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.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth in the back garden.

 Monday 15th June 2026.

The Hummingbird Hawk-moth that showed very well at the back of my garden.

At last, a lovely Monday morning with bright sunshine with temperatures around 20 degrees. There is talk of another heatwave on its way towards the end of the week, but we can expect the odd shower this week like we did this morning, just after taking the dogs for a walk. After last week's grim weather, I was talking to the guys about the lack of Swifts over Southsea, but they seemed to come back all of a sudden. While walking the dogs this morning, I did notice several birds going into nestholes further up my road, though none using the nestboxes I had put up. Apart from two of the boxes being used by my house, I am a little disappointed that none of the others are being used. Fussy buggers!

I didn't have the Moth Box on overnight as I fancied an actual lay in (getting up at 4.45am most mornings eventually takes its toll on you!), but I was rewarded today with a superb Hummingbird Hawk-moth on the flowering Buddleia at lunch time while I sat outside with my lunch and my scrounging dogs! On the negative side, the windy conditions this morning blew my Moth Box over and smashed some of the rainguard of which I have temporarily mended (Good old Gorilla tape!)

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

My view from the Office window!

As mentioned, it was much more pleasant on my first shift here in Pembroke Road this morning. A good count of 14 bird species were recorded here this morning and that included at least four Swifts! They obviously went somewhere warm with plenty of aerial insects (Greece, Southern Spain perhaps?) and eventually returned to good old Pompey!

A Four-spotted Ladybird on one of the Bushes.

Three species of Gull were seen again: Herring, Black-headed and Great Black-backed Gulls, but, to be honest, it was all the usual birds that were seen. The Blue Tit family seemed to have fledged (I heard the youngsters last Friday within the nearby trees), but no sight or sound of them today, though I did hear both Blue and Great Tit calling. A lot of calling juvenile Starlings were heard behind the Bowling Green that involved at least 8 birds as far as I could see.

Above, another photo of the Hummingbird Hawk-moth seen around midday. Below, my stand of Buddleia growing at the back of my garden. I am really pleased that it has grown back to its former glory. 

The warm weather certainly brought out the butterflies with Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Large White and Small White were all seen well, but I was really chuffed to see a large Dragonfly flying low over the road. Judging by the size and shape of it and the way it flew, I can only assume it was one of the Hawkers and most likely a Southern Hawker; but the Dragonfly would not settle and soon flew off towards the Holm Oaks.

Above and bottom, a Red Admiral enjoyed my Buddleia late this afternoon.

After my second shift, the sun was shining still and also pleasantly warm and so I quickly checked out the flowering Buddleia at the back of my garden. No sign of the midday Hummingbird Hawk-moth, but a Red Admiral was nectaring on one of the Buddleia flower heads and several Holly Blue’s fluttered around the back of the garden also.

In Hampshire today:

The only bird of note today was a Curlew Sandpiper in full summer plumage at the back of the lake on Farlington Marshes.

A real masterpiece. Keep an eye out for the tour!

Another early start for the Moths.

 Sunday 14th June 2026.

My first Plumed Fan-foot Moth of the year.

The nice weather carried on into today and I was up and at the garden at bang on 5am this morning. It seems the ‘body clock’ will not shut down for when those first rays of light come beaming through the crack in the curtain, I simply have to get up. A cup of coffee later and I am counting and recording another morning's worth of lovely Moths!

After chatting to my mates about the lack of Swifts over the house and in fact, Southsea in general, I was amazed to see a flock of 9 birds screaming low over my house yesterday evening and there were plenty more Swifts around early this morning, circling high over the house and calling to one another. Obviously, the week's poor weather had them searching for food many miles away and probably only coming back here to service their partners at their nesting sites.

My Moth Box:

Such an attractive Moth, the Gold Triangle.

This morning produced the second highest total of Moths for the week with a total of 59 moths of 35 species. There were good numbers of both macro and micro Moths of which there were four more species that were new for the year. This included the rare Plumed Fan-foot (a species that only recently have become annual to my garden) and the micro moths Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana), Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis) and Common Masoner (Blastobasis adustella).

Above, my second Broad-barred White was a pleasant surprise this morning. Below, my first Marbled Orchard Tortrix.

Other notable Moths this morning included my second Lychnis of the year; a Clancy’s Rustic (second for the year) and my second, but first for the garden this year, a Broad-barred White. A Small Magpie Moth was my first for the garden, but my second for the year after seeing one at Cowplain Marsh. 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Plumed Fan-foot * x1	Beautiful Plume x1
Large Yellow Underwing x3	Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Willow Beauty x2	Garden Grass-veneer x1
White Ermine x3	Marbled Orchard Tortrix * x1
Pale Mottled Willow x4	Common Plume x1
Lychnis x1	Blushed Knot-horn x2
Heart & Dart x3	Large Pale Masoner x3
Riband Wave x6	Small Magpie Moth x1
Clancy’s Rustic x1	Ash-bark Knot-horn x1
L-album Wainscot x1	Pale-backed Detritus Moth x1
Dark Arches x4	Ruddy Streak x3
Double-striped Pug x1	Garden Mompha x1
Broad-barred White x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x1
Common Emerald x1	Barred Marble x2
Garden Carpet x1	Gold Triangle * x1
Green Pug x1	Common Masoner * x1
Lackey x1	Bramble-shoot Moth x1
	Box Tree Moth x1

Other insects attracted to the Moth Box included a Lacewing, a Common Banded Hoverfly (Syrphus ribesii) and another Hoverfly species, a Migrant aphideater (Eupeodes corollae).