Lee Mount - 22 March

 This morning

 Early Grey x 1 was the only new one

Long stayers

Clouded Drab x 2

Oak Beauty x 1

March Moth x 4

Hebrew Character x 2

Small Quaker x 1

Twin-spotted Quaker x 1

Last Nights Moth 20/3/2021

After the glut of fives species the night before down to 1 Common Quaker last night. Given the gale blowing up here and the cold temps not surprising really

Last Nights Moths 19/3/2021

A positive glut of moths last night with 5 in the trap this morning :)

1 Common Quaker

1 Small Quaker new to garden

1 Chestnut new to garden

1 Pale Brindled Beauty new to garden

1 Hebrew Character

None I think are repeats as I take them a couple of hundred yards from the house and let them go in some thick scrub. The trap site is out of view from the release site blocked by the farmhouse and barn and my MV is run behind a large fence so it does not disturb my next door neighbour. I feed the tweeters in the garden so I like to shift the moths well out of the way of hungry tits and sparrows :)

Lee Mount - 20th March

 Jut two new ones overnight (others recent ones still hanging on the fence by the trap)

Twin-spotted Quaker x1

Chestnut x 1

Chestnut

Twin-spotted Quaker

Lee Mount 18th March

 Three new moths this morning to add to the 'long stayers' from the last few days

Small Quaker x 1

Dotted Border x 1

Agonopterix ocellana

Initially thought possibly A. alstromeriana 

Revised now to A. ocellana - thanks Gordon.

Small Quaker

Long stayers still on the garden fence.

Oak Beauty x 1, March Moth x 4, Hebrew Character x 2, Agonopterix heracliana x 1, 

Clouded Drab x 1.

Last Nights Moths 18/3/2021

Just two moths in the trap again last night but at least another new species for the garden :)

2 x Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi

My garden is at around 250 AMSL so way higher than our last place in Elland Park rd. Very little woodland nearby and the only mature trees nearby are a large Beech, Sycamore and an Oak some 25 mtrs away. Otherwise its all rough pasture with a stream and some woodland bordering it on either side about 500 yards away running down the valley towards Millbank. We are surrounded by open moorland so I am hoping for some upland species in the trap as the year progresses. But my main interest is in actively looking for moths in all stages by searching rather than trapping, and as this is "virgin territory" for me I am hoping to find some new to me species up here. The garden will be cleared and planted with insect attracting plants over the next year or two and hopefully this mini oasis of nectar sources will attracting some new species into feed. I have plans to create a small wildlife pond and bog area so this I hope will also draw in new insects if not lepidoptera. At Park rd in around 5 years of trapping and finding butterflies by day I recorded around 460 species of lepidoptera in our tiny garden. I strongly suspect that up here the list might be much shorter but at least I will enjoying the recording of new species rather than counting out 150 Large Yellow Underwing morning after morning before work :) All in all I am looking forward to a full years bug hunting up here and though I hope lockdown ends soon its not going to curtail my entomolgy this year at all if it does not :)

Rishworth - 18th March - Overnight Moths - A spring celebration!

 The trap was absolutely brimming with moths last night, a spring moth festival.

Moth trap 18th March

Oak Beauty X3

Common Quaker x5

Small Quaker x5 (NFY)

Hebrew Character x4 (NFY)

Dotted Border x1 (NFG)

Twin Spot Quaker x1 (NFY)

Yellow Horned x1

Mottled Grey x3

March Moth x1

Chestnut x4

Satellite x1

KITCHEN WINDOW

Brindled Pug x1 (NFY)

Lower Burnt Moor 17/3/2021

After yesterdays first moths of the year in the trap I got optimistic and ran it again last night :)

Sadly only one moth in the trap this morning , but at least its a new species for the site :)

Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica

Update just found a March Moth on the patio doors near the trap so double my list for the night :)

Rishworth - 17th March - Overnight Moths - At Long Last...

 I finally got a Common Quaker!

Moth trap 17th March 

Oak Beauty x1 (yet another different one, they are all different)

Mottled Grey x1

Common Quaker x1 (NFY)

Lee Mount 16th and 17th March

These moths arrived overnight on 16th and all still there on the fence tonight, 17th. They are not for moving !

Oak Beauty x 1

Common Quaker x 1

Clouded Drab x 1

Hebrew Character x 2

March Moth x 4

Agonopterix heracliana/ciliella x 1

Unidentified micro x 1 - to look at later when I can check the photos.

