Calderdale Moths , Butterflies and Dragonflies

Friday, 22 May 2020

21st May.Northowram

Gold Spot x 1
Glaucous Shears x 1
Poplar Hawkmoth x 1
White Ermine x1
Brimstone x 1
Small Magpie x1
Common Pug x 1
Heart and Dart x 1
Yellow Faced Bell x 2
Spruce Carpet x 1

An exceptionally good night last night here in Rishworth with plenty of stuff to look at. I will put pictures apart from Fox Moth eggs on later.

Moth Trap 21st May 2020:
Fox Moth x1 [different individual to previous one]
Common White Wave x1 [NFG]
Elephant Hawk Moth x2 [NFG]
Poplar Hawk Moth x2
Brown Silver Lines x3
Angle Shades x1
Rustic Shoulder Knot x2
Crambus Lathoniellus x3
Monopis Weaverella x1
Coxcomb Prominent x1
Iron Prominent x1
Lesser Swallow Prominent x1
White Ermine x1

Now for the bit relating to the title of this post. The Fox Moth left a present. It laid between 10 and 15 eggs on an eggbox. Since these are safe from arasitic wasps I shall decide whether to rear some or all or see what the reaction on the comments section is.

Fox Moth Eggs

Thursday, 21 May 2020

Wednesday...21st

Clouded Bordered Brindle x 1
Common Pug x 7
Double Striped Pug x 1
Pug sp x 2
Twenty plume moth x 1
Knot Grass x 1
Scalloped Hazel x 2
Phoenix x 1
Small Phoenix x 1
Silver Ground Carpet x 1
Spruce Carpet x 3
Grey Pine Carpet x 1
Shuttle Shaped Dart x 2
Bright line Brown eye x 1
Minor sp x 1
Small Magpie x 2
Light brown Apple Moth x 2
Yellow Faced Bell x 1
Brown House moth x 2

2 Fox Moths today at Widdop

Wall Brown x 1 Ringby lane
Brimstone male Hollas Bridge
Orange tip still about at Hollas Bridge.

Also this micro Holly Tortrix 9thanks Charlie) at 6mm flying round gorse and bilberry yesterday ..?
20 + flying in bright evening sunshine west facing slope..??

Rishworth - Larva update, 2 Catch Reports, 5 New for Gardens!

A packed post from the last two days of 'moffing'. Hope some find it interesting, I shall do the Larva update first and then the catch reports after.

Larva Update:
I found a Clouded Drab larva as I mentioned in my previous post but I went out again that night and found a further 3 Clouded Drab larva and 1 November Moth. None of the Drabs were taken apart from the one I already had, the November Moth was taken for rearing though. Both larva are feeding well on the same foodplant they were found on (Wych Elm) and luckily it is the easiest to access tree here!

Moth Trap 19th May 2020
Hebrew Character x2
Rustic Shoulder Knot x1
Lesser Swallow Prominent x1
Clouded Border x1 [NFG]
Brindled Pug x1
ID Micros x2 Pictures attached

Moth Trap 20th May 2020
Poplar Hawk Moth x1 [NFG]
Buff Tip x1 [NFG]
Fox Moth x1 [NFG]
Bee Moth x1 [NFG]
Brown Silver Lines x2
Buff Ermine x1
Bright-Line Brown-Eye x1
Hebrew Character x`

November Moth

Clouded Drab

Bee Moth

Poplar Hawk

Fox Moth

Poplar Hawk

Clouded Border

Micro for ID

Buff tip

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Soil Hill - Fox Moths

Evening visit with Andy - perfect conditions and plenty of activity with these low flying erratic missiles. 45+ was our guesstimate with an excellent male caught by Andy. Don't know how he managed that, but he did !
It settled down after a while and we got some shots on the wall. Fantastic moths.

Fox Moth (male)

Lee Mount - 20th May

Holly Blue mid-morning landed on Cotoneaster horizontalis. Grabbed a quick shot before it was off and not seen again. Not much else.

Holly Blue

Rishworth - Witch!

A Mother Shipton just flew through the garden here in Rishworth.. saw the camera and it was off!!

Tuesday, 19 May 2020

Agonopterix ....?

Any thoughts on this one from 17th. ? There seem to be a few candidates but can't be sure with the pale shoulder, the black markings and the small white dot just showing at two/thirds.

