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Matt Ames

@mattames6.bsky.social
452 followers 329 following 206 posts

Obsessed with natural history. Bedfordshire based

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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
As well as incredible views I also saw several Clouded Yellow up Glastonbury Tor yesterday. Down in the town I found Cosmopterix pulchrimella on Pellitory-of-the-Wall and what I think is Shaggy Soldier (Galinsoga quadriradiata) as a pavement plant.
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Antigastra catalaunalis (aka Toadflax Pearl aka Spanish Dot) disturbed from the grass whilst out litter picking this morning. A first for me and a decent record for Somerset to boot! #teammoth
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Thanks Annie, fingers crossed you get to see one then. Tbh it's a relief to finally 'put it to bed', so to speak, I'd spent hours looking for it, even systematically working through patches of Hedge Garlic. It was my nemesis! :)
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Finally, after many years of searching, I've managed to find an Orange-tip pupa!!! Nestled away on a dried Hedge Garlic stem, an amazing structure, and incredibly well disguised.
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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Presumed Great Black-backed X Herring just now at the Swannery, any opinion greatly recieved, these things are beyond me!
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Stopped off at Painswick yesterday whilst passing, a fascinating and very picturesque place. Lots of Pellitory-of-the-wall in the churchyard, some covered in mines of Cosmopterix pulchrimella including an adult. Also found Bedellia somnulentella larvae, and a Speckled Bush Cricket in the lavs.
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Decided to walk home after a dentist visit today, glad I did as I ended up with 2 new species of moth and a plant 'tick'. Evergestis limbata disturbed from grass along a footpath, Bucculatrix frangutella mines in Buckthorn. Trifid Bur-marigold (Bidens tripartita) among a host of other finds.VC30
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Aha yes that would explain it! Phew, it was really bugging me :)
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
The one on the left has a very rounded apex and termen by the looks.. not sure if that's helpful in any way?!!
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Nice. I used to get them at my old house in Wiltshire but they don't seem to be around here in Bedfordshire yet.
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Segestria florentina?
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Exactly what I was about to say..
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Ran the trap on Friday night, first time in ages. Decent result of 126/33 including Clancy's Rustic nfm, 2nd and 3rd garden records of L-album Wainscot and Pediasia cotaminella respectively, and a garden first Mottled Shieldbug by the trap. VC30 Bedfordshire
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Some random interesting things from a quick walk near home today.. Keifferia pericarpiicola galls on Wild Carrot. Coleophora argentula case on Yarrow. Lyonetia prunifoliella pupa on Blackthorn and a bizarre six-winged Norway Maple samara. VC30 Bedfordshire
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The well just round the corner from there was amazing, full of Amphipoda sp.
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
I suspect it's a different one.. I recently found 15 Vestal in a small area of long grass, next to a patch of Knotgrass, their larval food plant. I assume they're locally bred
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Dave Newcombe @belperbirder.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Do any of my mothing chums reside & trap near Cornwall's west coast? We're heading down to St Agnes on Saturday, & obviously, the actinic is coming along. Just wondering what trapping has been like there of late, & is there anything I could expect that I wouldn't get here in Derbyshire #teammoth
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Awesome! Thanks again Rob, I think you deserve the credit for that one for suggesting it to me. I found lots of feeding signs and had just about given up searching for a case when I noticed it out the corner of my eye. Took me ages to refind it in the wind!
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
I reckon this might be it..
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
*perpetual
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Bits and bobs down the allotment this evening.. Coleophora potentillae case on cultivated Bramble, Coptotriche marginea mines in wild Bramble. 4 Scrobipalpa ocellatella on Perpetal Spinach along with Rhombic Leatherbug (Syromastus rhombeus) VC30 Bedfordshire
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Cheers Rob, I'll take a look :)
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George McGavin @georgemcgavin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Data centres are springing up everywhere, using massive amounts of energy and water. I’ve signed @friends-earth.bsky.social’s petition calling for a pause on new data centres until the government gets a grip on the situation. Will you join me? action.friendsoftheearth.uk/petition/put...
action.friendsoftheearth.uk
Stop data centres draining our precious resources
Add my name Data centres are springing up all over the UK – using massive amounts of electricity and, in many cases, huge amounts of water. The UK is already facing water shortages, high energy demand...
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Cheers Andy, certainly a surprise. Bit of a crazy year for migrant lepidoptera!
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Nice to find at least 3 Redstart on my home patch today, presumably a family group. A bigger surprise was kicking up 15 pristine looking Vestal from the long grass there. 7 Grey Partridge and 3 Clouded Yellow also of note. VC30 Bedfordshire
