Another good Moth total in humid conditions.

Wednesday 27^th August 2026.

It wasn't really light this morning till around 6.45am with very heavy cloud overhead that brought in some heavy rain showers.

The rain finally arrived overnight with a brief shower (the only one I heard), but a few heavy showers after I had checked the Moth Box could be a prelude of things to come today. As well as the showers, it is very humid with temperatures around 19 degrees and I was soaked with sweat after walking the dogs!

A reasonable number of Moths were present this morning with a variety of Moths again including a several species of migrants.

 

My Moth Box:

A rather late Riband Wave was in the garden this morning.

A total of at least 88 moths of 24 species were recorded this morning, but it was starting to rain and so I had to hurry in checking both the Moth Box and the surrounding area before the first downpour. The most numerous Moth species was the Pale Mottled Willows with up to 22 recorded. SEVEN Golden Twin-spots was notable, and a Clancy’s Rustic was a good find too. A very late Riband Wave was perched on the Box and I quickly potted it to double-check it wasn’t something a little rarer.

Above, a Clancy's Rustic was most welcome and below, my first Pale-backed Detritus Moth of the month was in one of the egg trays within the Box.

Up to seven Golden Twin-spots were recorded this morning.

The Pale-backed Detritus Moth was new for the month. Micro moth numbers were also notable, with 8 Box Tree Moths and 9 Rusty-dot Pearls recorded. I also checked the area around the Moth Box, as moths often settle away from the box itself and can perch almost anywhere. The rain is likely to disperse many of them, so I may well find a few more later today. The moths recorded this morning included the following:

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Golden Twin-spot x7	Box Tree Moth x8
Riband Wave x1	Common Plume x2
Pale Mottled Willow x22	Light Brown Apple Moth x4
Setaceous Hebrew Character x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x9
Lime-speck Pug x1	Mint Moth x1
Double-striped Pug x3	Apple Leaf Miner x3
Bright-line Brown-eye x1	Chevron Grass-moth x3
Small Dusty Wave x5	Common Grass-moth x1
Angle Shades x1	Pale-backed Detritus Moth x1
Willow Beauty x2
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1
Clancy’s Rustic x1
Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing x2
L-album Wainscot x7
Vine’s Rustic x1

 

This big Buff-tailed Bumblebee took refuge in my Moth Box overnight.

Also present in and around the Moth Box were several Lacewing, a Harlequin Ladybird and a big Buff-tailed Bumblebee that was sitting on one of the egg trays within the Box. Sadly, no migrant birds were heard flying overhead this morning.

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

Less Moths but a good variety.

Monday 24^th August 2026.

My third Ni Moth of the year.

A cool start to another bright morning here in Southsea and after a superb weekend, I was now wondering what the Moths were going to be like this morning? It was only 14 degrees centigrade at 6am as I went about checking the Moth Box. Once again, there was a nice variety, but nowhere near the numbers I have been getting during the heatwaves. It was going to be getting a bit warmer today and stay dry too, though rain and possibly storms are on their way to the south coast later this week.

My Moth Box:

This gorgeous Oak Hook-tip was on the guttering. 

There were just 41 moths of 20 species recorded this morning though there were a few interesting Moths among them that included yet another Ni Moth, my third of the season. They really do look a bit like Silver Y’s but flatter and greyer. A Vestal was by the light bulb and an Oak Hook-tip perched on our guttering was a surprise.

Always a pleasure to find a Vestal by the Moth Box and below, a Plumed Fan-foot was unexpected.

