A-lure-ing

A very quick post. Out at Bradgate Park with family today. Managed to enjoy the sunshine and scenery by keeping some distance between us and the masses (at least until we got to the ruins and ice-cream!). Anyway, in amongst the oaks and out with the VES lure. Five minutes patience and then at least five of these little beauties ...

Yellow-legged Clearwing - superb!

Scent of Success

Six-belted Clearwing, attracted to API lure in central Leicester 25th June 2003

I last used any clearwing lures in 2005, but it's back to 2003 when I first tried a few different combinations and sites trying to find different species. This year I've acquired a fresh full set which now comprises 10 lures (back then there were only 6).

The lures are simply small rubber bungs impregnated with a synthetic pheromone emulating certain clearwing species. The set I got also included 1 small plastic vial instead of a bung - sure they all work the same.

Preparing them for use is easy..

Clockwise from top left: the lures come in individually sealed bags, what the lure looks like, a bit of string and fine mesh netting, home-made labels. This should be worthy of a Blue Peter Badge.

Once assembled, the lure is ready to be hung from or pegged onto a suitable branch, twig or prop.

When they are not in use, keeping them in a sealed box in the freezer extends their useful life to c2yrs. This year I am hoping to re-find Six-belted, Yellow-legged and Red-tipped, and also to finally see Currant and Red-belted. Orange-tailed has also been recorded once in the county, so I'll be looking for that. Large Red-belted does not respond as enthusiastically as other species, and Lunar Hornet does not respond at all to the lures. On the complete outside chance, bagging the first Raspberry, White-barred or Welsh for VC55 would be nice.

All we need now is some warm sunshine and free time ......

Yellow-legged Clearwing, attracted to VES lure at Bradgate Park 24th June 2003

Red-tipped Clearwing, attracted to FOR lure at Misterton Marsh 19th June 2005