Cold Edge -9th August

 I keep going back to these photos and I still can't get my head round this one - any thoughts welcome.

Sat 4th 8.30pm Bat & Moth night.

 Saturday 4th September, CREATURES OF THE NIGHT.

We have a bat walk, with detectors, looking for Noctule, pipersrelle,and daubentons. 8.30pm at the cabin.

You never know what you may see, big juicy spiders, owls calling or watching you, or Mr Foxy running off.

On return to cabin after the Moth trap should be starting to simmer nicely. Hopefully with a few specimens already potted.

Start time for bat walk 8.30pm arrivals from about 8PM onwards.

Dont sit watching rubbish on T.V. - get out and get hands on.

Walk is round reserve, stout footwear, coats to suit evening, torch would be very useful.

We hope to see whoever then.

Lee Mount etc....

 Not a lot to report from the last few days.

Wall Brown butterflies still around with ones below from Cold Edge and Ringby Lane still at least up to 29th August

Wall

Not a lot doing with the moths in the recent cool evenings and northerly winds but a nice Campion this morning (30th )

Campion

Not a lot else other than 2 Small Phoenix, Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustics and 2 Mouse Moths.

Barred Sycamore Pygmy

Found this vacated Stigmella speciosa mine this morning near Spring Hall sport's ground. Not something you see every day😊

Soil Hill.....

So warm up there this afternoon - most unusual for that location.

Butterflies were the stars of the afternoon along Ned Hill Road and the track as well as on the top and by the mast but the best spot was on the north slope where Buddleia bushes, self seeded, were in full flower. I gave up counting Peacocks after I got up to 35.... also on the bushes were a few Red Admirals, Small Tortoiseshells, Small Coppers and 2 Wall Browns.

Wall Browns total was at least 10 over the whole site but there were probably more that I missed though generally they favoured the dusty tracks and bare area and of course the stone walls.

A few Green-veined Whites were also around and just one Meadow Brown

Moths included 

Yellow Shell x 1

Shaded Broad-bar x 2

Latticed Heath x 1

Also micros that I suspect were Udea lutealis though they were looking quite faded.

Latticed Heath

Yellow Shell

Beacon Hill

 Speckled Wood 2

Svensson's Copper Underwing

My sugaring post and butterfly feeder I posted about a couple of weeks back now has regular vistors butterflies, flies and wasps daytime and moths at night usualy on the sugar. Last night sitting out late sipping a beer or in the dark I thought I saw a moth hovering over the banannas in the tray and sure enough when I got the torch out I saw four moths of the same species feeding on the bananas. By the time I got the flash working on my phone two of the moths had flown off but dureing the course of the next 2 hours there were never less than 2 feeding. On netting one and checking it this morning I think its Svenssons Copper Underwing not Copper Underwing but I have since let if go as I have no interest in killing it just to satisfy my couriosity and even if I did it would only prove which species I dissected not what the others were. So as longer as Andy is okay I will record as copper underwing agg. The really interesting part of this sighting fore me was the fact they totally ingnored the sugar mix the whole time I was looking at them despite other species feeding on the sugar, the underwings only ever fed on Bananna and ignored the sugar and the scented plants below the feeder. I will try and look most nights now to see what takes bannanas in preference to the sugar mix.

Elephant Hawk Cats

The larvae of this species are all just about fully developed and almost reaady to pupate now. If you want to find some to rear through and over winter for next year they are at their easiest to find now and most decent sized patches of Rosebay Willowherb will have at least one larvae. The easiest way to find them is to pick a sunny late afternoon or very early evening whilst the sun is still hot and on finding your rosebay bend down/kneel and look upwards from below the plants and you will see any larvea present as a large silhouette near the top of the plant where they are getting some sun. I dont know wny they do this but it maybe they need to speed up and food digestion before they pupate. They wont be on the top of the leaves but hung under a leaf or hanging from a stem. Its easy enough to bag a few to rear through to pupation and overwinter in a shed out doors in a pot or tub filled with peat.

This is one I found out in the open so I suspect it could well have parasite"s" in it causing it to sit out in the open. One year I reared through some cats of this species and on opening the container they were overwintering in early spring to check on them an enormous ichneumon wasp flew out and scared the crap out of me :)

Lee Mount - 24th August

 Nineteen moth species in and around the trap this morning. Just three of note.

Centre-barred Sallow

Copper Underwing agg

Small Square-spot (Forewing 13mm)

Fly Flats this afternoon - 1 Black Darter and a Common Hawker - both appeared as the sun came out - briefly. Red Admiral, Peacock and 6 Green-veined Whites around at the north end of the reservoir. 

Also a dead mole. I turned it over and... hey ho .... c12 Sexton Beetles ran for cover.