Other notable moths included an Angle Shades, Plumed Fan-foot, Golden Twin-spot and later this afternoon, I found a Portland Ribbon Wave perched on the white board behind the Box! Among the micro’s, a House Moss-moth (Bryotropha domestica) was notable, and I found a Chevron Grass-moth (Agriphila geniculea) in our kitchen late this afternoon and so carefully released it back in the garden. The following Moths were recorded this morning:

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Ni Moth x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x5
Vestal x1	Common Plume x1
Angle Shades x1	Meal Moth x1
Plumed Fan-foot x1	Ruddy Streak x1
Oak Hook-tip x1	Dark Moss-moth x1
Small Dusty Wave x4	Box Tree Moth x3
Vine’s Rustic x3	House Moss-moth x1
L-album Wainscot x4	Chestnut Tortrix x1
Large Yellow Underwing x1	Chevron Grass-moth x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x2
Pale Mottled Willow x7
Golden Twin-spot x1
Portland Ribbon Wave x1

 

This Batman Hoverfly was inside the Moth Box.

Within the Moth Box, the only other insect that was attracted to the light was a Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea). While checking the Moth Box, a pair of Yellow Wagtails was heard and then seen flying high south and so Autumn ‘vis-mig’ has begun.

A Portland Ribbon Wave was found late in the afternoon by the Moth Box.

Yesterday, despite driving nearly 200 miles back home, Matt Parkes took his wife Emma over to Hook with Warsash area for a late bit of birding and found a flock of Yellow Wagtails around the Tender Loving Care Horse Paddocks. Meanwhile, birding pal Geoff Farwell paid a visit to Farlington Marshes today and recorded the following sightings: 8 Common Whitethroats, 2 singing Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, 3 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 25 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Sand Martin, 7 Swift, 2 Ruff, Avocet, 2 Greenshank, Raven and a Sparrowhawk.

Above and below, Yellow Wagtails at Hook with Warsash. Photos by Emma Parkes.

Sadly, no Dippers, but a couple of nice Cornish locations.

Sunday 23^rd August 2026.

Idless Wood, nr Truro:

The very tall Scotts Pine trees within Idless Woods.

After a cracking local pub meal and a few nice beers, we all went to bed early last night for the long trip home, but the plan was to hopefully find a Dipper at two fairly reliable sites; Idless Wood near Truro and if that failed, then the village of Lostwitheal by the River Fowey where the guys saw one seven years ago.

The Firecrest by the car park.

Another lovely day with bright sunshine and very little wind to first try Idless Wood where we parked up and took the lower path to find the river. A Firecrest was heard and then seen calling in the trees close to the car park and it didn’t take long to find the bird of which at times, it was quite showy. Both Goldcrest and Coal Tit was abundant within the woodland and within the car park, a Siskin was heard flying over.

Above, a showy Clouded Yellow butterfly and below, a Red Admiral within the woodland.

Above, a Meadow Brown butterfly was sunning itself by the footpath.

Sadly, the water level was very low, and what should have been a river was now more like a stream. After walking about a mile and seeing that it was not getting any deeper or wider, we turned back to the car and decided to try the River Fowey instead. Even so, it was a lovely wood, with good views of several tits, including a Marsh Tit. We also saw a couple of Spotted Flycatchers using bare branches to catch passing flies. A Bullfinch, Nuthatch and Treecreeper were all heard but did not appear, and a flock of about seven Goldfinches flew overhead.

One of the two Spotted Flycatchers high up in the trees by the footpath.

Butterflies were abundant too, with Meadow Brown, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper and best of all, a very showy Clouded Yellow that perched nicely for us in the sunshine. The only sad thing within this lovely wood was the amount of dog poo bags just dumped in piles in certain areas along the footpath. Maybe it is in protest of the new parking charges here?

The River Fowey, Lostwithiel:

Sadly, again, no sign whatsoever of any Dippers here and most likely due to the many people in the river itself! We took a walk along the river to see if we could locate one but there was no sign at all, and again, the water level was very low and all we could find was a few Mallards resting on the shoreline and a Common Buzzard soaring very high in the distance. Good numbers of Small White butterflies were by the river along with a Red Admiral passing through and even a Clouded Yellow flew over us too while we ate some lunch from a nearby Co-operative. A male Common Darter dragonfly was over the river but sadly, very little else and so we made the long journey back home, reflecting over a very entertaining weekend.