Lee Mount.....

Not a lot to report from the trap the last few days. Probably the best ones have been a Willow Beauty, Mouse Moth, Mother of Pearl and Shuttle-shaped Dart with plenty of Large Yellow Underwings up to 37.

Mother of Pearl

 

Large Yellow Underwing with a Mouse Moth

Also this afternoon we found a single Antler Moth on ragwort at Withens Clough reservoir.

Earlier today along Ringby Lane (near Ploughcroft) there were at least 4 Wall Browns along the length of the track. It was the most common butterfly up there this morning.

Wall

Stainland. Moths from 13th Aug. to 16th Aug.

Updated post: Andy gave ne the IDs for the two I got wrong.

Another catch-up set of records. Health problems got in the way again. I seem to be recoving well now.

 I try to examing wing damage and markings as much as possible, to rule out duplicate counts, It isn't alway easy, or possible.3 x

13th Aug

 6 x Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing (A record number for me. See party of 4 below).

2 x Straw Dot

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Blastobasis adustella

1 x Blastobasis lacticolella

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Buff Footman Eilema depressa

1 x Lesser Yellow Underwing

1 x Anter Moth

Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing

 

Anter Moth

 

Buff Footman Eilema depressa

 

Lesser Yellow Underwing

 

Have other people found a higer than normal amount of Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing this year?

14th Aug.

3 x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Small Phoenix 

1 x Mother of Pearl

15th Aug.

2 x Small Phoenix

2 x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 

2 x Udea prunalis

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Marbled Beauty

16th Aug.

3 x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Marbled Beauty.

I'm up to date again now.

 

Ogden golf course

 From yesterday (16th)

Small Copper x 1 at Carrs Beck - lower end of Ogden golf course. Also 12+ Green-veined Whites and a few Meadow Browns.

Nearby at Stodfold, the lower end of Hunter Hill - Wall Browns x 2 together on the dirt track leading from Mixenden Reservoir towards the golf course.

Not much to report on moths other than a Dingy Footman and an Angle-striped Sallow on 13th August and a Swallow-tailed Moth on 16th with one or two Copper Underwing agg started turning up the last few days.

Chilo phragmitella

 Chilo phragmitlela sent in by Anthony Arak found at the lowest point of Calderdale and a new species for the area...fantastic record..

Poplar Hawkmoth

 

Shibden

 This moth is in our bedroom. Length 17mm. ?ID

A tricky ID.........

 FW 10mm. Found at night feeding on the garden Buddleia.....

Cold Edge

Small Copper 2

Peacock 1

Golden rod Brindle x 6 !!!!

 Anthony Arak ran his trap on Norland moor last night and what a catch of 6 Golden Rod Brindle....Thanks Anthony and good luck on the next visit....

Stainland.

Re-edit with correct ID on 13 August.

5 x Lesser Broad-brodered Underwing - I've never seen so many of these before, some years I've not seen one. It seems to be a good year for them.

1 x Small Phoenix - Again, I've had lot more than normal this year.

2 x Blastobasis adustella

1 x  Small Phoenix

1 x Willow Beauty 

1 x Wave of some sort. I thought it was going to be easy, It seems to be very worn. I was hoping the two yellow / brown spots, one each side of the thorax, would help. It didn't. Could someone have a look at these last two pease? Thank you.

 

Mother of Pearl. (Thanks to Stewart for that).

 

 1 x  Lesser Yellow Underwing TBC - I not 100% sure about this one. It's a first for me anyway.

Lesser Yellow Underwing TBC

 

Cold Edge

Need help with this one from yesterday afternoon in the sunshine.................nearest I can get is Barred Chestnut but maybe not, (am I missing something) I could be way out  ? !!!

On second thoughts I'm wondering about the more likely Least Yellow Underwing - at the time I  should have disturbed it - perhaps the best clue is hidden?

Also at home the last couple of days - the best of a decent bunch !

Pine Carpet

Orange Swift

Stainland.

