Wharfedale Moths (Aidan Smith)

Circa 1,000 moths of 91 species in the garden traps last. Mother of Pearl most numerous with 200+. New for me and Wharfedale was Metalampra italica (Italian Bark Moth) #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

Mere Wainscot in the garden trap last night. New for the garden and Wharfedale. 20k from the nearest dot on the map. It'll be the most westerly record in Yorkshire. I don't think the habitat exists for it local to me so presumably a wanderer #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

Pammene aurana to SKI lure early evening in my garden. A first for Wharfedale and about as far west as records go in Yorkshire #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

You need to work out what # tags are being picked up by feeds you want to engage with and use them. I've got to admit, I'm guilty of not really looking beyond the UK Moths feed that picks all the # tags associated with moths in the UK.

One from a busy weekend - Argyresthia pruniella (Cherry Fruit Moth) doing what it does best #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

Good to know they're still there

It had the look and demeanour of a caddisfly - Homoeosoma sinuella (Twin-barred Knot-horn) was new for my garden and Wharfedale this morning #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

Busiest night of the year so far with 266 of 76. Highlights were Hedya salicella (White-backed Tortrix) new for me, Beautiful Carpet and the second Obscure Wainscot of the week. #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

With white external walls I often notice interesting bugs. This afternoon it's the turn of Eysarcoris venustissimus (Woundwort Shieldbug). Quite small for a shieldbug and at first glance I thought it was going to be the nymph of another species. Edge of its range W. Yorks #VC64 #Coleoptera #Beetle

198 moths of 67 species in the garden traps last night. Obscure Wainscot was new for me. It's the second record for Wharfedale with the first being in 2012. Perhaps we'd get more local records if I ran a trap among its foodplant down Otley Wetlands #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

Good mothing conditions last night. Mompha raschkiella, the fireweed Mompha, was among the 167 moths of 66 species in the garden traps #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

I think I’ve spotted the route the moths will be taking to my garden

I was pleased I made the decision to run the trap undercover last night as it chucked it down. Numbers down to 28 of 22, but good to see Green Silver-lines, Beautiful Snout and Willow Beauty as all new for the year.

Numbers well down on the previous few nights, but still a respectable 34 moths of 24 species in the garden traps. Streamer was a new moth for me and there were two of them. #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

It's certainly been an April to remember, 113 of 47 in the garden traps last night. New for the year were Lime Hawk-moth, Poplar Hawk-moth, Cinnabar Moth, May Highflyer, Spectacle, Pale-shouldered Brocade, Wormwood Pug, Bright-line Brown-eye and Yellow-barred Brindle #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

Things really picked up last night with 94 moths of 27 species in the garden traps. Puss Moth new for me, what a beast. Others NFY were Small Phoenix, Spruce Carpet, V-pug, Shuttle-shaped Dart and Bee Moth. 26 Brindled Pug was more than I caught in the entirety of last year #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

The highlight from this morning's moth trap was a mint Chocolate-tip moth, a new species for the garden #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

Phyllonorycter dubitella (Goat Willow Leaf-miner) bred from Grey Willow collected on 7th November at Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits is a new species for the Wharfedale list #VC64 #teammoth

I was expecting a few moths last night with the warmer weather, 23 moths of 8 species, but I wasn't expecting two moths new for the garden. Acleris ferrugana/notana and Acleris literana are both great looking moths #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

Yellow-eyed Penguin

Possibly the coolest slide I’ve seen in a kids park #LasMellizas #Orthoptera #Entomology #Insects

Moonlighting in Spain - these mines would be an adventive back home

Certainly will, as I’m off to Spain

The decent spell didn’t even start in VC64

3/3 It's worth searching for them on any good thick patches of bright green lichen that you might come across in those damp corners of old quarries etc... They're by no means on every patch of lichen though.

2/3 The only VC64 record is an adult I caught in 2023.

1/3 I saw the post by @richardfoxbc.bsky.social about the larval tubes of Infurcitinea argentimaculella (Silver-barred Lichen Moth). A moth with few Yorkshire records. I thought I'd see if I could find the larval tubes. It turns out they're in my garden and on the Chevin #VC64 #Otley #teammoth

Was this filmed this week or earlier in the year? I'm thinking about heading to see them if they're still there.

What camera, lens and lighting do you use for photographing the macro moths? I really need to up my game for the capturing quality shots of the macros.

In 2023 I caught the only VC64 record in a light trap - I must make an effort to get out and search good patches of lichen to see if it’s breeding locally