Wednesday 24 July 2019

Moth Night Sat 27th

Cancelled
Due to the heavy rain & forecasted continuous through the night - It would be pointless tonight.
Sorry for any inconvenience!

Oh yes it's that time again - Arrivals still from 9.00pm onwards, but we may be able to start the lamp a little earlier now  .... see you there Saturday.
 
Don't forget the Torch!

Monday 15 July 2019

Moth Night Summary - July 13th

FIRST OF ALL: A big thanks to the Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group for providing such fantastic mothing facilities and habitat creation and management - it is VERY much appreciated!

Another moth-friendly night with mild conditions and it was almost dead calm. Nine showed up for the moths which were a little slow to start with but by the night's end we had a record 80-90 species species. I hope Barry will let us know the final tally.
Obviously there were many stunning moths on show but none more so than a varied collection of superb green moths, notably: July Highflier, V Pug, Common Emerald and Large Emerald.

Perhaps the rarest on the night was this Golden-brown Tubic (Crassa unitella) which looks like being another Calderdale first. As can be often the case with micros emptied from the trap last thing, it's quite worn after sharing a small space with hundreds of other moths, flies and caddisflies. However, the remnants of reddish/brown scales, yellow head, very long palps and declining resting position  points to this species.
The adult flies from late June to August and sometimes comes to light It is associated with wooded areas because the larvae, late September to May, feed on fungus on and under dead bark.


Another new one for myself was this (worn) Hawthorn Cosmet (Blastodacna hellerella), also found in the trap at emptying time.

My favourite photo of the night's moths was this fresh looking Suspected with lovely warm rufous tones.

This tiny Wormwood Pug was a photo lifer for myself, I'm fairly confident with the ID but if anyone knows differently let me know.

This "worn" looking pug deserved closer scrutiny at home and turned out to be a Bordered Pug in very good nick. Another new one for myself.

We had small numbers of Dingy Shears and it was nice to photograph a nice specimen for a change.

This small un-moth-like moth added to our slowly growing list of Footmen, this being a Muslin Footman.

LEAF MINES FOUND:
Parornix anglicella
Stigmella salicis
Stigmella hybneralla

Sunday 14 July 2019

Great Egret from Saturday afternoon



Thanks to John Marsh for the use of his Images

Thursday 11 July 2019

Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve 2019 Orchid survey

Over the last 2 weeks Jen, Julie, Ian and I have been undertaking a survey of the orchids on the reserve. The areas surveyed were very similar to those that were surveyed last year but a couple of extra areas were added as we knew that these areas also had colonies of orchids. We counted the spikes (flowers) that could be seen. Identification of the species was difficult due to the tendency for plants to hybridise but it looked like virtually all the plants seen were common spotted or hybrids with a small handful of marsh orchids also being present. The total seen in 2019 was 200 compared to 138 counted last year.



Tuesday 9 July 2019

Moth Night!

That time again - Arrivals from 9.00pm to 10.00pm this Saturday 13th July, bring a torch!

Sunday 7 July 2019

Big Butterfly Count


A great turn out toady with some 25 people involved throughout the day,,,,,!!!!! And many thanks to all who turned up..

Meadow Brown ....Abundant (100 +)
Ringlet ..................Abundant (100 +)
Small Skipper ,,,,,50  +
Large Skipper ..5
Small Tortoiseshell...2
Common Blue...3
Small Heath .....3
Red Admiral .....1
Painted Lady ...2
Comma ...3
Large White ...3
Green - veined White.....1
Gatekeeper....1

Yellow Shell x 2
Shaded Broad Bar x 1
5 -spot Burnet Moths ....Abundant
Cinnabar ...2

Brown Hawker
Broad Bodied Chaser
Banded Demoiselle
Large Red  Damselfly
Common Blue

Saturday 6 July 2019

Evening Nature and History walk Wednesday July 10th

Andy Eccles will be leading a History and Nature walk at Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve on Wednesday the 10th of July at 7:00 pm. 

Please meet at the Cabin. Toilets available.


Tuesday 2 July 2019

Big Butterfly Count / Walk ,,,Sunday 7th July

This  Sunday 7th July there will be a HXSS walk around Cromwell Bottom ,  meet at the cabin 10.30 - 14.00...If the weather stays good we should see , Painted lady , Red Admiral , Ringlet , Meadow Brown , Small Copper , Comma , Small , large and green Veined Whites , Gatekeeper , Large and Small Skipper and if we are very Lucky Essex Skipper  a good selection of day flying moths and a few Dragonflies. We might even see some rare Clearwing moths..!!!!!