Large moth numbers and a trip to Alice Holt Forest.

Saturday 21st June 2025.

It was very busy with the Moths this morning with my largest number of moths for the year in my garden and then off to Andy Fisher’s Moth Box to check out the moths in his garden. Sadly, Andy never came with us today for he had some jobs to do in his house, but he kindly asked Geoff and I over for coffee and also had his Moth Box on overnight. Our quest today was to meet up with both Emma & Matt Parkes and also fellow birder (and ‘moth-er’) James Cutting and his partner Jo at Alice Holt Forest on the Hampshire / Surrey border. It was predicted to be the hottest day of the year (32 degrees centigrade), though there were possible isolated thunderstorms also predicted and it was stifling hot at times within the wood, though there was plenty of shade.

The Moth Boxes:

My first Scalloped Oak moth of the year.

I smashed my highest total for the year with a whopping 121 moths of 41 species this morning and although there were no ‘Lifers’ within or around the Moth Box, there were 7 moths that were new for the year. This included the macros Scalloped Oak, Oak Nyctaline, my second ever Haworth’s Pug and only my second ever Beautiful Hook-tip in my garden. New micro moths for the year included Spindle Knot-horn, Netted Tortrix and a very unexpected Olive-tree Pearl (one of my favourite moths). There was a huge influx of Bird-cherry Ermine moths with up to 15 recorded, but I bet there were many more around the garden among the plants. A Middle-barred Minor present on the fence near the Moth Box was my first for the garden this year and my second after the one I saw in Devon earlier this year.

Above, a Haworth's Pug and below, a Beautiful Hook-tip.

Above, an Oak Nyctaline and below, a Netted Tortrix.

The moths present this morning included the following:

Macro moths:

• Snout x1
• Scalloped Oak x1 *
• Oak Nyctaline x1 *
• Bright-line Brown-eye x3
• Heart & Dart x5
• Dark Arches x2
• Pale Mottled Willow x2
• Lackey x2
• Lime-speck Pug x2
• Double-striped Pug x4
• Haworth’s Pug x1 *
• Common Pug x1
• Riband Wave x16
• Angle Shades x1
• Common Emerald x4
• White Ermine x1
• L-album Wainscot x5
• Vine’s Rustic x1
• Willow Beauty x11
• Middle-barred Minor x1
• Beautiful Hook-tip x1 *
• Marbled Minor x1

Micro moths:

• Hedge Hook-wing x1
• Garden Grey x2
• Blushed Knot-horn x5
• Gold Triangle x3
• Garden Mompha x1
• Ruddy Streak x3
• Bee Moth x4
• Brown House Moth x1
• Spindle Knot-horn x1 *
• Large Pale Masoner x1
• Bird-cherry Ermine x15
• Box Tree Moth x2
• Netted Tortrix x1 *
• Rusty-dot Pearl x2
• Light Brown Apple Moth x2
• Common Plume x6
• Coleophora sp. X1
• Bud Moth x1
• Olive-tree Pearl x1 *

Andy’s Moth Box:

Crescent Plume. 

There was a good total of moths within Andy’s garden this morning with up to 53 moths of 28 species recorded. Another three more species were added to my year list with a Dwarf Cream Wave, Swallow-tail Moth and the micro moth Crescent Plume. The latter was only my second ever after I found several on Old Winchester Hill last year. Pale Tussock, Knot-grass and my second Beautiful Hook-tip of the day were notable.

Above, a Dwarf Cream Wave and below, one of two Swallow-tail Moths.

As mentioned before, Andy’s newly created garden Pond is most certainly a big hit with the Dragonflies as we saw a male Broad-bodied Chaser perched up on a post close to the Pond and nearby, both Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies were in good numbers too. 

Macro moths:

• Pale Tussock x1
• Knot-grass x1
• Willow Beauty x2
• Buff Ermine x1
• Double-striped Pug x3
• Dwarf Cream Wave x1 *
• Heart & Dart x3
• Riband Wave x3
• Riband Wave x7
• Oak Nyctaline x1
• Swallow-tail Moth x2 *
• Beautiful Hook-tip x1
• White-point x1
• Cypress Carpet x2
• Common Emerald x1
• Treble Brown Spot x2
• Treble-lines x1
• Large Yellow Underwing x1

Micro moths:

• Bird-cherry Ermine x1
• Garden Grass-veneer x7
• Codling Moth x1
• Diamond-back Moth x2
• Bud Moth x1
• Double-striped Tabby x1
• Garden Grey x4
• White-banded Grass Moth x1
• Crescent Plume x1 *
• Common Plume x3
• Brown House Moth x1

Alice Holt Forest, Hampshire / Surrey border:

The beautiful Silver-washed Fritillary.

