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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Aug 31

A few interesting 'moth trap intruders'. The water boatman Sigara striata and the weevil Curculio nucum.
#teammoth #sussexwildlife

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Aug 28

Had to empty the trap in torrential rain yesterday, hence the poor photos. A lot of new stuff for me. Pics are: Bordered Beauty, Brassy Y, White-shouldered Ochre, Oak Hook-tip.
#teammoth

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Aug 2

My numbers refer to the first picture btw.

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Aug 2

I hate pugs too!
My extremely amateur take is that you are right about 1,3 and 4. Never seen No. 2, so don't feel qualified to comment.

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Jul 20

I think the answer is yes, but footmen are a bit of a headache for me too, and I get loads of them. BTW, I haven't worked out how to see other replies on Bluesky, so everyone else might have said the same thing.
Colin

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Jul 20

Scottish Pearl? Never seen one, being about as far south of you as it's possible to get without getting wet.
Colin

Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Jul 20

Hi Jess,
It's difficult from a small photo, but I would say it's a Rufous Tortrix.
Colin

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Reposted by Colin Piper

Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Jul 18

Burton Mill Pond, in W. Sussex, includes a 'swamp' called Black Hole.
On warm humid nights this can be spectacular. Sunday night produced 209 of 65. Specialities included:
Bulrush Down Moth, Limnaecia phragmitella
Bulrush Veneer, Calamotropha paludella
Pale Water-veneer, Donacaula forficella

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Jul 18

Burton Mill Pond, in W. Sussex, includes a 'swamp' called Black Hole.
On warm humid nights this can be spectacular. Sunday night produced 209 of 65. Specialities included:
Bulrush Down Moth, Limnaecia phragmitella
Bulrush Veneer, Calamotropha paludella
Pale Water-veneer, Donacaula forficella

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Jul 17

Nice, and useful, pair of pics Phil, annoyingly however, as I can confirm from this morning's traps, neither of them always look exactly like your photos!

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Jun 28

Rain, midges, cows and flighty moths all made for an extreme mothing session at Burton Mill Pond, W. Sussex. Some cracking moths though:
Barred Red, Mocha, Marsh Grass-moth, Sandy Carpet
#teammoth #sussexwildlife #ukmoths #ukwildlife

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Jun 24

Spent the summer solstice at West Beach SSSI, lots of sand dune and shingle beach specialists inc. Small Plume, Oxyptilus parvidactyla (poss. only 2nd W. Sussex record), and Canary Tortrix (Lemon Bell), Thiodia citrana, poss. only colony in the county.
#teammoth #sussexwildlifetrust #ukmoths

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Jun 19

Quantity rather than quality at Burton Mill Pond, W. Sussex, 83 of 36. Highlight, the 7th modern-day Sussex record for Moss (Gold-barred) Marble, Celypha aurofasciana.
Also had a Field Cricket!

Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · May 9

My first ever Ochreous Pug. TBH, I've never liked pugs, but I'm getting loads this year of several species. Scots Pine (the food plant) isn't native to Sussex, but there are plenty of planted trees around.

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · May 4

70 moths of 25 species on Friday night, outnumbered about 2 to 1 by Cockchafer. Moths are emerging early but not flying around much is what I think is happening, due to hot days but cold nights. Orange Footman and Vestal are early for example.
Prettiest moth was a Cream-spot Tiger.

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Apr 20

I live in VC14 (East Sussex), just. I do most of my recording though in VC13 (West Sussex). To find them on your map, head south from London until you get wet.

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Apr 18

I remember the first exoplanet discovery, incredible that we have got so far in such a short time.

Reposted by Colin Piper

MaTT FLaMMaBLe @mattflammable.bsky.social · Apr 17

This is K2-18b.

It’s a planet outside of our solar system, about 2 1/2 times the size of earth, orbiting a small red dwarf star.

The James Webb space telescope spent time studying this planet via spectroscopy and determined it has gases in its atmosphere that are only created through biology!

410 970 6.6K

Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Apr 14

Hi Steve, you've got me thinking. I held that one back to photo because I thought it looked the freshest, but maybe that's because it was different. Are those "fine black streaks or wedges projecting inwards from the outer crossline" (Waring & Townsend) diagnostic of Brindled?

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Apr 13

Rain spoiled the first cloudy night for weeks at Burton Mill Pond SWT Reserve. Loads of pugs, 22 Brindled and 2 Oak-tree.
Plus, if confirmed, a very early Heather Hook-wing, Ancylis uncella. Not often seen in Sussex.
Plus, my 2nd Minotaur Beetle of 2025. #teammoth #sussexwildlifetrust #ukmoths

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Apr 8

He died in 2006, I doubt he ever saw a frothy cappuccino😀

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Apr 7

I trap near a lake and have a similar problem. It's interesting the effect water has, even the trees are later to budburst.

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Mar 31

A hard frost in W. Sussex last night with Frosted Green literally frozen to the groundsheet. Highlights were an early Lunar Marbled Brown and my first ever Common Oak Purple (Common Spring Jewel), Dyseriocrania subpurpurella. The photo doesn't do it justice, really shiny in real life.

Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Mar 21

86 moths of 17 species last night in West Sussex U.K., though it was a lot colder than forecast. My favourite was this Red Chestnut.

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Colin Piper @colinpiper55.bsky.social · Mar 10

First moth trap of the year, at Burton Mill Pond SWT reserve. 61 of 16, including what I believe is a Dark-streaked Tortrix, Acleris umbrana, plus a fantastic Minotaur Beetle #teammoth @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

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