Migrant Lepidoptera (GB & Ireland)

I swear the computer models default to the south-westerly airstream when it doesn't have a clue what's on the way!
With only 4 days to go, there's a good chance it will actually happen this time.

Thanks Steve. Yes quite likely to be local however I'm sure a few arrive from overseas during suitable weather. It'll be interesting to see if numbers of sightings increase next week.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth just seen feeding on Sarcococca in Barton, SW Hants!!

Presumably having a break from hibernating somewhere cosy, but @migrantmothuk.bsky.social can have a tag anyway.

Comfortably my earliest ever.

#teammoth

We're on track to see a change to a mild south-westerly airstream from Friday (20/2). Saturday onwards looks very promising at this stage. #teammoth

05:00 on 10/2

15:00 on 15/2

A small chance of 1-2 more common immigrants arriving in the far west tonight. We then look ahead to Sunday (15/2), where hot conditions over the Sahara coupled with a south westerly air stream may bring N. African migrant insects to the south west of Britain and Ireland. #teammoth

Red Admiral, 16th January 2026

Turnip Moth, 15th January 2026

Some lepidoptera interest in the Obs garden: first butterfly of the year - a Red Admiral - on the wing just now; yesterday, the first presumed migrant moth of the year - a Turnip - from the moth-traps

Silver Y, 18th January

Mottled Grey, 17th January

More migrant moth activity: 2 Silver Ys trapped overnight at the Obs; yesterday a rather early Mottled Grey the pick of the what few residents are on the wing at the moment

A quick evening session in St Mellion, before the temperature dropped resulted in 6 moths of 4 species, including two new species for the year (total of 10 species for the year now) -
1 December Moth
3 Winter Moth
1 Red-green Carpet
1 Dark Sword-grass (very tatty)
#teammoth

Not much happened last night -

3 White-speck (M. unipuncta), St Mary's, Isles of Scilly;
1 White-speck & 3 Rusty-dot (U. ferrugalis), Penzance, Cornwall;
3 Rusty-dot, Plymouth, Devon;
1 Large Yellow Underwing (migrant?), Thurlestone, Devon;
1 Rusty-dot, Bracklesham, Sussex
#teammoth

Indeed Dave. It should at least be the best night of the year so far for mothing, even if the migrant species are absent!

17:00 today

E/SE winds over NW Africa may blow dispersing insect north into the Atlantic.

A mild night in the south but much cooler further north.

A fairly direct airstream from the Canary Isles/NW Africa today and tonight should hopefully bring a small number of immigrant species to the SW of Britain in particular. It will be a fairly mild night in the south, and most importantly, a much calmer night than of late. #teammoth

Well it's 9.2c at 9pm. 10 Winter Moths so far.

😆 Well, you need a million and one things to go right for African moths to reach our shores.
No, zero moth trapping since before Christmas. I am however giving it a go tonight as the temperature may hover around 8c during the early part of the night!

😆 Thanks Dave - Happy New Year to you too! Yes, conditions should certainly improve for moth trapping, even if the migrant species are absent. Maybe the 13th/evening 14th for migrant activity in Central Southern England, or maybe not 😂

12/1 15:00

15:00 13/1

15:00 13/1

The charts are back! #teammoth

4 of 6 in the final SW Hants trap of the year.
Surprisingly included two potential @migrantmothuk.bsky.social with singles of Rusty-dot Pearl & Diamondback Moth.
Also two each of December Moth & Double-striped Pug.

#teammoth

White-speck

Dark Sword-grass

Crocidosema plebejana

Dark Sword-grass, 6 December Moths & LBAM

A couple of migrants at the final work trap of the year: White-speck & Dark Sword-grass among 12/6. Noteworthy were 3 female December Moths among the 6 recorded.
The garden trap had 4/2: 3 Rusty-dot Pearl & Crocidosema plebejana. Plymouth VC3
#teammoth
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social

11/7 moth trapping in SE Hants. Best was a Diamond-backed Moth. A large Winter Moth is worth a second look at just in case it’s a Northern #teammoth

Small Mottled Willow (S. exigua), to light at Lyme Regis, Dorset on 14/12. P. Butter. #teammoth

13 moths of 6 species in St Mellion on 13/12 included:
1 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty-dot)
6 December Moth
2 Winter Moth
1 White-speck
2 Chestnut
1 Angle Shades
#teammoth

15 of 6 overnight in Plymouth, which included a few migrants.

62W actinic/synergetic

Small Mottled Willow (pic)
Silver Y 2
Rusty-dot Pearl 7
December Moth 3
LBAM
Acleris ferrugana/notana

@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
#teammoth

Just about worth a mention is the brief arrival of southerly air via France today/tonight, before a cold front introduces cooler air from the west this eve. There may be 1-2 arrivals from N. Africa in the Saharan dust fall however the chances of catching a scarcer species is pretty low. #teammoth

Many thanks to @bcpcouncil.bsky.social for completing the pre Christmas planned transect land management. Nice suprise of 3 Painted Lady (Library pic) on the Undercliff lunchtime. Maybe migrants after recent warm southerly winds. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

A poorly marked Diamond-back and a White-speck worthy of a mention from the moth trap. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Best from Woodsford were 5 Barnacle Geese (the 'Rodden Hive five'?) and a Ruff with the Lapwing flock.
Blackcap calling in the garden this morning.

Today Paul? Many thanks.

Pristine Painted Lady Old Castle Rd on brambles entrance to the sailing club 12:30 @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Same here in NE Essex after a relatively poor year. Oak Rustic was probably local.

You did much better than me Paul. Just a solitary Silver Y in the lure trap last night on the migrant front.

My friend Claudia texted me yesterday to report a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in her Highgate front garden. I sometimes trap at her place (e.g. where I caught the Four-spotted Footman) and she knows her nature well enough to be certain. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #TeamMoth

A mid-December Palpita vitrealis worthy of a mention. One of 9 species which also included 2 White-speck, Diamond-back, Turnip, Crocidosema plebejana, Yellow-line Quaker and 13 December Moth. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social