Caggs

We are still planning to trap on sat night at the craggs ...we have 4 traps to run and Devon CArpets should be just starting there second generation ...Meet at 8.30 / 9.00.........

14 August 2017. 4:00 p.m.

I disturbed several small moths in the garden this afternoon, they all looked the same. I managed to catch one in a sample pot. It had an argument with what may have been a bird, judging by the piece missing from it's right wing. It's a Udea lutealis. Hardly the best photo in the world, but good enough for an ID. Ten moths in one day, I'm very pleased.

Udea lutealis

Elephant Cats

There appears to be a flurry of Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillars to be seen , This one found on the ground layer on Pale Willowherb close to Rosebay as might be expected. This one weighed 8 g and was aprox 7.3cm  cm in length extended


 

A couple of stigmellas.....

I've spent quite a while over the years searching for Stigmella myrtillella after Paul seemed to have such success in finding mines at several sites. Finally, after a walk up to Norland village on a glorious summer's day yesterday, I came across this one in among the countless, fungal infected Bilberry leaves. As Paul rightly said, it's best searched for on south or south-east facing slopes.

More easily found was this Rose Leaf Miner mining my garden rose bush. I watched it over the course of a few days as the mine developed and then took it indoors to rear through as the mine neared completion.

A couple of days ago the adult emerged - all 3mm of it. Thankfully it posed quite well for a few minutes allowing me to get my first decent shot of a Nepticulid.

Normally they rarely stay still during daylight hours.

Stainland., 14 Aug. 2017. (Amended post).

A nice selection this morning:
3 Marbled Beauties
1 Blastobasis -the pale form
1 Garden Rose Tortrix
1 Riband Wave - banded form
1 Honeysuckle Moth

(I forgot to add the two following moths, call it old age).
1 Edonia lacustrata
1 Common White Wave Cabera pusaria (TBC)

I'm only showing the moths I've not posed before.

 Garden Rose Tortrix

Riband Wave - banded form

 Honeysuckle Moth

Honeysuckle Moth

I think I identified the next moth correctly, but hopefully, someone will provide the right ID for it. It's very worn, but I think it's a Common White Wave.

Common White Wave (TBC)

Stainland, 12 August.

I woke this morning to a personal record of Marbled Beauties, all at the same time. I really can't say why, but they are one of my favourite moths.

7 Marbled Beauties.
1 Blastobasis adustella.
1 Mother of Pearl.

I have only just discovered that the Blasobasis adustella has a couple of common names - Dingy Dowd and Furness Dowd. It's strange that I never picked up on that before. Ah, well you learn something new every day. I wouldn't normally post yet another photo of Blastobasis a. It's a little big-headed of me, but it's the best photo of one I've ever taken.

Blastobasis adustella.

Of the Mother of Pearl - Patania_ruralis, Wikipedia has this to say: "Scientists used the rolling behaviour of the caterpillar as a model to create next-generation robots that roll". Who'd imagine that such a small moth could have such an impact of robotics? Sadly, the specimen below is yet another that has been scorched in an un-shielded MV moth trap, I see so many like this by my door, it's such a shame.

Mother of Pearl.

The last few days

Last Saturday evening was deathly calm so I had a wander up the road to the local graveyard to check out some Ragwort for nectaring moths. Just one of the half a dozen clumps had moths feeding on it but it was interesting none the less. A Cloaked Minor above, (thanks Richard for the ID) was very worn but a lifer for me and a Common Pug (below) and Smoky Wainscot made up the rest.

A trip to Cromwell Bottom on the 10th  found a couple of interesting miners. Stigmella speciosa (above) on Sycamore is quite scarce locally and a Buccalatrix cidarella on Alder is also infrequently recorded.

On the 9th this Gypsonoma dealbana was found on New Lane bringing my life list to 496 - maybe next week if conditions are right I'll hit the magic 500 mark............

Cunnery Wood meadow

Annual terrorization of insects by public at Cunnery Wood today, with our grassland mini beast event. Lots of bugs, frog hoppers, beetles, a few grasshoppers and a number of micro moths.

butterflies included....
Gatekeeper
Red Admiral
Green veined white
Meadow brown
Small skipper
Small copper
Large white
speckled wood

large yellow underwing and common darter as well.

Painted Lady

Had a Painted Lady today in Northowram village along with a few Green veined and  Small Whites.

Copley, 26/7/17

Sorry this is a bit late, but a mad dash of work, decorating and then holiday means this is the first time I have had to post since trapping in the garden on 26th July.

Large yellow underwing x54
Swallow-tailed moth x1
Bird cherry ermine x2
Heart & dart x1
Clouded border x1
Early thorn x2
Phoenix x1
Bramble shoot moth x1
July highflyer x1
Udea fulvalis x1
Scollaped oak x1
Broken bordered carpet x1(below)

There were a few I could do with help with identifying, so if anyone can help it would be appreciated

Moth 1

Moth 2

Moth 3

 Moth 4 (which I think is a beauty!)

Moth 5

Moth 6

Wainstalls

Found this caterpillar along Castle Carr Road on some nettles with what looked like another one wrapped up in a nettle leaf next to it. I didn't realise caterpillars could be so variable but think maybe Red Admiral ???

Lee Mount - 3rd August

One to check out please - wondering about Agriphila tristella (c14mm) ?

Stainland, 8 August.

2 x Eudonia lacustrata.
1 x Lesser underwing.

It's been very quiet for a few days, I think the weather has kept them away. Very obligingly, the underwing settled on our hall floor long enough for a few shots.

Lesser underwing.

Moth night at Cromwell Bottom

Is any anybody going to tomorrow's event (5th)?

Lee Mount - 2nd August

Query on this one, and this is the only shot I could manage and it's not brilliant !- slightly smaller than Dark Arches - wondering about Cabbage Moth ?

A couple more to the list

Had a quick recce yesterday to the local graveyard for Ragwort sites and found one Small Copper and three Gatekeepers nectaring on some of the few clumps present.

Lee Mount - this week

Some more queries from this week !

 ....... Pug ? WL c10mm

 

 Maybe Cydia splendana - after a blow wave !

 

 

 Acleris forsskaleana

 

Honeysuckle Moth (25th and 28th July) Ysolopha dentella

The nearest I can get with this one is Ysolopha sequella but this one looks much darker than illustrations or photos I have found so far

 

Lee Mount - 28th July

In the trap this morning.....

 Not sure about this one above and below. Wonder if it's well worn or not though it has a pale indication of a kidney mark. It looked slightly larger and broader than Smoky Wainscot !

Clay - (worn)

 Scalloped Oak - (not had many of these before)

 

 

Not 100% sure about this one either -  Square-spot Rustic

Hardcastle Craggs Wardens Cottage 2

We are planning to return  and trap on the 19th August ...All welcome.this is now a public event . It should be bang on time for the second generation of Devon Carpets . Again we will be running as many traps as possible and also searching the surrounding areas with torch and net.   If any one has a spare MV trap we could borrow for the night please bring it with you or leave a message below    Cheers.....

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