Portland Bird Observatory - wildlife diary

30th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 2 Udea ferrugalis and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
29th June	A single Hummingbird Hawk-moth was seen at the Bill in the afternoon. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 2 *Plutella xylostella, 2 Silver Y* and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
28th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 2 *Plutella xylostella, 1 Silver Y* and 1 Dark Sword Grass; also a single Dark Spectacle.
Mere Wainscot - 27th June 2001 © Martin Cade
27th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 5 *Plutella xylostella, 3 Silver Y, 1 Dark Sword Grass* and 1 Small Mottled Willow; also a single Mere Wainscot (the third Portland record).
Bordered Straw - 26th June 2001 © Martin Cade
26th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 Bordered Straw, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Silver Y and 1 Plutella xylostella.
Cynaeda dentalis - 25th June 2001 © Martin Cade
25th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 2 Plutella xylostella; also the first 2 *Cynaeda dentalis* of the summer.
24th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 Silver Y.
Bee Orchid - 23rd June 2001 © Mary Snell
23rd June	Bee Orchids remain in flower at many sites, although they are in much lower numbers than in most recent years. No immigrant moths were trapped in the Obs garden traps this morning.
22nd June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 Silver Y.
21st June	A single Hummingbird Hawk-moth was seen at Reap Lane in the morning. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 Dark Sword Grass and 1 Silver Y.
Common Lizard - 20th June 2001 © Martin Cade
20th June	Wall Lizards continue to be seen at Duncecroft Quarry, and nearby at Southwell a single Common Lizard was found today (this species seems to have been declining on the island in recent years). Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Silver Y and 1 Plutella xylostella; also the first Six-belted Clearwings of the year were on the wing at the Bill.
18th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 2 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 *Udea ferrugalis*.
*Plutella xylostella* - 17th June 2001 © Martin Cade
17th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 3 Plutella xylostella, 1 *Udea ferrugalis* and 1 *Nomophila noctuella*.
Bloxworth Snout - 15th June 2001 © Martin Cade
15th June	A single Bloxworth Snout was trapped in the Obs garden moth traps this morning (this formerly rare immigrant is thought likely to be resident on the island now).
14th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 White-point.
12th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 2 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 White-point.
Bee Orchid - 11th June 2001 © Martin Cade
11th June	A Hare - a great rarity on the island - was seen between Lloyds Cottage and the Obs this afternoon. Bee Orchids are now in flower at sites throughout the island, and Early Gentians are still in flower at the Bill. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 Dark Sword Grass.
10th June	A very few *Omophlus rufitarsis* were still present at Ferrybridge in the evening. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 White-point.
*Omophlus rufitarsis* - 9th June 2001 © Martin Cade
9th June	The beetle *Omophlus rufitarsis* was discovered in large numbers on thrift flowers at Ferrybridge today during a BENHS field meeting (this is the sole known site in Britain for this species that is observed as an adult on only one or two days in early June each year). Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
*Volucella zonaria* - 8th June 2001 © Martin Cade
8th June	Hoverflies on the wing in the Obs garden today include *Volucella zonaria* - the largest British hoverfly. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 *Plutella xylostella; also 1 Pearly Underwing* found indoors.
*Agapeta zoegana* - 6th June 2001 © Martin Cade
6th June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Pearly Underwing and 1 *Udea ferrugalis*.
5th June	A single Clouded Yellow was seen on the West Cliffs at the Bill. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 4 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Silver Y and 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
White-speck - 3rd June 2001 © Martin Cade
3rd June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 White-speck and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
White-point - 2nd June 2001 © Martin Cade
2nd June	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 White-point and 1 Silver Y.
1st June	(nothing to report)