236/68 at Burton Mill Pond. After a few mistakes I'm obsessed with the 'Greys'. So many of them though, often worn and, let's face it, dull. Still, what else are you to do in 30 degree heat? Highlight was a Splendid Brocade, only 54 records on the SMG site. #teammoth @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Black Hole is a swamp, fantastic in hot weather, sadly not last night. Scarce Footman outnumbered Common 8:1, but Pale Oak Beauty lived up to its English name. Meanwhile, Oak Marble is an English name for 2 different species. This one is Eudemis profundana. #teammoth @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Black Hole is a swamp, fantastic in hot weather. Sadly, not last night. Scarce Footman outnumbered Common 8:1, but Pale Oak Beauty did live up to its English name. Meanwhile, Oak Marble is now an acceptable name for 2 completely different species. This is Eudemis profundana. #teammoth

226/52 at Old Lodge SWT Reserve on Sunday night. Leaving me just 4 short of 1000 moths for the year so far! Highlight was a Red-necked Footman, Atolmis rubricollis @sussexwildlife.bsky.social #teammoth #ukwildlife #ukmoths

128/57 at Burton Mill Pond on Sunday night. Lots of NFY Triple-spotted Nest Moth, Streaked Water-veneer and Brindled White-spot, all new for site. #teammoth @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Fantastic night at Old Lodge SWT Reserve on Saturday. 340/74 if I include Speckled Yellow, not actually in the trap. Some of my favourites: Heather Knot-horn, Eyed Hawk-moth, Pine Hawk-moth, Clouded Buff Pics taken by my friend, Charles Waters @sussexwildlife.bsky.social #UKmoths #teammoth

159/38 at Burton Mill Pond SWT Reserve on Friday. 27 Pale Tussock, about half f. concolor. In parts of Sussex it's 100%. What do other people find? Bird's Nest, Grass Wave, and The Minister(Brassy Twist) all new. Orange-rayed Pearl at maybe 4 Sx sites. #ukmoths #teammoth @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Sussex based but holidaying on the Isle of Wight. I'd like some local info. I've seen 3 Weeping Willow that appear to be self-seeded, not planted, around Godshill. Does the local BSBI regard these as naturalised? @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A great #panspeciesrecording day with @sim-elliott.bsky.social in the Cuckmere Valley. Contarinia acerplicans, Early Purple Orchid, and Usnea articulata, amongst many others. At least four Kingdoms covered in three organisms! @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Cold, wind, and rain, last night at Old Lodge, East Sussex. So not many moths and no photos. This morning at 5.00am though, listening to Woodlark, Willow Warbler, Siskin & co. Pure magic! @sussexwildlife.bsky.social #ashdownforest #ukmoths

Brighton based naturalists planning a trip somewhere to see Bluebells, just walk up Freshfield Road, where the old Kemptown railway station was.

I've entered the BSBI 'Record 100 Plants in 2026 Challenge'. I'm only counting plants I haven't previously recorded and that I identified using a book rather than an app. My local park in Brighton produced 12 species (not including trees). Annual Wall Rocket was new. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Far too cold and windy for any flying insects, so had a nosy under some logs at Woods Mill SWT reserve. Obsidentify calls the second one Blackspotted Pliers Support Beetle, I love that! #sussexwt #panspecies

@amyjanebeer.bsky.social Just wanted to say how much I loved your piece in British Wildlife. Wonderfully evocative and uplifting writing, thank you.

A few interesting 'moth trap intruders'. The water boatman Sigara striata and the weevil Curculio nucum. #teammoth #sussexwildlife

Had to empty the trap in torrential rain yesterday, hence the poor photos. A lot of new stuff for me. Pics are: Bordered Beauty, Brassy Y, White-shouldered Ochre, Oak Hook-tip. #teammoth

Burton Mill Pond, in W. Sussex, includes a 'swamp' called Black Hole. On warm humid nights this can be spectacular. Sunday night produced 209 of 65. Specialities included: Bulrush Down Moth, Limnaecia phragmitella Bulrush Veneer, Calamotropha paludella Pale Water-veneer, Donacaula forficella

