What is this??!!!

Just got in from an excellent night mothing at Withens Clough to find this on the outside of our moth trap in Midgley. Will try for some better photos tomorrow when it has settled down, but what a cracker it is. Can't find anything in the book to liken it to. Any suggestions?

A few recent sightings

I have had quite a few recent sightings of butterflies over the last few nice days.

Friday 17th
Badger Lane - Hipperholme
Orange Tip (male & female)
Comma

Sunday 19th
Eaves Wood - Heptonstall
Speckled wood

Garden - Norcliffe Lane, Hipperholem
Large white
Orange Tip
Peacock

Monday 20th
Cross Lane Primary school, Elland
4 speckled wood (2 fighting away for about 10 minutes)
Peacock

Not been able to get the moth trap out for a few days, will endeavour to try some trapping this week.

This week in Hebden Bridge

This week in Hebden Bridge
13th - 19th (GMS Night) inc

By and large a week of lovely days with the 1st major appearance of local butterflies (Speckled wood / Peacock / Whites ) Low nightly temps and clear skies kept the moth count to the usual suspects in the main. ETS have had a good week however with One on field trip number 2, one the night before in Golcar and one the night after in Hebden (pic). The week came to a climax last night with this Iron Prominent (Pic) (New for year and only my second) It looks like the northern form which W&T says is on the wing from June so rather early, in fact it was nearly mistaken for a Clouded drab (similar colour) which had its wings flattened. See you all soon

Early Tooth-striped 2
Small Quaker 9
Common Quaker 23
Early Grey 2
Satellite 1
Clouded Drab 2
Hebrew Character 1
Iron Prominent 1

Total - 41

Winston

Field Trip No 3.....Withens Clough Car Park

Meeting with Brian at Withens Clough car park tonight about 8.30 for a couple of hours hoping for female Emperor all welcome.Sorry for short notice.First Speckled wood today in Northowram and Andy Huyton reports a Herald in Mythomroyd last week.

Seems like the world is full of Hebrew Characters! 8 on Saturday night plus one Common Quaker. Just one hardy Hebrew Character on Friday night.

Anyone up for a nights mothing at Midgley on Wednesday? We are sure to get some Hebrew Characters if nothing else...!

Emperors

Hi,best day ive had for emperors,at least 15 at whiteholme drain,3 common heaths,another 5 or so emperors at north end of warland,all males careering about over heather,couldnt get any to land though,got a few acleris hyemanas ,and a eriocrania sp on heather(pic above),i might keep and see if it can be checked out,prob common and been blown up there,but you never know.saw 3 of those spectacular beetles,think ive seen em referred to as goldsmith beetles ! a couple of hours at withens car park might be worth a go what do you think !Brian L

Northowram Sat & GMS Friday

Powdered Quaker,
A bitterly cold stong N/E blew all night on Friday
1 emmelina monodactyla
2 Hebrew Character
Sat,
12 Hebrew Character
3 early Grey
1 Powdered Quaker
1 Pug(to be id later)

YNU 2008 report

Another 112 page booklet with 16pages in colour, is on its way, this year entitled: Yorkshire Butterflies and Moths 2008. It should be ready about mid-June. It goes out to Butterfly Conservation members/YNU free as part of their membership package. A few extra copies are available to non-members at £11.50 inclusive of packing and postage.Orders are available from me: Howard Frost, 10 Chellsway, Withernsea, HU19EN and payable to Butterfly Conservation. It is advisable to order now in advance as
most of the spares are accounted for before publication.Dr.C Fletcher

Bagworms 2

The only bagworm ever found in Calderdale was found by Ian Kimber and myself on the canal towpath near Byrds Royd heading down to Bradley Hall farm. It was a female Psyche casta as shown in the photo. The area is the one I told Andy C to go down and have a look as its brilliant for various adult moths and their larvae. Its also a very good spot for leaf mining.

This Week in Hebden Bridge

6th to 12th April Inclusive

A poor week really with clear cold nights

Early Tooth-striped1
Small Quaker 2
Common Quaker 3
Hebrew character 2
Early Grey 1

(Roll on field trip Number 3)

Winston

Red Chestnut

Hi all,got this red chestnut last night at mv,1st ive seen,straight
leading edge,and grey dusting especially on leading edge of wing are
diagnostic,indistinct oval and kidney rule out rarer white marked.dark
chestnut has more pointy wing tip,and flight period is usually over by
march at latest,chestnut has slightly curved leading edge usually. all
the best Bri

Broadhead Clough/last night

Oak beauty (pic B.Leesey)
An excellent evening at this mixed woodland setting.We also got the target species of Oak Beauty which seems to be more widespread than previous records suggested.A good turn out of local moffers as well with some great net work from Charlie. (AC,WP,MH,BL &CS)
Oak Beauty 1
Brindled Pug 2
Chestnut 2
Small Quaker 11
Common Quaker 8
Early Thorn 3
Early tooth- striped (not Mottled Grey) 1
Clouded Drab 4
Twin Spot Quaker 2
Hebrew Character 5
Sattellite 1
Early Grey 1
Dieurnea Fagella 1
E.subpurpella 10+

Purple Thorn/Northowram

A good collection of the common Orthosia sp and this beautiful Purple Thorn.Brindled and Double striped Pug are now out and about.

