And then there were 14! I can only assume early instars of Cinnabar caterpillars feed low down before moving to the upper parts of the plant. @rlewington2.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

I was starting to get frustrated that the Ragwort in the garden had failed to attract any Cinnabar moths, but finally this evening I spotted a single caterpillar! #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

Another shot of the Ferrugineous Bee-grabbers this morning, taken with my Canon 100mm #macro lens plus extender.

A pair of mating Ferrugineous Bee-grabbers (Sicus ferrugineus) on Ragwort in the garden this morning. #diptera @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social

RIP Bonnie Tyler. This song will always take me back to being a confused 12-year old who thought ‘total eclipse of the heart’ was an actual thing… 😆❤️🖤 youtu.be/lcOxhH8N3Bo?...

Stars of last night’s trap were 3 Suspected NFG, plus Derwick’s Plusia (to light) & a dark Juniper Pug. Also NFY Iron Prominent, Clay, Dot Moth, Double Square-spot, Small Rivulet, Zeiraphera isertana, Acrobasis advenella & consociella, & E.flammealis. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social

Am I right in thinking these are mines of Mompha langiella? On Enchanter’s Nightshade at Hill Hook LNR today. Would be new for SK19 if so. @vc28nature.bsky.social

Apologies for more cute pictures of Golden-tailed Melitta bees (Melitta haemorroidalis), but I managed to find two males roosting in the same flower which is really rather sweet.

Dark Arches rarely live up to their name, but this one from last night really did seem to have something of the Dark Lord about it! #teammoth

A busy trap with 3 NFG including Beautiful Golden Y (new for SK10 in VC38), Exoteleia dodecella & Phyllonorycter quercifoliella. Scalloped Oak, Oak Nycteoline, Poplar Grey, Mouse Moth, Rhyaciona pinicolana, Small Phoenix , Small Blood-vein, LBBYU, Lesser YU, & Buff Footman NFY #teammoth

A few more from mid-Wales for @wildflowerhour.bsky.social Royal Fern, pink form of Hedge Bindweed and Bittersweet from RSPB Ynys Hir, Common Valerian from Cors Dyfi. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Checked the Nettle-leaved Bellflower in my wild lawn this evening and was delighted to find 4 roosting Golden-haired Melittas (Melitta haemorrhoidalis). Previously seen them nectaring on geranium in the garden. #solitarybees @ecorecord.bsky.social

Early stage mines of Callisto denticulata from the garden. Since I first found their mines here last year, I’ve been hoping to catch a glimpse of the adult moth, but looks like I’ve missed them this year. #leafmines #teammoth @vc28nature.bsky.social

First Gatekeeper of the year in the garden. The butterfly that says ‘July’ to me. @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

A Waisted Bee-grabber (Physocephala rufipes), sitting motionless on a Knapweed flower in my garden. Though it looks a bit like a wasp, it’s actually a Conopid fly which parasitises bumblebees. #diptera @teamdiptera.bsky.social @ecorecord.bsky.social

Lozotainiodes formosana (Orange Pine Tortrix) wasn’t NFY, but when it was it didn’t get its photo posted & I feel it’s time to remedy that omission! No one could see it and still say that micros are boring. #teammoth

First trap at home in a week, 163:49 with 10 NFY, best being my 2nd garden record of Light Arches (1st was in 2023), also Early Thorn, BBYU, Pebble Hook-tip, Common Rustic agg., Mother of Pearl, Dingy Footman, Single-dotted Wave, Crassa unitella. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social

Returned to RSPB Ynys Hir yesterday and was treated to fabulous views of a hunting Marsh Harrier and my first ever Purple Hairstreak, seen from a hide which conveniently overlooked to tops of some small Oaks. @rspb.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

I rescued a spider from the sink at our holiday let this morning, turned out to be a male Steatoda grossa (aka the Cupboard Spider), a new species for me. Quite a few records from mid-Wales, especially near the coast. @britishspiders.bsky.social

Not sure if it was attracted by the moth trap light or not, but this Painted Lady was beautifully camouflaged against the door this morning. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

More good mothing at Tal-y-Bont (VC46), with Plain Golden Y (surely a most mis-named moth!) NFM, 2 Small Mottled Willow (a species that eludes me at home) and Brown Silver-lines among the highlights, as well as a beautiful sunrise. #teammoth

One of my favourite #hoverflies Sericomyia silentis at RSPB Ynys Hir today. @rspbcymru.bsky.social

A PhD researcher at the University of Birmingham has developed a citizen science project called Blackbird Detectives, which aims to engage families, schools and local communities in collecting observations of Blackbirds and their nests across urban and rural environments.

