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Alan Salter

@alandcs.bsky.social
727 followers 382 following 2.1K posts

Moths. (Home trap located in VC13) Butterflies. MotorHomes. Scuba. Walking. Ebiking. If you’re not posting your own material on the natural world & you start to follow me I will block you as I’m not interested in following other subjects on this platform.

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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
“Perseverance, who was a Parrot owned by my Aunt, who I live with……”NTNON Finally attracted a moth to the mini travel lamp. No clue what it is as I’m currently in The Sacred Valley,Peru. #TeamMoth Obviously not the main reason for being here.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Monarch butterfly at Parc Kennedy, Lima. Peru. #butterfly #butterflies
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Today’s NFY for me is Aporophyla nigra. Black Rustic. #TeamMoth VC13
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
100/29 3NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Thera cupressata. Cypress Carpet Anchoscelis lunosa. Lunar Underwing Gortyna flavago. Frosted Orange
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
103/33 2NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Hypsopygia costalis. Gold Triangle. Tiliacea citrago. Orange Sallow.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
A wet night and some moths have experienced a bit of wear. Struggling a little with this one #TeamMoth Some help would be appreciated. VC13
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
18/11 3NFY- all lifers. #TeamMoth Pig Bush, Brockenhurst. Autumnal Rustic Horse Chestnut Agriphila latistria ? With thanks to @wheatersdave.bsky.social for making the arrangements & fellow trappers Tom & Keith.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
82/30 0NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Packed away in the rain this morning and again nothing new. ☹️ No decent photos to post so here’s a selection of some decent moths trapped in 2026 instead. Hopefully there’s a couple of interest.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
72/26 0NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Entrenched in the part of the season where every trap contains the same moths. Hopefully something new will come along soon! The trap “highlights” were my 2nd Feathered Gothic of the year and another Vestal. That’s all folks. FOMO is the only thing keeping me going atm. 🥺
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
It’s not NFY but it is a smart looking Carcina quercana. Long-horned Flat-body. #TeamMoth
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
I only have a miniature version of the Bayeux Tapestry which is only 60 years old.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
#TeamMoth I’ve done quite well with this family in ‘26 but really need Dewick’s Plusia to show up. Switching to Actinic light tonight & Slender Burnished Brass lure is out. Conditions aren’t great but lately the species arriving have been exactly those my diaries would expect It’s a bit monotonous
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
87/29 2NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Tholera decimalis. Feathered Gothic Achroia grisella. Lesser Wax Moth (caught especially for @birdingprof.bsky.social after yesterday’s exchange of messages) August figures 1739 moths 39 NFY 7 lifers 30 traps Year to date 6036 moths 496 spp 164traps 106 lifers
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
32/20 2NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Heavy downpours & a power cut 🙄 Aspitates ochrearia. Yellow Belle. Thalpophila matura. Straw Underwing. Otherwise the usual load of Vine’s Rustic & Orange Swift that are in every trap at the time of year.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Hi there #TeamMoth leaf mine enthusiasts. Having another go today. Vacated mine on Hawthorn. Could it be Bucculatrix bechsteinella possibly? I’m comparing it with the excellent online resource recommended. Short contorted gallery near mid rib with feeding indications close by.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
2nd attempt #TeamMoth Is this likely to be the mine of Stigmella speciosa on Sycamore? Thanks.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
67/28 1NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Agriphila geniculea (Chevron Grass-moth) Also visiting a late Elephant HM and Burnished Brass f.aurea which I seem to see less often than f.tuti for some reason. Elephant HM; very late or second brood? Given that most things are early this year very late seems odd🤔
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Right now #TeamMoth Lepidopteral leaf mines. Starting very simple with Bramble leaves - Are these likely to be the mines of Stigmella aurella? My very first attempt so be nice and constructive. VC13
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
60/25 0NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Scopula marginepunctata. Mullein Wave. Not NFY but only the second one I’ve ever seen in the home trap. Easier to catch over on the continent.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
63/36 0NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Trichoplusia ni. Emmet informs me that thrix/trikos indicates hair Plusia genus display strong dorsal & lateral abdominal crests Ni is a contraction of Greek characters nu & iota & describes the reniform stigmata shape My 4th of 2026 having never caught one previously
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
59/25 1NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Bryopsis muralis. Marbled Green
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Re-checking your trap site this morning #TeamMoth ?
Arctia caja (Garden Tiger)
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
55/25 1NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Hemistola chrysoprasaria. (Small Emerald Moth)
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
57/22 2NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Hyles livornica. Striped Hawk-moth Eupithecia phoeniceata. Cypress Pug
