Northowram 15th October 2017 National Moth Night

Vestal x 1 (first for 10 years )
Feathered Thorn x 1
Light Brown Apple Moth x 11
Red Green Carpet x 2
Blairs Shoulder Knot x 4
Silver Y x 1
Garden Rose Tortrix x 1
Juniper Carpet x  4  ( not seen any for many years so I am tentative about ID )


**Brian Leesey recorded 5 Streak at Meadows Edge Todmorden on Sat Night **

Lee Mount - 15th October

2 Silver Y from this morning... just wanted to check i d as they look quite different..
The top one was much paler (quite silvery) smaller than the lower one which was larger and darker.
I've never seen Scarce Silver Y - which in any case would seem to be out of season anyway but always worth a check. (?)

c 15 mm

 

c20 mm

 

Also this morning...

Common Marbled Carpet x 3 together  - and all pretty worn

November Moth agg x 5

Blair's Shoulder-knot x 1

Light-brown Apple-moth x 4

Tachystola acroxantha x 1

Stainland 13th October 2017

It's 10 pm. I just open the door to find four moths having a party. They were flying around the door, when they settled, they turned out to be Light Brown Apple moths. There seem to be endless amounts of them round here.

Common Marbled Carpet

                        Half a day old Common Marbled Carpet larvae feeding on Sallow.

The Streak

This was found by Andy Huyton in Ovenden on the 4th October . a day time observation...Many thanks Andy not seen one for a few years now.

Stainland 11th October 2017.

A moth appeared by our door sometime after 1:00 a.m. this morning. I spent a while trying to ID it. In the end, I put one of my photos of it into the Google image search. It came up with a moth very similar to this one. I was  amazed to find that the site the Google moth was on was Calderdale Moths... I started to read the entry, half was down, I suddenly realised that I was reading my own entry for the Feathered Ranuculus, last September. What an idiot I can be.

I'm still not 100% sure it's the same species but I think it's another Feathered Ranuculus. If so, it proves that there must be a small colony round here somewhere.

Feathered Ranuculus (TBC)

Norland tonight ..

Looking a bit wet for Norland tonight , tomorrow looks good if any one fancies a moth night ..??

Shibden Head

I had a stroll up there this afternoon and checked Bare Head Tunnel on the way round - torch at the ready ! I could only find 5 Herald Moths but they are still special. Tricky to get any really good photo's through the gaps in the stone and keeping the 'flash' in line, these below are the best I could do.

Herald - Scoliopteryx libatrix

Stainland 10th October 2017

Hi

Apologies to the three people who saw my latest blog post on this site today. I didn't realise that I'd clicked the wrong blog in my list to post to. When I saved it, then looked to see if it was OK. It had gone, not even a draft version was there. Two hours work lost. A short while later I decided to look again. The first site which comes up on my blog list is this one. To my horror, I saw my "lost" graphics post was there. I've deleted it of course, and it's now on my own site. Sorry about this, blame it on old age.

http://gordonartphotoand3dsci-fi.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/art-photography.html

Moth trap on Norland

Chris & Robin from the Countryside Service are holding a moth trapping event on Norland Moor. Wednesday 11th October from 7pm.


We are meeting in the car park opposite the pub and then heading onto the moor to see what is about. Hopefully the weather will be suitable.


If anyone wants to join us they are welcome to come along (your moth ID will probably be better than ours!) if you want to bring any lights, generators etc then feel free!


Thanks, Chris

Stodfold (valley between Mixenden and Ogden)

4 Red Admirals today along with 2 Speckled Woods near the stream but still no sign of Fox Moth caterpillars on the golf course - they must be there somewhere !

Lee Mount - 7th October

Not much doing this week, other than a Common Marbled Carpet, with the weather as it is... but this moth this morning was worthwhile.

 Blair's Shoulder-knot

I did check it against the possibility of Grey Shoulder-knot but think it's Blair's. I noticed as well that the abdomen underneath had quite a pink tinge about it as described in the Waring/Townsend and Lewington Filed Guide.

70 mile wide flock of Painted Lady Butterflies.

In Denver, Colorado, National Weather Service Radar spotted a 70 mile wide flock of Painted Lady butterflies. More on the BBC site below. NOTE:  The lines of text in orange are NOT links, the real links are on the BBC site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41528521

Also further down that BBC page, are two more butterfly links:

Radar solves the mystery of the disappearing UK butterfly

The Great Butterfly Adventure: Africa to Britain with the Painted Lady.

Skip Twitter post by @NWSBoulder

Lee Mount - 5th October

Still at least 5 Red Admirals today finding a few flowers to nectar on and sunbathe on the walls. They are amazing,
Also, I finally got to grips with a day-flying Vapourer Moth which flew about with the Red Admirals for a few moments. That's the fourth one suspected this back-end but the only one I have confirmed for sure what it was. No photo unfortunately, in flight and landed briefly on a neighbours chimney stack.

