First week of May

Wet,windy and not very good for Moths, what a start to May!

Well I've kept trying despite the weather and here's what I've had,

anyone else had anything?

Early Grey 8

Hebrew Character 3

Common Quaker 1

Scalloped Hazel 2

White Spotted Pug 3

Peppered Moth 1 - this dropped in last night and is the earliest I've ever had by a good 4 weeks





Scalloped Hazel


White-spotted Pug

A Windswept rainy Cromwell Bottom

Oak tree Pug.?

E.cicatricella?

Cat on Birch 16mm Long??
A bit of a wash out this morning just as i had found some E.cicatricella mines on birch and this cat the heavens openend and I had to bid a hasty retreat.Loads of Orange Tips and Speckled woods out before the rain.Any comments on the above would be appreciated.

Cunnery Wood/Shibden..Field Trip No4

High winds and clear skies did'nt help so the catch was low.At least 15 Pugs were caught but not 1 was easily identifiable.2 Common Newts
130 Incurvaria masculella 1
701 Agonopterix ocellana 1
1722 Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet 3
1760 Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet 1
1858 Chloroclystis v-ata V-Pug 2
2187 Orthosia cerasi Common Quaker 1
2190 Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character 1

News from todmorden over the weekend(photos)

Female Emperor with egg batch.Common Heath and Heath Rustic larvae

Bits and Bobbs

There are 32 records from 20 sites of Athrips mouffetell in Yorkshire. The only larval record is one from Derek Parkinson at Otley on 20/5/07.Many thanks Charlie Fletcher for the map.

There is an excellent article on hants moth http://www.hantsmoths.org.uk/tree
about leaf mines on Birch at this time of year with excellent photos by our very own Charlie Streets.
I will be at Cunnery wood this evening about 9ish if any one fancies seeing no Moths.I did find an Oak tree Pug,Loads of Adela Reaumurella displayiny,and a Phyllonorycter tristingella in the local wood this morning.So we may get something.

The RES Insect Festival is to be held on Saturday 4 July in the Museum Gardens, York. This is shaping up to be a very significant event, with a wide range of exhibits, trade stands, public talks, bug hunts, etc., to some extent replacing the event organised jointly by RES and AES at the Racecourse in some previous years. Dave Chesmore has booked a stand for the Lepidoptera Group. He needs volunteers to help run the stand, and also suggestions for topics and themes. He also needs good quality photographs of Yorkshire moths. If you can help Dave, please contact him on 01430 861964 or edc1@ohm.york.ac.uk

Larvae on Honeysuckle

Found this today on Honeysuckle any ideas.

News from todmorden over the weekend

Brian reports Emperors still flying at whiteholme Drain, also a common lizard and Common Heath.He also found a female emperor with a batch of eggs at Langfield common and 3 Heath Rustic larvae.

Green Hairstreak?

Spent this afternoon up on Midgley Moor looking for Twite and Emporer Moth, sadly no luck with either but we did have what we think were a couple of Green Hairstreak butterflies, is this likely? We have a couple of photos which I can upload if needed.

Hipperholme

In the garden yesterday

1 Green veined white
1 Common blue

Lat nights moth trap
1 Hebrew character
1 Clouded drab
(both slightly soggy after the downpour about 4.30am)

Small White

This little chap seemed happy to pose for a photo yesterday

Winston

Lime Hawk Moth

We have just started putting our moth trap out again and have had very little in it. Last night however I went out to have a look around and was very pleased to find this one on the white sheet I put up. Its a first for us and look forward to more Hawk moths

Skinner & Waring

Hi all
You might or might not be aware that a new revised and updated edition of both of these books is being published. Skinner is now published by Apollo Books in Demark and is out now at £48 HB only. The revised edition of Waring is due on the 31st May and will cost £29.95 SB and £45.00 HB.

