Another three good moth 'year-ticks'!

 Monday 25th May 2026.

Only my third ever Puss Moth, which was sitting on the patio this morning.

Though bright and sunny at 5.30am this morning, there was a breezy cool easterly blowing over the garden here in Chittlehampton, which I think resulted in not many Moths. But on the positive side, there were three more that were new for the year, including one of my favourites. The local birds were all in fine voice as Siskins flew over and the Swifts were screaming high overhead and not lets forget those noisy Rooks behind our garden! It is looking like another very warm day with temperatures climbing up to around 30 degrees centigrade.

My Moth Box:

My first Marbled Brown of the year.

I think because of the wind and not being by the box earlier this morning, some of the Moths present would have probably flown, but there were still 16 moths of 11 species present and that included three that were new for the year: Puss Moth, Marbled Brown and a Spectacle. The Puss Moth was actually found on the patio along with around 6 Cockchafer Beetles and so I grabbed a Pot and carefully placed it on the patio table.

Above, a Narrow-winged Grey and below, a Green Carpet.

Above and below, the Spectacle moth.

The Marbled Brown, a very smart moth, was perched on the wall by the Moth Box and the Spectacle ( I don't think I saw one last year) was on one of the outside egg trays. A good number of Pale Tussocks yet again and a fine Green Carpet was perched on the BBQ I have the Moth Box sat on! Finally, we have our first ‘micro moths’ of the trip here, with a male Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) sitting a long way from the Box and a Narrow-winged Grey (Eudonia angustia) perched on the patio window.

Twenty-plume Moth in our lounge.

Later this morning, I found a Twenty-plume Moth just inside the lounge patio window! This was only my second one of the year and a good find. Just goes to show that you must keep looking in case you miss something.

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Puss Moth * x1	Bee Moth x1
Garden Carpet x1	Narrow-winged Grey x1
Marbled Brown * x1	Twenty-plume Moth x1
Pale Tussock x5
Pebble Prominent x2
Orange Footman x1
Green Carpet x1
Spectacle * x1

Incredibly, there were around 10 Green Drake Mayflies present around the Moth Box and on the patio; a species I don't think I have ever encountered before, but beautiful little things nonetheless. Another first was a species of Caddisfly called Welshman’s Button Caddisfly of which there were around three present. They look a bit bland, but much different from the regular Cinnamon Sedge Caddisflies I get in my garden. Another Red-headed Cardinal Beetle was found on the patio this morning, to add to the one I saw yesterday. This place certainly looks good for insects, so I will be keeping my eyes open.

Insects are always attracted to my Moth Box, which included all the above. From top to bottom: Welshman's Button Caddisfly, Green Drake Mayfly and Red-headed Cardinal Beetle.