Five more moths added to year list.

Monday 14th May 2024.

Dark Spectacle moth.

The Moth Box:

My Moth Box was on again overnight and as the days are getting warmer, this should in turn, bring out a nice variety of moths to my garden and thankfully, there was. Another 5 more ‘New for Year’ were added to my ever growing year list and pick of the bunch was a fine Dark Spectacle moth, a species that closely resembles the more common Spectacle. Immigrant moths included up to 4 Silver Y moths (one was outside our front window yesterday!) and many are being recorded on the Butterfly Facebook sites too. Turnip Moth could possibly be an immigrant moth, but Freyer’s Pug and Small Dusty Wave are regular moths to my garden. Finally, the Triple-barred Tip Moth (Argyresthia trifasciata) was also new for the year. Not only extremely small, it is a very colourful tiny moth. Just a shame my mobile phone camera does not do it justice. The moths present this morning included the following:

• Dark Spectacle (New for Year)
• Angle Shades
• Common Pug
• Freyer’s Pug (NFY)
• Silver Y 4
• Turnip Moth (NFY) 
• Brimstone Moth 3
• Small Dusty Wave (NFY)
• Willow Beauty
• Pale Mottled Willow
• Garden Carpet 2
• Light Brown Apple Moth 5
• Ruddy Streak
• White-shouldered House Moth 2
• Triple-barred Tip Moth (NFY)

Above, Freyer's Pug and below, Triple-barred Tip Moth.

Above, Small Dusty Wave and below a Turnip Moth.

Birding News:

Birding pal Geoff Farwell was birding in the north of the County yesterday (site withheld for obvious reasons) and sent me a text last night to say that he saw a female Harrier species on his walk. Describing it in detail, he discussed it with the County Recorder and it was most likely a Hen / Pallid hybrid, which are becoming more common on the Continent. Also, he saw 3 singing Corn Buntings, Wheatear, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Red Kite and 3 Common Buzzards. In Hampshire today, fellow ‘Lazee’ Gary Fennemore enjoyed watching a pair of Arctic Skua harassing Terns off Sandy Point. Off Cut Bridge, by Milford-on-sea, up to 21 Manx Shearwaters passed through but headed off around the Isle of Wight and a pale phased Pomarine Skua also passed along with 2 Arctic Terns. Both Arctic Skua and Great Skua were also noted. Rain was coming in late today which will help my plants I planted in my garden over the weekend and it could be good for sea-watching tomorrow with this weather front passing through.