Dave Wheatley
@wheatersdave.bsky.social
Moths, occasionally birds. Still a grumpy dad, still hoping to mellow with age
Round up of the 2nd part of 2025, the macros. Best without doubt was the Striped Hawk, very surprising in a suburban garden as was the Latticed Heath! Of the 10 NFG macros, Large Wainscot and Scarce Umber were rewards for specifically targeting them, Large W being the gardens 750th moth sp #teammoth
December 27, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Round up of the 2nd part of 2025, the macros. Best without doubt was the Striped Hawk, very surprising in a suburban garden as was the Latticed Heath! Of the 10 NFG macros, Large Wainscot and Scarce Umber were rewards for specifically targeting them, Large W being the gardens 750th moth sp #teammoth
Well that’s it for 2025, I’m done! 11/5 in SE Hants with the best being a Brick, surprised to see an Acleris notana/ferrugana given the inclement weather. Dec stats incoming. #teammoth
December 22, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Well that’s it for 2025, I’m done! 11/5 in SE Hants with the best being a Brick, surprised to see an Acleris notana/ferrugana given the inclement weather. Dec stats incoming. #teammoth
The end of year wrap up continues as it looks like nothing else will be trapped. My favourite group of micro moths, the Ypsolopha. I’ve been lucky enough to add 2 species to the garden total this year, definitely the weird bunch when it comes to looks. Or lack of them 🫣 #teammoth
December 21, 2025 at 5:26 PM
The end of year wrap up continues as it looks like nothing else will be trapped. My favourite group of micro moths, the Ypsolopha. I’ve been lucky enough to add 2 species to the garden total this year, definitely the weird bunch when it comes to looks. Or lack of them 🫣 #teammoth
Reposted by Dave Wheatley
A lesser known impact of picking up #litter is the huge boost it gives to #mentalhealth
You can immediately see the difference made! Plus have the satisfaction knowing that litter won’t harm an animal, end up in the sea,or be someone’s excuse to drop more litter.Try it & see! 🐾
You can immediately see the difference made! Plus have the satisfaction knowing that litter won’t harm an animal, end up in the sea,or be someone’s excuse to drop more litter.Try it & see! 🐾
December 17, 2025 at 7:18 AM
A lesser known impact of picking up #litter is the huge boost it gives to #mentalhealth
You can immediately see the difference made! Plus have the satisfaction knowing that litter won’t harm an animal, end up in the sea,or be someone’s excuse to drop more litter.Try it & see! 🐾
You can immediately see the difference made! Plus have the satisfaction knowing that litter won’t harm an animal, end up in the sea,or be someone’s excuse to drop more litter.Try it & see! 🐾
11/7 moth trapping in SE Hants. Best was a Diamond-backed Moth. A large Winter Moth is worth a second look at just in case it’s a Northern #teammoth
December 16, 2025 at 8:07 AM
11/7 moth trapping in SE Hants. Best was a Diamond-backed Moth. A large Winter Moth is worth a second look at just in case it’s a Northern #teammoth
A stomp round Matley Wood area NF for the winter bird survey was surprisingly productive. 1x Dartford and 4x Stonechat was a real surprise, the cold has normally displaced them by now. Approx 300 Redwing and maybe 50 Fieldfare in very vocal feeding flocks. Best was a Snipe. No raptors. #hantsbirds
December 15, 2025 at 2:30 PM
A stomp round Matley Wood area NF for the winter bird survey was surprisingly productive. 1x Dartford and 4x Stonechat was a real surprise, the cold has normally displaced them by now. Approx 300 Redwing and maybe 50 Fieldfare in very vocal feeding flocks. Best was a Snipe. No raptors. #hantsbirds
Reposted by Dave Wheatley
Interested in moth trapping?
Wondering which trap to use? Or if different bulbs collect different species?
Using 100k samples from @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social our new paper looks at these questions and more! With with Bill Kunin and @katatrepsis.bsky.social
#mothsmatter #teammoth
Wondering which trap to use? Or if different bulbs collect different species?
Using 100k samples from @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social our new paper looks at these questions and more! With with Bill Kunin and @katatrepsis.bsky.social
#mothsmatter #teammoth
Effect of bulb type on moth trap catch and composition in UK gardens
We analyse 10 years of records Garden Moth Scheme (GMS) to estimate the effect of bulb and trap type on the number of moths caught by moth traps. We find that brighter, higher wattage bulbs collect ...
resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Interested in moth trapping?
Wondering which trap to use? Or if different bulbs collect different species?
