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Christopher Blakey

@christopherblakey.com
598 followers 658 following 95 posts

🎵 Theomousikos, Wycliffe Hall/University of Oxford 🦉 Wildlife watcher, recorder, and educator 📸 Mostly local photography- Oxfordshire (ex Durham) 🦋 Creator of durhammoths.org 🌐 christopherblakey.com 📷 instagram.com/thewildlifewatcher

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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 25/05/2026
A few traps in a wood just outside of Oxford over the weekend yielded a good number of moths, including several interesting micros. By far the stand-out was this rather smart Denisia albimaculea- a first for me, and for the county! @upperthames.bsky.social #teammoth
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 20/09/2025
Trapping around Cothill Fen this week produced some nice moths including Clifden Nonpareil! Evergestis limbata was the rarest to turn up, and it was nice to see Vestal and other migrants #teammoth @freshwaterhabitats.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Evergestis limbataVestalClifden NonpareilClifden Nonpareil
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 08/07/2025
A surprising moth came to my light on Friday– the rarely-seen monster Tineid, Morophaga choragella. It's only been seen once in Durham (1862). I was also surprised by the number of Marbled White Spot– all 4 previous county records are of singles, and I got 7! #teammoth #mothsmatter #ukwildlife
Morophaga choragellaAethes rubigana– a very smart TortrixBlomer's RivuletMarbled White Spot!
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 13/06/2025
Four nice micros from an afternoon stroll around Wynyard Woodland Park (VC66) last week: Dichrorampha alpinana, Schreckensteinia festaliella, Pammene regiana, and a beautiful Ptylocoma lecheana. All new to me! #teammoth #ukwildlife
Dichrorampha alpinanaPammene regianaSchreckensteinia festaliellaPtylocoma lecheana
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 08/06/2025
Delighted to have found Phtheochroa rugosana in Durham- the first modern adult record! An amazingly intricate moth, and a candidate for our rarest breeder due to the scarcity of White Bryony here. Keith Dover and I were following up on historic reports recently confirmed by larval records. #teammoth
Phtheochroa rugosana lateral viewPhtheochroa rugosana dorsal view
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 01/06/2025
The Durham Moths website has been updated with new data! We've had some interesting new arrivals to the county list over the last few months, including adding a new family of Lepidoptera thanks to the northward spread of Roeslerstammia erxlebella durhammoths.org #teammoth #mothsmatter
durhammoths.org
Home | Durham Moths
Welcome to the Durham Moths website. The site provides descriptions, identification notes, and up-to-date information regarding the status, distribution, flight times, and occurrence of the moth speci...
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 01/06/2025
The Durham Moths website has been updated with new data! We've had some interesting new arrivals to the county list over the last few months, including adding a new family of Lepidoptera thanks to the northward spread of Roeslerstammia erxlebella durhammoths.org #teammoth #mothsmatter
durhammoths.org
Home | Durham Moths
Welcome to the Durham Moths website. The site provides descriptions, identification notes, and up-to-date information regarding the status, distribution, flight times, and occurrence of the moth speci...
