Another bumper Moth haul today.

 Thursday 13^th August 2026.

Two of the three Large Thorns this morning.

Apparently, we have reached our peak today of this current heatwave, though temperatures will reach at least 35 degrees here in the south. It was quite warm when I took the dogs for their early morning walk and now at 8.30am, it is certainly going to get a lot warmer as the day progresses.

The news is full of yesterday’s solar eclipse, which I must admit was a little anticlimactic compared with the total eclipse I saw 27 years ago. Even so, it must have been exciting for anyone who was not around then. Sadly, firefighters are still in the New Forest monitoring the recent fire near the A31, and the road is expected to remain closed until at least the weekend, mainly for repairs. This morning, another fire broke out near the A34. Unbelievably, two young people were also caught red-handed on Hayling Island trying to start a fire in a field. Let’s hope the authorities deal with them appropriately.

 

My Moth Box:

This Common Daisy Moth was only my second ever.

Another strong moth total this morning, with 130 moths of 44 species recorded. This is the highest species count I have had this year, and it may rise further if the heatwave continues. Despite the large numbers, only one species was new for the year: the micro-moth Common Daisy Moth (Dichrorampha acuminatana), only the second I have ever seen.

Above, one of two Turnip Moths today and below, the tiny Horse-chestnut Leafminer.

Up to THREE Large Thorns were present this morning and this was joined by a Canary-shouldered Thorn that was perched on the lid of the Box. Possibly the same 6 Garden Tigers were still present in and around the Moth Box this morning, though only 3 Golden Twin-spots. Four Portland Ribbon Waves were recorded which was a garden record count of this species.

Canary-shouldered Thorn.

Migrant moths this morning included two Small Mottled Willows, White-point, Turnip Moth, Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) and Olive-tree Pearl (Palpita vitrealis). The Moths recorded this morning were as follows:

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Garden Tiger x6	Rusty-dot Pearl x7
Golden Twin-spot x3	Common Plume x6
Setaceous Hebrew Character x1	Blushed Knot-horn x1
L-album Wainscot x4	Apple Leaf Miner x13
Common Wainscot x1	Box Tree Moth x2
Willow Beauty x1	Tree-mallow Tortrix x1
Large Thorn x3	Chestnut Tortrix x1
Canary-shouldered Thorn x1	Mother of Pearl x1
Blair’s Mocha x2	Olive-tree Pearl x2
Bright-line Brown-eye x4	Light Brown Apple Moth x9
Lime-speck Pug x5	Hawthorn Moth x1
Portland Ribbon Wave x4	Codling Moth x2
Double-striped Pug x6	Garden Pebble x2
Lime-speck Pug x5	Long-horned Flat-body x1
Clay x1	Common Mompha x1
Brimstone Moth x1	Horse-chestnut Leafminer x1
Heart & Dart x1	Dark-bordered Pearl x1
Garden Carpet x1	Common Daisy Moth * x1
Shuttle-shaped Dart x9
Small Mottled Willow x2
Pale Mottled Willow x10
Small Dusty Wave x1
Cabbage Moth x2
Turnip Moth x2
White-point x1
Common Rustic x3

 

While checking the Moth Box, a high-flying Swallow was heard and then seen flying south over the houses.