Yet more moths new for the year.

Saturday 16th July 2022.

A cracking Least Carpet was just inside the moth box this morning adding to my year list. An annual species, but only about one a year, so pleased with this individual.  

A cool start to the day with a bit of a breeze blowing too, though I know it's going to be another scorcher today. I have got a busy day ahead of me preparing for my wife’s Birthday BBQ and the patio needs a good scrub already, but first things first - the moth box! The local cats making a din nearby got a friendly water gun treatment and quickly scarpered; possibly the same Common Wasp from yesterday was giving me a bad time and so quickly got swatted (it survived and flew off) and the local House Sparrows soon came down to grab a moth or two, but not while I was still there!

Above, one of two Dark Spectacle moths this morning. One was in the moth box and the other on the white sheet outside. Again, an annual species to my garden.  Below, an early Square-spot Rustic was a surprise and even laid some eggs in one of my pots!

 

Again, nowhere near the number of moths that I got earlier in the week, but with Sunday, Monday and possibly Tuesdays temperatures climbing into the  90’s plus, that could change? There were 92 moths of 37 species recorded this morning including another four new species for the year. Two Dark Spectacle’s were a good find and the delicate Least Carpet were both annual to my garden, but good additions to my year total. The very small micromoth Borkhausenia fuscescens identification was clinched using the Obsidentify App, which was most useful.  No Beetles in the moth box this morning, but there were two Harlequin Ladybirds and several Lacewings as per usual.

Above, the tiny micro moth, Borkhausenia fuscescens and below, one of the immigrant moths, Rusty-dot Pearl. These are regular about this time of year and I wonder if we will get an invasion of this species due to the forthcoming high temperatures?

The moths present this morning include the folllowing:

• 2 Dark Spectacle (NFY)
• 1 Least Carpet (NFY)
• 2 Willow Beauty
• 2 Buff Ermine
• 2 White Ermine
• 4 Riband Wave
• 1 Garden Carpet
• 3 Lime-speck Pug
• 2 Double-striped Pug
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow
• 4 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 4 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Cabbage Moth
• 1 Common Footman
• 1 Dark Arches
• 1 Square-spot Rustic (NFY)
• 2 Borkjausenia fuscescens (NFY)
• 2 Eudonia mercurella
• 7 Endotricha flammealis
• 1 Bee Moth
• 1 Swammerdamia pyrella
• 1 Blastobasis lacticolella
• 3 Blastobasis adustella
• 2 Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner
• 8 Apple Leaf Miner
• 1 Oegoconia quadripuncta
• 11 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Chrysoteuchia culmella
• 1 Udea fulvalis
• 9 Common Plume
• 2 Brown House Moth
• 3 Tachystola acroxantha
• 1 Mother-of-Pearl
• 1 White-shouldered House Moth
• 1 Rusty-dot Pearl
• 1 Rush Veneer
• 1 Bird-cherry Ermine

As mentioned before, I have a busy day ahead of me and so no birding with Andy this morning, but I shall keep an eye out in the garden for anything of note. The Lesser Yellowlegs were still present yesterday for its third day at Normandy Marshes, Lymington and Sandpipers are on the move it seems, with Common, Green and Wood Sandpipers all reported lately at various sites in Hampshire. The big rarities in the UK currently are the long staying Red-tailed Shrike and Black-browed Albatross at Bempton Cliffs and not too far away at Stanpit Marshes in Dorset, a superb Caspian Tern is gracing the harbour there; one of many in the UK at present. I wonder what else this hot weather will bring into the UK?  

Much quieter today, but plenty to look at.

Friday 15th July 2022.

Dwarf Cream Wave. This was my third in my garden this year.

There were much fewer moths than the past few days today, which was somewhat disappointing and no new moths for the year either, but hey, some are better than none. However, there was a Common Wasp giving the Sparrows a run for their money as I saw an individual literally attack a Riband Wave, bite off its wings and then went off with the remains! Then it came back again, but was met with a huge swat from my hand and not seen subsequently! 