First of the Year

Just two moths in the trap last night here at Lower Burnt Moor

1 Yellow Horned Achlya flavicornis,

1 Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria

This is the 7th time I have run the trap this year and the first moths in the trap last night at last.

Rishworth - Overnight Moths - 16th March - All Change

 Not bad last night, but the title "All Change" is because every one of the moths are different to yesterday's. Fantastic! 5 mayn't seem lot but it's good to get more than one at this time in the year!

MOTH TRAP 16th March

Oak Beauty X3

Chestnut x2

Stainland.

I saw my first bumble bee of the year this afternoon, it was like a flying mouse. They're always a welcome sight. It's been a beautiful day, just like Spring. I hope it's a harbinger of things to come.

15th March 2021

The first bright day for 2 weeks produced the first Small Tortoiseshell in the garden a welcome sight after all that gloom..... Ran the trap all night.. Oak Beauty x 1 Grey Shoulder knot x 1 Common Quaker x 1 Clouded Drab x 1 Early Grey x 1 Hebden Bridge....Oak Beauty x 6 . Yellow Horned x 1 and 1 Satellite ...thanks Winston P...

Grey Shoulder Knot (3rd local record)

Rishworth - Overnight Moths - 15th March - If only a dozen.

 Fantastic night here on the trap's first all nighter of the year.

MOTH TRAP 15th March

Oak Beauty x11

Mottled Grey x3

Chestnut x2

Yellow Horned x1

Satellite x1

Tortricodes Alternella x1

March Moth x1

Small magpie

 Small Magpie in the house today

Stainland.

1 x Dotted Border. 

 

This is a different one to the other day. The one I have today is very worn.

Rishworth 18th Feb

 A very belated post but I have got round to getting this on

Moth Trap 18th February:

March Moth x1 [NFY]

Pale B B x2

1 f monocharia

1 normal

Summer Supplies

 Got these today from Anglian lepidopterist supplies , should keep me busy in May , June and July.....Well worth a go if anyone has a bit of spare time.....

28th Feb , first butterfly's

 Small Tortoiseshells reported from various sites today.....................

Stainland.

 First moth of the season for me, I'm so pleased.  A Dotted Border.

 

Dotted Border.

 I've seen cocoons weathering out of peat, and collected one at Upper Gorple reservoir on Sunday. It was about 30cm below the present level of peat. I wondered if they would be of interest to any Lepidopterists. 

Unfortunately I don't seem to be able to transfer the images from my desktop to this blog, but if you're interested I've posted them on the Halifax Scientific Society Facebook page.

                                                                       Oak Beauty
 

another good February night in Luddenden 

Oak Beauty   1

Chestnut  1

Pale Brindled Beauty  4  (all pale)

March Moth 3

 

Lee Mount - 20th February

 Not much - just March Moth x 2 

Lee Mount - 18th February

Rain overnight but I left the synergetic light on with  a decent shelter over it ! Always live in hope.

Tortricodes alternella x 1

Dotted Border x 1 (a new one, the one with part of a wing missing had disappeared)

Pale Brindled Beauty x 4 (one new one)

Lee Mount - 16th February

I left the trap on all night even though there was a bit of rain forecast.

Both Pale Brindled Beauty still there on the fence from yesterday with a new one in the trap. Also by the trap a Dotted Border with part of a wing missing. That was it !

Dotted Border

Pale Brindled Beauty x 3 (including  f monacharia x 1)

Dotted Border x 1

 Luddenden 160221

March Moth 

Oak Beauty

another good night in Luddenden for February

March Moth  2

Oak Beauty  1 (earliest ever by 27 days here)

Pale Brindled Beauty  2  (1 melanistic)

Chestnut  1

Lee Mount - 15th February

Just 2 moths of same species. Top one had me double checking but pretty sure they are both Pale Brindled Beauty. Both show pink abdomen though posture looks a bit different depending on their landing !

f. monacharia

Pale Brindle Beauty

 Luddenden 150221

Spring Usher

        

Pale Brindled Beauty

  Spring Usher   1  (plus a different one on the 14th)

  Pale Brindled Beauty  5   all pale

  Chestnut  1

  plus a couple of micros

Fox Moth

 Liz and Phil Dyson found this today up near Rishworth Moor....

