Thursday 25th June 2026.
My second Elephant Hawk-moth for the week in my trap this morning.
Yet another boiling hot day here in Southsea with wall to wall sunshine and a scorching temperature of around 35 degrees (95 degrees fahrenheit). Last night was nearly unbearable with overnight temperatures around 23 degrees and thankfully, we have a fan in our bedroom, but how many times I woke up is anyone's guess! In fact, I ended up getting up around 4.30am this morning and after making a coffee, I headed out to check the Moth Box again. I was hoping that the Druid moth would return overnight, but, unfortunately, there was no sign of it this morning. It caused a bit of chatter on the Facebook Hants Moths site saying I should put a tent up over the Box when checking it out! Really!?
It was actually pleasant within Pembroke Road this morning, with a comfortable easterly blowing down the road and keeping me nice and cool. A few notable birds were seen or heard and it was certainly quiet with less kids going to school this morning due to the heatwave. Bloody lightweights. Some of us have to work in this weather.
My Moth Box:
My first Cream-bordered Green Pea moth of the year with a Blackfly next to it.
There were not quite as many as yesterday's huge Moth total, but 176 moths of 58 species is nothing to be sniffed at. This included EIGHT new moths for the year that included the macro moths: Slender Pug (only my second ever sighting of one), Cloaked Minor, Cream-bordered Sweet Pea, Common Footman and a beautiful fresh Swallow-tail Moth. New micros for the year included Thistle Marble (Lobesia abscisana), Maple Stilt (Caloptilia semifascia) and a Hedge Hook-wing (Ancylis achatana). Three micro moths could only be ID’d by dissection and as I don't take part in that, they shall remain in their family group name.
Above, only my second ever Slender Pug and below, Common Footman; a more regular moth to my garden during the summer.
Another superb Elephant Hawk-moth was present and this time, it allowed me to safely pick it up and put it in the Lavender plant nearby. Riband Waves clearly were the most numerous again with at least 38 individuals present and up to three Brown-tail moths were recorded. Two Light Emeralds and a Dwarf Cream Wave were also notable among the macro moths.
Above, the tiny micro moth Maple Stilt and below, the large, but beautiful Swallow-tail Moth with a micro moth beside it.
Above, my first Hedge Hook-wing micro moth of the year.
Another excellent selection of micro moths yet again with 27 species recorded. Two Diamondback Moths were among them as was a Rufous Pearl, Mint Moth and Rosy Tabby. Garden Grass-veneers were the most numerous micro moths with 13 present. Later in the afternoon, I had earelier potted some more micro moths that I could not ID immeditaley and so among them, I discovered two more that were new for the year; a Crescent Tortrix (Epinotia bilunana) and also a Holly Tortrix (Rhopobota naevana) plus another Hedge Hook-wing and a Common Masoner.
After potting them earlier, I can conclude that two more moths new for the year were as follows: above, the Crescent Tortrix and below, a Holly Tortrix.
The following Moths were recorded this morning:
MACRO MOTHS | MICRO MOTHS |
|
|
Heart & Dart x7 | Apple Leaf Miner x4 |
Riband Wave x38 | Large Pale Masoner x3 |
Cabbage Moth x1 | Blushed Knot-horn x9 |
Silver Y x2 | Light Brown Apple Moth x1 |
Lackey x1 | Diamondback Moth x2 |
Marbled Beauty x1 | Common Masoner x1 |
Garden Carpet x1 | Grey Knot-horn x2 |
Bloxworth Snout x1 | Thistle Marble * x1 |
Slender Pug * x1 | Bird-cherry Ermine x2 |
White Ermine x6 | Maple Stilt * x1 |
Cloaked Minor * x1 | Garden Grass-veneer x13 |
Marbled Minor agg. x1 | Ruddy Streak x2 |
Dark Arches x2 | Bud Moth x3 |
Brown-tail x3 | Common Plume 3 |
Elephant Hawk-moth x1 | Rusty-dot Pearl x5 |
Cream-bordered Green Pea * x1 | Rufous Pearl x1 |
Double-striped Pug x1 | Hedge Hook-wing * x1 |
Lime-speck Pug x4 | Golden-brown Tubic x2 |
Willow Beauty x7 | Codling Moth x1 |
Pale Mottled Willow x2 | Bee Moth x2 |
Common Emerald x5 | Garden Grey x5 |
Light Emerald x2 | Brown House Moth x1 |
Common Footman * x1 | Mint Moth x1 |
Dwarf Cream Wave x1 | Garden Mompha x3 |
Bright-line Brown-eye x2 | Rosy Tabby x1 |
Large Yellow Underwing x1 | Coelophora species x2 |
Swallow-tail Moth * x1 | Dichrprampha species x1 |
| European Corn-borer x1 |
Two insects that were attracted to my Moth Box overnight included (above) this Two-spined Grass-bug and below, a Strawberry Seed Beetle.
Insects that were drawn into the Moth Box overnight included about a dozen Lacewing, a Harlequin Ladybird, 3 Strawberry Seed Beetles, Two-spined Grass-bug, the Soldier Beetle Cantharus rufa, Broad Centurion Soldier Fly and at least two Marmalade Hoverflies.
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
A very long ship was making its way into Portsmouth Harbour with the Royal Garrison Church in the foreground.
Similar to yesterday, there was a lovely breeze going down Pembroke Road as I stood in the shade during my first and only shift today in Pembroke Road. Almost immediately after I arrived here, I found a Carnation Tortrix moth sitting in one of the bushes; my first of the year and a good start to the shift too!
The Carnation Tortrix moth in one of the Bushes at Pembroke Road.
Up to 13 bird species were either seen or heard this morning and I was surprised to hear and probably see the Coal Tits calling today. One bird flew from one of the Holm Oaks over to the nearby Sycamores. I could hear young Blue Tits calling in one of the Sycamore’s, that went on for some time; so a second brood here in Pembroke Road after one I heard fledge a few weeks ago. The Swifts have really built up in numbers here with at least a dozen screaming high overhead, while some skimmed low over the Holm Oaks in search of aerial prey.
A Painted Lady flew west briefly down the road and a Large White flew low over my head and headed off north. It was certainly getting warmer as I left Pembroke Road around 9am and by midday, my god it was hot! Whether it was hotter than yesterday is up for debate, but my car temperature gauge said 35 degrees centigrade around midday!
Another mega hit from the past from the Funky Wardens.