Using 100k samples from @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social our new paper looks at these questions and more! With with Bill Kunin and @katatrepsis.bsky.social
#mothsmatter #teammoth
Wondering which trap to use? Or if different bulbs collect different species?
Using 100k samples from @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social our new paper looks at these questions and more! With with Bill Kunin and @katatrepsis.bsky.social
#mothsmatter #teammoth
Well the Caloptilia did turn out to be stigmatella and is a NFY. The Blastobasis I’m a little less certain of. It doesn’t show any of the features I look for, the white X on the back or white shoulders, but not all specimens do. I’m still leaning towards vittata but less sure now #teammoth
December 13, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Well the Caloptilia did turn out to be stigmatella and is a NFY. The Blastobasis I’m a little less certain of. It doesn’t show any of the features I look for, the white X on the back or white shoulders, but not all specimens do. I’m still leaning towards vittata but less sure now #teammoth
40/10 in SE Hants last night. 21 December Moth. Best of the rest, singles of Brick, and what look likes B. vittata and C. stigmatella. 3 RDP possible signs of migration. A wide array of Mottled Umbers in the 7 trapped. It’s also highlighted that I need to clean my pots 😳
#teammoth #migrantmothuk
#teammoth #migrantmothuk
December 12, 2025 at 10:08 AM
40/10 in SE Hants last night. 21 December Moth. Best of the rest, singles of Brick, and what look likes B. vittata and C. stigmatella. 3 RDP possible signs of migration. A wide array of Mottled Umbers in the 7 trapped. It’s also highlighted that I need to clean my pots 😳
#teammoth #migrantmothuk
#teammoth #migrantmothuk
20/9 in SE Hants last night, a not too shabby return. 2x RDP and Brick, 1x Pine Carpet and Ypsolopha ustella were the best. 2 of the 4 Mottled Umber were the darker form #teammoth
December 9, 2025 at 8:47 AM
20/9 in SE Hants last night, a not too shabby return. 2x RDP and Brick, 1x Pine Carpet and Ypsolopha ustella were the best. 2 of the 4 Mottled Umber were the darker form #teammoth
17/9 last night in SE Hants. 8 December Moth and a single Brick, the latest record by one week were the highlights. All 3 Winter Moths appeared to be the standard variety and not the Northern one #teammoth
December 7, 2025 at 10:05 AM
17/9 last night in SE Hants. 8 December Moth and a single Brick, the latest record by one week were the highlights. All 3 Winter Moths appeared to be the standard variety and not the Northern one #teammoth
Traps are both out and probably Sunday and Monday as well. Not too sure what I’m expecting 🤷🏻♂️
Anyone else trapping the light fantastic this weekend?
#teammoth
Anyone else trapping the light fantastic this weekend?
#teammoth
December 6, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Traps are both out and probably Sunday and Monday as well. Not too sure what I’m expecting 🤷🏻♂️
Anyone else trapping the light fantastic this weekend?
#teammoth
Anyone else trapping the light fantastic this weekend?
#teammoth
More moth stats for your enjoyment (or not). Having had a big clean up of the records and sorted out all the dissection and leaf mine data, we have final (probably) numbers for 2025. Year list of 632 species (no aggs) with 101 NFG. Garden list now 754 with Large Wainscot as number 750 #teammoth
December 5, 2025 at 3:58 PM
More moth stats for your enjoyment (or not). Having had a big clean up of the records and sorted out all the dissection and leaf mine data, we have final (probably) numbers for 2025. Year list of 632 species (no aggs) with 101 NFG. Garden list now 754 with Large Wainscot as number 750 #teammoth
Reposted by Dave Wheatley
Having a sort out and I’ve found 6 bottles of A acetate.
I didn’t use it this year so if anyone would like a bottle or two or three please give me a shout.
@sjturn.bsky.social
@wheatersdave.bsky.social
@ruthnewby.bsky.social
and anyone else who may be interested.
I didn’t use it this year so if anyone would like a bottle or two or three please give me a shout.
@sjturn.bsky.social
@wheatersdave.bsky.social
@ruthnewby.bsky.social
and anyone else who may be interested.
December 5, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Having a sort out and I’ve found 6 bottles of A acetate.
I didn’t use it this year so if anyone would like a bottle or two or three please give me a shout.
@sjturn.bsky.social
@wheatersdave.bsky.social
@ruthnewby.bsky.social
and anyone else who may be interested.
I didn’t use it this year so if anyone would like a bottle or two or three please give me a shout.
@sjturn.bsky.social
@wheatersdave.bsky.social
@ruthnewby.bsky.social
and anyone else who may be interested.