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Bladder Campion from Bedfordshire for the #Wildflowerhour #seedheads challenge. Very scarce on my home patch, I only know of these 2 small patches. I collected a few seeds to try and propagate as this area is earmarked for 3000 houses.
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
The Isles of Scilly is home to amazing marine life, but South West Water plans to pump untreated sewage straight into these protected waters. They deserve the best sewage treatment, not a cheap fix. Help protect this beautiful ecosystem and add your name: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/gi...
you.38degrees.org.uk
Stop untreated sewage polluting the Isles of Scilly
South West Water plans to pump untreated sewage into one of the UK's most protected marine environments. Add your name to demand the highest standard of sewage treatment for the Isles of Scilly and he...
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Also, inevitably whilst looking for Lep leafmines you'll come across mines of other taxa. Although some are tricky to ID there's lots of easy ones too. Hardly any get recorded officially, so I pop them on iRecord.
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Welcome to the slippery slope! It's a great way to find interesting things whilst also brushing up on botany skills. I often use the UK Leafminers website, very useful when out in the field.
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The first pic is giving me Scrobipalpa vibes..
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Wow, that's quite a haul! It would seem likely, in that case, that it's a transitory coloniser rather than a wanderer from afar. I've recorded it here in Bedfordshire in recent years and I suspect it's originated inland as opposed to salt marsh..
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I think you're right with A. oblitella
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Same here with the Jersey Tigers, I keep disturbing them in the garden, down the allotment, along the street.. they seem to be everywhere this year!
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Paul Bowerman @severnsidebirds.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Fortunately the 1st summer Bonaparte's Gull was relocated on the evening high tide at New Passage and appeared to roost with the Black-headed Gull flock so fingers crossed for the morning. A Mediterranean Gull & Sandwich Tern were also seen. Please park sensibly & allow room for the Bin collection.
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UKBMS @ukbms.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Don't forget, the UKBMS website (and other Indicia sites such as iRecord) will be offline TOMORROW and are expected to be back up from Weds. You'll be unable to access or enter data during this time. Thanks for your patience whilst the team at @ukceh work to boost the storage capacity of the system
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
I'm glad I took a closer look at a moth nectaring on the Buddleja yesterday evening as it turned out to be a Dewick's Plusia, a smart little thing, only the 2nd garden record. VC30 Bedfordshire ##teammoth
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
That's probably one of those old wives tales like that saying, 'the grass is always greener'...
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
I've had some nice moths to the wine ropes over the last couple of weeks. Last night I finally got my 'annual' Red Underwing after brief views of a Catocala species the previous 2 nights. One of my favourite moths. Bedfordshire VC30
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Could be Rusty Dot Pearl..
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
#teammoth
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Phew it’s been so hot lately!This week’s challenge is to find those wild & naturalised plants that are surviving the drought conditions & are #StillFlowering! Share your finds for #wildflowerhour this Sunday 8-9pm!
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
It's actually got a decent mix of species in, gives a good idea of the kind of diversity around, tho I've still not managed to see some of the things in it!
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
I guess you gotta be in it to win it, so fair play for being out looking for stuff. I just remembered I still have the book here!
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Nice find! I'm a tad jealous. It's something I've been wanting to see since I was a kid as it was on the front cover of my first ever insect book :)
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Was great to see larval feeding signs of Choreutis nemorana on Fig at the allotment again this year. Even better was managing to rear one through and finally get to see the adult, a really striking moth. VC30 Bedfordshire #teammoth
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Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
A diary date for Obs members: it's only a fortnight until this year's AGM that'll be held at the Obs at 4:30pm on Saturday 18th July - if the mental stimulation of the meeting isn't enough for you then we will have very good refreshments on offer afterwards! drive.google.com/file/d/1437W...
drive.google.com
AGM agenda 2026.pdf
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Aha,that's a good point, I hadn't thought about those. Maybe they could have their uses too.. It's a fun medium to experiment with!
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Nice! I had a lot of fun experimenting with the medium last year, mainly botanical prints but feathers work well too, and couldn't resist seaweed as an homage to Anna Atkins. I found using my actinic moth trap bulb gave me a lot of control over exposure as it's a more constant source of light.
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
It’s #InvasiveSpeciesWeek & for the #WildflowerHour challenge we are focusing on those non-native naturalised plants that are proving problematic! Find one in bloom & share you pics this Sunday using the hashtag #InvasivePlants. Read more here bsbi.org/blog/2026/06/i…
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Matt Ames @mattames6.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Sounds like a cool garden! :)
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