Midgley Strikes again

Scarce Silver Y and Scallop shell last night Nick and sandra

Plain wave

Craggs Sunday night

A good night at the craggs last night whith highlights  Suspected , Small wainscot and Pinion streaked snout but another fruitless search for Devon Carpet larvae.The second generation should be on the wing in a few weeks.?

424 Yponomeuta evonymella Bird-cherry Ermine 2

969 Pandemis corylana Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix 1
1168 Gypsonoma sociana 1
1305 Agriphila tristella 1
1356 Evergestis forficalis Garden Pebble 3
1653 Habrosyne pyritoides Buff Arches 1
1702 Idaea biselata Small Fan-footed Wave 3
1713 Idaea aversata Riband Wave 2
1738 Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet 1
1742 Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell 3
1756 Eulithis populata Northern Spinach 3
1758 Eulithis pyraliata Barred Straw 1
1776 Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet 2
1777 Hydriomena furcata July Highflyer 1
1809 Perizoma didymata Twin-spot Carpet 1
1887 Lomaspilis marginata Clouded Border 5
1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 4
1941 Alcis repandata Mottled Beauty 4
1947 Ectropis bistortata Engrailed 4
1961 Campaea margaritata Light Emerald 4
2006 Pheosia gnoma Lesser Swallow Prominent 2
2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 2
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 5
2120 Diarsia mendica Ingrailed Clay 3
2122 Diarsia brunnea Purple Clay 2
2130 Xestia baja Dotted Clay 5
2138 Anaplectoides prasina Green Arches 1
2176 Cerapteryx graminis Antler Moth 37
2198 Mythimna impura Smoky Wainscot 4
2199 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot 1
2268 Parastichtis suspecta Suspected 2
2335 Apamea scolopacina Slender Brindle 1
2350 Chortodes pygmina Small Wainscot 1
2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 2
2434 Diachrysia chrysitis Burnished Brass 6
2439 Plusia festucae Gold Spot 2
2443 Autographa jota Plain Golden Y 1
2450 Abrostola tripartita Spectacle 1
2474 Rivula sericealis Straw Dot 1
2477 Hypena proboscidalis Snout 5
2484 Schrankia costaestrigalis Pinion-streaked Snout 1

Oak Eggar

I saw this caterpillar yesterday on the lovely heathland on top of Aaron Hill, between Sowerby and Crag Vale. I am guessing at Oak Eggar moth but maybe someone can confirm? Also disturbed a few Small Heath butterflies and saw about a dozen Small Tortoiseshell on the thistle flowers.

Craggs Sunday night

Meeting tonight at Hollins Hall about 9.30.all welcome

Burnished Brass

Vote against the Badger Cull

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/poll/2011/jul/20/badger-cull-justified

Roils Head

Took this at Norton Tower end of Roils Head today, any ideas.

Craggs Friday

A good search for Devon Carpet larvae proved fruitless this time ,but the swarms of biting midges hampered progress, will have better luck next time im sure.The larvae we did find were not leps.!!! A good couple of hours with the traps before the rain.-------Another Blackneck proves Calderdale is a good spot for this species.
424 Yponomeuta evonymella Bird-cherry Ermine 4

1405 Pleuroptya ruralis Mother of Pearl 18
1428 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1
1666 Geometra papilionaria Large Emerald 2
1702 Idaea biselata Small Fan-footed Wave 3
1713 Idaea aversata Riband Wave 6
1722 Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet 2
1727 Xanthorhoe montanata Silver-ground Carpet 2
1732 Scotopteryx chenopodiata Shaded Broad-bar 3
1738 Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet 4
1742 Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell 3
1756 Eulithis populata Northern Spinach 7
1758 Eulithis pyraliata Barred Straw 3
1776 Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet 16
1777 Hydriomena furcata July Highflyer 1
1802 Perizoma affinitata Rivulet 1
1803 Perizoma alchemillata Small Rivulet 1
1817 Eupithecia pulchellata Foxglove Pug 1
1887 Lomaspilis marginata Clouded Border 2
1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 5
1921 Crocallis elinguaria Scalloped Oak 1
1941 Alcis repandata Mottled Beauty 3
1958 Lomographa temerata Clouded Silver 4
1961 Campaea margaritata Light Emerald 4
1981 Laothoe populi Poplar Hawk-moth 1
2006 Pheosia gnoma Lesser Swallow Prominent 5
2098 Axylia putris Flame 2
2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 1
2118 Lycophotia porphyrea True Lover's Knot 3
2120 Diarsia mendica Ingrailed Clay 2
2122 Diarsia brunnea Purple Clay 2
2160 Lacanobia oleracea Bright-line Brown-eye 3
2176 Cerapteryx graminis Antler Moth 28
2199 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot 2
2205 Mythimna comma Shoulder-striped Wainscot 2
2293 Cryphia domestica Marbled Beauty 1
2340 Oligia fasciuncula Middle-barred Minor 4
2439 Plusia festucae Gold Spot 6
2442 Autographa pulchrina Beautiful Golden Y 2
2444 Autographa bractea Gold Spangle 3
2466 Lygephila pastinum Blackneck 1
2474 Rivula sericealis Straw Dot 10
2477 Hypena proboscidalis Snout 15

Grey Scalloped Bar 14 07 11

Had a try on Whiteholme Drain with Actinic sky cleared and cool wind blew, full moon didnt help,1 moth came to the actinic a True Lovers Knot ! i did find 2 Grey Scalloped Bars at Langfield Common my target species also 5 Map Winged Swifts and a Dusky Brocade

Burnet Moths

Had a couple of e-mails this week about 5/6 spot Burnet Moths.The common Narrow Bordered 5-spot  Burnet Moth is easily found in calderdale and there white papery cocoons are a common sight at tag loop at cromwell bottom,..in fact some juncuss plants hold 50 or more in one clump.The 6 spot is less common and now is a good time to look for solitry males flying over areas of Birds foot trefoil .I found 8+ today at Cromwell Bottom.This Large Emerald was found dead in the back garden today.Also second generations of Early Thorn ,Currant and Double striped Puggs have been seen this week.

