Thursday, 25 December 2008
Merry Xmas
A very happy and enjoyable Christmas and happy and healthy 2009 to all from Paul & Sue in North Wales.
Monday, 22 December 2008
Winter Moths
Had a Winter Moth by the outside light last night and also 1 Chestnut &1 Satellite at sugar and 1 Light Brown apple moth this evening.Just like to say thanks to everyone who has posted on this site over the year and I hope you all have a good holiday and a great new year(lets hope its a warm spring and hot summer):)
Brian leesey recorded,2 Satellites,1 Red Green Carpet and 1 Ypsolopha ustella,
Brian leesey recorded,2 Satellites,1 Red Green Carpet and 1 Ypsolopha ustella,
Friday, 19 December 2008
Caterpilla for id.?
Chris found this caterpillar down at Cromwell Bottom earlier today, any idea what it might be.
Cheers
Chris
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
December Moth
Anyone recorded this in Calderdale yet ? I never recorded it in Calderdale despite living and looking in what appeared to be the perfect habitat, yet here in Edern I see it regularly at light around the caravan despite the habitat seeming to be less likely to hold a population.
I assume from the lack of posts in recent times Calderdale is in its usual South Pennines " grey grot" time of year weather wise and nothing much is around ? We still get the odd Hoverfly and Bumblebee around on sunny days and moths are around most mild nights but we are also hoping for a good start to the new year with some more settled warmer weather and a much improved summer in 2009.
I assume from the lack of posts in recent times Calderdale is in its usual South Pennines " grey grot" time of year weather wise and nothing much is around ? We still get the odd Hoverfly and Bumblebee around on sunny days and moths are around most mild nights but we are also hoping for a good start to the new year with some more settled warmer weather and a much improved summer in 2009.
Free Book
Hi all
I hav just found a copy of The Flora of the Parish of Halifax by Frank Murgatroyd of the Halifax Sci Soc. This list the locations of many plant species in Calderdale so is useful for finding food plants. First come first served can have the copy free of charge, I just need a postal address.
I hav just found a copy of The Flora of the Parish of Halifax by Frank Murgatroyd of the Halifax Sci Soc. This list the locations of many plant species in Calderdale so is useful for finding food plants. First come first served can have the copy free of charge, I just need a postal address.
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Brookfoot Moths
Cresent
Green Silver lines
Beautiful China Mark
A few from Brighouse this year,Thanks to Mike and Kath
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Monday, 1 December 2008
RE.Dart species 13 August 2008(NCD)
Hi all,I've just completed my first Gen Det on the Dart species found by Nick Dawtry on the 8th August this year.Its not easy with five thumbs on each hand and two small pins,caustic soda and a micro wave to get used to.But with a good deal of patience I have identified it as a Whie -line Dart Euxoa tritici.an excellent find
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Moth for ID
Just going through some old photos and came across this moth. I found it down at Cromwell Bottom on 17th June 2007. Can anyone help me ID it?
Friday, 28 November 2008
Angle Shades
My son shouted ...Dad theres a moth on the wall...... I was suprised to see one of these.......the garden was well frozen this morning. ... as it turns out my latest by 2 weeks.
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Caterpilla for id.?
Any one got any ideas on this found today on the outside wall,Speckled Wood/Yellow Shell.?
Friday, 21 November 2008
Silence of the Lambs moth find a mystery
South Yorkshire daily Star November 1st 2008
By Staff Copy,via Yorkshire Moths and my Dad
AN EXOTIC visitor from far, far away is providing a perplexing puzzle for staff at Sheffield's Botanical Gardens.
Gardeners have found a rare Death's Head Hawk Moth – a giant of its kind famous for featuring in the blockbuster chiller The Silence Of The Lambs.
The seven centimetre moth – which can boast a wingspan of up to 13 cms when fully grown and is the largest species ever seen in the UK – was found dead in the glass pavilions.
It was taken to moth enthusiast Ed Kelly, who owns the Gatehouse Gift Shop at the gardens, for identification.
Ed called in Sheffield University etymology expert Richard Naylor, who was equally baffled by the exotic immigrant.
The sinister-looking creature's natural habitat is in southern Europe, and how one ended up in Sheffield is a mystery.
Ed said: "To see a moth like this is an incredibly rare event.
"Richard said they are sometimes blown here across the Channel but only a few arrive each year and they never breed here."
Specimens making it into the UK are sometimes found in southern England, but hardly ever make it north.
