Clearwing Moths and Phermone Lures

Using lures to record difficult-to-see moths

Mike Southall

January 2026 

It may seem like an odd time of year to be thinking about summer day-flying Clearwing moths but now is a good time to prepare. The pheromone lures and traps that help spot these beautiful insects need to be ordered well before the summer season, while the lures are still available for purchase. The go-to place for ordering lures is Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies (ALS): their website includes details of the lures available, and the traps used to deploy them. It also has other information, including a list of other species attracted to various lures, some of which are seldom seen by other means.

ALS offers individual lures for specific Clearwing species and basic sets for the six or ten most commonly found ones. Some species have not yet been recorded in our region and those lures are only really useful if you are planning trips around the country or abroad. However, some species are increasing their range in the UK and could well reach our region soon. More information about our region's Clearwings is available in the Moths of the West Midlands book and the West Midlands online moth atlas.

I do most of my recording in my North Worcestershire garden, where I was surprised and delighted to find Red-tipped, Orange-tailed, Red-belted, Yellow-legged, Currant Clearwing, and Lunar Hornet Moth being recorded annually. My garden is in a rural setting but I note that a nearby Stourport resident has a larger garden Clearwing list than mine, with Six-belted Clearwing added to his list.

I record the species and date, photograph and iRecord it, let it go, and then put the lure back in the freezer for another year. This minimises disturbance of the species. Seeing more localised species, such as Large Red-belted, White-barred, Six-belted, Welsh Clearwing and Hornet Moth, requires a trip to their habitats. I can recommend joining an organised event to increase your chances of success.

Clearwings in my Garden

Red-tipped

Orange-tailed

Red-belted

Yellow-legged

Currant Clearwing

Lunar Hornet Moth

Large Red-belted

White-barred

Six-beltedExit holes for the as-yet-unseen Hornet Moth

Welsh Clearwing