Shibden Valley

 Cinnabar caterpillar on Ragwort

Swales Moor

 Ringby Lane this morning. With  the NE wind I went down the west slope where it was sheltered and very hot. A really good spot on the day for butterflies though others were along the track up to the top field.

Gatekeeper 

Small Copper

Totals

Wall x 7, Small White x 2, Small Tortoiseshell x 8, Small Copper x 7, Gatekeeper x 1, Peacock x 11, Red Admiral x 1

Also moths - Udea lutealis x 4 and Shaded Broad-bar x 2

I also got a message from Andy H with a Red Underwing on a wall at  Calderdale Business Park.but not yet  been able to transfer the photo/video from Andy. Thanks Andy. A great find. 

Slack Bottom

 Small Copper 2

Lee Mount

One from 19th August - very tiny micro 5mm (CF reponse)- looks good for Stenolechia gemmella

Not sure of it's status locally as I can only find one 'dot' (Elland area) on the map I have on Yorkshire Moths. Not sure how up to date the map is though !

Nothing much else doing with the rain and drizzle last few nights but there seems to be a reasonable show of Antler Moths and Udea Lutealis locally on Ragwort.

Also - another Wall butterfly on Lavender in the local churchyard this morning

Stainland.

 Seven moths last night, a nice selection.

 

3 x Marbled Beauty (2 deep orange - brown, 1 grey)

2 x Willow Beauty

2 x Double Stripped Pug

1 x Eudonia lacticolella

1 x Blastobasis lacticolella

1 x  Brimstone

1 x  Flounced Rustic

Flounced Rustic

 

 

Beacon Hill

Wall 1

 

Stainland.

Four moths last night, the end of the moth season is drawing closer, I think.

 

1 x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Buff Footman

1 x Bird Cherry Ermine

I thought I'd post the Footman as the last one was quite worn, this is in good condition. It's only the second time I've seen one and I get two close together.

Buff Footman

Bird Cherry Ermine

 

Lee Mount.....

Not a lot to report from the trap the last few days. Probably the best ones have been a Willow Beauty, Mouse Moth, Mother of Pearl and Shuttle-shaped Dart with plenty of Large Yellow Underwings up to 37.

Mother of Pearl

 

Large Yellow Underwing with a Mouse Moth

Also this afternoon we found a single Antler Moth on ragwort at Withens Clough reservoir.

Earlier today along Ringby Lane (near Ploughcroft) there were at least 4 Wall Browns along the length of the track. It was the most common butterfly up there this morning.

Wall

Stainland. Moths from 13th Aug. to 16th Aug.

Updated post: Andy gave ne the IDs for the two I got wrong.

Another catch-up set of records. Health problems got in the way again. I seem to be recoving well now.

 I try to examing wing damage and markings as much as possible, to rule out duplicate counts, It isn't alway easy, or possible.3 x

13th Aug

 6 x Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing (A record number for me. See party of 4 below).

2 x Straw Dot

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Blastobasis adustella

1 x Blastobasis lacticolella

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Buff Footman Eilema depressa

1 x Lesser Yellow Underwing

1 x Anter Moth

Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing

 

Anter Moth

 

Buff Footman Eilema depressa

 

Lesser Yellow Underwing

 

Have other people found a higer than normal amount of Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing this year?

14th Aug.

3 x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Small Phoenix 

1 x Mother of Pearl

15th Aug.

2 x Small Phoenix

2 x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 

2 x Udea prunalis

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Marbled Beauty

16th Aug.

3 x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Marbled Beauty.

I'm up to date again now.

 

Ogden golf course

 From yesterday (16th)

Small Copper x 1 at Carrs Beck - lower end of Ogden golf course. Also 12+ Green-veined Whites and a few Meadow Browns.

Nearby at Stodfold, the lower end of Hunter Hill - Wall Browns x 2 together on the dirt track leading from Mixenden Reservoir towards the golf course.

Not much to report on moths other than a Dingy Footman and an Angle-striped Sallow on 13th August and a Swallow-tailed Moth on 16th with one or two Copper Underwing agg started turning up the last few days.

Chilo phragmitella

 Chilo phragmitlela sent in by Anthony Arak found at the lowest point of Calderdale and a new species for the area...fantastic record..

Poplar Hawkmoth

 

Shibden

 This moth is in our bedroom. Length 17mm. ?ID

A tricky ID.........

 FW 10mm. Found at night feeding on the garden Buddleia.....

Cold Edge

Small Copper 2

Peacock 1

Golden rod Brindle x 6 !!!!

 Anthony Arak ran his trap on Norland moor last night and what a catch of 6 Golden Rod Brindle....Thanks Anthony and good luck on the next visit....

Stainland.

Re-edit with correct ID on 13 August.

5 x Lesser Broad-brodered Underwing - I've never seen so many of these before, some years I've not seen one. It seems to be a good year for them.