Less Small Midget (Phyllonorycter froelichiella)

Don't you just love the old English names for micros - shame they're not more widely used. Infrequent (?) this one in Common Alder. Key points are multiple, long mines per leaf with a reddish/brown spot where the side vein meets the mid-rib. Each mine has a larva and frass pile visible.

Found at Copley village by the Calder a few days ago.

Stainland 3rd October 2017 Yesterday's moth revisited.Updated)

After a discussion in the comments section with Andy, I've now renamed the moth in this post to a Novermber agg. Thanks Andy.

This post is something in the way of an apology for any confusion I caused yesterday with a moth photo of mine.

The moth I described as possibly a Pale Autumnal yesterday, was still by the door today. When I looked at it this morning, I thought, "That moth is a sort of charcoal grey, what is going on?"  I have no idea why I didn't see that yesterday

I decided to photograph it in natural light, as quick test I used the "Intelligent Auto" setting. This put the camera aperture down to f2 instead of  f22, so no depth of field is achieved. However, it showed me that somehow, I've accidentally changed the light balance setting to something other than "Flash" and didn't notice.

I'm posting two shots I took this morning, with and without flash. The without, shows the moth at it's natural colour. After breakfast, I shall check the camera settings, Sorry if I mislead anyone. It is still a Pale Autumnal? I've not had time to look yet.

November agg.

Stainland 2nd October 21017This moth arrive about 11 pm

This moth arrived about 11 pm on the 1st Oct. I took one photo, as I was off to bed when I saw it. Due to bad weather, it was here this morning but had moved to the door from the fanlight.

I've had a fair bit of trouble with this one. It's a poorly marked moth and very similar to one or two others. To try and help get a correct ID, I'm posting 3 images of it. One is where the wing blew it wing up as I was taking photos. For the moment, I've settled on it being an Autumnal Moth - Epirrita autumnata (TBC). Whatever it is, it's another first for me.

Autumnal Moth - 

Epirrita autumnata. TBC.

Stainland 1st October 2917

In spite of the rain last night I had a couple of moths by the door.
Angle shades and Garden Carpet.

Angle Shades.

Garden Carpet.

On the underside of a rose leaf, I found a tiny looper caterpillar. It would have been about 5 mm long if it was stretched out, certainly no bigger . I did wonder if it may be a Garden Rose Tort, but that seemed unlikely. You can see where it, (or something) has eaten the bottom side layer of the leaf away. Does anyone recognise it? 

ID needed.

The photo below shows the topside of the same leaf. Down the centre rib, was what looks like a leaf miner. Is it the leaf mine of a moth? From underneath, nothing was showing. The yellow wavy line was about 3 mm long. Note that the centre rib is a lot darker by the leaf mine.

ID?

A short distance away was a small orange fly. I only got one shot of it and the focus is a little soft. It was about the size of a greenfly, possibly a bit smaller. It can't be an Aphid, (I don't think) as it does not have projecting cornicles. I'd love to know what it is, Anyone?

ID?

Small Tortiseshell

A brief trip to Old Moor confirms the Small Tortoiseshell still flying throughout Britain in the autumnal sunshine . ( Taken RSPB Gypsy Marsh) An ideal wetland and grassland habitat on Aster


 

Retrograde Post. Stainland 28th Sept 2017

I took a walk down to Eve's top disused quarry on the 28th Sept. I was looking for leaf mines, (Charlies influence). I found a few but struggled with getting ID's for them. I emailed them to Charlie. I have just received the reply.

It seems that some I found were flies and a couple on Elder and Ivy, make tiny mines and feed inside the leaf. The only reliable way to find out what they are is to rear them. 

I saw quite a lot of very small, light brown moths flying. One eventually landed on a buttercup leaf. It only stayed long enough for one photo, which is not a great one. They were Nettle Taps.

Nettle Tap.

Now for the Leaf Mines, it's a phyllonorycter sp. on oak. You can clearly see it left the leaf on the underside.

Top side of leaf .

phyllonorycter sp. bottom side.

I thought I'd show the other two mines out of interest. The Ivy one is first. I'm intrigued by the reddish area near the centre. I have no idea how it was caused.

  

Leaf Mine on Ivy. Top.

 Bottom side.

 Mine on Elder. Top.

Bottom.

Ogden - Back Lane - 28th September

Yesterday I checked a small pond on Back Lane where there was a Common Hawker patrolling. Lovely warm afternoon, perfect conditions but I don't have a lot of experience identifying dragonflies !.

There were also 2 other slightly smaller red bodied (dragonflies) which I think could be Common Darters (?). They were chasing about together keeping low over the vegetation but I wasn't able to get even a half-decent photo as they always landed in the vegetation just out of sight. Just could not get any more detail on them though they were much larger than Large Red Damselfly with a much thicker body. Must check that pond again if we get another decent day.

