Steve Nash

Although nothing interesting came to light in St Mellion (VC2), one of the ORI pheromone lure traps contained a worn male Slender Burnished Brass (Thysonoplusia orichalcea). This is the 9th site record and 4th year in a row I've recorded it in the garden (2 to light and 7 to the lure). #teammoth

Exciting news of two Phycitodes species, taken at light in St Mellion on 6th September, both of which are P. inquinatella. These represent the 3rd & 4th British records, with the first two taken at light in Dorset on 6/9/25. With thanks to Chris Vincent & Phil Sterling for confirmation. #teammoth

13/10 St Mellion: Antigastra catalaunalis (Toadflax Pearl), 4 Palpita vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl), 3 Vestal, Convolvulus Hawk, 2 Radford's Flame Shoulder, 3 Pearly Underwing, 10 White-speck, 3 Cosmopolitan, 7 Scarce Bordered Straw & Clifden Nonpareil. #teammoth

2/2 St Mellion migrant continued... 21 White-speck 2 Delicate 1 White-point 1 L-album Wainscot 2 Cosmopolitan 25 Angle Shades 10 Small Mottled Willow 33 Scarce Bordered Straw 24 Silver Y 1 Ni Moth 1 Clifden Nonpariel Also a late Clouded Silver which may be a migrant #teammoth

1/2 A good night (50 species) in St Mellion but no rarities: 1 Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back) 5 Palpita vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl) 5 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) 8 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty-dot) 3 Convolvulus Hawk-moth 2 Radford's Flame Shoulder 6 Pearly Underwing 10 Turnip Moth.. #teammoth

1 P. vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl) 3 U. ferrugalis (Rusty-dot) 4 Vestal 1 Dark Sword-grass 7 Turnip Moth 5 Pearly Underwing 1 White-point 27 White-speck: record for '26 26 Angle Shades 24 Scarce Bordered Straw: record for '26 3 Small Mottled Willow 22 Silver Y 1 Dewick's Plusia 1 Ni Moth #teammoth

A quiet start to the night in St Mellion due to the wind & rain, however the temperature rose to 16.3c before dawn, with the wind falling calm, resulting in a late influx of migrants between 5:30-6:30am... #teammoth

This morning's 163/28 took me past 5000 entries on 2026 Devon spreadsheet. Amazed I've managed to stick at the admin... Red-line Quaker NFG, Feathered Thorn NFY; 18 Barred Sallow a surprising count. This pinky-pink Vestal the smartest of 4. Love it. 😍 Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

A really good night in St Mellion with 62 species noted. Although no scarcer migrants were captured I did end my 43 year long wait to catch a Golden Twin-spot (C. chalcites) in the UK. #teammoth

Trapped until 11pm in St Mellion: P vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl) 3 N noctuella (Rush Veneer) 4 U ferrugalis (Rusty-dot) 1 Vestal 1 Radford's Flame Shoulder 2 Pearly Underwing 3 Turnip Moth 3 White-speck 1 Delicate 4 Angle Shades 3 Small Mottled Willow 6 Scarce Bordered Straw 8 Silver Y #teammoth

A new cranefly species for the garden last night - a probable Pedicia straminea.

New for the year among 55 species in St Mellion were Brick and 2 Large Wainscot (first since 2023). Also a very late Lychnis (previous latest 20/9/86). #teammoth

Migrants 4/10: vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl), 16 noctuella (Rush Veneer), 14 ferrugalis (Rusty-dot), 8 Vestal, Gem, Radford's Flame Shoulder, Dark Sword-grass, 3 Turnip Moth, 3 Pearly Underwing, 4 White-speck, 2 Delicate, 4 Small Mottled Willow, 7 Scarce Bordered Straw, 10 Silver Y, Ni Moth #teammoth

3/10 migrants: ocellea (Silver-spotted Veneer), 5 vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl), 16 noctuella (Rush Veneer), 14 ferrugalis (Rusty-dot), Gem, 5 Vestal, Radford's Flame Shoulder, Dark Sword-grass, 2 Turnip, 5 White-speck, Delicate, 3 Scarce Bordered Straw, 3 Small Mottled Willow, 8 Silver Y #teammoth

