Mega Midgley Moths!

OK perhaps not mega but two are new for us up here, Drinker and Buff Arches and the Scarce Silver Y we've only had the odd time.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth Todmorden 27 07 12

Hummingbird Hawkmoth seen nectaring on Honeysuckle in her Todmorden Garden on 27 07 12 Portia.

Bird Dropping That Wasnt !

Thought this Ash Bud Moth was a Bird Dropping at first till i looked a bit closer ! another nice easy one to identify with the aid of the latest Micro Moth Book.

Gothic,Garden pebble,Bee Moth and Red barred tortrix

Antler feeding on Thistle

                                                      Antler moth on Ragwort

Narrow Borderd 5 spot Burnet moth

Loads of antler moths feeding on thistle and ragwort  today at Rishworth in the sunshine

Moth for naming

I disturbed this moth today at the base of meadow grasses, Sunnybank, Tod. I would be pleased to have it identified (not that I can identify moths but this one I haven't seen  before).
Thanks
Philip

Sun Wood, Shelf

Out today looking at Sun Wood in Shelf in terms of future management. Lots of Speckled Woodand Meadow Browns, but the highlight was a Purple Hairstreak on a medium sized oak near the bridge.

Last night

Riband Wave top and Plain wave below  shows  lack of a kink in the outer line,and  has dashes along the wing edge rather than the dots and dashes of Riband Wave

                                        Small yellow wave new for the garden

A cracking night at long last at Northowram , any one like to guess at this lot above...

Carpet - it's a Large Twin-spot. The bulge on the outer edge of the dark fascia

is diagnostic. I find supplementary plate A in the new edition of Skinner to be
really useful here.Thanks Charlie F
 This is the first time this species has been recorded in Calderdale and as soon as I saw it on the Garage window , I had an idea what it was good to get confirmation.



 .

Gorse Pupa Emergance

This beauty emerged from one of the Pupae inside the Gorse Seedpods on 07 07 12,was half expecting a Parasitic Wasp,so what a suprise when this Red-barred Tortrix 1010 Ditula angustiorana emerged,i could see the Pupa darkening so i lightly sprayed it with a bit of water and almost immediately out it popped,i struggled at first on the side on view,but as soon as i saw it from above it was straight forward to id.regards Bri.

More Cromwell Bottom!

I reckon I've finally nailed this one down as Acleris Hastiana. It's a dead ringer for the pic on the Hants moth site complete with two pairs of scale tufts.A common sallow feeding species.

More Cromwell Bottom

A few more from last night at Cromwell Bottom,top Acleris forsskalena a common and beautiful micro,and one of 2 Dingy Shears a uncommon moth in Calderdale.an excellent night. 

Cromwell Bottom micros.

The micros I took home to ID were as follows:

2x 518 Coleophora teifolii

2x 1201 Eucosma cana

2x 640 Batia lunaris

1x Scoparia ambigualis

1x Cydia splendana

1x Bryotropha affinis

1x Batrachedra praeangusta

Plus two to ID.

The mystery micro/caddisfly netted beforehand was indeed a caddisfly.

An enjoyable, calm, warm night with loads of moths and no mossies or midges.

Batia lunaris - forewing 5mm.

Coleophora trifolii - showing the thickly scaled base to the antennae.

Cydia splendana - all three micros new to me plus umpteen new macros.

Cromwell bottom

Brown Line bright Eye the first local record since 1966 a real cracking night with plenty of new faces.Other highlights were southern wainscot,Dingy Shears 2 and only the second and third local records, Suspected,silky Wainscot,Uncertain , and a whole host of micros for id.Many thanks to all who turned up..
More info to follow...............

Sun

Afternoon sunshine today produced 15 Ringlet at a new location in Northowram ,3 Speckled wood, 2 Small Heath,3 small tortoiseshell , 2 yellow shell , 3/4  5 spot Burnetts and 4 large Skippers.1 Marbled beauty on the wall outside the house.

Moth night at Cromwell Bottom will go ahead this sat night but we have only one trap as robin is away..all welcome.

YNU Report 2010

Just been sorting a few stuff out and realised I have two copies of the 2010 YNU Lepidoptera report, spare one is free to anyone who wants it.

Cromwell Bottom Moth Night

Weather looks ok this sat so planning to trap around the site.All welcome 9.30 onwards.

Langfield Edge

Ran the trap last night below the rock face at langfield,A cool breeze blew up the valley but the rain stayed away,Bri ,Peter and myself stayed until 2ish. the highlights were 4 Confused  and  3 Grey Moutain Carpet.supporting cast were 8 Blastobasis Lac ,Small angle shades ,3 Narrow winged pug , 30 ingrailed Clay, 4 Broom Moth 5 Bright Line Brown Eye, Silver Y ,Northern Spinach,Dusky brocade , 6 Purple Clay ,True Lovers Knot and our first Antler of the year.
NEXT WEEK IF THE WEATHER IS GOOD ITS CROMWELL BOTTOM...will keep you posted.

Langfield Edge 14 07 12

Quite a chilly night, though cloudy and dry, as the wind came and went,amazingly 4 Confused checked by the 2 bands on the underside of forewing in amongst the Dusky Brocades,also 3 Grey Mountain Carpets only ever seen 2 before in years of searching locally,also this Scop species Scoparia ambigualis ? Regards Andy,Bri,Peter

Grizzly Goings on in the Gorse

Found quite a few Micros Cydia ulicetana around this large Gorse patch,and found a good few of these Pupae inside the seedpods,i opened one up to show.I noticed some small Parasitic Wasps also s earching out the seedpods,whether for ones still with Larvae inside or with Pupae in im not sure,i could clearly see the wasp inserting its Ovipositor into the Pods ! Uhm Nature ! i have retained a few Pupae to see what emerges.Regards Bri.

Sat night Langfiel Common

We are heading up to langfield common tonight looking for moorland specialities.Meet at shepards rest about 9 ish.All welcome...