Burton Mill Pond, in W. Sussex, includes a 'swamp' called Black Hole. On warm humid nights this can be spectacular. Sunday night produced 209 of 65. Specialities included: Bulrush Down Moth, Limnaecia phragmitella Bulrush Veneer, Calamotropha paludella Pale Water-veneer, Donacaula forficella

Rain, midges, cows and flighty moths all made for an extreme mothing session at Burton Mill Pond, W. Sussex. Some cracking moths though: Barred Red, Mocha, Marsh Grass-moth, Sandy Carpet #teammoth #sussexwildlife #ukmoths #ukwildlife

Spent the summer solstice at West Beach SSSI, lots of sand dune and shingle beach specialists inc. Small Plume, Oxyptilus parvidactyla (poss. only 2nd W. Sussex record), and Canary Tortrix (Lemon Bell), Thiodia citrana, poss. only colony in the county. #teammoth #sussexwildlifetrust #ukmoths

Quantity rather than quality at Burton Mill Pond, W. Sussex, 83 of 36. Highlight, the 7th modern-day Sussex record for Moss (Gold-barred) Marble, Celypha aurofasciana. Also had a Field Cricket!

My first ever Ochreous Pug. TBH, I've never liked pugs, but I'm getting loads this year of several species. Scots Pine (the food plant) isn't native to Sussex, but there are plenty of planted trees around.

70 moths of 25 species on Friday night, outnumbered about 2 to 1 by Cockchafer. Moths are emerging early but not flying around much is what I think is happening, due to hot days but cold nights. Orange Footman and Vestal are early for example. Prettiest moth was a Cream-spot Tiger.

This is K2-18b. It’s a planet outside of our solar system, about 2 1/2 times the size of earth, orbiting a small red dwarf star. The James Webb space telescope spent time studying this planet via spectroscopy and determined it has gases in its atmosphere that are only created through biology!

Rain spoiled the first cloudy night for weeks at Burton Mill Pond SWT Reserve. Loads of pugs, 22 Brindled and 2 Oak-tree. Plus, if confirmed, a very early Heather Hook-wing, Ancylis uncella. Not often seen in Sussex. Plus, my 2nd Minotaur Beetle of 2025. #teammoth #sussexwildlifetrust #ukmoths

A hard frost in W. Sussex last night with Frosted Green literally frozen to the groundsheet. Highlights were an early Lunar Marbled Brown and my first ever Common Oak Purple (Common Spring Jewel), Dyseriocrania subpurpurella. The photo doesn't do it justice, really shiny in real life.

86 moths of 17 species last night in West Sussex U.K., though it was a lot colder than forecast. My favourite was this Red Chestnut.

First moth trap of the year, at Burton Mill Pond SWT reserve. 61 of 16, including what I believe is a Dark-streaked Tortrix, Acleris umbrana, plus a fantastic Minotaur Beetle #teammoth @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

The highlight of an extremely muddy walk around Henfield Levels yesterday was the discovery of Stinking Hellibore, a rare plant in Sussex, at a previously unknown site. Various lichens, fungi (inc. Southern Bracket) and a Black Swan, made up the supporting cast.

@pamhutch.bsky.social I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your piece in S&S re David Lynch. There's clever writing, and then there's clever writing that really tugs at the heart strings and makes you laugh and cry. I loved it. Thanks x

A heart-felt article by #OwenJones today. www.theguardian.com/.../labour-l.... I too wonder why they haven't left the LP. I think it's that career politicians are, by definition, motivated to some extent by self-agrandisement. In the extreme case of Keir Starmer it is there only motivation.

Occasional reminder that there’s no, “it’s too late, its over” for anthropogenic climate change. Every molecule of CO2 that doesn’t go into the atmosphere makes a difference. Preventing 0.1 degree of warming makes a difference. Every bit of climate resilience we build together makes a difference.

Excellent article on Novara Media this week. "Not only the Palestinian people will require recovery from this genocide – this more than genocide – but humanity itself." @novaramedia.com novaramedia.com/2025/01/02/n...

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 20

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 19

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 18

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 17

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 16

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 15

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 14

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 13

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 12

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 11

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 10

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 9

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 8

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 7

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 6

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 5

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers! #BookSky #Books #BookChallenge Day 4