Terrific butterfly site

The fishing pond belonging to the Farm Shop at the top of Clifton has masses of thistles around it. Although it has gone mostly to seed, there are fresh flowers opening, mostly on the creeping thistle.
Today the thistle nectar was being used by many of the 9 species of butterfly there.
Most numerous were gatekeepers (which I have only seen as singles before) and small coppers.
There were 6 peacocks in view at the same time. Others were:
Small Tortoiseshell
Green Veined white
Large White
Small skipper
Meadow Brown
Speckled Wood (in Jay House Lane.)
I'm afraid I climb over 2 barbed wire fences, entering from Jay House Lane. The proper entrance will be up at the farm. There has never been any anglers, but I go mid-day, weekdays.
The other main interest here is the only known tree sparrow colony in Calderdale.

ElephantHawkMoth?

Just found this fellow in the garden. Thought it was elephant hawk moth.If anyone would like it or could advice what to do with it i would be grateful for response

Mick Sharpe

Cat and pups

My Eggar cats just started to become lethargic and two have already pupated in the heather.
Andy's Fox Moth cats are still munching their way through the heather.
Hopefully, I might get the chance to film some of these pupating.....the Eggars started (and finished) whilst my back was turned.
I collected a couple of cocoons from Tag Loop that looked like the 5-spot Burnets that I filmed earlier this year. As all the Tufted Vetch flowers have now died back, I was wondering if these are likely to be 6-spot Burnets. Any ideas?
I'm also trying to find good sites to film Small Coppers and Purple Hairstreaks.....if the weather allows. Both should (hopefully) be still on the wing over the next couple of weeks, so any suggestions welcome. Cheers.

Heath Royd past few evenings

Not sure what first moth is, thought Small Quaker but more than likely incorrect. Any ideas? Followed by Barred Hook-tip, Antler Moth, Copper Underwing and Early Thorn. Thanks Andy C. for the useful tips/ images on blog aiding identification of Copper and Svensson's Copper Underwing. Huge numbers of Yellow Underwings giving off a drumming sound in the trap each morning! Also Pyrausta aurata and Carcina quercana micros in the trap this morning along with Clouded Border a new garden moth for me.

Cinnabar Comeback 2010

Found over 80 Cinnabar Larva in the Todmorden area this year 2010.08 didnt find a single 1,09 just 1 larva,it is no help when most of the Ragwort and vegetation has been strimmed or pulled out along the canal towpath as it as been in the Gauxholme area especially this year ! as anyone else found any caterpillars in their areas ?

Mothing in Luddenden

I've now been in Luddenden five weeks but have only just got back online, the Mothing is pretty good, highlights include


Scarce Silver Y
Blackneck
Large Emerald
Canary-shouldered Thorn
Single Dotted Wave
Small Dotted Buff
Lempke's Gold Spot (lots) among many other goodies





last night 3rd August

Small Rivulet
Brimstone
Small Fan-footed Wave
Common Carpet
Phoenix
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 5
Small Dotted Buff
Dunbar 4
Large Yelow Underwing 151
Antler Moth
Marbled Minor
Scalloped Oak 3
Common Rustic 22
Dark Arches 8
Marbled Beaty 3
Clay
Dotted Clay 2
Common Footman 3 (hundreds of these this year)
The Sallow

also have a few caterpillars growing including this one below that span a cocoon the next day, is it Emperor Moth ?




























Northern Eggar












Knot Grass (from egg - Pellon)












Small Angle Shades 4 weeks old ( from egg - Pellon)












Buff Ermine 6 weeks old (from egg - Pelllon)












Fox Moth now 8 weeks old ( from egg - Pellon)












Fox Moth - shedded Skin












Beautiful Yellow Underwing












Angle Shades 4 week old ( from egg Pellon)












Angle Shades 4 week old ( from egg Pellon from same egg batch as above )

Sourhalls Pond,02 08 10

Although windy with heavy showers the sun did show for a while,45 blue tailed,25 emerald,2 azure damsels,2 common hawker,1 brown hawker dragonflies also 7 brown china mark moths and a broom moth larva on yellow flag iris leaf possibly basking as the sun shone briefly.pic of emerald damsel,regards Bri.