Above, a Hornet-mimic Hoverfly was resting on top of my moth box early this morning. Below, a Strawberry Seed Beetle (Harpalus rufipes) within the moth box was disturbing the moths, till I potted it and placed it in one of my plants.

Also, a Hornet-mimic Hoverfly was resting on top of my moth box and though harmless to moths, I think, I eventually potted it and put it safely in one of our hanging baskets! At least 80 moths of 39 species were recorded this morning with a few more to be identified later. Also present was a Harlequin Ladybird, about a dozen Lacewing and a Strawberry Seed Beetle that was upsetting all the moths at the bottom of the moth box!

Yet another Small Ranunculus turned up this morning.

The following moths were present this morning:

• 6 Riband Wave
• 1 Buff Ermine
• 1 Dwarf Cream Wave
• 1 Heart & Dart
• 1 Grey Dagger
• 2 Garden Carpet
• 2 Lime-speck Pug
• 2 Common Pug
• 1 Small Ranunculus
• 1 White Ermine
• 1 Brimstone Moth
• 6 Double-striped Pug
• 3 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 1 Dark Arches
• 1 Box-tree Moth
• 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
• 1 Marbled Beauty
• 1 Small Dusty Wave
• 3 Eudonia mercurella
• 3 Blastobasis adustella
• 11 Common Plume
• 1 Swammerdamia pyrella
• 2 Tachystola acroxantha
• 4 Bird-cherry Ermine
• 1 Blastobasis lacitolella
• 1 Blastobasis rebeli
• 10 Apple Leaf Miner
• 1 Brown House Moth
• 1 Endotricha flammealis
• 1 Gold Triangle
• 3 Anania coronata
• 1 Cochylis atricapata
• 2 Agriphila straminella
• 1 European Corn-borer
• 1 Oegoconia quadripuncta
• 7 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Celypha striana
• 1 Red-barred Tortrix
• 1 Ethmia dodecia

Less Moths, but plenty of quality.

Thursday 14th July 2022.

My first Green Silver-lines for the garden. A real stunner of a moth.

Another hot day coming up and yet again, it was up at 5am (getting later, but the Sparrows are not attacking my moth box at this time of the morning, phew!) to check on the moth box. A clear but mild start to the morning and slightly less moths than yesterday but still some cracking moths for me to check out. Even that new App, Obsidentify is coming up trumps with a few difficult moths to ID, which is always a bonus.

Above, my first Oak Hook-tip of the year. Below, my second Green Marbled for the year.

There was another good total of 134 moths of 56 species of which two-thirds were roughly micro moths! My first Green Silver-lines (first for the garden) and an Oak Hook-tip was a good reward for getting up so early and a Rosy Minor was a nice addition to the year list. I have added the Ermine micro moth Yponomeuta irrorella to my year's total seeing I am getting some of these species that look identical to one that got accepted yesterday on Hants Moths, which would possibly constitute a new species for my life list.   

Above, a Rosy Minor was added to my year list. Below, a putative Yponomeuta irrorella.

Two more new for the year also involved micro moths: the small Plum Fruit Moth and also the tiny Caloptilia rufipennella, which the latter was quite difficult to photograph. Again, a cracking selection of moths to go through and it wasn't till well after 6am that the Sparrows came down to see what was left. I keep a lot of the moths in pots and release them when it gets dark later in the evening. 

Above, the tiny Caloptilia rufipennilia and below, the Plum Fruit Moth.

