GEOMETRINAE....Streak to Grey Scalloped Bar

1864 The Streak Chesias legatella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Recorded at light throughout the area in small numbers the flight season for adults is between the 13^th September and 6^th October . 38 individuals  in the 10 year period 1999 –2009 with 4 to actinic  light on the 14^th October 2006 at Wyvern terrace Pellon...

1867 Treble-bar Aplocera plagiata (Linnaeus, 1758)

1 male at park Road Elland on the 14^th May.2002. A first for Calderdale(PT)

1870 Chimney Sweeper Odezia atrata (Linnaeus, 1758)

In 1965 Collinson wrote ‘abundant in all parts particulary on grassland in fine weather’.

In 1990 it was said to be becoming scarce due to grassland improvement and changing farming practises.

In 2007 Paul Talbot ‘ On most of the upland verges we found an abundance of Pignut (the larval food plant) and thus the moth is thriving in this unusual habitat. Its rather ironic that its normal habitat of old meadow has been so degraded that the moth is now very scarce in Calderdale in its past haunts but appears to have adapted to its new environment so well it was almost abundant on many minor roadsides in the uplands of Calderdale. On Saturday for example I counted some 400+ individuals over a 20 mile route over the uplands without getting off the bike. Chimney Sweeper can still be found in good numbers where the foodplant Pignut is found 200+  in the fields opposite  Gorpley gates in Jume 2009(AC).

1873 Welsh Wave Venusia cambrica Curtis, 1839

Collinson wrote – Always a feature of  Hardcastle crags to which collectors often came in former years,1925 174 taken in one day and 313 in one day in 1926. In recent years taken singly at light.at Park Road Elland 14^th July 1999(PT) 1 on the 15^th August at Crimsworth Dean (BL,AC).and 1 at Todmorden 28^th Aug  2008(BL)Knott Wood and Hardcastle crags 2010.

1874 Dingy Shell Euchoeca nebulata (Scopoli, 1763)

1 old record from Halifax  in 1897(WBC)

1875 Small White Wave Asthena albulata (Hufnagel, 1767)

Two old records 1 relates to larvae found in Cromwell wood 1889 and Shibden in 1899 and not seen since in our area but recorded in parts of  Yorkshire in small numbers.

1876 Small Yellow Wave Hydrelia flammeolaria (Hufnagel, 1767)

1 in 1868 near Hebden Bridge by beating is the only old record.

7 at park Road between 4^th June and 7^th July 2001/2 (PT)

1 at Cromwell Bottom on 14^th August 2001.(IK,PT et al)

1 at Todmorden 12^th July 2007(BL)

1 at Hebden Bridge 14^th July 2008 (WP)

3 to light at Knott Wood Hebden Bridge 2^nd July 2010(AC,BL and Marion)

1879 The Seraphim Lobophora halterata (Hufnagel, 1767)

1 at Park Road Elland 27^th May 2001 was the first local record in 2002 it was recorded on the 19^th ,20^th and 22^nd May at this site.(PT)

1 at Hardcastle Craggs 15^th June 2002 (IK)

1 at Moors Edge Garden Todmorden 27^th May 2005(BL)

1 at Wyvern terrace 12^th June 2009 (MH)

1 to light at Hedge Top Lane 4^th June 2010 (AC)

1881 Early Tooth-striped Trichopteryx carpinata (Borkhausen, 1794)

14 records of 30 individulas recrded at light  between the first week in  April and the second week of May .Eleven to light  at  Withens Clough Car Park 20^th  April 2009 (AC,MH,BL) indicates this species may well be common in the right habitat..

1883 Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata (Hübner, 1799)

First recorded on the 21^st April,14^th June and 25^th May 2001 at park road Elland (PT)

1 at Wyvern Terrace on the 26^th & 31^st August 2007.Three different colour forms were recorded at Hedge Top lane in 2008 Fresh individuals were of  the typical green form quickly turning to the yellow blue types but one individual was of  a redish brown form.

