Bright Wave moth added to the life list.

Friday 19th July 2024.

This is a probable Bright Wave moth. Yet another 'first' for me.

A warm evening and overnight produced another superb variety of moths including yet another ‘lifer’ in the form of a Bright Wave. As a rule, I don't like to set up the Moth Trap two nights running due to recapturing the same moths; but watching the Bats flying over the garden last night and a very high swarm of Swifts around nearly 10pm last night had me thinking. There were a few moths flying around the garden already and so I decided to take a chance and it most certainly paid off.

Two more new for the year included this (above) Four-spotted Yellowneck and a Long-legged Tabby (below).

A total of 53 moths of 27 species wasn't too bad and among them were three more that were new for the year. They included a August Thorn that was perched on my neighbours wall; a Long-legged Tabby (Synaphe punctalis), which is a species I used to get regularly then they all dried up. This was the first one for many a year and finally, a Four-spotted Yellowneck (or most likely one as two other species are very similar to this and can only be told apart from dissection). However, the Bright Wave, if confirmed (I've asked for confirmation on Hants Moths Facebook), is a very rare moth in Hampshire and on the Red Data Book of Moths in the UK. I know there is a colony around Medmerry RSPB Reserve in West Sussex. Other than that, they are generally migrants. A Yellow Shell moth was fluttering around the house around midday and so I safely caught it, potted it and got ready for release tonight. I think I shall be putting my Moth Box again tonight!

Above, one of two Diamond-back Moths this morning and below, my second Elephant Hawk-moth of the year.

The Moths present this morning included the following:

• BRIGHT WAVE (Idaea ochrata): LIFER
• Common Footman
• August Thorn (NEW FOR YEAR)
• Elephant Hawk-moth
• Lime-speck Pug 4
• Yellow Shell
• Riband Wave 6
• Dark Arches
• Lackey
• Common Emerald
• Willow Beauty 3
• Silver Y
• Common Rustic 2
• Bright-line Brown-eye 2
• Brimstone Moth 2
• Double-striped Pug 3
• Ruddy Streak 2
• Rusty-dot Pearl
• Long-legged Tabby (NFY)
• Rosy Tabby
• Common Plume 6
• Blushed Knot-horn 3
• Four-spotted Yellowneck (NFY)
• Diamond-back Moth 2
• Garden Grey 2
• Light Brown Apple Moth 2
• Bird-cherry Ermine

My first August Thorn of the year.

A total of 14 species of birds were seen or heard in Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth, today. On my first shift, I arrived to the sound of a big flock of screaming Swifts high overhead and then I noticed a lot of Flying Ants all over the place. This had brought in the Gulls and both Governor’s Green and the Bowling Green had a lot of Gulls searching for the Ants. Today has been called the hottest day of the year and even this morning, I think it was around 70 degrees! A Lesser Black-backed Gull was among the Herring Gulls on the Bowling Green and a Med Gull was among the Black-headed Gulls on the Governor’s Green this afternoon.  

I have since found out that the Bright Wave moth seen this morning was in fact the correct identification. This was the 5th ever that has been recorded in Hampshire and the last one seen in Hampshire was in 2011!