Shoulder Stripe, Oak Nycteoline and Brindled Beauty in Harby, Leics last night (31/3/26) #vc55moths #teammoth

A couple of Streamers in Harby, Leics last night (31/3/26), one probably happier with its background than the other... #vc55moths #teammoth

Cool and windy in the Vale of Belvoir last night (23/3) but still a few nice moths such as Grey Shoulder-knot, Powdered Quaker and Red Chestnut. #vc55moths #teammoth

Blossom Underwing is the second home tetrad addition in 3 days! One that I've been expecting as it seems to be spreading, but still very welcome. Harby, Leics, 22/3/26 #teammoth #vc55moths

In Leicestershire for a family celebration & the moths came out to party too, despite a chilly night. NFY Brindled Beauty and Pale Pinion, a lovely fresh Clouded Drab and, in the sunshine this afternoon, half a dozen Pammene giganteana (Early Oak Gall Moth) to pheromone lure. #teammoth #vc55moths

A Pale Pinion moth doing its best impression of a piece of wood, on a piece of wood.

Still 61/10 in my garden last night despite a low of 0.9°C. Highlight was this NFY Pale Pinion, which I don't get many of. #VC55Moths #TeamMoth

A particularly drab Lead-coloured Drab - but luckily a male showing off his feathered antennae.

Some nice moths appearing in the Vale of Belvoir, Dotted Chestnut, Lead-coloured Drab and Pine Beauty pick of the bunch last night (20/3/26). #vc55moths #teammoth

Pine Beauty. I get a few of these every spring, with the nearest pine tree being about 250m away from the trap.

Powdered Quaker - one of the less common Orthosia species, but annual here in small numbers.

Early Thorn.

Even better last night - 161/16 despite a low of 3.2. Pine Beauty, Powdered Quaker, Early Thorn, Double-striped Pug & Diurnea fagella NFY. #VC55Moths #TeamMoth

Engrailed moth on an egg box

An upside down Brindled Pug, photographed where found near the moth trap on a painted piece of wood.

Again my garden surprises with the number of moths after a cold night (min 3.8). 121/12 inc Engrailed and Early Grey NFY, 2 Yellow Horned, 3 Shoulder Stripe, Brindled Pug, Oak Nycteoline and the usual load of Orthosias. #VC55Moths #TeamMoth

Common Quakers alone topped 100 last night for the first time this year (109). 143/10 in total, but nothing NFY. A spotty rather than stripy Oak Nycteoline this time. #TeamMoth #VC55Moths

78 of 14 last night in Harby, Leics (5/3/26) including 2 Shoulder Stripe, 2 Red Chestnut, an Early Grey, a March Moth and this rather lovely Acleris literana, not one I see that regularly in the garden. #vc55moths #teammoth

First 100+ trap of the year last night despite a low of 6.3°C, 136/12. 2 Yellow-horned NFY including this unusually marked one, 2 Brindled Pugs NFY, 4 Oak Beauty I think is a record, usually only get one or two, 83 Common Quaker and 26 Small. #TeamMoth #VC55Moths

Oak Beauty, Biston strataria

I was fearful of a blank last night but my first trap of the year brought, alongside the Common Quakers, my first garden Oak Beauty, Biston strataria.

#VC55Moths #VC55 #moths

59/9 last night including Shoulder Stripe (3) and this rather smart Oak Nycteoline NFY. Otherwise just the usual Orthosias. #TeamMoth #VC55Moths

Milder last night, but fewer moths, 69/9, and all the same species as the previous night but minus Satellite, Clouded Drab & alternella. Common Quakers down to 56. Shan't bother tonight as it's forecast to rain most of the night. #TeamMoth #VC55Moths

Oak Beauty (Biston strataria). Whetstone, Leics. (UK), 24/02/2026.

I hereby present unequivocal evidence that Oak Beauty did not evolve to hide on red brick walls. I'm pondering over producing a paper about this .... #teammoth #vc55moths

Tortricodes alternella, a reddish-brown Tortrix moth, photographed where it sat on the slats of the ancient green plastic garden chair that the moth trap sits on.

