More new Moths for the year & a heatwave on the way.

 Tuesday 16th June 2026.

It was another bright start to the morning and to be honest, most of the day although clouds rolled in on my second shift at Pembroke Road this afternoon. However, the temperatures started to climb as it hit around 20 degrees centigrade, though it was much warmer further north of the UK. There was a pleasant south westerly blowing down Pembroke Road this afternoon and even a bit of sunshine broke through. Yet another reasonable haul of Moths this morning, with a fair few ‘year-ticks’ this morning. Last night, I let the dogs out in the garden and one of the Pipistrelle Bats was flying up and down the garden.

My Moth Box:

I found this cracking Least Carpet while walking the dogs this morning.

The overcast conditions and mild temperatures helped my Moth total this morning to be much more respectable with 48 moths of 31 species recorded this morning. Another six more Moths were added to my year list this morning that included Dark Spectacle, Dun-bar, Lime-speck Pug, Small Ranunculus, Single-dotted Wave and Least Carpet. The only new micro moth for the year was a Bird-cherry Ermine. All these moths mentioned are annual to my garden, but some are scarcer than others.

Above, my first Dun-bar moth of the year and below, another first for the year, a Dark Spectacle moth.

The most numerous Moths were the Dark Arches with an incredible 11 recorded although there could be more around the garden hiding among the vegetation. Two Golden Twin-spots were present (rare moths to most people’s gardens) and the near lookalike, Silver Y was also near the Moth Box. The Bird-cherry Ermine moth was probably the first of many to arrive soon and if we are to get this heatwave over the weekend, I expect the Moth numbers to get into the three figure counts.

More new moths for the year included this Small Ranunculus (above) and Single-dotted Wave (below).

Above, a Bird-cherry Ermine and below, one of two Golden Twin-spot moths.

It was when I was walking my dogs early this morning, that I found a Least Carpet moth perched on the glass side of the Bus Stop opposite Highland Road Cemetery. The Moths recorded this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Silver Y x1	Garden Grass-veneer x3
Common Emerald x3	Red-barred Tortrix x1
Dark Spectacle * x1	Box Tree Moth x1
Dark Arches x11	Gold Triangle x1
Heart & Dart x1	Large Pale Masoner x1
Pale Mottled Willow x3	Garden Mompha x1
Riband Wave x5	Blushed Knot-horn x1
L-album Wainscot x4	Brown House Moth x1
Golden Twin-spot x2	Common Plume x1
White Ermine x3	Bird-cherry Ermine * x1
Setaceous Hebrew Character x1
Vine’s Rustic x1
Dun-bar * x1
Lime-speck Pug * x1
Small Ranunculus * x1
Lesser Yellow Underwing x1
Large Yellow Underwing x1
Lackey x1
Small Dusty Wave x1
Single-dotted Wave * x1
Least Carpet * x1

The only other insect within the Moth Box was the Hoverfly, Migrant Aphideater (Eupeodes corollae). While checking the Moth Box, I heard a noise on my neighbours shed roof and thought it was just another Cat, it was actually a dog Fox that simply stood there and stared at me. I don't know who was more surprised, the Fox or me! I only just managed a quick photo using my Mobile Phone camera before it headed off over the wall and out of sight.

A Fox surprised me this morning within my neighbours garden.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

The sunny conditions in the afternoon were replaced by some heavy clouds. There was even a brief shower late in the day.

From both shifts within Pembroke Road, there were a total of 13 bird species recorded today. The Swifts were present again, with sightings both this morning and this afternoon. With all the usual common birds seen, including the Pied Wagtail, it was pretty much the same as yesterday. Just the one butterfly seen here today, a Large White, which flew over the Bowling Green early this morning. 

In Hampshire today:

This Tree Pipit was seen at Broxhead Common where there was a healthy number of Silver-studded Blue butterflies on the wing. Photo by Andy Friend.

The adult Curlew Sandpiper was still on Farlington Marshes, though seen in the Stream area early this morning. There were two Osprey sightings today; one over Blashford Lakes and another over Fareham. I have yet to see one this year, but I am hoping for one this Autumn.