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Dave Grundy

@davegrundy.bsky.social

730 followers 240 following 680 posts

From Birmingham, England & spend 6 months a year in Spain. Green, socialist & European. Retired wildlife consultant used to run moth holidays & training courses. Now survey moths in Spain for fun & for science - polillero. #teammoth

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 12h

‪Part 1 of 3 - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 12/13th of September 2025. Some more beautiful moth finds! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

The well marked Tineid moth - Neurothaumasia ragasuella - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 12th of September 2025.

Always one of my favourites with its big 'nose' - (ie palps!) - Etiella zinckenella - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 12th of September 2025.

Another saved photo from the walk into Tarifa - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025.

Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 15h

Let us know what you plan to do there!? I have always thought I would love to go back - just that crazy thing called cash gets in the way!

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 16h

Sadly I am beyond hope now, Paul! How are you and do you miss the Scillies this time of year!? Its a few years now since we last met!

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 16h

Theres no hope for you - you are definitely addicted. My addiction is now over 30 years and still no way out!!

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 17h

And whats the answer???

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 1d

Part 3 of 3 - my second night! - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025. Some beautiful moth finds! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

OK, so this had to be my star moth from this batch! 11 seen in early September - Xenotorodor stygioxanthus - this moth I recorded regularly at CIMA and with its distinctive markings knew it was not anywhere in the literature I had seen. So, it had to be a new species and thanks to Mark Sterling, David Lees and others at the London Natural History Museum it got tracked down to a new species and genus for science. But mysteries still remain. After other recorders also saw it, it has been seen more widespread across Cadiz province. But where did it come from? There is an assumption, maybe from North Africa, but no records yet from there. And its food source and larvae have still not been tracked down! It is assumed it feeds on detritus in the soil as others in the family do, but could it feed on something else? - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025.

The impressive tiny micro - Helcystogramma lamprostoma - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025.

Back to that coastal walk into Tarifa at sunset! The view to Jebel Musa - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025.

Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 2d

Part 2 of 3 - my second night! - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025. Some beautiful moth finds! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

It might be very common, but what a beautiful moth? - Itame vincularia - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025.

And how about the 'contortionist' moth!? Leucinodes laisalis which holds its legs and abdomen in strange positions! - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025.

The view from my moth trap in the CIMA compound - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025.

Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 3d

Part 1 of 3 - my second night! - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025. Some beautiful moth finds! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

Parascotia nissenii is an amazing looking moth when fresh like this one!? - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025.

And third in my great trio of moths to start with is this bird dropping mimic - Cilix hispanica - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025.

Here is a view from one of my moth traps to give you an idea of habitat in the dry season that is September! - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 11th of September 2025.

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 4d

‪Part 2 of 2 - my first night back at CIMA! - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025. Some great finds! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

So, can you tell which end of this moth is the front! Helcystogramma lamprostoma - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025.

The stunning migrant moth Antigastra catalaunalis - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025.

And this trap site looks boring next to a concrete wall!? But even though it is only an actinic bulb, it consistently performs better than all the rest! The white wall behind the trap helps and also that the trap faces SW gives it a good chance of migrants! - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025.

Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 5d

Part 1 of 2 - my first night back at CIMA! - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025. Some great finds! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

Is there a better moth to find on your egg tray than this one in Western Europe? The stunning Crimson Speckled moth - Utetheisa pulchella. - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025.

And much commoner, but still great colours is this moth - Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis. - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025.

And this is one of my traps in olive and pistachio scrub. - moth-trapping at CIMA, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on the 10th of September 2025.

Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 6d

Last night of trapping with Keith Hamilton & friends on 9th September, 2025 in Sierra de Gredos at Las Manzorreras nr Poyales del Hoyo, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain, with some lovely habitats & people! Attached are photo highlights! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

So, if there was a vote for the top 10 most beautiful moths in Europe, then surely this species would be in there for most moth people? - the amazing Latin - Callopistria juventina? - moth-trapping at Las Manzorreras, Poyales del Hoyo, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 9th of September 2025.

