including Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella which has had a mass influx into the UK in 2025. Mark Pollitt found Lempke’s Gold Spot Plusia putnami feeding on a flower. This is quite a common species, but none came to our moth traps from the night before.

Part of the reason we were able to get such a good species list from the day was that we compiled a basic plant list for the site.  Most species were typical of wet grassland and woodland but a few uncommon species were amongst the resident flora. These included Great Tussock Sedge Carex paniculata, Water Sedge Carex aquatilis and Trailing St John’s Wort Hypericum humifusum.

The uncommon River Skater Aquarius najas was spotted along the Water of Lig that feeds into Loch Lig. There are only a handful of previous records of this species in Ayrshire. The leafhopper Populicerus confusus was recorded on Grey Willow and may be a first vice-county record for Ayrshire. Lorraine Hall spotted the White-barred Peat Fly Sericomyia lappona, an upland species that is uncommonly recorded in our area but doubtlessly overlooked.

Mark Pollitt and Christa Whatmough did a bird list on the day and found most of the usual suspects but a few highlights included Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Swift Apus apus and Linnet Linaria cannabina.

Thanks to those who came to record with us on the day. A special thanks to the landowner Duncan who supported us before and on the day.

 

Malcolm Haddow

SWSEIC Support Officer

If you are interested in joining our recording group you can do so here.