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!

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea.

It had got a little darker when the eclipse was at its peak here in the Cemetery.

With all the excitement around this evening’s partial solar eclipse, I took the dogs for a walk through the cemetery. I still remember the total eclipse in 1999, when I was on the Isle of Wight; that was much darker and eerier than tonight’s event. While I was on the east side of the cemetery, a kind passer-by lent me a pair of eclipse glasses so I could view it safely. It was impressive, and I was very glad I had not risked looking directly at the sun and damaging my eyes.

Above, there was a large mixed flock of Gulls over the Cemetery this evening including this adult Black-headed Gull.

Above and below, one of two adult Mediterranean Gulls over the Cemy.

Apart from the Gulls, there were hardly any birds present, but I did find this male Blackbird in one of the Bushes in the southern half of the Cemetery.

I was hoping to see what the wildlife would make of the eclipse, for in 1999, a lot of birds, especially Starlings, all gathered up around midday as it became a lot darker and the birds were looking to go to roost. Not so this evening and in fact, yes, it did get a shade darker, but apart from a mixed flock of Black-headed, Herring and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls, very little was seen regarding the birdlife. A returning Pied Flycatcher was found in the New Forest this morning, which prompted me to check the trees within the Cemetery thoroughly. I saw one around this time of year several years ago, so what are the odds of one present this evening?

Above, a Painted Lady butterfly was near the main entrance.

Above, a Red Admiral and below, a Small White butterfly.

Above and below, two separate Red Admirals basking in the late evening sunshine.

There were actually more butterflies on the wing than birds, mostly Red Admirals, with at least four seen in one area chasing each other or basking in the evening sun. A Painted Lady was also basking near the main entrance, while a possible Hairstreak was seen high in the lone oak tree in the north-east corner of the site. Two Migrant Hawker dragonflies were nearby but showed no interest in the butterflies. I also saw what may have been two Common Darters hunting over the grass, although they were moving too quickly for a firm identification.