Ground Zero of Amphibian Apocalypse.

I know the following is not really in line with the blog. However, as naturalists I imagine we are interested in most nature related things. This one is pretty serious unfortunately. It makes for grim reading.

Globally, the world has lost 501 species of amphibians due to a deadly fungus.

https://weather.com/news/news/2019-03-29-deadly-frog-fungus-wiped-out-90-species

Lee Mount - 29th March

I could do with some help with this one on the fence last night but not able to find it this morning (30th)
One of the 'Pinion's ??

One of the 'Pinion's ??
Update - Tawny Pinion

Ovenden Moor

We walked up from Ogden towards The Withens then across Ovenden Moor past the wind farm and back towards the top of Ogden.

As we got to the top end of Skirden Cough we had a male Emperor Moth fly right by us heading up towards the wind- farm. It was in a hurry but we got enough on it to be sure, but it wasn't staying around for a photo !

At the top of White Wall End, the clough from Ogden reservoir that heads towards Thornton Moor, we had several micro's flying low over the heather but couldn't get close to any until this one below, landed on a sprig of heather and I managed a couple of shots - hopefully enough for identification.
 It was less than 10mm.

I think maybe Philedonides lunana ??

On the way back down towards the main road we had 3 Peacock and 4 Small Tortoiseshells - and I think we passed Gordon ?? some short distance away just on his way up. But didn't realize it might be him until I saw his post below.

Ogden.

I was at Ogden today. I walked up to the quarry beyond Rock Hollow park. It was a more arduous walk than I had imagined,(owch!) It was worth it, I saw three Peacock Butterflies there. I suppose there will have been more, but I didn't see them.

I've been trying to get a good photo of one of these beauties for many years, they seem to be very skittish and off before I could take a shot. I'm pleased with the first photo of them I've managed to get.

I also saw two small tortoiseshell butterflies, (no photos). Like the last one I saw up there, they were feeding on the now fast-fading daffodils on Ogden Lane.

Peacock.

Little and large

I had what I'm assuming is a Golden Pygmy (Stigmella aurella) on my kitchen window yesterday. They are tiny but worth keeping an eye out for, I get indoors Nepticulids every two or three years.

At the other end of the scale I had my first butterfly of the year nectaring on Dandelion in Bankhouse wood. A suitably tatty individual.

Emperor

Had my first  Emperor flying on the moor at fly flatts today..

Lee Mount - 25th March

A cold night so not much in the trap this morning
Just checking this one out. I think it must be Brindled Pug but the white spots on the fore-wing and one on the under-wing threw me  a bit !

 Brindled Pug

Double-striped Pug I think, looked  a bit unusual with it's wings raised and not flat !

Also

Twin-spotted Quaker x 1

Hebrew Character x 3

Common Quaker x 3

Butterflies

Plenty Comma today on the river at Cromwell Bottom , I counted 6 and 1 Peacock in the sun .4 Small Tortoiseshell at  Northowram.

Lee Mount 23rd and 24th March

Quite a few moths over the weekend

 23rd March - Think this could be Mottled Grey ? though it wasn't easy to get a decent photo as when I disturbed it to get a shot it wouldn't stay still

 Think this is a melanic and a normal Brindle Pug both on 23rd March

A nice selection from some of the moths this morning including 8 Hebrew Character, 3 Common Quaker, 3 Early Grey and a Clouded Drab

Totals this morning 24th March

Hebrew Character x 10

Clouded Drab x 2

Twin-spotted Quaker x 2

Diurnea fagella x 1

Early Grey x 6

Common Plume x 1

Common Quaker x 3

Lee Mount - 22nd Feb

Not a bad start this morning
Common Plume x 1
Hebrew Character x 9
Early Grey x 4
Diurnea fagella x 2 (think that's a new one for here)?
Common Quaker x 1
Twin-Spotted Quaker x 1

No Chestnuts this morning after 3 yesterday along with a single March Moth.

