Orange Underwing 30 03 2013

Saw a Orange Underwing today at Kitson Wood,a bit Bizarre watching it flying around Birches with really Deep Snowdrifts all around ! Bri.

Psychidae, Diplodoma laichartingella a 1st record for Calderdale 17 03 2013

Finally found some Psychidae Cases after quite a few Years of searching ! Found 4 ,2 were in the same Hollow the other 2 were on seperate trees.all were in hollows facing South just above the roots on large Beech Trees,perhaps judging by the size just over 11mm, and bits of insect cases and shape of the case ie Triangular ,they look like Diplodoma laichartingella ? see what others think ? regards Bri.ps Sent some pics to Harry Beaumont he agrees they are Diplodoma laichartingella.thanks for all the comments.Checked some other places today 24 03 13,searched Bob wood Colden Clough with non found,tried Eaves Wood bottom end of Colden where i struggled to find these 2 Cases in the same Hollow at the base of a Beech as previous facing South,maybe the smaller case 2nd pic down left,is a 1st Year and will emerge in 2014 ? I also found one Case in another part of Callis Wood.Bri.29 03 13 found an Old Larval Case at another site today Heights Wood Stoodley Glen and this one was still suspended from Silk Thread,with Pupal Exuvium protruding,maybe the Moth emerged last Year 2012, top pic ! this is the 1st on Oak that ive seen so far,Difficult to find on old knobbly Oaks,maybe thats the reason most are found on Beech !! Found 5 more Cases on 02 04 13 at Middle Dean Wood and a 1st one found on Sycamore.Looks like they are Locally common ! Bri.

Cat ?

I dont think this is a lep cat,anyone any ideads,Bri is it the same as the one you found.??

Quiet at the Sugar Patch 15 03 2013

Very quiet Sugaring at Eaves Wood Colden Clough,although appreciably milder tonight,just 2 Satellites came to feed,still needs to warm up a tad,hard to believe this time last Year we had our best spell of weather all Year !

Petite wave hits the national moth news

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=3680

Cave moth talk

The re organised talk by Dave Hodgson re hibernating Tissue and Herald moths in a Dales cave, (see http://calderdalemoths.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/retissue-and-heralds.html) has now been arranged for 23rd March at Crosshills Nats starting at 1930

Spring moths

Brian reports 2 Spring Ushers,1 Satellite at sugar last night and a Dotted border disturbed from the leaf litter last week,I had a dotted border flying around local wood this morning and 10 heralds in Bare head Tunnel.

Petite Wave (Scopula minorata) - A new species for Britain.

I found this moth on Feb.15th this year inside the outer leaves of a cabbage I was dressing which had been imported from Spain. It’s pretty small with a forewing of just 9mm and it was barely alive as it crash landed on to my draining board and in to a small pool of water. Thinking it was something "good" I immediately photographed it in situ (top photo) before potting it up and popping it in the freezer.The next day the light was much better allowing the photo below to be taken. I have since sent it off to Harry Beaumont for a more in-depth look and he has identified it as a male Scopula minorata, a species not recorded before in the UK. It will of course go down as an accidental import and not on to the main list but exciting none the less!

State of britains larger Moths

http://butterfly-conservation.org/files/state-of-britains-larger-moths-2013-report.pdf


This report just shows how important our records are....Keep on Mothing

395 Glyphipterix haworthana 2013 02 02

Found 15 or so 395 Glyphipterix haworthana Larval Spinnings Yesterday on Whiteholme Drain,Sunny and dry for a change,a lot easier to find when the suns dried the vegetation out ,the ones spun up in Heather and Crowberry being easier to see then the ones lower down spun in Grass,i collected a few hopefully for emergance in late may/june ! going to have another try at finding some Adults in May/June also Hopefully ,if we get decent weather this Year !!.regards Bri

Heralds

 

14 still present in Bare Head tunnel today..Also the Ghost moth larvae has made it through its second winter , it has been feeding throughout feb and is now back to sam size as in autumn...

 

 

Another tunnel,another herald

Barkisland today with SteveB ,an old mine shaft aprox 75m long.Only found one Hearald but a closer look may produce more.

RE..Tissue and heralds

Herald moths go into caves, tunnels, old mines and old buildings to hibernate and only in exceptional cases i.e. very cold snaps, will they move further into the cave. Tissues on the other hand do not hibernate but go into periods of torpor for a week or two but are active all winter. Heralds in a way are similar to bats and often are covered in condensation droplets; this will stop the body from dehydrating. I have been working on these two species for 10 years now and have picked up all sorts of things and am trying to write it all up so will keep you in touch. You ask if the Tissues feed and am currently working on this by analysing the condensation water in caves looking for carbon in the form of sugars and also the bacteria on the cave walls but it is a very slow job. If you send me an address I will send you a paper I did for a field day a couple of years ago if you like. I also think food plants may be other species as well as what is written in books, I have yet to find a caterpillar. Best wishes David. .....................
Many thanks to David hodson for this info

Bare head tunnel

Had another look in Bare Head tunnel today with Steve B and Charlie but no Tissue could be found.There were at least 14 heralds and i will be having another look over the weekend. The best thing about this record is it shows species recorded 100 years ago are still around if you look hard enough.There is still hope of finding Northern rustic and Brindled Ochre

First moth of the year a Tissue....(no I havnt got a cold)

Brilliant a first for calderdale since the early part of last century and a rare resident of Yorkshire.ive been looking for once since 2010 when i found the Heralds in Bare Head Tunnel.I found 12 Heralds today and a Tissue.If you click on the pics and view it gives a lot better quality.Well chuffed with this find ,The Tissue over winters as an adult in caves and tunnels ,and in some parts of the dales upto 200 can be found in caves,but this is the first local record that i know of for a long time...

227 Monopis laevigella,Skin Moth 12 01 13

I collected about 8 Owl Pellets last October which were kept in cold cellar,and on 12 01 13 at least 25 of these Skin Moths emerged,which usually emerge from March,maybe the mild temperatures have brought them on a bit ! Bri. Heres a pic of Pupal Case after Moths emergance.regards Bri.

Another Skin Moth emerged 22 01 13,thats 26 from 8 Owl Pellets,il keep the Pellets see if anything else emerges later on .Bri

Monday Night in Hebden Bridge

Had the Skinner trap on for a few nights during the milder spell which sadly seems to have passed. Tuesday 7th saw two visitors. 1) The Satellite Eupsilia transversa and 2) Pale Brindled Beauty (male) Phigalia pilosaria , this one being the melanic form f. monacharia

Moth Whispering

Viewers of the Lord of The Rings trillogy of films and the recent Hobbit, may have seen the amazing 'moth whispering' abilities of the wizard, Gandalf. He uses his powers to send a message of help to the eagles via a moth. I have been trying to id this moth and a strong contender is the Emperor Gum Moth Opodipthera eucalypti . A New Zealand species (Where the filming was done). See pics of the moth on Gandalf's hand and the Gum Moth. Happy new year and Happy hunting in this mild spell (nothing here yet) Winston (Hebden Bridge)

Angle shades

Found this on the outside wall this morning,looking very fresh.
Happy new year to all blogg readers..................

christmas trapping

Have a great christmas everyone on this site. Had the trap out on 2 mild and dry nights during the last week. total visitors - 1 x winter moth :-( Looking forward to getting out in the spring. Winston x