We made our way here last year and successfully saw some superb butterflies so the arrangement was made by Emma Parkes to all meet up in the Car Park at Alice Holt for another try for the Purple Emperor and other butterflies here at this fantastic site. Yes, the heat here was rather stifling at times, but with the comfort of the shade on the edges of the footpath, it was bearable…..just! Not only the butterflies entertained us, but there were a variety of birds (including a real unexpected surprise), moths and a variety of insects to be seen.

Above, a Brown-lipped Snail and below, a Silver-washed Fritillary.

Above, my first Purple Hairstreak butterfly of the year. Below, a Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly. 

Kicking off with the birds, the biggest surprise here was a couple of juvenile Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers! We first heard one calling nearby and then I saw one of the birds fly overhead and land in the canopy of an Oak tree close by. I managed to get a good look at the bird and confirmed it was a juvenile. James was sure he saw a second bird fly off north, while the other bird flew off in front of us and landed somewhere in the woods. We heard it call again a little later, but that was the last time we encountered the bird.

Above, one of many Meadow Brown butterflies and below, another Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly.

Above, a pair of mating Silver-washed Fritillarys and below, a Comma butterfly.

Other birds present included several singing Firecrests and Goldcrests; a singing male Blackcap was deep within cover and a family flock of Nuthatches with Coal Tits showed well by the footpath. There was also a family flock of Treecreepers in the woods and a Marsh Tit showed briefly while we were checking the butterflies.

Above, one of several Large Skipper butterflies and below, a Green-veined White feeding on Bramble flowers.

Above, one of several Ringlet butteflies. Below, the Variegated Golden Tortrix moth.

There was a nice variety of Moths present along the footpath and almost immediately, Emma found a Scarlet Tiger moth flying by the edge of the footpath, but it flew down deep into the vegetation. Sadly, no photos could be taken, but this was my first of the species I have seen in many a year. Matt found an interesting micro moth sitting on a leaf and using his Obsidentify App, it turned out to be my first Variegated Golden Tortrix moth of the year. Shortly afterwards, I found a White-pinion Spotted moth perched close to the footpath; my third ‘year-tick’ of the morning here!

Above, Geoff found this instar Dark Bush-cricket along the footpath and below, I found this White-pinion Spotted moth nearby.

Above, the Purple Emperor butterfly shows very well.

Not just the moths were found, but Dragonflies were on the wing along the footpaths. An Emperor Dragonfly was seen a couple of times and my first Brown Hawker and Golden-ringed Dragonfly of the year were also seen. Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies were abundant along the footpaths and showed very well at times. Spotted Longhorn beetles were abundant along the footpaths too, most feeding on the Bramble flowers and a few Hornets were on the wing too. Geoff found a couple of ‘instar’ Grasshoppers: Dark Bush-cricket and a Speckled Bush-cricket.

Above, the Purple Emperor and below, James getting a closer look of the butterfly.

Above, one of many Spotted Longhorn Beetles seen today and below, another photo of one of the Silver-washed Fritillarys.

On the subject of butterflies, we managed to see up to 13 species of butterfly on our way to Alice Holt this morning. Pride of place was the Purple Emperor butterflies which showed superbly along the footpaths. Up to four were seen in one spell and many posed nicely sitting either on the footpath or nearby trees. Other superb species included the one Purple Hairstreak and good numbers of both White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary. 

 Butterflies seen here in Alice Holt included the following:

• Silver-washed Fritillary *
• White Admiral *
• Meadow Brown
• Purple Hairstreak *
• Red Admiral
• Small White
• Large White
• Marbled White
• Green-veined White
• Comma
• Ringlet *
• Holly Blue
• Large Skipper

Above, a Purple Emperor butterfly on the footpath.

Above, Matt, James, Emma, Geoff and Jo enjoy the Purple Emperor butterfly on the footpath. Below, Matt and Geoff discuss the possibility of finding Woodcock feathers.

We spent a good two and a half hours there in the woods and once we got back to the Car Park, we had lunch. A Common Buzzard flew over the Car Park and another Silver-washed Fritillary flew over the area, As Matt & Emma drove off, Geoff and I made our way back to Andy’s house and chilled out with a coffee, enjoying checking out his Pond and its inhabitants for the next 40 minutes or so. There were sightings of both the Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies as the sun started to break from the clouds, but no further sign of the Broad-bodied Chasers. We also had a sighting of a Froglet swimming across the Pond and plenty of Semaphore Flies on the water.

Above, one of the Large Red Damselflies in Andy's garden today and below, film footage of a pair of mating Silver-washed Fritillaries in Alice Holt Forest.

We found something good....possibly a copy of Swish?