heliastes21's Journal

Hen Harriers are undoubtedly the most intensely persecuted of all UK birds of prey. Driven to extinction in mainland Britain in the 19th century, they have remained rare due to illegal persecution and disturbance, primarily in areas associated with grouse shooting. Just ten years ago, in 2013, no Hen Harriers nested in England, but there are now more Hen Harriers nesting in England than at any point since they were lost as a breeding species around 200 years ago. In 2023, a total of 54 nests were recorded (up from 49 last year) and 141 chicks fledged.

In the spring and summer months, hen harriers are primarily seen in the upland hills (for example in Scotland) looking for mates and nesting sites in heather moorland. In the winter however, hen harriers can be found in a variety of lowland habitats including farmland, grasslands and wetlands. Hen harriers visit Norfolk in small numbers during the late autumn and winter but do not breed in the County and have generally departed by mid-April. I have seen ‘ringtails’ at NWT Cley Marshes (Norfolk) and at Hen Reedbeds (Suffolk), though always elusive.

This is my 210th British bird species on iNaturalist.

The Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila Pseudospretella) is a common house moth originally from Asia. In the 1840s, this moth was accidentally introduced to Europe, eventually spreading through the British Isles, and also into north America.

Of the 2,500 moth species in Britain there are only five – thankfully – that can do your wardrobe and carpets serious damage. The common clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) and the brown house moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) are the worst offenders.

The brown house moth is considered a serious pest in domestic and commercial settings because of the larvae's destructive feeding habits. Larvae feed on various manmade foodstuffs and household materials. These include stored cereals, dried fruit, seeds, clothes and furniture fabric, fur, and wood floor inlays. Their destructive power is largely attributable to their unusual ability to degrade keratin. Larvae also bite through synthetic carpet fibres to construct their pupation cells, and since they rarely ingest the fibres, they are little affected by conventional moth-proofing agents.