Alan Mould
@alanmould.bsky.social
Very amateur macro photographer fascinated by the insect world (esp. shieldbugs, dragonflies, ants, and a Moth-trapper in VC66. Old fart metalhead, into country walks, playing table tennis, darts and chess (though shite at them all). Love a right laugh.
Fantastic show by Lacuna Coil at Northumbria Uni last night, best gig I've been to in a long while. Superb!
November 27, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Fantastic show by Lacuna Coil at Northumbria Uni last night, best gig I've been to in a long while. Superb!
Always nice to have a Blackcap in the garden
November 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Always nice to have a Blackcap in the garden
Saxon still banging out mighty metal anthems 45 years after I first saw them live at Monsters of Rock Donington, Biff Byford at 74 (I kid you not) sounds as good as ever. Great night at City Hall Newcassel.
November 13, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Saxon still banging out mighty metal anthems 45 years after I first saw them live at Monsters of Rock Donington, Biff Byford at 74 (I kid you not) sounds as good as ever. Great night at City Hall Newcassel.
Traps poor this week but indoors we've had 40+ of these Vitula serratilineela (N. American Bee Moth) likely bred in an old Tree Bee nest in the attic and getting into the upstairs bathroom via gaps in ceiling fittings. A national rarity but NE England a bit of a stronghold. #DurhamVC66 #TeamMoth
November 7, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Traps poor this week but indoors we've had 40+ of these Vitula serratilineela (N. American Bee Moth) likely bred in an old Tree Bee nest in the attic and getting into the upstairs bathroom via gaps in ceiling fittings. A national rarity but NE England a bit of a stronghold. #DurhamVC66 #TeamMoth
Not a lot in last night's trap (11:7) but December Moth was our earliest record, a couple of Feathered Thorns, beautifully marked Mottled Umber and Acleris hyemana is a garden first, so not too shabby. Durham VC66 #TeamMoth
October 29, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Not a lot in last night's trap (11:7) but December Moth was our earliest record, a couple of Feathered Thorns, beautifully marked Mottled Umber and Acleris hyemana is a garden first, so not too shabby. Durham VC66 #TeamMoth
Not much doing moth-wise at the mo, so here's something for your amusement from a few years ago when I first got interested in trapping and realised many moth names were also good names for Heavy Metal bands, my other passion. 😀🤘 #TeamMoth
October 25, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Not much doing moth-wise at the mo, so here's something for your amusement from a few years ago when I first got interested in trapping and realised many moth names were also good names for Heavy Metal bands, my other passion. 😀🤘 #TeamMoth
Got this beaut of an Epirrita sp. moth at the weekend. Though shows outward signs of Autumnal, due to it likely being a female even dissection wouldn't reveal the true species (not that I would), so just like all the dull specimens we got it'll go down as an aggregate. What a shame. #TeamMoth #VC66
October 20, 2025 at 1:37 PM
A Marvel of Mervs, (for want of a better collective noun) #DurhamVC66 #TeamMoth
October 13, 2025 at 6:11 PM
A Marvel of Mervs, (for want of a better collective noun) #DurhamVC66 #TeamMoth
Cloudless skies and low temperatures so touch and go whether to put the trap out at all last night, then checked at 9.45 to find this beauty inside. Could hardly believe it. Only 6 Co. Durham records before this year, just shows the unpredictability of mothing. #ClifdenNonpareil #TeamMoth #VC66
September 26, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Cloudless skies and low temperatures so touch and go whether to put the trap out at all last night, then checked at 9.45 to find this beauty inside. Could hardly believe it. Only 6 Co. Durham records before this year, just shows the unpredictability of mothing. #ClifdenNonpareil #TeamMoth #VC66
Found in a Sunderland cemetery yesterday, around 30 final instar nymphs and adult Juniper Shieldbugs on a lone Lawson's Cypress. A pleasing find as I fear they've gone from the previous known site there after checking it without success for the third time this year.
September 6, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Found in a Sunderland cemetery yesterday, around 30 final instar nymphs and adult Juniper Shieldbugs on a lone Lawson's Cypress. A pleasing find as I fear they've gone from the previous known site there after checking it without success for the third time this year.
