Thursday 12th June 2025.
My first Smoky Wainscot of the year. This species is uncommon within my garden and I think I have had only a handful of sightings over the years.
I knew rain was on its way here on the south coast this morning, but not till later in the morning when it started to cloud up and a few drops actually came down before I headed off to my first shift on Pembroke Road. Possible thundery showers are forecast today and tomorrow here in the south coast, but it was very mild with temperatures around 16 degrees this morning.
The Moth Boxes:
Mottled Oak Tortrix. Another good micro for the year.
I made the bad mistake of not getting up early enough by setting my alarm for 5.30am. The local House Sparrows were obviously well awake before that time and so my poor moths that were attracted to my MV light this morning suffered and consequently, the Sparrows had a nice breakfast on my catch! On a positive note, they did not attack the moths on the outside egg trays and also within my Moth Box and so I had at least some moths to record, including four more that were new for the year.
Above, the very small micro moth, Dingy Concealer.
Above, a fully laden Buff-tailed Bumblebee and below, one of three Marmalade Hoverflies.
A Smoky Wainscot was new for the year within my Moth Box and the micro moths: Large Pale Masoner (Blastobasis lacticolella), Dingy Concealer (Borkhausenia fuscescens) and a Mottled Oak Tortrix (Zeiraphera isertana) were also added to my year list. As well as the moths, the insects took a liking to my Moth Box overnight with a Buff-tailed Bumblebee and up to three Marmalade Hoverflies present within the egg trays.
The Moths recorded this morning included the following:
Macro moths:
- Riband Wave x1
- Pale Mottled Willow x1
- Willow Beauty x1
- Smoky Wainscot x1
- White Ermine x2
- L-album Wainscot x1
- Green Pug x1
- Heart & Dart x1
Micro moths:
- Common Plume x1
- Mottled Oak Tortrix x1
- Apple Leaf Miner x1
- Ruddy Streak x1
- Beautiful Plume x1
- Dingy Concealer x1
- Large Pale Masoner x1
Matt & Emma's Moth Box:
This White Ermine moth was attracted to their Moth Box this morning.
Meanwhile, over at Matt & Emma’s Moth Box, it had attracted three moths: a White Ermine, a Common Plume and one that flew off before it could be identified.
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
One of several Mirid Bugs on the bushes within Pembroke Road.
I was lucky not to be caught in the latest rainfall here in Southsea as it was between both my shifts that it poured down. More thundery rain is forecast for tomorrow, but this afternoon, it was pleasant and dry with some sunshine thrown in too. Temperatures are averaging around 20 degrees centigrade and it certainly brought out the insects!
A Two-spotted Ladybird on one of the bushes.
Both Two-spotted and Harlequin Ladybird were found on the bushes from where I stood and a good number of Mirid Bugs were also enjoying the sunshine with at least a dozen present. It is always surprising what two large bushes can produce when it comes to the insects, but the owners of their garden fronts really do look after them and produce a nice range of flowers and plants to look at.
A Harlequin Ladybird on one of the Bushes.
Regarding the birds here so far this week, it has been averaging around 13 to 15 species of which today, the most notable was the Collared Dove that flew into the trees between Governor’s Green and the Bowling Club. That is only the 3rd sighting this year at this site and therefore added to my blog. Up to 4 Pied Wagtails were on the Bowling Green early this morning along with at least 20 Starlings and a Blackbird (we are told to keep monitoring the Blackbird population for there is a disease they are picking up from a type of Mosquito which is devastating the European population).
I watered my garden yesterday evening and this Red Admiral butterfly was sat on my garden fence and was then joined by a second individual and both then flew off.
It was fairly quiet in Hampshire today, though Mark Francis saw a Roseate Tern flying over the scrapes at Titchfield Haven early this morning. Nationally, a Bridled Tern (a species I would love to see in the UK) has been found in the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire and the Western Sandpiper is still at Maidens, Ayrshire
The Western Sandpiper at the Ythan Estuary. Photo by Dennis Morrison.
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