A rare and “magnificent” type of moth found on the Calf of Man has marked the first confirmed report of the species on the island, wildlife teams have confirmed.
Staff at the Calf of Man Bird Observatory found the Oleander Hawkmoth earlier this month, perched on the outside of a moth trap.
It forms part of ongoing observation work to build a greater understanding of local moth movements.
Calf of Man warden Kate Fox said: “It is one of the rarest migrant hawkmoths to get here and also it’s the first confirmed record on the Isle of Man.”
The moth trap is made up of a bucket and a bright light at the end of a funnel, which attracts moths to the light while giving them a space to shelter safely.
The process, which does not harm the creatures in any way, helps the staff observe moth species and behaviours in the area.
Ms Fox said the Oleander Hawkmoth was “too big to actually fit in the funnel, which was probably why it was on the outside”.
It marks the first confirmed sighting on the Isle of Man, with just one unconfirmed sighting back in 2001.
The species are predominantly found in Africa and Asia, and while “they can fly to parts of eastern and southern Europe during the summer,” they only occasionally reach western Europe and Britain, Ms Fox explained.
“They’re so rare. Every year there’s only a handful of records across Britain,” she added.
She said as well as the hawkmoth this year they had also found “quite a few other migrant species”, including Silver Ys and diamond-backed micro moths.
Curator of Natural History at Manx National Heritage Laura McCoy said the “species is one of the rarest migrant hawkmoths” and the sighting was a “spectacular record for the Isle of Man”.
The moth was released shortly after its brief stay on the Calf of Man.