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Reposted by David Cousins

George Tordoff @gmtord.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

On 21st September I found some larval spinnings of Tebenna micalis (Beautiful Twitcher) on Fleabane at Pembrey (Carmarthenshire). I collected a few for rearing and over the last few days three of the beautiful little jewel-like adults have emerged. #TeamMoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Tebenna micalis (Beautiful Twitcher) adult reared from larvae found at Pembrey

Tebenna micalis (Beautiful Twitcher) larva in spinning at Pembrey

Tebenna micalis larval spinning on Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) at Pembrey

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

I know flight times are all over the place at the moment but I was very surprised to catch a Brick here in Essex last night. Normally don’t see one until October! #teammoth

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Reposted by David Cousins

William Bishop @wjrpb.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

A really good night mothing in Essex for NT with @rahtringbirder.bsky.social @dcousins85.bsky.social and TG. 168 species without the yet to be added smalls. Some excellent moths and an impressive list for the time of year. #TeamMoth.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

This amazing week shows no signs of stopping. The first Death’s-head Hawk-moth I’ve caught myself was in the actinic this morning here on Dartmoor. Going home today, but will definitely book this Airbnb again! @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Down to Dartmoor this week for a weekend with my family. Of course the moth trap comes with me - I had hoped for but didn’t really expect the amazing week to continue but my first Striped Hawkmoth arrived as one of four species of Hawks. Fun for all the family! #teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Thanks Andy, good to hear from someone who knows the species.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

I can’t quite believe this but I think this is Enolmis acanthella that was in my trap in Dunmow, Essex overnight. ObsID suggests so and a check of Lepiforum backs that up. Apparently expanding its range in Europe but maybe the first UK record if the ID is right? @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Another lifer for me were Scythris subcinctella (Rock-rose Runner), quite common at Lydden Temple Ewell reserve which is full of Rock-rose. #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Just starting to return to a normal sleep pattern after an intense weekend’s mothing in Kent with @wjrpb.bsky.social Lots of highlights but one real standout - Epiblema Graphana (Yarrow Root-borer), for which I can only see 2 previous UK records, trapped on Sandwich Beach Saturday night #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I think Stag Beetle may be a bigger want for me at Cockaynes than any potential moth… (hopefully possible there!)

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Three new attractive micros to my Essex garden over these last few warm nights. Telechrysis tripuncta the best of them, a lifer for me and very scarce in the county (and a gorgeous little moth to boot) #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Could’ve chosen any Hairstreak really, I love them all, but still have vivid memories of seeing (this) Green for the first time on the Isle of Mull and being absolutely entranced. A love for all invertebrates ensued.

Green Hairstreak - Grasspoint, Mull (2014)

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

The mine is either Stigmella anomalella or Stigmella centifoliella, and the moth can’t be centifoliella as that has a white fascia. So that may be enough for your CMR?

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Yes, female Muslin. Lovely photo.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Some #teammoth goodies from over the weekend in all forms here in Essex. Garden list now at #649 with a totally unexpected and gorgeous Mocha to light on Sunday night. Spuleria flavicaput (Yellow Cap) netted over flowering Hawthorn. Coleophora kuehnella (Cloaked Case-bearer) case on Oak. And Puss!

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Whilst searching for bugs in the Brecks yesterday I disturbed numerous Aroga velocella (Striped Sorrel Moth). Smart little micros when fresh #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Tried a Suffolk Heath yesterday for the second of the Heather feeding Coleophora after finding C juncicolella last week in Essex. A lot of sweeping with nothing and then one last swish of the net turned up Coleophora pyrrhulipennella (Heath Case-bearer). #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Some targeted sweeping of Heather at Tiptree Heath in Essex provided me with my first new Coleophora of the year yesterday - Coleophora juncicolella (Least Case-bearer). Very few Essex records (but equally very little heathland in the county). #teammoth

Coleophora juncicolella - a small larva that makes a well camouflaged case out of Heather

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

Of course - it was in the parking area and the trap was set up at TM04991931

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

A nice find as bycatch to our moth traps on the Essex coast on Friday with @wjrpb.bsky.social and @jonnywhu.bsky.social I’m no spider expert but this stood out as different and it’s looking good for Phaeocedus braccatus, a spider of sparsely vegetated coastal areas. Only the 2nd county record.