Records per month 1999-2009

Yellow -barred	April	May	June	July	Aug
Brindle	1	6	1	1	7

1884 The Magpie Abraxas grossulariata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Collinson wrote of this species ‘always present but far less abundant than in former years.’.there are no recent records of this species.

1885 Clouded Magpie Abraxas sylvata (Scopoli, 1763)

Collinson wrote of this species ‘ very local but sometimes abundant in favoured woodland, in 1930 larvae were plentiful in the Elland area .with 1 found in Hardcastle crags 17^th June 1921 (Gibson) there are no recent records of this species

1887 Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Two old records for this species with no details but now recorded regularly at light.

There have been 800 individulas recorded between 1999 and 2009 the flight for adults is between  15^th May – 30^th August

1889 Peacock Moth Macaria notata(Linnaeus)

First recored in Yorkshire in1977

1 at light Park Road Elland 8^th August 1999.(PT)

1893 Tawny-barred Angle Semiothisa liturata (Clerck, 1759)

4 at Bankfield 1967 (BC)

1 at Hardcastle crags 15^th June 2002

1 on 16^th July 2001 and 1 in June 2003 Park Road Elland (PT)

1 at light, 22^nd July 2006 was of the melanic form  f.nigrofulvata and 1 on 3^rd July 2010 at Hedge Top lane Northowram.(AC)

1894 Latticed Heath Semiothisa clathrata (Linnaeus, 1758)

First recorded at Cromwell Bottom on the 17^th August 1988 and 1 at this site 11^th June 1992.(BC) nowerdays  it can be seen during the day at this site in good numbers in June – August around Tag loop.Also recorded at light at Withens Clough ,Langfield Common , Midgley ,Park road Elland and Hedge Top lane Northowram.

1897 The V-Moth Semiothisa wauaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

3 between the 15^th and 30^th July 2000(PT)

1 at Moor End Gardens, Pellon on 26^th July 2001 and 29^th July 2002.

Occasional at Hedge Top Lane, Northowram the last record in Calderdale was 1 here on the 30^th June 2006(AC) .A steady decline in Calderdale is mirrored throughout Yorkshire.

V-moth	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
	6	4	3	8	3	0	0	2	0	0	0

1902 Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata (Scopoli, 1763)

Common near bracken on the moorland edge but can turn up at light traps throughout the area, the adultflight season is between 23^rd April and 4^th July.

Brown silver	April	May	June	July
Lines	1	65	37	1

1903 Barred Umber Plagodis pulveraria (Linnaeus, 1758)

1 obtained  by beating in Hebden Bridge 1868.

1906 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Widely distributed and sometimes common the adult flight season is  between 10^th May and the 26^th September.  1 at park Road Elland on  6^th January 2002 was out of the regular flight period.

Brimstone Moth	May	June	July	Aug	Sept
	38	630	408	100	5

                       

1912 August Thorn Ennomos quercinaria (Hufnagel, 1767)

1 at Park Road Elland 24^th Aug 1999 (PT)

1 at Wyvern Terrace 27^th September 2009(MH)

 

1913 Canary – shouldered Thorn. Ennomos alniaria   (Linnaeus.1758)

1 in Elland 1939(Collinson) and then not recorded till 1999

Canary-Sh	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Thorn	20	13	9	4	0	1	4	1	3	7	6

1914 Dusky Thorn Ennomos fuscantaria (Haworth, 1809)

Recorded at Park road Elland on the 26^th August  and 23^rd & 24^th September 2000.

5^th 6^th and 26^th September 2001 and 14^th &15^th Aug 2002.

1 on the 16^th September 2003,1 on the 15^th and 2 on the 23^rd September 2006 at Hedge top lane Northowram.