 ID for  Rivulet  to Twin Spot Carpet, corrected on 13th August. Thank you Stewart.

 

Quite busy last night (for me).

3 x Blastobasis adustella

4 x Blastobasis lacticolella 

2 x Small Phoenix - 1 black, 1 brown

1 x Garden Carpet

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Rivulet - In a better condition that the one the other day

1 x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing - I've not seen one this colour before, so I'm psoting  it

Twin spot Carpet

 

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
 

Also today:

10 x  Large White butterflies

2  x Small Tortoiseshells

Cold Edge

This afternoon. Pretty good conditions with some warm sunshine and a light breeze.

Painted Lady x 1

Small Skipper x 1

Ringlet x 2 (looking much on their last legs - so to speak)

Small Heath x 1

Just a few Meadow Browns

An encouraging number of Peacock and Small Tortoiseshells.

Still loads of Green-veined Whites - they seem to like the juncus areas.

Also some moths - to check photos yet - but there were certainly some Ear Moths on ragwort.

Stainland.

 7th August.

1 x Common Rustic (or Lesser Common Rustic?)

1 x Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing -  I've had several of these this year.

Common Rustic

 

 

Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing

 

Stainland. Peacock Butterfly.

 Take a look at the amazing Peacock butterfly in the link below, it's impressive.

https://youtu.be/ijEzz5pSlaQ

Stainland. Part two of 14th July to 6th August moth record.

This post has been amended after Edward and David kindly corrected some of my faulty IDs. Thank you.

Sorry for the delay, I had a bit of a dip in my health. I know you were all waiting with baited breath, for the next installment of my cliff hanger.

There are a few here which I'd be grateful if someone could either verify, or correct them please.

There is always the possibility of some moths staying here for a day or two, (or five!). I try to check their markings or wing conditions but the odd one may slip through. During the day, almost all the moths disappear, to return in the evening, or the following eveing sometimes.

23rd of July.

1 x Beautiful Plume

1 x Common Footman

1 x Willow Beauty

4 x Marbled Beauties

 

25th July

2 x Small fanfoot wave

2 x Willow Beauties - One quite badly damaged, poor thing

1 x Edonia lacustrata

2 x Phoenix

Phoenix

 

27th July

 

1 x Muslin Footman  - A first for me, a nice moth

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Lesser Broad Borderd Underwing

1 x Blastobasis adustella - My first this year, they seem very sparse.

1 x Common Wainscot

1 x Unknown, photo attached. I don't suppose it can be ID'd,, but I thought it's long antennae might be a clue. It was about 10 feet away, taken with a telephoto lens.

 

 

28th July 2021

4 x Marbled Beauties

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Yellow Shell - This is the best photo of one that I've taken, they really are lovely.

 

 Yellow Shell

31st July

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Rivulet - Another first for me

Rivulet

 2nd August

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Willow Beauty

I usually only see one Small Phoenix per year. This year, like so many species, I've had quite a few, all in different states of repair.

3rd August

1 x Udea lutealis

1 x Small Magpie

1 x Dark Arches

Dark Arches

4th August

3 x Lesser Broad Borderd Underwing - First time I've seen one flying, amazing colour

1 x Brimstone 

1 x Udea lutealis - Darker the the other one in thos post. Only the fourth I've seen, the first was in Whitby.

1 x Udea prunalis

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Blastobasis lacticolella

1 x Common White Wave

 

Common White Wave

2 x Lesser Broad Borderd Underwing

5th August

2 x Willow Beauties

2 x Marbled  Beauties 

1 x Brimstone

6th August

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Agriphila tristella - Common Grass-veneer TBC. I'm not very good with this species. I think I       got it right.

 

Agriphila tristella Common Grass-veneer TBC

Right, I'm up to date now. It's been trying for me, I'm going to rest for the afternoon. (Poor old sod!)

 

Castle Carr Road - 5th August

 This afternoon - pretty breezy, still warm and with e few drops of rain.