Also in St Mellion: New for year Flounced Chesnut, O. semirubella (Rosy Knot-horn), C. perspectalis (Box Tree Moth), Red-green Carpet, Four-spotted Footman (female), 3 Merveille du Jour, Pinion-streaked Snout and Beautiful Hook-tip #teammoth

St Mellion migrants on 2/10 4 Palpita vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl) 9 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty-dot) 11 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) 17 Vestal 3 Turnip Moth 1 Pearly Underwing 3 White-speck 2 Delicate 1 Scarce Bordered Straw 5 Small Mottled Willow 4 Silver Y + 1 Radford's Flame Shoulder #teammoth

Best of the rest in St Mellion - new for Autumn Dark Chestnut. O. semirubella (Rhubarb and Custard Knot-horn), late Purple Bar, Four-spotted Footman (female), Vapourer, L-album Wainscot, 2 Autumnal Rustic, Large Ranunculus, 2 Frosted Orange, 2 Merveille du Jour and late Mouse Moth. #teammoth

1/10 St Mellion: P. vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl), 10 U. ferrugalis (Rusty-dot), N. noctuella (Rush Veneer), E. ocellea (Silver-spotted Veneer), 7 Vestal, 5 Turnip Moth, 2 White-speck, Scarce Bordered Straw, 8 Small Mottled Willow, 22 Silver Y + Four-spotted Footman female, L-album Wainscot #teammoth

Other highlights from 28-29/9 in St Mellion: Phyllonorycter messaniella, Caloptilia alchimiella/robustella, Phycita roborella, Buff Arches, Buff Ermine, 2 L-album Wainscot, 2 Merveille du Jour and Scarce Silver Lines. #teammoth

St Mellion migrants on 29/9 - Scrobipalpa ocelatella (Beet Moth), 8 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer), 11 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty-dot), 9 Vestal, 2 Convolvulus Hawk, 7 Turnip Moth, 2 Dark Sword-grass, Delicate, 8 Angle Shades, 2 Small Mottled Willow, Scarce Bordered Straw & 21 Silver Y #teammoth

Some of newly hatched Convolvulus Hawk-moths. #teammoth

Very poor last night in St Mellion, 3 Vestal, L-album Wainscot and first (2) Red-green Carpet of note. A mass emergence of 14 Convolvulus Hawk-moth last night so here's a photo of a box fresh female (left) and male. Of the 20 to emerge so far 14 have been female. #teammoth

The first Convolvulus Hawk-moth, bred from a gravid female taken at light on 8th August emerged today. 59 to go!!! #teammoth

Annoyed to find a Convolvulus Hawk wing on the lawn yesterday evening. This would have been from the night of 22/9 when I had three others. I spend a couple of hours each morning checking around the moth traps but this one must have been very well hidden (although not from the birds!) #teamoth

St Mellion cont. Barred Sallow was new for the year. Also, Nephopterix angustella (Spindle Knot-horn) and Acleris emargana (Scalloped Tortrix) - I would have named it Double Bass Moth! #teammoth

Migrants: xylostella (Diamond-back), 15 noctuella (Rush Veneer), 13 ferrugalis (Rusty-dot),2 vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl), oblitella (Saltmarsh Knot-horn), 3 Vestal, Pearly Underwing, 3 Turnip, 2 White-speck, 2 Delicate, 3 Small Mottled Willow, 27 Silver Y, Ni Moth & 2 L-album Wainscot #teammoth

One of the Lobster Moth caterpillars has pupated, spinning a couple of oak leaves together. At first I though this one had cannibalised it as it took me a while to find it! [from 1st instar larvae found in the moth trap] #teammoth

Another spectacular Vestal (R. sacraria) in the St Mellion moth trap last night. Perhaps not quite as spectacular as the one taken a month ago, but the polar opposite, with the pink on the basal side of the forewings, up to the stripe. #teammoth

