Rishworth - 13th and 14th June - Overnight Moths

Some quite good nights in the trap past two nights...

Moth trap 13th June:
Pale Shouldered Brocade x2 [NFG]
Shoulder Striped Wainscot x1 [NFG]
Heart and Dart x9
Ingrailed Moth x3
Poplar Hawk x1
Elephant Hawk x1
Clouded Bordered brindle x2
Rustic Shoulder Knot x3

Moth Trap 14th June:
Middle Barred Minor x1 [NFG]
Dark Brocade x1 [NFG]
Large Yellow Underwing x4
Peppered Moth x6
Ingrailed Clay x7
Marbled White Spot x1
Rustic Shoulder Knot x4
Clouded Bordered Brindle x4
Heart and Dart x12
Marbled Minor Agg. x5
Common Pug x1
Pale Shouldered Brocade x2
Flame Shoulder x1
Common White Wave x1
Lesser Swallow Prominent x2
Iron Prominent x1

                                                     Dark Brocade - Above and Below

Srainland.

A very small find today in Robber Doddge. Plus one moth from our door.

2 x Small Skippers.
1 x Small Tortoishell.
1 x Garden Carpet moth.

Both skippers were nectaring on brambles, you can see their probiscus's. I've always struggled to get good, crisp shots of Skippers. These could have been better, but they were some12 feet away. My zoom lens was at full extention. Most high power zoom lenses suffer at full extention, focus and contrast tend to be degraded.  I shouldn't complain really,  they are better than I've done before.

Small Skipper.

Small Skipper.

Lee Mount - 15th June

Muggy overnight so I certainly expected something this morning
Only 18 moths but I was not disappointed.
Small Elephant Hawkmoth x 1 This was a first for here though I did see them on Norland Moor on 21st June 2016
Green Pug x 1
Tachystola acroxantha x 4
Ingrailed Clay x 2
Heart and Dart x 4
Light-brown Applemoth x 1
Clouded Silver x 1
Chrysoteuchia culmella x 1
Small Magpie x 1
Common Pug x 1
Unidentified Pug x 1 that got away !

 Green Pug - had me baffled for a while till I zoomed the photo to see the fading green colour

Small Elephant Hawkmoth

Pennine Way

I think this is a Four-spotted Chaser. 4 of them were flying over the pond that is beside the junction of the Pennine Way and the track to Whiteholme.

Lee Mount - 14th June

This morning - some water in the trap but thankfully the moths in there were not effected.
Electrics OK too !

Elephant Hawkmoth x 1
Heart and Dart x 7
Tachystola acroxantha x 3
Brimstone Moth x 1
Clouded-bordered Brindle x 2
White-spotted Pinion x 1 - looking pretty worn
10mm Scoparia ambigualis x 1 - or maybe subfusca, or what ( they are a tricky bunch, them and Eudonias)

Scoparia .....(???)

Argyresthia cupressella Very small micro 5mm max  - checked by CF

Also referred to as the Cypress Tip Moth. Apparently a North American species first found in Britain in 1997 and may have been introduced by imported conifers.

Ghost Mots

The first 'lekking ' Ghost Moths tonight with 14 males and 2 females seen , 1 Foxglove Pug and Silver ground Carpets....The second generation of Small Tortoiseshells were out today...

13th June

Common Pug x 1
Freyer's Pug x 1
Elephant Hawkmoth x 3
Pebble Prominent x 1
Flame x 1
Spectacle x 1
Heart and Dart x 4
Common marbled Carpet x 1
Cinnabar x 1
Small MAgpie x 2
LBAM x 2

Shibden Valley

Large White (female I think) feeding on a geranium.

Lee Mount -10th June (continued)

Found this Pug on the shed this afternoon - they are all puzzlers !
Prominent discal spot and a dark abdominal band.

Suspecting..... Freyer's Pug ? (WL 10mm)

Chimney Sweep

Chimney Sweep moth seen yesterday in field at Lower Hartley Farm, Todmorden. 

Lee Mount - 10th June

Not a lot but just a few last night....
Brimstone Moth x 1
Common Swift x 1
Common Marbled Carpet x 1
Elephant Hawkmoth x 1
Unidentified Pug ? x 1
Cabbage Moth (TBC) x 1

 Just not quite sure about this one - suspect Cabbage Moth ?

? Pug - not giving much away 22mm wingspan

Common White Wave from 9th June

Rishworth - 9th June - Overnight Moths - Eyed Hawk and another Marbled White Spot [or two...]

A fantastic night for the temperature last night with a Eyed Hawk Moth and two more Marbled White Spot putting in an appearance.

