Less Moths, but still quality present.

Friday 1st August 2025.

One of two Garden Tiger moths today.

It was much cooler than normal this morning and after yesterday's heavy rain and thunderstorms, it looks as though it is going to be a much brighter day. It was just 13 degrees centigrade in the garden first thing this morning and I was so glad I had my fleece on because my hands were freezing after checking the Moth Box.

My Moth Box:

One of three Golden Twin-spots.

There were just 50 moths of 20 species recorded this morning and sadly, nothing new among them today. Two Garden Tigers were present, one inside and one outside the Moth Box but I did find the wing of one that had probably been taken by a bird or spider. The rare immigrant Golden Twin-spots are still hanging on with three counted today and probably the only other immigrant moths was a White-point.

Marbled Beauty.

The Moths recorded this morning in and around my Box included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Double-striped Pug x7	Garden Pebble x1
Golden Twin-spot x3	Black-banded Masoner x4
Pale Mottled Willow x3	Common Masoner x2
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x3
Brimstone Moth x1	Bramble Shoot Moth x1
Garden Tiger x2	Apple Leaf Miner x1
Marbled Beauty x1	Common Plume x12
Straw Dot x1	Garden Grass-veneer x1
Heart & Dart x1
L-album Wainscot x1
Common Rustic x1
White-point x1

I am having a running battle with a female House Sparrow on most mornings, of which she likes to search and grab my Moths once I have released them. Most fly away, but a few fall to her desire! Even a juvenile Blackbird came down to investigate near my Moth Box. Yet another Willowchiff was heard quietly calling in the big tree behind my garden, but I did not get a sighting of it this time around.

This afternoon, while chilling out with a coffee in the back garden, there were a few butterflies on the wing around my garden that included a Red Admiral, Small White and at least four Holly Blue's. I also found a Silver Y moth on the wing too as it searched for a safe place to rest. 

A Nightjar in the New Forest. This superb photo was taken by Pete Appleton. 

In Hampshire today, there was a small movement of passerines around Gunner Point on Hayling Island that included a Nightingale, Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler and around 30 Willow Warblers. A juvenile White-tailed Eagle was seen heading south towards Hayling Island and the Black Tern was seen off Hill Head again early this morning.

A Death-head Hawk-moth Caterpillar. Filmed today by Andy Scarborough.