Shandy Hall Moths
2 August 2012
1 August 2012 – Moth Trapper’s Calendar
August Thorn – (Ennomos quercinaria) August Harvest approaches with its busy day The wheat tans brown and & barley bleaches grey In yellow garb the oat land intervenes & tawney glooms the valley filled with beans This was the case in 1825 when John Clare was writing his Shepherd’s Calendar but in 2012, as squall […]
30 July 2012
29 July 2012 – The Waxing Moon
Phoenix (Eulithis prunata) The moon waxes and the night temperature was low so the number of moths was down – but under the last egg-carton, in the bottom of the trap, was today’s new species (225) – the Phoenix (Eulithis prunata). A moth of goodly stone (Eulithis – like the Barred Straw) and connected to the […]
26 July 2012
26 July 2012 – Record Numbers
Barred Red (Hylaea fasciaria) We have six new species today and an incredible variety of other moths I have never seen before. What a wonderful last day at Shandy Hall! Current count: 224. The Barred Red (Hylaea fasciaria) was Patrick’s favorite today and it’s easy to see why (see top photograph). Doesn’t the red fade […]
25 July 2012
25 July 2012 – Caterpillar News
Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis) Yellow-tail from below Today the Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis) arrived for the first time all year. It is not new to the Hall but I’ve never seen it before. It is white and fuzzy, much like yesterday’s White Satin Moth but with one main distinction. If it is disturbed, it sticks out its yellowish-orange […]
24 July 2012
24 July 2012 – The Leopard of North Yorkshire
Leopard Moth (Zeuzera pyrina) After clearing out all the Caddis flies and midges, we made some great discoveries: five new species! Current Count: 218. The Leopard Moth (Zeuzera pyrina) was resting on the sheet nearby the trap. This is typical of its behavior as it’s a nocturnal moth but can often be found out in […]
23 July 2012
23 July 2012 – Eggs Hatched!
Hatched Larvae The eggs from the post on 10 July have hatched! There were originally 24 eggs, but we can only count 23 caterpillars. One was still emerging at the time of the photograph. You can see it hatching if you look midway up and to the right side of the group. The rest of […]
20 July 2012
20 July 2012 – Touched by an Angel
White Plume Moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla) I am sad to say that I didn’t get to witness the arrival of our 213th species, the White Plume Moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla), because I am visiting family friends in Wales. Patrick sent me a photograph which is truly breathtaking. Despite the splendor conveyed by the photograph, Patrick assures me that […]
19 July 2012
19 July 2012 – Rare Species
Evergestis extimalis Today Patrick and I discovered our prize of the summer with a rare species, the Evergestis extimalis. It is usually found in scarce numbers in southeast England. The closest recordings to us have been a few sightings in Teesside and near Spurn Head. This record is believed to be the only one inland. […]
18 July 2012
18 July 2012 – Wait is Over for 2 New Species
Crambus pascuella We did not set the trap last night due to the weather but we’ve received feedback on past catches. This brings us two new species. Crambus pascuella came on Tuesday. It was so energetic that I could only take its picture from within a container. Krambos means ‘dry’ or ‘parched’ from the yellowish brown color of […]
17 July 2012
17 July 2012 – Beautiful Plume
Beautiful Plume (Amblyptilia acanthadactyla) We have a new micromoth today, the Beautiful Plume (Amblyptilia acanthadactyla). I was especially thrilled by this find because there is an entire section of my Field Guide book dedicated to the Plume moths and I haven’t had a use for it until now. These moths all have very thin wings […]
16 July 2012
16 July 2012 – Cautiously Claiming Two New Finds
Udea prunalis: confirmed on 18 July We may have two new species today but I await confirmation.* I think the first was Udea prunalis who rested as still as a stone while I tried to catch the light onto its muted wing details. Oudasor oudeos means ‘the surface of the earth’ because the larvae feed on low-growing […]
13 July 2012
13 July 2012 – Dry Night brings New Delights
Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata) We had a great catch last night that included four new species. This brings our current count to 208. I’m not sure what made the difference… could it have been the lack of rain for once? Perhaps we simply did a better job of opening the trap carefully so we wouldn’t […]
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- 10 July 2023 – Rise of the Yellow Underwings
- 4 July 2023 – Cold-weather Catch
