Friday 13th June 2025.
My first ever Rosy Wave moth was a lovely surprise.
After yesterday’s carnage by the local House Sparrows, I was actually out in the garden at 4.45am (yawwwwnnnn!) checking my Moth Box. The weather was overcast, but very mild with no wind with the current temperature well into double figures. However, the moth numbers were low again, but where there were few moths, it certainly made up for it by quality. A reasonable first shift total of species at Pembroke Road this morning and a few insects to look at within the Lemon & Lime Bushes.
The Moth Boxes:
Up to three male Four-spotted Footman moths were in my Moth Box today; including this one with a smily face!
There were just 25 moths of 12 species this morning, despite it being very mild last night, but among them was a ‘Lifer’ in the form of a Rosy Wave. I thought I had seen one of these before, but checking my Life List, it turns out I have not. Apparently, it is both a coastal species and also known to reside in boggy areas of the New Forest and is certainly an uncommon species in Hampshire. Another moth new for the year was the Four-spotted Footman. Up to three male individuals were present within the Moth Box and all probably immigrant moths as well. The only other immigrant moth was the Diamond-back Moth.
Diamond-back Moth.
The Moths recorded this morning included the following:
Macro moths:
- Rosy Wave x1
- Four-spotted Footman x3
- Willow Beauty x4
- Lime-speck Pug x2
- Riband Wave x4
- Dark Arches x1
- Setaceous Hebrew Character x1
- Green Pug x3
Macro moths:
- Common Plume x3
- Garden Grass-veneer x1
- Diamond-back Moth x1
- Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Emma & Matt’s Moth Box:
Another White Ermine for Emma & Matt's Box this morning.
Emma kindly sent me a photo of the only moth in their Moth Box this morning, a White Ermine and they also had a Ladybird species. As they say, something is better than nothing. Keep going guys.
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
I managed to notch up 14 species of birds on my first shift this morning that included a pair of Jays (only one seen) opposite where I stood and a good number of Swifts overhead. Up to 5 Pied Wagtails were on the Bowling Green, though a sixth bird was probably in the area. The ‘Lemon & Lime’ Bushes held the usual Harlequin and 2-spotted Ladybirds and even a Parasitic Wasp species flew in, but would not settle long enough for a photo. A couple of Hoverflies came in of which one was of the Syrphus species,; but they are very difficult to ID in the field.
The Red-belted Clearwing moth found this morning. Photo by Andy Dickety.
It is going to warm up considerably today and so there should be more insects around later on my second shift. Thunderstorms are predicted for tonight that will freshen the air a bit. On the subject of moths again, birding pal Andy Dickety had a Red-belted Clearwing moth on his Conservatory window this morning. I have only ever seen one of these species and that was many years ago. In fact, it's the only Clearwing I have ever seen!
Above, an Orange-shouldered Sawfly and below, a Ladybird without spots!
It was very warm this afternoon on my second shift and while most of the birds were seen this morning on my first shift, it was back to the insect life this afternoon and the ‘Lemon & Lime Bushes duly obliged. More Ladybirds were seen and joining them was an Orange-shouldered Sawfly and a spotless Ladybird! Earlier today, I flushed a Treble Brown Spot moth near my road; my second one of the year.
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