Another three new moths for the year.

Wednesday 20th July 2022.

Blair's Mocha is an annual moth to my garden, though in very small numbers.

The UK witnessed its hottest day ever recorded with temperatures around 40 degrees Centigrade (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and we can be in no doubt (unless your Trump of course!) that Global Warming is really taking hold. Yes, it is freakish weather but it is now getting more common as the years go on. As I said to my wife, I really worry what my granddaughter will have to put up with when she is our age?

Turnip Moth finally turned up. I am expecting quite a few more of these later in the year.

However, despite the intense heat yesterday, this morning's moth numbers (yes, one extreme to another) was somewhat disappointing although there was quite a variety again. There were 132 moths of 52 species, which wasn't too bad with three new moths for the year; Blair’s Mocha, Turnip Moth and a Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing. 17 Common Plume and 11 Apple Leaf Miner were the most numerous by far.

My first Langmaid's Yellow Underwing of the year. I checked the hindwing etc and there was no doubt about its identity. 

Temperatures are set to drop a little today as Becky and I will be getting ready for our holiday to Turkey tomorrow. I cannot wait!

This mornings moths including the following:

• 1 Blair’s Mocha (NFY)
• 5 Willow Beauty
• 3 Lime-speck Pug
• 8 Double-striped Pug
• 3 Cloaked Minor
• 4 Buff Ermine
• 1 White Ermine
• 5 Riband Wave
• 4 Pale Mottled Willow
• 2 Common Footman
• 1 Dark Spectacle
• 1 Uncertain
• 7 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 1 L-album Wainscott
• 1 Common Wainscot
• 1 Brown-veined Wainscot
• 1 Common Carpet
• 1 Garden Carpet
• 1 Common Rustic
• 1 Langmaids Yellow Underwing (NFY)
• 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 
• 3 Grey Dagger
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Blood-vein
• 1 Knot Grass
• 1 Turnip Moth (NFY)
• 2 Common Rustic
• 3 Cabbage Moth
• 1 Dark Arches
• 17 Common Plume
• 1 Beautiful Plume 
• 7 Blastobasis adustella
• 1 Blastobasis vittata
• 1 Blastobasis rebeli
• 1 Blastobasis lacticolella
• 2 Borkhausenia fuscescens
• 1 Rusty-dot Pearl
• 11 Apple Leaf Miner
• 3 Bird-cherry Ermine
• 3 Oegoconia quadripuncta
• 8 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Clepsis consimilana
• 1 Brown House Moth
• 2 Tachystola acroxantha
• 2 Bud Moth
• 1 Garden Pebble
• 1 Euzophera pinguis
• 1 Monopsis crocicapitella
• 1 Caloptilia betulicola
• 1 Diamond-back Moth
• 1 Eudonia mercurella

Another 'Lifer' moth among so many.

Tuesday 19th July 2022.

My first ever Brown-veined Wainscot was present within my moth box this morning. Thank you to Ian Thirlwell for the ID.

Today promises to be the hottest day of the year with UK temperatures in some parts of the country to be around 41 degrees Centigrade (106 degrees Fahrenheit), though a tad cooler here on the south coast (I hope!). Last night, it was around 70 degrees, but I was well prepared with a fan in the room and so got a nice sleep. I awoke literally a few minutes before 5am and quickly turned the alarm off and made my way downstairs to check on the moth box yet again. 

Above, my first White-spotted Pug for many a year this morning. Below, my first Clay moth of the year.

There was yet another good turn out of moths including 3 Hawk-moths (2 Pine Hawk-moth and an Elephant Hawk-moth and an abundance of Lacewing, with literally at least 60+ of the dainty little insect. A massive total of 175 moths of 67 species were recorded including a superb Brown-veined Wainscot which was a new moth for my life list. This is another wetland specialist and obviously off on a wander due to the very balmy conditions overnight. 

Above, my first Small Blood-vein of the year and below, a pristine Blood-vein moth joined by some of the many Lacewings. 

