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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
Wow songs like quite the night! We only had our first record in 2022- perhaps it won't be long until we see numbers like these
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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 · 03/07/2025
Fantastic Arto, well done!
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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 · 09/06/2025
Thanks!
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 09/06/2025
Thanks, very satisfying when you get the target species!
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 09/06/2025
Thanks Arto!
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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 · 10/05/2025
Thanks Arto- absolutely, they must be out there!
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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 · 27/04/2025
Well done, worth the wait I hope!
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 06/04/2025
Many thanks for your kind comments!
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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 · 25/03/2025
That's very kind of you, thank you!
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 25/03/2025
Thanks!
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 25/03/2025
Thanks Steve
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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
It makes a real difference being out in good habitat– I'm lucky to get single figures in my garden at this time of year!
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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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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 18/01/2025
Well done Ed, done great work detailed here. Always love reading these!
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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
I found the flightless female Mottled Umber climbing over my bag as I went to pack up- a first for me! I never realised how striking they are #teammoth
Female Mottled UmberFemale Mottled Umber
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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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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 13/01/2025
It was 23 that morning! There are some even bigger Rothamsted counts from VC66 too
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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 · 13/01/2025
An early year favourite, but one that doesn't seem to wander too far up in Durham. I've only ever had one in the garden trap, meanwhile down the road in an ancient birch woodland...
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 03/01/2025
Hi Katrin- in the UK we have the National Moth Recording Scheme, which is split up by county. butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/rec...
butterfly-conservation.org
National Moth Recording Scheme
Launched in 2007, the National Moth Recording Scheme (NMRS) has collated over 34 million current and historical sightings (records) of moths across the UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands.This wonderf...
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 02/01/2025
Fantastic, we don't get enough records from out west! The website will list the species recorded in each 10km or 1km grid square, which you might find useful- here's the 10km square containing Stanhope, for example. Feel free to drop me a message if I can help get you started with mothing!
durhammoths.org
NY93 | Durham Moths
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 02/01/2025
Yes, they're stunners! If you go back to the same place as last time and approach very slowly you might get lucky and spot one on the ground 🧐
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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
Thanks Arto, that sounds excellent! Looking forward to receiving the photos!
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 01/01/2025
Good stuff Ian, great to have your records on the database. There'll be a website update soon which will include the 2024 records (including yours!)
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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 · 17/12/2024
I use a 30000 mAh, 25W power bank running at ~12V and a constant voltage/current step up/down module. If used on a trap, I can adjust the current to get the maximum power whilst ensuring the battery lasts overnight. If I'm staying with the light, I run at full power and switch batteries ~3hrs.
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 17/12/2024
I've had success with 3w LEDs in a few configurations– if you're OK with a bit of soldering then it's a good option! I've recorded 500+ species to these lights using traps and sheets over the last 3 years. Have a look here petermobbs.wordpress.com?s=moth for more on this sort of set-up. #teammoth
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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 · 14/12/2024
Well done Ed, cracking record!
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 29/11/2024
Me too, a little out of my price range for now! It would certainly make it easier to find these!
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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
Yes, I find their stripes stick out a lot more in overcast light
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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 26/11/2024
Thanks, I'm sure there will be some around you in a suitably boggy place!
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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
Thanks Julie, nice to see you on here!
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