Moth Trap 9th June:
Eyed Hawk Moth x1 [NFG]
Flame x1 [NFG]
Marbled White Spot x2
Heart and Dart x9
Silver Ground Carpet x11
Marbled Minor Agg. x1
Common White Wave x1
Brown Silver Lines x5
Lesser Swallow Prominent x1
Coxcomb Prominent x1
Iron Prominent x2
Large Yellow Underwing x1 [NFY]
Clouded Bordered Brindle x3
Rustic Shoulder Knot x2
Flame Shoulder x1

                                               Marbled White Spot

                                               Eyed Hawk moth

Butterfly cats for ID

I had a wander round Milner Royd NR yesterday and came across two caterpillar species feeding on nettles. My books aren't that great on butterfly larvae but I suspect they are Peacocks and Painted Lady (c25mm), can anyone confirm?

The management team mowed the majority of the meadow area last year presumably to remove the rank vegetation, mainly brambles, but with the dry spring, there is now little vegetation at all in many parts, hopefully this will correct itself when more normal rainfall comes.

Lee Mount - 8th June

Just six moths this morning but it's still better than the last few days !
Heart and Dart x 4
Silver-ground Carpet x 1
Shoulder-striped Wainscot x 1

Shoulder-striped Wainscot

Stainland.

At 11 pm last night, there was a Brimstone moth on our door, about 16 inches from the floor. The rain was being lashed about with a strong, gusty wind. I took one photo and came in. The shot is a little soft focus, I expected that. It's good enought as an ID. This specimen, is the brightest yellow Brimastone I've seen, but it doesn't really show that in the photo. It nust be a fairly new moth.

Brimstone moth.

Rishworth - CF Update

Yes as promised in last night's post I have a CF update and the micro in the house last night was..... indeed a Large Pale Clothes Moth! This is the 15th for Yorkshire and 6th for VC63 which I am rather excited about. I also managed to get a much better picture too, which by my photography standards is quite good.

Any comments welcome.....

Early June

Anyone got a last date for Orange Tip or Green Hairstreak this week..??

Luddenden this week

A quite week here in Luddenden for the first week of June with only a few Moths nightly, highlights were this Yellow-barred Brindle - only the second record here - and Broken-barred Carpet

Yellow-barred Brindle

Broken-barred Carpet

Poplar Hawkmoth

This Poplar Hawkmoth from eggs laid last July emerged this morning

Rishworth - Fox Moths and Large Pale Clothes Moth that is sent to CF

Today at 08:50 a.m the Fox Moths eggs hatched and at 2 p.m they were released on to a patch of Bramble.


This evening at 21:05 p.m I found a micro moth in the house, I can tell it is a Tineidae and pictures have been sent to CF and confirmation or correction will hopefully come through in the next day or two. I most certainly suspect Large Pale Clothes Moth.

Hollas Bridge and Update 06 06 20

1 Common Blue , 1 Large Skipper , 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Small Heath..

Nat Pownall recorded Herald and Common Swift at her allotment in Mythomroyd this week with a torch and net ,well done Nat .An hour with torch and net just after dark at this time of year is very productive

Ian Hargreave from Keighley sent a very informative email this week and points out just how local some species are .......

I have done particularly well with some of the moorland specialists, e.g.

Smoky Wave - 45+ counted 10/6/18 (had my first two of the year this morning) daylight sightings.

Heath Rustic - max. 23 on 23/8/17, 11 on 23/8/19

Autumnal Rustic - max 16 26/8/17, 18 on 25/8/19

Neglected Rustic - max 18 23/8/17, 10 on 23/8/19
Dark Brocade - max 7 on 22/5/19, 7 on 21/5/20
Glaucous Shears - max 17 on 24/5/19, 18 on 8/5/20, 21 on 17/5/20

Golden-rod Brindle - 15 23/8/17
True Lover's Knot - 35 on 20/7/19

Scarce Silver Y - 15 25/7/17, 6 on 29/7/19
Light Knot Grass - 12 on 7/5/20, 18 on 9/5/20...

Why we do not record Smoky Wave is beyond me as it is common on all moors that surround us.? Alos excellent numbers of Golden Rod Brindle ( Edward this is one for you to get hopefully) ...

Also recorded this week very close to us if Beautiful Snout  thanks Mark Pearson.....

Keep an eye out for lekking Ghost Moths this week over hay meadows ....great to see...

Ogden golf course

Just a Meadow Brown this afternoon, disturbed it from a stone wall but nothing else at all up there in the blustery wind.

Another Bagworm

I had a short walk this morning and came across another new species of bagworm for myself and probably Calderdale - Luffia ferchaultella. There were four tenanted cases on the move (and no doubt many more) on a wall at Salterhebble. The cases are quite distinctive, a swept back cone shape a bit like a wizard's had. I've taken a couple to rear through.