59 species in St Mellion on 22/9. Migrants: P. vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl), 3 Convolvulus Hawk 2 female/1 male. Male had soft wings, so likely emerged close by, 3 Pearly Underwing, White-speck, 7 Delicate, 10 Small Mottled Willow, 3 Scarce Bordered Straw, 2 Ni Moth, plus Jersey Mocha #teammoth

Highlights from the past couple of nights in the St Mellion garden - Rosy Underwing, Convolvulus Hawk, Verge Cricket (Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis) in the actual moth trap, Ni Moth and Autumnal Rustic. #teammoth

Just c800 Large Yellow Blunderwings last night. Also Palpita vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl), Blair's Mocha 2nd site record, 7 Vestal, 4 Pearly Underwing, 2 White-speck, 9 Delicate, l-album Wainscot, Cosmopolitan, 2 Scarce Bordered Straw, 38 Small Mottled Willow, Ni Moth, Clifden Nonpariel #teammoth

Wake up, it's a beautiful morning 😆 #lobsterstretch #teammoth

The largest total of moths this year in the traps this am. c1500 Large Yellow Underwing covered every egg-tray, making it impossible to spot other species. Tebenna micalis was a long awaited first. Also, Euchromius ocellea (Silver-spotted Veneer) the migrant highlights, St Mellion, VC2. #teammoth

St Mellion migrants were Porter's Rustic, 3 Loxostege sticticalis (Mugwort Pearl): 16 recorded this week, 19 Vestal, 5 Delicate, Scarce Bordered Straw, 21 Small Mottled Willow. Also 8 Jersey Mocha, female Four-spotted Footman 2 Radford's Flame Shoulder, 3 L-album Wainscot, Dewick's Plusia #teammoth

Huge size difference between Rosy Underwing and Clifden Nonpariel - the later being the first record of the year. St Mellion. #teammoth

The pick of the migrants on a wet night in St Mellion were: Diasemiopsis ramburialis (Migrant Sable), 3 Loxostege sticticalis (Mugwort Pearl). Palpita vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl). 7 Vestal. Convolvulus Hawk. 3 Pearly Underwing, 11 Delicate, 43 Small Mottled Willow & Scarce Bordered Straw #teammoth

The Lobster Moths are doing well, even though there can't be much nutrition in those oak leaves. #teammoth

Also in St Mellion, the first Pink-barred Sallow of the year and a second garden record of Mecyna asinalis #teammoth

Also, 3 P vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl), 47 N noctuella (Rush Veneer), 17 U ferrugalis (Rusty-dot), 34 Vestal, Striped Hawk, 2 Convolvulus Hawk, 13 Dark Sword-grass, 6 Pearly Underwing, Cosmopolitan, 10 Delicate, 4 Scarce Bordered Straw, 47 Small Mottled Willow, 43 Silver Y, Ni Moth #teammoth

A record count of 9 Loxostege sticticalis (Mugwort Pearl) in St Mellion last night. I thought I had done well until Mick Scott mentioned he's taken at least 16 at Longstone, St Mary's the same night! #teammoth

Phycitine bingo! 11 Phycidotes/Homoeosoma species were in the traps last night in St Mellion, having not recorded any for over four weeks. Given the new species recorded in the UK recently I'd better get some of these checked. #teammoth

All of the Convolvulus Hawk-moth larvae have successfully pupated. Hopefully the adults will emerge in a couple of weeks [ex. female to light on 8/8] #teammoth

Striped Hawk-moth number 50 of the year, in the St Mellion moth traps last night #teammoth

More notable migrants: S. ocellatella (Beet Moth), 3 Vestal, 2 Gem, White-speck, White-point, 2 Delicate, l-album Wainscot, 19 Small Mottled Willow, Bordered Straw. A Gem was found pumping up its wings just below a large pot of mint. I suspected these were breeding in the garden. #teammoth

The first full night's moth trapping for a while in St Mellion. 72 species noted. New for year: possible Dioryctria sylvestrella, Neglected Rustic (2nd garden record) & l-album Wainscot. Also, Anania crocealis, Jersey Mocha, Lesser Yellow Underwing (scarce this year) & Dark Spectacle #teammoth