Lee Mount - 28th September

One decent moth last night.

Red-green Carpet

Northowram

Another good night trapping at Northowram with this Dusky Thorn , Barred Sallow  , Silver Y ,
November Moth agg , Angle Shades (6) Setaceous Hebrew Character  and Lunar Underwing .

Stainland 28th Sept 2017

I was just about to go to bed at 10:30 pm. I went to lock the door and spotted a moth on the outside of the fanlight. Hey ho, bed could wait, so into the cellar to get the step ladders and out with the camera.

I haven't seen this moth before, so it was worth the effort. It's quite worn but I think it is a Dark Marbled Carpet - Dysstroma citrata.

 Dark Marbled Carpet.

So, even if I'm wrong, I still have another first. It's turning out to be a good year for moth spotting for me.

Ovenden Moor

I spent a couple of quiet hours up there this afternoon in the sunshine - how warm it was !

Red Admirals x 22 at least - and all  > west low over the moor.

Also 2 unidentified butterflies/moths on the heather moor - they wouldn't settle, most frustrating, I could not get to grips with them. At first I thought they were Small Coppers (size wise and brown on the wings) but it just doesn't seen right for them on the top there near the wind-farm. !

28.09.17 Northowram

In the garden today 4 Red Admiral , 1 Small White , 1 Peacock , 2 Speckled Wood , 1 Comma , 1 Ruby tiger cat , 2 Beautiful Plumes in the greenhouse and 3 White Shouldered House Moth in the lawnmower ..............

Pickwood Scar - Norland

A couple of miners I've not seen before on a pleasant walk to Norland Bilberry Slopes. Some nice fungi on the golf course up there as well including some bright orange Larch Boletes.

Stigmella continuella in birch. Note the "dead blob" start to the mine and green frass filling the gallery.

Coleophora gryphipennella mines and case on Dog Rose. 

Cold Edge

This afternoon.
After a struggle I managed to find one Fox Moth caterpillar near the lower large dam. I have checked Ogden golf course several times this autumn without success - but I guess they will be there somewhere (?) Will try again if we get a  decent sunny afternoon as that's when they seem to appear !

Fox Moth caterpillar - Cold Edge

I also managed to find what I think must be  Nettle-tap moths (6 or more) - they were nectering on flowers of garden mint growing wild in a very boggy area but didn't manage to get any decent enough photo's to post on the blog.
No Red Admirals today though there were 2 Speckled Wood's near the lower dam.

Stainland 27th September 2017 (Second Post)

A surprise for me tonight. At 8:30 pm our cat Ruskin wanted to go out. It was raining hard, he decided to sit in the the hall and glower at it. I spotted something odd on the washing line. It was a moth hanging upside down, sheltering under the stone ledge over our door. I had to use Anne's pocket compact. Stupidly, I'd run both power packs in my macro camera down. The results are not too bad considering I had to use digital zoom to get the photos, (shock, horror).

It turned out to be a Barred Sallow, only the second one I've ever seen.

 Barred Sallow.

Lee Mount

Recent Moths

 Angle Shades

 

 Mottled Umber

 

Snout

Angle Shades

"0 

BBC Radio 4 Programme Natrural Histories Moths

On Air Now BBC Radio 4

Natural Historys the social impact of moths

Brett Westwood steps into the world of a creature charged with the lore of night, whose dance with a flame has captivated us and whose cocoons have clothed us. Walk with him as he takes a journey into the domain of the moth. Producer: Tom Bonnett.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b095rbt9

Stainland, 25th Sept 2017.

Anne and I went to the ballet last night. (It was very good indeed). When we got home, there a was a swarm of Light Brown Apple moths by the door. It was hard to count them as some were coming and going. Of the stationary moths I counted:

7 x Light Brown Apple.
1 x very shabby Garden Rose Tortrix.

Plus the ones that got away!

Lee Mount - 24th / 25th September

Milder nights and a few 'turn up's' - No time for photo's just now though
Black Rustic x 1
Mottled Umber x 1
Copper Underwing agg x 1 (these are getting quite faded now)
Large Yellow Underwing x 1
Common Marbled Carpet x 3
Light-brown Apple- moth x 3
Acleris ? still to try identify x 1
White-shouldered House-moth x 1
Lesser Yellow Underwing x 1
Snout x 1
Mouse Moth x 1
Silver Y x 1
Garden Carpet x 2
Bee Moth x 1

Stainland, 24th September 2017

Quite a few moths, I think they must have been sheltering from the elements. The highlight being a first for me, a Snout moth. I'll list the other moths first, then finish with the Snout.

6 x Light Brown Apple moths.
3 x Garden Rose Tortrix.
1 x Common Marbled Carpet.
1 Snout Moth.

The photo is not great, I only got three shots before it flew off. Still, I've never seen one before, so that's something at least. This is another of those moths described as "Common throughout Britain". It's so common I've never seen one before.

Snout moth.