Two more 'Lifer' moths added to Life List.

Tuesday 1st July 2025.

My first ever Dark Umber moth. Apparently, it is a common moth in Hampshire, but to get one in my garden is very pleasing.

Today is meant to be the hottest day of the year so far and judging by the 7.30am temperature of 75 degrees, I will not be surprised if it is at all! Again, the Moth Box was on overnight and I was very pleased with this morning's catch with TWO ‘Lifers’ and a host of Moths that were new for the year. I had the ‘heads up’ that I might not be doing my afternoon shift at Pembroke Road due to a heat warning in Portsmouth, which is a bit of a bonus, but I shall play it by ear if I might do my second shift or not. Again, a few surprises in Pembroke Road this morning and there were quite a few insects on the wing too.

My Moth Box:

This WILLOW STILT (Caloptilia stigmatella) moth was also added to my Moth Life List.

Yes, there were some cracking Moths this morning among the 121 moths of 47 species, which equalled my highest total for the year. There were two ‘Lifer’s’ this morning that included a superb DARK UMBER and also the micro moth, WILLOW STILT  (Caloptilia stigmatella). Along with these two amazing moths were another NINE more that were new for the year that included a Dusky Sallow, Small Ranunculus, Black Arches, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Common Footman and only my second ever Channel Islands Pug! New micro moths for the year included a Ringed China-mark (Parapoynx stratiotata) , my first ever garden record of this species and also two European Corn-borers (Ostrinia nubilalis) were new for the year. As well as having at least 15 Bird-cherry Ermine moths, the larger and darker Willow Ermine (Yponomeuta rorrella) was also present for the first time this year.

Above, my first Ringed China-mark moth for the garden and below, the stunning Dusky Sallow moth.

Above and below, the two forms of European Corn-borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) moths.

Above, my second ever Channel Islands Pug and below, the stunning Black Arches moth.

Above, one of two Lesser Yellow Underwings and below, a Willow Ermine (Yponomeuta rorrella).

The Moths recorded this morning included the following:

Macro moths:

• Dusky Sallow x1 *
• Small Ranunculus x1 *
• DARK UMBER x1
• White Ermine x2
• Black Arches x1 *
• Dark Arches x3
• Willow Beauty x9
• Swallow-tailed Moth x1
• Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x2
• Riband Wave x8
• L-album Wainscot x2
• Garden Carpet x2
• V-Pug x1
• Pale Mottled Willow x2
• Common Emerald x1
• Lesser Yellow Underwing x2 *
• Common Footman x1 *
• Common Rustic agg. X2
• Lackey x3
• Double-striped Pug x7
• Lime-speck Pug x4
• Channel Islands Pug x1 *
• Bright-line Brown-eye x2
• Heart & Dart x5

Micro moths:

• Ringed China-mark x1 *
• European Corn-borer x2
• Red-barred Tortrix x1
• Bird-cherry Ermine x15
• Willow Ermine x1 *
• Rusty-dot Pearl x4
• Meal Moth x1
• Mother-of-Pearl x1
• Black-banded Masoner x1
• Ruddy Streak x2
• Garden Grey x1
• Brown House Moth x1
• Blushed Knot-horn x4
• Garden Grass-veneer x10
• Common Plume x3
• Oak Knot-horn x2
• Rosy Tabby x1
• Bud Moth x1
• WILLOW STILT x1
• Netted Tortrix x1
• Buff Mompha x1
• Large Pale Masoner x2
• Mint Moth x1

Matt & Emma’s Moth Box:

An early September Thorn moth in their garden this morning.

Over in Fareham, the guys were still getting aggro from the Wasps in their Moth Box, with plenty of dead Moths abound; however, they still had another good haul of moths that included the following:

A Water Veneer moth.

Macro moths:

• Knot Grass
• Black Arches
• Scalloped Oak
• Double-striped Pug
• Lime-speck Pug
• Buff Arches
• Dark Arches
• Double-square Spot
• September Thorn
• Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
• Common Rustic agg.
• Small Fan-footed Wave
• Ruby Tiger
• Uncertain
• Common Marbled Carpet
• Festoon
• Willow Beauty
• Nut-tree Tussock
• Buff Ermine
• Pine Hawk-moth
• Elephant Hawk-moth

Macro moths:

• Garden Grass-veneer
• Water Veneer
• Common Plume
• Twenty-plume Moth
• Garden Grey
• Barred Yellowneck
• Lead-coloured Tortrix
• Red-barred Tortrix
• Bee Moth
• Bird-cherry Ermine
• Rush Veneer
• Chestnut Leafroller
• Hemp Agrimony Plume Moth

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee in a Hibiscus flower.

It was very warm when I started my first shift in Pembroke Road this morning, but it was sunny and with a bright blue sky above, all was good. Up notched up a respectable (for this time of year) 14 species of birds that included a singing Chiffchaff in the tall trees by the footpath opposite, which was unexpected. The Gulls were swirling about high over Southsea of which were a mixture of Herring, Black-headed and a few Mediterranean Gull and judging by other flocks seen on the way home, I think the Flying Ants were out. 

There was an early report of a Sabine’s Gull seen from the Isle of Wight Ferry this morning, somewhere near Calshot, so I kept an eye out for anything unusual Gull and the best I could come up with was an immature Med Gull. There were many Small White butterflies around this morning and a few Large White’s also, but an Emperor Dragonfly eclipsed this; it flew over the Sycamore trees opposite and headed off westbound along the road. I decided to carry out my second shift in Pembroke Road this afternoon as the temperature had dropped a little (did get up to 82 degrees here in Southsea) and a large bit of cloud cover produced a nice cooling breeze down the road. A few House Sparrows were added to my day total and up to three Great Black-backed Gulls were seen on the rooftops in Penny Street (16 species for the day).