Bare Head Tunnel

Just 7 Heralds today in Bare head Tunnel............................

HELP needed ....................Tree Planting.....

The Friends of Roils Head

Tree Planting!

Roils Head Moor

next to Bridleway Hx 548

(at the top of Broadley Road and Rye Lane)

1.30pm – 3pm

Saturday 2 December 2017

The FoRH (with Calderdale MBC Countryside Team) will be planting a Woodland Trust Tree Pack along the moor side of the Bridleway. To create a natural hedgerow and to establish more food sources for wildlife in the area. Creating a living legacy for future generations.

All are welcome to come and help!

Please wear appropriate clothing

We love Ragwort ...............18th November.

Hi everyone. As this is a quiet time for moths, I thought I would post links to two sites which disprove all the myths about the dangers of ragwort. They also demonstrate that the supposed large number of horses that ragwort, is "known" to have killed, to be untrue.

The ragwort issue surfaces regularly and not enough people know the real truth about it. I found the first site about three years ago, it makes for compelling reading. It's a shame that this information is not more widely known. But then, some of the "Ragwort-is-evil-and-must-be-eradicated" brigade, are high profile people, with easy access to getting their hysterical comments into the eye of the media.

The first link disproves the myths about ragwort. The second link looks very carefully at the statements made by the BHS - British Horse Society. It clearly shows the false premises and dodgy "statistics" about horse deaths by ragwort.

http://www.ragwortfacts.com/ragwort-myths.html

http://www.thepoisongarden.co.uk/blog2/blog241114.htm

Spread the good word for ragwort people!

15th November.

By the door this morning I spotted what for all the world looked like a lump of fluff about 1 inch long. It looked almost like a scrap of rag. As far as I could tell, it was grey and dark grey, with a yellow/buff part near the tail end. I got the ladder to photograph it. Once I was up it, the thing had gone. Blast! I'd looked at it from floor level for about 1 minute.  I can only think it may have been a December moth, (another one I'd love to see). I wasn't close enough to get a good look. I hope it returns.

However, on the fanlight was my first ever Mottled Umber. I did get some photos of this one. Yet another "common" moth I'd never seen!

Mottled Umber.

Door moths

A couple of moths from recent weeks, both found on doors, but they are both causing me problems with the ID. Any help would be appreciated.

 Moth 1. Seen 4.11.17 - Ogden Water

Moth 2. Seen 11.11.17 - Copley

Stainland, 8th November

About 8 pm I found this rather bland moth on the fanlight. That's in spite of the cold and the gusty wind. I don't know what it is, can anyone help, please?

November agg.
Thanks for the ID Andy.

Lee Mount - 5th November

Yesterday on the outside door frame - I think this looks like Pale Brindled Beauty - perhaps a bit early so need to check please !

 

 

Also today 6th from Swales Moor, Ringby Lane, a Red Admiral >W over the top of the hill late morning

29 October

Just one Angle Shades moth today, it looked like the others I saw this year, so I didn't bother to post an image.

I forgot to say that I was surprised to find any moths in view of the strong, gusting wind, rain and cold. It's a hardy moth!

Lee Mount - 24th October

In or around the trap this morning - it makes a difference when the weather is mild.
November Moth agg x 1
Common Marbled Carpet x 1 (worn but still just about showing the orange blaze)
Large Yellow Underwing x 1 (thought it was getting late for them)!
Mottle Umber x 5
Tachystola acroxantha x 1
Light-brown Apple moth x 7
Red-green Carpet x 1
Yellow-line Quaker x 1
Satellite x 1

Will try getting some photos on later if I get time.

Stainland, 24th October .

I have a Red-Green Carpet moth on the door this morning. It's yet another first for me. They really are nice looking little things.

 

Red-Green Carpet.

Gallows Pole Plantation

Had a wander up to the plantation yesterday - with the rain and leaden skies it looked like something out of a dark fairytale. The ground is permanently water-logged and I regularly flushed flocks of Wood Pigeons from the stunted, gnarly tree tops - very spooky!

