A population of dark bordered beauty moths has been discovered at Wallington in Northumberland, marking the first recorded sighting at the site in 74 years. Dave Wainwright, head of conservation in England at Butterfly Conservation, found the moths 20 years after his initial survey of the area.
The dark bordered beauty, described as having lemon-yellow wings with a deep chestnut border, is one of England's rarest moths. Previously, Strensall Common in Yorkshire was considered the only known location for the species in the country.
The discovery is attributed to years of nature recovery work on the Wallington estate, managed by the National Trust and tenant farmer Fiona Goodfellow. This work has transformed the habitat, which now features lush vegetation and wildflowers where creeping willow, a key food source for the caterpillars, was once heavily grazed.
The find emerged from a £300,000 grant awarded last year by the Elgol Fund for Nature to Butterfly Conservation. This funding supports research into how rare species in northern England are coping with climate and human pressures.