Elephants & Mallards!

 Thursday 18th June 2026.

My first Elephant Hawk-moth of the year.

The continued theme of overcast and a little bit damp first thing this morning was evident today and though the weather was cloudy throughout the morning, the sun eventually came through in the afternoon. 

The Moth Box was on again overnight and continued to attract a large number of Moths again and, at last, my third Hawk-moth species of the year. I couldn't help notice how still it was this morning and like yesterday morning, there wasn't a breath of wind. Yesterday, I could actually hear a snail moving along on one of the fence panels and this morning, I could hear the beating wings of a small Moth somewhere behind the fence panel! I know my hearing is good, but I didn't know it was that good!

My Moth Box:

One of two Light Arches today.

As per usual, the trick is to tread carefully when entering the garden as the Moths can literally be anywhere and how I have not trodden on one this week is beyond my comprehension. For one reason or another, they do like to land on the patio close to the Box and so my big size 11 feet could easily squish one of the poor buggers! But this week, so far so good! Under a leaden sky with virtually no breeze whatsoever, I got to business in counting and recording the Moths.

My third Broad-barred White of the year.

My first Elephant Hawk-moth was the ‘star’ Moth this morning. It was perched on one of the outside egg trays, but it didn't linger that long as I heard the familiar whirr of wings and it was off to the back of the garden and out of sight. The only other new moth for the year was a pair of Light Arches, whereas its close cousin, the Dark Arches, hit a record 16 individual moths! 

Clancy's Rustics are always welcome to my garden.

Other notable Moths included a Cypress Carpet, Broad-barred White and a Clancy’s Rustic.The pick of the ‘micro’ Moths was the Red-barred Tortrix. A final total of 88 moths of 30 species were recorded this morning, which included the following Moths:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Riband Wave x12	Box Tree Moth x1
Lime-speck Pug x5	Blushed Knot-horn x5
Common Emerald x2	Garden Grass-veneer x5
Cypress Carpet x1	Common Plume x2
Silver Y x1	Large Pale Masoner x2
Pale Mottled Willow x2	Red-barred Tortrix x1
Elephant Hawk-moth * x1
Vine’s Rustic x2
White Ermine x2
Willow Beauty x3
Dark Arches x16
Broad-barred White x1
Heart & Dart x5
Large Yellow Underwing x1
Light Arches * x2
Bright-line Brown-eye x1
L-album Wainscot x4
Clancy’s Rustic x1
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x1
White-point x1
Garden Carpet x1
Lackey x1
Double-striped Pug x4

This Darkling Beetle was a first for my garden.

The insects also attracted to the Moth Box overnight included a Lacewing and a Darkling Beetle. The dog Fox was back on my neighbours shed roof again, but it didn’t linger long and quickly disappeared into nearby gardens.

The dog Fox was back in my neighbours garden again today.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

An overcast morning in Pembroke Road this morning, but the Swifts didn't mind.

A fairly good total of bird species here in Pembroke Road today with up to 15 species seen between my first and second shifts here. This morning, a group of 6 Swifts flew overhead as I watched a pair skim low over the Holm Oak trees several times and eventually headed off north over the houses. Herring, Black-headed and Great Black-backed Gulls were seen throughout the shifts and a female Pied Wagtail was watched searching for food on the pavement opposite and even on the roof of the Bungalow on the opposite side of the road from where I stand. It looks as though she might have a brood to feed judging by the amount of insects she had in her bill.

The most unexpected sighing here in Pembroke Road today happened on my second shift when a small group of three Mallards flew over and headed towards Curtain Moat or perhaps to Portsmouth Harbour? Still, a good sighting for my ‘patch’ list here. The second shift didn't start all that well as a heavy rain shower came in and so I had to don my waterproof hat. However, it fizzled out around 3pm and got a lot warmer and even a Painted Lady butterfly flew in briefly but it would not settle to round off my Thursday here.

The Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly at Cowplain Marsh this afternoon.

