Pimpla rufipes (the Black Wood Wasp) - disturbed today by walking down the garden. Not the first I've seen but one the very few that's hung around for a photograph
Stephen Roughley
@stephenroughle3.bsky.social
Coding chemist, Scouser, amateur cornet/trumpet player, @CSDBrass, moths, uses same handle on xwitter. For stuff about KNIME see @DrKnimeNode http://mastodon.world/@SawstonMoth
Sawston South Cambs #vc29moths - possible Ectoedemia rubivora mines on bramble in the garden yesterday afternoon? Thoughts @vc28nature.bsky.social @vc30moths.bsky.social ? #teammoth I could find lots of references to the egg being on the underside, but no photos - not sure my photos are the eggs?
Was thinking Small Mottled Willow were fading from the trap as I opened it this morning. 13 in a line round the rim of the underside of the lid made me wonder again - final total 91 - easily beating my previous 53... Here's 7.5 of them #teammoth #cambsmoths
Following yesterdays #norfolkmoths botanical blunder, here's another one. These I thought were all Sea Beet on the East Bank at Cley over the weekend, but I'm not sure they're even mines in the main. @vc28nature.bsky.social - have I now completely lost the plot?!
Wondering whether these are Heliozela resplendella mines on Alder at @rspbtitchwellsnett.bsky.social ? And no clues for the mine on Hazel from same location? #teammoth #norfolkmoths @vc28nature.bsky.social @norfolkmoths.bsky.social
3 NFY this morning - Centre-barred Sallow, Beautiful China-mark, Tree-lichen Beauty. A 2nd Dewick's Plusia , a 2nd Dark Spectacle, 2 more Delicates, 2nd autumn batch of Clancy's Rustic, silly number of Epinotia nisella and Ancylosis oblitella #teammoth #cambsmoths - year list now 556 species
Sat 22-Aug-2026 - @rspbminsmere.bsky.social A thread of leaf-mines (mainly!) I can't identify - 1 post per host species... #teammoth #suffolkmoths @vc28nature.bsky.social @vc30moths.bsky.social - first up ~Blackthorn (Prunus sp.)... blister close to the edge of a leaf, no obvious gallery... 1/
Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae on one of the allotment pear trees earlier in the week was species #550 for the year
Hummingbird hawk-moth on the dwarf buddleia at lunchtime today... #teammoth #cambsmoths
The Pebble Hook-tips Drepana falcataria in my 'caterpillar zoo' are now ready to pupate. They first use silk to fold a living Birch leaf. The cocoon is formed within the fold. The leaf will fall into the leaf litter where the pupa will overwinter. Time lapse over 2 hours. Buckfastleigh, Devon
I think this Ophioninae which was on the wall behind the #teammoth trap in VC82 East Lothian on 4th August keys to Enicospilus inflexus - no sclerites in discosubmarginal cell, head narrower than eyes @gavinbroad.bsky.social ? (will iRecord)
Pleased with this photo of a vacated Phyllonorycter maestingella exuvia on Beech in East Lothian (VC82) last week #teammoth #leafmines @vc28nature.bsky.social @markcubitt.bsky.social
I believe this is Acrolepia autumnitella at RSPB Fowlmere earlier in the week? #teammoth @vc28nature.bsky.social @vc30moths.bsky.social - can either of you confirm?
Much quieter night in the #teammoth trap this morning - NFG Metalampra italica was the highlight. First European Hornet (Vespa crabro) of the year less so! #cambsmoths
After multiple Jersey Tiger caterpillars in the garden earlier in the year, over the last few days the adults have been starting to put in an appearance. A more conventional photo and a flash of red as one started to move as the shutter activated... #teammoth #cambsmoths
685th Species for the garden arrived this morning in the form of a lovely female Oak Eggar. Only seen this species once previously - on a roasting hot morning on Crewkerne Railway station platform ~3 years ago, where it was causing widespread panic until I moved it to a bush #teammoth #cambsmoths
Fig Leaf Skeletonizer was NFG earlier in the week - spotted resting on the flower of an Ox-eye Daisy #cambsmoths #teammoth
Last nights 555/99 (with another 7 species awaiting determination) and 19 of those NFY (including 2 NFM) must be a record for me. Garden alltime list now 673, with 32 added to that total so far this year. Tracking 2025 very closely still, and that with no GD results yet #teammoth #cambsmoths
First Banded Demoiselle and Small Skipper of the year this afternoon in the garden. Also a Dock Bug (not NFY, but I like the photo!) @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
The last 2 nights have seen totals of 193/73 (9 NFY) and 198/70 (6 NFY) - Hedya salicella was also NFG on 16-Jun-2026, as were Argyresthia pruniella and Phtheochroa inopiana last night... Not sure I know when the last time the garden list grew by so many over a couple of days! #teammoth #cambsmoths
This evenings garden caterpillar found 87 Cinnabar and 13 Toadflax brocade. Also a couple of 2-spot ladybirds and a Piasaura mirabilis carrying an egg sac (no photo of that one) #teammoth #cambsmoths
A small moth on the wall just inside the garden office doorway earlier was Parachronistis albiceps - not common in VC29 (cambsmoths.co.uk/micros.php?b...) and NFM #teammoth #cambsmoths
Been over a bit to the dark side (or is it the daylight side?) today... Large Skipper, Small White, Meadow Brown and Large Red Damselfly in the garden... @epollard.bsky.social @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social Normal nocturnal service will be resumed shortly...
Batia lunaria NFY last night, along with Acrobasis suavella and the rather unexpected Brachmia blandella - a Gorse feeder. VC29 is not renowned for its huge swathes of gorse - I can only think of 1 bush within ~15 miles. Year list now on 329 species #teammoth #cambsmoths
Lunar Hornet Moth (NFY) to the LUN lure this morning - latest in the day I think I've ever seen (in between 10:15 and 11:00). Earliest ever recorded as 15th June (in 2025), so again quite an early record! #teammoth #cambsmoths
Eidophasia messingiella (NFG, NFM etc ) and Swallow-tail (NFY) were probably the highlights in the trap this morning, along with this also NFG Shoulder-striped Wainscot which unfortunately was not playing nice for photography, but looks quite striking in a weird way! #teammoth #cambsmoths
