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Tim Blackburn

@mothyblackburn

Professor of Invasion Biology at UCL. Amateur father, birder, moth-er. Mainly post wildlife photos, occasionally science and politics. Author of The Jewel Box, winner of the ZSL Clarivate Award for Communicating Zoology.

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Latest posts by Tim Blackburn @mothyblackburn

I'd been mulling on that but for taking a trip or two out to likely sites...

06.03.2026 14:32 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

That's a beauty, had me scratching my head.

06.03.2026 07:55 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Some moths to light on the London roof terrace overnight, with 16:5 recorded. No migrants (of course) and mainly Common Quaker, but Tachystola acroxantha was NFY, and there was a lovely frosty Oak Beauty. #TeamMoth

06.03.2026 07:12 πŸ‘ 31 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Happy #WorldBookDay. For those who like to dress up for it, here's Daisy Edgar-Jones rocking The Jewel Box look a few years back...

05.03.2026 10:24 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Social media highlights the overlooked impact of cats on arthropods The impact of domestic cats on vertebrate biodiversity is unequivocal; however, we still know little about their effects on arthropods. By analysing over 17,000 photos and videos from social media p...

For those of you who have (like me) watched cats batting at moths around your traps, this might be of interest. Or alternatively, not at all unexpected. #TeamMoth

resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

05.03.2026 10:01 πŸ‘ 19 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Yeah but they come to your trap! 😑

04.03.2026 19:06 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Ps only half a dozen!

04.03.2026 17:53 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

No, Middlesex, so Colin. Given the date and previous records, LOU would be unlikely. Good enough for me anyway 🫣.

04.03.2026 17:53 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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My annual failure to get a decent photo of Orange Underwing, this time on @hampsteadheathcol.bsky.social. In the treetops at about 20 metres range. Possibly enough of a catch to see the orange intrusion through the brown terminal fascia...?! #TeamMoth

04.03.2026 16:54 πŸ‘ 41 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

hear hear!

04.03.2026 10:43 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Urgh, that’s a nightmare. Hope all is sorted quickly.

04.03.2026 06:44 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Driving to Abingdon so a transect count of Red Kites up the M40. 58 up to the J7 turn off, a further 20 between there and the church. I still remember seeing my first one on that route 35+ years ago.

03.03.2026 19:13 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Good luck! Hope the moon doesn’t spoil things for you.

03.03.2026 19:00 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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The odd leaf mine in this Holm Oak outside Oxford. Presumably lots of heringella in the summer. #TeamMoth

03.03.2026 18:59 πŸ‘ 20 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

We all do it. Hopefully we learn from our mistakes!

02.03.2026 16:01 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

That is what we mean by feathery antennae...

02.03.2026 15:40 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Fruit-feeding is common enough. That looks like a chunky moth!

02.03.2026 15:25 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

They were flying last Tuesday in Surrey...

02.03.2026 14:15 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Out again last night, looking for moths with @wjrpb.bsky.social. 176:14 at a relatively early shutdown, including Agonopterix alstromeriana NFY and a well-marked Diurnea fagella. 13 Small Brindled Beauty and 63 March Moth making up the numbers. #TeamMoth

02.03.2026 08:40 πŸ‘ 29 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Or write books.

27.02.2026 17:58 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Came to Fun within about 30 seconds at 2 different locations.

27.02.2026 15:23 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Male Lead-coloured Drab moth on a tree. Note the feathery antennae.

Male Lead-coloured Drab moth on a tree. Note the feathery antennae.

The feathery antennae are usually a give away on Lead-coloured, at least the males (which you're more likely to get anyway). So far 99.5% all the Drabs I've caught have been Clouded.

27.02.2026 09:31 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
The Lawton Principles: more, bigger, better and more joined up.
The Lawton Principles: more, bigger, better and more joined up. YouTube video by Bill Sutherland's Conservation Concepts

Really enjoyed discussing The Lawton Principles (more, bigger, better and more joined up) with the ever enthusiastic John Lawton. youtu.be/GMlzvNxM2N0?...

27.02.2026 08:36 πŸ‘ 32 πŸ” 11 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks for this Bill - great to see John on such good form.

27.02.2026 09:22 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

It is (they are) mine. Doing it to help them survey the biodiversity on site. But fun for me a I only have a small roof terrace.

26.02.2026 20:37 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Overnight trapping at Kentish Town City Farm. 15:6 was better or worse than it could have been, depending on your levels of optimism. 7 Common Quaker, 3 Hebrew Character, 2 T. alternella, and singles of Oak Beauty, DS Pug, and, NFY, this Light Brown Apple Moth. #TeamMoth

26.02.2026 16:55 πŸ‘ 25 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Wow, Small Eggar in the garden Mark?!

26.02.2026 15:27 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Yellow Horned in torch light. One of over a hundred, a few nights ago, on a Surrey heath. These moths seem to prefer fluttering along on the leaf litter more than most moths. Once near the trap they often freeze with their wings spread like this. #TeamMoth

26.02.2026 11:45 πŸ‘ 45 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 0

Stunning shot Andy!

26.02.2026 11:47 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Copycat...

25.02.2026 19:04 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0