There was also a lot of new moths for the year including Tree-lichen Beauty, White-spotted Pug (incidentally, Pugs are always awkward, in my eye, to identify and so I used the Obsidentify App to get an identify and it was 100% sure it was the White-spotted Pug; a species I rarely get in my garden. Happy days), Small Blood-vein and Clay. 

Above, an Elephant Hawk-moth was just inside the moth box and below one of two Pine Hawk-moths were seen this morning.

Micro moths were also in very good numbers with a Firethorn Leaf Miner and Crambus perlella also new for the year. Four species of Blastobasis and probably yesterday’s Ethmia quadrillella were also present (Portsmouth 'moth-er', Ian Thirlwell had one in his moth box this morning). Other notable insects within my box included a male Myathropa florea Hoverfly (Batman Hoverfly), the huge number of Lacewing and at least 4 Harlequin Ladybirds. Thankfully, no Wasps in or around the box, but it didn't take long for the House Sparrows to come down to try to nick a moth or two! They all soon scattered into the nearby vegetation when a female Sparrowhawk belted through low over the gardens.  

Above, the second Pine Hawk-moth of the morning on the white sheet, while the other was in the moth box. This individual soon flew off once I had turned the light off. Below, a Knot Grass within one of the egg trays.

The following moths were present this morning:

• 2 Pine Hawk-moth
• 1 Elephant Hawk-moth
• 1 Brown-veined Wainscot (NFY & LIFER)
• 14 Riband Wave
• 3 Garden Carpet
• 2 Common Carpet
• 3 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 4 Willow Beauty
• 1 Tree-lichen Beauty (NFY)
• 6 Lime-speck Pug
• 1 White-spotted Pug (NFY)
• 7 Double-striped Pug
• 11 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Small Blood-vein (NFY)
• 1 Blood Vein
• 1 Clay (NFY)
• 1 Buff Ermine
• 1 Common Emerald
• 3 Small Dusty Wave
• 4 Cloaked Minor
• 2 Marbled Beauty
• 1 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
• 2 Heart & Dart
• 1 Grey Dagger
• 1 Knot Grass
• 1 Common Wainscot
• 1 Least Carpet
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Lackey
• 1 White Ermine
• 5 Tachystola acroxantha
• 1 Acleris forsskaleana
• 3 Crassa unitella
• 5 Common Plume
• 3 Blastobasis adustella
• 5 Bird-cherry Ermine
• 16 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 2 Anania coronata
• 1 Rush Veneer
• 17 Apple Leaf Miner
• 2 Caloptilia rufipennella
• 1 Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner
• 1 Gold Triangle
• 1 Bud Moth
• 2 Monopsis crocicapitella
• 1 Cherrybark Tortrix
• 1 Bryotropha terrella
• 4 Udea fulvalis
• 1 Eudonia mercurella
• 3 Blastobasis rebeli
• 2 Pyrausta aurata
• 1 Firethorn Leaf Miner (NFY)
• 2 Bee Moth
• 1 White-shouldered House Moth
• 1 Crambus perlella (NFY)
• 1 Beautiful Plume
• 1 Oegoconia quadripuncta
• 1 Ephestia woodiella
• 2 Swammerdamia pyrella
• 1 Ethmia quadrillella
• 1 Agriphila straminella
• 1 Blastobasis vittata
• 1 Euzophera pinguis
• 1 Endotricha flammealis
• 1 Chrysoteuchia culmella
• 1 Blastobasis lacticolella
• 1 Clepsis consimilana

Above, a Least Carpet was inside the moth box this time around and below, my first Tree-lichen Beauty of the year. 

Above, a smart fresh Common Wainscot and below, my moth box this morning with one of the Pine Hawk-moths in attendance on the white sheet. 

Three new moths for my life list.

Monday 18th July 2022.

The immigrant moth, Ethmia quadrillella.