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Another moth lurking in the trapping area this morning. #TeamMoth Ennomos autumnaria. Large Thorn. As it has feathered antennae you can see that it’s a male but this one seems so freshly emerged that it shows an edge to the wing that I’ve not noticed before.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
49/22 0NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Nothing new last night but did catch a beautifully freshly marked Buff Ermine and a few others that were always good to see.
Spilosoma lutea. Buff Ermine. Rhodometra sacraria. Vestal. Eublemma parva. Small Marbled.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
75/29 1NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Coenobia rufa Small Rufous Also visiting Eublemma parva Small Marbled Diachrysia chrysitis Burnished Brass 2026 spp now 485 of which 103 were lifers Life list spp count now at 805 and 125 butterfly spp. Maybe 1000 Lepidoptera spp by end of 2027 might be a good target?
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
#TeamMoth Possible lifer for me if I’m correct. Coenobia rufa. Small Rufous? What’s the verdict guys? @mothiduk.bsky.social
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Adonis Blue #butterfly enjoying the benefits of South Downs National Park Authority @southdownsnp.bsky.social putting Exmoor Ponies to conservation graze Mill Hill LNR Shoreham-by-sea @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
108/32 0NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Last year I did quite well for Golden Twin-spot (Chrysodeixis chalcites) but I’ve never had seven in one trap before. Another species having a good year? Also visiting Garden Tiger x3
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Quite a lot of effort to pick up 2NFY last night when the trap contents were pretty much the same as last year. #TeamMoth I’m not sure this prolonged hot spell has made much difference here yet to my catches?
15th August 2025
Same place. Same trap.15th August 2026
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
87/42 2NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Ditula angustirana. Red-barred Tortrix Sideridis rivularis. Campion
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Good morning #TeamMoth Can’t quite decide if this Argyresthia is brockeella (Gold W) or goedartella ( Brassy Y) ? Your opinion would be welcome. Perhaps two dots near termen suggest goedartella maybe ? @mothiduk.bsky.social
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
77/35 3NFY #TeamMoth Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix Cyclophora punctaria Maiden’s Blush Pheosia tremula Swallow Prominent 477 spp YTD equalling my best ever annual total & it’s only August😳 Strange to catch Ecliptopera silaceata immediately after the partial eclipse🤔 Gilwern Monmouthshire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
3NFY #TeamMoth Gold Spot Canary-shouldered Thorn September Thorn Gilwern. Monmouthshire.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
48/24 6NFY #TeamMoth Scarce Footman Evergestis forficalis Brown China-mark Flounced Rustic Centre-barred Sallow Dotted Clay Gilwern. Monmouthshire. Also visiting 13x Dusky Thorn
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
20/13 1NFY #TeamMoth Small Seraphim Llangennech. Carmarthenshire.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Fresh Small Tortoiseshell Castell Dinefwr #butterfly #butterflies
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
31/15 1NFY #TeamMoth Hydriomena furcata. July Highflyer Also visiting Poplar HM x2 Iron Prominent Llangennech. Carmarthenshire.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Llwynifan Farm Caravan Park Llangennech. Carmarthenshire. 10/8 1NFY #TeamMoth Hydraecia micacea. Rosy Rustic. Also visiting Furcula furcula. Sallow Kitten Lacanobia suasa. Dog’s Tooth Apologies for pot photos
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
62/36 2NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Pyrrhia umbra. Bordered Sallow. possible Endothenia marginana awaiting CMR check Also visiting 5xJersey Tiger, Small Elephant HM, Clouded Border & several seasonal migrant spp.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
56/30 2NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Chrysodeixis chalcites (Golden Twin-spot) Phycitodes binarvella (Ermine Knot-horn) Also visiting Jersey Tiger, Garden Tiger, Toadflax Brocade & Gypsy Moth.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
36/22 0NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Nothing new to report so here’s a rather nice Heliothis peltigera (Bordered Straw) that did visit.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
July Statistics 896 moths trapped 30 traps 124 NFY 47 lifers 2026 year to date 4297 moths trapped 134 traps 457 NFY 99 lifers #TeamMoth
Ear Moth caught in Petworth Park on 23rd July and checked microscopically by a colleague. My 800th recorded moth species.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Only making the just visiting list this morning is another Eublemma parva which is beginning to be a regular here. VC13 #TeamMoth
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
51/27 6NFY VC13 #TeamMoth Celypha rosaceana Nomophila noctuella Carcina quercana Coleophora versurella ? Cochylimorpha straminea Bryotropha affinis? A couple there that are probably gen det only but we’ll see what the CMR permits to go through.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Now this looks more like the type of micro I want to find #TeamMoth Celypha rosaceana. Roseate Marble.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
5NFY last night of which 1NFG VC13 #TeamMoth Hemp-agrimony Plume Orange Swift Common Wave Blood-vein Wax Moth Also visiting Garden Tiger, Pale Prominent, Burnished Brass
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Disastrous lack of care lead to finding my first ever Raspberry Clearwing dead inside my pheromone trap stored in the garage. After an unsuccessful previous attempt I obviously didn’t wash the trap cage adequately and the moth found the trap stored in the garage at some point. 😱😱😱 #TeamMoth
Pennisetia hylaeiformis 
Raspberry Clearwing.
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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Struggling with this pug #TeamMoth Please help
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