Ed added: "Richard wondered if it had been transported here in one of our plants or in the soil, but we've had no recent deliveries like that.
"It looks like it has just emerged from its chrysalis but has died perhaps because it is too cold.
"It is a bit gruesome – it has the distinctive skull marking on its back."
The moth will be on display in Ed's shop for the next few days and will then be donated to the university.
By Staff Copy,via Yorkshire Moths and my Dad
AN EXOTIC visitor from far, far away is providing a perplexing puzzle for staff at Sheffield's Botanical Gardens.
Gardeners have found a rare Death's Head Hawk Moth – a giant of its kind famous for featuring in the blockbuster chiller The Silence Of The Lambs.
The seven centimetre moth – which can boast a wingspan of up to 13 cms when fully grown and is the largest species ever seen in the UK – was found dead in the glass pavilions.
It was taken to moth enthusiast Ed Kelly, who owns the Gatehouse Gift Shop at the gardens, for identification.
Ed called in Sheffield University etymology expert Richard Naylor, who was equally baffled by the exotic immigrant.
The sinister-looking creature's natural habitat is in southern Europe, and how one ended up in Sheffield is a mystery.
Ed said: "To see a moth like this is an incredibly rare event.
"Richard said they are sometimes blown here across the Channel but only a few arrive each year and they never breed here."
Specimens making it into the UK are sometimes found in southern England, but hardly ever make it north.
Ed added: "Richard wondered if it had been transported here in one of our plants or in the soil, but we've had no recent deliveries like that.
"It looks like it has just emerged from its chrysalis but has died perhaps because it is too cold.
"It is a bit gruesome – it has the distinctive skull marking on its back."
The moth will be on display in Ed's shop for the next few days and will then be donated to the university.
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Sugaring Caution
Hi all
Not meant to be scaremongering but please be very, very careful should you decide to boil up your own sugaring mix. As you have to dissolve sugar and the mix turns into the equivalent of runny jam its very very hot when boiling (like jam it boils at a higher temp than water)and it tends to boil over if not watched and it tends to spit and splash out of the pan. If it lands on bare skin in the hot state it sticks like napalm and burns just as badly. Its got a wonderful appetising scent like sweet toffee and is irresistible to kids and pets so must never be left unattended until its cool for obvious reasons.
Second point and this request has been made many times in other forums. Please do not spread the mixture on trees with mosses and lichens on the bark as it kills the moss and lichen and thus spoils the biodiversity of the tree and spoils it for other people who prefer mosses and lichens to moths as a hobby.
Not meant to be scaremongering but please be very, very careful should you decide to boil up your own sugaring mix. As you have to dissolve sugar and the mix turns into the equivalent of runny jam its very very hot when boiling (like jam it boils at a higher temp than water)and it tends to boil over if not watched and it tends to spit and splash out of the pan. If it lands on bare skin in the hot state it sticks like napalm and burns just as badly. Its got a wonderful appetising scent like sweet toffee and is irresistible to kids and pets so must never be left unattended until its cool for obvious reasons.
Second point and this request has been made many times in other forums. Please do not spread the mixture on trees with mosses and lichens on the bark as it kills the moss and lichen and thus spoils the biodiversity of the tree and spoils it for other people who prefer mosses and lichens to moths as a hobby.
Hints on Sugaring
This is taken from the excellent 'Practical Hints for the field Lepidopterist'by J.W. Tutt,a good x-mas present to yourself and can be got from Pennine Books(link on the right of screen) run by P.Talbot.Also the new edition of Skinner is out soon.
Sugaring should be attempted side by side with sallowing. It sometimes happens that when sallows are unattractive moths may be taken at sugar, and vice versa. We are indebted to Alderson for some excellent notes on "sugaring" (Ent. Rec., i., p. 140). He states that he always uses coarse brown sugar, when procurable, but has found old black treacle quite as effective. Blackberries, gathered when ripe, and boiled down with sugar, form an excellent substitute, and is especially attractive to the Xanthiids. When laying the sugar on, it is advisable to add a little rum (methylated spirit, jargonelle, and other substitutes are also used by various collectors), every dozen trees or so, rather than to mix the whole previous to starting. It is also desirable to commence in sufficient time to allow finishing the last tree on the round before dusk, the first hour being as a rule the most productive. A long thin line (the width of the brush) almost to the foot of the tree is better than a small patch, one advantage of the former method being that the insects are not clustered so closely, and fewer escape, especially if one commences by throwing the light first at the bottom of the tree. On a windy night the majority of the moths are frequently on the lowest part of the sugar, the upper portion being almost deserted, whilst those Noctuids that fly nearest the ground are much more likely to be attracted. It is also always worth while to sugar a quantity of small-limbed trees, as these frequently pay well when the bare trunks of large trees are little patronised. It is advisable, too, to shake the brush over low-growing shrubs, and also to carefully let a drop of sugar fall on the centre of thistle and other composite flowers, or to sprinkle a little over the flower-heads of Eupatoriur. Be careful also to keep at work on the same ground, the moths appear to congregate more on a round that is continually worked, and the trees kept constantly sugared. Changing ground does not usually prove particularly productive, especially for the first few nights, besides, the fact that more sugar is required on a new round is important, an old round wanting very little to freshen it up. Boxes should always be ready when renewing old sugar, as many species, early on the wing, will be found already at the bait, and, the spirit having evaporated from the latter, these early-comers are usually exceedingly wary.
