Largest haul of moths for the year so far!

Wednesday 20th August 2025.

My first Gem moth of the year. A good immigrant moth from the Continent.

As we reach the last third of the month, the moths are still pouring in and the migrant birds are doing the same. This morning, I had the largest haul of moths for the year, a staggering 145 moths of 42 species; though to put this in perspective, I have had over 200+ in previous years, so it's nowhere near my record count, but damn good anyway. 

It was blowy in the garden first thing this morning, but it didn't really get light till after 6am due to the overcast conditions and I am glad I had my fleece on as temperatures were only around 14 degrees.

My Moth Box:

My first Chinese Character moth for the year.

My highest recorded number of moths this year produced two more species that were new for the year that included a Gem and a Chinese Character; both species that are normally annual to my garden, but normally just singles. Monday’s or another Red Underwing was present again this morning, though proved very difficult to get a decent photo due to the fact it was behind the Box my Moth Box was sitting on and despite every effort to see if it would play ball for a photo, it decided to go to the back of the fence it was sitting on. Bugger!

Above, the difficult to photograph Red Underwing moth and below, a much more obliging was this Dark Spectacle moth.

Immigrant moths this morning included the Gem, Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing, probable most of the Pale Mottled Willows, White-point, TEN Golden Twin-spots, Silver Y, FIVE Jasmine Moth and 4 Rusty-dot Pearls.

One of two Tree-lichen Beauties this morning.

Sadly, no migrant birds over the garden this morning while I was checking the Moth Box.

The moths recorded this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Gem x1 *	Apple Leaf Miner x1
Dark Spectacle x1	House Moss-moth x1
Red Underwing x1	Dark Moss-moth x1
Pale Mottled Willow x12	Ruddy Streak x4
Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing x1	Gold Triangle x3
Shuttle-shaped Dart x12	Jasmine Moth x5
Light Emerald x1	Box Tree Moth x9
Bright-line Brown-eye x2	Dark Strawberry Tortrix x1
Large Yellow Underwing x2	Rusty-dot Pearl x3
Willow Beauty x2	Light Brown Apple Moth x5
Vine’s Rustic x8	Brown House Moth x2
L-album Wainscot x8	Black-banded Masoner x1
Setaceous Hebrew Character x1	Barred Marble x1
Small Dusty Wave x2	Holly Tortrix x1
Garden Carpet x1	Bird-cherry Ermine x2
White Ermine x1	Common Masoner x1
White-point x4	Common Plume x1
Brimstone Moth x1	Cherrybark Tortrix x1
Heart & Dart x3
Golden Twin-spot x10
Silver Y x1
Chinese Character x1 *
Double-striped Pug x9
Tree-lichen Beauty x2
Dusky Thorn x1
Yellow-barred Brindle x6
Garden Tiger x2
Marbled Beauty x2
Lime-speck Pug x3

Matt & Emma’s Moth Box, Fareham:

One of five Box Tree Moths in Matt & Emma's garden today.

There was nothing new for the guys this morning by their Moth Box, but they did record the following moths: 2 Poplar Hawk-moths, 5 Box Tree Moths, 3 Dusky Thorn, 2 Large Yellow Underwing, 5 Vine’s Rustic, Light Emerald, Garden Mompha and 3 Hornets.

In Hampshire today:

The two juvenile Little Stints on Pennington Marshes today. Photo by Andy Tew.

Farlington Marshes hosted the two juvenile Ruffs on the Stream area and up to 6 Little Ringed Plovers were on the Deeps area. Eight Yellow Wagtails were present this morning on the reserve and at least 5 Wheatears. Two Spoonbills flew high over the reserve and over in Portsmouth Harbour, at least one Osprey was still present. There were two juvenile Little Stints on Pennington Marshes still and a Curlew Sandpiper was reported there via Birdguides. 

The Cherrybark Tortrix moth this afternoon.

A lot of moths were fluttering about my garden this afternoon while I did a bit of tidying up and I was pretty sure a Yellow Shell was seen flying away from me and then landed out of view in the back garden. However, I had more luck when I potted a small micro that turned out to be a Cherrybark Tortrix.