Stainland.

 I didn't expect to find any moths this morning. However, there is one Common Footman on our door.

Stainland.

30 July 2023 Moth Count

Thanks to Andy for correcting me over the Plume moth 

4 x Marbled Beauties

1 x Privet Twist Female - Clepsis consimilana

1 x Blastobasis lacticolella

1 x White Plume moth  (Highlight of the season for me so far, it's only my second record of one.)

White Plume moth 

Stainland.

 29th July 2023

If anyone wonders why I'm 1 or 2 days behind in putting these reports here It's because I struggle with certain moths which I feel should be easy to recognise, but totally defeat me me. One moth here being the case.

3 x Marbled Beauties

2 x Willow Beauties

2 x Double Striped Pugs

1 x To ID  (It's noctuid with tufts on the back or it's head.)

Most likely a Common Rustic agg. Thanks Andy.

Cold Edge

Small Heath 3, Ringlet 1, Meadow Brown 5, Small White 5, Small Tortoiseshell 7, Peacock 1 

Lee Mount - 28th cont'd

Plenty butterfly's showing in the garden again today.Included a Purple Hairstreak - again on the damp grass but it was off as soon as I got the camera near. Third time I've seen it on the wet grass !

Holly Blue fly-past several times, Red Admiral, Comma, Small Skipper, Meadow Brown, Large White. Several Small Tortoiseshells and Small Whites.

 

Stainland.

27th July

A second Scalloped Oak. They are very pretty things.

Scalloped Oak

28th July

Andy supplied me with an ID for the one in the image below. I hope I understood what he said.

1 x Silver Y

1 x White shouldered House moth

1 x Unknown ID Needed

I;m not very good with ones like the following moth. Again, could some kind person ID for me please?

Satin Grass-veneer - Crambus perlella

Stainland.

 25th July 2023

1 x Scalloped Oak

1 x Scalloped Oak

It was on the doorstop as I opened it. I tried not to disturb it as I took photos. I couldn't disturb it, the poor thing was dead. It's only the second I've ever seen.

Stainland.

From 24th July 2023 

ID corrected by David. Thanks for putting me on the right track.

Ok, I feel a little silly. I've been struggling to ID the first moth below since 24 July. I can't tell you how many times I've gone through my books. However I've settled on it being a Rustic. I not sure at all. Please will someone put me out of my misery? I'd like to know ,"Yes it is or, "No, its a ..." Thknk you.

?

Udea prunalis

I'm on safe ground with the next one. It's only the second time I've seen one. The first time was 8th July last year. They are unmistakable

Neither photo is very good, they were done with a telephoto  lens,under far from deal conditions. Hey Ho.

Carcina quercana.

Lee Mount - 28th July

Not a lot this morning in the trap that I wouldn't expect but just the one posing me a querie. Could this be Dingy Shears (NO not happy with that now - not Dingy S)

Best of the others

Mother of Pearl, Willow Beauty, Small Fan-footed Wave x 2, Clouded Border x 2 and Double-striped Pug etc...

Copley - in the wet - 22nd July

A poor afternoon but we still managed to find one or two butterflies hiding away.

Gatekeeper x 3 in long grass at Hollas Bridge with a Red Admiral still braving it out on a Buddleia. 

Green-veined White x 2 alongside the river.

 Puss Moth Caterpillar

This beauty was found in one of the neighbours gardens on 5th July and its now almost fully grown

Emperor Moth Caterpillar from Whiteholme

25th June

9th July

20th July

Its still only partly grown (about 25mm), below is a fully grown adult, also from Whiteholme, which is twice as long and about 5 times the bulk

16th July

Lee Mount - Varied Coronet

Between 15th June and 5th July I had up to at least 3 individuals visiting pots of flowering Sweet Williams. Mostly arriving just on dusk and watched by torch-lite after dark. I only actually caught one of them in the trap.

Sweet Williams being the host plant I did wonder if they were leaving eggs, though I never found any. Hidden away on the plant somewhere. After flowering they have now set seed. Lots of caterpillars have now emerged - different stages but they have started wandering so put the pot  in a corner of the garden out of the way. I'm pretty sure these are the caterpillars, they hide away unseen in the day, well camouflaged, then I find them feeding in the seed heads at dusk and now hoping for some home grown adults next year maybe !! I understand they pupate in the ground. We'll see.

 

Stainland.

 I decided to put the image of this moth here for no other reason, than it struck me as being so attractive. I don't know why it impressed me, when I've seen plenty before. It's the difference between looking and seeing, I suppose.

1 x  Riband Wave - Banded.

Riband Wave - Banded.

Warley Moor - 19th July

A really nice morning to be up there - it's not often the case !

Fly Flats res'r at SE029322 - 2 Ringlets and 2 Meadow Browns.

Withens Head - SE041309 - opposite the wind farm car park

1 Red Admiral, 3 Meadow Browns and 2 Ringlets.

Whiteholme

 Silver Y

Stainland.

 18th July 2023

1 x Common Footman

2 x Marbled Beauties

1 x Small Dusty Wave TBC

The Small Dusty Wave TBC, gave me a lot of trouble. I'm still not certain as to it's ID, I'd be grateful for a correct ID please.

Small Dusty Wave TBC

Withens Clough - 18th July

Reservoir circuit before the rain set in...

No sunshine at all but a Silver Y was busy on creeping thistles near the res'r cottage.

Two Large Skippers at the top end of the reservoir (SD977226) with 4 Ringlets, 9 Meadow Brown and a single Green-veined White.

Large Skipper

Lee Mount etc - 17th July

Very little in the trap this morning - the most interesting was a V-Pug and a Silver Y.

Despite the heavy showers we were fortunate enough to hit a hot sunny spell at (SE059310) of Ogden res'r. The well overgrown silt trap at the top of the res'r that leads into Skirden Clough produced one each Large and Small Skipper along with 4 Ringlets and a good number of, now fading, Meadow Browns.

Lee Mount - 16th July

 No trap on last night but butterfly's came out this afternoon in among spells of hot sunshine.

This Holly Blue was the best but it certainly played had to get in the lens - best I could do !

One each - Comma, Red Admiral and 2 each Small Tortoiseshell, Large White and Small White

 Luddenden this week

Its been a lot quieter this week with the unsettled weather and cooler, breezy nights, highlights were

Box Tree Moth on the 12th

Second record here and only the third for Calderdale, no doubt there will be more

Dingy Footman - only the third this year

Double-square Spot - one of three on the 12th

Another increasing species. The first here was 1 in 2021, there were 9 in 2022 and 5 so far this year

Dot Moth on the 8th

Only the second record here

The Miller

Always a nice Moth to see, with only small numbers yearly here