Rishworth - 2nd June - Overnight Moths

A brilliant night last night with lots of moths including two Marbled White Spot. Update: I just found a Miller next to where the trap is run.

Moth Trap 2nd June:
Heart and Dart x12
Marbled White Spot x2 [NFG] [2nd and 3rd Calderdale individuals]
Common Carpet x1
Silver Ground Carpet x1
Common White Wave x1
Elephant Hawk Moth x1
Small Elephant hawk Moth x1
Broom Moth x1
Common Swift x1
Cinnabar x1 [NFG]
Marbled Minor Agg. x6 [NFG]
White Ermine x6
Lesser Swallow Prominent x7
Peppered Moth x1
White Spotted Pug X3 [NFG]
Lots of Micro things mostly flew away but I have 2 pics of some
Bee Moth x1
Coxcomb Prominent x1
Ingrailed Clay x1
Clouded Bordered Brindle x4
Pebble Prominent x2

                                                   Pug for ID

                                                   Marbled White Spot

Micro for ID

Micro for ID

                                                     For Andy - Here are some better shots of the pug.

Lesser Swallow Prominent cat's

The eggs collected when the female deposited on the egg box on 27th April hatched on 14th May. They seem to be growing well now and are probably around 23mm long. I lost a couple but 10 of the original 12 seem to be doing well on Silver Birch leaves.

 Lesser Swallow Prominent

I'm pleased the caterpillars match the ones on Plate 35 of 'The Field Guide to Caterpillars...!'

I'm not sure how long it will be before they pupate - hope they last till then and wonder if that will be a tricky stage (?)

I also managed to find this green caterpillar in the pot, again on birch leaves. No idea what this might be yet. Wait and see.

Oats Royd

I had a wander around there yesterday afternoon in that hot sunshine. Some very good habitat dominated by gorse and broom with some heather etc. first time on this site. I went looking for Yellow Hammer which evaded me but the butterflies were most enjoyable.

 Common Blue x 4

Also
Brimstone Moth x 5
Peacock x 1
Small Tortoiseshell x 2
Small White x 12
Large Skipper x 1
Small Heath x 12

Earlier in the day on Soil Hill with Daniel
Painted Lady x 1
Small Tortoiseshell x 1
Peacock x 1
Small Heath - abundant, all over the place

2nd June 2020

Had a walk round  behind the Ski Slope and up to Swales moor today...the whole area was crawling with  Small Heath  I lost count at 100 + , 1 Wall Brown , 2 Large Skippers , 1 Peacock ,  3 Large White , 2 Small White , 1 Small Tortoiseshell and my earliest (and prob Calderdale) ever Meadow Brown there were 2 kicking around.....a few Chimney Sweeper and a Mother Shipton.....

Rishworth - 1st June - Overnight Moths

A pretty good night considering the temperature, with most things showing up with friends.


Moth Trap 1st June:
Broom Moth x1 [NFG]
Peppered Moth x2 [NFG]
Common Swift x1 [NFG]
Lesser Swallow Prominent x5
Buff Ermine x2
Elephant Hawk Moth x1
Buff-tip x3
Brown Silver-Lines x1
Silver Ground Carpet x1
Crambus lathoniellus x1
A poss. Mompha x1
Heart and Dart x5
Clouded Bordered Brindle x3 [1 ab. combusta]

Trying to upload photographs but not working - Got it now

Add caption

Rishworth.

A mint moth or two floating around today

Warley

Lots of Chimney Sweepers today in a local meadow & one Cinnabar close to home

Cunnery Wood meadows

Had a tootle around the meadow this lunchtime. Not much about


Orange Tip x2
Speckled Wood x1
Large White x2
Chimney Sweeper x15


Common Blue Damselfly


Lots of Grasshoppers singing

Lee Mount - 30th May and 1st June

Not a lot...
Scalloped Hazel x 1
Straw Dot x 1
Tachystola acroxantha x 1
Marbled Minor agg
Common Pug x 1
White-shouldered House-moth x 1

 Straw Dot

 Marbled Minor agg - not sure which one ? 10mm max wing length and slightly arched back rather than flat on.

 Scalloped Hazel

This morning 1st June
Ruby Tiger x 1
Elephant Hawkmoth x 1
Peppered Moth x 1
Heart and Dart x 2
The local Blackbird was hanging around the trap this morning and probably took a few before I got up....! (?)

Ruby Tiger

Stainland. Fall Spring Woods area.

6 x Whites
4  x Small Tortorisell.
1 x Small Skipper (unexpected, nice).

2 x Cinnabar moths. (One flew passed me in our garden. What a beautiful splass of colour in flight).