Holly Blues and Harley Davidsons

The August Bank Holiday in Baildon brings both Holly Blues and Harley Davidson motorbikes.
I've also just seen a Large White butterfly that seemed to be the size of a dinner plate!

Masked Mugwort Muncher

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) can be found in unmanaged grassland and its distinctive flower-spikes are easily seen on road verges. Yesterday, whilst driving along the M62, I noticed that Mugwort grows alongside the motorway almost to the highest point at Junction 22.
This "masked" caterpillar was found on Mugwort growing at Apperley Bridge VC64 on 23rd July 2010.
It grew quickly over the next couple of weeks before pupating and emerging as a Silver Y moth (Autographa gamma) on 21st August.

Back Home

I arrived back from the annual holiday in France last weekend. This moth with the spectacular antennae emerged from a caterpillar that I found wandering across the supermarket car-park at Mondeville2 in Normandy.

Don't panic! The moth was released in France. I wouldn't want to import trouble. Having said that the French are not averse to gypsies leaving France.

Whilst on holiday, my Rosebay Willowherb beetle larvae pupated and then emerged as adults. The appear to be Flea Beetles of the genus Altica and could be either lythri, palustris or oleracea. Apparently these three species are difficult to tell apart.

I kept having to "rescue" Cinnabar moth larvae in the garden of the rural gite where we stayed. These were devouring their Ragwort foodplants and then wandering-off across the gravel drive in search of more food.

Baildon Moor

I spent half an hour on Baildon Moor this morning watching Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Small Heaths and Small Skippers (Thymelicus sylvestris) nectaring on ragwort, thistles and tormentil.

The Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)seemed to favour tormentil but was easier to photograph on ragwort.

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I also tried to photograph some micros in the heather but only the Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) was easily identifiable.

The orange underside of the Small Skipper's antennae are just visible.It was also nice to see four Small Tortoiseshell's on one garden Buddleia and Large Whites are abundant at present.

Northern Eggar, Mompha raschkiella and Beetles

The first of my Barden Moor, Northern Eggar caterpillars has produced this male imago. I photographed it this morning and it presumably took advantage of the afternoon sunshine to zoom off back towards the moorland.

My remaining caterpillar has yet to pupate.

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The second photograph shows a mine in the leaf of Rosebay Willowherb which I think was made by the larva of Mompha raschkiella.

The final picture shows five beetle larvae devouring a leaf of Rosebay Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium).

It will be a challenge to work out which species of beetle this is!

Butterflies and Moths this weekend!

I seem to have spent a lot of time this weekend seeking out Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium) in an attempt to find leafmines of Mompha raschkiella. It is Dean Stables's fault for publishing a photo on his blog! I'm also looking for Mugwort at the moment and Phyl Abbott (Plant Atlas of Mid-west Yorkshire) suggests that this often grows with Nettle and Rosebay Willowherb in unmanaged grassland.

On a nettle-patch between Jerrison Wood and Spring Wood at Esholt I saw the greatest concentration of Commas that I have ever seen in one place. There were also Red Admirals, Large Whites, Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers.

I will try to remember to return here at the end of August to search for Comma caterpillars which I have only ever found on elm.

I could only find vacated mines on the willowherb apart from one which seems to contain several tiny beetle larvae.

I will have to keep searching the Rosebay Willowherb in the hope of finding a tenanted mine.



Stopping the car by yet another stand of Rosebay Willowherb, near Menston, I noticed this Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata).

Meadowsweet and Field Maple

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) has burst into flower during the last ten days.

A remarkable variety of insects can be seen plunging into the fragrant flower plumes. I found this longhorn beetle near Askwith. I think it might be Stenocorus cursor.

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I was actually, rather optimistically, looking for the leafmine Stigmella ulmariae which would have been a first Yorkshire record! Perhaps I will have more luck at the end of September. I did find a few dipterous mines.

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At a woodland edge, opposite the church at Denton, I opened a folded leaf of Field Maple (Acer campestre) to find a caterpillar of the tortrix moth, Acleris sparsana.

What appeared to be a French Partridge was skulking nearby, and a sizable flock of Greylag Geese (Anser anser) are resident at Denton Park.