Home

Public moth night update…

The public moth night unfortunately didn’t produce any new moths for the recording area but it still was great fun… 26 different species were identified of which 13 were new species for Raw Nook NR.  This brings the total to 49 identified and logged moths in 2 moth trapping sessions at the site.  There were a number of highlights including a minimum count of 13 Clouded borders that seemed to be everywhere… and two Buff Footman were caught and both were freshly emerged suggesting the species may be breeding at the site and more abundant than I first thought.

IMG_9892

Buff Footman

Perhaps the star of the show though was this beautiful Swallow-tailed moth (below)which for some reason took a liking to my jumper and stayed with me for about half an hour…

IMG_9886

warbler26 Butterflies/Moths No Comments

Moth night update…

I am running a public Moth Event on Saturday the 1st of August 2015 from 21.30 – 01.00

at Raw Nook Nr ( Railway Terrace Nature Reserve ) Low Moor

 Everyone welcome, ( even if you only stop for 30 minutes…)

Learn about these fascinating insects, how a moth trap works and how to attract moths to your garden

I may even share MY Special mixture! for attracting them…

 20140806_11

Please email Martyn at mvi.priestley@blueyonder.co.uk.co.uk for further details

warbler26 Butterflies/Moths, homepage No Comments

Butterfly survey…

Today in the warm sunshine I carried out a butterfly survey at Toad Holes Beck.  The counts will be under recorded due to some areas not walked through due to tall thistles and grasses.

Nine species were recorded.  Starting with the negatives…No Common blues or Small Whites were recorded, low numbers of Speckled Wood and only 1 Large White was observed.  On the positive side I had a record count of Ringlets, a very good count of Large Skippers and a good count of Small Skipper.

IMG_9642

A pair of Meadow Browns mating

Species and Counts: Small Skipper Total=23,  Large Skipper Total=21,  Ringlet Total=139,  Meadow Brown Total=44,  Speckled Wood Total=4,  Comma Total=2,  Red Admiral Total=1

Large White Total=1, Small Tortoiseshell Total=16.

An Emperor Dragonfly was feeding at the larger pond at the site.

 

warbler26 Butterflies/Moths No Comments

Lesser Whitethroat suspected breeding…

The low Moor & Oakenshaw Conservation group and myself has been involved in a site just S/W of Raw Nook Nr at Low Moor which used to be the old Low Moor tip.  This site now forms part of the Greenway and is situated off Dealburn Road opposite the Recycling plant.  It’s official name I believe is Dealburn Woodland walk.

Anyway I believe this site has a vast potential for wildlife. In May this year I found a Lesser Whitethroat in song.  The next time I managed to visit was July the bird was in the same location. Yesterday I visited and the bird was still there.  The breeding habitat is excellent for species and I have put the record down as ‘ Suspected breeding ‘ which is great news for a species that is now uncommon in the Bradford area.

Also I discovered 2 year ago that the site held Small Heath butterflies, a species I have not recorded on my nearby local patch.  Yesterday I found 4 Small Heaths 1 slightly worn the others were fresh

IMG_9542

Small Heath doing well at the site!

warbler26 Birds, Butterflies/Moths No Comments

Public Moth Event…

Whilst most of my moth recording data is from Caldene Fields I have always wondered what species frequent the adjacent areas of Raw Nook Nr and Toad Holes Beck.  Well last night I had a trial run at Raw Nook Nr to find out. We recorded with a 15 watt trap from 22.30 till 00.45

IMG_9438

I The moth trap at Raw Nook Nr

Earlier in the day I made up some of my magic formula consisting of over rip fruit, dark sugar and red wine!!.  We pasted some of this on some nearby trees to attract the moths to feed and then I could identify and then record them.  Perhaps some may think I have lost my marbles…but it was great fun as we were full of anticipation as we went from tree to tree wondering what we may find…

My work will build up a better understanding of the moths that live and breed in the Lowland heath habitat of Raw Nook Nr and also their movements within our recording area.

24 species were recorded of which 3 have not been observed before in our recording area.  These were  Peach Blossom, Mottled Beauty,and Shoulder-striped Wainscot(bottom)

IMG_9466 IMG_9475

IMG_9480

 

WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT?

WOULD LIKE TO BE OUTSIDE IN THE DARK WITH YOUR TORCH ON A WARM SUMMERS EVENING ?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT THESE FASCINATING INSECTS ?

WELL COME AND JOIN ME… 

 

                                           I AM GOING TO BE RUNNING A PUBLIC MOTH NIGHT EVENT AT RAW NOOK NR 

                                        FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT AND DATES WILL RELEASED SHORTLY

 

warbler26 Butterflies/Moths, homepage No Comments

The Undertaker arrives at Caldene Fields…

I had a bit of a frightening experience this morning when I looked in the moth trap as a very large black beetle…the biggest I have seen in the UK…

It turn out to be a Black Sexton Beetle Nicrophorus humator. The Sexton beetles are the undertakers of the insect world and are large (20-30 mm)..

IMG_9296

There was a plus to all this as I found a new moth a Figure of Eighty f. fusca which was great news.

IMG_9284

Figure of Eighty

Butterflies are still been recorded in low numbers with only 3 Speckled Wood at Raw Nook Nr, 1 Green-veined White, and 2 Peacock at Caldene Fields.  On a more positive note it was nice to see that Bullfinches has bred at Toad Holes Beck and good numbers of juvenile Long tailed, Blue Tits and Goldfinches are busy feeding at the moment.

warbler26 insects No Comments

Aren’t moths beautiful…

I have noticed an improvement in moth numbers at Caldene fields due to the ‘ slightly’ warmer temperature’s and cloudy nights but nearly all moths identified so far have been resident to our area.

Thinking of moths I still meet people who either don’t like these fascinating insects or are frightened of them!!…But to those people I would say ‘ What ever your views… no one can say how beautiful some of them are…

IMG_9268

Green Silver-lines a casual visitor to our area with 3 recorded to date

IMG_9260

Map -winged Swift

warbler26 Butterflies/Moths No Comments

Swifts fly in at night…

Found in the moth trap last night at Caldene Fields were 4 Common Swift (moths) 3 females + 1 Male which is a good count for the species.  Also in the pond at the site I found 4 Southern Hawker larvae/nymph. What is really interesting with this species is it is not uncommon to find the larvae/nymph or even see one emerging into a dragonfly. However, I have only ever seen one an adult and that was at Raw Nook Nr…so if anyone who sees an adult Southern Hawker in our recording area could you please let me know.  Thank you.

IMG_9205

Common Swift

warbler26 Butterflies/Moths No Comments

Today’s sightings…

A pair of Pied Wagtails have bred at Toad Holes beck which is good news.  Also at the site I found (due to the cool spring) that Damselflies and butterflies were in short supply.  About 20 Azure Damselflies only were recorded however some were egg laying which was a good sign.  Two species of butterflies were observed a single worn Speckled Wood and 2 Small Whites.

Talking of Toad Holes beck Mark Brookes contacted me to say that he had seen a possible Leech at the pond.  I have not seen one myself but from a pond survey carried out in 2013 the species is present.

34 Jackdaws were at Caldene Fields including many juveniles.

IMG_9176

At Raw Nook Nr Azure Damselflies were evident but no Large Reds of Blue-tailed were recorded.  Low numbers of moths were caught again last night which are also been affected by the cool windy weather, 6 Heart & Dart, 1 Flame Shoulder, 1 Small square spot and another male White Ermine.

IMG_9171

Azure Damselfly

 

warbler26 Uncategorized No Comments
error: Content is protected !!