Mainly moths & mosses

Euonymus europaeus - end of October 2024

#Wildflowerhour #fruits

Ledra aurita

Ledra aurita - no wonder rarely spotted on lichen covered tree trunk habitat

Eared Leafhopper - Ledra aurita, unusual visitor to MV trap on 23Aug25 (but see not alone whetstoneskev@bsky.social) amongst numerous hornets & wasps, large numbers of regular species. Also 6 Dark Sword-grass & 11 Centre-barred Sallow #teammoth #hemiptera

New maps help decision-makers factor albedo into tree-planting plans Albedo can cause large reductions to the climate benefit of tree planting – but new science helps identify locations with greatest climate-cooling potential

Tree-planting is always good, right? Well, it turns out that a tree planted in the wrong place can actually have a negative impact on the climate. That’s why a research team with scientists from The Nature Conservancy developed maps to help with strategic reforestation for maximum benefit!

Late but…

The day-flying Forester moth (Adscita statices) on Salad Burnet (Poterium sanguisorba) at end of May, in Gloucestershire

#wildflowerhour #PollinatorPals

Adder’s Tongue Fern

@wildflowerhour.bsky.social we also found this forest of Adder’s Tongue Fern at #bythesea Kenfig dunes

@wildflowerhour.bsky.social. Eryngium maritimum has to be one of the most photogenic plants #wildflowerhour #bythesea

The earliest I’ve had the mighty Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini, to my MV trap here in North Monmouthshire, VC35. Always a thrill.. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @hewittkvnvc35.bsky.social
@gmtord.bsky.social #moths

Great few days at the BSBI Wales Annual Summer meeting in Denbighshire this week / cawsom dri diwrnod gwych yng nghyfarfod haf blynyddol BSBI Cymru yn sir Ddinbych.

Cranberry- Vaccinium oxycoccos

White Beak-sedge - Rhynchospora alba

Pen-yr-Orsedd - magnificent acidic bog - new V. record for Osmunda regalis

Small-leaved Sweet-briar - Rosa agrestis - Bryn Euryn NR

Just returned on a high from the annual Wales meeting, exhibition & AGM in VC50 based at Rhyd-y-creuau. Fantastic organisation by Denbeighshire recorder. Delyth Williams. Fabulous sites, plants & people (in no particular order 😉). diolch yn fawr iawn i bawb @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Large Emerald

Ghost Moth male

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet

Galium Carpet

We also moth trapped in Co Clare end of June/beginning of July. Nothing extraordinary but then all moths are beautiful #moths
Both Dew Moth (Setina irrorella) & White-spotted Sable Moth (Anania funebris) were glimpsed on The Burren #Irishmoths
Too early for the Burren Green maybe..

Shrubby Cinquefoil

Mountain Avens

Dark-red Helleborine

Fen Violet

Although a bryology meeting to Co Clare, it was impossible not to take in the very special higher plant flora @bsbibotany.bsky.social including Potentilla fruticosa (Shrubby Cinquefoil), Dryas octopetala (Mountain Avens), Epipactis atrorubens (Dark-red helleborine), & Viola elatior (Fen Violet).

The Burren

Bryum species tbc

Turlough Garyland, Coole Park

Dumortiera hirsuta

Delightful BIBS meeting in Co Clare with special thanks to Rory & Jo @bbsbryology.bsky.social. Lovely to meet so many Irish members, visit turloughs and the very special Burren #bryophtes

Labour are backtracking on a plan to help save birds: by blocking a new rule that would make developers put a £35 nest brick in every new home. They think it'll help win them votes - we need to show it would do the opposite. Sign the petition 38d.gs/ky2i

Pinion-white Spotted

Alder Kitten

Lobster Moth

Pauper Pug?

Rewarding trap 30th April N. Monmouthshire VC35. 157 of 51spp, 25 ffy. Some highlights; White-pinion Spotted, Alder Kitten, Lobster Moth, Great Prominent, Buttoned Snout, Least Black Arches, White Ermine, Orange Footman, The Coronet & Pauper Pug (FW11mm)?#teammoth

Possible Pauper Pug FW 11mm

Wonderful

Thank you for your lovely daily posts capturing the essence of our bryological exploration around Freiburg 💚

Dicranum viride

Bryum schleicheri

Fantastic Freiburg. Huge thanks to @milueth.bsky.social & Philippa @bbsbryology.bsky.social for wonderful week of bryologising. From the banks of the Rhine to the heights of Feldberg.So many highlights..

Spellcheck 🤦🏽‍♀️

Back home in North Monmouthshire (VC35), first good trap results this year on a mild cloudy night (22Mar25). 84 of 19spp to MV. Lots of ffy including Yellow-horned and White-marked.

We also ran a Robinson moth trap at Nell Bank (VC64) and were pleased with 17spp over the 6 nights including Pine Beauty, Engrailed, Brindled Pug, Dotted Border, Early Thorn, Early Grey and Dark Chestnut

Stunning Blue Moor-grass - Sesleria caerulea in full bloom on the calcareous grassland throughout the week at BBS Wharfdale spring meeting.

Definitely glittering ✨

Day 5 BBS spring meeting Wharfdale. Exploring Pickles Gill. Lots of finds here, including fruiting Palustriella commutata & rotting log smothered with Tritomaria exsectiformis

Day 4 BBS spring meeting Wharfdale. R. Wharfe, Ilkley. Silted branch with forest of Bryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum (which caused initial head scratching).
Candidates for Orthotrichum rivulare subjected to microscopic examination revealed their identity as O. sprucei with larger mid leaf cells.

Day 3 BBS spring meeting Wharfdale Dobpark Wood
Ptilidium pulcherrimum espied by Peter Martin growing on Betula branch. Reported other known site in VC64 has been felled.. @BBSbryology.bsky.social

Day 2 BBS spring meeting Wharfdale. Around Thruscross- successful Schistostega pennata - ‘Goblin gold’ hunting by Claire Halpin. Her updated images will be here www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/learning/spe... Dichodontium pellucidum in base rich flush, Hyocomium armoricum from acidic stream

Just back from brilliantly run BBS spring meeting in Wharfdale. Plenty of site choices, excellent evening talks & great group of people 😊 Day 1 highlight from Conistone Dib, Rhytidium rugosum debracket.

Wonderful day on ‘The Darens’ 2/3/25 for Glos BBS perfect weather, a list of 165 including Bryum elegans, Blepharostoma (debracket), Tortella fasciculata, Archidium alternifolium, Barbilophozia sudetica, Fissidens celticus and Nogopterium gracile

Nice to see @BBSbryology.bsky.social has joined Blue Sky. Looking forward to Wharfdale after great meetings from Hungary to Islay to Devon last year.