Moths are back in my garden.

Monday 16th May 2022.

One of four Brimstone Moths in my moth box this morning.

Last night, the south coast experienced a nice thunderstorm and though it put on a great light show, it wasn't till the early hours of the night that it went overhead. A deluge of rain resulted in my garden getting a good drenching (and about time too), but this didn't deter me in putting my moth box on for the first time in a few weeks. My garden is nearly completed, with just the painting of the fences to finish off and I hope to finish off this week. For those that are unfamiliar with my blog, summer is on its way and I have a real love for moths, hence the moth trap, so expect a lot of moth photos. 

One of two Common Marbled Carpet. 

I was up at 5am this morning, knowing full well that the local House Sparrows could devour my moths in no time and so I got dressed and got into the garden as soon as possible. There were 13 moths of 7 species present including a new for the year moth. These included the following:

• 4 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 2 Common Marbled Carpet
• 2 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 2 Tachystola acroxantha
• 1 Diamond-back Moth NFY 

Though nothing that unusual, the Diamond-back Moth would of been a migrant moth and hopefully, with a dry night, more moths are on their way. Overhead, I noticed at least 13 Swifts overhead, circling low over the rooftops while the local House Sparrows were busy searching for insects to feed the young under the eaves of my house.

Shuttle-shaped Dart.

Rusty-dot Pearl.

Eudonia angustea.

A visit to Portchester Crematorium revealed a few moths that included my first Light Emerald and Rusty-dot Pearl; the latter most likely also  to be a migrant moth. A few more Tachystola acroxantha were found by the South Chapel exit and best of all was my first Eudonia angustia. This afternoon, a visit over to The Oaks turned into a bit of an emergency. A large swarm of Honey Bees had gathered just by the flower bay, mostly congregating around a small tree behind the Flower Bay and after I heard that someone got stung, I put on my Health & Safety helmet and informed the staff that they should evacuate the remaining mourners from the Flower Bay before more got stung.

One of the Honey Bee's that took a liking to one of the benches in the Crematorium.

However, I did manage to check out the Book of Remembrance building for any moths and found another Light Emerald perched on one of the windows. The only birds of note seen here was a Chiffchaff flitting about some of the small trees including the one that the Bees were in! I might put my moth box on tonight although I do not want to get up at 5am every morning this week!

The Light Emerald moth at Portchester Crematorium this morning.