Sugaring should be attempted side by side with sallowing. It sometimes happens that when sallows are unattractive moths may be taken at sugar, and vice versa. We are indebted to Alderson for some excellent notes on "sugaring" (Ent. Rec., i., p. 140). He states that he always uses coarse brown sugar, when procurable, but has found old black treacle quite as effective. Blackberries, gathered when ripe, and boiled down with sugar, form an excellent substitute, and is especially attractive to the Xanthiids. When laying the sugar on, it is advisable to add a little rum (methylated spirit, jargonelle, and other substitutes are also used by various collectors), every dozen trees or so, rather than to mix the whole previous to starting. It is also desirable to commence in sufficient time to allow finishing the last tree on the round before dusk, the first hour being as a rule the most productive. A long thin line (the width of the brush) almost to the foot of the tree is better than a small patch, one advantage of the former method being that the insects are not clustered so closely, and fewer escape, especially if one commences by throwing the light first at the bottom of the tree. On a windy night the majority of the moths are frequently on the lowest part of the sugar, the upper portion being almost deserted, whilst those Noctuids that fly nearest the ground are much more likely to be attracted. It is also always worth while to sugar a quantity of small-limbed trees, as these frequently pay well when the bare trunks of large trees are little patronised. It is advisable, too, to shake the brush over low-growing shrubs, and also to carefully let a drop of sugar fall on the centre of thistle and other composite flowers, or to sprinkle a little over the flower-heads of Eupatoriur. Be careful also to keep at work on the same ground, the moths appear to congregate more on a round that is continually worked, and the trees kept constantly sugared. Changing ground does not usually prove particularly productive, especially for the first few nights, besides, the fact that more sugar is required on a new round is important, an old round wanting very little to freshen it up. Boxes should always be ready when renewing old sugar, as many species, early on the wing, will be found already at the bait, and, the spirit having evaporated from the latter, these early-comers are usually exceedingly wary.
RECORDS PLEASE
Hi all,If any one has there records ready for this year(2008) could they please send them to me at my e-mail adress Thanks to those who have allready sent them in .Andy
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Red sword Grass
2 Red Sword Grass recorded at sugar last night in Todmorden from a new site also 8satellites,Chestnut and yellow line Quaker,from a new recorder called Marolyn.
BBC i player
http://www.bbc. co.uk/iplayer/ episode/b00fj265 /Inside_Out_ South_West_ 121
A small bit on a moth trapping session on i-player,if this link does'nt work you will av t cut and paste
A small bit on a moth trapping session on i-player,if this link does'nt work you will av t cut and paste
Monday, 17 November 2008
News from todmorden over the weekend
1 Feathered Thorn
9 Red Green carpet
1 Juniper Carpet
10 Chestnut
14 Satellites
3 Brick
1 angle Shades
2 Yellow Lined Quaker
6 Light Brown apple Moth
Again Brian proves there still out there in good numbers.!
I had 1 Chestnut and 2 Light Brown apple moth up here but I think Wenesday looks ok this week.
9 Red Green carpet
1 Juniper Carpet
10 Chestnut
14 Satellites
3 Brick
1 angle Shades
2 Yellow Lined Quaker
6 Light Brown apple Moth
Again Brian proves there still out there in good numbers.!
I had 1 Chestnut and 2 Light Brown apple moth up here but I think Wenesday looks ok this week.
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Only House wood/Northowram
Just about manage to sugar a few trees this evening before it got too dark ,-
1 Red Green carpet
3 Chestnut
1 Satellite(orange spots)
1 Red Green carpet
3 Chestnut
1 Satellite(orange spots)
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