Attracted to light at charity Butterfly Conservation's HQ in Dorset.

Sitting in my garden amongst the delicate flowers of Germander speedwell.

Purple Thorn. Always like to find these in my moth trap. They remind me of sailing ships. This was a May visitor. Hunmanby, North Yorkshire.

#teammoth #mothsmatter #paulspatch

Attracted to light in my Dorset garden recently.

Another first for me, a Red-tipped Clearwing (Synanthedon formicaeformis) attracted to pheremones outside Butterfly Conservation's HQ in Dorset.

Reared at home.

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 60mm F2.8 Macro + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 11 shots focus stacked

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 60mm F2.8 Macro + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 4 shots focus stacked

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 60mm F2.8 Macro + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 2 shots focus stacked

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 60mm F2.8 Macro + Godox V350 + Cygnustech flash diffuser - Single shot

Macroglossum stellatarum

Family – Hawk-moths (Sphingidae)

Medium/Large Sized

Wingspan Range – 50-58mm

A beautiful day flying moth, their wings beat so rapidly (70–80 times a second). They dart from flower to flower with their long proboscis uncoiled, which gives the illusion of a hummingbird 🌸

A very challenging image to catch, as they are so quick

Have a lovely day & keep exploring

Pixie 🌿

Reared at home.

Small Magpie a moth that I often see by day. It is also attracted to lights at night. Fairly common throughout the uk in lots of different habitats.

#ukwildlife #paulspatch #mothsmatter #teammoth

North Antrim, August 2021. A little bit more autumnal colour arriving in North Antrim this weekend.

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 64 shots focus stacked

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 32 shots focus stacked

North Antrim, July 2020. One of the joys of being in the woods early in the morning. #MothsMatter #moths

North Antrim, July 2020. One of the joys of being in the woods early in the morning. #MothsMatter #moths

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 208 shots focus stacked

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 157 shots focus stacked

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 60mm F2.8 Macro + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 4 shots focus stacked

North Antrim, November 2022. Getting towards the last species to appear for 2022. Then it starts all over again. #moths #mothsmatter

North Antrim, June 2023. Another scarce moth, which the local woods are home to.

North Antrim, June 2023. Another scarce moth, which the local woods are home to.

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 167 shots focus stacked

North Antrim, August 2022. Described as a scarce species across Ireland as a whole, it appears to have a north-eastern bias. This means it is one I see quite regularly. Inland almost all appear to be darker form, but move a few mile north to the coast there are many more of the paler form. #moths #mothsmatter

North Antrim - May 2023. This species is much less common than the similar Lesser Swallow Prominent in Ireland. I only get one or two a year up here, so it was a pleasant surprise to get one in the garden recently.

North Antrim - May 2023. This species is much less common than the similar Lesser Swallow Prominent in Ireland. I only get one or two a year up here, so it was a pleasant surprise to get one in the garden recently.

North Antrim, August 2022. Described as a scarce species across Ireland as a whole, it appears to have a north-eastern bias. This means it is one I see quite regularly. Inland almost all appear to be darker form, but move a few mile north to the coast there are many more of the paler form. #moths #mothsmatter

North Antrim, November 2022. Getting towards the last species to appear for 2022. Then it starts all over again. #moths #mothsmatter

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 14 shots focus stacked

A little bit more autumnal colour arriving in North Antrim this weekend.

North Antrim, August 2022. A little bit more autumnal colour arriving in North Antrim this week.

OM System OM-1 + M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO + Godox V860iii + Cygnustech flash diffuser - 28 shots focus stacked

North Antrim, June 2023. Another scarce moth, which the local woods are home to.

North Antrim - May 2023. This species is much less common than the similar Lesser Swallow Prominent in Ireland. I only get one or two a year up here, so it was a pleasant surprise to get one in the garden recently.

County Kerry - June 2022. A species I had seen in Scotland, but never in Ireland before. #mothsmatter

North Antrim - September 2022. Las year I got my first of this migrant species up here. So far this month I've seen four, including the first for the garden. #moths #mothsmatter #mothsandbutterflies

North Antrim, August 2021. A little bit more autumnal colour arriving in North Antrim this weekend.

North Antrim - October 2022. Surprise addition to the moths seen in the garden. One I usually see in the local Oakwoods. #moths #mothsmatter

North Antrim - October 2022. Surprise addition to the moths seen in the garden. One I usually see in the local Oakwoods. #moths #mothsmatter

North Antrim, July 2020. One of the joys of being in the woods early in the morning. #MothsMatter #moths

North Antrim, August 2022. A little bit more autumnal colour arriving in North Antrim this week.

County Wexford - July 2026. A quick visit to the south-east of Ireland offered an opportunity for some special moths, including this beauty. A species I have long wanted to see.

North Antrim - July 2026. A new species for me up here, and for the garden, was this stunning plume moth (well most of it).

North Antrim - August 2026. This lovely little moth is a scarce migrant, and only the second I have seen up here.

This beauty arrived in my trap last night. It very obligingly stayed still as I held it over scabious for a nice colour combination!

North Antrim - September 2022. Las year I got my first of this migrant species up here. So far this month I've seen four, including the first for the garden. #moths #mothsmatter #mothsandbutterflies

North Antrim - July 2026. A caterpillar I have been looking for, for some time. This one was on my daily walking route close to home!