I'm always surprised how many early spring moths I get in this garden compared to previous ones, but I still rarely bother at this time of year - old habits die hard! 87/12 in the MV last night (70 Common Quakers). March Moth, Twin-spotted Quaker and Tortricodes alternella NFY. #teammoth #VC55Moths

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris). Reared from larva collected 24/05/2025, successfully reared to pupation and overwintered. Brought in from outdoors on Friday 20/02/2026, emerged 23/02/2026 (female). Photographed freshly emerged.

The second emerged yesterday, Whilst tempting to put them together, they'll both be returned to the larval site to do their business. #teammoth #vc55moths

42/9 in the MV last night despite early rain, but 32 of those were Common Quakers. Grey Shoulder-knot, Oak Beauty and Pale Brindled Beauty the best of the rest. Single Ypsolopha ustella and Beautiful Plume the only micros. #teammoth #VC55moths

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris). Reared from larva collected 24/05/2025, successfully reared to pupation and overwintered. Brought in from outdoors on Friday 20/02/2026, emerged 22/02/2026 (male). Photographed freshly emerged.

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris). Reared from larva collected 24/05/2025, successfully reared to pupation and overwintered. Brought in from outdoors on Friday 20/02/2026, emerged 22/02/2026 (male). Photographed freshly emerged.

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris). Reared from larva collected 24/05/2025, successfully reared to pupation and overwintered. Brought in from outdoors on Friday 20/02/2026, emerged 22/02/2026 (male). Photographed after first flight. To be returned to larval collection site.

I've recorded Small Eggar a few times form larval nests in VC55, but my chances of seeing an adult were slim as they're right over in the far east/Rutland. So last year I collected a couple of larvae & I managed to rear & overwinter the pupal cocoons. The first emerged today! #vc55moths #teammoth

Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria). Whetstone, Leics. (UK), 08/02/2026.

A very casual record here in Whetstone, Leics. last night. This Pale Brindled Beauty rocked up to a pathetic outdoor light that was left on by the front door by accident. It barely gives of much visible light, let alone any UV. #vc55moths #teammoth

Spring Usher (Agriopis leucophaearia). Whetstone, Leics. (UK), 19/01/2026.

Sweet! A long, long overdue NFG finally appeared last night here in Whetstone, Leics. - a Spring Usher to a 20W actinic CFL running in an outdoor light fitting, along with x3 Early Moths. Up to 796sp. for my small suburban garden that is pretty far from any decent habitat. #vc55moths #teammoth

Early Moth (Theria primaria). Whetstone, Leicestershire (UK), 13/01/2026.

Pretty much as usual in most recent years here, Early Moth is the first moth of the year to a 20W actinic CFL running in an outdoor light fitting. Had a couple over the last two nights. #vc55moths #teammoth

A blast from the past.

#VC55Moths #VC55 #TeamMoth #Moths

Codling Moth, Harby, Leics, 5-12-25. Third generation maybe?! The bizarre records continue... #vc55moths #teammoth

Winter Moth, Operophtera brumata

Woo hoo! Winter Moth, Operophtera brumata.
Never had one of these in the garden before.

#VC55Moths #VC55 #TeamMoth #Moths

Battle-scarred sub-zero migrants battle on in Harby, Leics. Rusty-dot Pearl, 20-11-25 #teammoth #vc55moths

Scarce Umber (Agriopis aurantiaria). Whetstone, Leics. (UK) 16/11/2025. NFY.

Splendid! Scarce Umber to my Whetstone 20W Actinic CFL in an outdoor light fitting last night (along with another Mottled Umber). This is only my fifth garden record, and the first since 2011 (x2 in 2001, x1 in 2002). #vc55moths #teammoth

Ectoedemia intimella on Salix sp. (sallow), Whetstone 11/11/2025.

Ectoedemia intimella on Salix sp. (sallow), Whetstone 11/11/2025.

It's getting a bit late in the year for leaf mine recording for me; not because there are no mines, more about dwindling daylight opportunities around work and weather windows. I was pleased to find Ectoedemia intimella locally today though on sallow, new dots/tetrad to boot. #vc55moths #teammoth

Ectoedemia intimella on Sallow and Stigmella glutinosae on Alder, Scalford, Leics 8/11/25 #teammoth #vc55moths