This mornings moths included the following:

• 1 Green Silver-lines (NFY)
• 1 Oak Hook-tip (NFY)
• 9 Lime-speck Pug
• 2 Common Pug
• 3 Double-striped Pug
• 2 Willow Beauty
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow
• 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
• 1 Marbled Beauty
• 1 Green Beauty
• 8 Riband Wave
• 4 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 1 Grey Dagger
• 3 Garden Carpet
• 2 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Buff-tip
• 1 Rosy Minor (NFY)
• 1 Common Rustic
• 1 Cloaked Minor
• 2 Lackey
• 2 Common Footman
• 5 Endrotricha flammealis
• 1 White-shouldered House Moth
• 3 Meal Moth
• 7 Bird-cherry Ermine
• 1 Yponomeuta irrorella (NFY)
• 14 Common Plume
• 1 Beautiful Plume
• 5 Blastobasis adustella
• 3 Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner
• 10 Apple Leaf Miner 
• 1 Bud Moth
• 2 Blastobasis ribelli
• 1 Red-barred Tortrix
• 1 Rush Veneer
• 1 Crassa unitella
• 5 Tachystola acroxantha
• 1 Diamond-back Moth
• 2 Eudonia mercurella
• 1 Rusty-dot Pearl
• 2 Agriphila straminella
• 1 European Corn-borer
• 2 Anania coronata
• 1 Metalampra italica
• 1 Brown House Moth
• 2 Oegoconia quadripuncta
• 2 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Crambus pascuella
• 1 Caloptilia rufipennelia (NFY)
• 1 Batia lunaris
• 1 Chrysoteuchia culmella
• 2 Swammerdamia pyrella
• 1 Mother-of-Pearl
• 1 Pyrausta aurata
• 1 Plum Fruit Moth (NFY)
• 1 Celypha striana

European Corn-borer. 

I do have some good news regarding our local Swifts. One of our boxes contains at least two youngsters as I can hear them when I am stood underneath the box and last night, the adult flew out of the box. Happy days. Interesting news came from Normandy Marshes, Lymington, yesterday when one of the local birders found an adult Lesser Yellowlegs in one of the pools. However, despite numerous birders and photographs, it was then put out as a Greater Yellowlegs! But this was soon dismissed as a mistake and rightfully put out as a Lesser Yellowlegs. I, personally, have seen both the photos and video of the bird and having seen quite a few of this species over the years and Greater Yellowlegs, I could tell straight away it was a Lesser! Still, a superb ‘year-tick’ nonetheless; just a shame it is so far away. 

The adult Lesser Yellowlegs (left) with a Redshank (the size clearly gives its identity away!) at Normandy Marshes yesterday. Photo by Andy Tew.

Above, one of the occupied Swift nestboxes containing at least two youngsters. I think this is an adult brooding its young. Below, one of the many Swifts sailing overhead here in Southsea.

Above, this female Blackbird is always on the hunt for food for its ever hungry youngsters hiding in the nearby vegetation. Below, this juvenile Starling is looking to go into its Autumn moult judging by the feathering on the wings and body.

An incredible haul of moths from overnight.

Wednesday 13th July 2022.

Probably the star of the show, a Pine Hawk-moth and my 5th Hawk-moth species in the garden this year.

As expected, it was a balmy and uncomfortably overnight where a restless sleep had me awake around 4.30am and then straight down to the moth box. There was a lovely pink sunrise this morning with some overhead clouds turning into that Herringbone effect by 5am, but I was going to have my work cut out as there seemed to be a lot of moths present this morning, especially on the white sheet!

Above, the gorgeous early dawn sky and below, a new moth species for me, Anarsia innoxiella.

There were a staggering 196 moths this morning of 59 species this morning! Phew! This took me over an hour to tally up and by a long way, the highest number of moths in a single morning to date this year. Incredible. A superb Pine Hawk-moth (my 5th Hawk-moth species for the year in the garden) was the icing on the cake and was discovered right at the bottom of my moth box too as I quickly took a few photos and placed it gently in one of my hanging baskets.

Above, a variety of moths on the sheet behind the box. This included Lime-speck Pug, Brimstone Moth, July Highflyer and Silver Y. Good numbers of Lacewing were present this morning too. Below, the immigrant micro moth, Ethmia dodecea.