I put the moth box out last night, but I did not expect a rain shower for all of 15 minutes around 11pm! I rushed out to put the rain guard on the moth box and quickly got a load of washing that was hanging on the line! This hot weather plus rain showers normally produces some good moths, including immigrant moths, so this morning, I was in for a bit of a treat as there seemed to be a good number again on the white sheet and within the box.

My first Dun-bar moth of the year finally arrived.

Well; 141+ moths of 48 species were eventually counted this morning that included some nice immigrant moths and a couple of ‘Lifer’ micro moths. Kicking off with the ‘Lifers’ (added to my life list), Ethmia quadrillella, Endothenia gentianaeana and Limnacea phragmitella climbed on board, with the Ethmia species being particularly rare for this neck of the woods and most likely a migrant moth. 

The micro moth Endothenia gentianaeana also climbed on board my life list.

Also new for the year was the macro moth Dun-bar and the micro moth, Water Veneer and the attractive Evergestis limbata. Other notable moths included another Least Carpet, Dark Sword-grass and my first Scalloped Oak in my garden (I had one in Andy’s garden recently). Today is going to be very hot although Tuesday is set to break the UK record of being the hottest ever as there is a Red Weather Warning issued by the Met Office! Gulp! 

Above, my second Scalloped Oak of the year. Below, the attractive micro moth Evergestis limbata. 

The following moths were present this morning:

• 4 Willow Beauty
• 1 Dun-bar (NFY)
• 1 Least Carpet
• 11 Riband Wave
• 1 Garden Carpet
• 1 Dark Sword-grass
• 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
• 4 Pale Mottled Willow
• 10 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 2 Small Dusty Wave
• 2 Silver Y
• 5 Brimstone Moth
• 7 Lime-speck Pug
• 2 Lackey
• 7 Double-striped Pug
• 3 Cloaked Minor
• 1 Grey Dagger
• 1 Scalloped Oak
• 2 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Knot Grass
• 1 Heart & Dart
• 2 Dark Arches
• 8 Blastobasis adustella
• 1 Ethmia quadrillella (NFY & Lifer)
• 2 Bird-cherry Ermine
• 1 Yponomeuta irrorella
• 9 Common Plume
• 1 Euzophera pinguis
• 2 Caloptilia sp.
• 1 Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner
• 1 Water Veneer (NFY)
• 12 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Beautiful Plume
• 1 Endothenia gentianaeana (NFY & Lifer)
• 1 Limnaecia phragmitella (NFY & Lifer)
• 3 Udea fulvalis
• 1 Evergestis limbata (NFY)
• 3 Tachystola acroxantha
• 7 Apple Leaf Miner
• 1 Box-tree Moth
• 2 Pyrausta aurata
• 2 Ephestia woodiella
• 3 Endotricha flammealis
• 2 Blastobasis lacticollela
• 1 Crassa unitella
• 2 Blastobasis rebeli
• 2 Clepsis consimilana
• 1 Oegoconia quadripuncta

My third 'lifer' of the day, the micro moth Limnaecia phragmitella. This is a pond loving moth and it has obviously wandered away from any nearby pond, but a welcome addition to my moth box!

Clouded Yellow butterfly over the Cemy.

Sunday 17th July 2022.

In the shade of a lovely tree. One of the Lime Trees within the Cemetery.

I took a leisurely stroll around Highland Road Cemetery late morning, mostly looking for butterflies if I was to be honest, as there are plenty of Buddleia plants for them to feed on. I knew it was going to be a hot day and so I took my time walking around in shorts and t-shirt armed with my camera. There were no moths to check this morning as I decided to have a nice lay in, but it will be back on tonight. Mind you, I did find a few moths on the wing this morning within the Cemy.

Above, a Goldfinch sharing a TV Ariel with a Collared Dove beside the Cemetery. Below, A young Herring Gull negotiating the heat of the sun on one of the neighbouring rooftops.

