Our final morning here in Chittlehampton.

Saturday 31st May 2025.

Only my second ever Broad-barred White moth.

It was time to pack and go home from Chittlehampton this morning, but I still had my Moth Box on overnight and therefore, it was my final time here to check the Box. I was up at 5am, but I had the feeling there was going to be something good in or around the Box as I notched up yet another 5 new moth species for the year. The weather was overcast at first thing and the light was a bit poor, but I got on in checking the moths anyway.

The Moth Box:

Scalloped Hazel.

Five more moth species were added to my year list that included a Scalloped Hazel (I think only my second ever), Mottled Rustic (also my second ever), Toadflax Pug and my second Broad-barred White. There were two micro moth ‘year-ticks’, a smart Thistle Ermine and a Cnephasia species of which can only be certain to be ID’d by dissection only. In all, there were 43 moths of 28 species present this morning. There was just the one Elephant Hawk-moth this morning and the Puss Moth and Lobster Moth were both still present.

Above, a Thistle Ermine moth and below, a Toadflax Pug.

Above, a Mottled Rustic and below, the micro moth from the Cnephasia family.

Then there was the job of packing everything away and carefully shaking the white sheet in case there were any moths hiding away. Then I scooped up all the moths and then put them in the nearby vegetation. An incredible 40 moth species were new for the year, which also included four moths that were 'lifers'!  Everything was then back to the way it was and so I finished my coffee enjoying the birdlife on show this early in the morning. Swifts, Swallows and House Martins were overhead and even the Spotted Flycatcher (and later a second bird) popped into the garden at close range to say goodbye (if you believe in fairy stories!). By 9am, we were on our way back to Portsmouth to reflect on an excellent week away.