As well as the Pine Hawk-moth, other new for the year included Dingy Footman, Marbled Beauty, Marbled Green and the micro moths, Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner, Cosmopterix pulchrimella, Rush Veneer, Gypsonoma aceriana, Agriphila straminella, Ethmia dodecia, Batia lunaris and Cochylis atricapitana. The most numerous were Riband Wave and Lime-speck Pug and there were at least 15+ Bird-cherry Ermine counted, but I am sure there were quite a few more. At least around ten moths flew off before I had a chance to see them properly, which would push the number of moths to well over 200+. Apparently, the daily temperature is going to get hotter, peaking around Sunday / Monday and could get into the high 30’s!

Above, my first Dingy Footman of the year and below, my second Small Fan-footed Wave of the year and my first in the garden this year. 

I did put a few moths on the Hants Facebook page hoping to get an ID and already one has come back as the micro moth, Anarsia innoxiella, which is not only new for the year, but also a new moth for me personally.   

Above, two Rush Veneers were present this morning, a common immigrant moth to the UK, but my first of the year.  Below, the micro moth, Cochylis atricapitana, which was only my second of this species to be seen in my garden. 

The following moths were present this morning:

• 1 Pine Hawk-moth (NFY)
• 30 Riband Wave
• 1 Swallow-tailed Moth
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 1 Common Emerald
• 17 Lime-speck Pug
• 1 Common Pug
• 5 Grey Dagger
• 3 Common Footman
• 5 Garden Carpet
• 1 Common Carpet
• 1 Maiden’s Blush
• 3 Willow Beauty
• 1 Small Fan-footed Wave 
• 1 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Silver Y
• 1 July Highflyer
• 1 Green Pug
• 1 Dingy Footman (NFY)
• 6 Pale Mottled Willow
• 7 Double-striped Pug
• 1 Heart & Dart
• 1 Uncertain
• 3 Common Pug
• 1 Marbled Green (NFY)
• 1 Lackey
• 1 Marbled Beauty (NFY)
• 1 Large Yellow Underwing
• 15 Cherry-tree Ermine
• 8 Common Plume
• 3 Udea fulvalis
• 2 Blastobasis adustella
• 16 Apple Leaf Miner
• 3 Tachystola acroxantha
• 1 Crassa unitella
• 7 Anania coronata
• 4 Ephestia woodiella
• 8 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 3 Pyrausta aurata
• 1 Mother-of-Pearl
• 2 Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner (NFY)
• 2 Cosmopterix pulchrimella  (NFY)
• 1 Oegoconia quadripuncta
• 2 Chrysoteuchia culmella
• 1 Beautiful Plume
• 1 Meal Moth
• 2 Rush Veneer (NFY)
• 2 Agriphila straminella (NFY)
• 1 Bud Moth
• 1 Swammerdamia pyrella
• 1 Eudonia mercurella
• 1 Celypha striana
• 1 Ethmia dodecea (NFY)
• 1 Gypsonoma aceriana (NFY)
• 1 Blastobasis vittata
• 1 Batia lunaris (NFY)
• 1 Codling Moth
• 1 Cochylis atricapitana (NFY)
• 1 Anarsia innoxiella (NFY & lifer)
• 1 Calamotropha paludella (NFY & lifer)

I discovered a recommended App that is superb in identifying wildlife that included moths, called Obsidentify. I thought I would give it a try, testing it out on one of the micro moths that I struggled to ID this morning and it came up trumps with this moth (above) as Calamotropha paludella. This could be interesting! 

Another seven moths new for the year.

Tuesday 12th July 2022.

My first Tiger moth of the year, a gorgeous Ruby Tiger.

As temperatures are set to climb into the 80’s or more over the coming days, I would expect the moth numbers to increase and again this morning, there was a reasonable number in and around the moth box including at least four more new for the year. There was a cracking moon last night rising low over the rooftops and with the Swifts bombing and screaming about at dusk, I only wish I had the technology to take some half decent photos of them.

Above, the micro moth Cochylis molliculana and below,  the attractive Acleris forsskaleana; both new for the year.