1915 September Thorn Ennomos erosaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

2 at Kebroyd at light 1955 (WBC)

1 at Park Road Elland 1^st Sept 1999 (PT)

1917 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria (Fabricius, 1775)

The graph below shows the two main  flight periods for Early Thorn in our area the first and smaller  peak is in  early April and the second larger peak in September.Coinsidently in  the first flight period the adults are larger than in the second period

1918 Lunar Thorn Selenia lunularia (Hübner, 1788)

One old record from Hebden Bridge in1863

1919 Purple Thorn Selenia tetralunaria (Hufnagel, 1767)

The flight season of adults is between April and May (37 individuals) and a larger second generation between July and August(100+ individuals.)1 found at rest on road works during the day at Copley.(CS)

1920 Scalloped Hazel Odontopera bidentata (Clerck, 1759)

Recorded throughout the area the flight season for adults is between 28^th April and 22^nd July both colour form occour.

1921 Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recorded throughout the area the flight season for adults is  between  5^th June and 19^th August

1922 Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recorded throughout the area the flight season for adults is  between  24^th June and 19^th Aaugust

	April	May	June	July	Aug
Scalloped Hazel	2	109	168	6
Scalloped Oak			5	205	181
Swaollow -tailed			3	276	37
Moth

1923 Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria (Linnaeus, 1761)

Adult flight times are between late September -  late November.Larvae found in Ripponden 26^th May 2002 and the adult emerged on 29^th October 2002.(PT,IK)

1 found at sugar in Only house wood Northowram 2007.

Feathered Thorn	Sept	Oct	Nov
	2	345	168

1926 Pale Brindled Beauty Apocheima pilosaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

A common species caught throughout the district from early .January  to March both forms occour.At Park road 221  trapped in total in  2003, and in 2004  only 178  Out of 15 Pale brindled beauty trapped on the 11/2/01,  13 were melanic.They were also recorded in November and December at this site.

1927 Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria (Clerck, 1759)

1 adult to light at park road Elland 1^st April 2001 and larvae found in Park wood Elland 12^th May 2003(PT&SW)

1930 Oak Beauty Biston strataria (Hufnagel, 1767)

One old record from 1890 at Bankfield. It is now recorded at light between  the 13^th   Feb and 7^th April.Records come from Hebden Bridge,Hedge Top lane ,Midgley, Broadhead Clough and Park Road Elland. .On the 16^th March 2004 five individuals were recorded at Park Road.

1931 Peppered Moth Biston betularia (Linnaeus, 1758)

This species used to be called ‘ Pepper and Salt’ and was recorded throughout the area up to 1869 .In  1927  the first all  black forms appeared and this form then took over completely by the late 1960 both forms occoured again at the turn of the century and  both forms occour  regularly at light. The dark form by 2009 has started to derease in numbers.

1932 Spring Usher Agriopis leucophaearia ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Recorded at light between 3^rd Jan and 21^st March.One recorded at wine rope near Todmorden railway Station on January 2008 (BL)

1933 Scarce Umber Agriopis aurantiaria (Hübner, 1799)

Despite its name this species is not scarce in our area and can be seen from late October to early January . Larvae found in Elland Park wood in May 2004(PT)

1934 Dotted Border Agriopis marginaria (Fabricius, 1777)

Regular at light between late January and early April with most records in February .Both form occour and the melanic ad form fuscata  was recorded at Park road eland on the 20^th jan 2004.Larvae also found on birch at Coply and Elland.(PT) Dotted Border is confirmed,date found 18 11 10.

1935 Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria (Clerck, 1759)

This species has always  been recorded as regular and sometimes abundant favoring broad leafed woodland .Flocks of Starlings were feeding on large numbers of larve at broad head clough on 31^st May 1991(BC)

Records from Park Road Elland at 125mv robinson  in November: -

1999	2000	2001	2002
8	363	303	354

1 found roosting at Rochdale Road, Walsden on 31^st October and another on 8^th November 2004.