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 09/05/2025
A few mothing highlights from April around County Durham. Phylloporia bistrigella is rare in the county, and I was delighted to find one again. Coleophora pyrrhulipennella case was a chance find- a new site, the third county record, and the first in 35 years. #teammoth #ukwildlife #moth #insect
Scarce ProminentYellow-barred BrindleColeophora pyrrhulipennellaPhylloporia bistrigella
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 04/04/2025
The last night of March brought some nice moths to my traps. Red Sword-grass was a long-awaited first for me, and I've only seen Pine Beauty and Semioscopis avellanella once before! Taken in County Durham (VC66) in forest on the edge of moorland. #teammoth #mothsmatter #ukwildlife
Pine BeautyRed Sword-grassSemioscopis avellanellaRed Sword-grass
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 24/03/2025
The end of last week finally saw some warmer nights in Durham, so I headed out to a favourite local spot with two traps in tow. Nothing I wasn't expecting, but a decent haul nonetheless (115 moths/18 species), and Yellow Horned is one I look forward to every year. #teammoth #mothsmatter ##ukwildlife
Yellow HornedEngrailedOak BeautyShoulder Stripe
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 06/02/2025
40 moths/5 species earlier this week in a local Birch woodland. Pale-brindled Beauty made up most of the numbers, though a lone Spring Usher was my favourite of the night. Durham, VC66. #teammoth #mothsmatter #ukwildlife
Spring UsherPale-brindled Beauty on my sheet
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Butterfly Conservation @savebutterflies.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our annual UK Moth Recorders' Meeting on Saturday In case you missed it, all the brilliant talks from the day are now available to watch back on our YouTube channel! Grab a cuppa and catch up here 👉 youtube.com/watch?v=qLhn... #UKMRM #MothsMatter
Green Silver-lines moth resting on a green leaf. Text overlay reads 'UK Moth Recorders' Meeting 2025' with Butterfly Conservation's logo.
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Ed Pritchard @edpritchard.bsky.social · 18/01/2025
A roundup of the mothing year at #Saltholme 2024 is online and available: community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisi... @teesbirds.bsky.social Highlights included 3 #VC66 firsts; Coleophora inulae, Elachista poae and best of all Dahlica triquetrella, found and id'd by scabz1.bsky.social #teammoth #ukmoths
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 15/01/2025
The frost finally broke in Durham this week, so I headed out to a local woodland with the LED light for a few hours. 23 moths of 5 species was better than expected- Mottled Umber did most of the heavy lifting numbers-wise. Finally, the first moth records of the year! #teammoth #ukwildlife
Mottled Umber male sitting on Birch
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Les Evans-Hill @lesevanshill.bsky.social · 12/01/2025
In about a month or so Achlya flavicornis (Yellow Horned) will be on-the-wing and always a pleasure to see. This Dorset specimen posing nicely for me way back in 2007. #MothsMatter #TeamMoth
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 01/01/2025
Happy New Year #teammoth! I've been working on the first complete moth website for Durham alongside a few others, the result of which is here. I hope it is useful and interesting to recorders in the area and beyond! There are, no doubt, improvements/corrections– if you spot anything, do let me know.
durhammoths.org
Home | Durham Moths
Welcome to the Durham Moths website. The site provides descriptions, identification notes, and up-to-date information regarding the status, distribution, flight times, and occurrence of the moth speci...
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 01/01/2025
Happy New Year #teammoth! I've been working on the first complete moth website for Durham alongside a few others, the result of which is here. I hope it is useful and interesting to recorders in the area and beyond! There are, no doubt, improvements/corrections– if you spot anything, do let me know.
durhammoths.org
Home | Durham Moths
Welcome to the Durham Moths website. The site provides descriptions, identification notes, and up-to-date information regarding the status, distribution, flight times, and occurrence of the moth speci...
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Reposted by Christopher Blakey
Richard Fox @richardfoxbc.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
All welcome at Butterfly Conservation’s free online UK Moth Recorders' Meeting (Saturday 25 January 2025 on Zoom). Reserve your place now bit.ly/3Z2MOzc There’s a fab line-up of speakers: bit.ly/3Z2MxfE #TeamMoth please repost to spread the word!