Last Night in Golcar

Took my Skinner Trap to a friends in Golcar last night (Fri) and on a rain free cloudy night had a good catch including an Early Tooth-striped with a well defined central band.

Hebrew character 3
Early Thorn 2
Brindled Pug 2
Twin-spot Quaker 1
Clouded Drab 2
Common Quaker 16
Early Grey 3
Early Tooth-striped 1
Small Quaker 3

Total - 33

Winston

Midgley GMS

Conditions looked really good last night so was a bit disappointed to only get

Hebrew Character 3
Common Quaker 1

Away tonight so can't get to Broadhead, good luck chaps!

Field Trip No 2.....Broadhead Clough

Brian and myself are going to run a trap at Broad Head clough this sat night all welcome.The road is a bit tricky so its just as easy to park at the bottom and walk up.

News from todmorden

Hi All,got 3 of these swept on heather at langfield common 03 04
09,at night,couldnt suss them out on uk moths,charlie fletcher thinks
prob another form of the variable acleris hyemana,has anyone else seen
them,they are prob common,also had true lovers knot larva,will have
another try for grey scalloped bar larva in a week or 2,if anybody
fancies it.also got 2 larva from cottongrass seedheads look like
glyphipterix haworthana,wil keep them and see.all the best bri,def up
for Sat Night at Broadhead Clough.

Last nights moths

Sorry for the delay, last nights moths (including those from the Actinic this morning) were

Chestnut 1
Early Thorn 2
Hebrew Character 8
Common Quaker 3
Clouded drab 2
Early Grey 1

Plus the two micros that Andy has mentioned.

Its a Beauty and Heath Trap???

High winds and rain battered the house last night so I was expecting little in the trap this morning.To say i am pleased with this Oak Beauty is an understatement.Its also the latest one i have on record.?Also over the last few days,Pale Pinion,Early Thorn,Double striped Pug and the usual Orthosia sp.
I picked up 3 Heath Traps yesterday from Marion(many thanks)but I am at a bit of a loss of how to assemble them and if I have all the bits,any help would be appreciated

Mothing tonight?

The forecast suggests this weather might settle down as the day goes on so if anyone fancies an evening mothing up in Midgley we are meeting at our house at 8pm, look for the bus terminus in the village and go under the "square archway" across the road, we are no. 72 on the left.

News from todmorden

Got this C.stigmatella on 31 03 09,at mv,also 10 mottled grey,engrailed,2 twin spot
quaker and usuals,having trouble with blogging,
,also got mottled grey,and true lovers knot larva and 3
micros which i havent sussed yet swept on langfield common at night on
03 04 09,all the best bri.

Hipperholme last night

Tried the moth trap last night. Only 1 taker - Clouded drab. However did have the first butterfly in the garden this lunchtime, a flying visit from a Comma. Also had first red tailed bumblebee species.

Midgley GMS

GMS last night, we managed

2 Small Quaker
3 Common Quaker
9 Hebrew Character
2 Clouded Drab
1 Chestnut
1 Early Grey
1 Pug sp (too soon for us to start with them!)

Thursday night Midgley

A good night with the following trapped

8 Hebrew Character
7 Early Greys
3 Common Quaker
2 Small Quaker
1 March Moth
1 Yellow Horned
2 Mottled Greys
1 twin spot Quaker

micro

Got 10 mottled grey,2 twin spot quakers,engrailed and usuals,and also got caloptilia micro species,possibly stigmatella, on 31 03 09,sent pic to c f, if anyone else can confirm !

Pine Beauty, better picture.

This chap was still hanging round tonight so managed to get a better photo.

Learners again!

Almost passed this off as a Common Quaker but on closer inspection we have doubts, could it be a Powdered Quaker? It only has one kidney mark and is alot paler than Common. Not a good picture, was in a rush to get to work....!!

Another belter!

We think this is a Pine Beauty, whatever it is it's a little belter!

Midgley last night

Midgley last night produced

1 Oak Beauty (quite a dark one)

4 Early Greys

2 Hebrew Characters

1 Chestnut

1 Mottled Grey

1 Twin Spot Quaker

plus the above moths, Clouded Drab? (or Lead coloured Drab?)

Northowram ,Only House wood.