And a beautiful looking Scarce Blackneck - Lygephila craccae. - It is the opposite of its name! - being the commonest of these species in Spain. - moth-trapping at Las Manzorreras, Poyales del Hoyo, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 9th of September 2025.

We had a great spread of food between us whilst moths arrived in the traps! - moth-trapping at Las Manzorreras, Poyales del Hoyo, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 9th of September 2025.

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 6d

get writing then! But whatever you do, dont lose your field guide like I did!!

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 7d

Summer is too hot, so numbers are lower in the hot and dry. Peak is probably May/June, but Sep/Oct is also excellent. And a warm night in December can still achieve 100 species!

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 7d

So, how much do you use your moth field guide at the moth trap? - stupidly I left my field guide behind with all my scribbled notes & had to manage without it for 2 weeks! Have you thought of annotating your field guide!? - Sep 2025 - but if you do this then don't lose it! #teammoth #spanishmoths

This is my old and trusty Spanish moth field guide! - So, how much do you use your moth field guide at the trap? this really came into focus on this trip to Spain - as you know I stayed with Keith Hamilton in the Sierra de Gredos in central Spain - and stupidly I left behind my field guide with all my scribbled notes! And this meant I had to manage without it for 2 weeks until it arrived in the post! - Sep 2025

And whenever anyone gives me a moth ID tip then I add this to the pictures in the book and over time the field guide gets added to. This makes the field guide way more useful than before! - Sep 2025

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 7d

How many moths have you seen this month!?
Here is my moth list today - 1/10/25. On 5th of September I left Britain for Spain. Since then I've trapped every night & have run 5 traps / night. You will see in less than 4 weeks I have already seen over 500 species of moths!! #teammoth #spanishmoths

Here is my moth list today - 1/10/25. On 5th of September I left Britain for Spain. Since then I've trapped every night & have run 5 traps / night. You will see in less than 4 weeks I have already seen over 500 species of moths!!

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 8d

Part 4 - My 2nd night of trapping on the night of 8th September, 2025 was in Sierra de Gredos at El Pagano, Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain, with some lovely habitats & lovely people! Attached are some photo highlights! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

Another of the distinctive Charissa predotae from this area. - moth-trapping at El Pagano in a retreat near Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 8th of September 2025.

And lastly which species is this? - Charissa/Gnophos - or even Selidosema? - moth-trapping at El Pagano in a retreat near Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 8th of September 2025. I have now kindly been advised by 2 people on facebook that this is Charissa obscurata.

And after the trapping it was back to the moth 'office'! - back at my accommodation with Keith, at Finca La Sayuela, El Raso, near Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 7th of September 2025.

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 9d

Part 3 - My 2nd night of trapping on the night of 8th September, 2025 was in Sierra de Gredos at El Pagano, Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain, with some lovely habitats & lovely people! Attached are some photo highlights! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

More action checking the sheet for moths! - moth-trapping at El Pagano in a retreat near Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 8th of September 2025.

A tiny moth with a huge name! - Goidanichiana jourdheuillella - moth-trapping at El Pagano in a retreat near Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 8th of September 2025.

The beautiful little moth that is Hoyosia codeti - moth-trapping at El Pagano in a retreat near Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 8th of September 2025.

Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 10d

Part 2 - My 2nd night of trapping on the night of 8th September, 2025 was in Sierra de Gredos at El Pagano, Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain, with some lovely habitats & lovely people! Attached are some photo highlights! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

The 2 sheets were very active for moth watching, photography, eating and drinking! - moth-trapping at El Pagano in a retreat near Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 8th of September 2025.

Symmoca revoluta - an attractive micro-moth! - moth-trapping at El Pagano in a retreat near Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 8th of September 2025.

The noctuidae moth - Epilecta linogrisea again - moth-trapping at El Pagano in a retreat near Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain on the 8th of September 2025.

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Dave Grundy @davegrundy.bsky.social · 11d

Part 1 - My 2nd night of trapping on the night of 8th September, 2025 was in Sierra de Gredos at El Pagano, Candelida, Avila Province, Castilla y Leon, Spain, with some lovely habitats & lovely people! Attached are some photo highlights! #teammoth #spanishmoths www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...