iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Chilly overnight, but Red-green Carpet NFY and still managed an Olive-tree Pearl. Pinion-streaked Snout was a surprise. Lunar Underwing last few traps as follows: 161, 86, 84, 68, 62, 59, 31, then 13 last night. Drying up finally?? 😄 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

0231

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Thanks for the info, Chris. I wonder if some of mine have been leaking out of West Dorset! 😄

030

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Hardly any leaves to mine in our tiny garden! 😂

000

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Yep, I think I'll struggle to make 500 for the year, but it'll be close.

100

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Food for thought, Luke, thanks. Devon records last few yrs: 2020 - 1 2021 - 1 2022 - 2 2023 - 25(!) 2024 - 3 2025 - 7 2023 a bit of an outlier, and I imagine 2026 will be as well! 😄

110

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Well done, Paul. 🥳 You're a few ahead of me now. Mind you, I suppose your tally includes all that spurious leaf-mine stuff! 😉😄

110

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

With <70 county records of Ni Moth and Dewick's Plusia prior to 2026, evidently both fairly scarce migrants in Devon...as a rule. One of each here last night, bringing garden tally to 8 apiece in Axminster VC3 this year. I'll bet this is the tip of a very large iceberg. #TeamMoth

Composite pic showing Ni Moth (top) and Dewick's Plusia on slate.

3471

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Excellent! Looking forward to seeing what comes your way, Joe. I can sit back with a beer and enjoy some vicarious Portland birding for a bit...😁👍

020

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Excellent. I'll look forward to that. 😁👍

010

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Sadly true, Mark. 1968 only 3 yrs after the Great Fall. RAR and his contemporaries would be horrified at how things are today...

130

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Fascinating reading, Mark. Thanks for sharing. Aside from the Nutcrackers, sheer numbers of quality migs recorded would be eye-popping stuff today. How times have changed... Thanks again. 👍

170

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

The way things are going, might be quicker than that!

110

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Last night's NFG Golden Twin-spot might have been round the block a few times, but boy, what a smart moth! 😍 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

1490

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Was just grumbling to myself about how few moths about on this clear and chilly night, when I discovered this cracker on the wall by the actinic porch light: Golden Twin-spot, one of my most-wanted. Only 6 Devon records. Get in! 🥳😎 Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

Golden Twin-spot with wings spread, in plastic pot.

0491

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

All a bit sad. 'Banned'?! Pfft! Obvs I don't know circumstances, but was once on receiving end when a BC committee closed ranks rather than face a bit of boat-rocking. Let them have their calm waters, and keep publishing your interesting stuff on here. 😁👍

140

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

I may not know the N Kent area, nor the people mentioned, but I took enjoy your threads, Kev. Often thought-provoking, always interesting. 👍

140

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

NFY Green-brindled Crescent in all its glitter-sprinkled loveliness was a trap highlight among 123/29 this morning. 9 spp of poss mig: 2 Dewick's Plusia (#5&6 for garden), 2 Vestal, 6 White-point, 2 RDP, Scarce Bordered Straw, Angle Shades, Silver Y, SMW & Pearly Underwing. Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

0260

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Oof! My record here is 234, so I feel your pain. It was never like this in Bridport! 😂

020

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Big temp ⬇️ last night, yet still 112/20, incl 84 Lunar Underwings! What is it about this location? 🤷 Migs incl gdn's 4th Pearly Underwing, 3 Vestal, White-point, SMW, Turnip & RDP. Best was discovering NFG Sallow in adjacent undergrowth just now. 😎 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

1310

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

This morning's 163/28 took me past 5000 entries on 2026 Devon spreadsheet. Amazed I've managed to stick at the admin... Red-line Quaker NFG, Feathered Thorn NFY; 18 Barred Sallow a surprising count. This pinky-pink Vestal the smartest of 4. Love it. 😍 Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

1452

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

On Oct 28th last year I ran trap for 1st time in our new garden here in Axminster VC3, expecting v little. One of that night's moths was a lovely fresh Merveille du Jour... Almost a year on, and we're back to Mervs again. Even better, a spanking NFM Autumnal Rustic on Sunday night. 😍 #TeamMoth

Composite pic showing Autumnal Rustic (L) and Merveille du Jour on slate.

