Buccalatrix cidarella

This emerged today from a mine found on Common Alder on the Hebble Trail last September. It's been 7 weeks since I brought the cocoon indoors so I was beginning to wonder if it was still alive or not.

It's the first time I've seen a Bucculatrix moth in the flesh so it's made my day :-)

Mine above and larva grazing below from last year.

orange tip

2 make Orange tip in Long Wood, Skircoat today

Brimstone

late news of a Brimstone at Cromwell Bottom the the 18th and 19th April  (John Marsh) . This weekend and next week look good for the first Green Hairstreaks on a billberry patch near you................. and Orange Tips along the canal towpaths  and river banks..

Toxic caterpillars of the Oak Processionary Moths,

An infestation of caterpillars that can trigger asthma attacks, vomiting and skin rashes has appeared in south-east England....

...Hairs on the moths contain toxins that cause severe dizziness, fever and eye and throat irritations, health officials have warned. The caterpillars - which feed off oak trees - have distinctive extremely hairy bodies and should not be touched. Sightings should be reported to the Forestry Commission....

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/health-warning-as-toxic-hairy-caterpillars-take-over-woodlands/ar-AAwtK4g?li=BBoPWjQ&OCID=ansmsnnews11

Sorry it's a long link, copy and past into your browser.

Shibden head , Cats on Heather

                                                         Neglected Rustic

                                                             Heath Rustic

Went to Bare Head tunnel today and found 4 Heralds , and these two cats were found on heather opposite the entrance.

Test

Just a test sending email direct to blog.

Sent from my iPhone

Ogden

I managed my first Oak Beauty this morning thanks to Chris for pointing one out on the workshop room opposite the refreshment room. I didn't managed a photo in the rain but many thanks for that Chris. Hoping to get one at home one of these days !

Cat for ID please....

UPDATE: Now on Dandelion - 28mm long

I thought this looked a little unusual so I'm going to feed it. It looks like a non-descript noctuid but haven't noticed one so hairy before. It's 20mm and nibbling on Groundsel.

Brian Cain

Met up with Brian Cain who has been the Butterfly and Moth recorder in Calderdale since the 1960's. Great to hear some of the old stories and chat about  the increase in species but decline in numbers of out local butterfly's. When Brian first started recording it was a good year in Calderdale if they got 10 species ........Brian is not on the internet but I would like to thank him for his time and knowledge ..Cheers

Early Thorn.

Another Early thorn. Anne found it sheltering in our hall. I'm posting this one because the colouring is a lot richer than the first Early Thorn I posted. This moth was in a better location for photos.

 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria

Early Thorn detail

Worn Mottled Grey

21st April , Northowram

1 x Clouded Drab
1 x Mottled Grey
1 x Autumn Green Carpet
8 x Common Quaker
1 x Early Thorn
7 x Hebrew Character
1 x Brindled Pug
1 x Agonopterix sp
1 x Caloptilla sp
2 x Early Grey

Lee Mount - 21st April

Another interesting day which improved as the day progressed as I discovered more moths hidden away on the fence near the trap - synergetic light - greenish as opposed to a blue-ish actinic.
Double-striped Pug x 1
Diurnea flagella x 1
Early Grey x 4
Clouded Drab x 1
Hebrew Character x 2
Common Quaker x 1

Then this afternoon on the fence - must have missed them this morning
Pale Pinion x 1 - pretty sure identification is correct. This is a darker individual than the one on the 19th April - photo below for comparison.
Unidentified small Pug x 1
V -Pug x 1

 Unidentified Pug same moth above and below

 Pale Pinion

V Pug

Early Grey

Just one this morning, an Early Grey - Xylocampa areola. I have a feeling that we won't get a lot of moths in our garden until we have more flowers. Time will tell.

Early Grey - Xylocampa areola

Garden Moths VC 63 20 April 2018

Weather:  Warm , Dry occ Light Breeze . Crescent Moon

MV 125

Date 20 April 2018

Other Entomology

Green Lacewing, Caddis x1

 Catches thin but following logged

ABH 70.237 BF1917 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria
ABH 73.245 BF2182 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda
ABH 73.244 BF2187 Common Quaker Orthosia ceras
ABH 73.069 BF2243  Early Grey Xylocampa areola
ABH 73.242 BF2188  Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta

21.04.2018

ABH 73.249 BF2190   Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica                     BF 1597   Peacock Imachis io   ( 21.04.2018 am )



ABH 70.237 BF1917 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria



ABH 73.069 BF2243  Early Grey Xylocampa areola



ABH 73.244 BF2187 Common Quaker Orthosia ceras

Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla TBC

This afternoon I found a Plume Moth on the inside of the door. I think it's a Common Plume. There was I feeling pleased about finding my first moth of the season and a second one pops up.

Common Plume - 

Emmelina monodactyla TBC

First moth for me this year an Early Thorn.

Hi

I saw this moth at 2 am, but needed ladders to get to it. I wasn't about t waken the street by clanking about. Luckily for me, it was here this morning. I was becoming envious of others sighting moths and me not seeing any.

I did have a small light brown pug visiting the night before, but it had gone in the morning, so I've no idea what it would be. However, the Early thorn:

Early Thorn - Selenia dentaria

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Lee Mount - 20th April

This morning - not as many as yesterday but it was much cooler overnight.
Satellite x 2
Chestnut x 1
Double-striped Pug x 1
Early Grey x 2
Clouded Drab x 2
Early Thorn x 2
Hebrew Character x 3
Common Quaker x 9
Small Quaker x 1
Twin-spotted Quaker x 1
Agonopterix arenella x 1 - I think that's what it is ?

