Brimstone butterfly

Saw a male three times on and around Hollas Lane Nature Reserve on the 24th am and pm.

My first ever in Calderdale - woo hoo!

Ogden (Delayed Post). Modified text.

Sorry, I found the notes I made about this day at Ogden. I had not got it all correct, I've changed the text below to suit. (Just so you know I'm not asleep all the time).

Several things prevented me from putting this post up sooner. I was up at Ogden on Back Lane, on the 24th of May. It's about 30 years since I was on that particular path. It was very sunny and breezy, with cool wind in the shade. Because of the stiff breeze, I was surprised to see butterflies on the wing.

I counted :
9 Small Whites. Too flighty to get photos of.
5 Orange Tips. Too far away to photograph.
1 Small Heath.

I don't remember seeing a Small Heath before. I stalked it for several minutes, all I could get was the photo below. I'd have liked to get it with wings open. I did get quite a sun tan though.

I heard my first cuckoo this year at White Wall End. Also, Skylark, Curlew (I love its call), Red Grouse, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Magpie, Chiffchaff  Chaffinch, Wren, Starling, Sparrows and Long tailed tit. I only mentioned them for completion, Really it was for the cuckoo, I haven't heard many in the last few years.

Small Heath.

Stainland.

This moth was by the door at 1 am, it's still here now, (2 pm). I think it knew the temperature was going to drop. It's a Knot Grass, if so, it's a first for me. It looks very dark against the stone, is this a melanic form?

Knot Grass.

Lee Mount - 25th May

Lime Hawkmoth turned up last night and in the trap this morning along with a single Heart and Dart.

 Lime Hawkmoth

One for a check here, c10mm+ from 23rd May. Think it's a Parsnip Moth but the white collar is throwing me ! or possibly Depressaria pulcherrimella ??

Common Blue

Appeared to be liberated from extensive grass cutting in middle of council estate a suprise on the way to the shops. No image but size distinctive

Cold Edge and Ovenden Moor

Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey today on our usual Tetrad route.
Pretty windy up there but the sun shone throughout. The butterflies were not easy to find but the day turned out better than expected.
Wall Brown x 2
Green Hairstreak x 5
Small Copper x 2
Small Heath x 1
Peacock x 2
Small Tortoiseshell x 3
Orange-tip x 4

Day flying moths - just Common Heath x 3

Wall

A Wall today at Wainstalls (thanks Pete Smith) ,and a Brimstone at Cromwell Bottom (thanks JM)

Luddenden Dean - 23rd May

I just re-read my post and I forgot (how could I )!!! - my first Brimstone Butterfly in Calderdale - flew past at the pond on the edge of WadeWood below Jowler late afternoon.

An interesting afternoon from Booth and up the valley to the Lower Lodge at Castle Carr and return down the other side of the valley. It was much better when the sun managed to get through.
Orange-tip butterflies all over the place
Peacock x 1
Speckled Wood x 10 (+)
Wall x 1 (down the track from Saltonstall to Wade Wood (I sat on a seat and it appeared on a wall in front of me - got some photo's but not brilliant - it wouldn't stay still for long.

Wall

Green Hairstreak - just before Jerusalem Farm. It took me by surprise sitting and flitting about on an Oak tree. Poor photo unfortunately.

Lee Mount 23rd May

Campion x 1
Heart and Dart x 1
Light-brwon Apple Moth x 2
Many-plumed Moth x 3
Common Pug x 2
Brindled Pug (probably) but well faded !

 Any thoughts on this micro from 18th May ?

Campion

Svensson's Copper Underwing??

Found a few of these caterpillars on the privets when they were cut the other day, are they Svensson's Copper Underwing?

Cromwell Bottom Sat 18th

2 x Iron Prominent
2 x  Pale tussock
3 x Common Swift
5 x Common Pug
1 x Shuttle Shaped Dart
1 x Green Carpet
1 x Flame Carpet
1 x twenty plume moth
1 x Diamond Backed moth (early migrant)
1 x Cinnabar
2 x White Shouldered House Moth

                                                            A female  Capua vulgana x 1.....

Hollas Lane Dwarfs

My quest for Elachistas this year took a turn for the better yesterday when I found this Swan-feather Dwarf (E.argentella) at Hollas Lane.

Also there I collected this mine on grass sp. It seems to be tenanted with an Elachista larva. They have a reputation for being parasitized so I won't hold my breath.............

Lee Mount - 19th May

This mornings haul !
Peppered Moth x 1
Bee Moth x 1
Many-plumed Moth x 3
Light-brown Applemoth x 2

Puss Moth from 18th and Pale Tussock from 15th still on the fence tonight..

Stainland.

8:30 pm,  today. I found a Bee Moth on the door. I took it as a good sign, things are looking up.

We are in the final stages of having a new kitchen fitted. It(should) be finished by Wednesday this week. It's been the most stressful thing we have had done to the house, BUT it looks fantastic already. The front room no longer has a four and a half foot high stack of boxes. All we need is to get the fridge and washer back in the kitchen. (And learn how to operate the new computerised cooker).

Bee Moth.

Lee Mount 18th May

Puss Moth this morning was a belter - still there this lunchtime. Pretty sure it's a first for here, need to check (?)
Also in the trap..
Cinnabar x 1
Heart and Dart x 1

Puss Moth

Also on Ovenden Moor this morning near the wind-farm, it was a bit dull and overcast but I managed to find 4 Green Hairstreak's hanging on to heather, all very still waiting for the weather to warm up !

Cromwell Moth night

This sat 9 onwards.....weather looks very good .....

Field trip to Cromwell Bottom

Looks like a good year for Mother Shiptons


https://cromwellbottom.blogspot.com/2019/05/mothing-trip-to-tag-meadow-and-north.html

Recent sightings

Scarr & Long Wood
Speckled wood x 5
Orange tip x 5
Cinnibar x 2
Peacock x 1

Ogden Water
Mother shipton x 1
Speckled wood x 4
Peacock x 1
Orange tip x3
Mint moth x1

Jerusalem Farm
Mint moth x2
Peacock x1

Today

Lee Mount - 1 overnight moth on the fence..

 Pale Tussock

Hardcastle Crags

Brown Silver-line

Found 3 of these in bracken on 'The Crag' just beyond Gibson Mill. I guess there would be a few more with more time to look.

Lee Mount

Yesterday 14th May
Holly Blue - on a holly bush at home on and off throughout the day
Bee Moth last night and a.....
Pale Tussock x 1 on the fence

Small Copper at Dean Head yesterday (John M)

Also from HSS meeting last night...
Brimstone Butterfly at Cromwell Bottom yesterday
Holly Blue - Hardcastle Crags..... error... it was in Peoples Park