Envy alert!

Olive-tree Pearl to light with very pale Angle Shades Rodwell Weymouth Dorset @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Yesterday the wonderful Phil Sterling came to Studland to tell us about some unique moths of Purbeck, and we’ve got some real goodies and some real weirdos. Who’d have thought Bagworms were so devious! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Crimson Speckled flushed from field adjacent to St Aldhelm's Head Coastguards at 1215hrs. Ace! #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

A remarkable 33 species (plus a Red Admiral) from the garden traps last night. Gem, Golden Twin-spot, Palpita vitrealis, 2 Blair's Mocha, Rush Veneer the highlights. Also a late Blood-vein. Photos of the Gem plus the diminutive Cosmopterix pulchrimella and Tuta absoluta. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Experience once again won over expectation last night, with my 1st remote trapping session at St Aldhelm's Head prod'g 1 RDP (& 11 Fe.Ranunculus), with a measly count of 2 RDP in the Upton garden trap saved by my 6th (prob locally bred) Golden Twin-spot of 2025 #TeamMoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

A meagre 14 moths of 7sp last night in Corfe Castle, but worth it for two Feathered Thorns #Teammoth @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Whilst not exactly the hoped for migrant-fest, single Silver Y, Palpita vitrealis & 2 RDP (amongst a refreshing 21/11) were welcome in the Upton garden trap this morning, alongside a late Vine's Rustic & a brace of Monopis crocicapitella #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Enjoyable morning helping to survey larvae of the rare Speckled Footman #moth. Also seen were a smart Heath Assassin Bug Coranus subapterus and Heath Potter Wasp Eumenes coarctatus nest. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

A morning well spent helping survey the critically endangered Speckled Footman caterpillar population on the Dorset heaths, with a great group of volunteers brought together by Durwyn at @footprintecology.bsky.social #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

A single Palpita vitrealis amongst a paltry 15/3 in the Upton garden trap this morning was the sole migrant, alongside a handful of LBAMs & Black Rustic. Fingers crossed for the Canary airflow later this week! #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Very smart autumnal moths from 2 nights ago in Corfe Castle: Green-brindled Crescent and Merveille du Jour @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

So happy to have 3 super-smart Black Rustic in the moth trap this morning (Weymouth) - an autumn favourite. 😍 Overall 11 species (23 individuals), included Barred Sallow, Lunar Underwing, Beaded Chestnut and Feathered Ranunculus. #teammoth @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

There are some great #moths around in autumn. This morning's highlights were Merveille du Jour (living up to its name) and Blair's Mocha (probably resident around here). West Dorset, UK. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #teammoth

Despite the howling wind there's nothing like the arrival of much, much milder air to perk up migrant moth interest: Silver-striped Hawkmoth caught overnight at the Obs

A welcome 88/22 in the Upton garden trap incl'd my 4th Golden Twin-spot of 2025 (a sp that's surely bred locally), 2 Silver Y, 3 RDP, Clancy's Rustic, 9 Angle Shades, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Brindled Green, Beaded Chestnut, Caloptilia azalella & a late Endotricha flammealis @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

A surprising 37/16 in a cold & soggy Upton garden trap this morning incl'd a few new spp for the yr, with a beautiful Green-brindled Crescent (one of my favourites) & a striking Barred Sallow the best. Another Caloptilia azaleella was also notable, plus a lone RDP #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Always exciting to see the massive Convolvulus Hawk-moth, one of our most spectacular migrant #moth arrivals. Last night in West Dorset (VC9). @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #teammoth

17 sp + 44 moths in my Corfe Castle #mothtrap yesterday. Inc 24 Lunar Underwings. Other lovelies were Centre-barred Sallow, Sallow, Feathered Brindle, and Frosted Orange @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #teammoth

A measly 60/15 in the Cold Harbour office trap after a cold night still incl'd some nice seasonal fare, with multiple Sallow & Pink-barred Sallow, Deep-brown Dart, Heath & Black Rustics, & a nicely marked Delicate, plus a stonking stand-out Clifden Nonpareil #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

I thought I may have had my chips re: catching a Clifden Nonpareil this year, so I was extra pleased to find one of these hulking beauties clinging to the underside of the Cold Harbour office moth trap funnel this morning #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Passenger Moth trapped overnight at @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #TeamMoth #MothsMatter

The moth traps very unexciting sadly. Best was this striking form of Brindled Green. Otherwise, I found this Grey Damsel Bug (Himacerus major) on the garden fence last night, a new one for me.

