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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp
@laurasharp.bsky.social
270 followers 120 following 220 posts
PhD Student: Understanding and reversing the decline of moorland moths in the UK | Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) | Aberdeen https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-sharp-7636a6108?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=andr
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 2d
*Day, even 🤦‍♀️
I clearly need the clocks to change already!
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 2d
Had a wonderful evening listening to a wide variety of talks at the North East Scotland Ecology Network science day.

I also had a chance to present a poster on my very preliminary field results, investigating how prescribed burning affects moorland #moth communities.

#TeamMoth #MothsMatter
My research poster showing preliminary results of a field study comparing moth communities on burned and unburned heather moorland in Scotland
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 6d
A very hungry Emperor Moth caterpillar for #MothFaceFriday being a messy eater eating getting food in his facial hair 😋

Video taken back in May. One of several caterpillars I was rearing through. #TeamMoth
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 18d
Had a couple of Light Emeralds come to light up in Aberdeenshire on Thursday night. What a strange year it has been!
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19d
Thanks for joining us. Hopefully Mary enjoyed the Mervs!
laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19d
#teammoth
laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19d
That second photo! 'I'm dead, honest', whilst still clinging on for dear life 🤣
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 20d
It's the final #MothFaceFriday of #Leptember
So here's an autumnal offering by way of today's Feathered Thorn.
Such a gorgeously fluffy auburn face and thorax, and a pair of very impressively feathered antennae. Stunning!
A Feathered Thorn moth flaunting its feathery antennae The face of the Feathered Thorn, with its antennae tucked down by its sides A Feathered Thorn moth resting on bracken
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 20d
The Streak Red-line Quaker The Satellite Green-brindled Crescent
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 20d
A lovely morning at Dinnet oakwood yielded 30:14 most NFM as my first Autumn trapping night off moorland.

Feathered Thorn 2, November moth 1, Green-brindled Crescent 5, Merveille DJ 2, Mottled Umber 1, Red-line Quaker 1, Streak 1, Snout 1, Satellite 1, Red-green Carpet 2, Light Emerald 2.
#TeamMoth
November moth Feathered thorn. Those antennae! 🤩 Mottled Umber Merveille du'jour. I loved the w on this ones neck/thorax!
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 20d
Lovely photo, really shows off that green sheen!
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 29d
A #Leptember visit to Chester Zoo would not be complete without a walk through the #Butterfly house.

Gosh, I'd love to be in Costa Rica right now!

Credit for photos 1 & 4 go to @conricosteez.bsky.social
Blue Morpho butterfly A couple of Owl butterflies The Malachite butterfly with its wings closed showing the muted tones of the undersides The Malachite butterfly with its wings open displaying the bright uppersides
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Sep 12
This #Leptember I am undertaking 360 quadrats at my moth trapping sites to quantify browsing and describe vegetation composition.

I love autumn, and my sites are so beautiful. I'm having a lot of fun!

Typing it up is less fun 🫩 If only AI could accurately transcribe voice notes to .csv #TeamMoth
A striking broom moth caterpillar on Erica at Glen Tanar What I think is a False Chanterelle uprooted by a couple of foraging mountain bikers in Caledonian pine forest. I love the gills on this. A beautiful orange-red spear of Bog Asphodel with a backdrop of crimson sphagnum I improvised a beating tray out of my shopping bag to harvest Juniper berries which are ripening already. I do like my gin!
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Sep 5
It's the first #MothFaceFriday of #Leptember
So here's the tiny head, broad shoulders and thick torso of the Northern/oak Eggar.
These moths always give me body-builder vibes!

Have a pumped weekend #TeamMoth - don't overdo it on the protein shakes!
Underside view of the impressive Northern Eggar The Northern Eggar moth resting on heather up on moorland back in July
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Sep 1
So fluffy you can barely see its face! 🥹
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 31
Ah yes. Just looked it up on nhbs and the mesh bag itself is £75 😯 But it would be so time consuming to make oneself. Like you say, if it lasts and brings enjoyment then it's worth it!
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 31
That would be a shame! Do you ever get others asking for photos?
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 31
That Blotched Emerald is amazing 🤩
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 30
I have a book of her art. Looking forward to diving in when the weather isn't so great!
laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 30
What an interesting trap! Could be very useful for field work i imagine. In your opinion, is it worth the £££?
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 30
A wet night and nippy morning up on Donside, but still 210:37 to light.

NFM were 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character and a Canary-shouldered Thorn, which ended up as a spider's breakfast 😔

Also, 2 November Moth, 7 Autumn Green Carpet, 13 Autumnal Rustic, 6 Black Rustic, 15 Golden-rod Brindle
#TeamMoth
Autumn is here, heralded by this Autumn Green Carpet moth. My first was a no-longer-hibernating female, back in June!
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 30
Angle Shades is always a joy 😊

Here's a lovely one quaking and quivering on the heather, warming up from the trap this morning.

#TeamMoth
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 29
A damp but still night on Donside yielded 263:36 including NFM Pink-barred Sallow.

Also, 8 Small Wainscot, 7 Black Rustic, 6 Juniper Pug, 6 Dark Arches, 2 Plain Clay, 2 Northern Deep-brown Dart, 2 Grey Chi, 2 Golden-rod Brindle, a Beautiful YU, a Sallow and an Angle-striped Sallow.

#TeamMoth
A very colourful Pink-barred Sallow A handsome Grey Chi A very dark Northern Spinach A peachy Angle-striped Sallow
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 19
A foggy morning at Mar Lodge delayed me from hiking up to my traps until it was safe, but didn't deter the moths!

586:34 Angle Shades 4, Dark Sword-grass 8, Black Rustic 1 and Small Wainscot 1 were NFM.

Also had 5 Beautiful YU, 30 Dark Arches, 1 Northern Arches and 2 Cousin German.
#TeamMoth
A very smart Black Rustic The huge Dark Sword-grass A beautiful Angle Shades Spotted another Light Knot-grass caterpillar feeding openly on the heather. No adults in the trap though.
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laurasharp.bsky.social
Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 18
A scorcher of a day at Mar Lodge, even at 8pm last night when I was setting up my traps!

But it was worth the sweaty hike through the heather, with 546:32.

31 Autumnal Rustic, a Cousin German, 5 Dark Arches, 15 Golden-rod Brindle, 2 Minor Shoulder-knot and 3 Northern Deep-brown Dart

#TeamMoth
A slight mist this morning in Braemar after the heat yesterday. Not as thick as the Haar by the time I got to Aberdeen! The grey form of Northern Deep-brown Dart Minor Shoulder-knot A Beautiful Yellow Underwing and Broad Bordered YU
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