Three more moths added to year list.

Saturday 2nd July 2022.

My first Small Ranunculus moth of the year, a species I get on an annual basis in my garden, though this one was a little tricky to ID at first. I think the yellow flecks helped me to narrow it down to this species. 

So it's goodbye to June and hello July as another month beckons. Back to the moths first thing this morning where a clear and cool start to the day with temperatures around the 12 degree mark, but it's dry as I enter the garden at 4.30am to the sound of ‘chirruping House Sparrows in the trees and ‘mewing’ Herring Gulls overhead. I was still a bit bleary eyed due to going to bed late last night after going to the Cinema to watch the latest Tom Cruise film, Top Gun Maverick, which my wife and Russ and I enjoyed.

Always a pleasure in seeing the lovely marked Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing.

June produced a good total of 86 species that included 57 ‘macro’ species of moth and 29 ‘micro’ moths, with Large Tabby and Marbled Coronet added to my ‘Moth Life List’. Eventually, I might have time to have a tally up on exactly what that is!

Another first for the year, a Garden Rose Tortrix. Again, a few turn up every year in my garden.

This morning, there were a few new for the year including a Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Small Ranunculus and the micro moth, Garden Rose Tortrix Just to add to the flavour, there was also my second Privet Hawk-moth of the year.

Though a little worn, this Privet Hawk-moth was my second of the year.

The following moths were present:

• 1 Privet Hawk-moth
• 1 Swallow-tailed Moth
• 2 Riband Wave
• 1 L-album Wainscot
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 1 Willow Beauty
• 1 Small Ranunculus (NFY)
• 1 Buff-tip
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow
• 1 Buff Ermine
• 1 White Ermine   
• 1 Box-tree Moth
• 1 Varied Coronet
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (NFY)
• 1 Double-striped Pug
• 2 Chrysoteuchia culmella
• 1 Endotricha  flammealis
• 2 Common Plume
• 3 Tachystola acroxantha
• 4 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Brown House Moth
• 1 Blastobasis lacticolella
• 1 Garden Rose Tortrix (NFY) 
• 1 Bee Moth