The heatwave carries on as does the Moths.

Thursday 19th June 2025.

Small Magpie moth. Always a striking moth to see and annual to my Moth Box.

With the evening temperatures rising, it is safe to say that the moths are coming in thick and fast and that includes all those that are new for the year plus a few ‘Lifers’ as well. Already, I have had 16 micro moth ‘Lifers’ this year, which is incredible seeing how long I have been studying moths over the many years and we are only half way through the year! Yesterday, I put a photo of the micro moth Dark Spruce Knot-horn on Hants Moths and a reply of Assara terebrella was put up in the comments section. I would like to point out that this blog appeals not to just the experts, but also the novices out there who are just starting into moths and also those who have a mild fascination and so I do like to put the vernacular name of the moth rather than the Latin name. I take the vernacular name from Norfolk Moths website, which I find easier. My old mentor, the late John Langmaid, said to me that he hated vernacular names. Sorry John.

The Moth Box:

My first ever HEATH KNOT-HORN moth.

I think this was the highest total of moths recorded so far this year with 93 moths of 38 species, with more micro moth species than macro moths! Easily the most numerous were the Riband Waves with 15 counted and up to 9 species were added to my year list. The rarest for me was another micro moth ‘Lifer’, a HEATHER KNOT-HORN (Pempelia palumbella). What on earth it is doing in my garden is a mystery for it frequents heather like the New Forest for example. Two macro moths that were new for the year was the ever so long name of Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and the small Short-cloaked Moth; both annual species to my Moth Trap.

My first Short-cloaked Moth of the year.

It was micro moths that I had the most ‘year-ticks’ that included a Gold Triangle, Common Clothes Moth, Case-bearing Clothes Moth, Meal Moth, Brown Bark Moth and finally, a Small Magpie Moth; which were all annual to my Moth Box. So yes, a cracking morning with the moths and I am now getting used to getting up at 4.30am. Good grief!!

My first Meal Moth of the year.

The first thing I did when I walked into my back garden was to put out dried Mealworms for the House Sparrows and it certainly paid off. However, though I flushed a Wood Pigeon from eating them, an adult Herring Gull literally perched itself on the fence about 4 feet from where it stood! So I flushed it away! Overhead, the Swifts were in good numbers with around a dozen flying low over the rooftops. I believe their young are starting to get quite vocal in the nest boxes and it will not be long now before they start peeking their heads out of the nestbox. While checking the Moth Box, I saw an Emperor Dragonfly fly over the garden, but it flew off so fast and was gone before I could really get a good look at it as it headed off south. 

Birding pal, Matt Parkes, found a Blood-vein moth at his place of work today; a species I have yet to see this year.

A Blood-vein moth. Photo by Matt Parkes.

The moths present this morning included the following total:

Macro moths:

• Marbled Minor x2
• Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x1 *
• Large Yellow Underwing x1
• Common Rustic x1
• Heart & Dart x2
• Riband Wave x15
• Lackey x1
• Willow Beauty x7
• Double-striped Pug x3
• Common Pug x2
• Common Emerald x4
• Short-cloaked Moth x1 *
• Uncertain x1
• Bright-line Brown-eye x5
• Pale Mottled Willow x1
• L-album Wainscot x2
• Dark Arches x1
• White Ermine 2

Micro moths:

• Bee Moth x2
• Apple Leaf Miner x1
• HEATHER KNOT-HORN x1
• Bird-cherry Ermine x1
• Gold Triangle x1 *
• Brown House Moth x1
• Bud Moth x1
• Blushed Knot-horn x8
• Ruddy Streak x4
• Common Clothes Moth x1 *
• Case-bearing Clothes Moth x1 *
• Diamond-back Moth x1
• Common Plume x6
• Garden Grass-veneer x1
• Meal Moth x1 *
• Privet Tortrix x1
• Brown Bark Moth x1 *
• Large Pale Masoner x1
• Small Magpie Moth x1 *
• Barred Marble x1

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

I parked out of the sun this afternoon underneath the Holm Oak trees in Pembroke Road.

I managed to see or hear up to 14 species on my first shift here in Pembroke Road this morning with probably the Great Spotted Woodpecker being the best sighting this morning. I heard it first somewhere perched in the Holm Oaks and then it flew right over my head heading north over the rooftops. Another good sighting was a Goldcrest flying out of the Sycamore trees and also headed northbound. I have not seen a Goldcrest here since the winter and probably just a brief visitor here. Also within the two Sycamore trees were the brood of Blue Tits that were busy searching for food within the leaves and on the Bowling Green, up to 6 Pied Wagtails were seen.

A very brief film footage of the Hummingbird Hawk-moth this afternoon.

This afternoon, it was most certainly very warm and there were plenty of insects flying about including my first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year. The moth took a liking to the nearby Lavender plants and although I managed a very brief film footage of the moth, it didn't hang around long and quickly flew around the corner and out of sight. Also present was a Large White butterfly that flew over the road and settled on some vegetation on the opposite side of the road. I did see a very small light brown butterfly also nectaring on the Lavender but the Hawk-moth flushed it and was gone when I tried to relocate it. 

In Hampshire, the Osprey was seen over by Fawley perched on a post and the summering Long-tailed Duck was still on Normandy Marshes.