Uncertain and The Rustic

Both these moths are on the wing at the moment and turn up at light traps locally.They look very similar at first but if you take the time to look for the differences they soon stand out...

Burnished Brass

http://calderdalemoths.blogspot.com/2010/07/burnished-brass-update.html Hi all, I have recorded the 3 types of Burnished Brass this week and have put a link to the older post on this subject for NCD and others recording this species at the moment.

http://calderdalemoths.blogspot.com/2010/07/burnished-brass-update.htmlriday


apologies I did'nt make the craggs on friday night but will try sat...

First emergence from the craggs.

This 658 Carcina quercana emerged  today  from larvae found at hardcastle craggs in late may.

Also this Coleophora glaucicolella emerged from Juncuss the same day.It was funny that the larval case moved off the juncuss and fed on sallow that was in the same pot.? In fact some of the case turned green .

A Good article from Birdguides on wetlands

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2779

I appreciate these are out of the area however took photos on a birding trip to Spurn on the 14th May and would like to know what they are. I'm sure somebody will id them within minutes of seeing the pictures. Still a lot to learn in this field of study!

Heath Royd, Skircoat Green.

Blackneck ( Top picture ) was a new one for me last night and also pictured Spectacle from a few nights back, quite a comical looking thing really. Others from the past few nights. Burnished Brass, Riband Wave, Light Emerald, Beautiful Golden Y, Common Footman,V Pugs, Cabbage Moth, Bright-line Bright-eye, Clouded Border, Dark Arches, Lozataenia Foisterana, Swallow Tailed moth, Snout, Clay and 7 Poplar Hawkmoths.

Interestingly, I have just spoken with my Uncle in Wibsey, Bradford who reckons he had a Buttoned Snout in his house over the weekend but didn't think to take a digital image! I would imagine this is very scarce?

Brown Scallop

A good night on Monday produced 40 species of Marco including this Brown Scallop and Bordered White - nice one Brian you said I would get one, what next

Elland Gravel Pits

Elland gravel pits today, very warm and sunny, with no wind, ideal for butterflies.
Moths

latticed heath? loads of these

the mallow?

the Blackneck?

clouded border

Plus burnet moths in excess!
Butterflys

-ringlet

also

comma

small tortoishell

large and small skipper

meadow brown

large white

gatekeeper

small heath
Damselflys

-banded demoiselle
also

blue tailed damselfly

common blue damselfly

Dragonflies

-emperor dragonfly

plus about 10 very early brown hawkers around the reserve

Langfield Common 03 07 11

Had a try at Langfield Common Sund night 03 07 11,my plan was to take the Actinic up there especially for Grey Scalloped Bars,but as the skies were very clear and forecast for 5 degrees i didnt bother with actinic and went searching with torch,forgetting just how heavy going it was through heather ! saw roughly 40 Map Winged Swifts,1 Ingrailed Clay,1 True Lovers Knot and eventually 2 Grey Scalloped Bars although managed to snag the net on heather both times !! also found a very worn looking Female Northern Eggar which could barely hold onto the heather,also this Emperor Moth Larva.regards Bri.

Whiteholme Drain 02 07 11

Had my best ever day for Beautiful Yellow Underwings with at least 25 seen on the drain and another 6 or so on Langfield Common,also 4 Northern Eggars,5 Common Heath.regards Bri.

Good days for Butterflies

As i walked out of the house this morning there was a butterfly on the wall....as I got closer it  was a Ringlet ,i had not seen one in Calderdale till 2007 and now there in my garden..Large whites,Small tortoiseshell  and Meadow browns flitting around the front garden.a quick walk down the lane saw Red Admiral ,Peacock ,Small heath ,Speckled wood ,Small Copper, Comma and another 8 Ringlets.Small white and Large skipper later in the afternoon rounded off a good day.Any one else add to that..........?

