A couple of weird-looking insects from Pembrey LNR yesterday - the beetle Notoxus monocerus and the leafhopper Eupelix cuspidata. Recorded as part of the Pembrey Coast project, funded by the Nature Networks Fund.

A pair of Puss Moth eggs on a willow leaf at Pembrey today. Like two perfect little chocolate maracons. #MothsMatter

Spuleria flavicaput tapped from Hawthorn in Port Talbot yesterday. Not a common moth in Wales (or at least, not very often recorded). The only one I've seen previously was in the Lake District way back in 2005. #TeamMoth #GlamorganMoths

A big surprise before I even opened the trap this morning - Elephant Hawk-moth lurking at the neck of the funnel. I don't usually see these until June - earliest garden record by exactly 4 weeks. Also an early Poplar Hawk and 5th garden record of Alder Moth. 22 species. #TeamMoth #CardiffWildlife

A Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) turned up in our kitchen yesterday, which was quite a surprise. Only one previous Welsh record according to iRecord / NBN Atlas. This one most likely came from Chilean grapes bought in Lidl the previous day. #CardiffWildlife @sewbrec.org.uk

A large pupal case found in a dead stem of Bulrush (Typha) in Bute Park yesterday. Based on its size I think it has to be Bulrush Wainscot (Nonagria typhae). Note to self - remember to look for larvae there in early summer. #TeamMoth #CardiffWildlife

A pill beetle Byrrhus pilula on a garden wall just up the road this morning. Able to transform from beetle to pill in an instant! #CardiffWildlife #Beetles

A beetle for a change - the leaf beetle Bruchus loti found in dead Phragmites stems at Pembrey, Carmarthenshire this week. They feed on the seeds of legumes. #beetles

Just published... Phyllocnistis triandricola (Almond Willow Maze-miner) New UK at Surlingham, Norfolk 14/08/2025 by Seb Buckton (Gen. Det. P. Hall, R. Voith) #teammoth #norfolkmoths norfolkmoths.co.uk/micros.php?b...

Catching up with the last of the photo labelling from 2025 as the grim weather continues... Collected several larvae of Epinotia nisella from Goat Willow catkins in Somerset in late May 2025, which produced adults at the end of June. #TeamMoth

This harvestman sieved from flood debris by the River Taff in Cardiff seems to be Dicranopalpus larvatus, possibly a first for South Wales unless there are any records in the pipeline @megabunus.bsky.social?

A moth! And one I didn't see at all last year. Indian Meal Moth (Plodia interpunctella) flying in the pet food section of The Range in Cardiff today. #TeamMoth

Finally got around to looking up this caterpillar, which was found next to the moth trap in Cornwall in August. A Marbled White Spot (Protodeltote pygarga), only the second time I've seen this common moth in the larval stage. #TeamMoth

Put the garden trap out for 1st time in a few weeks. Low expectations despite the mild conditions. Amazed to catch a Pale Brindled Beauty, the first time I've seen this moth before the new year. 5 species in total including my first December record of Double-striped Pug. #TeamMoth #CardiffMoths

Yesterday morning, after an overnight low of -1.7C, a female Palpita vitrealis on our garden olive tree, spotted by my daughter. Not something I was expecting to see after the recent frosts! Perhaps they can survive the winter now, even in Wales? @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #TeamMoth #CardiffMoths

One surprise among 7 species in the Cardiff garden trap last night - a Spiny Hook-tip (Watsonalla uncinula). Only 2nd garden record and rather late in the season. #TeamMoth

White-point new for the Cardiff garden last night, the 25th new species this year. It's been the most productive year for new species since 2018 - the Law of Diminishing Returns doesn't always apply. #TeamMoth

9 species in the Cardiff garden moth trap this morning after an incredibly mild night for the time of year - the temperature hovered around 14.5C all night. 7 of the 9 species were micros, including an Olive-tree Pearl (Palpita vitrealis) and a super late Mother of Pearl (Patania ruralis). #TeamMoth

Red-green Carpet (Chloroclista siterata) - a species on the up in my Cardiff garden moth trap. A rarity here before 2017, it is now a regular visitor in the autumn. This fits with the national trends (667% increase in distribution, 695% increase in abundance since 1970). #MothsMatter

Some smart leaf-mines of Ectoedemia angulifasciella on wild rose in the Malvern Hills at the weekend. #LeafMineMonday #TeamMoth

The Sorcerer from Kenfig last night. Finally got up the courage to remove it from the pot (after some others had seen it). As far as I know, fourth British record and first for Wales. Thanks to everyone for moral support during my meltdown. But, what a moth! #TeamMoth

Earlier this year I reared two adult moths from Coleophora cases on Blackthorn on the Glamorgan coast. Both have recently been confirmed by dissection as C. prunifoliae. This moth is new for me, new for the county, and also my 1000th moth species recorded this year - so a nice hat-trick 🙂 #TeamMoth

Decent moth numbers on and around the Ivy blossom at Lavernock Point (Glamorgan coast) last night, including Pearly Underwing x4, Dark Sword-grass x11, Red-line Quaker x2, Angle Shades x5, Dark Chestnut & Acleris rhombana x2. 16 species recorded in total. #TeamMoth

After one exciting Aporophyla species on Friday night (A. australis, Feathered Brindle), there was another last night with A. lueneburgensis, Deep-brown Dart, in the Cardiff garden trap. The first time I've seen this species since I moved to Wales in 2002! 9th Glamorgan record. #TeamMoth

Feathered Brindle (Aporophyla australis) trapped in the Wye Valley last night. This coastal moth has no business turning up in an inland woodland - the nearest records are around 70 miles away on Gower and in southern Dorset. It will be new for VC35 Gwent too. #TeamMoth