Conditions not good for butterflies but just a couple of moths.

Common Carpet x 2

Agonopterix nervosa (confirmed CF) found it by the roadside fluttering about then at rest in the gravel.

Agonopterix nervosa 

Also these Sawfly larvae, plus plenty more, had more or less stripped a small roadside willow.

Ringby Lane - Swalesmoor Road

This morning in the sunshine, warm but breezy, especially on the top. 

These two were up the lane this morning but playing hard to get in the photo frame.

Small Copper

Wall

Also - in the top field - mainly on thistles

Painted Lady x 1

Small Tortoiseshell x 6

Peacock x 1

Small Skipper x 1

Green-veined White x 1

Wall x 2 (both together at the north end slope with clover and willow herb)

Shaded Broad-bar x 25 and counting.... - all being disturbed in the long dry grasses

Several Cinnabar caterpillars on ragwort

Lee Mount - 4th August

 24 species in and around the trap this morning including these.

Dark Dagger/Grey Dagger

Fan-foot

Northern Spinach

Phoenix

 

Willow Beauty

Also Mother of Pearl x 1 - failed to get a photo !

Shaded Broad-bar x 1

July Highflyer x 1 (fading)

Cold Edge

Small Skipper 1 female

Peacock 1 (and another in Shibden Valley)

Black Darter 2 females

Lee Mount - 2nd August

Another Lesser Swallow Prominent emerged from the compost yesterday. Later on I found a Swallow Prominent on the fence. Ah.... try to get a photo of the two together for comparison. The best I could do below but the 'Lesser' would not let go of the egg box. It would have been nice to get them both on the fence without the egg box background but I was cautious not to 'flush' the 'Lesser'.

Moth Breakfast at Todmorden

Had a very enjoyable Saturday morning at Gauxholme at Cath Baker's. The curry "breakfast" laid on by Anthony was great - just needed some strong lagers to go with it 😁 The best moths were the beautiful Gold Spot which was a new one for me, the understated Dot Moth which looked in perfect condition and a nice Orange Swift.

Stainland. 14th July to 3rd of Aug.

I've been suffering from shingles for over two weeks. It attacks the nerves and is incredibly painful, as you would expect. It ruins ones concentration, ability to think clearly, or understand what is being said, it saps all your energy too. It's a very nasty virus. My left shoulder, front and back, pectoral muscles and left side of my body in between, are affected. As a result, moving my left arm is very painful. This is why I have haven't posted. I have 16 days worth of moths to report. I'm recovering slowly, so will type up as many as I can before it becomes unbearable, I may have to post in 2 or three posts, depending how well I do. (Spending 3-5 minutes taking photos is one thing, stretching out to type, is another). Sorry about this.

My list starts from the 14th of July to the 3rd of August. There are a couple if moths I can't ID I have been through all my moth books 6 or 7 times now, page by page. It's been hard work in the condition I'm in. I keep falling asleep are in searching of IDs. SIGH.

14th July

2 x Brown House Moth

3 x Bee Moth

1 x Eudonia lacustrata

1 x Marbled Beauty

Common Marbled Carpet (Thanks Andy)

16th July

2 x Common Footman

6 x Marbled Beauties (3 Grey, 3 Brown)

1 x Current Pug

1 x Snout

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Riband Wave - Non Banded

1 x Udea prunalis

17th July

1 x Common Carpet

1 x Common Marbled Carpet. - Orange blaze

1 x V Pug

1 x Eudonia lacustrata

1 x Swallowtail

18th July

2 x Willow Beauties (Both in different states of wear to the one on the 16th).

19th July

1 x Bee Moths

1 x Common Wainscot

3 x Small Magpies (I've never seen so many before)

1 x Bird Cherry Ermin

1 x Blastobasis lacticolella

2 x Marbled Beauties - Brown

1 x Straw Dot, very worn

1 x The Fan-foot

1 x V Pug - More intense colour than the one yesterday

 

20th July

1 x Riband Wave - Banded

1 x Eudonia lacustrata

1 x Swallowtail - Damaged wing

1 x Marbled Beauty - 1 Grey, 1 Grey and Brown

1 x Small Fan-footed Wave

1 x  Brown House Moth

 

Marbled Minor sp. Thanks Andy.

