MapMate Users! The MapMate Taxa Library is no longer supports updates via patches. Updates are now available via a new, downloadable TaxaLibrary.MDB file. This file is containing the latest updates is now available to download from mapmate.info/taxalibrary..... #MapMate

Martin Townsend and I are drafting an article for the Ent. Record about Paranthrene tabaniformis D(usky Clearwing), including its rediscovery at Tubney, Berkshire. Literature searches since Marc Botham’s article have only come up with Colin Plant’s follow-up and 2 pieces by David >>> #MothsMatter

A well-founded argument casting doubt on the inclusion of Pieris mannii (Southern Small White) as a British species, based on an image and no supporting specimen is published in the Entomologist's Rec. J. Var. 138 (2026). Was it merely an aberration of P. rapae (Small White)? #UKButterflies

Hi all, I'm delighted to announce the latest version of the MapMate Taxa Library is now available to download from the new MapMate Support website at mapmate.info/taxalibrary..... #MothsMatter

I've not done any mothing recently, but #TeamMoth activity is going on in the background with the new Surrey Moths website, and more recently QGIS mapping, more specifically creating an atlas. With respect to QGIS and atlases, I can produce and atlas with just a single dateband; however... >>>

Work continues on the new Surrey Moths website at www.surreymoths.org.uk. It's still lacking images, and some species accont detail (the admin is in place to start writing them), but it's now functioning well and like a good wine will improve with age. #MothsMatter

No mothing for me for the past 2 weeks while on holiday. However, I'm almost done building a new website for the Surrey Moth Group. There's not much content in it, just info on the group and sending in records to the newly-formed Verification Team. All well be revealed in a few days! #MothsMatter

More military aviation shenanigans with a pair of Eurofighters sparring with high-g turns and afterburners over Winterton-on-Sea 😄. Other things with wings were less inspiring today 🫤.

I watched 6 F-15E Strike Eagles fly out over the North Sea earlier, 1 came back soon after venting fuel. I guess a problem with that airframe! 🤔

It's a bit wild this morning on the Norfolk coast! It looks like a day moth report writing and a bit more nerdy SQL and macro coding. 🤓

Driving to Winterton-on-Sea, Norfolk, for our holiday, currently on the M25 singing Ballroom Blitz by The Sweet 😀✌️

Stigmella glutinosae/alnetella on Alder. The key on British leafminers favours the former, but both mines are vacated. I suspect this one's not doable. Wimbledon Common (VC17). @vc28nature.bsky.social #MothsMatter

Asteroscopus sphinx (Sprawler) male, overnight 13 November 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). I've had a few of these too recently! #MothsMatter

Agriopis aurantiaria (Scarce Umber) male, overnight 13 November 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). I've taken a few of these this week. #MothsMatter

Calling all VC39ers (and mothomaniac VCers the region / country over) - a quick plug for @vc39moths.bsky.social run by the eminent lepidopterist-CMR-guitarist @lesevanshill.bsky.social. N.B. I didn't intend to platform the machinations of arch-rival @sj84turner.bsky.social whilst I was at it.

An intriguing late male Oegoconia quadripuncta (Four-spotted Yellowneck) overnight 6 Nov 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17) - confirmed by dissection. #MothsMatter

A wander to the Co-op through Putney Heath delivered a few Feathered Thorn and November moths, and strangely nothing that made me wishing I had a net! However, ice cream safety was delivered to my wife and a red for me while we watch The Rookie on the Tellybox (apparently, it's a Welsh thing!)

Reasonably confident this is Ectoedemia minimella on Birch, 5 November 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). A contorted gallery, leading to blotch with dispersed frass. Happy to be corrected as always. @vc28nature.bsky.social #MothsMatter

Phyllonorycter pastorella (Royal Leaf-miner), ex. mine on Weeping Willow 14 October 2025, emerged 4 November 2025. Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). #MothsMatter

Possibly Stigmella perpygmaeella on Hawthorn in my Putney Heath garden (VC17). It fits the description at www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidop.... What do you think, Rob? @vc28nature.bsky.social #MothsMatter

Ectoedemia quinquella (Five-spot Dot) on Quercus robor (Oak), provisionally new to Staffordshire, 3 November 2025, Wolverhampton (Image: Darren Taylor). #MothsMatter

The West Midlands Moths website is now updated to include records up to an including 2024. West Midlands Moths covers: VC36 Herefordshire; VC37 Worcestershire; VC39 Staffordshire & VC40 Shropshire. westmidlandsmoths.co.uk #MothsMatter

Currently looking for a proverbial 'needle in a haystack' that is Acalyptris platani on London Plane. Shedloads of the Phyllonorycter platani, however. Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). #MothsMatter

If anyone takes Watsonalla binaria/uncinula (Oak/Spiny Hook-tip) from now, please check with your County Recorder if they wish specimens to be retained for microscopic examination (at the discretion of the recorder) and confirmation. Image: Oak Hook-tip (above), Spiny Hook-tip (below). #MothsMatter