Just now in Northowram..

Satellite x 1

Ypsolopha Ustella x 1

March Moth x 1

Pale Brindled Beauty x 1

Stainland. 1st Caterpillar of the Year.

Signs of life in the garden. My first caterpillar this year, it's an Angle Shades. I've never seen such a small, (short) one before, (about 1 inch). It's still growing. Mature Angle Shades cats have a small, upright oval mark on almost every segment. The marks are off-white, with  a red-brown line round them, just above the white line near their feet.This one only has two ovals, one near the tail, the other near the head. A juvenile Angle Shades caterpillar is a first for me. 

It's by the bell push on our gate, I hope it finds shelter and survives the winter.

 

Angle Shades Caterpillar

 

 

 

Rishworth - Overnight Moths - 5th February - First of the year!!!!

 At the trap's first outing of the year, I must have picked a good night. Only one moth, but I'm off the marks now!

Moth Trap 5th Feb

Pale Brindled Beauty f.monocharia x1

Lee Mount - 5th February

Poor conditions tonight, as it's started raining again and the forecast is not good for the weekend but I tried the lamp on from 5 pm. 

Pale Brindled Beauty x 1 - a different one from the one on 29th January. Again on the pebble dashing though this one has paler markings.

Also earlier in the week on 1st Feb, another bonus with a Brown House-moth creeping around in a kitchen cupboard. It disappeared  before I could get the camera on it. Getting a bit desperate - I know.!!

Pale Brindled Beauty

Only House Wood , Northowram

 Had a quick half hour in the local wood  , 1 Dotted Border and 1 Chestnut

Lee Mount - 29th January

First moth of the year last night but it had gone this morning - don't blame it in that cold blustery north easterly with snow flurries.!!

 I've had the trap on last 3 nights more in hope than anticipation so this was a nice surprise.

Pale Brindled Beauty x 1

A few to look out for this Year..

Data Supplied by C.Fletcher .....

 Privet Hawkmoth ,

 Red dots 2020. Black dots 2000 - 2019. Grey dots pre-2000. A record number of Privet Hawk-moths this year. 80 records is double 2019 and is by far the most ever, with sightings as far as Leeds and York. Seven new 10K squares involved this year. Perhaps that privet hedge in the garden is a good idea after all. 

Maidens Blush.

Other species to look for are Scarce and Four Spotted  Footman ......

Tunnel check

We checked this small tunnel near Shibden Hall just before Christmas but we couldn't find anything hidden away amongst the stonework. Thought maybe we might find a Herald Moth but most of the archway throughout was dripping wet and obviously not attractive to moth or butterfly species.

Stainland.

 Hello and season's greating to you all. I hope Santa brings you everything you asked for. Let's hope next year is a good one. Every year, I design a card for my friends. The image below is my card to you all. (It's best view from a short distance away, say 2 feet.)

A Merry Chrismas everybody.

 ]

Christmas Chess.

 

Stolen from Facebook

 I'm posting this with a heavy heart....

As much as I love mothing and everything that comes with it..it is taking up too much of my time. I am struggling to keep up with the everyday basics of cleaning and cooking and maintaining my home, so something has to give.

I have decided to get rid of my gear.

Below is a list of what is available. Serious inquiries only, and please, no low ball offers.

Thanks for reading and understanding. Here is what I have:

1. Vacuum cleaner

2. Broom and dustpan

3. Mop and bucket

4. Lawnmower

5. Leaf blower

6. Laundry detergent

7. Iron

8. Toilet brush

Thank you

December 19th 2020

Found this Fox Moth Cat today on Ned Hill track , i was surprised to see it on such a grim day..!!

3 Heralds in Bare Head Tunnel and 1 Winter moth in the local wood...

Merry X mas and many thanks for all your posts in 2020....
 

Stainland.

 I was thinking about butterflies and how much I liked to see them flitting around in the sun. Butterfly season will be a long time coming. I decided to create one for my amusement. Then, as it's a quiet time on this blog, I thought I'd post it, to brighten the day.

Lee Mount - 7th December

From overnight synergetic light...

Mottled Umber x 1

Winter Moth x 1

Only House Wood Northowram 5.Dec 2020

 Winter Moth 28 males , 2 females and 2 Brick tonight..

