Kirkstall Hill sightings

Earlier this evening I discovered Five-Spot Burnet moths (Zygaena trifolii) in the short grasses near the top of Kirkstall Hill. I counted eight in total, dotted around on flower heads of Ribwort Plantain and Red Clover. Its a distinctive day flying moth with metallic looking black forewings coloured with red dots and black clubbed antennae.

The larvae feed on Bird's Foot Trefoils, located nearby. I've yet to develop the knack of spotting butterfly and moth eggs and chrysalis, so I was happy enough with my discovery of a Five-Spot chrysalis, the moth still inside the semi opaque papery yellow casing.

Also on the hill, this well worn Small Tortoiseshell soaking up some early evening rays. Altogether a pretty good bounty for such a brief stroll-io-lio.

Green Hairstreaks on Otley Chevin

Having read reported sightings of Green Hairstreak in Otley, we headed straight for the heather and bilberry field as suggested in the Friends of Chevin Forest Wildlife Spotter Guide. On arrival, we noticed an animated binoculared group wandering around the heather, and knew instantly we'd found the spot.   

Within a few minutes we spotted our first Green Hairstreak on the margins of the field. Tricky to spot as they're so small and well camouflaged against the surrounding foliage.

Once we became accustomed to their appearance, flight patterns and their habit of returning to the same vantage point we hunkered down to observe them and try for a few pics.

This one with damage to its hindwing.

The field of heather and bilberry from the lower path, where two Red Kites soared overhead.

Can anybody help me to identify this moth please? Edit - Thanks to Dean for his idenitification of this day flying Common Heath. 

Two Meadow Pipits perched on the lichen covered stone wall at the bottom of the field, we've seen lots of Meadow Pipits before at Otley Chevin and also further up on Ilkley Moor.

Fairburn Ings

From a recent visit to Fairburn Ings RSPB, here are a few butterflies and dragonfly sightings that we enjoyed during our wander.

Thanks to Dean for confirming this pair as Common Darter Dragonflies (yellow stripes on legs and yellowish patches on the thorax).  

A Six Spot Burnet (Zygaena filipendulae) on a thistle

A Burnet with worn wing scales, thanks again to Dean for his help with this.

Small Copper on thistles.

Green Veined White

Angle Shades

I found this moth indoors on the curtains where it sat motionless, making it easy to capture and carefully transport to the garden. A new one for me, its Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa). The first pic was taken outside where the colours are more vivid, and the second pic taken indoors shows its unusual side profile.

Fairburn Ings RSPB (1)

This weekend we paid a visit to Fairburn Ings RSPB. Immediately on joining the path leading to the visitors centre this butterfly settled for little more than a few seconds, just long enough to grab a quick pick and for me to thank her kindly. A female Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) methinks, with its hooked tip forewing, greenish white ground colour that is significantly more subdued than the vivid-yellow of the male.

We followed the path past the Kingfisher screen and up the slope where the bordering vegetation included patches of birds foot trefoil, thistles and vetch and which provided lucrative sightings. One of the delights was this brown butterfly, but on consulting the guides the brown upperwing and underwing marksings lead me to think this is a female Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus).

And here's a male Common Blue, 15 or so metres away from where I spotted the female not a great pic but good enough to illustrate the difference in upperwing colour between the sexes.

A field of ox eye daisy, buttercups and grasses near the spot where we spotted the Common Blues.

A couple of metres away, my first Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) of the year, the black mark on its upper forewing indicate a male, the mark are the glandular scent scales or androconia that produce an odour to attract females.

Thanks to Pete for confirming the ID of this one. A daytime flying moth, a Silver Y (Autographa gamma) with the distinctive Y on the upperside of the forewing, which feeding here on a clover flower.

Striking clumps of purple orchids grew at intervals between the path and the stream. Not knowing one orchid from another I won't even hazard a guess but I would guess that they're a popular source of nectar for the many insects in the area.

St Chads

A few sightings from today's lunchtime wander to St Chad's Churchyard, Headingley. A handful of Speckled Wood butterflies favour a patch of sun soaked brambles and nettles located at the entrance to the churchyard making for regular sightings.





