Large Yellow Underwing & a Reed Warbler.

Sunday 2nd June 2024.

My first Large Yellow Underwing of the year.

Up early again this morning (my bloody noisy dogs!!!!) as I went downstairs to not only sort the dogs out, but also to check up on my moth box, which I had on again overnight. Now there seems to be more moths coming through, I just had to try my luck again. Among the many moths present, which included 38 moths of 23 species, there were two species that were new for the year: a Large Yellow Underwing and the tiny micro moth Apple Leaf Miner. 

The moths present this morning included the following:

• Angle Shades
• Lime-speck Pug 2
• Bright-line Brown-eye
• Common Marbled Carpet
• White Ermine 3
• Willow Beauty 3
• Oak -tree Pug
• Buff Ermine 2
• Common Pug 2
• Heart & Dart
• Large Yellow Underwing (New for Year)
• Garden Carpet 3
• Pale Mottled Willow 2
• Shuttle-shaped Dart
• Dark Arches
• White-point
• White-shouldered House Moth
• Apple Leaf Miner (NFY)
• Light Brown Apple Moth 2 
• Blushed Knot-horn 4
• Ruddy Streak 2
• Garden Pebble
• Garden Mompha

Later in the morning, I heard a Reed Warbler singing deep within cover of my neighbours garden, but I eventually got to see the bird sitting in the Holly Tree in my other neighbours garden, though I couldn't get a photo of the bird. Whether it was a late migrant bird or a bird simply making its way back home, who knows; however, this is the second time I have had a Reed Warbler singing at the back of my garden at this time of the year. The last time was only a few years ago.

This evening, while enjoying a well-earned ice lolly in the back garden after watering the plants, I settled down to watch the Swifts overhead. It just so happened that the Reed Warbler singing earlier was still throwing out a few notes now and then and I even saw it well in our neighbours Holly tree. A little earlier, an L-album Wainscot moth, my first of the year, flew around our kitchen and promptly disappeared. While watering the garden, another first for the year, a female Bee Moth flew up from one of the plant pots and landed on the wall by the Moth Box.