Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Laura Sharp

@laurasharp.bsky.social

270 followers 120 following 220 posts

PhD Student: Understanding and reversing the decline of moorland moths in the UK | Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) | Aberdeen https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-sharp-7636a6108?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=andr

www.linkedin.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 11d

Had a couple of Light Emeralds come to light up in Aberdeenshire on Thursday night. What a strange year it has been!

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 11d

Thanks for joining us. Hopefully Mary enjoyed the Mervs!

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 11d

#teammoth

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 11d

That second photo! 'I'm dead, honest', whilst still clinging on for dear life 🤣

1 1

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 12d

It's the final #MothFaceFriday of #Leptember
So here's an autumnal offering by way of today's Feathered Thorn.
Such a gorgeously fluffy auburn face and thorax, and a pair of very impressively feathered antennae. Stunning!

A Feathered Thorn moth flaunting its feathery antennae

The face of the Feathered Thorn, with its antennae tucked down by its sides

A Feathered Thorn moth resting on bracken

1 1 11

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 12d

1 5

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 12d

A lovely morning at Dinnet oakwood yielded 30:14 most NFM as my first Autumn trapping night off moorland.

Feathered Thorn 2, November moth 1, Green-brindled Crescent 5, Merveille DJ 2, Mottled Umber 1, Red-line Quaker 1, Streak 1, Snout 1, Satellite 1, Red-green Carpet 2, Light Emerald 2.
#TeamMoth

Merveille du'jour. I loved the w on this ones neck/thorax!

2 1 28

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 12d

Lovely photo, really shows off that green sheen!

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 21d

A #Leptember visit to Chester Zoo would not be complete without a walk through the #Butterfly house.

Gosh, I'd love to be in Costa Rica right now!

Credit for photos 1 & 4 go to @conricosteez.bsky.social

The Malachite butterfly with its wings closed showing the muted tones of the undersides

The Malachite butterfly with its wings open displaying the bright uppersides

1 12

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · 26d

This #Leptember I am undertaking 360 quadrats at my moth trapping sites to quantify browsing and describe vegetation composition.

I love autumn, and my sites are so beautiful. I'm having a lot of fun!

Typing it up is less fun 🫩 If only AI could accurately transcribe voice notes to .csv #TeamMoth

A striking broom moth caterpillar on Erica at Glen Tanar

What I think is a False Chanterelle uprooted by a couple of foraging mountain bikers in Caledonian pine forest. I love the gills on this.

A beautiful orange-red spear of Bog Asphodel with a backdrop of crimson sphagnum

I improvised a beating tray out of my shopping bag to harvest Juniper berries which are ripening already. I do like my gin!

1 18

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Sep 5

It's the first #MothFaceFriday of #Leptember
So here's the tiny head, broad shoulders and thick torso of the Northern/oak Eggar.
These moths always give me body-builder vibes!

Have a pumped weekend #TeamMoth - don't overdo it on the protein shakes!

Underside view of the impressive Northern Eggar

The Northern Eggar moth resting on heather up on moorland back in July

8 36

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Sep 1

So fluffy you can barely see its face! 🥹

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 31

Ah yes. Just looked it up on nhbs and the mesh bag itself is £75 😯 But it would be so time consuming to make oneself. Like you say, if it lasts and brings enjoyment then it's worth it!

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 31

That would be a shame! Do you ever get others asking for photos?

1 1

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 31

That Blotched Emerald is amazing 🤩

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 30

I have a book of her art. Looking forward to diving in when the weather isn't so great!

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 30

What an interesting trap! Could be very useful for field work i imagine. In your opinion, is it worth the £££?

1 1

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 30

A wet night and nippy morning up on Donside, but still 210:37 to light.

NFM were 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character and a Canary-shouldered Thorn, which ended up as a spider's breakfast 😔

Also, 2 November Moth, 7 Autumn Green Carpet, 13 Autumnal Rustic, 6 Black Rustic, 15 Golden-rod Brindle
#TeamMoth

Autumn is here, heralded by this Autumn Green Carpet moth. My first was a no-longer-hibernating female, back in June!

1 23

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 30

Angle Shades is always a joy 😊

Here's a lovely one quaking and quivering on the heather, warming up from the trap this morning.

#TeamMoth

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 29

A damp but still night on Donside yielded 263:36 including NFM Pink-barred Sallow.

Also, 8 Small Wainscot, 7 Black Rustic, 6 Juniper Pug, 6 Dark Arches, 2 Plain Clay, 2 Northern Deep-brown Dart, 2 Grey Chi, 2 Golden-rod Brindle, a Beautiful YU, a Sallow and an Angle-striped Sallow.

#TeamMoth

1 1 26

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 19

A foggy morning at Mar Lodge delayed me from hiking up to my traps until it was safe, but didn't deter the moths!

586:34 Angle Shades 4, Dark Sword-grass 8, Black Rustic 1 and Small Wainscot 1 were NFM.

Also had 5 Beautiful YU, 30 Dark Arches, 1 Northern Arches and 2 Cousin German.
#TeamMoth

Spotted another Light Knot-grass caterpillar feeding openly on the heather. No adults in the trap though.

1 27

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 18

A scorcher of a day at Mar Lodge, even at 8pm last night when I was setting up my traps!

But it was worth the sweaty hike through the heather, with 546:32.

31 Autumnal Rustic, a Cousin German, 5 Dark Arches, 15 Golden-rod Brindle, 2 Minor Shoulder-knot and 3 Northern Deep-brown Dart

#TeamMoth

A slight mist this morning in Braemar after the heat yesterday. Not as thick as the Haar by the time I got to Aberdeen!

The grey form of Northern Deep-brown Dart

A Beautiful Yellow Underwing and Broad Bordered YU

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 17

499:37 down on the Dee in Braemar last night. It was stunning in the mist this morning, check out these beautiful cobwebs.

Light Knot-grass was NFM (although I've found many caterpillars this summer).

Also 6-striped Rustic, 15 Pale Eggars, Juniper and Ling pugs and 16 G-r Brindle.

#TeamMoth

A cobweb in the morning mist looking like strings of diamonds or pearls

A lovely Sallow moth resting on the heather outside my trap

2 1 23

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 16

That's such a shame! One to add to the list for travel-trapping? It's too early for me to make a list, it'd be too long! 😅 Need to get a few more years under my belt first I think.

Laura Sharp @laurasharp.bsky.social · Aug 16

*Correction: November Moth is NFM (not Autumnal, or Small Autumnal as I thought). Gosh this identification business can be tricky, can't it?