Stumbled on this Eyed Hawk-moth larva whilst out looking for leafmines. Actually it found me really; as I reached for a sallow leaf it reacted and waved around bashing my fingers before I'd seen it. #vc55moths #teammoth

My Whetstone garden trap avoided Small Mottled Willow from 1999 to 2024, before one finally turned up here in 2025. One record, of one individual, in 27 years. During 2026 I have many records of multiple individuals, fewer than other recorders but still enough to be laughable. #vc55moths #teammoth

A few nice micros to my Whetstone garden trap last night, with Ptocheuusa paupella by far the best as completely new to me (only x2 VC55 records pre-2026). #vc55moths #teammoth

A second Gypsy Moth for my Whetstone garden in just over a week, though this one all the better for being alive/intact. Both were attracted to a pheromone trap that had previously held the Gypsy lure but at the time of entrapment had no lure deployed at all. Still scarce here. #vc55moths #teammoth

So #mothfacefriday is a long-running trend that I always forget about; but today I have a moth face to share from a week or so ago. Here's a Leopard Moth up close and personal; surely this should have been called Panda Moth? #teamoth #vc55moths

Successful rearing brought more emergent Phyllonorycter adults this morning, which I have been able to do nothing but quickly snap in these conditions. #vc55moths #teammoth

Success at one site, new tetrad for VC55. #teammoth #vc55moths

Got around to checking my tubs - snap! x1 presumed dubitella has emerged this morning along with x1 pastorella. #teammoth #vc55moths

Some Phyllonorycter mines from a late evening walk yesterday; these should all be tenanted so I will try to rear through. #vc55moths #teammoth

And one to a clearwing pheromone deployed overnight in my Whetstone garden a couple of nights ago; this came to the VES lure and I am about as certain as I can be that it is Nemapogon ruricolella. We have very few records in VC55 so I will check it properly to be sure. #vc55moths #teammotth

Very pleased to finally attract Sallow Clearwing to the SAL lure, x2 earlier this evening. My chances were few and far between in both 2022 and 2024 thanks to surgery / chemo, so was determined to finally see one this year. #vc55moths #teammoth

Temps down enough yesterday late afternoon to venture into the open without withering to a dehydrated mess, and to find a few mines to get back into the habit/practice. These all found locally around Whetstone & Cosby. #vc55moths #teammoth

Sleep deprivation is now severe, but FOMO keeps kicking in. Must resist; lights off tonight lest my brain turns to mush. #teammoth

2/2 There are a few brands that are all basically the same model, and will have the same weak point. Managed to cut end off pipe and shove it back in recess. Building back together is just as fiddly, but it ran up fine and has now been back running with no leak and no issue for an hour. #teammoth

1/2 For #teammoth ers who trap in the field with cheap gennies. I have a Wolf P950 that's done many hours over several years of servicing-free service. But last outing it dumped the fuel. Taking it apart is a game, but found a fuel pipe right at the top of the fuel tank had become detatched.

Just #listeningto old #vinyl on a Sunday morning whilst tidying up some moth records. A slightly different sound today, some Germanic goth pop: 'Viva' by Xmal Deutschland. 1987, Phonogram LTD, cat. XMALP1.

I hereby present unequivocal evidence that Oak Beauty did not evolve to hide on red brick walls. I'm pondering over producing a paper about this .... #teammoth #vc55moths

The second emerged yesterday, Whilst tempting to put them together, they'll both be returned to the larval site to do their business. #teammoth #vc55moths

I've recorded Small Eggar a few times form larval nests in VC55, but my chances of seeing an adult were slim as they're right over in the far east/Rutland. So last year I collected a couple of larvae & I managed to rear & overwinter the pupal cocoons. The first emerged today! #vc55moths #teammoth

A very casual record here in Whetstone, Leics. last night. This Pale Brindled Beauty rocked up to a pathetic outdoor light that was left on by the front door by accident. It barely gives of much visible light, let alone any UV. #vc55moths #teammoth

Sweet! A long, long overdue NFG finally appeared last night here in Whetstone, Leics. - a Spring Usher to a 20W actinic CFL running in an outdoor light fitting, along with x3 Early Moths. Up to 796sp. for my small suburban garden that is pretty far from any decent habitat. #vc55moths #teammoth

Pretty much as usual in most recent years here, Early Moth is the first moth of the year to a 20W actinic CFL running in an outdoor light fitting. Had a couple over the last two nights. #vc55moths #teammoth

Splendid! Scarce Umber to my Whetstone 20W Actinic CFL in an outdoor light fitting last night (along with another Mottled Umber). This is only my fifth garden record, and the first since 2011 (x2 in 2001, x1 in 2002). #vc55moths #teammoth

It's getting a bit late in the year for leaf mine recording for me; not because there are no mines, more about dwindling daylight opportunities around work and weather windows. I was pleased to find Ectoedemia intimella locally today though on sallow, new dots/tetrad to boot. #vc55moths #teammoth

Always sweet when December Moth finally appears in the garden trap, just the one amongst x19spp. over the last couple of nights which included a NFG (but moribund) Ypsolopha ustella. Out this morning for a Dusky Warbler and there were Aspen leaves everywhere (see alt text). #teammoth #vc55moths

I had a very half-arsed look around some sallow early this afternoon whilst on a shopping errand. Failed to find my intended target (Ectoedemia intimella), but found larval workings of Gypsonoma dealbana and a tenanted larval case of Coleophora lusciniaepennella. #teammoth #vc55moths

Clocks have gone back, so as good a time as any to settle in #listeningto old #vinyl on a Sunday morning whilst verifying moth records. 'Oil On Canvas' by Japan, their live double LP swansong. 1983, Virgin Records, cat. VD2513.

Struggling to pick up more than c15 species a night to my Whetstone garden trap now, back to the usual late autumn/winter numbers here. Grey-shoulder Knot the only NFY over the last couple of nights, and still missing some common late autumn species. #vc55moths #teammoth

A trio of NFY species to my Whetstone garden trap over the last couple of nights, amongst few moths of low diversity. Green-brindled Crescent nice to see as missed this last year, Merveille du Jour now seems annual in ones or twos, and November Moth agg. #teammoth #vc55moths