Sunday, 21 March 2010

March Moth?


The only moth of last night, am I correct in this being a (well marked) March Moth?

Pixie Wood Sunday

Managed at least 9 Orange underwings today flying just above the canopy at Pixie wood some fantastic ariel displays going on in the sunshine.

Friday night



Cocoon found on wavy hair grass on Friday night aprox 7mm long,any ideas (lep ?)

Saturday, 20 March 2010

Keep the Faith





After the longest coldest winter in living memory at last we have had a couple of warm days.So far this week,
Oak Beauty x 1
Red Sword Grass x1
Pale Pinion x 2
Pale brindled Beauty x2
common Quaker x 5
hebrew Character x 3
March Moth x 3
Satellite x 2
Chestnut x 5
Went with Bri last night up Langfield looking for larvae and found 25 + Clouded Bordered Brindle ,1 lesser yellow underwing and 4 brown and 5 Green form of Anomalous larvae.

Friday, 19 March 2010

Knott Wood Hebden Bridge 19 03 10

Just had a couple of hours scanning the birches saw 2 Orange Underwings,well chuffed,thought it might have been to windy ! its great when you get your target species.regards Bri.

Thursday, 18 March 2010

Awakening




Hi everybody. I have been dormant for some time. Frozen in on the Rochdale canal! My 4th winter on the canal so far and it stands alone as completely different to all the previous ones. Anyway, really thawing this week. Put trap out for first time last night (17th March) and the following gathered...
Chestnut 5
March Moth 3
Yellow Horned 1
Common Quaker 3
Dotted Border 1
Total - 13
Very pleased with the dotted border as this species has eluded the lens every year so for one reason or another.

Also went through the fallingroyd tunnel 2 days ago - 4 Heralds. probably more as I couldn't stop to look properly. Winston




Tuesday, 16 March 2010

Early season Moths

Article on Birdguides website

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=1993

At Last

Put the trap on tonight and immediatly got Chestnut,Satellite and March Moth.

Sunday, 14 March 2010

Heather larvae 2





Larvae swept from heather yesterday at Shibden ,I reckon its the same as the ones Charlie swept at Norland about 6mm and a micro larvae found on gorse?? .Collected E.Sangii from H.Beaumont at the YNU meeting last week,a first for calderdale taken at light at N.Carters house last year.The S,aurella mines are common on bramble throughout calderdale at the moment this is in my back garden.

Case for id,Langfield Edge,13 03 10


Hi all,found this case on cliff face at 6mm in length,made from bits of gritstone and debri,its empty unfortunately,so could prob be anything ?

Midgley GMS

Nothing I'm afraid!

Monday, 8 March 2010

Orange Underwing


Now and over the next few weeks on sunny days is a good time to search local silver /birch woodlands for this day flying species.Cromwell Bottom is good but it must occour else where.????

Saturday, 6 March 2010

Knottwood Hebden Bridge,05 03 10




Found this amazing coleophora species yesterday while searching some heather,nearly discarded it ! but detected a slight movement ! its just over 2mm in lenght.searched for more but nowt,prob better beating than searching.looks like poss juncicolella ? size seems to fit as 4/5mm full size for that species is stated when full size is attained in late April ! see what others think.

Friday, 5 March 2010

GMS

Put the trap on tonight and found 688 Agonoptrix heracliana x2 and 1 Pale brindled beauty.
A good leaf mining tip from dereks blogg
http://wildyorkshire.blogspot.com/
And Bramham on Sunday meet Hx train station at 9.30.
Good to hear from winston this week his barge is now now free from ice and look forward to his posts soon.

Monday, 1 March 2010

395 glyphipterix haworthana

Charlie,theres still plenty ,found 18 or so in a small area of Langfield Common,they are quite bedraggled,try and get the largest ones if you have a try.Paul,is Blackstone Edge in Calderdale or Greater Manchester ?

395 glyphipterix haworthana larval cases 28 02 10



Heres a couple of pics of 2 larval cases, checked 7 larval spinnings 2 had larval cases with larva inside,1 larva per seedhead.cases were aprox 7mm.hope this makes sense all the best Bri,ps larvas head can be made out on lower case right side.

Sunday, 28 February 2010

More Garden Moth Recorders in Yorkshire!

Only a week to go before the garden Moth scheme starts again for the Summer of 2010. If anyone would like to join please email me and i will forward your details to the Yorkshire recorder.All you have to do is record every common species on friday or sat in your garden trap.
Many thanks and here is to a bumper mothing year!

Jailhole 27th feb

Met with Bri last night and we headed for jailhole,last week it was below freezing and covered with snow ,so with great optimism we set off up the moor, there was still snow on the ground in places but the wind was light and a cloudy sky kept the temp above freezing.We scaled the quarry and found 21 Anomalous larvae 12 green form and 9 brown form,, size rang 1cm to aprox 13mm,also 2 large yellow underwing larva green form,and 2 prob Square Spot Rustic larva all feeding after dark on Wavy Hairgrass.
I was amazed to see so many larvae out in the open in late February(good old Tutt) it took only 90 mins to find all 25 larvae.A brilliant night and look forward to going back soon.Many thanks to Brian

Meadows Edge 27 02 10

Also had a try dusk till dawn with mv,not a single moth !

Saturday, 27 February 2010

Whiteholme Drain,26 02 10

Hi all,on a walk along Whiteholme Drain,i counted over 100, 395 glyphipterix haworthana larval spinnings of cottongrass,mainly at northern end of drain and these were just the ones near the path ! must be excellent numbers in our area,wonder how many will survive after this Winter ! regards Bri.