Lee Mount - last week or so...

 Still very quiet here with not much at all  - but  I keep trying !

Beautiful Golden Y (21st)

Clouded-bordered Brindle (16th)

Common Marbled Carpet (18th and 2 on 21st)

Common Swift (15th and 17th)

Soil Hill and Withens Clough

Soil Hill - early evening 16th - warm and sunny - unusual conditions for that location but perfect - and quiet.

Painted Lady x 2 butterflies on the mounds just past the mast on the right

Small Tortoiseshell x 1

Withens Clough - Rudd Lane and reservoir circuit this afternoon (17th)

Large Skipper x 1

Small Copper x 1

Red Admiral x 1

Small Tortoiseshell x 1

Small Heath x 37 and counting !

Large Skipper - best I could get !

Cold Edge

Small Heath 14

Large Red damselfly 1

Ovenden Moor 15th JUne 2021.

 I spent three and a half hours walking the moor yesterday, I saw;

17 Small Heath butterflies

5 Small white's

1 Small Tortoiseshell

Also. several Skylarks. (One of my favourite bird songs.)

Two Curlews. (Another favourite bird song. They were the first I've heard this year, I was a little worried about not hearing them. My third birdsong is the Chaffinch)

Have other people noticed the scant amount of Swallows this year? We normally have a flock flying over us all day, in the village. This year, we've had very few.  We've only seen about ten at any one time. It's not a good sign.

Lee Mount - 14th /15th June

Some improvement on the 14th but this morning (15th) just one moth - Common Swift x 1

Common Swift

Coxcomb Prominent

Ruby Tiger x 2

Light-brown Apple-moth x 2

Brimstone Moth x 1

White-shouldered House-moth x 1

Clouded Silver x 1

Coxcomb Prominent x 1

Pale Tussock x 1

Elephant Hawkmoth x 1 (on the honeysuckle)

Bee Moth x 1

Middle-barred Minor x 1

Common Pug x 2

Common Carpet x 1

Freyer's Pug x 1

Unidentified Pug - melanistic

Elachista argentella x 1

Bryotropha terrella x 1 (still under consideration)

 Luddenden 6th - 13th June

still a bit quiet here even with the warm nights. not a bad selection though

Ghost Moth 1

Common Swift 3

Pebble Hook-tip 1

Common Pug 16

White-spotted Pug 1

Freyer's Pug 3

Foxglove Pug 4

Toadflax Pug 5

Broken-barred Carpet 1

Small Phoenix 1

Common Marbled Carpet 5

Silver Ground Carpet 6

Garden Carpet 1

Brimstone 2

Flame Carpet 1

Purple Bar 2

Poplar Hawkmoth 5

Scalloped Hazel 1

Pale Tussock 16 

White Ermine 5

Buff Ermine 1

Coxcomb Prominent 1

Ruby Tiger 1

Knot Grass 1

Flame Shoulder 3

Ingrailed Clay  3

Marbled Minor 2

Middle Barred Minor 3

Poplar Grey 1 (3rd record here)

Miller  2

 

Clouded-bordered Brindle 2

Campion 1

Beautiful Golden Y 1

Shoulder Striped Wainscot ?

Had a couple of these the last couple of nights. Not a species I am familiar with but is this good for Shoulder Striped Wainscot ? I know its not uncommon but nevertheless I prefer to record unknown rather than creata a false entry in my records.

Having not done any serious moth recording in the last 10 years or so its a case of relearning species I could ID at a glance years ago :(

Chimney Sweeper

Netted my first Chimney Sweeper of the year this morning in the garden. I have been checking over pignut on my daily walks and not seen one, then sitting the garden this morning one lands on the patio table !

Lee Mount - 13th June

 Still hardly anything here at all.....pretty dead for moths

Just three moths.

Freyer's Pug x 1 (pretty sure that's what it is)?

Ruby Tiger x 1

Light-brown Apple-moth x 1

Freyer's Pug

Cromwell Bottom

 Sandy Carpet, Ghost Moth, Peppered Moth, Anclys badiana, green carpets, Silver G carpets, Common Swift, Peach Blossom is just a small selection of moths that had arrived when we left at 1am

Cromwell Bottom Moth Night Tonight

 The moth night is in tonight, see the Cromwell Bottom blog, I'll be there

Ploughcroft and Claremount etc.

