Butterflies galore....

Some amazing numbers of butterflies this last week or so being reported from all over Calderdale.

I spent a fair amount of time in the garden today. Rewarded with 12 species including a Purple Hairstreak. It came to the lawn a couple of times when there was still some dew on the grass but it was always moving around and I failed to get a photo.

I was a little more fortunate with the camera this afternoon. I checked an area in Shroggs Park where there are a couple of big elms, the larval food plant of the White-letter Hairstreak . One of the elms has a rough grass/weedy area nearby and I managed to find a very mobile individual on creeping thistle. Photo not brilliant but just enough for firm identification even if it is at an odd angle.

Stainland.

 It seems that I must adjust to my health going up and down. Oh well, it beats any other options.

This post covers 2 dates: 13th June and 11 July.

13th June

2 x Brimstone

1 x Small Magpie - very worn 

1 x Small Phoenix

1 x Silver Ground Carpet

11th July

2 x Common Footman

1 x Muslin Footman

1 x swallow-tailed 

1 x Light Emerald

Lee Mount - 11th July

A new moth for here. A nice surprise as I disturbed it whilst watering the plant pots...but getting down to photograph it was a bit of a challenge !!

Large Emerald

Cold Edge

1 of 2 Red Admiral

Also: Small tortoiseshell 35, Small heath 3, Comma 1, Small skipper 1, Large skipper 5, Whites +, Meadow brown +, Ringlet ++

Lee Mount etc........

 This little beauty turned up by the trap on 6th July

Sycamore Leaf -miner Phyllononrycter geniculella (CF checked)

Fantastic day today for butterfly's. The now wild garden near The Withens was alive with flowering ragwort, bramble, white clover and perennial geraniums all in a sheltered  location with the sunshine blazing down. Never seen so many butterfly's in such a small area. It was 'buzzing'.

1 Peacock, 4 Small Heath, 3 Comma, 1 Red Admiral, 5+ Large White, 25+ Small Skipper, 6 Large Skipper, 27+ Ringlets, 2 Small Copper, 7 Green veined White, 16+ Small Tortoiseshell, 26+ Meadow Brown.

Comma

Large Skipper

Small Copper

Small Skippers

Interesting that last week or two I have seen a good number of Large Whites. All the smaller 'whites' I have managed to identify (they are always on the move) have been Green-veined. Surprised that I have not found  a Small White !! Perhaps they'll emerge shortly ?

White Letter Hairstreaks & Commas

Good Video Captures today of Commas Staging on Bramble 50 or so per bramble thicket at location . Record numbers in terms of density with eye estimates of 20 or so discrete numbers from thicket to thicket .Also a good space to work on the afternoon light gradient for both species  

Whiteletter Hairstreaks also coming to Bramble to stage ,display and Nectar and also to Ragwort to Nectar , 2 Pairs recorded on capture close to the main larva source Wych Elm. The WLH does ground but more often than not gets its grub from aphid dew but will do so in exceptionally hot  or dry weather inc that of wind drying

Other Species

Include the usual culprits Speckled Wood , Small White , GV White Meadow Brown , Ringlet, Large and Small Skipper and occ Red Admiral

Conundrum

It Flew in Bradford and staged in Calderdale  and eventually  landed  on the precise  boundary line between. The Wych Elm grow on the Bradford beckside and the leaves overarch the beck into Calderdale Airspace . Where Do I live LOL

Conservation Status

Butterfly Conservation priority: High

Section 41 species of principal importance under the 2006 NERC Act in England

Listed on Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016

GB Red List (2022): Vulnerable

Protected under Schedule 5 of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act (for sale only)

European threat status: Not threatened

Lee Mount - 4th July

 Dark Sword-grass this morning was a nice surprise on the fence by the trap. Proved a little difficult to get the best shot but it's a first for here.

Also a nice Map-winged Swift from earlier in the week and Muslin Footman, 3 on the same day.

Bar Lane, Rishworth

Hummingbird Hawk-moth feeding on Valerian

Also, Red Admiral 1

A busy week or two

Red -Tipped Clearwing

Meal Moth 

Bilberry Pug

Yellow legged Clearwing

Wood sage Plume

 Barred Yellow

                                                                    Olive Roller

  A busy time down at Cromwell Bottom , 2 new Clearwing species for Calderdale Red tipped and Yellow legged , Barred yellow and Bilberry Pug are both new to me . The Oliver Roller is a mega rare moth in Yorkshire and the Wood - sage Plume and Meal Moth are also new to me on the mico front..

Not had time to put the trap on at home......Thanks to Charlie for photos and ID's

Whiteholme

Small White 3 (possibly migrants at this altitude (380m)?); Ringlet 1

Varied Coronet - at last

 One last  night turned up on the Sweet Williams and I managed a few pictures.

Varied Coronet

Sweet Williams......

Lee Mount - I grew these Sweet Williams last year to flower this year. They have done well and all in the hope of attracting Varied Coronet. The tactic has worked quite well in recent years. They seem to nectar similar to Silver Y's and Hummingbird Hawk-moths.

I've been out late evenings last few weeks in the hope of success. Nothing doing other than Silver Y's, Large Yellow Underwings and a Campion. Last night one V C turned up but as soon as the camera clicked it was off. Try again tonight.

 Obscure Wainscot Luddenden 290625

Another new species here in Luddenden, a long way from any reeds though, thanks to Brian Leecey for the identification.

also Blackneck and Muslin Footman

 Luddenden 270625

Leopard Moth

After a long wait I finally caught a Leopard Moth last night

other moths included

Dot Moth

Figure Of Eighty and Box Tree Moth

Walshaw Dean

Meadow Brown 1, Small Heath 4, Ringlet 1

Bilberry Pug ..

 Brian Leesey recorded 3 Bilberry Pugs in Todmorden this week , Martyn recorded a Lunar Hornet Moth ,in Luddenden and I recorded one at Cromwell Bottom....Cromwell Bottom moth night Sat/Sunday Morning this weekend...

5 Bilberry Pugs, Devon Carpet, Muslin Footman, Beautiful Snout, Common Emerald, Scallop shell,4 Double Square Spots,6 Marbled White Spots, from Todmorden last night...

Swalesmoor - 25th June

Quite an afternoon on the top there with a decent show of butterflies and more than just a few, day-flying moths.

Top of the list were Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Moths. Almost every thistle head had at least one on the flower head and others with up to five at a time with more flying around. 

Other moths included Garden grass veneers, Yellow Shell, Silver Ground Carpet and several micros I failed to get on to. !

Butterflies included lots of Ringlets and Meadow Browns, a few Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Large Skipper and 1 Small Skipper along with a couple of Small Whites. No sign of any of the next phase of Wall Browns.

Large Skipper

Ringlets

Pinnacle Lane

Ringlet 4, Meadow Brown 1, Small Tortoiseshell 1

EASTWOOD: Ringlet 2

HEBDEN BRIDGE: Ringlet 2

 Maiden's Blush Luddenden 210625

 

Yellow - legged Clearwing

Thanks Charlie for photo...

  A couple of hours down at Cromwell Bottom North Loop produced this stunning Yellow Legged Clearwing , it was attracted to a lure , this one has amazing yellow legs but the other one that was attracted was not as impressive. This is the first time YLC has been recorded in Calderdale and there is plenty scope for more Clearwing species to be recorded , with Red Tipped Clearwing seen in good numbers at Low Moor Bradford a couple of weeks ago. 

  Shaded Broad Bar , 5 spot Burnet Moths , Common Blue , Ringlet , Meadow Brown , Speckled Wood , Large White , Small Heath and  Small Tortoiseshell made for a great couple of hours.....