For those of you who don’t trap on holiday, you’re missing out on good moths and local rarities. All moths shown are lifers from mainland UK 2025. I nearly called this playing away from home, then I remembered the slang meaning! Moth trapping outside of the garden, is a much safer option 😆 #teammoth
December 5, 2025 at 10:35 AM
For those of you who don’t trap on holiday, you’re missing out on good moths and local rarities. All moths shown are lifers from mainland UK 2025. I nearly called this playing away from home, then I remembered the slang meaning! Moth trapping outside of the garden, is a much safer option 😆 #teammoth
Very useful information for LED light choice when building traps, from Butterfly Conservation #teammoth
butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area...
butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area...
LED strip light for moth trap
LED strip light for moth trap There are many options for buying or making an LED light for a moth trap. Here is an approach for the budget bucket moth trap that some people have found effective, but L...
butterfly-conservation.org
December 5, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Very useful information for LED light choice when building traps, from Butterfly Conservation #teammoth
butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area...
butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area...
Reposted by Dave Wheatley
Save the Dark Bordered Beauty, just a few days left with match funding for this campaign …
#mothsmatter #SaveNightButterflies
#mothsmatter #SaveNightButterflies
A future for the Dark Bordered Beauty – Big Give
With one colony left in Yorkshire, the Dark Bordered Beauty moth is teetering on the edge of extinction in England. …
donate.biggive.org
December 4, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Save the Dark Bordered Beauty, just a few days left with match funding for this campaign …
#mothsmatter #SaveNightButterflies
#mothsmatter #SaveNightButterflies
Further to my question earlier @mothyblackburn.bsky.social here’s some links and explanation in the differences between Northern Winter Moth and Winter Moth, courtesy of Martin Harvey’s blog. Looks like size is a good starting place for ID upperthamesmoths.blogspot.com/2017/11/i-po...
Links to help with identification of Winter Moth and Northern Winter Moth
I posted this as a comment to Steve Trigg's question below, but the links don't work in comments, so I'm repeating it here - these are links...
upperthamesmoths.blogspot.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Further to my question earlier @mothyblackburn.bsky.social here’s some links and explanation in the differences between Northern Winter Moth and Winter Moth, courtesy of Martin Harvey’s blog. Looks like size is a good starting place for ID upperthamesmoths.blogspot.com/2017/11/i-po...
Moth stats time, Nov 2025 SE Hants. 13 traps, 850 moths, 8 NFY and 5 NFG (inc 3 leafminers). Running year totals of 13404 moths of 588 species and 96 NFG. Large Wainscot and Scarce Umber for the NFG macros, Stigmella tityrella (NFG) and Palpita vitrealis (NFY) for the leafmines/micros #teammoth
December 1, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Moth stats time, Nov 2025 SE Hants. 13 traps, 850 moths, 8 NFY and 5 NFG (inc 3 leafminers). Running year totals of 13404 moths of 588 species and 96 NFG. Large Wainscot and Scarce Umber for the NFG macros, Stigmella tityrella (NFG) and Palpita vitrealis (NFY) for the leafmines/micros #teammoth
Anyone need a Golden Twin-spot pheromone lure as I have one spare after a no show. I’ve also 2 Indian Meal Moth lures available. DM if interested £5 inc postage #teammoth
December 1, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Anyone need a Golden Twin-spot pheromone lure as I have one spare after a no show. I’ve also 2 Indian Meal Moth lures available. DM if interested £5 inc postage #teammoth
Who’s the chap who does the amusing moth trapping videos on YouTube? I appear to have deleted the link and can’t for the life of me remember his name. Very deadpan delivery 🤷🏻♂️ #teammoth
November 29, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Who’s the chap who does the amusing moth trapping videos on YouTube? I appear to have deleted the link and can’t for the life of me remember his name. Very deadpan delivery 🤷🏻♂️ #teammoth
48/18 in SE Hants last night, a bit of a bumper harvest for this time of year. Scarce Umber NFG was a surprise as it’s very (ahem) scarce in this area. Feathered Thorn x9 the most numerous and A. logiana hasn’t been a regular this year. Migrants, 2 RDP + 1 Diamond Back #teammoth #migrantmothuk
November 28, 2025 at 9:01 AM
48/18 in SE Hants last night, a bit of a bumper harvest for this time of year. Scarce Umber NFG was a surprise as it’s very (ahem) scarce in this area. Feathered Thorn x9 the most numerous and A. logiana hasn’t been a regular this year. Migrants, 2 RDP + 1 Diamond Back #teammoth #migrantmothuk