Worrying times? Where's all the insects?

Tuesday 18th June 2024.

One of several Garden Grass-veneers this morning.

I was reading this morning on the Hants Moths Facebook page regarding how low the numbers of not only Moths, but also Butterflies and many other insects there are this year. The Met Office is telling us that our Spring was one of the warmest ever (??????), though I like to know where exactly. I was sitting in my garden this morning, after checking my moth box and pleased with the Buddleia in bloom now in my garden, though I have not seen a single Butterfly and hardly any Bees on them yet! This is most certainly worrying for the birds, for someone said, what on earth are the parent birds feeding their youngsters?

Up to 3 Dark Arches were present.

There were 29 moths of 17 species recorded this morning, which is currently about average this month; however, I was checking on this time last year and there was nearly double this number of moths. The very wet winter did not help earlier although there is talk of the summer months getting a lot hotter. We shall see. There was nothing new this morning in or around the Moth Box, though there were a lot more Garden Grass-veneer’s present and a Green Oak Tortrix was my first for my garden this year.

Yellow Oak Tortrix.

• Willow Beauty 4
• Setaceous Hebrew Character
• Lime-speck Pug
• White Ermine
• Buff Ermine
• Heart & Dart 3
• Dark Arches 3
• Pale Mottled Willow
• Blushed Knot-horn
• Yellow Oak Tortrix
• Ruddy Streak
• Apple Leaf Miner
• Garden Grass-veneer 5
• Common Plume 2
• Barred Marble
• Box-tree Moth
• Green Oak Tortrix

The Red-necked Phalarope on Farlington Marshes. Photo by Andy Friend.

On last Sunday evening, it was a choice between watching the England football team or head off down Farlington Marshes to see a juicy Red-necked Phalarope on the Deeps. A few birders went for the wader and some lovely photos were taken. The bird kindly returned to the same area yesterday where many birders, including Andy Fisher, caught up with this stunning wader. Maybe I should have gone down there last night, but to be honest, I had more chores to do, including giving the garden a good watering! If I went for everything that turned up in Hampshire, I would be among the leaders of Hampshire Listers; but I was more than happy watching the Swifts overhead. I did see a Common Buzzard circling very high over Portsmouth yesterday afternoon, which is always nice to see.

The Ruddy Shelduck that has been residing on Petersfield Lake. Photo by Emma Parkes.

I recorded 17 species of birds at Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth, today , which was arguably the highest total I have had here for quite a few weeks. Though nothing exceptional, there were four species of Gull again (at least 6 Med Gulls, Great Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed Gull) and at least 6 Swifts. All the usual species were seen including singing Wren and Dunnock that were heard only and at least 2 Pied Wagtails on the Bowling Green even though there was someone playing Bowls at the time! The weather was fine this morning, but it did get a lot more overcast in the afternoon with a few drops of rain, but nothing came of it. 

Above, a Bar-tailed Godwit in Langstone Harbour. Below, a Bee Orchid on Portsdown Hill. Photos by Emma Parkes.

It was fairly quiet in Hampshire today and sadly, no sign of yesterday’s Red-necked Phalarope on Farlington Marshes. However, a Wood Sandpiper was reported on Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marshes this afternoon. Over my Southsea garden, at least a dozen Swifts are getting quite active over my road and hopefully, more will be using the Swift boxes put up for them in my street. So far, I know of three boxes being used and another Swift Box will be put up hopefully this weekend when someone contacted me over the weekend wanting one of my Swift Boxes to be installed. Good news.

This Little Tern was at Normandy Marshes. Photo by Ollie Crabbe.