Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn
Professor of Invasion Biology at UCL. Amateur father, birder, moth-er. Mainly post wildlife photos, occasionally science and politics. Author of The Jewel Box, winner of the ZSL Clarivate Award for Communicating Zoology.
A hot day here in Devon, but clear skies, temperature dropping quickly and a big moon. Let’s see what happens…
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (one of at least 4) and Treble-bar from the Devon garden this afternoon. It helps get a focused shot of the former when they decide to have a break. #TeamMoth
A decent 127:46 on the London roof terrace this morning. Two NFY in the pyralids Acrobasis tumidana and a rather dark Ancylosis oblitella. Four Small Mottled Willow more than doubled my total catch here, with other migrants including Cydia amplana, Rush Veneer and Silver Y. #TeamMoth
A couple of hours in the lab, potentially a couple of lifers. Pretty sure that the Parornix is fagivora (male); the Coleophora (female) I think saxicolella. Less sure as sternipennella is very similar. (Apologies as always for the quality of the gen preps and photos.) #TeamMoth
Looks like petiverella to me Ruth. c.f. the photo, which I have recorded as sequana.
Two more NFY among 138:39 in the London moth trap this morning, with the regular locals Oak Processionary and Marbled Beauty. Most biomass was Jersey Tiger (x30) and Large Yellow Underwing (x21). Migrants included 4 Cydia amplana, 7 Silver Y, RDP and 3 Diamondback. #TeamMoth
A total of 391/90 in the AirBnB garden this morning (ignoring the Scopariinae), with 3 lifers and 4 more NFY. The lifers were Clouded Magpie, the rather gorgeous Slender Pug, and Monochroa cytisella. NFY included Beautiful Carpet and Garden Tiger. Overall a good choice of accommodation. #TeamMoth
A few IDs still to do, but no question of the moth of the morning here in North Wales - this stunning Clouded Magpie. A species I've long wanted to see, to an actinic in the garden of this highly recommended AirBnB at Rhiw Goch. My 9th macro moth lifer of my 60th birthday week. #TeamMoth
A fantastic night of mothing at Sychnant Pass, North Wales. This is *the* UK spot for two species – Weaver's Wave and Ashworth's Rustic – and both played ball. The Wave came in early to a LepiLED, the (rather worn) Rustic literally the last moth at the bottom of the MV when I packed up 😅 #TeamMoth
Definitely my best moth trap view yet. But will the moths like it? #TeamMoth
Attended trap opening at Nigel Brown's Anglesey garden this morning. Two lifers in Angle-barred Pug and Eucosma campoliliana. A further 8 NFY, including Lackey and Plain Golden Y, so now >600 species for the year. Great finally to meet Rachael and @danbrownnature.bsky.social too! #TeamMoth
A very decent moth catch overnight in a North Wales garden - at least 301:103, with 27 NFY and 4 lifers. These last were Bilberry Pug, Marsh Oblique-barred, Udea prunalis and Zeiraphera ratzeburgiana. Good choice of AirBnB! #TeamMoth
Any thoughts on this @mothiduk.bsky.social? From North Wales this morning...
AirBnB in North Wales. Garden definitely has promise, with lots of birch and oak just out of view, plus heather on the doorstep. Fingers crossed for the wind to drop… #TeamMoth
An afternoon in the lab and a couple of lifers the result. A tiny spec of dust from NW5 turned out to be Fomoria septembrella, and a Nemapogon from the Surrey Heath was ruricolella. Both male. Interestingly, or coincidentally, ObsId got both of these correct. #TeamMoth
Ran the MV overnight in my yoga teacher's nearby garden (could I be any more North London). Five NFY included Dark Umber, a moth I rarely see, plus Wormwood Pug (probably), an uncooperative Catoptria pinella, and a rather exhausted-looking Prays fraxinella. #TeamMoth
An interesting catch on the London roof terrace this morning. Best of 93:38 was a surprise Fen Wainscot (I think), NFG and NFY. Not many VC locations. Also only my 2nd Small Mottled Willow here, while Rhopobota naevana and Hypsopygia glaucinalis were NFY. #TeamMoth
My annual wrangle with a Noctua j. to find Langmaid's met with success this morning on the London roof terrace. Indicative: The underwing - yellow central spot & narrow yellow border to the rear; Upperwing underside - lack of teeth on the dark patch & otherwise brownish colour. #TeamMoth
As predicted by @sj84turner.bsky.social, a lot of micromoth. action last night in the London heat (lows of 24° 🥵). Some pretty species: Chrysoclista linneella is always great to see; two attractive Pammene in aurita and regiana; and as smart a European Corn Borer as you could hope to see. #TeamMoth
A very busy night of trapping at a site in Kentish Town (NW5), with >100 species (and a few for the lab). At least 30 NFY, including some macros I rarely see - Small Emerald (x3), Phoenix, Plumed fan-foot (x2), and Dingy Shears. Passed 550 species for 2026 with half the year to go... #TeamMoth
And once again. Will urban London turn up anything good? #TeamMoth
Noticed this little beetle while moth trapping on the Surrey heath on Monday evening assuming it to be a ladybird of some sort. In fact Diaperis boleti, a Darkling beetle, a feeder on birch polypore fungus, and apparently nationally scarce. Added to iRecord.
I’m always curious about data. Charged the car battery to 79% on Saturday, started on a warm Monday evening to find it thinking 81%. After 14 miles around the North Circular and towards Heathrow and it’s estimating a range of >450 miles (77kwh battery). All of which means…?
A fun night out with @photography-aj.bsky.social on a Surrey heath last night. At least 126 species, with 3 lifers and 55 NFY for me. Here the lifers - Carpatolechia proximella, Ancylis apicella and Gypsonoma sociana. Luckily the storms missed us, but it was biblical on the drive home! #TeamMoth
Going again on the Surrey Heath. Set up perfectly timed for the rain shower. Still, 5 species already… #TeamMoth
After half a dozen or so failures, my first Clearwings of the year, and a couple of belters - Six and Red. Both from NW5, the latter on the roof terrace. #TeamMoth
A trapping session for a couple of hours in a friend's garden last night was slightly disappointing, with not nearly as many moths flying as expected. Still, 34 species and 11 NFY, including Least Carpet, Clepsis dumicolana, Eudemis porphyrana and Argyresthia pruniella. #TeamMoth
Several trees in the Olympic Park swathed in Willow Ermine silk at the moment. Thousands of pupae and recently emerged moths, plus attendant parasitoids (@gavinbroad.bsky.social) and hungry birds. An amazing wildlife spectacle in inner London. #TeamMoth