Welsh Clearwing (Iain Leach)
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 14/12/2024
3 of at least 11 Heralds I found roosting in the ancient undercroft of Finchale Priory, Durham. I wonder how long they've been roosting here! #teammoth #HibernatingHerald #ukwildlife #mothsmatter #insect #moth
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 29/11/2024
Another of one of the Jack Snipe I found this week not far from home in Durham. I've come across quite a few birds locally this winter. #UKBirding #UKwildlife #bird
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George Tordoff @gmtord.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Well it's no surprise that my #GardenMothScheme data show 2024 to be the worst year for overall moth numbers since 2017. Quarter 4 (autumn) was pretty good but Quarters 1-3 (spring, early & late summer) were all poor. Two other GMS gardens in S. Wales show a similar pattern. #TeamMoth
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 26/11/2024
There's a small marshy spring near me that holds Jack Snipe every year. I found two sitting today, including one sat relatively clear of vegetation, and it let me creep right up to it without moving an inch! One of my favourite sights in the cold season. Durham, UK. #UKBirding #UKwildlife #bird
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 25/11/2024
Beech-green Carpet was a new species for me this year- three came to my LED light one night in a Durham ancient woodland. #teammoth #ukwildlife #mothsmatter #insect #moth
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 24/11/2024
I was very pleased to find Barred Carpet this summer at its only modern site in County Durham. #teammoth #ukwildlife #mothsmatter #insect #moth
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 21/11/2024
Another mothing highlight this year was finding day-flying Manchester Treble-bar on the Durham moors. Absolutely exquisite things! #teammoth #ukwildlife #mothsmatter #insect #moth #wild #macro 🦋🌿
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 20/11/2024
It seems a good time to be posting some 2024 mothing highlights. This June I finally caught up with Grass Wave in Durham, which is only known from one 10km square on the edge of the moors. This one sat obligingly as the sun set. #ukwildlife #teammoth #mothsmatter #insect #moth #wild #macro 🦋🌿
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 18/11/2024
I've not recorded many adult Mottled Umber this year- here's one from a few years ago, taken in a Durham woodland. #ukwildlife #teammoth #mothsmatter #insect #moth #wild #macro 🦋🌿
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Migrant Lepidoptera (GB & Ireland) @migrantmothuk.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Thanks to the 300 or so who have followed this account so far. There's still several thousand following the Twitter account so please spread the word about the benefits of Bluesky. #adfree #muskfree #migrantmothuk #teammoth #mothsmatter
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 19/10/2024
A few from the last week in woodland around Durham. Rhigognostis incarnatella at a new site was the highlight- always a stunning moth! Agonopterix nervosa was a surprise- the latest VC66 record by 2 weeks. Nice standard autumn stuff besides #ukwildlife #teammoth #insect #moth #wild #macro 🦋🌿
Rhigognostis incarnatella- from a nearby site a few years ago, as this week's was very flightyDecember Moth at the sheetAgonopterix nervosaA trap site
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Mark Skevington🦋🦊🟢 @whetstoneskev.bsky.social · 04/10/2024
We had a short-lived Team Moth feed that tried to pick up more moth posts, but for some reason was deleted after a few days. So, here's another: please feel free to like/pin and enjoy. Equally, happy to look at tweaking it if necessary. #teammoth #mothsmatter #migrantmothuk bsky.app/profile/did:...