Borth beach, looking towards the Llyn Peninsula. Saw my first ever Manx Shearwaters today, feeding just off the shore here, distant but a thrilling sight. 🪶

For @wildflowerhour.bsky.social , a few plants from the mid-Wales coast & further inland: Sea Campion, Kidney Vetch, Greater Bird’s-foot Trefoil and Smooth Hawk’s-beard. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Just found this photo from my Friday night trap in Tal-y-Bont. Seems to be a Bactria sp., lancealana seems most likely, but also has similarities to B. robustana too which seems possible in this location (VC 46). #teammoth @mothiduk.bsky.social @gmtord.bsky.social

An interesting fly found in the holiday house this morning, the Snipe fly, Chrysopilus cristatis. #diptera @teamdiptera.bsky.social

Before releasing the Peach Blossom, I had an opportunity to compare it with my pin badge… #teammoth

Tal-y-Bont (Ceredigion VC46) delivered the moths last night, including my first ever Peach Blossom! Also notable were Broom Moth, Brussels Lace, Mottled Beauty, Marbled White-spot, Crambus perlella (rare in my garden) & an early Agriphilla tristella. #teammoth

Mothing in mid-Wales tonight. Some fine mature Oaks a stone’s throw from our holiday cottage, so am hoping for something interesting… #teammoth

My best effort at a 3 hawk-moth species shot. They weren’t very co-operative and it was so warm I was worried they’d take off if I messed about too much with them. #teammoth

Another NFY, Brown Silver-line in the garden just now (8.30pm). Only seen it once before here. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

A huge trap (70 sp) & packed with colour (6 Scarlet Tiger, 9 Elephant H-m). 2 NFG: Shoulder-striped Wainscot & Epinotia signatana. Best of the NFYs were Red-necked Footman (my 2nd), Eyed H-m, Small Ranunculus, Figure of 80, Buff-tip. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

Finally, a Scarlet Tiger has found me! It’s been nectaring on our Verbena bonariensis for a good 5 minutes… #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

Tried to photograph Emperor dragonflies at Hill Hook LNR; amazingly one shot was actually in focus! @ecorecord.bsky.social @hillhookfriends.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

A pristine Ringlet in the garden this afternoon, possibly only my second garden record. @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

A couple of the seeheads of the Ribwort Plantain in my garden look very weird, some sort of gall perhaps? @bsbibotany.bsky.social @galling.bsky.social

A great trap last night, 57 species with a few NFG micros inc. Meal Moth and Ectoedemia submaculella. Macro NFYs included Blackneck, Dingy Shears, Yellow-tail, Miller and Varied Coronet as well as 3 Heart & Club, a garden record. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

ObsID is convinced this is Carpatolechia fugivitella, though I’m not sure as it doesn’t look a lot like other photos I can find. But I’m not sure what it is, so would welcome suggestions… #teammoth @mothiduk.bsky.social

Any chance this could by Etainia decentella ? On a Sycamore samara in Sainsbury’s car park, Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield. @vc28nature.bsky.social @ecorecord.bsky.social #teammoth

Speckled Bush-cricket nymph, one of three seen in the meadow area at Hill Hook LNR last Tuesday. I was surprised to see no Sutton Coldfield records when I checked iRecord… #crickets #orthoptera @ecorecord.bsky.social @hillhookfriends.bsky.social

I haven’t had much time for moth-trapping during the past few days as I’ve been organising this! Well worth it though & I’m looking forward to seeing how the new garden develops and what it attracts. #nature #wildlifegardening

Three Swifts overhead just now from my Sutton Coldfield garden. Sadly a rare sight, not like in my childhood when they were a constant summer presence & a totemic bird. 🪶

Red-belted Clearwing to FOR lure late this afternoon in the garden. Just need Currant & Orange-tailed now for the year. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

63:35 last night with 5 macro and 7 micro NFYs. Ephestia woodiella will be NFG if confirmed. Coronet, Common Emerald and Pine Hawk-moth stand-out among the macros; Gypsonoma oppressana, Argyresthia retinella, Ancylis achatana best of the micros. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social

Two Lunar Hornets to the lure this morning. They make a very wasp-like buzzing noise with their wings when flying around the pot. Better pics to follow… #teammoth

Any #teammoth people got any tips about how to get a Pine Hawk-moth to calm down? Currently going crazy in a tub in the fridge…

Hummingbird Hawk-moth in the garden feeding on Jasmine just now! Went to get my phone for a photo and it was gone… #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social

Forth the third year in a row, male Golden-tailed Melitta (Melitta haemorroidalis) has been attracted to Geranium ‘Rozanne’ in my Sutton Coldfield garden. Haven’t seen a female but there is Nettle-leaved Bellflower in the lawn. #solitarybees @ecorecord.bsky.social