Red Sword Grass

very few Moths on these cold, clear nights but the quality is great with my third Red Sword Grass in Luddenden. Brian was saying last Saturday that these are something of a Calderdale speciality and are not recorded very often elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Pine Beauty

I've been having small numbers of the more common Moths this last week the highlights being Powdered Quaker, Red Chestnut and this Pine Beauty that turned up last night.

While driving home over Fly Flatts last night there were swarms of Moths and having caught a few they mostly seemed to be Mottled Grey.

Crags 24th March

A great night in the Crags on Saturday with plenty of Moths with the highlights Red Chestnut, Early-toothed Stripe and this stunning Oak Beauty.  Diurnea fagella 4, Brindled Pug 24, Engrailed 3,Oak Beauty 1,Early Toothstriped 1,Chestnut 13,Common 84,Twin Spot 24,Small Quaker 16,Hebrew Char 2,Red Chestnut 1,Clouded Drab 35,Sattelite 2.

Dragonfly sp ??

A medium/large sized dragonfly flew very fast through the garden this morning, heading west .??? no colour or detail .?but I don't think Ive seen one in March before.?? Any one any ideas,?

Caloptilia rufipennella.

Disturbed this in the garden this afternoon. Wingspan and banded foreleg right for this sp.

Last Night in Hebden Bridge

Hi all, Despite seeing record temperatures for March, Hebden was decidedly chilly last night and as temperatures dropped and only a Chestnut and a Common Quaker visiting the MV trap I decided to turn off at 10pm. This morning in very thick fog packing the trap away and not expecting any moths inside. Under the last egg box a fine Oak Beauty :-). Win

Last nights moths

Chestnut  x 1
Common Quaker x3
Small Quaker   x 1
Early Grey   x 1
Clouded drab x 2
Hebrew character x 2
Red Green carpet x 1
I am realy enjoying the actinic so far this year with  a good selection last night.and no hassle to the neighbours.Looks good for the next week or so enjoy it while it lasts.

Midgley...Mottled grey

1st butterfly of the year

Worked in Snake Hill today removing lots of rubbish, but one bright moment early afternoon with a peacock butterfly out sunning itself. My first butterfly sighting of the year.

Female Orange Underwing?

Taken on Sunday 18th at Cromwell Bottom

Bees?

Dear all, not strictly on subject here but saw these interesting insects on a tree yesterday at Jerusalem Farm (Calderdale). Thought they were flies of some kind but looking them up they seem more like a bee, Mabybe Andrena genus? Any ideas? They were about 14mm long

Wends night

Going to try at Cromwell Bottom this week on wens night about 6.45.All welcome

Last nights moths

1 Satellite
1 March moth
3 Common Quaker
2 Hebrew Character
1 Chestnut
1 Small quaker
1 Clouded drab
Also 1 Common Quaker emerged from larvae found at Hardcastle craggs last spring,

North Winter Moth

Had a tidy up of the planters on the dam at Ogden yesterday, and found a female northern winter moth. Checked the description and the wings were a longer than the winter moth.

Also if anyone has any records for Cunnery Wood/Beacon Hill or Scarr Wood could I have a copy so I can put them in the management plans.

Cheers

A good start

A good stat to the year at Cromwell bottm LNR.started with
Yellow Horned  x 6
Oak beauty x 1
Hebrew character x1
Satellite x 4
twin spotted quaker x 5
Common quaker x 32
Small Quaker x 1
March Moth x 1
Acleris Fer/ not x 1
agonopterix herccliiana x 2
Caloptilia stigmatella x1



Looks good for orange Underwing this week......keep your eyes out.

Sat night

Gonna give it a go at Cromwell Bottom on sat night,meeet about 6.15ish.

Twin spotted Quaker and chestnut last night here in Northowram.

Pupa..??

Brian found this interesting pupa today in a broken off old branch


of Ribes sanguineum Flowering Currant,not showing full size but looks

substanstial ! what you think ? Leopard Moth,or Lunar Hornet would be

good !!no doubt somthing common....

Tonight in Hebden Bridge

Three Satellites, Not a frequent visitor here over the last few years :-)

Dark Chestnut of Chestnut

An excellent article from birdguides



http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=3135

Dotted Border

a nice Dotted Border last night along with a Clouded Drab

First Small tortoiseshell

First small tortoiseshell today flying around the garden and 2 Large Bumblebees,Satellite(white spot) and Chestnut last night.
Brian found anomalous and autumnal moth larrvae at jail hole on sat night despite the bitter wind.