A healthy 102+ moths this morning of 39 species today with another six species that were new for the year. This included the 'macro' moths, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Ruby Tiger and Cloaked Minor. There were an impressive number of micro moths this morning with Crassa unitella, Acleris forsskaleana and Cochylis molliculana also added to my impressive year total.  

Above, the Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and below, the Cloaked Minor. 

Most numerous this morning were the Riband Waves of various guises, 9 Lime-speck Pug, 10 Bird-cherry Ermine (I have generalised this species as just one species for the Yponomeutidae family are very difficult to ID in the field and though some could be Orchard, Spindle or Apple Ermines, they are easily confused and so Bird-cherry Ermine would be a safe bet). Six each of Endotricha flamealis and the tiny Apple Leaf Miner was also a good number.

The micro moth, Crassa unitella; a moth that is regular in my garden for this time of year.

The following moths were present this morning:

• 1 Ruby Tiger (NFY)
• 12 Riband Wave
• 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (NFY)
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 2 Garden Carpet
• 3 Pale Mottled Willow
• 1 Buff Ermine
• 7 Willow Beauty
• 1 Cloaked Minor (NFY)
• 1 Lackey
• 1 White Ermine
• 9 Lime-speck Pug
• 3 Common Emerald   
• 1 Double-striped Pug
• 1 Uncertain
• 1 Common Footman
• 1 Common Pug
• 1 Meal Moth
• 5 Common Plume
• 1 Eudonia mercurella
• 2 Chrysoteuchia culmella
• 6 Endotricha flammealis
• 3 Oegoconia quadripuncta
• 1 Crassa unitella (NFY)
• 1 Celypha striana
• 10 Bird-cherry Ermine
• 1 Blastobasis vittata
• 4 Tachystola acroxantha 
• 6 Apple Leaf Miner
• 1 Codling Moth
• 1 Hawthorn Moth
• 2 Ephestia woodiella
• 1 Blastobasis adustella
• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 2 Udea fulvalis
• 1 Metalampra italica
• 1 Acleris forsskaleana (NFY)
• 1 Beautiful Plume
• 1 Cochylis molliculana (NFY)

Above, Flying Ants came out en force over Southsea including this individual which was quickly snapped up by one of the Sparrows. Below, the Dwarf Cream Wave was an additional to this mornings total.

This afternoon, I spent an hour or so with Isabelle and her mum in the back garden and while Isabelle was enjoying herself in the paddling pool, I was keeping an eye out for anything of note I could add to my blog. A few of this morning's moths were spared by the local Sparrows and that included a Dwarf Cream Wave that Sinead found and pointed out to me to identify. A few butterflies flew over the garden including a Large White, Comma and a Holly Blue, but none settled. The Flying Ants were out and about due to this afternoon's very humid and hot weather and many settled in the garden only to be gobbled up by the appreciative Sparrows! Several species of Gull, including Mediterranean and Great Black-backed Gulls, were soaring high overhead, also enjoying the feast of Flying Ants as well as good numbers of Swifts. A surprise Hornet-mimic Hoverfly graced our garden this afternoon when it landed on one of our small tables briefly and then flew off south. 

Above, my Moth Box was up and running last night and below, some photos of last night's rising moon.

It looks like another very humid night tonight with temperatures in the mid-sixties, but I shall have the moth box on again tonight. Currently, I have seen 158 species of moth for 2022 so far, which includes 101 'macro' species and 57 'micro' species. And it's only July! There was a spectacular moon rising last night and so I added some photos to my blog.

Cowplain Marsh moths & a Quail 'twitch'.

Saturday 9th July 2022.

Our view of the Wheat field in Bishops Waltham.

Our quest today was for the Quail that was reported yesterday at Bishops Waltham and so knowing full well it was going to be a hot one, I donned shorts and a polo shirt, which it turned out I was a little under-dressed! More on that later. Firstly, Andy was suffering from his usual Friday night hangover as I put the kettle on in his kettle and made my way to the moth box by his back door. I knew that if I got over 100 moths this morning, he is bound to have something decent to look at today.