Some excellent moths trapped while staying in a cottage near Welshpool (Montgomeryshire) at the weekend, including my first Dusky-lemon Sallow (Cirrhia gilvago) since 1998! #TeamMoth

A fun few hours with the traps on Caerphilly Mountain last night produced some quality moths. Heath Rustic, Autumnal Rustic, Spiny Hook-tip and Anomalous the best of the macro-moths. Also my third Clifden Nonpareil of the year. 1/2 #TeamMoth

One to look out for at the moment if you have olive, privet or jasmine growing in the garden - larvae of Palpita vitrealis feeding inside spun shoot tips. Found two on the olive tree in our Cardiff garden this week. @mikecram67.bsky.social recently reared it from privet in Bridgend too. #TeamMoth

#RecordOfTheWeek today is Oriental Fruit Moth (Grapholita molesta), found in Bridgend by Mike Cram. This is the first Glamorgan record for this non-native species, which likely hitched a ride on peaches. Thanks for the record & photo, submitted via www.sewbrecord.org.uk #TeamMoth #MothsMatter

Do you do moth trapping in the UK? We'd love your help! 💡 At @ukceh.bsky.social we're training & testing AI to detect multiple moths in a single image. Send us top-down photos of multiple moths on egg trays to support this work. More info & form: forms.gle/e3HzBPEd7RVV... #mothsmatter #TeamMoth

Trapping on the edge of upland conifer plantation near Pontypridd...Anomalous, Dark Marbled Carpet, Pempelia palumbella and an unexpected Clifden Nonpareil. It looked like some exotic bird when it swooped in, black and white underside flashing in the MV light, dwarfing all the other moths. #TeamMoth

After 18 years of waiting, finally got Chinese Character on the garden list! Also my first Palpita vitrealis of the year and a second gen Waved Umber. #CardiffMoths #TeamMoth

Trapping on the dunes at Kenfig NNR last night with @llynfian.bsky.social and warden Chris Jones. Migrants Diasemiopsis ramburialis & Small Mottled Willow (x3), also Acleris permutana (4), Agriphila latistria, lots of Archer's Darts and Notocelia incarnatana. #TeamMoth

Broad-barred White (Hecatera bicolorata) caterpillars on the Perennial Sowthistle my neighbour lets grow on his driveway. Second year running they've been present on this patch. I've only had the moth 3 times in 19 years in my garden trap across the road! #TeamMoth

Light trapping at Pembrey Burrows (Carmarthenshire) on a night that was colder and clearer than had been forecast - only 60 ish species across three traps as a result, but some nice ones. Good numbers of Garden Tiger & Dog's Tooth, also Yellow Belle and Kent Black Arches. 1/2 #TeamMoth

Olive (left) and Double Kidney trapped at Gwent Wildlife Trust's Magor Marsh last night. #TeamMoth

Sitochroa palealis the stand out moth from a busy night at Gwent Wildlife Trust's Magor Marsh reserve, with over 100 species recorded. There are only a few Welsh records of S. palealis including a couple from Gwent. #TeamMoth

I seem to have been AWOL from Bluesky for a while. Anyway, here's a European Corn-borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) from last night's moth trap, which was new for my Cardiff garden. Also a rather worn Canary-shouldered Thorn - summer is officially over! #TeamMoth

This Dark Umber (Philereme transversata) emerged today. Found as a small larva on Buckthorn at Lavernock Point on the Glamorgan coast in early May. Not a bad moth. #TeamMoth

The weather may officially have turned pants but the early moth records continue. This Scalloped Oak lurking in the Ivy-leaved Toadflax by the trap is my earliest garden record by 5 days. #TeamMoth

DID YOU KNOW? It is a little-known fact that Iggy Pop's famous hit The Passenger was inspired by a moth. Before a night out in London in 1977, Iggy switched on his garden moth trap as usual. Arriving home in the early hours, he was delighted to find this rare immigrant moth inside. #TeamMoth

Excellent caterpillar hunting session at Kenfig NNR today. Garden Tiger, Mullein, young Knot Grass, and no less than 17 Puss Moth larvae on Aspen suckers. #TeamMoth

Found as a tiny caterpillar on birch in Carmarthenshire, this Yellow Horned (Achlya flavicornis) has developed into rather a splendid beast. #TeamMoth

Currant Clearwing out in numbers already - six to the TIP lure in just a couple of minutes at the allotment this afternoon, in nice muggy weather. #TeamMoth #CardiffMoths

Clearwing lure excitement in the Wyre Forest this week with Yellow-legged (4), White-barred (lots!) and best of all Large Red-belted (2). Also some nice micros as 'bycatch'... #TeamMoth

The latest in my series entitled 'Dodgy photos of nice day-flying micro-moths'. Micropterix aureatella and Anania funebris near Caerphilly today. A new site for the Micropterix. #TeamMoth

A slightly blurry shot of a female Adela croesella at Lavernock Point NR today. It didn't hang around for a better pic. Seems to be a new site and 10km square for this localised species (unless you've seen it there recently @sconzani.bsky.social?). #TeamMoth

Good success with the UV torch in the garden last night: 4 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidoides) caterpillars feeding high up on apple & willow trees. Rubbish photo of the one on willow but shows how well it stands out - it was hard to spot under conventional torchlight. #TeamMoth

An excellent micro-moth day in the Gwent sunshine. Pammene germmana (pair), Adaina microdactyla (Hemp Agrimony Plume), Alabonia geoffrella (Geoff) & Pancalia leuwenhoekella #TeamMoth

Pleased to see Aethes williana flying in the sunshine at Lavernock Point NR (Glamorgan) yesterday, in almost exactly the same spot I saw one in 2021. Plenty of the foodplant Wild Carrot nearby. This nationally scarce species has just one other Welsh record, a vague old one from Chepstow. #TeamMoth