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Reposted by David Cousins

Steve @pertonmoths.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Happy bunny! Just found Coleophora albitarsella at baggeridge. Case on underside of Ground I've. Could see the pale feeding window so.looked underneath, bingo 😊 looks like 1 other record in staffs, Dovedale 1950! #teammoth @vc39moths.bsky.social

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Not on Birch actually, although there were a few around. Not sure which tree it was on, wasn’t in bloom or leaf.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Another good find from Roman River Valley NR yesterday was a new moth for me - Proutia betulina (Birch Bagworm). #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

Some superb Purple Toothwort (Lathraea clandestina) and Moschatel (Adoxa moschatellina) at Roman River Valley NR today in Essex. The rust Puccinia adoxae on one of the Moschatel too. A huge stand of Red Currant (Ribes rubrum) should host some interesting moth larvae before long. #wildflowerhour

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Not many nights that have been suitable for trapping here in Essex over the last week or 2, but better conditions Monday night so gave it a go. Really pleased to get my first Caloptilia falconipennella (Dark Alder Stilt). Garden list now 646 in 3 years #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Popped across the border into Suffolk this morning to see a lovely patch of Green Hellebore (Helleborus viridis) near to Haverhill. Just one flower; but what a flower! Also, a bonus Engrailed (Ectropis crepuscularia) resting on a nearby trunk.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

😂😂 I’ll give you that one. Very good.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Yep, an early one but that’s par for the course these days.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

A few good nights recently at the garden actinic here in Essex. Mostly the expected early Spring fare but pleased to get my first lifer of the year - Acleris umbrana (Dark-streaked Tortrix) with 2 on 22nd. #teammoth

A pair of Acleris umbrana (quite a size difference so potentially a male and female).

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Brief sunshine yesterday so over to the chalk stream section of the Flitch Way via some very muddy woods. Two-spot Ladybird, a Mayfly nymph (prob Cloeon dipterum), the 1st time I’ve seen a Stonefly nymph (I have had adults of Nemoura cinerea here) and a lovely Spider - Platnickina tincta.

Two-spot Ladybird hibernating on Digitalis

Likely a nymph of Cloeon dipterum (by far the most common Mayfly I see).

Probable Nemoura cinerea nymph trying to hide within the Pellia.

Platnickina tincta disturbed from its hiding place in among a Lepraria incanana-covered Oak.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

3 new moths for the year on Saturday night. Always pleased to get an Early Moth, and this was a nice fresh one. A fairly early March Moth and a Chestnut took my nascent year list to 11 species so far with 9 of those in the garden. #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Is that not a Pearly Underwing?

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

2 nights of trapping in much more mild conditions here in W Essex with 2 species each night. They are the 4 I’d expect in January but welcomed them like old friends all the same. #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

Happy new year mate, see you soon!

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

Happy New Year to all! Let’s hope 2026 continues with better moth numbers for all (another trophy for Spurs would be very welcome too!)

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

The most memorable night of the year though was on the Essex coast. Some fantastic moths (as seen in pics), but I ended up joining Mr Crab as I paid scant attention to the raising sea levels and had to spend the rest of the evening drenched through 😂 #teammoth

Spurge Hawkmoth - doing very well on the Essex saltmarsh.

One I’d always wanted - the magnificent Lappet

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

A superb amount of micros were caught, these 4 all in Essex and probably my favourites of the year (details in alt text) #teammoth

Agonipterix kaekeritziana (Knapweed Buff) - came to light during an evening trapping at Hatfield Forest

Cosmopterix scribaiella (Reed Beauty) - came to light at an Essex Moth Group event at Fingringhoe Wick.

Eidophasia messingiella (White-barred Pointer) - Came to light during an Essex Moth Group event at Cymbeline Meadows, Colchester

Endothenia nigricostana (Hedge Marble) - taken to an ENQUA lure hung in the garden

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

2025 review: an enjoyable year’s recording with 128 new moths for me. Other than a fruitful few days in the New Forest I mostly stayed local, or slightly further afield (Norfolk and Kent). These though, were the highlight macros from my Essex garden #teammoth

Four-spotted Footman (the only female in among a population explosion this year).

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

It’s Caloptilia alchimiella/robustella. Bit of an awkward angle to see the granulation well in the ductus but I’d favour robustella.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Quite an increase of these this year in Essex. Only 2 before 2025 and at least 7 this year that I know of.

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Reposted by David Cousins

Andy D. Nunn @andydnunn.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

The Coleophora sp. larval cases I found on sea purselane by the Humber Estuary last October turned out to be C. salinella! Only recorded in Yorkshire for the first time in August last year (I suspect it's been there a while though). #TeamMoth #YorkshireMoths @doublekidney.bsky.social

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

I gendetted the 2nd Jersey Mocha for Essex last year (caught by @jonnywhu.bsky.social), and such has been their increase this year in the county (I know of at least 5 others) I now have caught one myself last night in the garden (in fact, likely 2!). Also some fresh autumn favourites. #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Historically very rare in Essex too but Graham Ekins found a decent population in some remnant heathland east of Chelmsford a few weeks ago. They could’ve wandered from there but not really the right wind direction and even still that’s 20 miles away.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

A lifer for me in the garden the night before last with a very unexpected Heath Rustic. Must be a migrant of sorts because I am a fair distance from any heathland. #teammoth

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Brilliant thanks James. Appreciate it.

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David Cousins @dcousins85.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

Sorry to reply to an old post but accidentally found this larva when looking at leafmines on Hawthorn. The closest match on Bladmineerders appears to be an Ash Whitefly larva, does that look right to you or are there other contenders? Thanks!

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