Over at Cowplain Marsh (Andy Fisher’s garden), Geoff Farwell found a Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly by the Pond, a first for Cowplain Marsh! Back in my garden, a Painted Lady flew in briefly and landed on the Buddleia and also a Red Admiral popped in too on the same plants, but was far more obliging. 

Despite the drizzle, my largest haul of Moths this year.

 Wednesday 17th June 2026.

My first European Corn-borer of the year.

Though it was a wet, drizzly dull start to the day here in Southsea, it most certainly brought the Moths into my garden with numbers just shy of 100 Moths. Thankfully, it was just a very light drizzle and so I could get cracking into checking what was present this morning. Yet again, there were more Moths added to my year list, which always put a smile on my face.

Pembroke Road was, not surprisingly, damp on my first shift and in the afternoon, the sun had arrived and I had to say, it was pleasantly nice; with a light south-westerly blowing down the road. But despite the improving weather, the number of species was average again.

My Moth Box:

My first Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing of the year.

As promised, the Moth numbers did increase and substantially too with a very nice haul of 98 moths of 39 species recorded; but I bet there were a few more lurking about which would have taken me over the 100 species. It was perfect weather for Moths overnight and along with the drizzle, I expect at 5.30am this morning, most of the Moths were reluctant to fly off. 

Above, the Beech Mast Piercer and below, a Mother of Pearl. Both were new for the year.

Another SIX more moth species were added to my year total and that included the micro moth with the horribly long name, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and also the micro moths, European Corn-borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), Mother of Pearl (Patania ruralis), Meal Moth (Pyralis farinalis), the gorgeous Olive-tree Pearl (Palpita vitrealis) and one I had to pot and then ID later when I had time, the tiny Beech Mast Piercer (Cydia fagiglandana); which I think is only the second I have ever seen.

This Olive-tree Pearl was one of the earliest I have ever recorded here in my garden. Predominantly, they normally start arriving around Autumn. 

Other notable moths included my second Cypress Carpet of the year (the first at Cowplain Marsh), 2 Clancy’s Rustics and my second Least Carpet (my first in the garden this year). An incredible FOURTEEN Dark Arches was counted! The moths recorded in my garden this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
White Ermine x3	European Corn-borer * x1
Lime-speck Pug x4	Mother of Pearl * x1
Double-striped Pug x1	Ruddy Streak x2
Common Pug x1	Blushed Knot-horn x6
Small Dusty Wave 1	Large Pale Masoner x1
Riband Wave x6	Diamondback Moth x1
Common Emerald x1	Meal Moth * x1
Silver Y x5	Box Tree Moth x3
Pale Mottled Willow x5	Garden Grey x1
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing * x1	Common Plume x2
Marbled Minor agg. x1	Bee Moth x2
Cypress Carpet x1	Olive-tree Pearl * x1
Dark Arches x14	Narrow-winged Grey x1
Heart & Dart x6	Beech Mast Piercer * x1
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1	Brown House Moth x1
Vine’s Rustic x4
Clancy’s Rustic x2
Lackey x2
Bloxworth Snout x1
Snout x1
L-album Wainscot x9
Bright-line Brown-eye x1
Least Carpet x1
Single-dot Wave x1

Oddly, despite all those Moths present, there was only one other insect within the Moth Box; a lone Lacewing!

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Again, just the usual birds were noted here in Pembroke Road today and nothing really out of the ordinary. The young Starlings were quite vocal today, following their parents into the trees or flying over both Governor’s Green or the Bowling Green. I watched one adult bird perch on the roof of the bungalow opposite, giving its alarm call and I can only assume it was not happy when a Carrion Crow got too close within the trees nearby. I watched one of the Crows dispatch a juvenile Starling last month on the Bowling Green and so can only conclude that this Crow was after the same?

More new Moths for the year & a heatwave on the way.

 Tuesday 16th June 2026.