Yesterday, @britentsoc.bsky.social published the 4th edition of the popular Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Completely updated and free to download in 3 digital formats: PDF, spreadsheet, and an Android App! Further details at www.benhs.org.uk/publications... #TeamMoth

Are you joining us at our Exhibition this Saturday? A chance to meet other members and browse interesting displays! To find out more including contributing to the Exhibition visit our website

Today, the @britentsoc.bsky.social Annual Exhibition is being held at Conway Hall, Holborn, London. Always a great day with lots to see and friends to catch up with. Something special is also happening today - more on that later. #MothsMatter

Stigmella basiguttella (Shoulder-spot Dot) on Quercus robor (Oak), 30 Oct 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17) - 2nd site record (1st record 2003). Inspired by Trevor Pendleton's YouTube channel www.youtube.com/watch?v=msE-.... #MothsMatter

A couple of more-than-welcome visitors overnight 28 Oct 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17): A 2nd site record of Dryobota labecula (Oak Rustic) and a presumed partial 2nd generation Eilema griseola (Dingy Footman). #MothsMatter

Last one for today... on Beech. I'm not sure at all what I have here. Both upperside and vacated and possibly not Lepidoptera. Tittesworth Reservoir (VC39). @vc28nature.bsky.social #MothsMatter

Stigmella sp. on Quercus cerris, possibly roborella as the larva fits the description on the British Leafminers website. However, atricapitella, I believe, cannot be ruled out? Tittesworth Reservoir (VC39). @vc28nature.bsky.social #MothsMatter

Ectoedemia argyropeza (Aspen Dot) mines on Populus tremula, 25 Oct 2025, Tittesworth Reservoir (VC39). Only 3 VC records since 2000. #MothsMatter

Saved from a hat-trick of a #Wogan by this, nondescript Noctuid. There are not too many candidates, so who fancies a punt? Cheadle Towers (VC39), 24 October 2025. #MothsMatter

An unsurprising #Wogan at Cheadle Towers (VC39) overnight, 22 Oct 2025. #MothsMatter

Pechipogo plumigeralis (Plumed Fan-foot), female, 17 Oct 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). #MothsMatter

Stigmella lemniscella on Elm, found during a tree "walk & talk" led by my wife and I this morning. Wimbledon Common, SW London (VC17). #MothsMatter

Green-brindled Crescent - so fresh I’m guessing it’s probably from on of our garden Hawthorns Allophyes oxyacanthae Allophyes: changing in character (there are two colour morphs) oxyacanthae: from Hawthorn or ‘sharp thorn’ #mothsmatter #teammoth

59:24 overnight 17 Oct 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). Highlights include singletons of Povolnya leucapennella (Scarce Oak Stilt); Scrobipalpa ocellatella (Beet Moth) & Pechipogo plumigeralis (Plumed Fan-foot). #MothsMatter

Lamp and sheet for an hour or so with the stepfather-in-law, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). #MothsMatter

@ruthnewby.bsky.social, I have a worn partial 2nd. gen Treble Brown Spot for your spreadsheet: 16 Oct 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17).

I've collected a few Elm leaves with mines to check over. The leaf top-right looks interesting. Also a few potential Phyllonorycter pastorella mines on Weeping Willow. Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). #MothsMatter

50:25 overnight 13 Oct 2025, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). Scobipalpa occellatella the highlight and (finally) new for me. Also of note, 13 Merveille du Jour. Also an Ephestia sp. and Agonopterix sp. to look at under the microscope. #MothsMatter

Ectoedemia quinquella on Oak, Putney Heath, SW London (VC17). #MothsMatter

Well, one loud bang and a blown out tyre on the M40 southbound. The tyre gunk didn't work, so we couldn't make it to the next junction, and at least an hour before recovery 😖

Any thoughts on this mine on Elm, Rob? Sadly, the larva had expired. Stigmella sp. @vc28wildlife.bsky.social #MothsMatter

I've just been asked if I'm a "Moth twitcher" by a member of the public asking about my leaf-mining activities. Needless to say, I denied the accusation 🙄😄

Mine update: The mine I collected on Friday has, overnight, formed a crease. Is it Phyllonorycter pastorella? Let's see how this progresses. Exciting! #MothsMatter

A plausible, vacated Phyllocnistis asiatica mine on Crack Willow, Cheadle, Staffs. I don't believe this can be confirmed without adult DNA, assuming the ID is correct. However, the mine fits the description in the British Leafminers Newsletter 43 (Nov. 2023). @vc28wildlife.bsky.social #MothsMatter

I went out looking for Phyllonorycter pastorella around Cheadle (VC39) today with no luck, apart from possibly on this leaf. There's no evidence of there being a mine on the upperside, just the beginnings of a tenanted blotch on the underside. I'm attempting to breed through. #MothsMatter

Smartphone shots of 2 of 5 Acleris schalleriana (Viburnum Tortrix), shaken from the Cheadle Towers (VC39) Viburnum this afternoon. #MothsMatter