14 May - Muston moths

Today there was a single peppered moth (Biston betularia), 2 powdered quakers and interestingly 5 cinnabar moths (Tyria jacobaea)...


...and the first poplar hawkmoth (Laothoe populi) of the year.

13 May - Not much happening

The moth trap only had a hebrew character again. Above is a shot from Askham Bog earlier this week. Why not visit the landscape galleries.









A large red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) from the same site.

12 May - Muston

Cold and windy and only one moth overnight - a hebrew character.

11 May - Muston moths

A pale prominent (Pterostoma palpina) was the first of the year and was accompanied by a waved umber, a clouded drab and 2 hebrew characters.

09 May - York and Askham Bog

A trip to York for the weekend with the family allowed a couple of landscape shots (more in the North Yorkshire - the rest gallery).


Along the River Ouse there were a lot of geese (mainly greylag) with goslings of all ages.

We also managed to get to Askham Bog on the south of York. This is a great reserve run by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. There were 6 species of butterfly seen (brimstone, orange-tip, large white, peacock, green-veined white and speckled wood.

08 May - Muston moths

Only one moth - a flame shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) which is the first of the year.

07 May - Muston moths

Singles of powdered quaker, small quaker and hebrew character.

There was a cockchafer (Melolantha melolantha). This is the most familiar of our chafers and is often called the 'Maybug'. The adult beetle flies at night and often crashes into lit windows on warm evenings in early summer. Its large size (25-35 mm long) and buzzing flight make it a little frightening, but the beetle is quite harmless and will not bite or sting.

Adult chafers eat the leaves and flowers of many deciduous trees, shrubs and other plants, but rarely cause any serious damage in the UK. However their grubs live in the soil and feed on plant roots, especially those of grasses and cereals, and are occasional pests in pastures, nurseries, gardens, and in grassy amenity areas like golf-courses, where they can cause damage.



More in the insects gallery.

06 May

Cold and wet overnight so I again avoided running the trap. However it is warmer today and so I will run it tonight.

05 May - Muston moths

I did not even run the moth trap as the weather was worse than yesterday.

Sometimes nature sums up how I feel!

04 May - Muston Moths

1 hebrew character, 1 clouded drab and 1 common quaker. It was cold and showery overnight, although there was a good sunrise. Then the weather deteriorated and rained most of the afternoon and evening.