6th Dec

Winter Moth x 94 males and 5 females , 1 Brick and 1 Yellow Line Quaker which seems a bit late now.....

7th Dec

Winter Moth x 33 and 1 Yellow Line Quaker...

11th Dec

47 Winter moths and 1 female (calm and clear skies)

12th 

21 Winter Moth 1 female ( heavy rain and strong wind)

13th 

9 Winter Moth ( heavy rain and strong wind)

14th 

7 Winter Moth/....(cold with  slight breeze)

Rishworth - Overnight Moths - 29th November - I'm Back

 Yep, as hoped from my post last night - 7 moths this morning - they all turned up after 11 o'clock interestingly. Unfortunately, no Northern Winter Moths after one of 2 records in Yorkshire coming from the garden here.

Moth Trap 29th November 2020

Satellite x2 [NFY]  - 1x Orange dot, 1x white dot

Mottled Umber x2 [NFY]

Winter Moth x2 [NFY]

Chestnut x1

                                      

Rishworth - Back!

 After an extensive period of not running the trap here in the garden I flicked it on tonight. Various factors like bad weather and stuff to do have stopped me moffing for about a month but I have 2 weeks of home and garden confinement now so I may get some more trapping in after tonight's efforts. The weather is quite warm so after all the amazing moths that I have recorded I'm hoping for something tonight.

Anyway the point is, I'm back. So if I get anything in my efforts a post will come in the morning.

Only House Wood 25th Nov

53 Winter Moths tonight inc 2 pairs in cop and 3 females ,,1 Scarce Umber and a Brown House Moth at home..... 

 27th November .......  150 + Winter Moths including two pairs in cop and a yellow Line Quaker was a great find thanks for your help Mark P....

Lee Mount - 25th November

Limited return from overnight but interesting all the same and better than nothing !
Silver Y x 1
Mottled Umber x 2
Winter Moth x 1 gone up to 3 this evening !
Tachystola acroxantha x 1

Silver Y

Winter Moth

Mottled Umber

Only House Wood , Northowram

3 nights tree searching .. Winter Moth x 127 Winter Moth female x 4 Mottled Umber x 2 Mottled Umber female x 1 Scarce Umber x 3 Chestnut x 1 Light Brown Apple Moth x 1

Lee Mount - 19th Nov

Shut the trap off last night in the wet and windy conditions. Surprised this morning to find a Scarce Umber on the outside door. I thought it was dead, with the wind blowing it's wings, so potted it up and put it in a more sheltered position. It moved so I was pleased it was still alive.

Sent via BT Email App

Gracillaria syringella

Found some old vacated mines of Gracillaria syringella on a 6 foot tall ash seedling on the road down into Millbank this morning. Checked for any pupa on the leaves or still in the mines but no joy. This is a species I have found in the past as an imago in my moth trap but only ever found the mines on ash seedlings despite it being recorded on privet (Ligustrum) and lilac (Syringa)

Lee Mount - 17th November

 Four moths so far today but still hoping for some tonight.

Red-green Carpet x 1

Light-brown Apple-moth x 1

Winter Moth x 1

Blastobasis lacticolella (c 9 mm) - this had me puzzled for a while as the ones I get here are usually much paler and B adustella is usually much darker.

The textbooks and then the photos on Norfolk Moths seem to suggest B lacticolella. A consistent feature appear to be the pair of spots next to each other at around two-thirds.

More Mines

Found various mines today on my walk along Kennel Lane at Soyland and down into Millbank. Found on Hawthorn what I think are the abandoned intital mines of Scythropia crataegella which intially leaf mines and then feed communally in a web. I have only ever found and reared through species this from its communal web stage so I would be happy to be proved wrong and the mines are another species.

Lots of Stigmella anomalella on Roses throughout the walk

Just at the end of the lane from my new house is a St. John's-wort bush(Hypericum)which someone has planted for decoration and it had a large number of Ectoedemia septembrella mines on it

Apologies for the crappy photos but I had to borrow my wifes compact camera to use and it appears to not have a close up/macro function :( I am enjoying my daily walks around the area not only for the lovely scenery but also the chance to get my eye back in looking for moths, mines and larva after a 10 year break from any mothing at all. Finding the mines and moths is easy enough but making a ID of the plants and the mines is a steep learning curve all over again :)

Only House Wood

After 3 recent nights with little to show , tonight produced--- 38 x Winter Moths , Winter Moth ...3 pairs in cop , Scarce Umber x 1 , Chestnut x 1 ,and Light brown Apple Moth x 1 All with just a torch and for 1 hour just after dusk...

