Another excellent haul of Moths this morning.

 Tuesday 26th August 2026

A close up of a Copper Underwing in my garden this morning. Notice the pale 'palps' on this individual.

The thunderstorms predicted for last night never materialised (surprise, surprise!) and so I must do a lot of watering today, but despite the lack of rain, last nights humid conditions certainly brought in the Moths. The temperature was mild again this morning with next to very little wind and apart from a few small clouds overhead, it was bright.

Yesterday late afternoon, I had a new mammal ‘tick’ for the garden: a Grey Squirrel that first climbed up our washing line, then raced to the back of the garden and leapt into our neighbour’s Holly tree. My dogs rushed out to see what the commotion was about, but the squirrel had already gone. I also found the first Giant House Spider of the season in the house. Rather than putting it outside, I let it disappear somewhere indoors. I wish people were kinder to them, as they feed on many unwanted insect pests.

My Moth Box:

My first Wax Moth of the year.

This morning I recorded an excellent total of 98 moths from 37 species, far more than expected. Among them was my first Wax Moth of the year. Although not the most glamorous species, it is an interesting one: it enters beehives, where its larvae feed on the honeycomb.

Above, a slightly worn Copper Underwing and below, a European Corn-borer moth.

Two Copper Underwings was exceptional and although I got a good close up of the ‘palps’ and most certainly are pale throughout, signalling a Copper Underwing rather than the very similar Svenssons Copper Underwing, the true easier way is the underwing, but that would most likely mean euthanising the insect of which I will not do.

Above, the micro moth Cherrybark Tortrix and below, one of four Golden Twin-spots from this morning.

Migrant Moths today included 4 Golden Twin-spot, Portland Ribbon Wave, White-point, Small Mottled Willow, Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis), European Corn-borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) and Olive-tree Pearl (Palpita vitrealis).

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Copper Underwing x2	Rusty-dot Pearl x8
Golden Twin-spot x4	Wax Moth * x1
Portland Ribbon Wave x1	Box Tree Moth x6
Setaceous Hebrew Character x1	Common Plume x1
Pale Mottled Willow x9	Beautiful Plume x1
White-point x1	Chevron Grass-moth x7
White Ermine x1	Common Grass-moth x2
Lime-speck Pug x2	Dark Moss-moth x4
Double-striped Pug x2	Ruddy Streak x2
Small Mottled Willow x1	Horse-chestnut Leafminer x2
Small Dusty Wave x2	Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Square-spot Rustic x2	European Corn-borer x1
Cabbage Moth x1	Apple Leaf Miner x3
Angle Shades x1	Cherrybark Tortrix x2
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x2	Tree-mallow Tortrix x3
L-album Wainscot x10	Blushed Knot-horn x3
Willow Beauty x1	Olive-tree Pearl x2
Bright-line Brown-eye x3	Long-horned Flat-body x1
Vine’s Rustic x1

 

A Lacewing inside the Moth Box.

The Moth Box also attracted at least one Lacewing and a Harlequin Ladybird. Overhead, while checking the Moth Box, at least two Yellow Wagtails flew heard. They can be a bugger to see as most fly so high.

This afternoon, I found this Southern Oak Bush-cricket by a building entrance.

Rest in Peace, Dolly x