Identification

The Common Swift has no proboscis, so it is never found at sugar or flowers. Sexes are easy to tell apart, but very few records sexed. Care needed in separating from other ‘swifts.’

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a larva during July to April, with pupation taking place underground.

Larval foodplants

Larvae feed on the roots of grasses and other herbaceous plants.

Habitat

Grassland and other open habitats.

History 1860-2010

Lennon (1863) stated it to be “common everywhere.” Gordon (1913) found it to be “common in fields and on the roadside near Corsemalzie where he caught one among long grass at dusk on 4th June 1911,” this being the only record to date for VC74.

MOGBI displayed no records, but their data only went up to 1975. Since then there have been a host of records from the Rothamsted station at Waterside Mains at Keir, Dumfriesshire, from 1976 onwards. Kirkcudbrightshire can only muster a handful of records, all from the 21st century.