Craggs

1727 Xanthorhoe montanata Silver-ground Carpet 12

1742 Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell 1
1756 Eulithis populata Northern Spinach 11
1777 Hydriomena furcata July Highflyer 1
1941 Alcis repandata Mottled Beauty 4
1955 Cabera pusaria Common White Wave 2
2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 1
2118 Lycophotia porphyrea True Lover's Knot 1
2120 Diarsia mendica Ingrailed Clay 3
2138 Anaplectoides prasina Green Arches 1
2321 Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches 3
2330 Apamea remissa Dusky Brocade 1
2442 Autographa pulchrina Beautiful Golden Y 2
2443 Autographa jota Plain Golden Y 1

Allthough it was cool(9degrees) and clear it was strange at the lack of moths for the first week in July.??is it because there are a million ants around..or was it the cool temps.??

Glast Fest Queues

Hi Again, Took 5 hours to drive to the fest in Glastonbury and then 7 more hours queueing to get onto the actual site! During this marathon a micro landed on my window. Stopped the queue of cars to pot it and here is what we got (above). Could this be 440 Paraswammerdamia albicapitella? Its certainly a mouthfull! Win

Large Blue Country 2

Hi All, Returned to Collard hill last week with 2 objectives. 1) To get a better pic of a decent Large Blue (Which I think I have managed) and 2) to get a pic of 1362 Pyrausta purpuralis amongst the hundreds of 1365 Pyrausta despicata. This second task proved very difficult with two brief sightings which escaped. Also saw one other micro (See above which is prob unidentifyable). Veryt rewarding trip. Win x

Bat walk and Moth Trapping at Gibson Mill Sat 2 July

This sat at Gibson Mill Hardcastle craggs...........Bat walk starts at 9.30 and Moth trapping starts about 10.15.all welcome if anyone wants a lift please leave a message.

Micro for id

Ccaught this on sat night at hardcastle Craggs any one help with id..It should be easy but I carnt seem to find it.??

Small Yellow Wave 25 06 11

Heres a Small Yellow Wave from Hardcastle Craggs sat 25 06 11,regards Bri Andy Martyn.

Hardcastle Craggs

Sallow Kitten (above)

14 Hepialus humuli Ghost Moth 1

18 Hepialus fusconebulosa Map-winged Swift 12
140 Nematopogon swammerdamella 1
150 Adela reaumurella 2
385 Anthophila fabriciana 3
937 Agapeta hamana 2
970 Pandemis cerasana Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix 2
1076 Celypha lacunana 5
1293 Chrysoteuchia culmella Garden Grass-veneer 50
1301 Crambus lathoniellus 3
1334 Scoparia ambigualis 30
1652 Thyatira batis Peach Blossom 3
1713 Idaea aversata Riband Wave 1
1727 Xanthorhoe montanata Silver-ground Carpet 12
1738 Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet 10
1742 Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell 2
1752 Cosmorhoe ocellata Purple Bar 2
1756 Eulithis populata Northern Spinach 3
1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 5
1768 Thera obeliscata Grey Pine Carpet 1
1776 Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet 27
1802 Perizoma affinitata Rivulet 1
1817 Eupithecia pulchellata Foxglove Pug 1
1860 Pasiphila rectangulata Green Pug 3
1876 Hydrelia flammeolaria Small Yellow Wave 1
1887 Lomaspilis marginata Clouded Border 1
1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 8
1931 Biston betularia Peppered Moth 2
1941 Alcis repandata Mottled Beauty 2
1958 Lomographa temerata Clouded Silver 1
1961 Campaea margaritata Light Emerald 3
1991 Deilephila elpenor Elephant Hawk-moth 4
1994 Phalera bucephala Buff-tip 1
1997 Furcula furcula Sallow Kitten 1
2028 Calliteara pudibunda Pale Tussock 1
2060 Spilosoma lubricipeda White Ermine 3
2089 Agrotis exclamationis Heart and Dart 4
2098 Axylia putris Flame 15
2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 28
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 5
2118 Lycophotia porphyrea True Lover's Knot 2
2120 Diarsia mendica Ingrailed Clay 2
2122 Diarsia brunnea Purple Clay 1
2138 Anaplectoides prasina Green Arches 7
2176 Cerapteryx graminis Antler Moth 1
2205 Mythimna comma Shoulder-striped Wainscot 2
2289 Acronicta rumicis Knot Grass 2
2305 Euplexia lucipara Small Angle Shades 2
2306 Phlogophora meticulosa Angle Shades 1
2321 Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches 5
2322 Apamea lithoxylaea Light Arches 2
2326 Apamea crenata ab. combusta Clouded-bordered Brindle [melanic form] 9
2326 Apamea crenata Clouded-bordered Brindle 5
2340 Oligia fasciuncula Middle-barred Minor 17
2442 Autographa pulchrina Beautiful Golden Y 7
2443 Autographa jota Plain Golden Y 1
2477 Hypena proboscidalis Snout 11

Hot and humid in the craggs last night ,Fox moth was the star of the night and we found the foodplant of devon Carpet..Marsh bedstraw.