This afternoon, very hot but quite windy up there and just two species of butterfly. 
Wall x 2 on the sheltered side of the hill - they wouldn't stay still long enough for a photo
Small Heath x 10.

Earlier in the day in Ogden plantation open areas

Orange-tip x 1 male

Speckled Wood x 2

Later, down near the golf course I came across this very obliging female Orange-tip - I think the plant it was nectering on is Dames's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

Lee Mount - 11th June

 One I'm still puzzling this morning - I think I should know it.. but ........any thoughts?

15mm and smaller than Heart and Dart with very clear markings. Doesn't just fit Shuttle-shaped Dart or Turnip Moth (though I'm leaning towards the latter !)

Also this morning

Buff-tip x 1

Heart and Dart x 2

Small Phoenix x 1

Flame x 1

Clouded Silver x 1

Notocelia cynosbatella

Tachystola acroxantha x 2

Buff-tip

Clouded Silver

Stainland.

 Today, one Light Brown Apple moth.

Rishworth - 9th June - SILVER HOOK WITH CF UPDATE

 A very rare for Yorkshire moth in the trap this morning, it was trying to get out, so I took a picture through the plastic baffles, and when I tried to pot it, it flew off. Bugger. But I did get a record shot (If it even meets that standard) as you can make out the moth and it's markings. It was an absolutely beautiful moth.

Update: CF says that this is a superb record, and may have possibly come over from a population in Lancashire. He also says there are no Yorkshire records nearby, and this is the 3rd ever in VC63 and first for 51 years since 1 at Thorne Moors in 1970.  I, personally hope they start to breed here!

Elsewhere in the trap:

Pale Tussock x2

Peppered Moth x3

White Ermine x3 [NFY]

Silver Hook x1 [NFG] And Calderdale .......

Buff-tip x2

Silver Ground Carpet x3

Rustic Shoulder Knot x1

Pebble Prominent x1 [NFY]

Flame Shoulder x1

Marbled White Spot x1

Coxcomb Prominent x1 [NFY]

Lesser Swallow Prominent x1

Silver Hook, Rishworth

Rishworth - 5th June - Busy night!

 This is Saturday night's moths and it was quite busy, with another Muslin turning up.

Moth Trap 5th June:

Brimstone Moth x1 [NFY]

Green Silver Lines x1 [NFY]

Common Marbled Carpet x2

Marbled White Spot x1

Brown Silver Lines x1

Diamond Back Moth x1 [NFY]

Silver Ground Carpet x5

Purple Bar x1 [NFG]

Common White Wave x1 [NFY]

Muslin Moth x1

Bee Moth x1

Lesser Swallow Prominent x1

Buff-tip x2 [NFY]

Rustic Shoulder Knot x1 [NFY]

Flame Shoulder x1

May Highflyer x1 [NFG]

Ont'ops around Flints Moor

I have only managed one male Emperor Moth here this year so far, it seems to be scarce up here yet only a few miles away at Norland I used to see it regularly as well as finding larvae and pupa on a regular basis ?

Latticed Heath is very noticable on the moor with hundreds seen every day as I cross the moor and Manshead with the dog on our daliy hikes

Butterflies seen so far this year on the moor are : Green Hairstreak (one only) Small Heath and Small copper in small numbers most days, a few Orange tips and whites, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell

A nice varied mix in the garden MV so far but very very few micros and nothing of especial note so far in the macros. A better year to be honest than I was expecting up here after 4 months of snow and the deluge in May after the frosts in April.

SILVER HOOK

 Going through the trap here in Rishworth right now and there is a Silver Hook!!!, I only have a blurred picture but it should be enough

Stainland.

 I've just found a Bee Moth in the hall.

Ovenden 8-06-21

 ID please

News from Todmorden

 Got this fabulous photo from Cath Bakerin Todmorden..thanks 

Stainland.

