Mark Skevington🦋🦊🟢

'Viva' by Xmal Deutschland. 1987, Phonogram LTD, cat. XMALP1

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.

Just not sure if a sample size of one is statistically valid 🤣

Oak Beauty (Biston strataria). Whetstone, Leics. (UK), 24/02/2026.

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

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris). Reared from larva collected 24/05/2025, successfully reared to pupation and overwintered. Brought in from outdoors on Friday 20/02/2026, emerged 23/02/2026 (female). Photographed freshly emerged.

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

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris). Reared from larva collected 24/05/2025, successfully reared to pupation and overwintered. Brought in from outdoors on Friday 20/02/2026, emerged 22/02/2026 (male). Photographed freshly emerged.

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris). Reared from larva collected 24/05/2025, successfully reared to pupation and overwintered. Brought in from outdoors on Friday 20/02/2026, emerged 22/02/2026 (male). Photographed freshly emerged.

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris). Reared from larva collected 24/05/2025, successfully reared to pupation and overwintered. Brought in from outdoors on Friday 20/02/2026, emerged 22/02/2026 (male). Photographed after first flight. To be returned to larval collection site.

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

Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria). Whetstone, Leics. (UK), 08/02/2026.

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

Spring Usher (Agriopis leucophaearia). Whetstone, Leics. (UK), 19/01/2026.

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

Early Moth (Theria primaria). Whetstone, Leicestershire (UK), 13/01/2026.

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

Bah - scrub that, not a VC55 first as I've retrospectively found and verified a 2004 record. But no others for VC55 in the intervening period!

Scarce Umber (Agriopis aurantiaria). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 16/11/2025. NFY.

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

Ectoedemia intimella on Salix sp. (sallow), Whetstone 11/11/2025.

Ectoedemia intimella on Salix sp. (sallow), Whetstone 11/11/2025.

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

But you have retained it for gen det?

December Moth (Poecilocampa populi). Whetstone, Leics. (UK), 06/11/2025. NFY.

Ectoedemia argyropeza on Aspen. Aylestone Meadows, Leics. (UK), 07/11/2025.

Ypsolopha ustella. Whetstone, Leics. (UK), 06/11/2025. NFG.

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

It's too worn to reliably name from externals ....

Gypsonoma dealbana, larval feeding and tube on sallow (Salix sp.). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 26/10/2025.

Coleophora lusciniaepennella, tenanted larval case on sallow (Salix sp.). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 26/10/2025.

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.

Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus lactipennis). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 17/10/2025. NFY.

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

Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 14/10/2025. NFY.

Merveille du Jour (Griposia aprilina). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 15/10/2025. NFY.

November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 14/10/2025. NFY.

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

Ok, it's a rough cropped phone shot and but this Crimson Speckled was one of c15 on a cruise ship 08/10/2025 literally half way across the Med. between Palma de Mallorca and Cagliari Sardinia, along with an Old World Webworm and a couple of Humming-bird Hawk-moths. #teammoth

Stigmella oxyacanthella (and Lyonetia clerkella) on Prunus sp. (cherry). Lutterworth CP, Leics. (UK) 05/10/2025.

Stigmella assimilella on Aspen. Lutterworth CP, Leics. (UK) 05/10/2025.

A very early tenanted Ectoedemia argyropeza mine on Aspen. Lutterworth CP, Leics. (UK) 05/10/2025.

Parornix scoticella (and Phyllonorycter leucographella) on Rowan. Lutterworth CP, Leics. (UK) 05/10/2025.

A few more leafmine species found in a short stroll around Lutterworth CP yesterday pm included what I feel sure must be vacated Stigmella oxyacanthella on some sort of cherry, and a mess of a vacated Stigmella assimilella mine on Aspen - a relatively scarce find in VC55. #vc55moths #teammoth

Looks fine to me.

Give Me Spice! YouTube video by Skevdig

Here's a track I made using Behringer hardware synths sequenced from and recorded back into Fl Studio. If you're a fan of (or at least familiar with) the 1984 David Lynch version of Dune you'll recognise the sampled protagonist.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjYm...
#synth #electronica #dune #flstudio

This one only needs gen detting if eg adults to light; absolutely fine to record from the leafmine on Field Maple and Norway Maple without having to rear (though finding tenanted mines with the larva present is best from a purist listing perspective).

Believe the number of instars will vary, presumably clinally, depending on whether one or two years overwintering as larvae. Trust you realise these will need to be overwintered, that'll be the trickier bit.

Stigmella regiella, larva with two marks behind head. Aston Firs, Leics. (UK) 18/09/2025.

Ectoedemia atricollis, larva with dark head. Burbage Common, Leics. (UK) 18/09/2025.

A couple from hawthorn today in Leics. with Stigmella regiella a new one for me (confirmed via @vc28wildlife.bsky.social) and Ectoedemia atricollis the first I've found this year. Both tenanted mines which is pretty key for several hawthorn miners. #vc55moths #teammoth

Stigmella aceris, x4 vacated mines on a dark purple Norway Maple variant. Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 16/09/2025. The mines are barely visible until back-lit.

Whilst we were out at a local park yesterday with my young granddaughter, she saw me checking leaves and wanted to have a couple of different shapes/colours. I didn't notice until much later in the day that this dark purple Norway Maple variant had x4 Stigmella aceris mines. #vc55moths #teammoth

In what sense?

Firethorn Leaf-miner (Phyllonorycter leucographella) on Malus sp. (apple) left and Whitebeam right. Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 16/09/2025. Also found today on cultivated Firethorn (Pyracantha).

Phyllonorycter leucographella was presumably given the vernacular Firethorn Leaf-miner when it turned up here on Pyracantha, but the name seems increasingly irrelevant when it is found on several hosts. I often find it on hawthorn here, and today on apple and Whitebeam. #vc55moths #teammoth

Ectoedemia albifasciella, tenanted mines on oak. Narborough Bog, Leics. (UK) 16/09/2025.

Stigmella ruficapitella, tenanted mine on oak. Narborough Bog, Leics. (UK) 16/09/2025.

Stigmella basiguttella, vacated mine on oak. Narborough Bog, Leics. (UK) 16/09/2025.

Bucculatrix ulmella, vacated mines on oak. Narborough Bog, Leics. (UK) 16/09/2025.

A few from oak today; tenanted mines of Ectoedemia albifasciella and Stigmella ruficapitella, and vacated mines of Stigmella basiguttella and Bucculatrix ulmella. I also collected a few Phyllonorycter mines that will need rearing/checking. #vc55moths #teammoth

Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 15/09/2025.

Lunar Underwing (Anchoscelis lunosa). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 15/09/2025.

I've not had my garden trap out for over a week thanks to weather/work, but I was intent on it going out last night regardless of the conditions. 33 of 11sp. was an unsurprisingly modest return, but included NFY Brindled Green and Lunar Underwing plus a Red (not blue) Underwing. #vc55moths #teammoth