Another large haul of Moths & now a week in Devon.

Saturday 24th May 2025.

My first Treble Brown Spot moth of the year. I never expected it to be inside my house!

The Moth Box:

A grey overcast morning with a bit of overnight rain evident on the patio today. It was much milder this morning with a blustery westerly wind blowing; but dry enough to check a good haul of moths with 79 moths of 35 species present. Six more moth species were added to my year total (up to 99 species for the year now) including the macro moths Treble Brown Spot, Straw Dot and L-abum Wainscot and the micro moths Common Groundling, Apple Leaf Miner and Narrow-winged Grey. 

Above, the micro moth Pale-backed Detritus Moth next to the Garden Carpet moth. Below, one of two Large Yellow Underwings.

Above, the micro moth Common Groundling and below, a Straw Dot. Both new for the year.

I took the dogs for their walk shortly afterwards and even found a Common Marbled Carpet sitting on a shop window! Little else to be honest, but a nice walk nonetheless with several Swifts swooping down over the road I live in.

Above, a Narrow-winged Grey and below, an L-album Wainscot; again, both new for the year.

The Moths present in my garden this morning included the following:

Macro moths:

• Yellow-barred Brindle x1
• Treble Brown Spot x1
• Straw Dot x1
• Buff Ermine x2
• Vine’s Rustic x9
• White Ermine x2
• Pale Mottled Willow x6
• Common Marbled Carpet x1
• Bright-line Brown-eye x3
• Dark Spectacle x1
• Heart & Dart x5
• Common Pug x1
• Double-striped Pug x1
• Lime-speck Pug x1
• Shuttle-shaped Dart x8
• Large Yellow Underwing x2
• Angle Shades x1
• Lychnis x1
• Garden Carpet x1
• Willow Beauty x7
• Silver Y x1
• Cabbage Moth x1
• L-album Wainscot x1

Macro moths:

• Common Plume x2
• Common Groundling x1
• Diamond-back Moth x1
• Ruddy Streak x4
• Dark Moss-moth x1
• Garden Mompha x4
• Light Brown Apple Moth x3
• Pale-backed Detritus Moth x2
• Bronze Alder Moth x1
• Apple Leaf Miner x1
• Black Cloak x1
• Narrow-winged Grey x1

Chittlehampton, North Devon:

Our accommodation for the week, Greenacres in Chittlehampton.

Becky, myself and the dogs are now spending the next week in the quaint little country village of Chittlehampton in North Devon. We booked this Cottage last August and had a great time and the accommodation is terrific. Hence, we rebooked it for this year and finally, the time has come to have a totally chilled out holiday and yes, I have brought along a Moth Box too! There were some good birds here last time and hopefully, there should be some decent stuff around.

The back of Greenacres Bungalow with Buddy in the background.

We arrived here around 1.30pm and to be honest, the journey was pretty good including the Sat Nav taking us through some gorgeous little villages and there were sightings of a few Common Buzzards, Red Kites, Swallows, Swifts and House Martins and I was damn sure that a pair of Hawfinches flew over, judging by the shape and the way they flew.

The large garden at the back of the accommodation. The dogs love it!

Here in Chittlehampton, after packing our stuff away and chilling out over a coffee, I have already notched up 14 species just sitting looking out over the veranda into the garden and neighbouring countryside. The Moth Box is already set up and I shall in no doubt be up around 5 ish for hopefully a good selection of Moths. Lovely to hear the Chaffinch singing nearby, but the Corvids are extremely vocal here.