40mph gusts of wind today, squally showers and the red valerian almost horizontal. And still there was mothage! 2 of them, amazing flyers! #teammoth

Does anyone have any recommendations for ex military/cargo trousers for birding/moth trapping? I’m looking for lots of pocket storage, notebooks, small camera pots etc. must be comfy, hard wearing, easy to bend down and scrabble around in. Waterproof a bonus #birdinggear

And another NFG this time from the 22/05. One of the 3mm moths (grain of sand) Ectoedemia albifasciella. Fortunately a male for Gen det purpose #teammoth

From the trap on the 24th the worn Tortrix moth looks to be Cydia ulicetana NFG after gen det, which was a surprise (happy to be corrected) as I was expecting a Dichrorampha of some sort #teammoth

The total trap was 279/101, 3 of the Tortrix species recorded but not totalled. NFG Lozotaenia forsterana and Lyonetia prunifoliella. Rare moths for the garden, Mottled Rustic, Beautiful Golden Y, Nephopterix angustella and Toadfkax Brocade. 2 Scarce MdJ and Green Silver-lines best of #teammoth

Two parts to the trap contents in SE Hants, and the 1st time I’ve done a separate migrant list; 2x Small Marbled (NFG), 2x SMW, 1x Rush Veneer, 40+ Diamondbacks, 3x Silver Y, 3x Portland RW, 1x C. plebejana and 2x White Point. #migrantmothuk #teammoth

Stop it, it’s getting silly now. 20 Diamondbacks, 3 Portland Ribbon Waves, 1 Small Mottled Willow and a Small Marbled! #teammoth #migrantmothuk

I’m hoping the moth gods forgive me, I went to look at some dayfliers! Portsmouth Natural History Museum and Butterfly House. A tiny house sized place, but the butterflies were magnificent. The keeper also turned out to be a moth trapper, but she usually turned in at 9pm. Lightweight!! #teammoth

Geoff having an epic fail at looking inconspicuous on the fence panel this morning #teammoth

Last nights trap 385/122, star moth Eastern Bordered Straw. Also NFG Small Elephant Hawk Moth, Etainia decentella. Possible NFG Luquetia lobella, it’s worn so would need 🪓. Supporting cast of Varied Coronet, Great Oak Beauty and Sloe Pug. Migrants 5x Diamond, 1x PRW, 1x SMW #teammoth #migrantmothuk

For #MothFaceFriday the Sith Lord himself #teammoth

The 2nd farm survey round bishops Waltham this am was hot, but not unbearable. Target species 3x Whitethroat 1 new territory, 1x Firecrest in a new area, and a pair of Spotted Flys. I can’t remember the last time I saw a Hants one or a breeding pair. Merlin couldn’t take the heat today #hantsbirds

Errrr 👀

I won’t lie, this morning’s trap has been underwhelming. As per normal any decent migrants have bypassed the garden. Fortunately the gardens biggest moth gap has just been filled as compensation! #teammoth

In the space of 30 mins my garden has gone from 15 Silver Y to 40+. Its like in off bird migration, I’m watching them fall into the garden #teammoth

Whilst doing the farm cluster bird survey I thought I’d do some field mothery on the sly 🤫 Diamond-backs a plenty, couple of Silver Y, Geoffs by the bucketload and then the interesting bit. Mother Shipton NFM, Silver-ground Carpet and then this little dude. Looks like Cydia inquinatana!? #teammoth

Farm cluster bird survey today, Budhips Waltham. Brutal, the heat was unbearable. 150mins, 4 miles, 2 target species, Garden Warbler and Kestrel, but significantly reduced numbers overall (heat + most birds now breeding not displaying). Farm two tomorrow morning 🥵 #hantsbirds

Final count of 345/95 in SE Hants. A bit bonkers really and 2/3 micros. No idea on NFYs. A lot of Puggery going on and some head scratching (normal pug stuff). 2nd+3rd record of Mottled Pug, 2 Pauper Pug!! 2 Mottled Beauty were NFY and also 2 Scarce Merveille du Jour, plus our Sith friend #teammoth

Think I’ve gone moth blind. Any ideas on this micro? I did try ObsID as well but it is having a brain fart day like myself #teammoth

There’s another reason (other than family interruptions) why the traps are taking so long to count, and that’s the volume of moth. No Coleophora or Stigs 321/83 and I’m into the fridge 🫣🥵 Finally a proper migrant in SMW. Silver-ground Carpet only the 3rd record and no Hawks. Not one. #teammoth

So we’ve had the dark, now the bling. Green bling, Peach Bling, Gorgeous Bling and Ridiculous Bling. Geoff was absent last year so this is a welcome return #teammoth

Strangely enough, though there is a lot of trap bling going on, I doubt anything will give me as much pleasure as this Vaderesque Peppered Moth. It really is light destroyingly black and I mean BLACK #teammoth

The chosen sacrifice to the honorary moth god Bacchus. A nice West Coast Old Vine Zinfandel. Enough about the vino, is anyone else trapping the light fantastic tonight? #teammoth

The garage door strikes again! After the Psyche casta earlier this year it’s now provided a NFG! Luffia lapidella/ferchaultella #teammoth

Just finalising Sunday nights trap details (barring 🪓 jobs) and I’m beginning to think I’ve bagged a Pauper. Thoughts on this mr Pugmeister in Chief @cliveaderbys.bsky.social #teammoth

