Moths from the weekend at Manor Heath

A couple of new ones for me, Pebble Hook-tip and Small Yellow Wave.

Numerous Swallow Tailed, Dun-bar, 4 Poplar Hawkmoths, Buff Arches, Yellow Shell, Clouded Silver, Antler Moth and Dark Spectacle amongst more abundant species.

NB For you Birder / Moth enthusiast types, there is a Petrel ringing / Mothing night being held at Thornwick Bay this weekend, Saturday 17th July. Attended last year and had a really enjoyable evening and had good close views of 2 Storm Petrels and numerous Moths.

Sean

Fantastic Fritillaries

My third visit to Sheddon Clough finally turned up trumps. The weather was nice and sunny for a change, and the wind had become a gentle breeze. Just the right conditions for the Dark Green Fritillaries to come out of hiding and take nectar from the Marsh Thistles. Joining them were a few Meadow Browns, Small Heaths and Large Skippers. I managed to squeeze off a reasonable amount of footage, some showing the habitat and vegetation. Didn't see any signs of sexual activity, nor any signs of the larval food plants (Viola spp), which will no longer be in flower, making them harder to find. I'm sure there will be similar suitable habitat within Calderdale, so keep your eyes open for those Juncas flushes containing loads of thistles.

One for id anyone?

This visited the house last night via the window. "W" to the hind wing.

Small Dotted Buff .??

Scarce silver-lines

9th and 10th July Pellon

Flame

Grey / Dark Dagger

Coxcomb Prominent

Swallow Prominent

Golden Plusia

Keep an eye out for golden Plusia over the next few weeks feeds on garden Delphiniums.Sean recorded one last week and this one is from last night in Northowram.

Waves,Shells and Emeralds

Perfect conditions at Knott Wood last night with Scallop Shell (Nice one Tina),Welsh wave(2)Small yellow wave (4)Common Emerald(amazing 15)Large Emerald (14)Light emerald(15)Green Arches (6)Common lustering(3)Purple Clay(30) ,the highlights.There are only two other records for Common Emerald in Calderdale one from Knott wood last week and one from Todmorden last year ,its good to know this species has a good population at knott wood.

Pellon last night

Common Footman

Pretty sure this is Green Pug.

Moth madness

Could'nt see the egg boxes in the trap this morning there were so many moths in there.Mainly LYU and DA but also Gothic,Common Footman(22),Burnished brass,Buff arches,Yellow shell the pic of the buch were this Light arches and Short Cloaked Moth (pics above).The week ahead looks outstanding and tonight Knott wood again.(all welcome)

Brian reports the first Humming Bird hawkmoth of the year yesterday in Todmorden.

Last few days at Pellon

Poplar Hawk Moth.

Small Yellow Wave, a new species for my back garden (no 167 macro)

Grey Pine Carpet and Spruce Carpet ?

Beautiful Snout records in Yorkshire

The one me and Brian Leesey found at Knott wood was the 6th Yorkshire record.(thanks to C.Fletcher and YNU for this map)

A new one for us

Don't recall having Green Arches up here before, a cracking moth!

Moths from last week

Any help on these appreciated. Swallow Prominent, worn Water Carpet? Figure of Eighty, Burnished Brass (aurea? ) Bordered White ( like southern specimens showing rusty colouration on upperwings in flight )

Three unknows, any ideas anyone?

Elephant Hawkmoth

One from the other evening, lovely speciman.

Tag Loop today

Its the first decent day Ive had for butterflies this year with meadow Brown(30+)Ringlet(20)Gatekeeper(4)Small Skipper(40+)Large skipper(6)Speckled wood(3)Small heath(2)Common Blue(4)and Small white(1)also 1 Broad Bodied Chaser,banded demoiselle ,latticed Heath,Shaded broad Bar(6),Udea lutealis,Straw dot and BB5 spots burnets down to a few hundered now.I also found these attractive eggs pictured above.?

1647. Barred Hook Tip from 2004

Barred Hook Tip at Pellon 1st June 2004. Is this the only Calderdale record or as anybody else had one since.

Dark Green Fritillary(keep an eye out in our area)

(these are two areas which I think may be worth a look)

Alan Holmes has brought to our attention a population of Dark Green Fritillaries just over the border at Sheddon Clough and suggested that we look for similar populations in our area.

The general habitat is slightly boggy with lots of Marsh Thistle growing amongst Juncas species. Common Spotted Orchids are present at this site, with a scattering of Cotton-grass (Sedge), Sphagnum and some other bog plants. This boggy area is one of several islands in an area of grass moorland, the chief species appearing to be Nardus.
The butterflies hide within the juncas and grass when it's windy, but come out to feed on the thistle flowers.
Dog Violet is likely to be present as this is the larval food plant, but this is not in flower at this time of year.
Suggested areas to look would be boggy areas around Widdop, Gorple, Walshaw, and any grass moors with some wet boggy flushes.
Happy hunting.
S.Cummings

Cat from cromwell bottom emerges

Mystery cat,??

This Mottled Beauty emerged today from one of the caterpillars we found at cromwell bottom on Pragmites ,I think it must have fallen off one of the trees nearby as I dont think they feed on pragmites.

The top pic is the final instar of some more I am rearing but as yet have not put a name to them.?

Hipperholme Garden

I had a male banded demoiselle in the garden on Friday and close inspection of some eaten leaves revealed that a number of campion caterpillars are munching their way happily through some of the plants

Pug problem

Fairly large pug caught on 2nd July, anybody any ideas. Ive always had problems with pugs, even the Riley and Prior book dosnt help much.

Vapourer caterpillar?

http://charlielepidopteraofcalderdale.blogspot.com/2010/06/lymantriidae.html
Have a look at this.....updated 5th July

This caterpillar looks exotic on the Incredible Edible Tod website. Is it a vapourer moth Orgyia antiqua?
http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/blogs/bugs-are-our-brudders

Philip

News from Northowram

Tawny Barred angle

Barred Red

Another busy week with barred Red and tawny barred angle being my favourites of the week.Loads of beautiful Golden Y's this week but close insection of these should reveal Plain Golden Y's had my first of the year last night.Also check all Riband waves at the moment for the very similar Plain Wave.The masses of Dark arches and Large Yellow Underwings will over run the traps but they are allways worth a count as the record for one night is 300 LYUnderwings.and 50 dark arches.

Planning another night in Knott Wood next weekend and one at Cromwell Bottom the week after..all welcome

Knott Wood last night

Common Emerald

Small yellow wave

Large Emerald

Common Emerald (pic2)

The best night of the year at Knott Wood last night so far produced,Common Emerald,Large emerald,Small Yellow Wave(3)Green Arches(12)Beautiful Snout,Plain Wave(2),Light Emerald(15)Northern spinach(30)Green Carpet(30),Mottled beauty(45).+ common lustering

Testing Testing

Thanks Andy for invite, don't moth as much these days but will try and contribute if I think Ive got anything of interest.

Unknown cats

Found these feeding on sallow about 6 weeks ago,they were all green tobegin with and then last week half of them turned brown(male and female or light and dark forms?)there are now fully grown at 20mm.They are also very fast and move around the container at great speed.?

Knott Wood tonight

meeting with Bri at 10ish all welcome.