Above, my first Scalloped Oak moth of the year, which was by the back door. Below, a good moth added to my year list, the Small Fan-foot moth. This moth was quite flighty within the pot, so I had to take a photo of it within the pot for the record. 

In fact, not a bad selection including a few new ones for the year that included Scalloped Oak, Small Fan-foot and the micro moths Euzophera pinguis, which is a quite distinctive and striking moth which I see most years and the smaller Ancylis achatana. A large Garden Spider has taken up residence in the same area as the moth box and a Swallow-tailed Moth took a liking to be near its web, but safe for now. However, one of the same species looked to be not so fortunate having got ‘chomped’ last night by the look of it! 

The striking micro moth, Euzophera pinguis.

The following moths were present at Cowplain Marsh (Andy’s garden):

• 3 Riband Wave
• 2 Box-tree Moth
• 3 Willow Beauty
• 3 Swallow-tailed Moth
• 1 Scalloped Oak (NFY)
• 1 Garden Carpet
• 1 Common Footman
• 1 Uncertain
• 1 Small Fan-foot (NFY)
• 2 Double-striped Pug
• 1 Nut-tree Tussock
• 1 Brown House Moth
• 1 Eudonia mercurella
• 1 Eudonia lacustrata
• 3 Chrysoteuchia culmella
• 1 Common Plume
• 1 Anania coronata
• 1 Tachystola acroxantha
• 1 Endotricha flammeas
• 1 Crambus pascuella
• 1 Euzophera pinguis (NFY)
• 1 Ancylis achatana (NFY)

After getting the directions to the actual site on Birdguides, it took as through to Corhampton and then onto the countryside of Bishops Waltham where we eventually parked up by a five bar gate, climbed over and then walked across a bit of a meadow which we assumed was the Portsmouth Water Reservoir? It looked like an underground bunker covered with grass, but it did support a lot of wild flowers and insects that kept me entertained while waiting for the Quail to begin singing again. It was virtually as soon as we got there, looking north over a large expansive Wheat field, that we heard just one quick burst of song from the Quail and that was it. We waited at least 90 minutes for the bird to call again, but not another note from the bird. We both agreed that we would not add it to our year list, but I would have done if it had called again, but that didn't happen and therefore the opportunity of adding Quail to our year list went begging.

Above, a Common Buzzard drifted low over the fields in front of us and was joined by a second bird. Below, good numbers of Marbled Whites were present including this individual feeding on Greater Knapweed.

As I wrote earlier, it was cloudy and very windy on arrival and mocking Andy earlier about his attire kind of backfired. The sun did come out finally, but that was about 15 minutes before we left (I had family plans later in the day). During the time we were there, both Kestrel and two Common Buzzards put in an appearance and both Linnet and Goldfinch were also noted on the rough ground between the hedgerow in front of us and the Wheat field. A Common Whitethroat was also seen briefly as I was walking around the small area checking out the butterflies that included Marbled White, Meadow Brown and singles of Peacock and Dark Green Fritillary. There were a lot of small grasshoppers jumping up as I walked around the area, which I think were Meadow Grasshoppers. There was even an Emperor Dragonfly patrolling a hedgerow, going up and down at an incredible speed.  

Above, a Peacock butterfly sunning itself on one of the metal bunkers. Below, the stunning Pyramidal Orchids were dotted around.

Wildflowers were abundant here including the lovely blue Field Scabious, Ragwort (one stem had a Cinnabar Moth caterpillar climbing it), Agrimony, both Birds-foot Trefoil and Lesser Birds-foot Trefoil and several spikes of Pyramidal Orchid. Sometimes, though we don't get to see all that we go for, there is always something interesting to look at, no matter where you are and if you take your time and just watch, you can see so much more, which adds to a trip well spent. 

Above, a Soldier Beetle enjoying nectaring on Cow Parsley. Below, Ragwort growing among the plants & grasses. 

Andy carefully negotiating this gate on the way back to the car. Great entertainment!