Moth sighting an 'intriguing' first for islands

The Alderney Wildlife Trust said the appearance of the Robust Tabby on the island could be the result of recent strong winds blowing it off its usual course

A new species of moth has been seen on Alderney that wildlife experts believe is a first sighting for the Channel Islands.

The Robust Tabby moth (Pandesma robusta) was recorded in October by the head of Alderney Wildlife Trust's (AWT) moth monitoring team, Lou Collings.

The charity said the Robust Tabby, which is a member of the Erebidae family, had been found across a range extending from Asia through Africa to the Mediterranean, as far north as Spain and Portugal.

The AWT said the moth's appearance in Alderney was "intriguing" and could be the result of recent strong southerly winds blowing it off its usual course.

Rare sightings in the UK were the result of the moths being accidentally transported in fruit shipments, the trust added.

It said the Robust Tabby was "unlikely to establish itself as an invasive species".