Hardcastle Craggs Sat night

With the temp set for no lower than 14 degrees,muggy and drizzle on saturday nigth we are planning Hardcastle craggs around Hollins Hall if any one would like to join us.Andy and Bri( bring midge repellent0

Green Snout !

Hi all. I found this lovely green moth with a snout in a friends greenhouse yesterday in Manchester. Can't find anything in W & T like it? Help

Win

Whiteholme Drain 20 06 11

4th attempt on Whiteholme Drain,although still blowing much warmer and the sun finally came out, 1st Moth was Grey Scalloped Bar i flushed which must have been basking, saw at least 15 Beautiful Yellow Underwings so it looks like they are doing well this Year up there, lots of Common Heath, 7 or so Northern Eggars,and found this obviously freshly emerged superb Olethreutes schulziana also 2 Green Tiger Beetles,superb couple of hours,regards Bri.

Cabbage Moth

this emerged from a pupae I found in the garden a couple of weeks ago.

Large Blue Country

Hi All, Pardon the departure from Calderdale. I took a visit to the National Trust site of Collard Hill near Glastonbury the other day to see the large blue. Our very own Christine Tansy is warden at the site and is doing great work down there. Due to the habitat of meadow / Downs and quarry area which as well as being ideal for the large blue supports some interesting moths. Well worth a visit. Win x

Pics

1495 Marasmarcha lunaedactyla
and Large Blue

EGPits

Had a quick hour today so headed for low ground as the wind was very blustery at northowram.Not much about down there with the wind but did manage 2 Ringlet ,10 Meadow Brown, 1 speckled wood, 1 Brown China Mark , 1 yellow shell and hundreds of 5 spot burnets flying around.

Hardcastle Craggs Fri 17 06 11

Although worn a combination of features and size show this to be a May Highflyer,July usually shows a strong diagonal streak at 2, never 2 or 3 dark straight streaks at 1,and usually out much later july/august.Ruddy usually shows a longer diagonal streak at 2,and can show 2 or 3 straight dark streaks as in May Highflyer. also forewing size of this specimen is 13mm,. in July its 14mm to 18mm,Ruddy its 14mm to 17mm with May 13mm to 16mm,hope this all makes sense regards Bri/Andy

17th June hardcastle Craggs

Despite heavy rain and stong winds all around us ,under the large Oak near Hollins hall it was calm and dry for a couple of hours.
14 Hepialus humuli Ghost Moth 1

18 Hepialus fusconebulosa Map-winged Swift 4
148 Nemophora degeerella 1
1334 Scoparia ambigualis 12
1376 Eurrhypara hortulata Small Magpie 3
1501 Platyptilia gonodactyla 1
1652 Thyatira batis Peach Blossom 1
1722 Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet 2
1727 Xanthorhoe montanata Silver-ground Carpet 21
1759 Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix 1
1768 Thera obeliscata Grey Pine Carpet 1
1776 Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet 17
1778 Hydriomena impluviata May Highflyer 1
1862 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Double-striped Pug 1
1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 1
1954 Bupalus piniaria Bordered White 1
1958 Lomographa temerata Clouded Silver 1
2008 Ptilodon capucina Coxcomb Prominent 1
2028 Calliteara pudibunda Pale Tussock 7
2098 Axylia putris Flame 2
2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 11
2120 Diarsia mendica Ingrailed Clay 3
2160 Lacanobia oleracea Bright-line Brown-eye 2
2176 Cerapteryx graminis Antler Moth 1
2205 Mythimna comma Shoulder-striped Wainscot 2
2326 Apamea crenata ab. combusta Clouded-bordered Brindle [melanic form] 1
2340 Oligia fasciuncula Middle-barred Minor 5
2422 Pseudoips prasinana Green Silver-lines 1
2442 Autographa pulchrina Beautiful Golden Y 12

Small to very large

Had a walk along Green Lane off Beacon Hill the other day, in 20 yards I had 3 "smalls"

Small Magpie
Small Heath
Small Tortoiseshell

And just to go to the other end of the scale, in the Jungle Experience at Manor Heath today, 2 Atlas Moths have emerged from their cocoons, apparently there are more on the way. Well worth the £1 entrance fee to see these HUGE moths.

