A Large Thorn moth added to my year list.

 Wednesday 12^th August 2026.

Only my second ever Large Thorn moth was found near the Moth Box.

I made sure I had my fleece on this morning as the temperature in the garden was in single figures. However, over the next few days, the heatwave will peak and get up to 35 degrees with very light easterly wind. Another large haul of Moths again this morning including another moth that was new for the year.

The UK is oncourse for the hottest year on record and something that we will all have to get used to in the future. On top of this, today, the UK will experience a 96% near full eclipse of the sun around 7.30pm tonight and this is followed by a big meteor shower late tonight. Could be interesting!

My Moth Box:

One of three Portland Ribbon Waves today.

My first Large Thorn of the year was found near the moth box at 5.45am this morning. It is a stunning species and only the second one I have ever recorded in my garden.

There was a slight increase in numbers, with 121 moths of 35 species recorded. The catch also included a noticeable rise in some of the scarcer species.

Migrant species recorded

Olive-tree Pearl.

·        Up to three Portland Ribbon Waves — the highest number I have recorded in my garden in a single day.

·        Two Small Mottled Willows.

·        Two White-points.

·        Seven Golden Twin-spots — the highest total so far this year.

·        Eight Rusty-dot Pearls and one Olive-tree Pearl among the micro-moths.

This morning also produced the highest counts of the year for both Garden Tiger and Blair’s Mocha, with six and three recorded respectively.

The most abundant species were Apple Leaf Miners, followed closely by Light Brown Apple Moths.

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Large Thorn * x1	Common Plume x4
Garden Tiger x6	Gold Triangle x1
Portland Ribbon Wave x3	Box Tree Moth x6
Double-striped Pug x4	Light Brown Apple Moth x10
Lime-speck Pug x3	Tree-mallow Tortrix x1
Marbled Beauty x2	Hawthorn Moth x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x5	Rusty-dot Pearl x8
Small Mottled Willow x2	Blushed Knot-horn x2
Blair’s Mocha x3	Apple Leaf Miner x15
Shuttle-shaped Dart x7	Meal Moth x1
Heart & Dart x1	Garden Mompha x1
White-point x2	Coleophora sp. X1
Small Ranunculus x1	Olive-tree Pearl x1
Golden Twin-spot x7	Common Grass-moth x1
Common Rustic x4	Codling Moth x1
Small Dusty Wave x1
L-album Wainscot x2
Common Wainscot x1
Pale Mottled Willow x8
Cabbage Moth x1

 

This Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) was inside the Moth Box.

While checking the Moth Box, the only notable insect (apart from the Moths!) was a Batman Hoverfly perched on the inside of the Box.

The lovely view of Highland Terrace where I walk my dogs through every day. A gorgeous Eucalyptus Tree is growing in one of the gardens. The tree does provide a good Wood Pigeon roost and so you have to be careful where you tread when walking!