1937 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Recorded widely and often common throughout the area at light between the 7^th June and 23^rd September.

1941 Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recorded widely and often common throughout the area at light between the 13^th June and the 8^th Septenber.

1947 The Engrailed Ectropis bistortata (Goeze, 1781)(small engrailed)

This species can be recorded at light ,sugar and tree searching  from 11^th  February to 9^th October throughout  the area it is  very variable in size and colour.

Engrailed	Feb	March	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct
	6	41	26	7	7	409	86	1	2

1951 Grey Birch Aethalura punctulata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

1 at Cromwell bottom 5^th May 2006

2 in North Dean Woods  May 2006

7 recorded at light in Hebden Bridge between the 15^th  and 26^th April 2007

In 2010 recorded at light in good numbers at Knott Wood Hebden Bridge with at least 10 on the 19^th and 20^th May 2010(BL,AC,MH)

1952 Common Heath Ematurga atomaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

A very Common moorland  moth can be seen in large numbers on most local moors many colour forms occour and can be seen during the day from the last week in April – late June. 50 at Warland on 26^th May 2003(BL). 200 + at Walshaw Dean 20^th May 2004(AC) Abundant on Norland Moor  2002 (PT)

1954 Bordered White Bupalus piniaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recorded at light  in small numbers between the 15^th June and 31^st July .There were 22 individulas to light in the period 1999 – 2009.1male 14^th July at Skircot green daytime observation..

July 14th 06, the garden

1955 Common White Wave Cabera pusaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recorded throughout the area at light between 6^th May and 11^th September..

1956 Common Wave Cabera exanthemata (Scopoli, 1763)

Recorded throughout the area at light between 24^th April  and  4^th September..

1957 White-pinion Spotted Lomographa bimaculata (Fabricius, 1775) *

First  recorded in Calderdale on the 24^th June 2001 and Park road Elland and then at the same site on 25^th May,2^nd & 29^th June 2002(PT)

1 at Todmorden 17^th May 2007 and 16^th May 2008(BL)

1 at Hebden Bridge 24^th May 2007(WP)

1 at Brookfoot Brighouse 7^th June 2008(M&KSh)

1 at Cragg Vale 3^rd June 2009 (NC,SC)

6 at light Knott wood Hebden Bridge 27^th May 2010(AC,BL,MH)

1958 Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Recorded throughout the area at light in good numbers between 27^th April and 10^th July.18 to light on the 1^st June 2000 at Park Road Elland was the maximum count.

Clouded Silver	April	May	June	July
	2	127	139	6

1960 Early Moth Theria primaria (Haworth)

There are 4 old records the last in 1963.The flight time for this species is January and February when few light traps are run except  25 recorded at light at Park Road Elland between 24^th Jan –26^th March 2003/4(PT). The foodplant is hawthorn and a careful search may reveal this species to be present.

1961 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata (Linnaeus, 1767)

Recorded at light between 7^th June and 22^nd September throughout Calderdale with  25 to light at Cunnery Wood 2^nd July 2009 the maximum count.

Light Emerald	June	July	Aug	Sept
	86	403	8	4

1962 Barred Red Hylaea fasciaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recorded in small numbers at light as follows

Barred Red	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
	0	2	3	5	3	1	0	2	3	1	3

1969 Grey Scalloped Bar Dyscia fagaria (Thunberg, 1784)

This moth may have been the first to be recorded in Yorkshire : - in the Aurelian 1766 Moses Harris records this species  and figures it from specimens taken on the Halifax moors sent to him by J.Bolton Harris and new of no other site for this species in Britain at the time.(per PS).Collinson wrote that it was well established on local moors and occasionally recorded at light.

4 on 25^th May and 3 on the 8^th June 2007,recorded dusking at Langfid Common(BL)

1 found drowing at Whiteholme Drain on the 2^nd July 2008 was retrived and left to dry out in the sun, it was not there on my return half an hour later.(AC)