It was another bright start to the morning and to be honest, most of the day although clouds rolled in on my second shift at Pembroke Road this afternoon. However, the temperatures started to climb as it hit around 20 degrees centigrade, though it was much warmer further north of the UK. There was a pleasant south westerly blowing down Pembroke Road this afternoon and even a bit of sunshine broke through. Yet another reasonable haul of Moths this morning, with a fair few ‘year-ticks’ this morning. Last night, I let the dogs out in the garden and one of the Pipistrelle Bats was flying up and down the garden.

My Moth Box:

I found this cracking Least Carpet while walking the dogs this morning.

The overcast conditions and mild temperatures helped my Moth total this morning to be much more respectable with 48 moths of 31 species recorded this morning. Another six more Moths were added to my year list this morning that included Dark Spectacle, Dun-bar, Lime-speck Pug, Small Ranunculus, Single-dotted Wave and Least Carpet. The only new micro moth for the year was a Bird-cherry Ermine. All these moths mentioned are annual to my garden, but some are scarcer than others.

Above, my first Dun-bar moth of the year and below, another first for the year, a Dark Spectacle moth.

The most numerous Moths were the Dark Arches with an incredible 11 recorded although there could be more around the garden hiding among the vegetation. Two Golden Twin-spots were present (rare moths to most people’s gardens) and the near lookalike, Silver Y was also near the Moth Box. The Bird-cherry Ermine moth was probably the first of many to arrive soon and if we are to get this heatwave over the weekend, I expect the Moth numbers to get into the three figure counts.

More new moths for the year included this Small Ranunculus (above) and Single-dotted Wave (below).

Above, a Bird-cherry Ermine and below, one of two Golden Twin-spot moths.

It was when I was walking my dogs early this morning, that I found a Least Carpet moth perched on the glass side of the Bus Stop opposite Highland Road Cemetery. The Moths recorded this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Silver Y x1	Garden Grass-veneer x3
Common Emerald x3	Red-barred Tortrix x1
Dark Spectacle * x1	Box Tree Moth x1
Dark Arches x11	Gold Triangle x1
Heart & Dart x1	Large Pale Masoner x1
Pale Mottled Willow x3	Garden Mompha x1
Riband Wave x5	Blushed Knot-horn x1
L-album Wainscot x4	Brown House Moth x1
Golden Twin-spot x2	Common Plume x1
White Ermine x3	Bird-cherry Ermine * x1
Setaceous Hebrew Character x1
Vine’s Rustic x1
Dun-bar * x1
Lime-speck Pug * x1
Small Ranunculus * x1
Lesser Yellow Underwing x1
Large Yellow Underwing x1
Lackey x1
Small Dusty Wave x1
Single-dotted Wave * x1
Least Carpet * x1

The only other insect within the Moth Box was the Hoverfly, Migrant Aphideater (Eupeodes corollae). While checking the Moth Box, I heard a noise on my neighbours shed roof and thought it was just another Cat, it was actually a dog Fox that simply stood there and stared at me. I don't know who was more surprised, the Fox or me! I only just managed a quick photo using my Mobile Phone camera before it headed off over the wall and out of sight.

A Fox surprised me this morning within my neighbours garden.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

The sunny conditions in the afternoon were replaced by some heavy clouds. There was even a brief shower late in the day.

From both shifts within Pembroke Road, there were a total of 13 bird species recorded today. The Swifts were present again, with sightings both this morning and this afternoon. With all the usual common birds seen, including the Pied Wagtail, it was pretty much the same as yesterday. Just the one butterfly seen here today, a Large White, which flew over the Bowling Green early this morning. 

In Hampshire today:

This Tree Pipit was seen at Broxhead Common where there was a healthy number of Silver-studded Blue butterflies on the wing. Photo by Andy Friend.

The adult Curlew Sandpiper was still on Farlington Marshes, though seen in the Stream area early this morning. There were two Osprey sightings today; one over Blashford Lakes and another over Fareham. I have yet to see one this year, but I am hoping for one this Autumn.