Chris Green
@chrisbirder
Londoner in Scotland via Gloucestershire Birder, moth botherer and wildlife gardener. Council flat to old farmhouse - my childhood me would never have predicted that! WAF
#teammoth This Herald narrowly escaped the mower on Tuesday - my first 'official' record, although years ago I came across a hibernating group between loosely-stacked sheets of ply in the barn - no date, no photo, so no record!
#teammoth I'm struggling to ID this noctuid from Tuesday night's VC80 trap - also potted by the trap was a Small Mottled Willow (Borders record for these doubled this year I should think) - anyone any ideas? The dark-outlined dagger marks initially led me to think it would be easy! FW c.15mm
#teammoth c.60 species last night in VC80. White Satin, 3rd in 3 weeks. Less than 10 ever recorded in Borders (VCs 78,79,80,81). Plain Clay, a local speciality, much less plain than the bog-standard Clay! Maple Pug, one of only a handful of Borders records. Not a bad result - micros to sort.
#teammoth Two highlights from last night in VC80 - Beautiful Carpet and Barred Yellow. Also got confirmation that the Dichrorampha plumbagana I potted in the yard last week was a VC80 first and the Argyresthia retinella found in the garden on Wednesday was Borders' 3rd record this century.
#teammoth We've survived Quakermass and Pugmageddon, now it's the time of the Erminator, giving over 1/3 of 37/17 last night in VC80! 1st Large Y.U. freshly emerged on the house wall... Tentatively, Nematopogon shwarziellus and Rivulet new for me, the former for NT72. Oystercatcher, T. Owl, Quail.
#teammoth 3, possibly 4 new species for me last night in a short actinic-in-the-window session. Brussels Lace, Common Lutestring, Clouded-bordered Brindle, but not sure about the pug - hoping it's Grey Pug. Also of note, Small Dusty Wave, Sandy Carpet and Currant Pug out of 35/21.
#TeamMoth This micro was sitting on the trap a couple of nights ago - Cryptoblabes bistriga, I think. If so, based on available data, new for VC80 Roxburghshire.
A Roxburghshire one from last night - catching them regularly since the 3rd week in March. Also last night, Garden, Common, Silver-ground and Common Marbled Carpets.
''Just posing on the point of a pencil' said the Lunar Thorn ''doesn't everyone, on #MothFaceFriday?'' #TeamMoth
#teammoth A tricky night with the trap, rain arrived unexpectedly early. Not a single moth made its way into the bucket, but 14/11 collected from around and about. Pebble Prominent and Clouded Silver new for me and NT72, also a minute Phyllonorycter for checking. Oh - and a cheeky Weasel thrown in!
#TeamMoth The Roxburghshire contingent, all set up and ready to Moth! 14C, still and quite cloudy, with rain predicted after midnight.🤞
#TeamMoth Carrying the trap back-sheet to the house after lunch I spotted this Scarce Tissue on the bolt to the mower shed - ran for the phone and a pot - not a commonly recorded moth in Roxburghshire, this was a first for me and hectad. We grew native Barberry from seed for our hedges - result?
#TeamMoth 12/8 In and around the trap last night - it started raining just as darkness fell! White-spotted Pug and Red Chestnut both lifers and new for NT72. The Lunar Thorn is my second - this one of the darker Scottish form.
#TeamMoth Up to the age of about 10 I searched the shrubberies around our North London council flats for all kinds of 'creepy crawlies'. The neighbours commented - I gave up out of embarrassment as I entered my teens. Yesterday I realised I was at it again, far too many decades later!
#TeamMoth #MothFaceFriday A couple of minutes late, but here's the White Ermine!
#TeamMoth For the first time in 24 years I managed to get the flail-operator to cut the hedges I wanted and leave those I didn't, a long story with some aggressive confrontations. Rewarded with these feeding traces of Epinotia abbreviana - VC80 2nd record and 4th modern record from Borders 4xVC's!
#TeamMoth Most aptly named of moths, the White Ermine - my first of the year last night. Other notable events, a Quail calling on the other side of the hedge as I checked the trap at 22:30, and when I glanced at the kitchen clock at midnight a Bee Moth was clinging to the clock face. Spooky!
#TeamMoth and along Roman Dere Street a small swarm of Cydia ulicetana (Common Gorse Moth) dancing around gorse in the sunlight. My first Poplar Hawk-moth of the year to the home trap.
#TeamMoth Good mothing in VC80 yesterday - 7 lifers for me (don't get excited!) 6 at home and 1 on a birding walk (1st Whinchat of the year the highlight). Lunar Thorn, Purple Thorn (VC80 3rd), Nut-tree Tussock, Common Pug, 20-plume, Semioscopis steinkellneriana (VC80 2nd) in the garden 31/16...
#TeamMoth Moth misery in VC80 last night, a measly 13/7 around the trap, none in it! Three Garden Carpets, one of a greyer form (thules ?) an Early Thorn, and a Least Black Arches the pick, with Clouded Drab, Hebrew Character, Parsnip, Agonopterix arenella in support.
#TeamMoth Friday night an even better 31/15 in VC80 - Scarce Prominent star of the show, along with Puss Moth and Scalloped Hazel new for NT72. Small Phoenix NFY. 2 more Oak-tree Pugs and first Brimstone of the year. @stewchat.bsky.social
Thursday night gave 28/14 in Roxburghshire - 6 Garden Carpet, 3 Least Black Arches & 3 Early Thorns were nice, with Brown Silver-line new for me and hectad. Pale Pinion and Pale-shouldered Brocade new for year. Still getting Oak-tree Pugs - only 9 had previously been recorded in the 4 Borders VC's.