Fresher conditions with a reduced Moth count.

 Thursday 20^th August 2026.

The weather has certainly changed this week, with rain finally arriving along the south coast and across much of the UK. As a result, I had been reluctant to switch on the Moth Box for the past few evenings. However, I did run it last night, especially as migrant moths are still arriving in force.

Last night I read the Portland Bill website, which reported an amazing variety and number of migrant moths with the likes of The Passenger, Striped Hawk-moths, Pale Shoulder, Mugwort Pearl, Purple and Small Marbled to name but of few very rare moths. The scale of the movement was simply stunning.

There must have been a few showers overnight, as there were several damp areas in the back garden this morning. The egg trays, however, were relatively dry despite receiving a good soaking yesterday morning during the heavy rain.

The Garganey that was found on the River Meon yesterday and still present this morning. Photo by Mark Francis.

There has also been a notable arrival of migrant birds around the south coast, with plenty of warblers, chats and flycatchers being found. The first returning Garganey was also recorded yesterday on the River Meon and at Titchfield Haven.

 

My Moth Box:

It has been a good year for Poplar Hawk-moths to my garden this year. This one was inside my Moth Box today.

With a big change in the weather, I didn’t really expect many Moths this morning, with just 44 moths of 24 species recorded this morning. There was nothing new for the year today, but a Poplar Hawk-moth is always welcome to my garden. It was inside the Moth Box and so carefully lifted it out and placed it gently in one of the nearby garden plants.

Dusky Thorn.

My first Square-spot Rustic in my garden for the year was present on one of the egg trays (already had a few at Cowplain Marsh this month) and a Dusky Thorn was perched near the light bulb. Migrant moths this morning included a Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing, Turnip Moth and up to 5 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis).

Above, my first Buff Ermine moth this month and below, another migrant moth, the Langmaid's Yellow Underwing.

Among the micro moths, Chevron Grass-moths are becoming regular now with up to three individuals recorded this morning, however, the Apple Leaf Miners, where recently they were in huge numbers, there was just the one present this morning! The following Moths were recorded this morning:

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Poplar Hawk-moth x1	Common Plume x1
Dusky Thorn x1	Box Tree Moth x4
Willow Beauty x3	Chevron Grass-moth x3
Buff Ermine x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x2
Double-striped Pug x1	Apple Leaf Miner x1
Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x5
Setaceous Hebrew Character x1	Blushed Knot-horn x1
Square-spot Rustic x1	Mint Moth x1
Pale Mottled Willow x6
Small Dusty Wave x1
Garden Carpet x2
Cabbage Moth x1
Turnip Moth x1
L-album Wainscot x1
Shuttle-shaped Dart x3
Bright-line Brown-eye x1

 

The first Square-spot Rustic moth for my garden this year.