A moth 'lifer' and another 6 'year-ticks'.

 Tuesday 26th May 2026.

Only my 3rd ever Lime Hawk-moth here in Devon last night.

As the heatwave lingers on, after a very sticky night, I awoke later than expected (6am) and quickly made a coffee before checking out my Moths this morning. Late last night, our Jackie gave us a shout that a large moth was outside by the Moth Box around 11pm and amazingly, it was only my 3rd ever Lime Hawk-moth and showing very well on the wall by the Box! I was well chuffed. Why I hardly get any in my Southsea Moth Box, who knows; but it is always a ‘buzz’ to get a Hawk-moth, no matter what species. Again, it is very warm this morning here in Chittlehampton as is the rest of the south.

My Moth Box:

One of two Alder Moths this morning.

Though I got up late and probably missed a lot of moths that had probably flown off, I still recorded seven new moths for the year and also a micro moth ‘Lifer’! The micro moth was a Beautiful Knot-horn, a rather attractive species I might add. Oddly, that was the only micro moth here this morning, but the excellent ‘macro’ moths made up for that with ‘year-ticks’ of Swallow Prominent, Iron Prominent, Alder Moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character and the migrant moth, Dark Sword-grass. 

Two Prominent species of moths turned up this morning with (above) this Iron Prominent and below, a Swallow Prominent. Two superb moths that I only see about once a year.

Above, the migrant moth, Dark Sword-grass (I only record them in the Autumn in Southsea) and below, a new micro moth 'lifer' for me, the BEAUTIFUL KNOT-GRASS. What a stunner!

My first Setaceous Hebrew Character of the year. It is a common moth at times, but nice to get my first one. Below, a strikingly marked White Ermine.

There was another migrant moth, a Small Mottled Willow present and most likely the Silver Y was a migrant moth too. A total of 23 moths of 14 species were recorded this morning .I read on Migrant moths on Facebook that some chap had over a hundred Small Mottled Willows within 5 traps put out on the edge of Exmoor overnight! The Moths recorded this morning were as follows:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTH
Lime Hawk-moth * x1	BEAUTIFUL KNOT-GRASS * x1
Dark Sword-grass * x1
Swallow Prominent * x1
Pale Tussock x 9
Iron Prominent * x1
Alder Moth * x2
Least Black Arches x1
Silver Y x1
Heart & Dart x1
Setaceous Hebrew Character * x1
White Ermine x1
Maiden’s Blush x1
Small Mottled Willow x1

Other insects attracted to the Moth Box again were the Green Drake Mayflies, Welshman's Button Caddisfly and just the one Cockchafer Beetle.

Our lovely walk in the country lane.

The dogs got their morning walk this morning and though a bit warm at 9am, it was a pleasant walk that produced a lot of Hirundines over the village and good numbers of Painted Ladies nectaring on all the flowering plants along the footpath and hedgerows. I was so impressed by the flowering weeds and plants that they actually stopped me in my tracks to see if I could ID some of them. One garden was full of Cat’s-ears and along the footpath, bunches of Ox-eye Daisies grew along with Herb Robert and Herb Bennet plants.