My first ever Wool Carder Bee.

Sunday 7th July 2024.

My first Red Admiral butterfly in my garden I have seen for many a month.

Yet another very damp start to the day and it most certainly reflected in the total of moths present early this morning. Just 12 moths present and it's JULY! Simply crazy low numbers, even with the poor weather. Thankfully, the worst of the weather disappeared by around 11am here in Southsea as my family and I went off to Gunwharf as Isabelle wanted to go to the top of the Spinnaker Tower with her Dad again. While they were doing that, Becky and I had a coffee in the Restaurant as I watched Common and Sandwich Terns as well as Mediterranean Gulls fly into Portsmouth Harbour.

The Moth Box:

An unexpected Vine's Rustic in the Moth Box this morning.

There was nothing that unusual this morning within the Moth Box, though there was a Vine’s Rustic present, which looked rather pale and confusing at first. I managed to get a look inside the box around an hour later after I got up as the rain abated. 

• Bright-line Brown-eye 2
• Dark Arches
• Common Plume 2
• Vine’s Rustic
• Common Rustic 2
• L-album Wainscot
• Garden Grey
• Narrow-winged Grey
• Apple Leaf Miner

Above, the Wool Carder Bee in my garden. a new species for my UK Bee life list.

This afternoon, after getting back from Gunwharf, I took a quick look at the garden and discovered a Red Admiral butterfly on the Buddleia. As mentioned before, anything but Holly Blue butterflies have been very scarce in my garden. Even my neighbour commented on it during the week! I did find something that was very unusual’ my very first Wool Carder Bee. I thought it looked unusual and so I grabbed my camera and took some reasonable photos of the said Bee. I have always said that you just never know what might come along.