Thankfully, there were not many dog-walkers around the Cemy and there was no way I was going to walk our Scruff in this heat and so I took my time enjoying the nature within Highland Road Cemetery. I counted up to 15 species of bird within and over the Cemetery that were either seen or heard of which a female Sparrowhawk was the most notable sighting when it was seen flying over west high over the rooftops, being closely followed by a small flock of Swifts and a few disgruntled Herring Gulls.

Above, Cat's Ear plants were abundant on the grassy areas and below, A Small White butterfly enjoying the Buddliea.

A calling Pied Wagtail was a surprise, though I never got to see the bird, but all the usual suspects were seen which included the following: 

• Wood Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Feral Pigeon
• Magpie
• Carrion Crow
• Greenfinch
• Goldfinch
• Blackbird
• House Sparrow
• Swift
• Wren
• Sparrowhawk
• Blue Tit
• Herring Gull
• Pied Wagtail

A Drone Fly on the Buddliea

There was also a reasonable variety of butterflies seen as I paid special attention to the Buddleia plants. Easily the best of all was a Clouded Yellow that kept low and headed north without stopping. Grumble, I would have liked to take a photo of it, but such luck. Still, a good butterfly ‘year-tick’. Three Common Blue butterflies were chasing each other low over the grass, but would not settle long enough for a photo opportunity. Other butterflies seen this morning included:

• Peacock
• Common Blue
• Small White 
• Large White 
• Meadow Brown
• Gatekeeper

The micro moth, Pyrausta despicata is a typical common moth in the Cemetery at this time of year.

There were several Grasshoppers heard ‘stridulating’, but they were quite small and difficult to locate in the yellow grass (there wasn't much in the way of green grass due to the lack of rain of late!), but regarding the Bees and Hoverflies, there was plenty about enjoying the flowering Buddleia. Buff-tailed Bumble Bees were abundant along with Honey Bees and I found a few Drone Flies (one of our largest Hoverflies) among them enjoying the Buddleia. I checked most of the Buddleia bushes within the Cemy and towards the end of my trip, it was getting a bit warm and so I slowly made my way back home. A few plants were on show and one in particular that grabbed my attention was called Cat’s Ear plants. Though a little similar to Dandelions, they have a very long thin stem and the head of the plants have not got as many petals.

This large Dryad's Saddle fungus was growing in the usual place near the Silver Birch trees.

Other plants on show included Mallow, Yarrow, Ragwort, a few Ox-eye Daisies, Birds-foot Trefoil, Field Bindweed and Lady’s Bedstraw growing on the water-starved grass. The heatwave continues and is peaking around Tuesday apparently and then some well needed rain is then on its way.

Swifts were flying over the Cemetery throughout my stay including this individual which I saw flying over my house a few days ago. Notice the missing primary feather.

Yesterday, while enjoying Becky’s birthday, a female Sparrowhawk flew over the gardens while I was sitting down enjoying the Swifts. A Hornet-mimic Hoverfly popped into our garden briefly and then quickly flew off over the gardens. Two different Common Terns flew over my house today; one in the morning that was heading east and also another heading east later in the afternoon. They regularly fly over during the summer time, either heading towards nearby Langstone or Portsmouth Harbour.

Above, a cloud of Gulls circling overhead were seen feasting on the Flying Ants early this evening, which included a variety of species including the Mediterranean Gulls.

Early evening and the Flying Ants were out and about as the temperature started to cool a little. This in turn brought out the Gulls and overhead, there were a few hundred Gulls that included Herring, Black-headed, Mediterranean and Great Black-backed Gulls joined in the ‘Fl’ant fest’ which impressed my family as we gazed at the sky above us. They soon dispersed and we noticed our own Ants were on the move on the patio, with a few winged individuals also present.

I have been trying to get a photo of the flocks of Swifts over my house and these were the best by far I have taken with my Panasonic Bridge Camera. Still, they are so entertaining as they screech low overhead. 

The Swifts were also in on the act with around 25+ zooming all over the place and around 8.30pm, they soon gathered together in one large flock to fly low over the rooftops and reasonably close too. A superb spectacle that our Isabelle enjoyed.