Fan -foot or Pyralid

Is this a male fan-foot,,  or a Pyralid.??

Devon Carpet larvae search and Moth trapping

Devon Carpet larvae search and Moth trapping this friday at Hollin Hall,Hardcastle craggs ..Meet about 9ish
If its raining cats and dogs we will not be there ..apologies again for last weeks late cancellation..

Ringlets....continue to spread there wings

The first records for Calderdale was on the 8th July 2006 at Crow Nest Quarry, Lightcliffe, 4 males and two females seen in flight. (C.P.Duke, C.V.Duke).


Single male photographed at Sunnyvale on 10th July 2006 (C. V. Duke.)

On the 19th July 2007 ,2 were briefly observed at Only House Wood Northowram then on the 24th 1 was caught and positively identified as this species, 3 adults were observed around bramble bushes at this site on the 27th July 2007.(AC).

1 at Tag Meadow,Cromwell Bottom on the 1st July 2008 was photographed and identified as a female.(AC)In 2008 the species was recorded from many sites in the eastern area of Calderdale and at least 60+ individuals  recorded.(CS, AC &CSut)
  In 2011 they have been seen in very good numbers so far at Cromwell Bottom,Northowram and two new sites at Pellon and Queensbury.Keep and eye out for this species locally it must be spreading towards Hebden Bridge .??

Keep an eye for these two..

Allthough they are regular locally Light Arches(top) and Slender Brindle(below) can easily be overlooked at htis time of year amounst the masses of Dark Arches...

The amazing Limnaecia phragmitella

Charlie wrote this a week or so ago  ...... Limnaecia phragmitella emerged this morning from larvae found in typha seedheads at Tag meadow this winter.As Paul and others have pointed out the larvae put Houdini to shame when it comes to escaping.I had mine in a tupperware box with the lid firmly snapped to and some rubber bands around the middle for good measure - and yep they just pushed their way out no trouble at all!
Today in Northowram......
They are amazing little things...They just keep on emerging this poped out today and I also found 4 large plump larvae trying to escape...where have they come from.??Larvae and adults together.? There must have been over 100 larvae in  the three seed heads collected.

Moth Night 2012

Moth Night 2012 will be on 21st - 23rd June and the theme is brownfield habitats(quaries,disused railway lines,gravel pits).and will be both night and day searches.

A couple from Midgely

Hi Nick/Sandra,check this pic of your Rustic out with Andys pics below.hope its of use,ps there will be quite a few that will be difficult to id ! regards Bri.

A couple from Midgley

A couple of moths from mlast night's trapping in Midgley, one we are fairly sure is Dotted Clay but the other? At first we thought Uncertain but are now wondering if its a Rustic, or are we way off?

Craggs Sat night

14 Hepialus humuli Ghost Moth 2


18 Hepialus fusconebulosa Map-winged Swift 2

1702 Idaea biselata Small Fan-footed Wave 1

1708 Idaea dimidiata Single-dotted Wave 4

1713 Idaea aversata Riband Wave 4

1727 Xanthorhoe montanata Silver-ground Carpet 2

1742 Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell 1

1756 Eulithis populata Northern Spinach 8

1758 Eulithis pyraliata Barred Straw 14

1776 Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet 11

1777 Hydriomena furcata July Highflyer 6

1817 Eupithecia pulchellata Foxglove Pug 1

1887 Lomaspilis marginata Clouded Border 1

1931 Biston betularia Peppered Moth 2

1941 Alcis repandata Mottled Beauty 5

1955 Cabera pusaria Common White Wave 1

1961 Campaea margaritata Light Emerald 2

1981 Laothoe populi Poplar Hawk-moth 1

2000 Notodonta dromedarius Iron Prominent 1

2006 Pheosia gnoma Lesser Swallow Prominent 1

2008 Ptilodon capucina Coxcomb Prominent 4

2050 Eilema lurideola Common Footman 3

2089 Agrotis exclamationis Heart and Dart 1

2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 1

2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 2

2120 Diarsia mendica Ingrailed Clay 3

2123 Diarsia rubi Small Square-spot 1

2138 Anaplectoides prasina Green Arches 6

2155 Melanchra persicariae Dot Moth 1

2158 Lacanobia thalassina Pale-shouldered Brocade 1

2160 Lacanobia oleracea Bright-line Brown-eye 2

2176 Cerapteryx graminis Antler Moth 9

2199 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot 4

2289 Acronicta rumicis Knot Grass 1

2321 Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches 14

2322 Apamea lithoxylaea Light Arches 1

2326 Apamea crenata ab. combusta Clouded-bordered Brindle [melanic form] 2

2326 Apamea crenata Clouded-bordered Brindle 2

2330 Apamea remissa Dusky Brocade 7

2337x Oligia strigilis agg. Marbled Minor agg. 2

2342 Mesoligia literosa Rosy Minor 2

2345 Photedes minima Small Dotted Buff 6

Burnished Brass Chrysitis 'Burnished Brass' 5

2439 Plusia festucae Gold Spot 3

2442 Autographa pulchrina Beautiful Golden Y 4

2443 Autographa jota Plain Golden Y 1

2444 Autographa bractea Gold Spangle 2

2474 Rivula sericealis Straw Dot 8

2477 Hypena proboscidalis Snout 15