 My second ever Flame Carpet is on the fanlight at the moment. This has a richer colour than the one I posted on the 25th May. Such a nice moth.


 

 

Flame Carpet

Lee Mount - 7th June

 A nice surprise this morning on the fence by the trap with a first for me. A really striking moth still on the fence at 20:15.

:

Alder Moth

Also this morning

Red-green Carpet x 1

Garden Carpet x 1

Small Phoenix x 2

White-shouldered House-moth x 1

Tachystola acroxantha x 3

Light-brown Apple-moth x 2

And another from yesterday on a small bit of heath along Rocks Lane, Ogden. There were 6 or more of these chasing around a patch of billberry and suspect by the dark colour and length of the antenna that they are probably Adela reaumurella (?)

Cold Edge

Small Heath 2

Also 2 Large Red damselflies, + another at Wainstalls

 Luddenden this week  1st to 5th June

Finally got going with these species this week

Common Pug  

Autumn Green Carpet

Knot Grass

Poplar Hawkmoth

Rustic Shoulder Knot

Scalloped Hazel

Small Phoenix

White-spotted Pug

Foxglove Pug

Pale Tussock

Grey Pine Carpet

Tawny-barred Angle

White Ermine

Buff Ermine

Ingrailed Clay

Bufftip

Green Carpet

5th June

Clouded Border

Foxglove Pug 2

Bufftip

Brown Silver-line 2

Common Pug 6

Flame Carpet

Knot Grass 2

Common Swift

White-spotted Pug

Lime Speck Pug

Double meaning of courtship song in a moth.

In case anyone is interested, I found this on line just now;

Double meaning of courtship song in a moth:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4100508/ 

Also, last night at 8:30 pm, Anne and I were sat in the the garden enjoying a glass or two of a very fine wine. We saw about ten Light Brown Apple moths, flying around each other, not two feet from Anne's head. Some of you may remember that one of Anne's brothers used to pretend he had a moth in his hands and was going to let it go in her face. She was very young, and terrified. This went on for a few years, she became frightened of moths.

Very slowly over the last ten years or so, I would show her moths sleeping in the garden. Last night was a break through, she held her hand out near the moths, hoping one would settle on her finger. As they moved a way, she put her hand near them again. Isn't that wonderful?

Right, I think I saw a post recently by Andy (?) mentioning moths dancing a courtship dance. I think he called it, "lecking". I'm not sure of the spelling and can't find the term online. Could someone please verify the term and give it's etymology? (Is it a local term, or an accepted one, in the moth world?). I'd be grateful, as I can't find a mention of it.

We had one LBA on the door this morning.

Lee Mount - 6th June

A really poor start to the day..... empty moth trap after what seemed a perfect night for them - mild and muggy. Just a pug to sort !

Then the day improved. 
A walk in the park woodland, we disturbed a Snout which came to rest on a leaf.  

Got home and saw something fluttering in the water down a rain gully. Took the grate off and pulled out a Herald. Put it on the house wall to dry out and after an hour or so it left unscathed. 

Herald - after a soaking !

Next, a butterfly in our neighbours garden. Painted Lady nectering on some ground cover Phlox. 

Then looked up and an adult Peregrine was circling overhead with what looked like a Starling in its 

talons. 

Painted Lady

A few from june

I am only running the MV every few nights to give the previous catch time to disperse. Not huge numbers of species so far but a nice mix and every one is a new record for the site :)

Poplar Hawk just one on 1st was nice to show my neighbours

Green Silver lines was also nice to have as I would not have expected them this high up.

Peppered Moth (not melanic)

Small Elephant Hawkmoth saved in a pot in the fridge to show my neighbours later was the first one I have seen for years though I know its not uncommon

Micros have been noticable by their absence

Nematopogon schwarziellus 2 of these on the 1st

Plutella xylostella one last night probably on its way from the huge rapeseed fields around Wakefield/ Mirfield :)

Rishworth - 2 moths but a decent one

 Very quiet last night but very pleased with one of the moths.

Silver Ground Carpet x1

Muslin Moth x1 (NFG)

I believe Muslin Moth isn't particularly common here. If that's true, should I add a picture?