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Steve Nash @stevenash71.bsky.social · 27/09/2024
MigrantMothUK is finally live on Bluesky! Please spread the word. #teammoth #migrantmothuk #mothsmatter
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 27/09/2024
Here are some rather pretty Narrow-winged Pug caterpillars from the Durham and Cumbrian moors this month- part of my tentative efforts to get better at finding moth larvae! #ukwildlife #teammoth #insect #moth #wild #macro #eupithecia #eupitheciananata 🦋🌿
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inchgarthbirding.bsky.social @inchgarthbirding.bsky.social · 18/08/2024
Many thanks to Martin Cook for sharing his incredible find of an Oleander Hawk-moth today near Elgin #teammoth
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 07/07/2024
I found plenty of Gold Swift flying around at sunset on the edge of the Durham moors the other week. For my money, the best-looking swift species. #ukwildlife #teammoth #insect #moth #wild #macro 🦋🌿
Gold Swift
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 29/06/2024
A very lovely Blomer's Rivulet, caught in Derbyshire earlier in the month. Not a moth I've seen very often! #ukwildlife #teammoth #insect #moth #wild #macro 🦋🌿
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 20/06/2024
I found this stunning male Wheatear amongst a large family party in beautiful Cressbrook Dale last week. #ukwildlife #ukbirding #bird #peakdistrict 🌼🐦🪶
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 10/06/2024
Green Arches from my trap last week in a Durham ancient woodland. #ukwildlife #teammoth #insect #moth #wild #macro 🦋🌿
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 03/06/2024
Beautiful Snout have just started emerging in Durham, and I'm delighted to be getting them in my traps again! Here's one from the weekend- I've recorded this bilberry-lover in several new 10km squares over the past few years as it's spread north. #ukwildlife #teammoth #insect #moth #wild #macro 🦋🌿
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 28/05/2024
This Yellow-tail larvae made me stop in my tracks last week. The angry glowing red, the deep contrasting black, the excessive hair... just amazing. #micromoth #moth #teammoth #ukwildlife 🦋🌼🌱🐛
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 25/05/2024
I was very happy to find one of my favourite micro moths - Eulia ministrana (Brassy Tortrix) - resting on an Elder flower this morning. What a stunner! #micromoth #moth #teammoth #ukwildlife 🦋🌼🌱
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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 20/05/2024
A nicely marked micro moth, Esperia sulphurella, was flying around in our garden yesterday. #TeamMoth #invertebrates
Esperia sulphurella, a small moth with dark background colour and a prominent golden longitudinal line, notch marks and some speckling. Black antennae are held pointing forward and have a white mark at about 1/3 way from the tip.
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 19/05/2024
Only 4 moths in my garden trap this week, but 2 were very good to see. Puss Moth was a long-awaited first (although no records in my 10km grid square for 40 years). Oak Hook-tip still has less than 60 records in Durham, but seems to be establishing itself well #ukwildlife #teammoth #insect #moth 🦋🌳
Puss MothPuss MothOak Hook-tip
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 17/05/2024
Devon Carpet continues its northward expansion. I caught Durham's 4th this week over 20km from the nearest record (mine from last year)! Cream Wave was another highlight (only my second) and I always enjoy seeing the elaborate antenna of Incurvaria masculella #teammoth #ukwildife #insect #moth 🦋
Devon CarpetCream WaveIncurvaria masculella
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 15/05/2024
The lovely micro moth Esperia sulphurella, seen at dawn on an oak tree. I found double-figures of these shiny wonders around some wood piles in a local #durham nature reserve this week. #ukwildlife #teammoth #insect #moth 🦋☀️🌳
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 13/05/2024
One of many Orange-tip I found patrolling the glades in a local wood over the weekend. A common butterfly around me in #Durham, but always a joy to see in the early- morning light. #ukwildlife #butterfly #nature 🦋
Orange-tip
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 12/05/2024
Plenty of shiny Green Longhorn moth (Adela reaumurella) out yesterday, including these males sharing a gorse flower. #ukwildlife #teammoth #insect #moth #wildlife 🌼🦋
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 11/05/2024
Green Hairstreak on bilberry from the Durhan dales today- the moor was teaming with them! #ukwildlife #butterfly #insect 🦋
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 07/05/2024
I've been monitoring this beautiful Willow Tit nest since I first heard them digging out an old Elder cavity in early April. The female is currently sitting on an enormous clutch of 11 eggs! @btobirds.bsky.social #ukwildlife #nest #ukbirds #nrs 🪶🥚
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 03/05/2024
Still relatively few moths flying in #Durham, but the species are starting to change. Nice to see some Prominents and a Purple Thorn at my light- also found a Herald earlier in the day. #ukwildlife #wildlife #teammoth 🦋🐛
Pale ProminentPurple ThornLesser Swallow ProminentHerald
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 29/04/2024
Very pleased to have a Long-eared Owl nest on my patch again this year! I went to check this morning and found the female sitting tight. I'll be monitoring this (cautiously) for @btobirds.bsky.social NRS. #ukwildlife #UKBirding
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