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Steve Turner

@sj84turner.bsky.social
659 followers 465 following 15K posts

A once keen birder and temporary Fair Isle resident in a previous life. Now just mostly obsessed with moths (Staffordshire VC39). Update Ordnance Survey data for a living.

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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 2h
Cheers. Yes, I’ve had a couple of obviella here too. This specimen is obviously bigger, and as you say, the colour and speckling etc is spot on for crocicapitella 👍
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13h
Ah, I see. I’ve had several types of Phyllonorycter, plus other things in takeaway boxes in the garage, but no luck at all 🤷‍♂️
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14h
I haven’t had much luck breeding anything through this year. In fact I’ve had only two successes: Cydia strobilella and Phyllonorycter dubitella! So two good ones at least 🤣
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14h
Thanks. Yes, I think so 👍 Two records for my garden this year suggests it may be on the increase…but hopefully it takes years for it to find SO89 😄
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14h
😅 Yes, that’s a feature but breeding through still seems to be recommended. I’ll have to get my magnifying glasses out, but there doesn’t seem to be any obvious plates on the first image I posted?
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14h
Did you need to check the hindwings for your VC? I’ve had one confirmed from earlier this year by gen det.
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14h
Hi Rob I know Stigmella on Alder are tricky and need breeding through ideally, but do the pale yellow larva here look more likely to be alnetella? The first is on Alder, and the second on Italian Alder. Thanks. @vc28nature.bsky.social
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 15h
Agree they are very smart! I had one (I think, still need to check it) from last night, but it’s still a rarity here with only two VC records, and one of those is from my garden earlier this year!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 15h
Last night’s trap was very empty, with just singles of Large Wainscot & SMW for interest on external surfaces. However on the large egg tray wedged behind the trap was this very smart Monopis sp. I’ll need to check the colour of the hindwings, as crocicapitella is still a rarity here. #Teammoth
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 15h
Looks good for costella 👍
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 15h
🥵
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 15h
😆
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 15h
Seconded! A Radford’s never looked so good 🤩
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 20h
Just a bonkers year!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 20h
😆 Nice one!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 20h
static.klipy.com
Dog's Confused 'What?' Reaction
ALT: Dog's Confused 'What?' Reaction
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 21h
static.klipy.com
Dog's Confused 'What?' Reaction
ALT: Dog's Confused 'What?' Reaction
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 21h
Yes, an excellent record for you. Well done 👏
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 21h
Nice work. I found it at Parkhall CP the other day, but haven’t managed to find it at a site in SJ84 yet!! Grrrr. Gnash. Gnash. 😆
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 22h
According to the Cheshire Moths website there are only 2 previous records, one of which is right on the Staffs border!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 23h
I’m not sure how many records there are for Cheshire, but there are zero records for Staffs!! And only a couple for the whole of the West Midlands recording area! Been hoping for one myself as it’s been having a reasonable year, so I’m quite envious of your record 😅
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Aha! I remember you posting these at the time. Great result.
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
White-speck is an excellent record.
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Yay, at last! I’ve only had one here this year. Strange as other folk have been getting a lot.
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
😆🙈
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
😄👍 A somewhat underrated species, I think!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
That’s insane! You’re clearly in a very good area for moths.
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
💯 Probably the best examples I’ve had here!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Indeed! Don’t think I’ve ever had more than one in the same trap before now.
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Despite cooler conditions, last night’s trap was much more interesting than the previous night. My second Merv of the autumn, Grey Shoulder-knot and 2 particularly attractive Satellite the highlights. #Teammoth
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Ok cheers Rob 👍
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Might demaryella also be a possibility? Maybe a bit too short for that though?!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Thanks Rob. Thought it was interesting. It was on a very young Sweet Chestnut only about 2 or 3m high, along with several samiatella mines. I’ll maybe try to keep an eye on the tree in future.
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Hi Rob Found this on Sweet Chestnut; is it a Bucculatrix of some kind? Seems a bit odd for this host. Cheers @vc28nature.bsky.social
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
That’s a very nice specimen 👌
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Give that moth an Oscar.
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Probably arrive on Fair Isle 😅😁😉
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
😄 Good luck with that 😅😉 I don’t get many Dioryctria here, but this one immediately had the alarm bells ringing! Does really need gen det for confirmation though…
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Yes, I’m sure it is possible. But if there is a colony there it’s been avoiding me for 5 years, or it has only just arrived 😅
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Yeh, strange how seemingly rare it is around here. Possibly just under recorded.
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
😁 me loves me micros 🤪
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
And finally for this evening, another awful pot shot of what has been confirmed as Depressaria badiella (Varied Brown). Another very local species which wasn’t really on my radar. My thanks yet again to Mike Dale for carrying out the Gen Det, and keeping ‘Micro Man’ in business 😅 #Teammoth
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Thanks Ruth. There’s a lone Corsican Pine about 100m away from the garden, so possibly came from there. But for a localised species you’d think it might need more habitat than that!!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
I would’ve settled for that! Already a Merv in here tonight, which is better than anything I had from seemingly much better conditions last night!!!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Awful pot shots, but this from the 08/07/26 has been confirmed as Monopis crocicapitella (Pale-backed Detritus Moth). Seems genuinely rare in the West Midlands, with this being just the 2nd confirmed record for VC39. My thanks again to Mike Dale for carrying out the Gen Det. #Teammoth
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
This has now been confirmed as Dioryctria simplicella (Drab Pine Knot-horn). Another nice addition for my square! My thanks to Mike Dale for carrying out the Gen Det. #Teammoth
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
The turbidella looks to be a particularly good find for Suffolk! Nice work 😄
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Cheers. If I don’t find it this year it will give me something to look for next year instead 😆😅
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Been looking all year for that one too, without success so far!!
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Steve Turner @sj84turner.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Incredible number & variety compared to my catch from last night!
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