Hawkmoth day

What a day - this Elephant Hawkmoth was in the moth trap this morning - they are stunning moths!

 

 



 

This afternoon I went looking for Wall Brown Butterflies above Claremount on Pepper Hill (without success) but this turned up instead - A Hummingbird Hawkmoth (my 4th ever and all in Calderdale).
It was patrolling along the stone walls for several minutes but it was not easy to photograph though I did get lucky with a few record shots.

Every time the moth landed on the wall it was half in and half out of shade and I wondered if this is a tactic to avoid predation when at rest and further breaks up its outline (?)

More Help !!

Ghost Moth (female)

This was a special moth for me last night, just a shame I couldn't get it fully in focus

 Northern Spinach ?

Upturned abdomen but it doesn't seem to quite fit the book description !

Dont know what these 2 are ?

Help !!

Struggling with these from the last night or two.

Rustic ?

 Plain Golden Y ?

 No idea - but not a lot to go on and it was the best photo I could get !

 Another Rustic ?

 Baffled !!!

Baffled again !!!!

Scarce Silver Lines

Another Scarce Silver Lines caught last night at Mile Cross Road.

ID Moth- Ermine Yponomeuta sp

A Yorkshire Find Near Pond and reed Swept during the day A slivery little moth with what appears lines of regular spots could be an Ermine of sorts possibly more like Bird Cherry but there is also a Willow Ermine to eliminate

Ringby Lane

Yesterday afternoon I took a walk up Ringby Lane from the top of Ploughcroft. This small area on the left of the track was alive with butterflies. 20+ Ringlets, 20+ Meadow Browns, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Large Skipper, 2 Small Skippers. I think they were not only attracted by the warm sunshine and Willow Herb, Brambles etc as well as very weedy area just behind but also by the large Privet bushes in flower. Privet does attract insects if it's  allowed to flower !

 Ringby Lane



 

Also with the butterflies was this moth 'trying hard to get' though I eventually tracked it down to a stone wall though it stayed only briefly before I could get it in good focus. I think it's a Yellow Shell Moth.

 



Yellow Shell ?

Moth i d (2)

And another one from Lee Mount last night...... about 4 cm across very grey looking against the concrete kerb
Having a stab at Willow Beauty but not sure ...as usual...

Moth i d ?

 

Not sure about these two from Tuesday night !

Top one was very small max 2 cm across - perhaps Double-striped Pug ?

Second one maybe Small Fan-footed Wave ?

Help appreciated as usual !



 

Purple Hairstreak

Purple Hairstreak are now on the wing with 2 on the 29th at Only House Wood Northowram. Any area with Oak is worth looking at. Look at the tops of oaks in bright sunshine . Plenty of Gatekeepers and Ringlets about as well..The invasion of Painted \Ladys is still to happen..??

Langfield Common Moorland Moths Sat 26th July 2015

Its always nice to get up to langfield once every now and again , it was cool up there on sat night with clear skies throughout. Highlight was a Grey Moutain carpet  and 3 Confused . Other species - Small Square Spot 10 , Dark Arches 11 , Purple Clay 3 , Clouded Bordered Brindle 2 , Flame Shoulder 1 , Ingrailed Clay 9 , Lempke.s Gold Spot 2 , Common Wainscot 1 , Angle Shades 1 , Broom Moth 1 , Smoky Wainscot 1 , True Lovers Knot 5 and a Large Yellow Underwing..Not one Antler Moth .??



Weather . Day warm Sunny Temp circa 15 -19 o  Evening generally clear , still no significant breezes Temp dropping 10o

Habitat

Langfield Common is upland Moor Trap located in low lying Bog Area with Marsh and run off Springs with varios Rush and sedges at an Altitude on the OS Contour   m

The Following where imaged with the help of Brian and Andy

Other Entomology

The proximity of boggy habitat attracted Homoptera - froghoppers . Mirids Lepopterna sp

FLIKR ISSUE WILL RESOLVE SHORTLY

1744 Grey Mountain Carpet Entephria caesiata ABH 70.072

This specimen worn

A mountain and moorland species,The larvae feed on a number of low heathland plants such as heather (Calluna) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus). variable adults fly from July to August.

2120 Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica ABH 73.333 Two Specimens





The caterpillars hibernate and feed in the spring on a variety of shrubs and plants, including bramble (Rubus) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus).
2329 The Confused Apamea furva ABH 73.165 

The larva feed on the roots and stem bases of meadow grass (Poa spp.) and the moths fly mainly in July and August.







2440 Lempke's Gold Spot Plusia putnami ABH 73.023 
Among the foodplants is small-reed (Calamogrostis spp.).










2321 Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha ABH 73.162 

The larvae feed on the bases and stems of various grasses.likes grassy areas, it is on the wing from July to August, with a later second sotherly brood on the wing from July to August,

2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa ABH 73.113

The larvae feed on a variety of herbaceous plants.Adults generally fly between May and October, in at least 2 generations, but found in any month

2118 True Lover's Knot Lycophotia porphyrea ABH 73.338

The well-camouflaged larvae feed on heather (Calluna) and heath (Erica).It flies between June and August in a single generation

2122 Purple Clay Diarsia brunnea ABH 73.332

1. 
   

Common Footman

This moth was recorded near Cullingworth Viaduct a couple of specimens where noted one on Dry stone walling and the other feeding sluggishly on Creeping Thistle and should be ubiquitous in Calderdale

There is an excellent Primer on Footman here Footman Comparisions

Buff-tip

What a moth this was - another 'lifer' last night !

 Buff-tip

 Head on Buff-tip

Beautiful Plume 'I think'