Another new Moth for the year.

Saturday 2nd August 2025.

My first Chevron Grass-veneer of the year.

A cool clear start to the weekend, but at least it is dry throughout today. A busy weekend about to start, but I kicked off with the Moth Box again first thing. I am setting the alarm for 5.30am now seeing it's darker in the mornings. However, my ‘body clock’ will not have any of it as I awoke around 4am anyway! Grumble! There is no Birding with Geoff and Andy today as later this afternoon, I am off to Cornwall with Matt & Emma Parkes for a ‘Pelagic boat trip’ from Falmouth tomorrow morning!

My Moth Box:

The Grey / Dark Dagger moth by the Moth Box this morning. They can only be reliably told apart from dissection.

Similar to yesterday, there were fewer Moths than usual with 52 moths of 27 species recorded. However, my first Chevron Grass-moth of the year was found in the bottom of my Moth Box; a species that is common in my garden around this time of year. Garden Tiger numbers are on the increase with FIVE present today and just the one Jersey Tiger that promptly flew off when I lifted off the rainguard. Three Golden Twin-spots were still present and a Turnip Moth was another immigrant Moth to my list today 

One of five Garden Tiger moths today.

The following Moths were recorded this morning:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Common Rustic x6	Chevron Grass-moth x1 *
Heart & Dart x1	Bramble Shoot Moth x1
Cabbage Moth x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x4
Golden Twin-spot x3	Rusty-dot Pearl x2
Turnip Moth x1	Common Plume x3
Lychnis x1	Common Masoner x2
Silver Y x1	Barred Marble x1
Brimstone Moth x2	Hawthorn Moth x1
Jersey Tiger x1	Horse Chestnut Leafminer x1
Garden Tiger x5	Bird-cherry Ermine x1
Grey / Dark Dagger x1
Double-striped Pug x3
Lime-speck Pug x3
Garden Carpet x1
Pale Mottled Willow x3
Small Dusty Wave x1
L-album Wainscot

A Willow Warbler was calling and was seen briefly in the tree at the back of the garden and a pair of Blackbirds were making a lot of noise chasing one another within the same tree. What was interesting was a probable Common Whitethroat calling with its ‘churr’ like sound, but it was in the gardens at the back of the house and did not show itself. Frustrating! I have not heard any Swifts now over Southsea for the last few days and can only assume most have gone from the area.