SWSEIC Recording Group at Craigengillan Estate, 24th July 2025
After several failed attempts in 2024 we were finally gifted a good day for wildlife recording at Craigengillan Estate, located southwest of Dalmellington. We were spared the relentless hordes of midges and biblical rains of 2024 for which the seven of us who came were most grateful. We put our skills to good use and recorded 217 species between us.
The moth traps set the night before did exceptionally well catching in the region of 600 moths. Notable finds included Dingy Footman Eilema griseola, which is a regular catch now in Dumfries & Galloway but unbeknownst to us at the time this was a first vice-county record! The species was first recorded in Dumfries & Galloway in 2011 and is now widespread in the region. We would expect the species to become more regular in Ayrshire in the years to come. Barred Carpet Martania taeniata, a very local nationally scarce species, was a nice find. This species is not common anywhere and usually caught in very low numbers from damp woodland, and at the time of writing no-one knows the foodplant for this species in the wild. Minor Shoulder-knot Brachylomia viminalis is a locally scarce species of willow and was a good find. The micro-moth Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella is a species found on Rosebay Willowherb but only has scant records locally. As is often the case for micro-moths it is almost certainly overlooked.
In addition to moths caught in the traps several were netted or recorded in the field. Most notable was Yellow-spotted Lance-wing Phaulernis fulviguttella netted by Jennie Jackson which is likely to be a first vice-county record for Ayrshire. The species is quite common down south, and likely a new colonist to the region. The day flying Variable-stem Moth Ochsenheimeria urella was recorded by several recorders on the day. This species has been noted now on several recording group meetings which suggest the species is probably quite common but is seemingly overlooked, probably because the species is day-flying and is not apparently attracted to light.
Fungi are usually a species group that misses out on our recording days due to a lack of expertise at least on the SWSEIC end of things. Luckily Gill Smart put her skills to the test and recorded a number of interesting species including Silky Piggyback Asterophora parasitica. This is a saprobic fungus that feeds on other fungi, notably brittlegills. Gill recorded a few species of rust fungi, including Puccinia arenariae found on chickweeds and Violet Rust Puccinia violae. Neither of these species has many records on the SWSEIC database so are good finds. Their true status locally is unknown as we get so few records of rust fungi to be able to make any kind of picture. Zoë Gardener also noted the fungus called Choke Epichloe typhina which again has very few records locally.
Many of the records as usual were invertebrates. Included amongst them was a purple form of Common Green Grasshopper Omocestus viridulus found by young local observer Luke Gormanley. Occasionally we do find pink forms of this and other species, and we considered this just an unusual aberration thinking little of it at the time. Then national verifier David Williams got in touch with great excitement exclaiming that he never even knew this particular purple form could exist and that to his knowledge was the first time a purple form of this species had ever been photographed in Britain. As such we must say a huge well done to Luke for finding it on the day!
Another insect of note was Scotch Argus Erebia aethiops, a northern species that is currently widespread locally in damp grassland but is expected to decline in coming decades due to climate-induced range contraction. Twin-lobed Deerfly Chrysops relictus an attractive relative of the cleg was found feeding on SWSEIC staff! This species is quite coastal and despite its distinctive appearance has only been recorded three times previously in Ayrshire, so Malcolm’s sacrifice was worthwhile.
A big thank you to all the volunteers who came out to help us record on the day. Special thanks are also due to Mark Gibson, the site owner, for his patience with our repeated attempts to hold a recording day on the site and for his help and hospitality on the day.