 Early Thorn

 

Agonopterix arenella

BUTTERFLY RECORDS

Please could everyone put on as many Butterfly records as possible this year...Whites , Browns etc all welcome...Thanks

Pale Pinion , Luddenden Village

Martyn sent me these pics from Luddenden Village, an increasing species in our area with about 12 records...and Daves looks good to me...Thanks Martyn.........great pics

Lee Mount - 19th April

I had quite a good number of moths the last few days but it's hard to catch up on the blog at times !
This morning was the best so far with around 38 in and around the trap including a few others found nearby during the day mostly hiding on the fencing.
Hebrew Character x 5
Early Grey x 4
Common Quaker x 19
Small Quaker x 4
Mottled Grey x 1
Twin-spotted Quaker x 1
Clouded Drab x 1
Satellite x 1
Common Plume x 1
Also one to check on identification - possibly a Pale Pinion ? - photo below

Copley Garden 19.4.18 & Ogden light

Tried the trap in the garden last night - over 30 moths

Hebrew character x2
Clouded Drab x1
Common Quaker x 12
Satellite x2

A few still to ID but this one is annoying me as I cannot seem to place it - I'm thinking hebrew character but I am not sure.

Ogden light - 18-4-19

Oak Beauty x1

Hebrew character x2

 But again 3 that I cannot ID - again any help.

Moth 1

 Moth 2

Moth 3

Calderdale Way butterflies

Walked the Calderdale Way from Brighouse to West Vale - then on to St Stephen's at Copley.
Lots of small tortoiseshells around the British Waterways building near the fishing pools at Brighouse. Approx 8 through the woods to southowram, then another 2 in North Dean
Peacock in fields on-route to Southowram
Small white in garden just now.

Warming up....

Common Quaker x 10
Twin -spotted Quaker x 1
Small Quaker x 3
Hebrew Character x 3
Diurna fagella x 2
White Shouldered House Moth x 1

Small White and Small Tortoiseshell in garden yesterday

Garden Moths VC63 18 April 2018

Weather: Warm Dry, Humidity Low . Daytime Temp c 19-21o . Still

MV Garden

ABH 45.044 BF 1524 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
ABH 73.241 BF2179 Pine Beauty Panolis flammea.

ABH 70.141 BF1862  Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
ABH 73.245 BF2182  Small Quaker Orthosia cruda

ABH 73.241 BF2179 Pine Beauty Panolis flammea.



ABH 70.141 BF1862  Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

Lee Mount 17th April

In and around the trap this morning
Hebrew Character x 3
Clouded Drab x 1
Common Quaker x 3
Small Quaker x 2 (double check appreciated)
Early Grey x 1
Mottled Grey x 1
This one below for checking - I'm thinking Common Pug ? - total wing-span c22mm

 Common Pug ?

 

 Small Quaker

 

Twin-spotted Quaker from 16th April found in the day-time

Ogden makeshift moth trap

The light outside the classroom at Ogden seems to attract it's fair share of moths. Here are a few from the last few days - and because I have not "moffed" for a few months some help on identifying the bottom 3 of them would be appreciated.

Oak beauty x 3

Early Grey??? 

Moth 2

Moth 3 (but I am not sure if iw is the same as Moth 2)

First Pug

Had a Double striped Pug last night , 1 Twin Spotted Quaker , 3 Early Grey , 4 Hebrew Character , 2 Common Quaker and 1 Clouded Drab,,,

Lee Mount - 8th April

Mottled Grey x 1  (it's a new one for me so better get it checked. Pretty sure it's not an Early Tooth-striped by the shape of the wing)
Common Quaker x 1
Clouded Drab x 1
Satellite x 1
Emmelina monodactyla x 1
Chestnut x 1

Mottled Grey

Also one from this morning (9th) an Early Grey found on the fence and in the trap a Hebrew Character x 1

Early Grey

 

And 2 Red admirals today over the garden.

Last night

7th April
Hebrew Character x 4
Early Grey x 3
Common Quaker x 1

8th April

Hebrew Character x 10
Early Grey x 3
Common Quaker x 2
Clouded Drab x 4
Agonopterix sp x 1


11th April

Hebrew Character x 1

14th April

Hebrew Character x 3
Common Quaker x 2
Early Grey x 3
Clouded Drab x 1

Lee Mount - 7th April

Clouded Drab x 4 in the trap this morning plus one below I'm not sure about - thinking maybe Chestnut ??

 Above and below - the same moth - though the lower photo it was difficult to avoid the glare from the flash

One from the night before (6th April) which I think must be Agonopterix ocellana

Oak Beauties

They often say that the first spell of good weather after a load of snow will be very good for trapping.Something to do with all the larvae been protected from predators ..Last night in Northowram =
Oak Beauty  x 2
Twin Spotted Quaker x 1
Hebrew Character x 2
Common Quaker x 2
Clouded Drab x 2

Lee Mount - 6th April

I left the actinic on all night but didn't think I would get anything as it did go cold again with a breeze. However I was pleasantly surprised this morning.
Hebrew Character x 2
Common Quaker x 1
Clouded Drab x 1