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Laura Sharp

@laurasharp.bsky.social
318 followers 128 following 309 posts

PhD Student: Understanding and reversing the decline of moorland moths in the UK | Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) | Aberdeen www.linkedin.com/in/laura-sharp-763…

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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
What a wonderful few days celebrating invertebrates and the people who love them at #Ento26 Special thanks to @royentsoc.bsky.social for awarding me their conference participation grant, without which I wouldn't have been able to come and present my research! #TeamMoth #Bugsky
The spine of an insect bookColeoptera taxonomic collectionPresenting my researchA fantastical illustration of an entomologist
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
@royentsoc.bsky.social
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
If you're at the RES's #Ento26 conference in Cardiff this week and you'd like to hear how muirburn shapes moorland moth assemblages, or if you'd just like to see some lovely moths 🦋🐛 do come along to the Methods, Management & Monitoring session at 11am on Wednesday! #TeamMoth #Bugsky
Trap in the Cairngorms National ParkMale Emperor mothBrindled Beauty mothNorthern Eggar moth
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
The caterpillars are Darth Maul lookalikes!
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Pristine 👌
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
It's that time of year again 🍂 Canary-shouldered Thorn has to be one of the best moth faces around with that yellow fuzz, those big brown eyes and feathery orange antennae 🤩 It took some time locating all the Pugs and Carpets on this tree, but this fella sure stuck out! #TeamMoth #MothFaceFriday
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Creeping Willow almost certainly. Haven't witnessed laying or found eggs, but there is no aspen at the site as far as I can tell. Although I haven't surveyed the whole of the regen area.
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Further good news after Dark Bordered Beauty was rediscovered in Northumberland. This morning I confirmed a new site for the species in Scotland. Last year I was surprised to find a single male in one of my traps, but we thought it could be a wanderer. Last night, I found 2 more males! #TeamMoth
A potted male Dark Bordered Beauty mothA male Dark Bordered Beauty moth sits amongst the heatherA moth trap surrounded by heather
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
We had a lovely time opening up the moth traps at the James Hutton Institute for Aberdeen's BioBlitz this morning. NFM were 3 Copper Underwings which seem to have spread much further north than the maps indicate. A nice, smart moth. I'm particularly fond of its stripy legs 🤩 #TeamMoth
A Copper Underwing moth
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
If you're attending #Ento26 next month check out the Methods, Management & Monitoring session on Wednesday 9th September where I'll be discussing my research on how prescribed burning impacts moorland moths 🔥 🦋 🐛 www.royensoc.co.uk/whats-on-at-... #TeamMoth #Bugsky
royensoc.co.uk
What's on at Ento26 - Royal Entomological Society
This year, Ento26 will be a fully in-person event, bringing our community together face-to-face for discussion, networking and collaboration. Ento26 is more than a conference: it’s where the entomolog...
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Lovely Sussex Emerald! I especially like it's pink and white checkered fringe to it's wings. Very smart.
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Out on our walk yesterday @charlotte-wood.bsky.social spotted this lovely little Candy-striped spider (Enoplognatha ovata). A new species for me and an absolute stunner! 🤩 #Bugsky
A common candy-striped spider sits amongst umbelifer flowersA common candy-striped spider sits amongst umbelifer flowers
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Lepiforum has plenty of photos of caterpillars which are useful for confirming when tou have a suspect in mind!
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Yeah they're very light, top-heavy and precarious 😅
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Yes my catches were even smaller, but I only did the minimum 3 hrs. I'll try the full 5 hours next time. Maybe listen to an audiobook whilst I wait for each 15 minute interval.
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
I sampled every 15 minutes for the first 3 hours from sunset, and only started getting much in the final half an hour (00:30). Next time I'll see if I can stick out the full 5 hours. I was hoping to confirm that site for DBB but no luck this time.
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
How'd you find them? I had a lot of insects hanging out on the overhang/lip of the funnels rather than going into the trap 🤦‍♀️
A parisitoid wasp on the funnel of a moth trap
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Collecting data for a study into artificial light at night (ALAN) last night. Slightly flimsy traps but it just goes to show you can make a moth trap out of pretty much anything and on any budget! #TeamMoth
A pair of moth traps in front of a sunsetA very simple moth trap made out of a wire frame and bin bags with a rechargeable led light
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Poplar Hawk-moths are funny little creatures. I think they look as if they have been created from felt. Like they belong in Labyrinth or The Clangers. Here's one from back in May, preparing for flight. #MothFaceFriday #TeamMoth
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Breathtaking spot! Looking forward to seeing what you get!
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Stunning! 🤩
