A plea for Toads!

Hi all,

Apologies for the off-topic post, I promise my next one will be about moths! I did see my first butterfly today, however it was from quite a distance so I couldn't identify it...

The first Toads have been on the move in the area and I wondered if any of you night-time 'Moffers' would be interested in helping out with some night-time amphibians. We're extending a plea for volunteer Toad patrollers at some of Calderdale's Toad Crossing sites. We need some extra hands (and buckets!) to help the Toads cross the roads.

Five sites around Calderdale have been identified where Toads are at a high risk from traffic:
- Hebble End in Hebden Bridge
- Lumbutts/Mankinholes
- Hebden Hey in Hebden Wood
- Woodhouse Road in Todmorden
- Washer Lane in Sowerby Bridge

New 'Toad Crossing' road signs will be going up at Lumbutts and Hebble End as soon as possible, encouraging road users to drive carefully, but we still need volunteers! Particularly at the Woodhouse Road and Hebble End sites.

If you're interested and could spare the odd evening to help with some Toad transportation please get in touch with Hugh Firman at the Countryside Services. By email; Hugh.Firman@calderdale.gov.uk, or phone; 01422 393214.

Thanks!
Christine.

Hardcastle craggs .Turns up trumps

A steady 9 degrees at hardcastle craggs last night ,we ran two traps and recorded the following..
Common Quaker      70
Twin -spotted Quaker  47
Small Quaker               13
March Moth                  9
Hebrew Character       9
Couded drab              9
Mottled Grey            5
Dotted Border          6
Satellite                     6
Chestnut                17
Red Sword Grass      2
Pine Beauty               1
Red Green Carpet    4
 Engrailed                 4
Pale brindled Beauty   1
Brindled Pug             1
Ypsolopha   ustella         1
Agonoptrix her           1
Emelina Monodactyla    1

Actinic Moth Trap for sale

As new actinic moth trap with new bulb and rain guard..rarely used £50.00 ono.......Leave message or e-mail me at andrewcockorft@talktalk.net........................      Also today the first  3 Orange Underwings flying in the bright sunshine at EGP this afternoon my earliest record of this species ...

Ruby Cat

Thought this was a gonna last week and nearly discarded it as a lost cause ,but thankfully today it was on the move....

Moths of the Season

A good article from Steve whitehouse at Birdguides..
http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2611

one to look out for... 666....Semioscopis avellanella

Not recorded locally to my knowledge ,,but must be here http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=5714 found in the same habitat as yellow Horned..

Sunday night

Meeting at hardcastle craggs sunday about 6.30 all welcome...Went to bare head tunnel today and found only 10 heralds..1 small quaker and 5 Common Q's tonight so far......

THE SEPARATION OF MALE BRINDLED BEAUTY (Lycia hirtaria), PALE BRINDLED BEAUTY (Phigalia pilosaria) & SMALL BRINDLED BEAUTY

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/4BOCTSVvQzOttoyjsYbbDHU0dSiaHDeppWPNVh2UCbg_2PEQdGvdpCFWJ1pzIyhKZfuEG5bFfQSTSW9MWnQFXTCuu1Q51lUCzM5B/Keys/Separation%20of%20SBB%20-%20PBB%20-%20BB.pdf
An excellent article  by Jon Clifton  on the above species can be see here
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/0CSBTSsKDxIxdc2F33Kdy2_ypPYQo7vri1_rZStASDebU5Xah0ZGPwceajUyl7bAWCWGHgsLxHTljqT_aa0SuGfkdmyg96xdmpq2/Keys/Separation%20of%20SBB%20-%20PBB%20-%20BB.pdf
Thanks to Charlie Fletcher and Yorkshire moths for the link.

Saturday night in Luddenden

at last some Moths in the warmer weather included one of my faves,
this Red Sword Grass

plus


Common Quaker 4
Clouded Drab
Hebrew Character
Chestnut 2
March Moth 3




















also this cat for i.d,

I found this crawling up my trap last week any ideas?

GMS and a 1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

688 Agonopterix heracliana

1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

Did my GMS last night as I had a few electrical problems on Friday.
12 common Quaker
2 Clouded drab
2  Hebrew Character
3 March Moth
1 Satellite
1 Chestnut
1 Dotted Border
4 Agonoptix heracliana

Yellow horned

As Winston pointed out, more orange horned than yellow?

Midgley GMS

1 Yellow horned
2 Clouded Drab
1 Hebrew Character

Hardcastle craggs last night and Mad March Moffers

A good turn out of moths and Moffers despite the cold , wet and windy weather.
Satellite  4
Common Quaker  12
Twin Spotted quaker   5
March moth    5
Small quaker   1
Engrailed        1
Dotted Border   2 (tree searching)
Diernea Fagella  1
Agonoptrix Arnella  1
Totricodes alternella  3
Ypsolopha ustella      1,
Winston, Nick,Nick,Bri ,Sandra,Christine and Andy..Cheers all

Migrating moths and songbirds travel at similar rates

An interesting study was published on speeds of migrating moths yesterday


showing that Silver Ys migrate at the same speed as Willow Warblers if they have

a favourable wind:(thanks Charlie fletcher and yorkshire Moths )

http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/news/food-security/2011/110309-pr-migrating-moths-songbirds.aspx

Basic Moth Trapping...Part one from Birdguides

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2578

One to look for....Luffia lapidella f.ferchaultella ..

http://www.eakringbirds.com/eakringbirds2/mothimagesluffialapidellaferchaultella.htm
Needle and Haystack

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

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.

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?