Migrant moths pouring in.

Friday 26th August 2022.

Some of the moths seen this morning within the moth box including from left to right: White-point, 2 Pearly Underwing, Angle Shades, Square-spot Rustic and Vines Rustic.

It was clear overnight and therefore, chances are that the moth numbers this morning were going to be low, however, quite the opposite. There was a heavy dew in the garden at 6am and therefore everything was damp and so I had to be careful with the egg trays not getting too damp. I was hoping for a bit of visible migration overhead regarding the birds, but all I got was a small flock of Starlings going overhead.

Above, a late Small Blood-vein moth was a nice surprise this morning. Below, two of the 11 Square-spot Rustics.

Another good showing and variety of moths today with at least 118 moths of 32 species. Another 3 very small micros, of which I have potted, still need to be ID’d yet. It is most certainly starting to look very Autumnal in the moth box now with migrant moths including 2 Pearly Underwing, White-point, Silver Y, Rush Veneer, Rusty-dot Pearl and even an Angle Shades being a probable migrant moth. Even the Square-spot Rustics have increased to 11 this morning, while Vines Rustic and Pale Mottled Willow easily outnumber all the other species. A Small Blood-vein was probably the most unexpected moth today.

Such an attractive micro, Carcina quercana.

The following moths were present this morning:

• 2 Pearly Underwing
• 3 L-album Wainscot
• 1 Cabbage Moth
• 11 Square-spot Rustic
• 5 Willow Beauty
• 1 Bright-line Bright-eye
• 21 Vines Rustic
• 16 Pale Mottled Willow
• 1 Small Blood-vein
• 1 Angle Shades
• 4 Setaceous Hebrew Character
• 1 White-point
• 1 Double-striped Pug
• 5 Lime-speck Pug
• 4 Silver Y
• 2 Brimstone Moth
• 4 Garden Tiger    
• 1 shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Garden Carpet
• 2 Garden Pebble
• 11 Common Plume
• 2 Agriphila geniculea
• 1 White-shouldered House Moth
• 2 Celypha striana
• 5 Apple Leaf Miner
• 1 Rush Veneer
• 2 Rusty-dot Pearl
• 1 Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner
• 3 Tachystola acroxantha
• 1 Mother of Pearl
• 1 Ephestia woodiella
• 1 Carcina quercana

Interesting news yesterday came from one of the ‘Lazee Birders’ who found a Wryneck at Hook Links between the Meander Pools and the burnt Gorse area, but it did elude a lot of other people that came to view the bird. Two Spoonbills and 3 Glossy Ibis were also there.  The Osprey was seen fishing within Langstone Harbour again and a Roseate Tern and 14 Black Terns were counted at low tide off Hill Head late this afternoon.  At Blashford Lakes, a trio of Sandpipers species were present including 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper (not seen one yet this year) and up to 5 Common Sandpipers.