There were dahlica bagworm cases on the side of the main road at Greetland and on Norland moor near the plantation - seems they are widespread and locally abundant. That's 6 areas at 4 sites now.

Another interesting find was this Exapate congelatella resting on a dry-stone wall by the plantation. I thought with the cool, wet weather it would hang around for photos but it was up and away from the off allowing just one record shot. Seems they do fly on calm afternoons. 

Stainland 20 October

Hi David, yes the size is right for Angle Shades cats. Below are two photos of the green form which I took this year on the 5th of April.

Updated Comment:
I should have mentioned that I've never seen a Small Angle Shades (in answer to your remarks about them.).

Angle Shades caterpillar.

Lee Mount - 20th October

In the trap this morning..
Blair's Shoulder-knot x 1 (a different individual from the day before)
Light-brown Apple-moth x 1

I think this other one could be a Red-line Quaker which, if confirmed, would be another new one for me after the Yellow-line Quaker from the day before.
A much greyer moth than the YLQ though of a similar size and just about showing the outermost cross line along with darker on the kidney marks. I could be missing something though but not sure what else it might be.

UPDATE after a re-think and looking at the pale marks around the kidney - could more likely be Pale Mottled Willow.

Red-line Quaker or Pale Mottled Willow (?)

Caterpillar trail

Thanks for your help Gordon.With your prompt I just found this on Small Angle Shades Euplexia lucipara  - which apparently has two colour forms. Though this reference below does not refer to 2 colour forms on the Angle Shades Phlogophlora meticulosa - though it might have (??)

I did find 2 of the same caterpillars of different sizes on the Phlox - I didn't measure them though the larger one was c24mm and the smaller one was c17mm

http://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/euplexia-lucipara/larvae-2-colour-forms/

Stainland 20 October

I've just found out that the global decline of insects is far more serious than was thought. Follow the link below, it is not happy reading. (Copy the link and past it into your browser).

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/flying-insects-numbers-drop-ecological-armageddon-75-per-cent-plummet-a8008406.html

Stainland 20 October

The attached photos of an Angle Shades Caterpillar were taken last year. They are simply a cross check reference for David with his caterpillar post. The trouble is, David didn't give an proximate size of the cat he found.  I hope this helps, one way or another.

A quote from:

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/species/angle-shades

"Larvae that hatch in autumn overwinter as caterpillars and pupate in the soil the following spring to produce the first generation of adults that year".

Angle Shades caterpillar.

Lee Mount - 19th October

Just four moths in the trap this morning
Yellow-line Quaker - x  1 (TBC as it's a first for me. Never had Red-line Quaker either but expect that to be greyer rather than this orangey one)
Mottled Umber x 1
Blair's Shoulder-knot x 1
Acleris sparsana x 1

 Blair's Shoulder-knot

 

 Mottled Umber

 

Yellow-line Quaker

 

Also from earlier in the week

A Red-green Carpet looking a little faded, and a caterpillar found on Phlox with I haven't been able to identify yet.

 Caterpillar still to i d

Red-green Carpet

Stainland 19th October 2017.

Just one moth today, Blastobasis lacticolella. The weather wasn't great during the night, it will have kept most moths safe in bed.

Blastobasis lacticolella.

Lee Mount - 16th October

This morning
Angle Shades x 1
November Moth agg x 3
Common Marbled Carpet x 2 (both faded but still just showing orange blaze)
Light-brown Apple-moth x 3
Tachystola acroxantha x 1
Spruce or Juniper Carpet x 1 - need some help with this one !

 Spruce or Juniper Carpet ?

 

Angle Shades

Northowram 15th October 2017 National Moth Night

Vestal x 1 (first for 10 years )
Feathered Thorn x 1
Light Brown Apple Moth x 11
Red Green Carpet x 2
Blairs Shoulder Knot x 4
Silver Y x 1
Garden Rose Tortrix x 1
Juniper Carpet x  4  ( not seen any for many years so I am tentative about ID )


**Brian Leesey recorded 5 Streak at Meadows Edge Todmorden on Sat Night **