Should any of you want copies I can obtain these for you at trade price. I am not sure of the exact cost per volume as this depends on how many are ordered and P&P costs. It will however be significantly less expensive than buying them at full price. If you want a copy of either book let me know and I will order you a copy. Its perhaps best if I can mail them all to one address as you can then share P&P costs to reduce the amount or I might be able to send them back to Yorkshire with Sue where you can pick them up.

Both books are worth buying if you are serious about your moffing as both are much enlarged with many more photos and drawings included and up to date information on migrants and new species to Britain.

April 2001 in Elland

Hi Guys
I picked a year at random from my Park Road back garden records for April 2001. This shows whats likely to be around in woodland in Calderdale in April most years. My back garden backed onto Park Wood and thus was exceptionally rich in woodland species. If you find this list useful I can extract each month as it starts and put up a list of what I recorded for that month. The list below is from the garden Robinson trap but I can widen this to all species recorded in the month if this would be of use.

Notice the high numbers of "Orthosia" spp. This is typical of my garden records in early spring where Orthosia are around in huge numbers in or near woodland.

0006 Eriocrania subpurpurella 8

0283 Caloptilia betulicola 1

0461 Ypsolopha ustella 3

0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1

0663 Diurnea fagella 3

0688 Agonopterix heracliana 12

0697 Agonopterix arenella 2

1044 Acleris ferrugana 1

1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3

1722 Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata) 1

1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 2

1775 Mottled Grey (Colostygia multistrigaria) 2

1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 135

1858 V-Pug (Chloroclystis v-ata) 1

1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 2

1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 2

1919 Purple Thorn (Selenia tetralunaria) 2

1927 Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria) 1

1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 7

2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 144

2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 2

2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 2279

2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 118

2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 182

2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 129

2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 15

2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 35

2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 70

Last Week in Hebden Bridge

Moths trapped 20th - 25th April 2009

Pale Pinion 5
V-pug 1
Small Quaker 1
Brindled Pug 13
Hebrew Character 8
Clouded Drab 4
Common Quaker 14
Purple Thorn 1
Early Tooth-striped 5
Double-striped Pug 1
Unknown Pug 2
Early Thorn 1

Total 56

Winston

Cunnery Wood/Shibden..Field Trip No4

Met up with chris today and had a look at Cunnery wood a good mix of trees (elm,oak,sallow,birch,beech) and a small pond.We have decided to run the traps there next wenesday night 6th May at 9-11 weather permitting.Its opposite the top car park at shibden.Peacock,Speckled Wood,small white,Er.sub,Nettle Tap and a large Hawthorn Shield Bug were seen today.All welcome.

No idea!

This was on the sheet by the trap this morning, I guess its a Pug sp. but how on earth do you take it beyond that?!

News from todmorden

Beetle photo for Paul

Green Hairstreaks,

elachista+canapennella

Withens Clough Car park

Meet tonight 8.30 to 9ish ,all welcome.

Hipperholme

Ran the moth trap on Friday night, 4 hebrew characters and two others that I am having trouble identifying.

Top image I have no idea, bottom image I thought might be a satinwave but not too sure. Any help to identify them welcomed.

Midgley 25th April 2009

Another new one last night, Iron Prominent (we think!) plus an interesting micro moth, not sure what it is so any suggestions welcome!

Also photos from Wednesday at Midgley and Monday at Withens Clough, sorry for the dealy but was having problems with the computer.

Caloptilia syringela - Hebden Bridge

Nice to follow charlie's post with this one as todays highlight for me and another micro. I was sat this evening in the last sun enjoying a pint after work and saw something landing on a leaf out the back door. Shot out with a pot and bingo! it was a micro. Now, I believe this is a very common chap but if he were scalled up to macro moth size he would surely rival the most spectacular of species.

