First Nature Reserve To Record 10,000 Species In Uk–Thanks To Moth That Looks Like A Wasp

First Nature Reserve To Record 10,000 Species In Uk–Thanks To Moth That Looks Like A Wasp

First Nature Reserve To Record 10,000 Species In Uk–Thanks To Moth That Looks Like A Wasp River at Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, England By Naturenet CC BY-SA 3.0 A nature reserve has become the first in UK to record 10,000 species, with the discovery of a unique moth that imitates a wasp. The National Trust’s Wicken Fen, in Cambridgeshire, England, hit the total when a rare species of moth—the six-belted clearwing—was recorded on the reserve for the first time. Named Bembecia ichneumoniformis, it has six yellow stripes on its black abdomen to mimic the appearance of a venomous wasp, which aids in warning off predators. Recent finds at the National Nature Reserve include the formidable ant beetle, a scarce plant in the pea family called grass vetchling, and another moth—the evocatively-titled chamomile shark. New bird records include a white-tailed eagle that roosted for one night in 2022 and a white stork that was seen several times in summer 2023. “Reaching 10,000 rec…