Seb Buckton

Only get to relax once I've done all the dissections from the last mothing season, still got c. 50 to go...then it's time for planning next year's targets....

Impressive total! Still got to add mine from a holiday in August....

VC34 for me, right on the border with 33 in Stroud.

Light Orange Underwing

Good numbers of Light Orange Underwing at a Worcestershire site today, despite the breeze. A new moth for me. #teammoth

Willow Warbler seen singing in an adjacent garden this morning, Stroud. #glosbirds

That orange wedge into the dark border of the hindwing underside would suggest Orange Underwing to me. Plus the quite prominent pale upperwing marks, though I think that is more variable.

Lead-coloured Drab

Lead-coloured Drab

Semioscopis steinkellneriana

Yellow-horned

Ventured across the border into Worcestershire woodland on Thursday night for a trapping session - excellent conditions and lots of moths including the main target Lead-coloured Drab. #teammoth

Yes I'm in Stroud and there was a record that made it to the local news from near here last year. We were digging out an old planter so it would have been quite deep in the soil.

Thanks, yes that does look like it. Obsidentify and iRecord apps were both 100% worm slug but that doesn't mean much! I've put it on iRecord so will edit and see what happens with verification.

Worm Slug - Boettgerilla pallens

Sorting out a planter in the garden today (Stroud, Glos) and found this slug: I think Worm Slug Boettgerilla pallens.
Any slug experts on here? #slugs

Count me in!

It sounded more like one of the Ephestias, maybe E. kuehniella Mediterranean Flour Moth which can be real plagues (though they'd need to be some flour or oats being stored somewhere).

Yeah it's one of my favourite sites to trap, a big farm with sympathetic owners that is converting to organic and has some nice bits of varied habitat. Also in a part of the county which gets little attention. Should look for mines next year....

#teammoth

Trifurcula eurema

One last discovery from 2024 dissections - this worn and non-descript Nepticulid has proven to be Trifurcula urema, which is new for VC33 and the county of Gloucestershire. Trapped at a farm in the Cotswolds last August. It's not a well known species, and mines the leaves of Bird's-foot Trefoil.

Nice - funnily enough I had one (my first) to my garden last year. No other records anywhere near here, though perhaps it was wandering from Rodborough Common where there is some Sainfoin.

December Moth on wall of house

December Moths on wall of house

Some of the 14 December Moths that came visiting last night, and nothing else VC34. #teammoth

This time of year is when I get to sort through retained moths and something interesting always turns up.

This time it is Bohemannia auriciliella - a very scarce and poorly known Nepticulid.

I recorded two individuals, to light, at Westonbirt Arboretum (VC34) on 29/06/24 #teammoth

Zero migrants in my VC34 garden last night but I did trap what looks like Caloptilia hemidactylella - Scarce Maple Stilt - a scarce moth that I also had in my garden last year #teammoth

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten it wasn't in the GMS. Culmella peaked last year for me too (though my trapping isn't standardized like GMS is).

How did you do for box moth this year? Massive drop off here. Might it be behind the gradual increase over recent years?

Interesting - it's regular in my garden but almost exclusively singles in June, maybe wandering in from drier areas like the Cotswold commons?

Another new garden record revealed by dissection - Tischeria dodonaea, also new for me and new for the 10km2 - from June 3rd 2024, VC34. #teammoth

Coleophora deauratella

Keeping the moth interest going with dissections now it's turned cold. This Coleophora from 20.05.24 has proved to be a male C. deauratella, a new addition for my VC34 garden.

Yes, but on the VC34 side of the river!

The first bit of Saturday night might be OK here in Stroud, so I will nail down the traps for a few hours!

Not to mention.....

Nothris verbascella
(Norfolk Snout)

Until September 2024 this species was believed to be extinct in the UK. An adult moth was trapped at Stoke Holy Cross (Dave Jones, 02/09/24) Further studies in the area have revealed larval feeding signs and recently larvae on Hoary Mullein.
#notablenorfolkmoths

I'm just finding a few people I know here and then looking at following and follower lists to find more. No idea about feeds etc yet.

Feels a lot nicer over here......