Midgley Moth for id..???

Weekly round up

 Figure of eighty

 Metzneria lapella

 Pug sp (maybe worn V ??)

 An excellent week at Northowram with the full moon coinsiding with the peak Ghost Moth emergence on Wednesday with over 300 males lekking and females flying between the lekks looking for a decent male.
 In the trap Burnished Brass,Plain Golden Y,Beautiful Golden Y,Silver y ,Dark Spectacle,Spectacle,small angle shades,Common Footman,Green Carpet ,Figure of eighty (pic above)brightened up the rather grey skies , a strong emergence of Freyer'pugs,,loads of Ingrailed Clays(all shapes and sizes) and more Heart and Darts than Ive seen for years.This pug above is interesting but no idea what it is.??This  Metzneria lapella  is a first for me here of this family.
Hardcastle Craggs tomorrow night weather permitting.???

Hardcastle Craggs.......Celebration

Woodland Celebration Weekend


2 & 3 July 2011

Special Saturday evening event 7.30 – 10.30 (onwards)pm


BBQ and Bat walk with West Yorkshire Bat Group

And moth trapping with Calderdale Moth Group!
I will be running a trap at Gibson Mill from 10.00pm onwards..it would be good if we could get a few traps going around the mill area..all welcome to join in..

Chimney sweeper

Had a walk through the meadows at Beechwood Park this morning, lots of chimney sweepers and grass moths around. A bit dull for butterflies but the meados are developing well and on a sunny day it should be quite a good spot.

Leaf Miner Hunt

http://leafminer.wordpress.com/My name is Laura, I am an MSc student from the University of Glamorgan in South Wales and am conducting my research project on the invasive Horse-Chestnut Leaf-Miner (Camararia ohridella). The caterpillars of this moth live inside the leaves of the Horse-Chestnut tree.


LEAF-MINER HUNT - Saturday the 25th of June 2011

I need help in collecting data about the distribution of the Moth in the UK and wondered if you might be able to pass this message onto your staff, volunteers or members to see if they are interested in getting involved in leaf-miner hunting.

Everyone would need to find their nearest Horse-Chestnut tree on the 25th of June and have a look at the middle 'finger' (leaflet) of 10 different leaves from a single tree.

I need to know how many 'mines' there are in each of these leaflets (these are small brown circles or lines on the leaf, easiest to see when the leaf is held up to the light) and the location of the tree (post code, town etc.), even if there are no mines.
This information will then be put into a map to show the geographic distribution, this will help with my research project into the distribution of the moth and it's parasites.
More information can be found on My Blog http://leafminer.wordpress.com if anyone is interested. I will keep it updated as we approach the big day, with information on how to send your results.

A surprise with me pint...

Went for a walk around the Red Beck valley this evening, all we really saw was 1 peacock, however when we got to the Shoulder of Mutton in Southouram and were sat outside, sipping gently on a beverage, a darting motion caught my eye. Braving the rat run drivers, I crossed the road (left my pint on the table so it must have been a good find) and there was a hummingbird hawkmoth feeding on the flowers growning out of the wall. I think they were red valarian (not sure if that is the correct spelling or even if they are the correct flower). It hovered around for a few minutes but would not hold still enough to get a photo. Then a passing car sent it on its way over the fence and into the gardens.

Also had a Red Admiral in the garden last week.

Cunnery Wood saw a load of Speckeld Wood, Orange Tip, Peacock and a Comma about 2 weeks ago.

All being well (and weather and electricity dependant) I am going to run one of my traps outside the rear of Clay House on Wednesday night. We have access to the old Ranger hut behind house so if we still have power to it I will be able to run the trap. Will confirm tomorrow after i find out for definate.

Ghost Moth displaying.........