1430

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Brilliant start to the morning with NFY Merveille du Jour clinging to the trap hardware. Also 4 Black Rustics. Lunar Underwings still ridiculous at 161. Poss migs represented by 15 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Vestal, 2 Turnip M, Scarce Bordered Straw and White-point. 216/22 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

0310

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Correction: there are Devon records of adults up to a single in 3rd wk of September.

020

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Thanks Steve, good to have the weirdness confirmed! 😊👍

020

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Rather shocked to find this Elephant Hawk-moth on wall next to actinic porch light just now! As far as I can tell, there are not even any Devon records of adults in last 2 weeks of August or September, let alone October. Bizarre!😯 Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

5490

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Take it as a compliment, where *the* bench simply defines a superlative. 😉

120

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Thanks Ruth. 👍 Yes, was very calm here. Clearly a lot of arrivals after midnight!

010

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

V little in trap by bedtime, so mentally wrote night off as too cold and clear. So 11/16 was a shock. Even more so, a v unexpected NFG in shape of Feathered Brindle. V localised in the county, this appears to be 1st in E Devon since 1976. Would never have predicted that one! 🤷 Axminster VC3

Side view of Feathered Brindle on white sheet.

Feathered Brindle distribution map from Devon Moths website: https://www.devonmoths.uk/index_mobile.php?bf=22300

2220

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Glad you made that mistake. Fascinating read, thanks. 👍

110

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Great thread, for all sorts of reasons. Comments re obsession with rarity chime loudly...

030

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

No idea why I get so many Lunar Underwings. Another 77 last night! 🤷😂

020

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

It's taken 1,019 Lunar Underwings to get there, but finally NFG Beaded Chestnut arrived last night (on the left in pic) in company with much hoped-for NFG Black Rustic. 😎 2 Vestals, White-point, SMW, Rush Veneer and RDP on the migrant front. Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Beaded Chestnut (L) and Lunar Underwing on white sheet.

2270

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The dark ages, when you needed a separate licence for every river authority, and even juniors had to pay. 😂

010

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Understandable. Short-lived armour seems such a dumb thing to allow to scupper your brand reputation. 🤷

010

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Nice one, Paul. Always look forward to your rarity posts, and the search images they provide me with. It's paid off at least once before! 😄👍

120

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

See the link below. For some reason I was unable to register my bins, so I emailed and had a helpful reply. They registered them for me, after which I was able to go through the process as outlined in the link. As long as your bins are <10 yrs old, should be free, apart from initial postage.

myservice.swarovskioptik.com

My Service

100

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Thanks Marcus, I've heard good things about Noctivid. When I get a chance I shall certainly check them out. 👍

010

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Yep, lovely bins. Apart from the armour issues I like them a lot. Swaro claim the latest armour is no longer prone to degradation unless exposed to DEET. I hope that's true. We shall see...😁

110

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The rubber armour on my 2018 Swaro 10x32 EL disintegrated in the spring. Finally sent them off on 18th August. Back today, with new eye cups also. Repaired FOC under 10yr 'goodwill' warranty. So, keep or part-ex for something else? TBF they might see me out before the armour goes again! 😂

3121

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Apart from NFY Barred Sallow X3, this morning's trap was a pretty humdrum affair...until I came upon the dowdy little micro pictured below: Olive Spinner. A quality migrant and NFM, with just 4 previous records in Devon. Presumably a product of last night's weather ⬆️💨🌧️ Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Olive Spinner (Zelleria oleasrella) on egg tray.

Barred Sallow on egg tray. The central cross band on this individual strongly suffused with a rich, chestnut colour.

1220

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

165/37 from 3 nights trapping in son's Lyme Regis garden last week. Blair's Mocha probably a decent record for Lyme, and first I've seen since Bridport days, where it evidently bred and was pretty common. Madder Pearl x2 would also be an Axminster tick. Grandkids loved it! 😄 #TeamMoth

Olive-tree Pearl on small girl's finger.

0380

Gavin Haig @notquitescilly.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Garden's 4th Dewick's Plusia the only highlight from a pitiful 25/8 last night. First trap here since last Tuesday. Lunar Underwing down from 215 to 16 in that time! 😄

0280