Sent from my iPhone

Tansy Plume

An update from a trapping event at Cromwell Bottom on Aug. 19th last year, here:


http://cromwellbottom.blogspot.com/2018/08/moth-night-pics.html


I've contacted both Harry and Charlie Fletcher and it seems very likely that the small plume caught that night is Tansy Plume. It would be nice if we could find some Tansy nearby to key in with this record.

Bagworm success

Well kind of. On my way up to Norland yesterday I found this lichen covered tube at Hollas Lane. It's 20mm long, silk-lined and although mainly adorned in lichen there's about a 20% frass covering. I'm assuming it has to be Silver-barred Clothes Moth (Infurcitinea argentimaculella).

Much as I like the English names for micros this one's a real stinker as the larva feed on Lepraria lichens and NOT clothes!

Diurnea Fagella

2 pairs of diurnea fagella found tonight of beech trees in Only House Wood and 1 Chestnut..

18th ,,,10 male and 3 females , with 1 pair ' in cop'

Angle Shades Cat Head Only.

The Angle Shades caterpillar is still where it was. It changed it's position, so I was able to get a very nice shot of it's head. I decided to post it, as it's possible that not everyone gets the chance to see this amount of detail. You can clearly see it's eyes. On the left side it's a small black dot, on the right, it looks more of a brown colour.

Angle Shades caterpillar head.

Angle Shades Caterpillar.

First cat of the season for me, an Angle Shades Caterpillar. For some reason, since 2016, I've only seen green Angle Shades cats in the garden. I wonder what the conditions are that create brown ones (as well as green)?

There is a small brown ring with a whitish centre, near it's head. It's visible in the second image. It seems to be diagnostic, but I'm happy to be corrected.

Angle Shades Caterpillar.

Angle Shades Caterpillar.

Counters revisited.

Colin, thank you for the information. I took a look at it, unfortunately, it's not the one I was looking for. My blog has an "sum total of visitors" counter at the bottom.

It's the Day, week, month, year" counter top right of the screen  that stopped working months ago. See below.

I' get the feeling for digging about, that there isn't a way to get it working again. As Andy, said, I'll have to live with it. Still thanks for the help, I hope you are in good health.

Second Dotted Border.

Anne spotted this Dotted Border today, I'd missed it somehow. It's a different form than the one I posted nine days ago. It's always nice to have a few forms of the same moth. I'm hoping for a third form now (Greedy!)

Dotted Border

Orange Underwing

Had my first Orange Underwing today flying around by the Cabin and newt ponds ....and one Dotted Border in the evening,,,

Oak Beauties

A fantastic find by Matt Fawcett and Aziza Mills at Crimsworth Dean on Sunday, A pair of Oak Beauties 'in cop' .Also one Mottled Grey to an outside light...

Question.

Hi, I know this is not the place for this question, sorry. However, I have looked on the net for an answer and spoken to several people  but I still have no answer.

Some months ago, my blog stopped counting page hits. It stuck at 12 for months, then two weeks ago moved to 13 hits. Having had almost 50 hits on the latest post, I know the counter is broken but can't find out how to get it working. Does anyone know please? Thanks in advance.

Ogden & Copley

Had a good few moths at the light at Ogden, just working through ID, but the one below is really giving me issues - was going with Northern Dart or Nut Tree Tussock but not convinced on either, any help appreciated.

Also found this pupa in the garden, it was in the soil at the bottom of a rotting large wooden barrel/pot. As you can see it is rather large (1.5 inches at least). Any ideas what it might be or what to do with it. At the moment it is under some soil in a bucket in my garage. Really would like to know that this is.

Shibden

This afternoon

 Herald

This Small Tortoiseshell (I think) must be well dead as it seemed to be covered in some sort of fungus growth 

Lee Mount

Some from earlier this week...and an i d check !

 Common Quakers with a Small Quaker

 Dotted Border - melanic form but this one still shows the 'dots'

Ypsolopha ustella