In the churchyard itself I noticed this little moth, although not the sharpest of shots I was glad to come away with a couple of pics for ID purposes. At first I thought it might be a Small Yellow Underwing (Panemeria tenebrata) but it looks suspiciously like the moth that Dean recently posted on DDD which is a Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata). If anybody can help it'd be most appreciated.

And from the spring/summer range, Buttercup with feather boa, floral chic darling, it'll be all the rage in Primarni before you know it.

I also enjoyed an unexpected lunchtime sighting of an adult fox on the border of the churchyard that backs onto neighbouring gardens. My immediate reaction was that somebody had let their dog loose to wander around a working area of the churchyard, so I tutted and rolled my eyes, only to realise that it wasn't a dog at all and with that realisation came the disappearance of the fox, not something I was expecting to see but all the more reason for a regular visits.

Rutland Water butterflies

This weekend we took a return trip to Rutland Water Nature Reserve, Leicestershire having visited for the first time last year. The rain and wind restricted our butterfly sightings, but Sunday's much improved weather provided us with some fine encounters. I was pleased to get a nice pic of this Orange Tip on a buttercup, especially as I find them so hyperactive and seldom willing to perch for longer than a second.

Following last weekend's sightings of my first Small Copper at Adel Churchyard in Leeds, I found five or six more today. Such a lovely small and delicate looking butterfly with a pleasingly relaxed habit of settling just long enough to photograph.

On the lower areas of the wildflower meadows we spotted an abundance of daytime flying black moths. Chimney Sweep Moth (Odezia atrata), small, elegant looking, sooty black moth with white fringes on the forewings, caterpillars feed on the flowers and seeds of Pignut.

In the same are we came across this Blue butterfly, possibly a female Common Blue?

Kirkstall Allotment Sightings

Taking time out from weeding to look out over the allotments I attempted a tally of the white butteflies in the area. Across the 300m stretch I easily counted 40 in two seperate counts but I expect the actual number was much higher, they proved elusive to photograph.
I noted a mixture of Large Whites, Green Veined Whites and Small Whites. A great sight to see but couldn’t quite capture it with the camera. The uninterrupted sunshine and a light breeze made for very busy butterflies, resting for the briefest of brief intervals before zipping off again & often converging in 4s & 5s & engaging in aerial tussles. Favoured pitstops included Lavender, Verbena, Brambles & for savoury interest vegetables such as french beans, potatoes & courgettes.

Here's a Green Veined White on Lavender


Back to a spot of weeding & a small/medium sized orange brown butterfly passed by & rested momentarily amongst brambles on the perimeter fence. On first glance & without reference I mistook it for a Meadow Brown but later recognised it as a Gatekeeper. As well as a first for the allotment, its a first for me too. Result!

Here's a closer view of the Gatekeeper.

I rescued this moth struggling to escape from a bucket of water. Its right wing looked damaged & I left it in shade uncertain about its chances, minutes later it dried off & recovered sufficiently to test its wings which appeared fully functional before settling under nearby raspberry plants for protection, it was gone 10 minutes later so maybe it regained its ability to fly. I’d appreciate help to identify this one.

Teeside visit

Whilst enjoying the sun in Maureen's garden in Billingham we spotted a Silver Y moth Autographa gamma. Its apparently 'one of the great migrants of the insect world'. Distinguishing features are the Silver Y on forewing and the double crest on the thorax. A widespread moth it flies both at night & day although it was at rest when we saw it in on a potted ivy. It feeds on a variety of both wild & cultivated plants.

At Billingham Beck, a Comma Polygonia c-album, the underwings are a dull brown colour, with a small white 'C' marking, which gives the butterfly its name.

A Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria Likes shady areas with dappled sunlight, deciduous, coniferous & mixed woodland. This one was partially obscured by the canopy, and backlit with sun illuminating its forewings. Dragonfly, a Common Darter, thanks to Emma for help with the identification.

A Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina

Hogweed, not sure which variety but I was drawn to sculptural qualities of the plant especially the flat winged seedheads of the compound umbel.

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)Most widespread of dragonflies and damselflies throughout much of Britain

Horsetail, Equisetum arvense