Pale Brindled Beauty

After running the trap about eight times so far this year I finally caught a Moth last night, this Pale Brindled Beauty, seeing as it's my first Moth of the year I thought I'd post a few pics

First Peacock today

Peacock butterflys recorded today at Elland (NCD) and Crimsworth Dean (BL).

Request for Articles

Hi all the Moth report I have been working on for the last few years is about a year away now.Its just on the larger moths and butterflies of Calderdale(it will be aprox 80 pages long).The Micro/pyralids/Dragonflies  is a long way off  but I have started it and is allready 50+ pages long .If any one has any drawings sketches ,articles,poems,stories,news paper articles, etc about moths or mothing in calderdale between 1999 and 2010/11...I am looking to add them to the report.Please forward to me at e-mail on right hand side.by the end of this year...

Competition time

This year I am running a competion for  the best photo on the blogg in 2011 ,it does not have to be rare or scarce but it has to be from Calderdale (its open to all )(Nick Carters photo of the two peppered moths in cop is still my favourite) .The prize is this limited edition of Porritts list published by the YNU and Butterfly consevation 2011  Porritt lived in Huddersfield and published the first lists of Yorkshires Moths and Butterflys  1883 - 1922 and there are many local old records from Huddersfield / Halifax and the rest of Yorkshire its a great read .So get snapping and lets hope for a good year

Northern Egga,r collage

Thought id try a collage of some stages of Northern Eggar,with 1st and final caterpillar instars shown.while things are a bit quiet .regards Bri.

Whiteholme Drain 28 01 11

Plenty of these 395 Glyphipterix haworthana,larval spinnings about at Whiteholme Drain,and Langfield Common,this was spun up on Crowberry.regards Bri.

Spiders

Hi There

In the absence of moths here in Hebden Bridge (so far) I have turned my attension elswhere. This spider was found in the doorframe I was refurbishing this week. As far as I can tell it is Amourobius similis (female). Hopefully some moths to post soon.

A new Guide to Difficult Species

The British and Irish moths: an illustrated guide to selected difficult species (covering the use of genitalia characters and other features) has been produced by the Moths Count project with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, John Spedan Lewis Foundation and others. The Guide is softback and spiral bound for ease of use. It runs to 91 pages and contains over 130 colour illustrations. Written by moth experts Martin Townsend, Jon Clifton and Brian Goodey, the aim of the Guide is to make available information on the identification of difficult macro-moths, beyond what is currently available in the field guides. 72 larger moth species (plus their subspecies and forms) are included. This Guide provides the next step for those wishing to make a definitive determinations of difficult moths such as ear moths, dark/grey daggers, copper underwings and the November Moth group. As such, much of the Guide is focussed on genitalia characteristics, although there are discussions of other characteristics such as wing markings.


Copies of the Guide are available from Butterfly Conservation (http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/product/5209/difficult_species_guide.html or 01929 400209) and from specialist retailers. The recommended retail price is £20, but it is available at a special initial offer price of £15 plus £2 post and packaging to UK addresses. All proceeds received by Butterfly Conservation will be used towards ongoing moth recording.

Best wishes
Zoe
Dr Zoë Randle

Moth Recording Co-ordinator, Moths Count

zrandle@butterfly-conservation.org



http://www.mothscount.org/

1st for 2011 for me

Had an hour at Knottwood,just one Chestnut on a juncus stem,its a start !!

Saturday evening..cancelled now sunday if weather is any better

I am meeting Brian at the shepard rest just up from Mankinholes at 4.45,going up to Langfield common looking for larvae .bring a torch....Anyone need a lift leave a message below Im passing through Halifax ,Hebden and luddenden......

Interesting article rom birdguideshttp://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2510

It's warmed up!

Got moth trap out tonight, optimism eh?

Provisional atlas of the Larger moths of the UK.

Hot off the Press – Provisional Atlas


The Provisional Atlas of the UK’s Larger Moths is available NOW! This long awaited publication is the first of its kind for almost 30 years. Up-to-date distribution maps for over 850 macro-moth species have been generated from the National Moth Recording Scheme (NMRS) database. The maps show both historical (pre 2000) and current (2000 onwards) records.

A huge amount of effort from County Moth Recorders, Record Collators and the Moths Count team has been undertaken to produce the atlas, which runs to 455 pages! Without the support of the network of County Moth Recorders, moth recorders on the ground and our financial and in-kind supporters this milestone could not have been reached. Many thanks to everyone involved.

The atlas is the culmination of four and a half years of the Moths Count project and NMRS but only the first step towards helping our declining moth fauna. We are already working on analyses of the data, taking account of the changing recording effort over time. You can help as well. The Provisional Atlas maps indicate under-recorded areas and species that you could target this year. Targeted recording improves our knowledge of moths and ultimately their conservation.

The recommended retail price of the Provisional Atlas is £20 (plus P&P). However, because of your interest in Moths Count and support for the NMRS, we are offering it to you at a discount rate of just £12.50 (plus £5.00 P&P). All proceeds will be used to support ongoing moth recording. To get your copy please complete the order form at the back of this issue of E-moth. Alternatively you can order your copy online by clicking this link www.butterfly-conservation.org/mothatlas.

Magazines

I have a few copies of the Entomologists Bulletin and some other bits and pieces surplus to requirements. Happy to post these on to anyone who wants them otherwise its the recycling centre.