1 x Small Phoenix - Again, I've had lot more than normal this year.

2 x Blastobasis adustella

1 x  Small Phoenix

1 x Willow Beauty 

1 x Wave of some sort. I thought it was going to be easy, It seems to be very worn. I was hoping the two yellow / brown spots, one each side of the thorax, would help. It didn't. Could someone have a look at these last two pease? Thank you.

 

Mother of Pearl. (Thanks to Stewart for that).

 

 1 x  Lesser Yellow Underwing TBC - I not 100% sure about this one. It's a first for me anyway.

Lesser Yellow Underwing TBC

 

Cold Edge

Need help with this one from yesterday afternoon in the sunshine.................nearest I can get is Barred Chestnut but maybe not, (am I missing something) I could be way out  ? !!!

On second thoughts I'm wondering about the more likely Least Yellow Underwing - at the time I  should have disturbed it - perhaps the best clue is hidden?

Also at home the last couple of days - the best of a decent bunch !

Pine Carpet

Orange Swift

Stainland.

 ID for  Rivulet  to Twin Spot Carpet, corrected on 13th August. Thank you Stewart.

 

Quite busy last night (for me).

3 x Blastobasis adustella

4 x Blastobasis lacticolella 

2 x Small Phoenix - 1 black, 1 brown

1 x Garden Carpet

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Rivulet - In a better condition that the one the other day

1 x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing - I've not seen one this colour before, so I'm psoting  it

Twin spot Carpet

 

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
 

Also today:

10 x  Large White butterflies

2  x Small Tortoiseshells

Cold Edge

This afternoon. Pretty good conditions with some warm sunshine and a light breeze.

Painted Lady x 1

Small Skipper x 1

Ringlet x 2 (looking much on their last legs - so to speak)

Small Heath x 1

Just a few Meadow Browns

An encouraging number of Peacock and Small Tortoiseshells.

Still loads of Green-veined Whites - they seem to like the juncus areas.

Also some moths - to check photos yet - but there were certainly some Ear Moths on ragwort.

Stainland.

 7th August.

1 x Common Rustic (or Lesser Common Rustic?)

1 x Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing -  I've had several of these this year.

Common Rustic

 

 

Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing

 

Stainland. Peacock Butterfly.

 Take a look at the amazing Peacock butterfly in the link below, it's impressive.

https://youtu.be/ijEzz5pSlaQ

Stainland. Part two of 14th July to 6th August moth record.

This post has been amended after Edward and David kindly corrected some of my faulty IDs. Thank you.

Sorry for the delay, I had a bit of a dip in my health. I know you were all waiting with baited breath, for the next installment of my cliff hanger.

There are a few here which I'd be grateful if someone could either verify, or correct them please.

There is always the possibility of some moths staying here for a day or two, (or five!). I try to check their markings or wing conditions but the odd one may slip through. During the day, almost all the moths disappear, to return in the evening, or the following eveing sometimes.

23rd of July.

1 x Beautiful Plume

1 x Common Footman

1 x Willow Beauty

4 x Marbled Beauties

 

25th July

2 x Small fanfoot wave

2 x Willow Beauties - One quite badly damaged, poor thing

1 x Edonia lacustrata

2 x Phoenix

Phoenix

 

27th July

 

1 x Muslin Footman  - A first for me, a nice moth

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Lesser Broad Borderd Underwing

1 x Blastobasis adustella - My first this year, they seem very sparse.

1 x Common Wainscot

1 x Unknown, photo attached. I don't suppose it can be ID'd,, but I thought it's long antennae might be a clue. It was about 10 feet away, taken with a telephoto lens.

 

 

28th July 2021

4 x Marbled Beauties

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Yellow Shell - This is the best photo of one that I've taken, they really are lovely.

 

 Yellow Shell

31st July

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Rivulet - Another first for me

Rivulet

 2nd August

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Willow Beauty

I usually only see one Small Phoenix per year. This year, like so many species, I've had quite a few, all in different states of repair.

3rd August

1 x Udea lutealis

1 x Small Magpie

1 x Dark Arches

Dark Arches

4th August

3 x Lesser Broad Borderd Underwing - First time I've seen one flying, amazing colour

1 x Brimstone 

1 x Udea lutealis - Darker the the other one in thos post. Only the fourth I've seen, the first was in Whitby.

1 x Udea prunalis

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Blastobasis lacticolella

1 x Common White Wave

 

Common White Wave

2 x Lesser Broad Borderd Underwing

5th August

2 x Willow Beauties

2 x Marbled  Beauties 

1 x Brimstone

6th August

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Agriphila tristella - Common Grass-veneer TBC. I'm not very good with this species. I think I       got it right.

 

Agriphila tristella Common Grass-veneer TBC

Right, I'm up to date now. It's been trying for me, I'm going to rest for the afternoon. (Poor old sod!)