Blair's Mocha best from last night's catch Rodwell Weymouth Dorset @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Oldy Lady, Angle Shade and L-album Wainscot to light at my Wimborne garden 18/09/2025 @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

An arrival of autumn moths here in West Dorset, UK last night including Frosted Orange, Black Rustic, Feathered Brindle and Dusky Thorn. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social #teammoth

Pearly Underwing (2nd garden record) was the highlight amongst a surprisingly migrant-poor 132/36 in the Upton trap this morning, alongside 4 Rush Veneer & 2 RDP, with Dewick's Plusia, 2 Pediasia contaminella & Musotima nitidalis the other notables @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

The SW winds delivered on a soggy night in Upton, with 90/28 in the garden trap this morning incl'g a (v.worn) Gem & a Scarce Bordered Straw (both NFG), plus Palpita Vitrealis, Silver Y, 2 Angle Shades, Four-spotted Footman, 5 Rush Veneer & RDP @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

A respectable 26spp + 60 moths on a mild night in Corfe Castle. Lots of goodies inc Feathered Ranunculus (nfy), Lunar Underwing, L-album Wainscot (nfy) and Frosted Orange @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Golden Twin Spot from last night's catch Rodwell Road Weymouth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

A pick up in regular migrant no's amongst the 110/29 in the Upton garden trap this morning (Vestal, 2 Silver Y, Four-spotted Footman, 10 RDP & 2 Diamondback), with a brace of Dewick's Plusia, & single Old Lady & Crocidosema plebejana, also welcome @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

News from John Lucas of a Scar Bank Gem caught overnight in his garden at Southwell - a quality rarity and think it's only the fourth Portland record. Photo courtesy of John.

Small Mottled Willow & 2 Palpita vitrealis were the main migrant interest amongst 140/61 in the Upton garden trap this morning, plus a NFG Marsh Oblique-barred, a 2nd FG Catoptria falsella, a box fresh (presumably 2nd gen) Green Silver-lines, & a few nice micros ##TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

A fab evening's mothing in SE Dorset yday with @dartfordtrapper.bsky.social & @mammalmark.bsky.social, incl 6 Rosy Underwing & many Copper Underwing & Musotima nitidalis attracted to wine ropes, plus a bonus Small Marbled, several Dark Sword-grass, & a Citron Plume to light @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Weymouth: a couple from last night. A really smart Small Marbled (presumably local) and a Cydia ulicetana. Best of rest were Palpita vitrealis (9), Blair's Mocha, Portland Ribbon Wave (2), Webb's Wainscot, Blackneck, Tawny Shears, Mocha, Bordered Sallow, Small Seraphim. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Extremely chuffed to find a Ni Moth amongst the 53/30 in the Upton garden trap this morning (only my second ever & the first I've personally trapped), alongside a Silver Y, a brace of Rush Veneer, & my first Portland Ribbon Wave of the yr #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

A Six-belted Clearwing, which came in to the API lure this afternoon, was the 6th species of this wonderful family to be recorded in the Upton garden so far this year #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

206/74 in the Upton garden trap this morning incl'd a wonderfully elongate Webb's Wainscot (NFG) & the 2nd site record of Dingy Mocha, plus Peacock Moth, Lime-speck Pug, Acrobasis suavella, & Clavigesta purdeyi #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Micros were much in evidence in the Cold Harbour office trap this morning, including 4(!) Oncocera semirubella, plus single Anania crocealis (Fleabane Pearl) & Honeysuckle Moth #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

A crazy 807/136 in the Cold Harbour office trap this morning incl'd the site's 1st ever Jersey Mocha & 1st Dingy Mocha for 2 yrs, plus a host of other local niceties, with migrant interest in the form of Dark Sword-grass, Rush Veneer, & a brace of Diamondback moths #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Just recovered from Sunday #mothtrap in Corfe Castle on first cloudy night for ages. 84sp and 300+ moths is a record for my garden. Apart from 5 lovely Elephant Hawks were Black Arches, Purple Thorn, Scorched Carpet, and Double Kidney (nfg) @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Last night was fantastic for migration/dispersal in the Upton garden (296/95), with my 1st gorgeous Golden Twin-spot headlining, alongside single Ancylosis oblitella & Sitochroa palealis, & a surprise brace of Sparganothis pilleriana #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Least Carpet new for year lots in the box Rodwell Weymouth Dorset @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

@dorsetmoths.bsky.social A big surprise this afternoon 29/06/25 at Badbury Rings with finding this Humming-bird Hawk-moth resting on a patch of chalk on the top rampart of the rings. #mothsmatter

Great night for migrant #moths here in West Dorset UK. Highlights were Striped Hawk-moth (first for the site), Olive-tree Pearl and Bordered Straw. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Few from Rodwell Weymouth last night Diamond Back Tawney-barred Angle Dark-bordered Pearl @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

A somewhat overwhelming 537/133(!) in the Cold Harbour office trap this morning incl'd several new spp for the site. Barred Yellow, Scallop Shell, Grey Arches, & a brace of Small Purple-barred were most welcome, alongside a range of other heathland niceties #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

The Dorset Moths website www.dorsetmoths.co.uk maps have now been updated to include records up and including 2023. Micro-moth data is coming this autumn. Get full site access by donating £25: this goes to direct Lepidoptera UK and helps cover website costs. (Other subscriptions are available.)

How times change... have to admit to not doing as much mothing in the last few years and remember when this species, Argolamprotes micella, was a good catch. Just a few years later and got 33 this morning in West Dorset! Sorry for the dodgy phone pic... @dorsetmoths.bsky.social