Tuesday, 8 March 2011

Friday evening

This fine Dotted Border landed on the house window last night a real suprise with  temps at - 2 .Meeting in Hardcastle Craggs car park on friday evening about 6.30 weather permitting...all welcome

Monday, 7 March 2011

Bare Head Tunnel ...2

Went back to Bare Head tunnel today with camera and torch and found 12 Heralds in the tunnel.there were a four a three and 5 singles.

Saturday, 5 March 2011

Bare Head Tunnel..Shibden

(Pic by Darrel ...nicked from The With Blogg)
Had a walk down Bare head Tunnel today at the top of Shibden and found 2 Heralds inside..Fantastic to see them in natural hibernation. Also lots of sallow/catkins just starting to show....Also 2 ....688 Agonopterix heracliana...to the housse window last night.
.

GMS

Poor start up here in Midgley, no moths at all. Anybody else get anything?

Friday, 4 March 2011

Clouded Drab


Hi All, Parking the car in Hebden last night this Clouded Drab fluttered down in front of the car. After rescuing it before parking on top of it It proved to be not so drab after all.

Wednesday, 2 March 2011

Tiny Yellow Underwing



Can anyone i.d. this micro, I've named it a Tiny Y.U. because of the yellow underwings, I caught two on Monday night, the only Moths I've had this week

Sunday, 27 February 2011

Eriocrania

If any one is interested in local micro's ..charlies blogg is a real treat at the moment.The eriocrania are a well represented family locally and a good way to start an interest in local micros..They are a small group but all very beautifully coloured..


http://charlielepidopteraofcalderdale.blogspot.com/

Saturday, 26 February 2011

Hardcastle Craggs


Tree searchring with torch..

Dotted border  5
Spring Usher    1
Chestnut          2
Pale Brindled Beauty   1

At Light

Satellite 1

2 moths in the road at luddenden 2 Mottled Grey..AC,BL and NCD

Luddenden - this week





Pretty good in Luddenden this week with eight species of Macro and two Micro (I'm not sure if these are the same species), can anyone i.d. the Micro's please




























































Last night in Hebden Bridge






























Little things to get excited about!

For the last 4 years (as far as I can remember) I have had only one Dotted Border visit the skinner trap per year. And each year I have failed to get a photograph of this very flighty (in my experience) species. On previous years the subjects have been completely uncooperative and shot off at the first sign of a camera or, on one occassion comitted suicide in the canal. Last night I came home about midnight after work and obviously everything was sopping wet. There were three moths however -

1 x Chestnut
1 x 1025 tortricodes alternella
And yes...
1 x 1934 Agriopis marginaria Dotted Border.
A better pic this time of a rather worn specimen. More pleased with the pic of t. alternella, which again although common is not a regular visitor here. I think it shows some nice detail. Winston

Last Nights Moths and a blast fof spring..

A nice spring day with heavy overnight rain in Northowram produced in the trap---

   283 Caloptilia  betulicola/elongella (type) x 1
1070 Tortricodes alternella 1

Dotted Border x3 (2 melanic)
Mottled grey   x 1
Pale Brindled beauty  x 1
Satellite x 1
Chestnut x 2
March Moth x 2
Red Green carpet x 1

Friday, 25 February 2011

Cat at pellon today

 Found this on the pavement at Pellon today, any ideas ?Nick D............

Last night in Midgley...

Hurrah, Spring is here! Last night produced 1 March Moth, 4 Chestnuts, 1 Dotted Border and 2 to ID tonight when I have more time. Not a bad start for us! The Dotted Border is a nice one to start the year with.

Thursday, 24 February 2011

1070 Olethreutes mygindiana














Nice to see the first berrys on cowberry today on the local moors and the larvae of 1070 Olethreutes mygindiana in the folded leaves(thanks Wild Yorkshire for the tip off  ).This Red Green Carpet was my first moth last night to the garden trap and my earlieat by 4 weeks!!!!.

Update...field trip to hardcastle craggs on sat Night top car park by river...meet 6ish.....

Wednesday, 23 February 2011

One to look out for...

One good moth to look out for now is Small Brindled Beauty. It is very rarely
recorded in the county but should be flying now and for the next month or so in
mature oak woodland. Very few people start trapping in woodland until later in
March when it has probably stopped flying. The distribution in the county is
very poorly known, but we have scattered records across VC61,62 and 64. It
hasn't been seen in VC63 since Porritt's day. It would be rather nice to find
it in some new places.
 
Taken off Yorkshire Moth Yahoo group.Thanks Charlie Fletcher..Broadhead clough springs to mind.

Tuesday, 22 February 2011

Last Night in Hebden Bridge


Hi all, I have been looking forward to writing that title all winter now and hope tonight will be the first of many reports of 2011.


Last night trapped from dark till midnight.So far tonight , .Winston

(8:30pm) 4 x March Moth

(10:30pm) 7x March Moth
(11:15pm) 9x March Moth


(all on window and not in trap)


plus 1x Pale Brindled Beauty


2x chestnut

Sunday, 20 February 2011

1097 Endothenia gentianaeana



After finding loads of teasle heads in Northowram last week I was a bit dissapointed to find all were empty .I found a single plant today at Boothtown with 8 heads ,every single one contained 1 larvae  in the seed head.a closer examination is needed to determin which species it is.

Update..after close examination they are 1097 Endothenia gentianaeana ,

Saturday, 19 February 2011

Limnaecia phragmitella ?

The Limnaecia phragmitella  larvae have multiplied over the last few days to at least 20 and are very active,do they pupate in the seed head or do they need a bit of compost.??

Thursday, 17 February 2011

Early Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)

Hi Guys
I found by pure chance an early Common Quaker this evening behind my caravan here in North Wales this evening. I was trying out a spot of Owl watching (failed)when I spotted the moth.