Lee Mount - 5th June

Still quiet..

Silver-ground Carpet x 1

Scalloped Hazel (f nigra) x 1

Light-brown Applemoth x1

Brown Housemoth x 1

Ogden

 Small copper outside the classroom today, lots of whites fluttering about but no chance to firmly ID

Stainland.

3rd June:

1 x Bee Moth (male)

1 x Garden Carpet

Lee Mount - 4th June

 Expected more than I got overnight but still some nice moths..

Green Silver-lines x 1

Brimstone Moth x 1

Heart and Dart x 1

Garden Carpet x 1

Light-brown Apple-moth x 1

Bee Moth x 2

Twenty-plume Moth x 1

Green Silver-lines

Heart and Dart

Wall Brown

Monday at Clock Face Quarry, Barkisland

 

Rishworth - 28th, 30th, 31st of May and 2nd June - Fantastic Last Night!

 Somewhat quiet throughout the end of May but everything picked up last night. A year ago today I was getting Small Elephant Hawk Moths.

Moth trap 28th May:

Autumn Green Carpet x1 [NFY]

Lesser Swallow Prominent x1 [NFY]

Brown Silver Lines x3 [NFY]

Brindled Pug x2

Buff Ermine x1 [NFY]

Pale Tussock x1 [NFY]

Common Quaker x1

Moth trap 30th May:

Flame Shoulder x1 [NFY]

Lesser Swallow Prominent x1

Moth Trap 31st May:

Lesser Swallow Prominent x2

Moth Trap 2nd June:

Barred Hook Tip x1 [NFG]

Spectacle x1

Poplar Hawk Moth x2 [NFY]

Peppered Moth x1 [NFY]

Marbled White Spot x4 [NFY]

Silver Ground Carpet x1 [NFY]

Brown Silver Lines x1

Garden Carpet x2 [NFY]

Flame Shoulder x1

Bee Moth x3 [NFY]

Smoky Wainscot x1 [NFY]

Green Pug x1 [NFY]

Barred Hook Tip, Rishworth, 2nd of June

Marbled White Spot, Rishworth, 2nd June

Green Hairstreaks....

 Although it has been a slow year for butterfly species in general ,it seems that it has been perfect for Green Hairstreak with good numbers recorded from  18th April to 2nd June and still on the wing now with DJS reporting 10 yesterday it only shows for a couple of weeks  some years ....!! ..Many thanks for all the records . 

I was very pleased to hear that Andrew Sladdin got his first this year on Caslte Carr road after reading this blogg...All butterfly records most welcome

Stainland.

 Another first for me - a Scalloped Hazel. It's a good thing that the markings made it easy to ID. This sample has an upturned abdomen, it's been like that since 11.00 pm last night. I haven't found a photo online with one doing that. Is it quite common for them to rest with an upturned abdomen? I'm simply curious. It's a lovely moth.

Scalloped Hazel

Lee Mount - 2nd June

 Continuing slight improvement in the trap this morning

Small Phoenix x 2

Shuttle-shaped Dart x 1

Garden Carpet x 1

Flame carpet x 1

Twenty-plume Moth x 1

White-shouldered House-moth x 1

Tachystola acroxantha x 3

Gracillaria syringella x 1

Gracillaria syringella

Ogden - 1st June

 We went searching the known spots for Mother Shipton's this afternoon but failed...

No matter............

In the heath-land area we did find...

Green Hairstreaks 10+ though they took some searching for but eventually found a group chasing about and not staying in the billberry bushes for long. One pair were spiraling up and down above a short, stubby sycamore.

Silver Y x 1

Common Heath x 6

Small Copper x 1

Peacock x 1

Best shots I could get ...

Green Hairstreak - with a missing antenna 

Silver Y 

Small Copper

Earlier in the day Ringby Lane (up from the ski-slope above Boothtown) produced ..

Small Tortoiseshell x 10

Small White x 2

On the west slope of heather and bilberry

Common Heath x c20

Silver-ground Carpet x 1

Brimstone

Arrived home earlier today to find this beauty waiting for me by the door

 

Cold Edge

Female Black darter