There were upto 140 male Ghost moths last night at Northowram with 5 females flying between the lekking males.There were 15 males together at one point .I have collected some eggs from a female, when I looked at them this morning they were all white but this afternoon most had turned black.??anyboby know why.?

Blue Burnet Moth

Spent the weekend blogging around Tag Loop in search of Common Blues and Broad-bodied Chasers to film. Sadly the drop in temperature put a bit of a damper on things with no sign of any dragons, only 3 or 4 Common Blues, a few Skippers and Speckled Woods, but I did come across a newly emerged Burnet that was Blue rather than Dark Green. Anyone come across these before?

Assembling Northern Eggers

Great stuff........

http://wildyorkshire.blogspot.com/

Hardcastle Craggs Fri 03 06 11

Denisia similella ,Rivulet and Nortern Eggar olivacea Tutt form,Hardcastle Craggs 03 06 11,And 3 more DEVON CARPETS which is an amazing 13 so far this year Bri.



Hepialus fusconebulosa Map-winged Swift 2
Denisia similella 1
Agapeta hamana 1
Aethes cnicana 5
Eulia ministrana 2
Celypha lacunana 4
Epiblema cynosbatella 2
Crambus lathoniellus 50
Scoparia ambigulis  20
Eurrhypara hortulata Small Magpie 1
Xanthorhoe montanata Silver-ground Carpet 100
Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet 3
Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix 2
Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet 6
Perizoma affinitata Rivulet 1
Eupithecia assimilata Currant Pug 1
Petrophora chlorosata Brown Silver-line 4
Odontopera bidentata Scalloped Hazel 2
Biston betularia Peppered Moth 2
Bupalus piniaria Bordered White 3
Laothoe populi Poplar Hawk-moth 1
Pheosia gnoma Lesser Swallow Prominent 1
Calliteara pudibunda Pale Tussock 10
Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 5
Diarsia mendica Ingrailed Clay 4
Acronicta rumicis Knot Grass 3
Apamea crenata ab. combusta Clouded-bordered Brindle [melanic form] 4
Apamea sordens Rustic Shoulder-knot 1
Autographa pulchrina Beautiful Golden Y 1
Rivula sericealis Straw Dot 1
Hypena proboscidalis Snout 2

Calderdale Moths,Butterflies and Dragonflies

One of my favourite places at this time of the year is  Tag loop in hot June sunshine.Today was perfect,Common Blue (7)Small Heath (15+)Small Copper (2)Large white(1)Speckled wood (4)Cinnabar (3)Mother shipton(1)Burnets, and 2 male amd femle Broad Bodied Chaser on the small pond.

Heath Royd Last Week in May

Not over busy but some new ones for the year including what I believe to be "brunnea" variation of Lime Hawkmoth pictured with more usual "tilliae" pictured, correct me if I am mistaken.

Amongst others
Common Marbled Carpet 1
Silver -ground Carpet 1
Garden Carpet 2
Flame Shoulder 2
Dark Arches 3
Silver Y 1
Beautiful Golden Y 1
Common Swift 1
Phoenix 1

Hardcastle Craggs Friday night

This Friday meeting at 9.30 hopefully running 3 traps around Hollin Hall,bring midge repellant....All welcome.

Cork Moth

Hi All, Found this 216 Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella behind the wireless on Sunday. Win x

Beyond Calderdale

Hi all,

Could somebody tell me what the below moth is? It was in my trap last week, I didn't measure it, but wondered if it was an early Pinion-streaked Snout (Schrankia costaestrigalis)?

sorry for the blurriness...

I'm due to leave Calderdale tomorrow, to take up a position as the Volunteer Ranger for the Large Blue Butterfly at Collard Hill in Somerset. If anyone is interested in hearing how the flight season goes, I'll be writing a daily update for the Large Blue Blog. Do come and visit if you get the chance, it'll be great to welcome some Northern 'moffers' to the hill!

A couple of weeks ago I spent a happy day at Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk, Swallowtail chasing. We saw at least 10, and spent a good hour with one patrolling a huge blossom laden blackthorn. Thought you might like a couple of the pics from the day.

A favoured perch - it returned repeatedly to this vantage point.

On vegetation adjacent to the path.

See you back in the Crags later this year. Christine.