Another five more moth species for the year.

Wednesday 6th July 2022.

Sycamore moth. I probably could only count on one hand on how many I have had of this species in my garden, so I was pretty chuffed I had one this morning.

I suppose it is easy to forget that we have been through the longest day of the year as by 4.45am this morning, it was still relatively dark and it took to just after 5am for it to be light, despite a cloudless sky. The weather forecast is set to be dry still and warming up again as well with a heatwave predicted for next week. 

European Corn-borer. A species that has only recently colonised the Portsmouth area and once was a rare immigrant.

A good selection of moths this morning with plenty of both ‘macro and micro moths to search through including three more moths that were new for the year: Sycamore and four micros, Mother-of-Pearl, Red-barred Tortrix and the European Corn-borer among a total of 54 moths of 33 species. The local Sparrows could see me pack up my moth box and their determination to pick off a moth was proving difficult to keep them at bay when my back was turned. Yes, maybe a few get picked off, but most are in my pots which I release at night.

The tiny Red-barred Tortrix; an annual species in my garden.

The following moths were present this morning:

• 2 Dark Arches
• 1 Small Ranunculus
• 3 Cabbage Moth
• 3 Riband Wave
• 2 Common Emerald
• 1 Heart & Dart
• 2 Silver Y
• 2 White Ermine
• 2 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 1 Willow Beauty
• 2 Lime-speck Pug
• 2 Uncertain
• 3 Double-striped Pug
• 1 Sycamore (NFY)
• 1 Common Rustic
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow
• 3 Common Plume
• 1 Box-tree Moth
• 4 Tachystola acroxantha
• 1 Udea prunalis
• 1 European Corn-borer (NFY)
• 2 Bee Moth
• 1 Blastobasis lacticollela
• 2 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 2 Eudonia mercurella
• 1 Meal Moth
• 1 Eudonia lacustrata
• 1 Endotricha flammealis
• 1 Celypha striana
• 1 Ephestia woodiella
• 1 Mother-of-Pearl (NFY)
• 1 Red-barred Tortrix (NFY)
• 1 Bryotropha terrella

The Mother-of-Pearl; one of our largest micro moths.

Yesterday evening, a Hummingbird Hawk-moth was present in my garden, feeding on my Buddleia flowers, but though I grabbed my camera from indoors, the moths had disappeared. Even my new neighbours who have recently moved in, noticed the moth as well!. The only exciting bit of bird news comes from the Lazee’s again, with a report of a Night Heron on Waltham Brooks Nature Reserve in West Sussex and a possible seen to fly into reeds at Butts Lagoon, Pennington Marshes last night. The Glossy Ibis remain faithful to Farlington Marshes.

The Blastobasis vittata micro moth that was eventually identified this morning. 

Stop press: An odd micro turned up in the moth box this morning of which I was unsure and therefore posted a photo of it on the Hants Moths Facebook page. I have had a reply back from the Author of the site to say it looks good for the rare, localised micro moth Blastobasis vittata. Now, I have had this moth a few times in my moth box and was identified by the late, great John Langmaid and is a great testimony to the man who discovered it first in the UK. So, 55 moths of 34 species today! 

Above, I counted over 35+ Swifts over my house tonight while eating my dinner in the garden. At least one of the Swift nest boxes is being occupied and my guess, is that there are eggs within it. Hopefully, I shall have a photo of the youngsters later this month. Below, one of the female House Sparrows hoping to pick off a moth in my garden.