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
That is a lovely rosy-pink Broom Moth!
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
I can imagine the web emphasises their shaking 🫨
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
The thistles along the Dee were veritably dripping with Bee beetles (Trichius fasciatus) today 🥹 Same spot that had several Narrow-Bordered Bee Hawk-moths on bugle back in May. Good for the bee mimics! #TeamMoth #Bugsky
Trichius fasciatus Trichius fasciatusTrichius fasciatus
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
I had no idea small coppers had such rave-ready caterpillars!
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Oh wow! That's a crazy number of pupae 😲
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Impressive antennae!
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Stunning!
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Oh no, those are photos I took on my phone this afternoon. Tried putting it on red campion first but it was too heavy 🤣
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
?
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Rescued a pupa from the floor of a glass house back in October and I'm so pleased I did. Returned this beaut to outside the same glass house today. I love his little white goatee beard 🤩 #TeamMoth
Top view of an Elephant Hawk-mothUnderside view of an Elephant Hawk-moth
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Yin & Yang ☯️ beautiful shot
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
And a lovely photo it is too!
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Always love a Yellow Shell! 🤩
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Very silky! And very smart markings. Looks like it's wearing a double-breasted jacket with 4 big buttons.
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Stunning! What weird twisted forewings 🤩
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
This has now confused me though, as these guys don't have 6+ prolegs 🤔
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
The difference is the two very distinctive eyes, one on either side of the head. Caterpillars have several small eyes. Sawfly also have 6 or more prolegs, whilst caterpillars have 5 or less 'hooked' prolegs.
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Sawfly larvae of some description rather than caterpillars
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Wings barely dry before they're hooking up 😂
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
This looks bright! What LED is it? 🦅
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
They sure are! Our smallest Hawk or Sphinx moth. And named after a Greek giant. Who has his liver pecked at by vultures perpetually in Tartarus. I guess whoever gave it's Latin name thought this was ironic/paradoxically amusing? 🙄😄
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
I love thick-legged flower beetles! 🤩
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Spent Saturday walking along part of the Dee looking for Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moths What a treat to have seen a couple of individuals nectaring on the Bugle One accepted being potted so I could appreciate it's cuteness up close 🥹 Humorously named after the Greek giant Tityos #TeamMoth
Narrow-Bordered Bee Hawk-moth nectaring on bugle Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth nectaring on bugleA potted Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-mothA Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth in flight. You can see it's coiled probiscis (tongue)
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
182:28 in Aboyne last night 38 Brown Silver-line, 34 Nut-tree Tussock, 6 Scalloped Hazel, 6 Leser Swallow Prominent, 6 Pale-shouldered Brocade, 3 Knotgrass, Broom-tip, Sallow Button, 3 Poplar Hawk, 2 Red-green Carpet, 2 Bordered White, White Ermine, Early Thorn and Lunar Thorn... #TeamMoth
A White Ermine moth clings on to dry grassA Lunar Thorn moth on the vane of my trapA Bordered White moth on the vane of my trapA Poplar Hawk-moth rests on bracken
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
At Torry Battery leading a Nocturnal Nature moth walk for Greyhope Bay's BioBlitz last night. A nice selection of moths early on including a female Fox Moth, Water Capet, Sandy Carpet, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Spectacle, a late Hebrew Character and several very early Small square-spots. #TeamMoth
My DIY trap at Greyhope Bay
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Got any recommendations for wine roping this time of year? It's meant to be warm and damp for the event, and it's always breezy up at the site. I've got my eye on some fencing to hang them on. It's very open, so there's not much taller vegetation other than some gorse scrub.
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Decided on sheets under a whole host of traps. It's just too windy up at the site to hang a sheet and lights. Speaking of fine wines, I'm going to have a go at wine ropes for the first time. There's also a nice big patch of red campion to scour. Hopefully multiple methods will turn something up! 🙏
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk more numerous in the West of Scotland than in the East where I am. But it is found Deeside. Yet to see it in person despite spending much of the flight season on boggy moorland in Royal Deeside last year.
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Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Where did you run this? I'm thinking or trialling something similar for an engagement event up in Scotland. But I'm worried it might attract very little this time of year. Any tips/thoughts? 🙏
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