Lover of the wild world

A young Cheetah taking a break from the mid day heat 🥵 🐆 #Babanango #SouthAfrica #conservation #wildlifephotography #nature @wwfafrica.bsky.social #KwazuluNatal

Last few moths from South Africa 🇿🇦 #TeamMoth #MothsMatter. So much more enjoyable watching them come to light by the Boma 🔥 🪵 #zulurocklodge #RhinoRidgeLodge whilst sipping a cold Windhoek 🍻. #SOUTHAFRICA #Moths #nature

Nice one Clare. I haven’t trapped since I returned from holibobs. I fear my first visit from Mr W but I know there’s still a few to eke out of 2025. 🤔

Nice catch Clive. 👌. Looks like yours behaved better than mine from a couple of weeks ago.

Another beauty Clare 🤩

An absolute unit of a moth whilst enjoying drinks 🍻 by the boma 🔥🪵 in #SOUTHAFRICA 🇿🇦. This White-ringed Atlas Moth (Epiphora mythimnia) measured around 5” (127mm in new money). Used my mobile phone 📱 as a measuring guide! #TeamMoth #Moths #MothsMatter #NatureIsAmazing #KwaZulu-Natal

It’s not all about the Big Game in #SOUTHAFRICA 🇿🇦 🦁🦛🦒🐘🦏. I received a few quirky looks as I photographed these super moths around our lodge #TeamMoth #MothsMatter #Moths #Kwazulu-Natal

A few more of the moths I found around our lodge in #SouthAfrica #Kwazulu-Natal 🇿🇦. Not sure of species yet but I’ll try and get them ID’d. #TeamMoth #MothsMatter #Moths 🌍

#SouthAfrica just keeps on giving. It’s been an absolute dream so far. Amazing views of Cheetah, Rhino, Lion, many birds……..but……let’s not forget the little moths that I keep spotting around the lodge. #TeamMoth #MothsMatter Polka Dot Wasp Moth & Laterite Matron. 🤩🇿🇦 #Wildlife

Day one in South Africa 🇿🇦 was incredible, lion, cheetah, kudu, hippo, zebra, lots of birds, and oddly my first moth whilst at the lodge balcony!! 🤔. Again, the wife was left shaking her head. #teammoth #moths #mothsmatter #SOUTHAFRICA a buff tip type moth I think?

Of that I’m not quite sure but I was sure to be at an angle as to not be pointing the camera at any windows. I almost went and knocked on their door to ask if I could try to re-pot it. The Mrs told me they’d think I’m mad…….or weird. I’m actually both it seems. 🤪

This is true. I like your thinking! I’m away for two weeks now 🛫 but the trap will be back out when I’m home, still a few more to be ticked off before the years end.

22/13 #DERBYSHIRE last night. 2 NFG, Chestnut & 🌟 of the show, Streak. This naughty bugger escaped Wed 14th & did the same today. Fortunately I tracked it to a neighbours shed, allowing me to 📸 it with the 150-600mm lens. Also 3 MdJ, Blair’s, 5 RG Carpet #TeamMoth @obsidentify.bsky.social #Moths

I think there may be some in the nearby fields. It’s not been particularly compliant! I lost it 🤬🤬as soon as I tried to get it out the pot for pics (for the second time this week). Fortunately I tracked it onto the neighbours shed so I have at least got a couple of pics with my larger lens.

Awesome. Happy with that visitor. Very wary of trying to photograph it properly now after what happened with the last one.

A second chance with my escapee from 14th Oct. Managed to get this one last night (17th Oct) it’s a Streak.

Got another one overnight, and this one successfully captured. It’s a NFG Streak 🥳. #TeamMoth

Any joy?

I don’t think I’ll ever tire of seeing these Merveille du jour beauties. 2 Blair’s, Garden Carpet, and a Black Rustic since my last visit. Hoping for a new ✅ or two by morning.

I think I was half way there to be honest. The Mrs goes mad when I keep running outside with the torch all evening. God knows what the neighbours think 🤦‍♂️

A Merv for #MothFaceFriday #TeamMoth I’ve been aching for one of these in the garden, they’ve been like buses since the first, tonight I’ve logged my 6th one this week. 🤩. #MothsMatter @derbyswildlife.bsky.social #DERBYSHIRE #MOTHS #Nature

I usually do, I’m chasing my first 100 NFG and think I’m running out of possible moths so this one may need to count 🤣🤣. I think this mothing is making me lose the plot. MERV just arrived on the side of the trap too 🤩

That’s a nice carpet. I’m running 💡 tonight. 1 Black Rustic, 2 RG carpet, 1 Blair’s, and a teeny tiny micro about the length of a grain of rice……uncooked 🤪. I have zero idea what it is. That’ll be fun to try and photograph in the morning.

Definitely something to consider for 2026. 12-14 hours is more than enough in the summer months. After next weekend 🕰️ it’ll be endless darkness til March 😩

Thanks Clive. Looks good. Next daft question. When trapping away from home, do you stay with it all night or leave it til morning? The thought of some scrote lifting it during the night would likely keep me awake. I may need a tent and sleeping bag too 🤔.

I’ll not be playing with MV for a while yet, and in the tiny garden it’ll definitely be a no-no. Don’t think the neighbours would appreciate that.

Knowing you get 3 nights using 15W tells me that I can manage easily with one of those batteries using 20W. Great to get your feedback with this. I expect if I rigged it up to a MV then it would drain quite quickly.

That’s an option. Only thing that put me off was whilst I was googling different options, I read that if you run these flat then they are very difficult to recharge. I’d only run max one night with 20W before recharging so that’s definitely do-able. Thanks. ☺️ .

These are awesome. Just the Poplar for me so far. Looking forward to some more of these next year. 🤩

Good to know I’m not alone with the Frosted Orange not turning up .

Ahem to that. I hate winter. I have to stay in and watch tv with the Mrs 🤦‍♂️. Back to birding a bit once the moths stop visiting 💡.

Can’t wait. It’s been great so far. I think I still have a few more left for this year to hope for, especially being so new to it. Slowly losing hope this year with Autumnal Rustic and Frosted Orange though.