Probably not going to get through all the contents of the traps before rushing out this morning. Looks like two NFG Epiblema sp (I think) and Toadflax Brocade. Numbers down on the previous trap, but species count looks similar. Hawks beginning to appear and the mandatory PB photo #teammoth

Pleurota bicostella a heath specialist, not particularly common in Hants and a lifer for me as was the Rosy Marbled both at Pig Bush #teammoth

Moth trapping at Pig Bush was also good for birds. A very vocal Cuckoo kept up until dark, a churring Nightjar in the tree above me also gave an early evening fly past. Firecrest, Tawny Owl and Woodcock later on made for an entertaining evening, even if the dreaded NF midge did not #hantsbirds

Great to finally meet up with @mothyblackburn.bsky.social in the NF last night. Mothing was very good, lots of migrants and local moths, but low on macros. Best moth was Tim’s Small Marbled. The LepiLED and Falcon LED out mothed the MV on site. Worst bit was the mass of NF bastard midge #teammoth

212/86 with various moths still to process ranging in size from grain of sand to grain of rice 🤣 10+ NFY but nothing new new as of yet. #teammoth

I’m too old for this, 3hrs kip, moth trapping home and away. Home trap 200 of 70 and still a fridge full of moths to go, just some of the NFY below. I’m trapping away again tonight! 🤪😴🥱 #teammoth

It’s not often I see anything new nowadays, but 2 in one night is good going. Tissue which isn’t even annual in Hants and Eidophasia messingiella which is a speciality of the area #teammoth

My residence for the next couple of hours, a military base in Hants! Common Swift in already and a micro #teammoth

And a Painted Lady! #teammoth

Looks promising for tonight already, I’ve had Diamond-back And Silver Y in the garden this afternoon, my mothy senses are on high alert!! Red-belted clearwing to CUL lure as well. One last go for the elusive Large next week and then parked for the season. #teammoth

101/31 provisionally with 30 micros about the size of a grain of rice or smaller to sort through. A few NFY (I think) Coronet, P. Cinnamomeana, Spruce Carpet, Clouded Silver, Cypress Carpet, an Early Pine Carpet and Green Pug #teammoth

Surprised to see so many micros, 10+ mix of Phyllonorycter and Coleophora plus a few Tortrix species. Not many macro moths yet 🤷🏻‍♂️ #teammoth

Anyone else having #teammoth issues?

Plant and they shall come. 3rd year of Hedge Woundwort and ta da Moffs!! Coleophora lineolea case and possibly a caterpillar? Recent Gen det showed as expected Tawny Marbled Minor (male), C. laricella (male) and no matter how much I wanted an amethystinella it was a C. alcyonipennella (m) #teammoth

A bit of a head scratcher and I’m suffering from moth blindness this morning. Found it beached on the doorstep, looking very sorry for itself. Doesn’t give me Willow Beauty vibes, I’m not sure I’ve seen a moth like this, and ObsID has absolutely no clue. Satin/Pale Oak Beauty? #teammoth

The second of my collected moth larva emerged last night from its pupa. Originally collected 28/04 on Cherry it was transferred to raspberry where it pupated. Hedya nubiferana SE Hants #teammoth

Finally a moth trap to be happy with! 75/34 and some NFYs but I’m not really keeping tabs on that this year. Clouded-bordered Brindle and Bright-line Brown-eye were NFY (I think), Marbled Minor agg was also new and some Coleophora still to sort out. SE Hants #teammoth

So the prospect of moth trapping tonight……looks around 0% #teammoth

Hard work doing the farm survey today, wind, rain, sun, hot, cold! Best was 2 target species, 1x Firecrest and 2x Garden Warbler (thanks to @amythebirder.bsky.social for her helpful video of the song) Bishops Waltham area Hampshire. One moth Plum Tortrix and lots of dead stuff #hantsbirds #teammoth

The current state of the UK moth community #teammoth

These small gen dets really are at the limits of the capabilities of my kit. Annoyingly so as the upgrades look like £1k+ 😳 Coleophora violacea (male) as predicted by @sj84turner.bsky.social and @cliveaderbys.bsky.social another NFG #teammoth

Awful weather for moth trapping (Friday might be my next trap night), but I’ve had some success this week with lures. Hysterophora maculosana to PRO (Hampshire rarity), Pammene albuginana to SUS, Grapholita funebrana to ARG, and a large dark Coleophora to POM. All in SE Hants #teammoth

Very strange farm bird survey in Hants. In the space of 30 mins I got rained on, sunburnt and then hailed on 🤷🏻‍♂️ The birding was equally odd, 20 Mallard sat in the middle of a grass field 🤷🏻‍♂️ Swifts back in numbers a highlight Cantharis fusca and 7-spot Ladybird larva also found #beetles #hantsbirds

Sometimes a good whinge seems to spark the moth gods into action. Attracted to the PRO lure and looks like Hysterophora maculosana according to ObsID. If so barely annual in Hants and a new 10km. But I’ll need a much better photo to be 100% convinced #teammoth

Matley Bog yielded 9 moths last night, the best of which was a worn Ringed Carpet. A female Fox Moth and Light Brocade were the best of the rest, conditions were cold and breezy so not a bad return #teammoth