Red Sword-grass.

I saw one resting openly on a wall near the shops at Skircoat Green this morning.

Speckled Wood Caterpillar

There is a picture over on calderdale-wildlife.blogspot.com

Spanish Cat for ID( Spurge Hawkmoth..thanks Tom)

Anyone help with this, found on Mallorca recently by a friend of mine.??:>

8 th October Northowram

648	Endrosis sarcitrella	White-shouldered House Moth	1
697	Agonopterix arenella		1
998	Epiphyas postvittana	Light Brown Apple Moth2
1048	Acleris variegana	Garden Rose Tortrix1	1
1728	Xanthorhoe fluctuata	Garden Carpet1	1
1760	Chloroclysta siterata	Red-green Carpet3	3
1761	Chloroclysta miata	Autumn Green Carpet1	1
1764	Chloroclysta truncata	Common Marbled Carpet4	4
1769	Thera britannica	Spruce Carpet1	1
1935	Erannis defoliaria	Mottled Umber1	1
2232	Aporophyla nigra	Black Rustic2	2
2240	Lithophane leautieri hesperica	Blair's Shoulder-knot2	2
2389	Paradrina clavipalpis	Pale Mottled Willow1	1
2441	Autographa gamma	Silver Y4	4

October Wainscots in Luddenden

Two new species of Wainscot in the garden this October

Bulrush Wainscot on the 1st

Large Wainscot on the 8th

Angle Shades

Surely one of the most beautiful of all moths, especially when freshly emerged. Wish my camera could do this one more justice.

Migrants from Suffolk

David crawshaw an x Halifax resident and  all round excellent  naturalist ,sent us these from his patch in Suffolk.........Antigastra catalaunalis and Palpita vitealis..Thanks Dave and David

Larva for ID.

I found this blackish larva on Sunday feeding on Sorrel in the Bradshaw area. It was about an inch long - anyone any thoughts?

1153 Epinotia sordidana

1153 Epinotia sordidana Nationally Scarce B  ... a local first and only a few Yorkshire records..Many thanks H.beaumont for the ID.

Recent sightings

Found the caterpillar on Norland Moor on Sunday. If anyone can tell me which species it is I would be grateful. The Feathered Thorn was at Ogden Water this morning.

Micro id..??

Anyone out there like to have a guess at this micro caught on the 27th...Another Merv du jour ,Feathered Thorn, November Moth, Yellow Line Quaker and Teliopsis diffinis on Sat night.

Did anyone else run a trap last night?

Just wondering as had a really poor night with only 2 Large yellow underwings caught. Not sure if we are doing something wrong or if its the time of year/conditions.

Ran the trap from 8pm till 3am when I got up to cover it up with black cloth cover, trap was fairly tightly packed with egg boxes.

All advice/comments welcome

Thanks guys

frustrated novice

Merveille du jour................

Merveille du jour , Barred Sallow and Yellow Barred Brindle ( pics) from Tuesday night also Canary shouldered Thorn , Fanfoot, Red line Quaker ,Brick , Blairs shoulder knot , Hawthorn Moth , Black and Rosy Rustic..Looks good for the next week at the moment..might even get some migrants,,?(couple of silver y's last night)

Svennsons Copper Underwing?

believe this to be one but just wanted confirmation

07/09/13 Littleborough

Over the weekend

 Green Brindled Cresent (dark Form)

 Acleris Hyemana

 Setaceous Hebrew Character

 

Small Dusty Wave

A few interesting moths over the weekend after last weeks clear skies and cold temps.The Green Brindled Cresent dark form is only found in GB and only a handful of local records. Acleris Hyemana is a month early,Setaceous Hebrew Character is a common moth in Yorkshire but here in Calderdale it is rarely recorded and I average 1 a year. I have been recording Small dusty Wave since 2006 in the garden and only yesterday did I realise it had not been recorded in Calderdale before.??

1109 Lobesia littoralis

1109 Lobesia littoralis is a rarely recorded species in Calderdale and to my knowledge it is only the second time it has been recorded.

Weekends Moths

 Snout

 Autumn Green Carpet

Chevron
A good night on Friday with the rest of the weekend being a bit of a wash out.A late flame shoulder , Shuttle shaped dart and snout will be the last of the summer species as Large Yellow Underwing numbers plummet with only one last night . Autumn species over the weekend included Lunar Underwing ,Sallow , Autumn Green / Red green Carpets and a cracking Svennson's copper Underwing.A really good year for Garden Rose Tortrix  with 60 + since the 1st September.

Purple Hairstreak 12.9.13

First one I've seen close up, and not just a streak of black whizzing around the tree tops.

I've gone for quantity rather than quality as these were the only shots I could get before it departed!

It was on a south-facing privet hedge on Albert Promenade ( The Rocks ) Saville Park, Halifax.

Below the rocks is Scar Wood, mostly an oak wood.  5.00pm

I think it was a female - there was a tinge of irridescent purple on top - but a very flight-worn one.

Orange Sallow

Orange Sallow (top) and Grey Chi two moths from last night..Also this week plenty large and Lesser Yellow Underwings still around. Mouse Moths are easily overlooked mixed in with the underwings and plenty of Common Marbled and Garden Carpets as well.On the micro front the Acleris species have been well represented with A.sparsana , variegana,  comariana and emargana this week...

Early september

44 species in the trap last week including Black rustic, Autumnal rustic, Frosted orange Copper Underwing ,Antler and Chevron...Red Admiral , Small copper , Large and Small Whites , Speckled Woods still kicking around the garden....