Halifax Scientific Society Meeting - insects

All are welcome to the next meeting on Tues 10th August at 7.00 for 7.30 downstairs at Halifax Central Library.

Roy Crossley, a well respected member of the Y.N.U. and former Halifax man now living in York, is giving us a talk "Aspects of Entomology".

Our local recorder of Lepidoptera, Brian Cain, will also be there.

Local moth enthusiasts and experts are welcome to attend. Perhaps they will find it a convenient rendezvous to put "faces to names" as well as swapping info on the internet.

Steve Blacksmith (President, H.S.S.)

Southern Wainscot,31 07 10

Heres another pic of Southern Wainscot,Bri.showing the faint dots and pointy apex of wing.

Cromwell Bottom (Wainscot Night)

Bottom pic is 1155 E.brunnichana is top pic E.nisella.??

15 Hepialus sylvina Orange Swift 3
937 Agapeta hamana 2
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1155 Epinotia brunnichana 2
1175 Epiblema uddmanniana Bramble Shoot Moth 2
1405 Pleuroptya ruralis Mother of Pearl 25
1645 Falcaria lacertinaria Scalloped Hook-tip 1
1666 Geometra papilionaria Large Emerald 2
1708 Idaea dimidiata Single-dotted Wave 10
1713 Idaea aversata Riband Wave 4
1722 Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet 1
1725 Xanthorhoe ferrugata Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet 3
1732 Scotopteryx chenopodiata Shaded Broad-bar 8
1754 Eulithis prunata Phoenix 1
1759 Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix 4
1777 Hydriomena furcata July Highflyer 4
1811 Eupithecia tenuiata Slender Pug 4
1830 Eupithecia absinthiata Wormwood Pug 1
Common Pug 1
1887 Lomaspilis marginata Clouded Border 12
1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 2
1956 Cabera exanthemata Common Wave 5
2006 Pheosia gnoma Lesser Swallow Prominent 5
2050 Eilema lurideola Common Footman 2
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 2
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 14
2111 Noctua janthe Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 7
2130 Xestia baja Dotted Clay 2
2136 Naenia typica Gothic 1
2176 Cerapteryx graminis Antler Moth 1
2197 Mythimna straminea Southern Wainscot 1
2198 Mythimna impura Smoky Wainscot 6
2199 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot 7
2268 Parastichtis suspecta Suspected 2
2318 Cosmia trapezina Dun-bar 24
2321 Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches 6
2335 Apamea scolopacina Slender Brindle 2
2336 Apamea ophiogramma Double Lobed 1
2391 Chilodes maritimus Silky Wainscot 2
2434 Diachrysia chrysitis Burnished Brass 2
2450 Abrostola tripartita Spectacle 1
2477 Hypena proboscidalis Snout 3

SvennsonnsCopper Underwing.Brimstone
Common Rustic agg. Rustic/uncertain

Cromwell Bottom,31 07 10

Brilliant night,main target species Southern Wainscot also 2 Silky Wainscots.regards Andy/Bri/Nick D,Steve.

Holiday Home wanted

Im off to Turkey next week and could do with a home for my Fox moth cats and a few pupa which will be emerging soon ...any takers...

A Night of Mothing in Wakefield anyone??

Hi All,

I work at a place called the ABLE project in Wakefield, it is a 34 acre site comprising mainly of rough grassland with lots of thistle, nettle and bramble but also fringed by the river Calder and with various species of trees with some hawthorn hedgerow. We also have an allotment and orchard, to our east there is the Yorkshire water treatment works and a housing estate beyond that.

The bio diversity on site is incredible with 20 species of butterfly identified last year, numerous species of Mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects and birds also on site.