@vc40orthops.bsky.social Hi David, my eldest boy is currently on a work placement near Hamburg, saw this as he left work today, said it looks similar to normal ones in terms of colour but nothing normal about it, it was massive (without giving actual size) any ideas on species? Thanks.
September 4, 2025 at 5:57 PM
@vc40orthops.bsky.social Hi David, my eldest boy is currently on a work placement near Hamburg, saw this as he left work today, said it looks similar to normal ones in terms of colour but nothing normal about it, it was massive (without giving actual size) any ideas on species? Thanks.
Some interesting caterpillars from our jollies in Norfolk (early Aug), Buff Tips and Reed Dagger spotted at RSPB Lakenheath, Eyed Hawkmoth (?) from our cottage garden (on Crab apple) at Upwell, though the green one (WWT Welney) has us baffled if anyone from #TeamMoth can enlighten us, thanks.
September 2, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Some interesting caterpillars from our jollies in Norfolk (early Aug), Buff Tips and Reed Dagger spotted at RSPB Lakenheath, Eyed Hawkmoth (?) from our cottage garden (on Crab apple) at Upwell, though the green one (WWT Welney) has us baffled if anyone from #TeamMoth can enlighten us, thanks.
Willow Emerald damselfly posing nicely at the bottom of our Norfolk cottage garden last week.
August 10, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Willow Emerald damselfly posing nicely at the bottom of our Norfolk cottage garden last week.
A couple of Wasp Spiders from outside the visitor centre at RSPB Lakenheath. Beauties.
August 4, 2025 at 9:59 AM
A couple of Wasp Spiders from outside the visitor centre at RSPB Lakenheath. Beauties.
Small Red-eyed Damselflies, male and female, from RSPB Lakenheath last week.
August 4, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Small Red-eyed Damselflies, male and female, from RSPB Lakenheath last week.
Some close encounters with Dragons & Damsels this week in NW Norfolk, Brown Hawker at WWT Welney, Red-eyed Damselfly from Upwell and ovipositing Emperor from the moat at NT Oxburgh.
August 1, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Some close encounters with Dragons & Damsels this week in NW Norfolk, Brown Hawker at WWT Welney, Red-eyed Damselfly from Upwell and ovipositing Emperor from the moat at NT Oxburgh.
June 23, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Setting the Moth Trap up on Friday evening I found a floppy Ghost Moth female on the grass, obv. just emerged, the boy found the pupa sticking out of the ground so we dug it out. The Moth hardened its wings safely and flew off as soon as she was ready. Bonus as we've not seen one locally. #TeamMoth
June 15, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Setting the Moth Trap up on Friday evening I found a floppy Ghost Moth female on the grass, obv. just emerged, the boy found the pupa sticking out of the ground so we dug it out. The Moth hardened its wings safely and flew off as soon as she was ready. Bonus as we've not seen one locally. #TeamMoth
Friday's moth trap brought out a few A-listers with Buff-tip, Peppered Moth, Elephant Hawk-moth and Pale Prominent among my favourites from a very productive session despite the rain. VC66 #TeamMoth
June 14, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Friday's moth trap brought out a few A-listers with Buff-tip, Peppered Moth, Elephant Hawk-moth and Pale Prominent among my favourites from a very productive session despite the rain. VC66 #TeamMoth
A poor year so far for shieldbugs locally. This Parent Bug was my first of the year, only 1 Hairy, 4 final instar Forest Bugs and just 3 Greens. The disaster of last spring seems to have had a knock-on effect. Other common species not seen at all on a decent search of a regular patch.
June 9, 2025 at 6:40 PM
A poor year so far for shieldbugs locally. This Parent Bug was my first of the year, only 1 Hairy, 4 final instar Forest Bugs and just 3 Greens. The disaster of last spring seems to have had a knock-on effect. Other common species not seen at all on a decent search of a regular patch.
Violet Ground-Beetle scurrying away with part of a dissected slug, worthwhile torch-scanning the garden during a moth trap check as the local hedgehog was also foraging away (Friday night.) VC66
June 1, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Violet Ground-Beetle scurrying away with part of a dissected slug, worthwhile torch-scanning the garden during a moth trap check as the local hedgehog was also foraging away (Friday night.) VC66