Happy New Year to you poor sods back in cold wet Calderdale ;-))

Withens Clough

Hi All

Does anyone fancy a chilli night round a moth trap. I recon on one of the milder nights if we can pick one we may have some success despite it being the 'closed season'

This cant happen at Withens Clough however as the car park is closed till the autumn due to civil engineering works.

Winston

Last Moth of the year

with this milder weather I've been keeping an eye out for Moths and saw nine within 100 yards of the trap last night and hey presto managed to catch this Mottled Umber, a good finish to a good year, now to start this year.....

HNYear

Hope you all had a great new year and lets hope 2011 is as good as last year in Calderdale for moths and butterflies.Martyn reports moths around his trap[ last night....cheers all.............

Meadows Edge 11 12 10

Nearly forgot about this,found 11 male Winter Moths on the surface of a small pond, recued 6 which were thought dead which came around when placed on Birch trees.there must have been quite a movement the previous night 10 11 12 which was in between the two Freezes.they must be very hardy as some of the moths were on the ice !! and were perfectly ok when placed on trees ! regards Bri.

2010...A quick look back on a great year

January and February

A quick look back at the year in photos,many thanks to all who have posted and those who have just had a look ..Merry Holidays

March

April

May

June

Awesome July

August

Undoubtedly the highlight of the year this Devon Carpet found at Hardcastle craggs..also Small wainscot,Gray Moutain Carpet and Lime Speck Pug.

September

A realy excellent month with record numbers of Red Underwing,Angle striped Sallow and Flounced chestnut .

October

Merville du Jour at Broadhead Clough was an excellent find along with small autumnal moth

November

Good Numbers of Winter Moths recorded

December Highlights

Mottled Umber female emerges from larvae found at Knott wood in May

Ogden winter visitor

Found this moth (above) on the notice board at Ogden on Monday 13th Dec.... is it a winter moth?

Chris

MERRY X-MAS......

Bingo,,,this emerged last night from one of the cats found in a folded birch leaf  at Knott wood on the 20th May this year with Bri and Martyn .When I looked in the tub the whole thing was frozen solid (it was -9 in the garage) I thought it must have been frozen to death )I saw the slighteast movment and within 30 seconds of it been blown on it was up and moving around.....Fantastic Female Mottled Umber..

Request for speakers from Hx. Scientific. Soc.

If there are any entomologists who might enjoy giving a short talk to the Society we have recently lost our ex-member Roy Crossley, who has finally decided the journeys from York are getting too much. It's fair comment. I wouldn't fancy travelling to York just for the evening. He has been very gracious to us over the years and taught us a lot, starting many on a lifelong interest in insects, if not the dedicated specialism to one group that he has (flies).

Any talk does not have to be a full-scale university level lecture. An hour or less, even half an hour, would be very acceptable. A set of or just a few slides or digital images are usually shown, though not always. We have both kinds of projector. Subjects that can broaden our outlook on rambles are popular with members.

Some of us tend call at Wetherspoons after the talk, which take place in the downstairs room of the library, at 7.15, on the second Tuesday of each month.

We can pay a fee. Anybody interested can email me on steve.blacksmith@btinternet.com or my tel. 01422 348222. (I need speakers for 2011 booked within the month really, to get the programme printed.)

Moorwatch website

The following website may be of interest, it has been set up by Pennine Prospects as a means for the public to report damaging activities on our moorlands (eg illegal off roading etc)

http://www.moorwatch.com/

Bransdale, North Yorkshire

Spent a weekend in the remote valley of Bransdale (VC62) in the middle of the North Yorkshire Moors. On Friday there were plenty of moths on the wing soon after dark 20+ epirrita sp and the next night this very nice male 1933 Scarce Umber. Also found a peacock hibernating in outbuildings. I have also spent some time this last week or so looking for the females of flightless winter species but no luck here. Sorry to go off the Calderdale subject, Winston

Knottwood18 11 10

Got about 3/4 of an hour in then heavens opened ! did find 5 Winter Moths and possibly 2 Northern Winter Moths which were larger with whitish hindwings pic included,as well as this either worn Scarce Umber or unseasonal Dotted Border ?although very worn the dots on fore and hindwing are prominent ! regards Bri.ps no females found but definately going to keep trying,tried from dusk,all were on birch trunks on the 1st couple of feet.

2010....Records

Well what a fantastic year it was after the very cold start..Some realy great local records and well done to all those who have been out collecting records from all parts of calderdale. Must apologise for lack of posts recently but been unendated with the horrible four letter word...WORK...yuck.Also many thanks to all who have posted throughout the year on the blogg all post are important to keep us all up to date  .If any one has any records for this year I would very much appreciate them..Cheers all....

Late sighting of Peacock

A lone Peacock butterfly was seen flying and basking in warm sunshine in fields near Miry Lane, Sowerby today.
Philip

Late Peacock 16 11 10

Hi all me and Ros saw a Peacock Butterfly today near Orchan Rocks,think its the latest we have seen.

Flightless Winter Moths - trapping!

This 1938 Wills Cigarette card shows how the application of grease around the circumference of a tree can be used to trap the ascending flightless females.

A search on Ebay for "Moth trap" will show various products, at this time of year, that can be used for this purpose.

I am wondering if any of these could be adapted so that the moths are not harmed but merely slowed down enough to be photographed and then released............?

Last GMS

1 Light Brown Apple Moth........................................................