Leaf Mines and Cases on Juncus

A wander round on Kennel Lane at Soyland searching various trees still with leaves I found various still tenented and empty mines on Birch, Hazel, Rose and Ash. My ancient camera decided it was time to die so no photos this time sadly :( Species Phyllonorycter messaniella Phyllonorycter nicellii Stigmella anomalella I also found various mines on Oak which to be certain of species I will try and rear through over winter in plant pots covered with "pop socks" and hopefully get some adults emerge next year. I also found some patches of Rush with a few scattered cases on the seed heads still, these I suspect are Coleophora alticolella but could possibly be Coleophora glaucicolella and as I simply dont have time yet to tease out the larva from the cases to check I will again try and rear these through. I have to admit not having done any leaf mining for years (or any mothing for that matter ) I am enjoyinmg the roming round looking for species rather than running my MV trap which is still in a box waiting to be unpacked at my new house. Hopefully I will be able to sort out a new camera soon and be able to post some images of my various trips out over winter seeing what I can find using Ben Smarts superb Micro Moth Field Tips book.

Lee Mount - 12th November

First Winter Moth here. I kept disturbing a moth I couldn't get to grips with earlier this evening. Final check outside before lights out I found it on the side door.

Winter Moth

Stainland.

I had one very worn moth today. My best guess is a Sallow. Can anyone ID it, or is it too far gone?

In trying to add this image, instead of the image showing in the editor, a slection box I've not seen before popped up. It asked what size I wanted the picture to be and how I wanted it aligning. I chose, medium, and centered. It showed it as HTML code in the editor. Has anyone lese seen this? It seems a step back, one is not sure it's what one wanted until you preview or publish it. We were supposed to be making HTML invisible to users, unless they specifically wanted to use it. Google are always chaging things with no explination. SIGH

12 , November

5 Heralds today in Bare Head Tunnel , 2 Red green Carpet , Blairs Shoulfrt Knot and 2 Feathered Thorn last nite and a Red Admiral yesterday in the Garden (JC)

Not really Calderdale but...

 Some amazing records come up down south.

A Common Quaker in Stevenage, Hertfordshire 

A Radford Flame Shoulder in Bodenham, Herefordshire 

Free Books

Hi all I have 2 copies of Collins Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe and 2 copies of PBM Allans Laval Foodplants a Vade-Mecum for the Field Lepidopterist I am more than happy to pass to people in the group. Perhaps those on a limited income or younger members of the group should get priority for these :) Drop me PM via the group and your address and I will post them out free of charge. GG

Views around Halifax.

 Hello everybody.

I put a new post on my blog on Sunday. It's all photos of the lovely areas around Halifax. I wanted to try and lift people's mood for a while, by showing the beauty that's still there to be admired.

http://gordonartphotoand3dsci-fi.blogspot.co.uk/

Monday 9th November 2020

 A very mild night with thick fog.....

Light Brown Apple Moth x 3

Red Green Carpet x 1

Blairs Shoulder Knot x 1

Spruce Carpet x 2

Garden Rose Tortrix x 1

White Shouldered House Moth x 1

Tachystola acroxantha  x1

Angle Shades x 1

Lee Mount - 8th November

Tonight so far - pretty misty still and damp, but milder.

Satellite x 1

Mottled Umber x 3 (including 2 long stayers)

Brick x 2 (including 1 from 5th)

Lee Mount - 7th November

Tonight - so far.......

Red-green Carpet x 2 

Red-green Carpet and a Harvestman

One new one this morning - still pretty misty here

Brick x 1

Brick

Mottled Umber x 2 - both still here from 5th Nov

Lee Mount

Last week or so, nothing doing. One moth last night and still here this morning.
Mottled Umber x 2

Mottled Umber x 2 still here along with a Feathered Thorn (below)

Also Light-brown Apple-moth disturbed in garden vegetation 

Turnip..?/

 Had this one last night odd looking Turnip ..?? Very White underwing with light trailing edge,

Stainland.

There was a nice surprise for me this morning. It may well prove to be my last Angle Shades moth of the season. It's showing slight signs of wear, but is still a very handsome moth.

Angle Shades.