I'm hoping some of you maybe intrested in coming along one night to set up your moth traps and help us get a better picture of which moths use the area. We have power to the compound but to get good coverage any of you with a generator would be fanatstic.

If you are interested I'm sure food and hot drinks could be provided in return for your help.

Please either leave a comment or you can contact me either by emailing andrew@theableproject.org.uk or by ringing the site 01924339994.

I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for reading this far.

Butterfly count Northowram

Usual walk today produced---
3 Green veined white
10 Small White
4 Small Heath
8 Small Copper
2 Peacock
30 Small tortoieshell
60+ Meadow brown
50 Gatekeeper
3 Comma
1 Small Skipper.

Old Lady On the Canal

Difficult times on the Rochdale Canal as I struggle around with a broken foot. Trying to do some gigs but in pain and frustrated.
Anyway…. As I hobbled my way to bed on Monday night, I was suddenly disorientated by what I first thought was a bird in the confined hall just outside the boat’s toilet. After the flapping had stopped I was stood looking at a very large moth on the tiled wall. None other than 2300 Old Lady Mormo Maura. Easily identified even though I have never seen her before. I have never had a Macro moth on my boat and now this. Pic and wing detail shown here. Not such a drab species as is often described. Winston

Heath Royd last couple of nights

A few new ones for me over the weekend given that it's my first year with a trap! Several nights produced amongst the more common;

33 Scalloped Oaks
12 Dun-bars
1 Phoenix
1 Burnished Brass
1 True Lovers Knot
3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
1 Early Thorn
2 Copper Underwings
1 V-Pug
1 Grey Chi
7 Mother of Pearl
1 Dark Spectacle

Several of the above chilling in the fridge waiting for photo shoot! Told off by her indoors for filling one shelf with moths so had a clear out tonight! Have what looks like a Small Quaker in the fridge but it was a bit lively earlier so couldn't get a decent shot. Is it a bit late or would it simply be part of a second batch?

Sean

Cromwell Bottom Sat night....

Runnibg two light traps at Cromwell bottom on Sat Night meet about 9.30.near where the bird watching platform is going(?).All welcome............

Dark Green Fritillary(Only House wood Northowram)

Today about 2.30 I noticed a large orange butterfly feeding on thistle heads about 20 feet from where i was stood ,unfortunatly there was a large barrbed wire fence between me and the butterfly,as luck would have it, the strong wind was bowing my way the butterfly was heading straight for me as it took off.I netted it with one swoop I could see the large orange butterfly was a beautiful male Dark green fritillary(seen many times before in Cornwall)curved lower wing eliminating Comma.bad luck again with the barrbed wire as the net was stuck and the fritillary was escaping and I could not get it free. I watched it fly off about 30 feet away and despite looking for at least an hour it was not seen again.Also seen :-
Comma 7
Gatekeeper 28 (a pair in cop pic above)
Meadow Brown 40+
Small copper 3
Small Heath 2
Small skipper 6
Small White 5
Small Tortoiseshell 3
Speckled Wood 1

Keep and eye out..

White Letter hairstreak at Manor Heath
I thought that one of the Calderdale team may be interested in the finding of one of the above in my garden last week feeding on Angelica flowers. I’m 95.5% certain of its ID and after checking its host realised it was elm! There is a wych elm growing in next doors garden, so I wondered if any body would be interested in determining if any eggs have been deposited on this tree. Is the white letter hairstreak common in Calderdale?

2 Heath Avenue
Manor Heath
Thanks for the info Lawrance

Cromwell Bottom (lunch time stroll)

Had a quick look round tag Loop this lunch time which was quite produtive in light drizzle.
Shaded broad Bar x 15
Yellow Shell x 2
Common Carpet x 1
Latticed Heath x 3
Common wave x 3
Clouded Border x1
Small fan - Footed Wave x 1
Udea Lutealis x 2
Gatekeeper 50 +
Meadow Brown 20 +
Small Skipper 5
Large Skipper 2
Speckled Wood 2
Large white 1