Put some sugar out yesterday afternoon and when I returned late last night there were 19 Chestnut and 1 Sattellite i also found 2 female and 3 male(male and female in cop top pic )of Diurnea fagella whilst tree searching.This is the first female I have seen of this species as I have only seen males at light.
In the trap were 4 Common and 1 small Quaker,1 Mottled grey ,5 Early Grey,1 Early thorn ,6 heb Char,1 Clouded Drab and 1 diurnea fagella (male).

Day time hunting

Brian found this Engrailed(bottom photo) at Broadhead Clough and I found this Diurnea Fagella today in the local wood by searching the base of tree trunks.

Tuesday night

These are the two posts Ive been sugaring in pixie wood,If you go in before dusk you will easily spot them.These is a sallow in the far north corner in full bloom as well.Unfortunatly I am working so I hope its a good outing.

Hebden Bridge This Week

From 23rd to 29th inclusive

Diurnea Fagella 1
Common Quaker 4
Hebrew Character 2
March Moth 1

Oak Beauty 1

Total - 9

A blustey / showery week with frosty nights improved last night. (All of the above except 1 HC, pictured arrived last night)

Winston

Billberry

Brian found loads of these on billberry yesterday any ideas.??

Midgley GMS

Nothing, just a wet trap, anyone else get owt?

Sallowing Trip

To make things clearer I am starting this thread. Does anyone fancy going Sallowing at Cromwell Bottom on Tuesday night. Forcast at the moment - Light wind (5mph), Dry and 8 deg c (until 9pm). The sallow is now out. Bring walking boots / a good torch / a net if poss / plenty of patience!

Anyone interested?

Winston

Hebden Bridge Moths This Week

16th - 22nd March inc

Oak Beauty 3
Chestnut 2
Dotted Border 2
(New for year)
March Moth 7
Common Quaker 23
Clouded Drab 1
(New for year)
Diurnea Fagella 3 (inc Melanic 2) (New for year)
Yellow Horned 1
Hebrew Character 7
White-shouldered House-moth 1 (New for Year)

Total – 50

Inc on GMS Week 3 (22/3/09)
1 Common Quaker

Garden trapping

I set up my moth trap in the garden on Saturday night,
1 March Moth
1 Common Quaker
2 Hebrew Character

At last a Stigmella emerges .2

At last I have success on the Stigmella front ,I can say I am well pleased ,thanks to Charly for his tips and encouragement.Its a poor photo but they are very small indeed.The larvae and leaf were found at Cromwell Bottom on the 11th Feb 2009.

Midgley GMS

GMS last night

1 Early Grey

1 March Moth

1 Chestnut

1 Common Quaker

and this one which we reckon is a Mottled Grey?

Gorpley Clough

Great tunrnout for March cheers everyone but More Moffers than moths on a very clear and cold night.
Total catch :-
Small quaker x 1
Clouded Drab x 1
March Moth x 1
Satellite x 3
Chestnut x 5
Twin Spot Quaker x 1

Midgley last night

We think two of these are Early Greys but the other one??? A Drab of some kind or a dark Quaker type?

Also had a single Hebrew Character in addition to these.

Last nights moths

i was'nt expecting much with the cold night and clear skies but turned out to be one of my best in March
Pale Pinion x1
Small quaker x1
Early Grey x1
Mottled Grey x1
Common quaker x5
Hebrew Character x 7
Clouded Drab x2
Chestnut x2
satellite x1

Mystery Moth

Hi all, can anyone help me with the id of this one from last summer. I am struggling between Small Square-spot and Ingrailed Clay. If you think you can please say why you have made your choice. Many thanks, Win

Chestnut?

Not a brilliant photo but caught last night along with a single Hebrew Character

1055 Acleris hyemana

.I found this today out by the trap in the back garden and it shows some characteristics of A.hyemana any comments would be appreciated

Field Trip 1 and news from tod

Brian reports finding two 726.Metzneria metzneriella lavae on common knapweed seedheads and 2 larvae on hogweed which he has yet to id(will keep you posted).
Common & Small quakers , Early Greys and Hebrew Characters in trap.
Also planning running the trap at Gorpley Clough on Friday evening if anyone wants to join us.(target Oak Beauty,+ Small brindled Beauty)

Its getting more difficult!

Nothing in the trap last night but found this dead nearby, not sure what this is but think its a Yellow Horned?

This weeks moths in Hebden

9th-15th March inclusive

Pale Brindled Beauty 3
Oak Beauty 9
Small Quaker 1
Common Quaker 9
Yellow Horned 4
Chestnut 4
Agonopterix sp 1
Twin-Spot Quaker 1
Hebrew Character 2
March Moth 2

Winston

Last nights moths

Clouded Drab,a selection of Common Quaker and a couple of Hebrew Character ,Emmelina monodactyla, at Northowram.Early Grey,Common Quaker and Red Sword Grass at Todmordenand 4 Mottled Grey resting on billberry near the trap(BL)