iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Disappointing night in SJ93 considering temp of 19C. Just 10 of 7 species but first Merveille du Jour is always a welcome sight. #TeamMoth

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Giant Puffball growing behind our house. New for the site.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

May have missed the Osprey at Doxey by 2 minutes 😪but did fluke the Scots Guardsman passing through.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Anyone know this mine? Looks like Stigmella. It's on Cherry-plum Prunus cerasifera. #TeamMoth

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

A Hornet patrolling the Asters as Trentham Gardens. What magnificent insects they are.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Pink-barred Sallow - a true colour of autumn. #TeamMoth

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Like Ruth said, promised clouds did not appear so just 15/6 in SJ93. Pink-barred Sallow was NFY. #TeamMoth

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Migrant Hawker taking a break from chasing Willow Emeralds!

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Apologies for more Willow Emeralds but when they almost land on your hand, you have to photo them!

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The best of last nights moth trapping was this predatory fungus gnat Macrocera phalerata; NFG and new for me too.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Don't know much about pondweeds. The pond behind us was stripped bare and re-graded last year. It has since filled and this plant has appeared in quantity. Anyone know what it is? @naturelark.bsky.social

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Did not expect Beautiful Hook-tip last night. #teamMoth

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

A couple more photos of the Green Meshweb spider Nigma walckenaeri that has taken up residence on a rose leaf in the garden. Looks like aphid is on the menu today.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Look who came to check out the moth trap last night :) #TeamMoth

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Had fun trying to capture this Southern Hawker in flight. It was extremely inquisitive and came within arm's length - which is no good when you have a 600mm lens!

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Common Darters egg-laying in the small pond behind us.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

A new fungus for me; Hen of the Woods Grifola frondosa aka Maetaki. It was at the base of an old oak tree behind us.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Noticed this small green spider on a rose leaf. It is Nigma walckenaeri. After it dispatched the hapless fly, it retreated under a sheet of silk spun across the leaf.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Found quite a bit of Gallant/Shaggy Soldier recently. They key mentions the scale-like bracts amongst the disc florets. Hand lens was not much use so took this shot down a microscope. Shows the receptacle bracts clearly and the stalked glands on the stem - Shaggy not Gallant Soldier.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Lovely colours in this male Migrant Hawker.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Found Water-soldier on a local Staffordshire reserve. It has been introduced from a garden pond but seems well-established now.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A nice male Migrant Hawker on a local Staffordshire reserve.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Have found a number of Willow Emeralds in Staffordshire but not, until today, have I found the egg-laying scars on a willow branch.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Can't remember a year like this for Clouded Yellows. We have had a number fly over the garden but today one hung around for a while - magic!

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Ivy Bees Colletes hederae are out in force now. Worth checking any Ivy blossoms.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Giant Funnel Aspropaxillus giganteus - what a fungus. Must be 40cm in diameter!

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Don’t often recommend books but at £7.50 each you can’t go wrong. At A6 and 50 pages these two really are pocket guides but they are filled with ID information. Partic. like the comparisons between similar species like Birch and Hawthorn Shieldbug or white-spotted ladybirds. Congrats to Rob Zloch

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Not seen a Lesser Marsh Grasshopper with this rufous-coloured dorsal surface before. Quite fetching😀

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Our resident male Field Grasshopper.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Second Clifden this year and a pristine one too! Blimey, these were creatures of fiction when I started mothing! Also, even rarer these days a Dusky-lemon Sallow NFG - I last saw one in 1980. #TeamMoth

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Was pleased to see around 6 Common Darters on the pond in the field behind us. There were two pairs egg-laying.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

NFY Black Rustic, Brindled Green and Figure of Eight and Tawny Pinion (also NFG) #TeamMoth

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Nice example of Chicken of the Woods on Willow at Wedgwood Pools.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

The house we were staying at had a New Zealand Cabbage Tree Cordyline australis and it was in full fruit. This attracted the attentions of up to 50 Starlings!

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Two plants hanging above a sea cave at Porth Meudwy, Llŷn Peninsula. One is Roseroot, the other Sea Spleenwort.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Female Dark Bush Cricket and male Field Grasshopper at Porth Meudwy, Llŷn Peninsula.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I like looking in rockpools but don't know much about their inhabitants. Here are two Beadlet Anemones and a fish that I think may be a Sand Goby - do say if I am wrong. Porthdinllaen, Llŷn Peninsula.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Still a Thrift in flower! Porth Meudwy, Llŷn Peninsula

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

One of the last Wheatears at Afon Wen, Llŷn Peninsula last week.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Little Egrets feeding at Pwllheli last week.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Dunlins feeding at Pwllheli.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Ringed Plovers at Pwllheli.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Turnstones feeding piled up seaweed on the LLŷn Peninsula last week.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Still lots of Clouded Yellows on the Llŷn Peninsula last week. Here is a pale or Helice form and 2 typicals.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I like Mediterranean Gulls. Here are a few from the Llŷn Peninsula last week.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

The rather striking tachinid or parasite fly Phasia hemiptera on Water Mint at Trentham Gardens. It is a parasite of shieldbugs.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Willow Emerald damselflies at Trentham Gardens.

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Don't see this micro that often. It is Ypsolopha sequella aka Pied Rabbit Moth - I think the markings in some cases, but not this one, resemble a rabbit. Whoever thought that one up. #TeamMoth

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Dave Emley @demley.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

There are some funny trees planted around Doxey. Here's one I have not clocked before - Turkish Hazel. The nuts are in weird-looking clusters.

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