A Beautiful Demoiselle in front of my house!

 Thursday 16th July 2026.

Three Golden Twin-spot Moths were in and around the Moth Box this morning.

A cool, breezy start to the morning which started with another look at the Moth Box. It looks as though it is going to be a repeat of yesterday regarding the weather with a cool start and then gradually getting very warm. Winds are still from the north-east and therefore a cool start to the day here in Southsea and Pembroke Road in Old Portsmouth.

Yesterday, though I never had the Moth Box on overnight, I still found a Jersey Tiger moth in Pembroke Road. I thought it was a butterfly at first by the way it fluttered around, but when it finally settled on someone’s front door, I could clearly see the pattern on the upperparts. I did try to get a photo, but it was too skittish and quickly flew off over the houses! 

My Moth Box:

A Bright-line Brown-eye and a Cabbage Moth from the Moth Box.

Another average Moth total this morning with 51 moths of 29 species recorded this morning. Most were in and around the Moth Box with very little elsewhere in the garden. There was nothing new for my Moth Year List this morning, but 3 Golden Twin-spots is always a very good record. My second Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing of the year was present at the base of the Moth Box and a pair of Elephant Hawk-moths were on the egg trays.

My second Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing of the year.

My second Rustic moth of the year was also on the egg trays along with a Cabbage Moth and a Knot Grass. Among the micros, my second Netted Tortrix (Acleris forsskaleana) & Cypress Gelechia (Gelechia senticetella) of the year was also in the Moth Box.

Knot Grass. I normally get a handful of these every year in my garden.

This time last year, I had a total of 39 moths of 25 species and in all honesty, virtually the same Moths as this year too! I did get my first ever Tawny Sycamore Piercer micro moth this time last year and this time in 2025, my first Jersey Tiger moth of the year was present in my back garden. The following Moths were recorded this morning.

 

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Golden Twin-spot x3	Rush Veneer x1
Elephant Hawk-moth x2	Common Plume x1
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x1	Apple Leaf Miner x1
Large Yellow Underwing x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x9
Lesser Yellow Underwing x1	Hampshire Dowd x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x3	Netted Tortrix x1
Cabbage Moth x1	Fulvous Pearl x1
Knot Grass x1	Brown House Moth x1
Double-striped Pug x5	Bud Moth x1
Rustic x1	Grey Knot-horn x2
Clay x1	Common Masoner x1
Garden Carpet x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x4
Lime-speck Pug x1	Mother of Pearl x1
	Cypress Gelechia x1
	Dingy Concealer x1

The only other insects within the Moth Box were a few Lacewings and one very large Flesh Fly! Via ‘The Lazee’ Birders WhatsApp site, birding chum Andy Friend had a Gypsy Moth in his garden this morning. Jammy so and so! I have yet to add this species to my Life List! When I arrived back from my second job, I found a Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly fluttering about by my front door and window! After Andy Fisher had one in his garden recently, I didn’t expect one to be near my house! They obviously move around a lot and I can only assume there must be a big garden pond around?

This Gypsy Moth was a nice find for one lucky 'Lazee Birder'. Photo by Andy Friend.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

A tad warm in Pembroke Road this afternoon. Pembroke Close is in the centre of this photo.

I got up to 13 bird species this morning here in Pembroke Road and although there was a nice breeze going down the road, it remained bright and sunny all morning. The usual three species of Gull flew over, and a Swift made a brief appearance flying low over the rooftops. A lot of the birds were mostly heard including the House Sparrows, a ‘ticking’ Robin and a Greenfinch was heard flying over. The Wren put in a brief appearance, but I have not heard the young Wrens in their nest this morning. Have they been abandoned or been predated upon?

I have noticed a good number of Carnation Tortrix moths flying around by the Hibiscus Bushes and nearby plants and after yesterday’s Jersey Tiger moth fluttering around, I shall be keeping a watchful eye for any more Moths in the area. A couple of Red Admiral butterflies were flying past at speed and over the Bowling Green, a pair of Small White butterflies could be seen.

This afternoon, on my second shift, it was hovering around 28 degrees, though it certainly felt a lot warmer than that. An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull flew low overhead and flew off east over the houses; not a bad species to add to my day total here. A few Swifts went over and another Red Admiral flew past at some great speed again. 

In Hampshire today:

This Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly was a real surprise flying around at the front of my house at lunchtime.

There was no news if the Night Heron was still present on its favourite pond in Southampton today. Over at Lower Test Marshes, a good count of at least 9 Common Sandpipers was present; I still have not seen one this year! On Titchfield Haven, a Roseate Tern was reported on one of the islands on the South Scrape. A few waders were on Hayling Oysterbeds early afternoon including a Whimbrel and up to 6 Dunlin.

Birding pal Dave Levy had a Light Crimson Underwing moth to his garden this morning.