Steve Ormerod
@steveormerod
Freshwater ecology, global change, nature conservation; env policy; VP @rspb.bsky.social; Former Dep Chair @natreswales.bsky.social & Joint Committee @jncc.bsky.social Bumbling acoustic guitarist
Tree-lichen Beauty from last night’s trap in Cyncoed, Cardiff. Looks a long way from home on NBN records - but this is the 3rd this year from Glamorgan alongside 2 from Gwent Cryphia - from the same root as ‘cryptic’ algae - from the green colour #MothsMatter #TeamMoth
The year of the Small Mottled Willow. SMW first turned up here on May 1st - and made up 8% of the total May moth catch. In July, it has been the most abundant species - overall 17% of moths in the garden trap. Spodoptera: wood-ash coloured wings exigua: meagre sized #mothsmatter #migrantmoths
The first Jersey Tiger was recorded in Wales in August 2008 but ‘Moths of Glamorgan’ in 2014 predicted it would become established. My 1st was in July 2018, and this is the 5th this week Euplagia - beautiful slanted stripes on the forewing quadripunctaria - 4 spots on the hind wing #mothsmatter
Box Tree Moths appear to be around here earlier and in numbers this year after lows in 2025 and 2025. Peak is likely for mid September. Cydalima: renowned perspectalis: transparent (-ish) #MothsMatter
Chinese Character: the famous bird-scat mimic. V distinct among the other hook-tips. Cilix glaucata: from the glaucous, sea-green-blue colour. The mark on the wing is said to resemble the Chinese character for ‘mountain’. So, a moth that carries a mountain on its forewings. #MothsMatter
Iron Prominent - slightly faded, but the pose was difficult to resist. Notodonta dromedarius: refers to the very distinctive camel-like humps on the larva. #MothsMatter
First Dot Moth of the year in our Cardiff garden. Melanchra - a black complexion persicariae - from one of the larval food plants. I have a particular attachment to Dot Moths as they were among my first ever catch here - 14 years ago this week #MothsMatter
Clouded Border: the Rorschach ink-blot test of moths, with very few ever the same. Lomaspilis marginata. The genus refers to the ‘stained’ or ‘spotted’ fringe, and marginata emphasises the marginal marks #MothsMatter
Single-dotted Wave: a regular but seldom stays for a pic Idaea dimidiata From Mt Ida - where the Gods/Goddesses watched the *Trojan Wars, referencing the ethereal qualities of the whole genus dimidiata: the pattern of marks divides the wing in two #MothsMatter *the aftermath is in cinemas now!
Royal Mail special stamp issue on moths! #mothsmatter shop.royalmail.com/special-stam...
Common Emerald - but not such a commoner by it’s scientific name Hemithea - a demigoddess aestivaria - of summer #MothsMatter
Vapourer. Considered to be uncommon in Glamorgan, and only trapped twice in the garden before this week. Orgyia antiqua. Orgyia implies outstretched arms - as in this image. Not sure why Linnaeus used ‘antiqua’ - meaning ancient or old. Perhaps a comparison with O. recens - the Scarce Vapourer?
Oak Nycteoline - the first in the garden in 14 years of trapping - conveniently harmonising with my iPhone case. Nycteola revayana: ‘Nux/Nyx’ = night. Revay was a French entomologist. Thinly distributed across Glamorgan and linked to Oak woodland. #MothsMatter
Long-term warming trend for Cardiff, Wales. Plot your own region here: showyourstripes.info/c/europe/uni... #showyourstripes showyourstripes.info/c/europe/uni...
Large numbers of Hydropsyche spp. in last night’s moth trap. The angler’s Grey Flag or Marbled Sedges.
Light Arches from last night. Apamea lithoxylaea - mixing words for stone and wood to reflect the grainy, sandstone coloured wings. #MothsMatter
The Miller: pretty regular here reflecting how near we are to parkland trees. Beautifully named by Linnaeus after the colour of Mountain Hares: Acronicta (dusk) leporina (hare like). #MothsMatter
L-album Wainscot: only the second in the garden. The first was in September 2023 #MothsMatter
Peppered Moth being peppery. Designed to hide on modern garden walls. #MothsMatter
Sensitive content warning. The grim sight of many dead fish of several species in my local stream today - Cardiff’s Roath Brook. This is the tragic reality of a serious pollution incident. I know that Natural Resources Wales have been on site and are investigating the possible source.
Brussels Lace: first caught in our Cardiff garden in 2023 but typically associated with limestone areas such as Gower. Cleorodes lichenaria: reflects larval herbivory on lichens. Cleorodes indicates similarity to the genus Cleora - meaning ‘glory’ but also the wife of a Spartan king #MothsMatter
Up in London yesterday to help launch the public vote on which animals the @bankofengland.bsky.social should put on UK bank notes: a tough choice among 18 species from freshwater, terrestrial and marine realms: you can vote below. Please circulate! app.keysurvey.co.uk/f/41844465/6...
First Dark Arches of the year in our Cardiff garden: one of the 10 most common macro moths here with just over 2% of all records #MothsMatter
Upwards of 40-50 Swifts over Cardiff’s #RoathPark Lake under lower cloud and v light rain this morning
Always worth a look at a Common Swift Korscheltellus lupulinus Korscheltellus - to honour the German zoologist Eugen Korschelt - famous for studying egg formation in insects lupulinus - ‘little wolf’. Linnaeus thought the larvae fed on Hop roots: Humulus lupulus #mothsmatter
My wife has just sent me this pic from Paris/Neuilly on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne: Great Capricorn Beetle Cerambyx cerdo - 5 cm!