Six more moths new for the year.

Thursday 16th May 2024.

My first Marbled Minor moth of the year last night. I released it early this morning back into the garden.

A grey and mild start to the day at 6am this morning as I went about checking my Moth Box and the surrounding area. Thankfully, I had checked out the Moth Box thoroughly, just in time before heavy rain set in and so it was a very wet start on my first shift in Pembroke Road this morning. Wonderful, NOT! The only saving grace is that it saved me from watering the garden tonight although thunderstorms are predicted in the north of the County later today.

Four more 'macro' moths were added to my year list this morning which included the following from top to bottom: Rusty-dot Pearl, Blushed Knot-horn, Brown House Moth and Glasswort Case-bearer.

The Moth Box:

I had SIX new moths for the year this morning, which included a finely marked Marbled Minor, of which I had potted last night and checked it thoroughly this morning for a proper ID. They are an annual ‘macro’ moth to my moth box and come in various guises. The rest of the new moths for the year were all ‘micro’s’ . Pick of the bunch has to be the Glasswort Case-bearer that was perched on one of the egg trays. I think I have only ever seen one of these before and that was some time ago. A large Brown House Moth was perched on my kitchen window and dutifully released from the moth pot this morning. Blushed Knot-horn (which has recently had a name change for one reason or another) was another regular ‘micro’ to my moth box and nice to see my first one of the year. The final new moth for the year was an immigrant, but very common, ‘micro’ moth, the Rusty-dot Pearl. Up to four Willow Beauties is a good number though they will later be in double-figures I expect. Four species of Pug on show this morning, which is always a challenge for this family of moths. 

The following moths were present this morning:

• Marbled Minor (New for Year)
• Bright-line Brown-eye 5
• Freyer’s Pug 
• Willow Beauty 4
• Double-striped Pug
• Garden Carpet
• Common Pug 2
• Shuttle-shaped Dart
• Lime-speck Pug
• Brown House Moth (NFY)
• Dark Moss-moth
• Blushed Knot-horn (NFY)
• Rusty-dot Pearl (NFY)
• Ruddy Streak 8
• White-shouldered House Moth
• Black Cloak 2
• Glasswort Case-bearer (NFY)
• Triple-barred Tip Moth
• Light Brown Apple Moth 5

My first Daisy Leafminer of the year on my kitcken roof this morning. 

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

On my first shift today, in the pouring rain, there were just 11 bird species recorded in total; the best being a Grey Heron flying over heading westbound over towards Portsmouth Harbour. When I got home, after putting the two moths I caught out in the garden, my kitchen roof had the very distinctive Daisy Leafminer walking across it! A cracking well-marked little insect that always arrives in my kitchen or garden at this time of year. Earlier today, a pair of Bee-eaters were reported flying over Christchurch, Dorset and on Pennington Marshes, a pair of Roseate Terns were seen again and up to three drake Garganey were present too.

Above, a Water Vole on the Canal Path at Titchfield. Filmed by Emma & Matt Parkes yesterday. Below, this Little Egret was by Canoe Lake, Southsea, this afternoon while Becky and I were looking after our Granddaughter, Isabelle. The bird has been a regular to this site and does allow a very close approach.