Work moth of the day today probably can’t get much better! Clifden Nonpareil Catocala fraxini, found first thing this morning when I nearly trod on it. #teammoth

😂

Ok everyone is there any help with this one out there, I think this large ( c.2 cm ) and striking insect could be a Tenthredo but I admit I am struggling so any ID suggestions appreciated. Seen in North Staffs at the weekend @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Another new species for my Mum’s garden today, Red-thighed St Mark's Fly - Bibio pomonae

A very pleasant day trip to Nottinghamshire yesterday and 3 flys that I don’t often record were the highlight, 2 hoverfly and 1 Tachinid. Ferdinandea cuprea, Dasysyrphus tricinctus and Phasia hemiptera

Work moth of the day today was this Lesser Swallow Prominent, Pheosia gnoma almost 4 years to the day since i found Swallow Prominent in the same spot #teammoth

The latest in a long list of amazing insects I have found in my Mum’s wonderful garden - Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus 😁

Darn good Day in Dorset😎 Scarlet Darter, Wasp Spider & Grass Snake pic by @rjsutton1975.bsky.social and a first for Staffs to come home to trapped by my mothing mate @nickpom9.bsky.social

Work moth of the day today was this female Ghost Moth, Hepialus humuli a nice surprise as I walked out onto the yard for the first time #teammoth

Spent some time watching this fabulous Pied Hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri in a North Staffs garden this afternoon 🙂

As pretty as any butterfly - Latticed Heath, Chiasmia clathrata from yesterday. #TeamMoth

A new hoverfly for me on Thursday, Eristalis intricaria, another of the bumblebee mimics and this one quite convincing as mimics go 🙂

White-letter hairstreak found last weekend in Staffordshire. Only the third I have ever seen and my first self found- happy days! 😀

June has been particularly good for reptiles and amphibians this year, 5 days in Hamps/Dorset certainly helped with 3 lizard species seen during this break plus Adder and Grass Snake. Then the following weekend a Slow Worm was found in Shropshire.

By my standards last night was a good catch with NFL Figure of Eighty - Tethea ocularis and NFG Pebble Hook-tip -Drepana falcataria being the highlights also Clouded Border - Lomaspilis marinate are always pretty 🙂 #TeamMoth

Another visit and another 2 species recorded for my Mum’s garden 🙂. Figwort Weevil - Cionus scrophulariae which I have just found out also feeds on Buddleja and the hoverfly Platycheirus granditarsus

Not a great night’s mothing last night with only a handful visiting the trap but Dusky Brocade, Apamea remissa was new for the garden. #teammoth

It’s been a great week for insect in my Mum’s garden this week with 2 NFG Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris and Meadow Plant Bug - Leptopterna dolabrata plus a new for life Fork Tailed Flower Bee - Anthophora furcata

On a mini break to the New Forest area and ran the moth trap last night. Nothing outstanding with 18/11 but best for me was Brussels Lace, Cleorodes lichenaria which we just don’t get back home #teamMoth

A case of plant it and they will come today when I found this Tephritis neesii on the Oxeye daisies, we only seeded these daisies in the garden 3 years ago and this is the food plant for this fly 🙂

Not something you see everyday, a queen Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum plus 2 suitors

Some recent insects found at my Mum’s garden, it really is remarkable the diversity of insects to be found in this suburban garden. Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris, Woundwort Shieldbug - Eysarcoris venustissimus and Common Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum

2 excellent beetles from the weekend just gone. An impressive Lesser stag beetle - Dorcus parallelipipedus and the ever popular Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn - Agapanthia villosoviridescens. Both found in Staffordshire

Our next event is Small Mammal Trapping Wolseley SWT (with WATCH group) 10/5/25-11/5/25 Meet at Staffs Wildlife Trust HQ car park First check 9am Sat 10th check and reset traps 8pm Sat 10th Final check 9am Sun 11th Grid ref SK024203 Postcode ST17 0WT www.staffordshiremammalgroup.org/new-events

My moth trap continues to disappoint lately but I recently got a new species of caddisfly, Phryganea grandis. The largest British caddisfly apparently!

My new favourite hoverfly from the weekend Common Dainty, Baccha elongata

The highlight of my weekend was finding my first Wasp Beetle, Clytus arietis for Staffordshire 😀

Love these Red Mason Bees - Osmia bicornis, great little hairy things

It is city nature challenge weekend starting tomorrow and Staffordshire is participating again this year. It would be great to better last year’s excellent 4th place finish www.inaturalist.org/projects/cit...

Pebble Hook-tip - Drepana falcataria and Green Long-horn - Adela reaumurella found during a walk around Cannock Chase on Saturday, please excuse the terrible photos of the Hook-tip it was high in the trees. #teammoth

A really smart Nomad Bee found in North Staffs today, shame I’ll never be able to get it down to species

This Tawny Mining Bee - Andrena fulva certainly seemed to be enjoying the late evening sunshine in the garden this evening 🌞

The #localbigyear list keeps ticking along 2 Green Sandpiper being the latest also good to get some insects enjoying the sunshine #Bee-fly 🪶 #ukbirding

A very pleasant long weekend on Anglesey just gone, plenty of good weather and things to see. Highlights: Adder, Lizard, Porpoise, Black Redstart, Lapland Bunting, Oil Beetles, Seals and a fantastic male Merlin 😁

Male Hairy-footed Flower Bee - Anthophora plumipes showing a bit of leg in the garden this afternoon 🙂

First summer visitor of the year today with a Little-Ringed Plover found on a local flood a nice addition to my #localbigyear list. 🪶 #ukbirding

An excellent day on Cannock Chase Wednesday the highlight was undoubtedly the 6 Adders found trying to make the most of the weak sunlight 🪶 #ukbirding

Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Lincolnshire yesterday my first new bird of 2025. Hopefully the first of many!

First moth of the year disturbed during a work party in Notts yesterday, Acleris cristana or Tufted Tortrix. A moth tick for me 🙂 #MothsMatter #TeamMoth

My first bug of the year found me yesterday in West Staffordshire as this adult Bronze Shieldbug Troilus luridus landed on my binocular eyepiece

Now on 71 for my #localbigyear list for the Scaup found by @njs5870.bsky.social this weekend perhaps being the best so far #ukbirding

Here is my contribution for #BlueBugs Monday, a fantastic Oil Beetle from coastal West Wales last March

Finished up on 137 for my 2024 #localbigyear total. 3 more than my previous highest year - mainly thanks to @robgilb91.bsky.social and the great year he had at Lordship Lane.

One of my mothing highlights of the year is finding White-spotted Sable, Anania funebris in Western Scotland. A very pretty moth with a local distribution #teammoth

One of my favourite mushrooms from Tuesday- Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes)

Staffordshire Mammal Group annual Christmas social today plus a short walk and local mammal signs survey. The weather could have been better but the company was great. 🙂🎄🍻

All welcome at Butterfly Conservation’s free online UK Moth Recorders' Meeting (Saturday 25 January 2025 on Zoom). Reserve your place now bit.ly/3Z2MOzc There’s a fab line-up of speakers: bit.ly/3Z2MxfE #TeamMoth please repost to spread the word!

Ascalapha odorata, commonly known as the black witch from my recent Brazil trip. it is associated with death or misfortune but we actually did quite well on our trip #TeamMoth

As it’s #blackflyday here is a Tachina grossa from a few years ago