Wharfedale Moths (Aidan Smith)
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eggboxenvy.bsky.social
Wharfedale Moths (Aidan Smith)
@eggboxenvy.bsky.social
260 followers 180 following 65 posts
Yorkshire Micro Moth Recorder, Wharfedale Nats Moth Recorder, YorkshireMoths.co.uk, Nature Writer, Ento MSc
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eggboxenvy.bsky.social
Quite a few moths out this evening. I did a quick loop of the Chevin with a net and torch: Dotted Border x11, Tortricodes alternella x7, Pale Brindled Beauty, March Moth (pictured) and Engrailed. #VC64 #Otley #teammoth
March Moth on tree trunk
February 8, 2026 at 9:20 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
Just been on the Chevin with a net and torch: 10 of 3 (missed a few too). Somewhat challenging conditions to photograph a female Dotted Border - it's been quite wet out at times this evening. Dotted Border x8 (NFY), Tortricodes alternella (NFY) and Chestnut. #VC64 #Otley #teammoth
A female Dotted Border moth with its stubby wings.
January 31, 2026 at 9:58 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
A quick loop of the Chevin this evening saw me Chestnut and Mottled Umber to start my mothing year #VC64 #Otley #teammoth
A Chestnut moth lit by torchlight on a tree trunk
January 11, 2026 at 8:45 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
Family Xmas day walk on The Chevin and I managed to sneak in a Lepidoptera fix. Seven Peacock butterflies and a Herald moth hibernating in this small cave. #VC64 #Otley #teammoth
A small dark cave Two Peacock butterflies in the cave
December 25, 2025 at 9:24 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
I did a 1hr loop on The Chevin this evening with a torch and net. Spring Usher NFY and the earliest Yorkshire record by 2 days. I’ve previously had one at the same location on 31st December. + Winter Moth x45 and Mottled Umber. #VC64 #Otley #teammoth
December 22, 2025 at 9:13 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
Headed to the garden centre for some Xmas shopping and spent more time looking at the spiders. Uloborus plumipes (the Garden Centre Spider) was numerous among the hanging plants on the pergola and in areas not easily reached for dusting. #spiders #Otley @ecology-digest.bsky.social
A female Garden Centre Spider hangs upside down on her web.
December 10, 2025 at 2:47 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
It was good to find Heliozela hammoniella, the Birch Cutter, while it was tipping down with rain. Not one you can guarantee each year in Yorkshire #VC64, The #Chevin, #teammoth
October 21, 2025 at 7:04 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
It felt like a proper autumnal trap this morning with Red-line Quaker (left), Yellow-line Quaker (right) and Merveille du Jour all new for the year. 31 of 12 in total #VC64 #Otley #teammoth
September 30, 2025 at 10:21 AM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
It was good to catch Pearly Underwing last night. A bit of a rarity here in Wharfedale with the last record being 19 years ago. Among the other 14 moths was a late Small Fan-footed Wave #VC64 #Otley #teammoth
September 28, 2025 at 2:06 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
Now that's how I like to see my eggboxes. Clifden Nonpareil was a new moth for me and a first for Wharfedale (there were two). Barred Chestnut on the same eggbox (centre bottom) was also new for me. 570 moths of 49 species #teammoth #VC64 #Otley
August 30, 2025 at 10:07 AM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
July 17, 2025 at 8:49 AM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
July 14, 2025 at 4:01 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
July 13, 2025 at 6:35 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
One from a busy weekend - Argyresthia pruniella (Cherry Fruit Moth) doing what it does best #VC64 #Otley #teammoth
June 23, 2025 at 12:39 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
June 17, 2025 at 6:29 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
June 15, 2025 at 1:30 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
June 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
June 13, 2025 at 9:14 AM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
June 12, 2025 at 1:15 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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.
June 10, 2025 at 12:25 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
May 3, 2025 at 8:04 AM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
May 1, 2025 at 5:06 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
April 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
The highlight from this morning's moth trap was a mint Chocolate-tip moth, a new species for the garden #VC64 #Otley #teammoth
April 22, 2025 at 7:29 PM
eggboxenvy.bsky.social
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
March 29, 2025 at 8:17 AM