More interesting immigrant Moths.

Sunday 27th July 2025.

The Moth Box was on again overnight as I awoke a little later than usual. After making coffee I then made my way to check the Moth Box. It was overcast and a bit cooler than usual, around 16 degrees centigrade, when I started checking around the garden first and at first, it did look as though there were fewer Moths than usual, but as I gradually took the outside egg trays away, I could see and hear there were quite a few Moths within the Box.

Later in the morning, my wife and I took a drive over to Wickham to visit Chesapeake Mill of which I found a few interesting items of wildlife I would like to write about for my blog.

My Moth Box:

There were 55 moths of 28 species this morning of which the pick of the bunch was a worn Pine Hawk-moth that was making a bit of racket within the Moth Box! It did eventually calm down and after taking a few photos, I carefully placed it on one of the garden plants. Sadly, there was nothing new within the garden this morning but some excellent Moths nonetheless.

This included up to FOUR Tree-lichen Beauties, an August Thorn, 4 Golden Twin-spot and a Jasmine Moth. Four quality species of Moth. Two Langmaid’s Yellow Underwings were potted, thoroughly checked and then carefully released back into the garden and they did not hang around long. A Hawthorn Moth was among the micro’s, my second of the year and I found a Garden Pebble moth outside the kitchen window while I was cooking our breakfast!

The following Moths were present this morning:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Double-striped Pug x2	Hawthorn Moth x1
Lime-speck Pug x1	Jasmine Moth x1
Pine Hawk-moth x1	Common Plume x2
Tree-lichen Beauty x4	Mint Moth x2
August Thorn x1	Black-banded Masoner x4
Turnip Moth x2	Common Masoner x3
White Ermine x1	Bird-cherry Ermine x2
Golden Twin-spot x4	Copper-fringed Drab x1
Silver Y x1	Apple Leaf Miner x1
Common Rustic x4	Light Brown Apple Moth x6
Bright-line Brown-eye x2	Garden Pebble x1
Riband Wave x1
Shuttle-shaped Dart x2
Cabbage Moth x1
Pale Mottled Willow x1
Large Yellow Underwing x1
Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing x2

Matt & Emma Parke's Moth Box:

The guys had their Moth Box on overnight and recorded the following Moths that were new for them this year. It included a Garden Pebble, Small Seraphim, Pine Carpet, Gold Spot, Toadflax Brocade, Sycamore Piercer and Common Masoner.

Wickham Square, Hampshire. 

As mentioned, I fancied a trip over to Chesapeake Mill to check out the premises and its contents and oh, I couldn't resist a Sausage sandwich with my cup of coffee in the quaint little cafe inside the shop. It was while we were having our drinks when I saw a pair of Banded Demoiselle damselflies by the water mill, which were my first of the year. Just goes to show that anything can turn up anywhere! 

Outside the shop, we sat on the bench overlooking the nearby houses and woods and watched a pair of House Martins flying around overhead. Their calls alerted me to the birds and I started wondering if they are migrant birds or were they actually breeding here?

In Hampshire today, the Lesser Yellowlegs were seen again in the Avon Flood area of Keyhaven Marshes. It has been on and off within the area for over a week now, but having seen probably the same bird in January this year, I don't think I will be making the long drive down there to see the bird. Matt & Emma Parkes went to Shipton Bellinger on the Hampshire / Wiltshire border today and enjoyed watching and photographing the Brown Hairsteak’s there (see photos).

The Brown Hairstreaks at Shipton Bellinger today. Photos by Emma Parkes.