 21st July

1 x Common Footman

1 x Double Striped Pug

1 x Marbled Beauty - Brown

1 x Edonia Lacustrata - Not the one from the day before

1 x Snout - Fairly fresh by the look of it

1 x Riband Wave - More damaged the the one the day before

22nd July

2 x Swallowtails

2 x Common Footman

1 x Double Striped Pug - Fairly Fresh

1 x Edonia Lacustrata

3 x Marbled Beauties -1 Grey, 2 Grey Brown

23rd July

1 x Beautiful Plume 

4 x Marbled Beauties (Assorted)

1 x Willow Beauty

1 x Common Footman

So far this has been an exceptional year for moths for me. A friend grew us some tobacco plants as moths like them, They are on both sides of the door and have masses of flowers. have to I wonder if they are responsible for all the moths. Also, I have never had multiple moths of one type before other than Marbled Beauties Eudonia and Blastobasis sp. Plus, I've had quite few new to me moths this time. All in all, a good season, hopefully with more to come.

Part two will follow...

 

 

Cold Edge 2 August

Green-veined White 44

Small Heath 1

Ringlet 3

Meadow Brown 4

Small Tortoiseshell 6

Peacock 1

Black Darter 1 male

Lesser Swallow Prominent - update

Below all from the same batch of eggs last year

27/04/2020 - eggs deposited by the female in an egg box

14/05/2020 - 12 caterpillars hatched (then fed on Silver Birch leaves)

16/06/2020 - they all went underground to pupate in compost

27/07/2020 - 4 adults emerged and left that evening (one more was later found dead in the garden hut)

06/05/2021 - 1 adult emerged

27/07/2021 - 1 adult emerged leaving a hole in the compost but I couldn't find it till this morning when it was resting in the window of the garden hut. Exactly the same date as the emergent's last year !

Lesser Swallow Prominent today (with window reflection)!

I still have 5 pupae in the compost - to wait and see what happens next - or are they dead - we shall see.

Comma

 Andrew Sladdin reports 10+ Purple Hairstreaks on Albert Promenade yesterday must be the best place in Calderdale to see this species as you look down on the Oaks not up.... and a great picture of Comma .Thanks for the email Andrew

Hollas Bridge full list

 

Cnephasia sp.    Cnephasia species

Coleophora sp. Coleophora species

Argyresthia brockeella  

Carcina quercana            

Bryotropha affinis           

Blastobasis adustella     

Blastobasis lacticolella   

Batrachedra praeangusta            

Agapeta hamana             

Pandemis cerasana         Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix

Pandemis heparana        Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix

Syndemis musculana     

Aphelia paleana                Timothy Tortrix

Tortrix viridana  Green Oak Tortrix

Celypha lacunana            

Orthotaenia undulana  

Apotomis sauciana         

Endothenia marginana 

Lobesia abscisana           

Eudemis profundana     

Ancylis badiana

Epinotia immundana     

Epinotia tenerana            Nut Bud Moth

Epinotia brunnichana    

Epiblema uddmanniana Bramble Shoot Moth

Epiblema foenella           

Eucosma cana   

Cydia nigricana  Pea Moth

Cydia splendana              

Cydia pomonella              Codling Moth

Chrysoteuchia culmella Garden Grass-veneer

Agriphila straminella      

Agriphila tristella             

Scoparia ambigualis        

Dipleurina lacustrata      

Eudonia mercurella        

Udea lutealis     

Pleuroptya ruralis            Mother of Pearl

Trachycera advenella    

Phycita roborella             

Platyptilia pallidactyla    

Pterophorus pentadactyla           White Plume Moth

Polyommatus icarus       Common Blue

Pyronia tithonus               Gatekeeper

Maniola jurtina                 Meadow Brown

Euthrix potatoria              Drinker

Habrosyne pyritoides     Buff Arches

Idaea biselata    Single-dotted Wave

Idaea aversata  Riband Wave

Xanthorhoe ferrugata    Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet

Scotopteryx chenopodiata          Shaded Broad-bar

Epirrhoe alternata           Common Carpet

Camptogramma bilineata             Yellow Shell

Cosmorhoe ocellata        Purple Bar

Eulithis prunata                Phoenix

Ecliptopera silaceata       Small Phoenix

Chloroclysta truncata     Common Marbled Carpet

Colostygia pectinataria  Green Carpet

Hydriomena furcata        July Highflyer

Perizoma affinitata          Rivulet

Perizoma alchemillata    Small Rivulet

Eupithecia tenuiata         Slender Pug

Eupithecia pulchellata    Foxglove Pug

Eupithecia absinthiata    Wormwood Pug

Eupithecia subfuscata    Grey Pug

Chloroclystis v-ata           V-Pug

Pasiphila rectangulata    Green Pug

Lomaspilis marginata      Clouded Border

Opisthograptis luteolata               Brimstone Moth

Selenia dentaria               Early Thorn

Ourapteryx sambucaria   Swallow-tailed Moth

Biston betularia                 Peppered Moth

Cabera pusaria                 Common White Wave

Cabera exanthemata     Common Wave

Campaea margaritata     Light Emerald

Laothoe populi                Poplar Hawk-moth

Deilephila elpenor           Elephant Hawk-moth

Deilephila porcellus         Small Elephant Hawk-moth

Eilema griseola                 Dingy Footman

Eilema depressa               Buff Footman

Eilema lurideola                Common Footman

Tyria jacobaeae                     Cinnabar

Agrotis exclamationis     Heart and Dart

Axylia putris                    Flame

Ochropleura plecta         Flame Shoulder

Noctua pronuba               Large Yellow Underwing

Noctua comes   Lesser Yellow Underwing

Noctua janthe   Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

Noctua interjecta             Least Yellow Underwing

Lycophotia porphyrea    True Lover's Knot

Diarsia mendica Ingrailed     Clay

Diarsia brunnea            Purple Clay

Xestia triangulum             Double Square-spot

Anaplectoides prasina   Green Arches

Melanchra persicariae   Dot Moth

Mythimna ferrago           Clay

Mythimna impura            Smoky Wainscot

Mythimna pallens            Common Wainscot

Acronicta aceris                Sycamore

Cryphia domestica           Marbled Beauty

Cosmia trapezina             Dun-bar

Apamea monoglypha     Dark Arches

Apamea lithoxylaea        Light Arches

Oligia strigilis agg.             Marbled Minor agg.

Oligia fasciuncula              Middle-barred Minor

Mesoligia furuncula        Cloaked Minor

Mesapamea secalis agg.               Common Rustic agg.

Hoplodrina alsines           Uncertain

Diachrysia chrysitis          Burnished Brass

Autographa gamma        Silver Y

Autographa bractea        Gold Spangle

Abrostola triplasia            Dark Spectacle

Abrostola tripartita          Spectacle

Rivula sericealis                 Straw Dot

Hypena proboscidalis     Snout

Herminia grisealis             Small Fan-foot

Ogden & Beacon Hill

 Had to do a walk around at Ogden and Beacon Hill today, plenty of sightings.

Ogden
Ringlet
Small Tortoiseshell
Small Copper
Meadow Brown
Small Skipper
Large Skipper
White-letter Hairstreak (Skirden Clough overflow)
Small Heath
Speckled Wood

Large White

Antler Moth (lots of ragwort on dam face)

Cinnabar caterpillars

Common Hawker

Lots of frogs on the paths around the reservior

Beacon Hill

Small Heath

Ringlet

Small Tortoiseshell

Large White

Meadow Brown

Speckled Wood

Gatekeeper

Comma