Possibilities --- heracliana, aranella, subpropinquinella, and the less likely yeatiana

Agonopterix species

Lee Mount - 20th May

Still a bit of a smoky atmosphere here, someone nearby with a wood burner I guess. Probably effecting the moths - keeping out of the way. Slight improvement on previous week or two.
Small Phoenix x 1
Common Swift x 1
Bee Moth x 1
Garden Carpet x 1
Light-brown apple-moth x 1
Heart and Dart x 1
Shuttle-shaped dart x 1
Common Pug x 1
Brindled Pug x 1
Tachystola acroxantha x 1

Common Marbled Carpet x 1 (from the 19th)

Common Marbled Carpet

Common Swift

Also my Lesser Swallow Prominent eggs have hatched - 12 on 14th May (the ones she laid in an egg carton).

I found two more yesterday on the fence where she had laid some more. Just emerged from the outside location. Seem to be feeding ok on Silver Birch, see what happens next !

Soil Hill 19th - May

Late evening visit in the same mind as AC.
Narrow-winged Pug x 1 on Hawthorn
Fox Moth x 14 - great to watch in the twilight charging about low over the terrain. Failed to get a picture unfortunately !

Rishworth - Updates from the day.

I went out on a walk today purposely for lepidoptera and I was rewarded with several Cocksfoot Moths. Then I found a Clouded Drab Larva on Wych Elm, an extremely common tree round here, I intend to rear it. Any comments welcome.

Pug for ID

FW 11mm, flying around the garden at dusk. I think I know it but 2nd opinions never hurt.

Brook Grains Lane

I was down at Brook Grains Lane about 10 min ago and a Mother Shipton flew past ....

Rishworth - Lines Green and Silver!

A great night once more here in Rishworth with the feature of two more NFG's. Any comments Welcome...….

I got...…

Green Silver Lines x1 [NFG]
Clouded Silver x2 [NFG]
Flame Shoulder x2
Clouded Drab x1
Foxglove Pug x1
Double Striped Pug x1
White Ermine x1
Flame Carpet x1
Small Elephant Hawk Moth x1
Grey Birch x1
Scalloped Hazel x1
Brown Silver Lines x1

Monday, 18 May 2020

Northowram last night .s ....

17th
1 x Lime Hawkmoth
1 x Currant Pug
1 x Common Pug
1 x Garden Carpet
1 x Spruce Carpet
1 x Shuttle Shaped Dart
1 x Small Phoenix
1 x Phoenix
2 x Heart and Dart
1 x Scalloped Hazel
1 x White Shouldered House Moth

Fox Moth x 2 ..yesterday evening

18th
1 x Elephant Hawkmoth
1 x Campion
1 x Spectacle
1 x Small Phoenix
1 x Heart and Dart
2 x Common Marbled Carpet
1 x Spruce Carpet
1 x Scalloped Hazel

Lee Mount

This morning I was expecting a few.....
Dead........one Light-brown Apple- moth, and that was it !!!

Rishworth - Glaucous Shears and Co. no.2

A fantastic night here in Rishworth with 17 moths of 15 species. 6 were NFG and 1 NFY. These include a Pale Prominent which I believe is very scarce locally only being found at Cromwell Bottom I see from the Moth Report (?). Any comments Welcome...….

Moth trapping starting 2120 ending 0510.

Lists start now...

Pale Prominent x1 [NFG]
Common Carpet x1 [NFG]
The Spectacle x1 [NFG]
Bright-Line Brown-Eye x1 [NFG]
Flame Shoulder x1 [NFG]
Scalloped Hazel x1 [NFG]
Flame Carpet x2
Dark-Barred Twin-Spot Carpet x1
Rustic Shoulder-Knot x2
White Ermine x1
Brown Silver Lines x1
Double Striped Pug x1
Glaucous Shears x1
Common Marbled Carpet x1 [NFY]
Pale Tussock x1

Scalloped Hazel

Glaucous Shears

Pale Prominent

Glaucous Shears - Same moth as second picture

Spectacle

Bright Line Brown Eye

Pale Prominent, I believe from the moth report the only currently known breeding populations are in Elland and Brighouse so is this a good record?

Sunday, 17 May 2020

Butterfly

Red Admiral seen yesterday in Todmorden. I only see them in late summer this end of the valley so surprised to see it. Last week quite a few Brimstone.

Rishworth - Yellow!

Spent half an hour chasing a Brimstone around the wildflower meadow glade in the wood, it evaded the net completely by an inch. We have had Brimstones once every year or every two years so I am convinced there is a breeding population. The one seen today was a brilliant male searching for a mate, I hope I get a picture of one in the coming days. Any comments welcome,..

Rishworth - Night of the Prominents!

An excellent night for quality here in Rishworth with 14 moths of 12 species. A nice selection of Prominents and 4 NFG's. Any comments welcome.... Update: I just found an Iron Proinent next to where the trap is run.