This species is completely new to me and I only managed to identify it by remembering it was the same shape and stance as the Caloptilia we cought on the field trip to Withens res' so I am learning from our trips. also managed to get a pic of him too so extra chuffed

Winston

Yorkshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation

I've put a new link up to the Yorkshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation under Yorkshire Butterflies.This is a great site run by Lee and Jax Westmorland from Scarbrough its full of very usefull information and a very good sightings page.
Founded in 1981, the Yorkshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation is one of the largest geographically as the county of Yorkshire measures approximately 150km north to south and 170km east to west!
From its humble beginnings with eighteen members, the branch has grown steadily to more than five hundred members today.
The branch works closely with the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union and promotes the jointly administered but independent recording scheme known as ButterflyNet Yorkshire, with a co-ordinator in each of Yorkshire's five vice counties and species co-ordinators for the county as a whole.
The branch magazine Argus is published regularly and details of both it and our other publications can be found on this site.

Midgley Moth Night Wednesday 22nd

Another good night with the following caught:

1 Twenty-plume Pug
2 Double Striped Pug
2 Autumn Green Carpet
3 Early Grey
1 Common Quaker
2 Hebrew Characters
1 Brindled Pug
1 Swallow Prominent
1 Unknown Pug Sp.

Will put photos on later, seem to be having problems with it at the moment!

Purple Thorn

Lovely rich colours in the first generation of these splendid moths. This one came to the Skinner Trap last night.

Winston

Emperor Revisited

Hi All

Set out again today to try and see the elusive Emperor Moth at Whiteholm Drain. The weather became cloudy again but strong sunny spells remainedall afternoon. Two possible sightingsin the distance of large orange looking insects flying really powerfully, then a third. I was off after this one. With me I had a large fishermans landing net with a 9 foot pole! After leaping over ditches and through muddy pools I made one final dive and had the Emperor in the net. This net is so big that I could put the camera under it too to get the pics shown here, enjoy.

Paul has made some comments on my last post to help us understand how this species operates.

Possibly the most impressive thing I have ever seen.

Also 1 x Common Heath, 1x Eriocrania sp, 1x unk micro oh and 2x redshank (also new)

Yours (in excitement) Winston

125 Emmetia marginea

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The Emmetia marginea emergad today that me and Charlie found on North loop on Febuary 11th.Above are pics of the larvae in the leaf and the ejected frass.
Found 3 Coleophora cases on juncuss yesterday which all had larvae in and all turned out to be Coleophora glaucicolella,

Emperor Anticlimax

After recent brilliant reports of multiple Emperor Moth sightings I planned to go to Whiteholm Drain to see some for myself. Preparing to set off about 2pm the clouds thickened but I thought this was just a passing band of cloud. I arrived at the parking spot and had lost my shadow but it was still reasonable. Saw my first Swallow of the year on the reservoir but by now things were looking grim. Started to rain and wind got up too. In my sodden fleece, desparingly I trudged back.

I will return however!

It is now 6pm, glorious sunshine !
Winston

Emperor

Photo taken yesterday on Ovenden Moor just above Ogden res'r.
by Jan and DJ Sutcliff of the Halifax Birdwatchers club.Thanks Dave and Jan

Beechwood Park

A quick walk around Beechwood Park to check on some of the work undertaken over the last few months,

4 male orange tips
1 small tortoiseshell

Also good views of blackcaps and lots of warblers and chiffchaffs

It might be worth taking the traps up there one night and seeing what is around. If you want to arrange a night then let me know. Also would love to do some trapping in Cunnery Wood if anyone is interested.

Chris

Lesser Swallow Prominent

Managed some better photos this morning! Thanks for the ID, couldn't find it last night in book.

Withens Clough Car park

Not one moth for the first hour and just about to pack up and this lot dropped in a great night.(Water Carpet and Red Chestnut above pics by BrianL)
282 Caloptilia elongella 1
663 Diurnea fagella 1
697 Agonopterix arenella 2
1722 Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet 1
1750 Lampropteryx suffumata Water Carpet 2
1761 Chloroclysta miata Autumn Green Carpet 3
1881 Trichopteryx carpinata Early Tooth-striped 11
1917 Selenia dentaria Early Thorn 1
2139 Cerastis rubricosa Red Chestnut 7
2187 Orthosia cerasi Common Quaker 6
2190 Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character 1
and 1 Chestnut

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.