Laura Sivell Stephen Palmer
Lancashire, Manchester and Merseyside
Butterfly and Moth Recording Report 2012
3
Butterfly Recording Laura Sivell
County Butterfly Recorder
What a memorable year 2012 turned out to be - for all the wrong reasons. A decent warm spell in late March promised a
better spring than any we’ve had recently, but the promise was unfulfilled as May turned wet, cloudy and cool - and stayed like
that. June showed little improvement and it was only in August that things picked up. By then of course, it was far too late.
Migrants were few and far between, and most native species suffered reduced numbers and shortage of opportunities to fly,
mate and lay eggs. I expect the consequences will be freely on view in 2013 as well. The weather for 2012 should have been
arrested, and an ASBO slapped on it.
Please continue to send your butterfly records (remember, every little helps) to:
Lancashire and Merseyside
Laura Sivell, email [email protected]. Or by post to 22 Beaumont Place, Lancaster LA1 2EY. Phone 01524 69248.
Please note that for records to be included in the annual report, the deadline is the end of January. Late records will still be
used for the database, but once the report is written, I’m not going to update or rewrite on the basis of late records. The re-
port is also going to have to be written earlier in the year, in February as I’m full on with work in March/April and I just can’t do
it!
East Lancs
The East Lancs report will no longer be compiled by the Howarths, but John Plackett ([email protected]) from Nelson Nats
is taking over the role, so please all send your records to him as well as the Lancashire recorder.
Greater Manchester
These records should only go to Peter Hardy, 81 Winstanley Road, Sale, M33 2AT, email [email protected] - not to Laura
Sivell. Some people have been sending their records to both, leading to a fair amount of wasted time in sorting out the dupli-
cate records. Likewise Lancashire and Merseyside records should only go to Laura.
Introduction to the 2012 report
First, I must apologise for the late production of this document. Neither of the moth recorders were able to produce their sec-
tions of the report in the early spring due to other commitments; and Graham Jones , due to his search for a new job, has not
been able to write the macromoth section. Steve Palmer has stepped in (like the hero he is) and provided an update to the
macromoth biodiversity action plans for our most seriously threatened larger moths, along with a table showing new records.
A ‘normal’ 2013 report is expected.
Cover photo: Cauchas fibulella by L Sivell; because it’s time we had a micro on the cover!
Urgent Appeal
The Lancashire Branch Newsletter is in desperate need of articles. Please send anything you may have or can produce, to
Graham Dixon ([email protected]).
4
Butterfly Recorders 2011 S Allen M Anderson G Anderton A Ashworth G Ashworth (GA) D Barker (DB) G Barnes D Beattie (DB) R Bedford D Beevers P & P Berry A Bissett (ABi) A Bond (AB) S Bradley (SB) M Brennan (MB) R Briers D Broome
M Broomfield J Brown S Brown S Burnet C Cann S Cartwright J Cass D M Caunce (DC) S Challender C Clarke J Clews (JC) L Coates J Cobham (JC) B Cockburn P Collins B Crooks (BC) M Cunliffe C Daly E Dean (ED) M Dennis
R Dennis M Dockery D Downing T Dunn (TD) B Dyson (BD) J Edwards M & J Elsworth K Fairclough (KF) N Fearnley S Fenner A Ferguson (AF) C Ferguson C Fletcher M Foley (MF) A Foy M Fuller M Garbugg K Garnett J & M Gibson N Godden
S Graham R Greenwood (RG) A Grubb (AG) B Hancock (BHk) P Hardy (PBH) I Harper (IH) P Harris K Haydock (KH) J Hide D Higginson-Tranter (DHT) J Holding D Holland P Hornby (PHo) G Horwood B Hugo J Hurst A & S Imm (ASI) G Jakeman (GJ) P Kinder (PKi) P Kinsella
1992 1993 1994 1995 % 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 % 2001
Small Skipper 33 44 71 153 20.48 132 89 95 133 103 19.96 95
Large Skipper 89 156 166 267 35.74 147 103 87 127 98 18.99 70
Dingy Skipper 6 6 4 5 5 4 4 3 8 8
Grizzled Skipper 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 0
Clouded Yellow 117 6 16 0 14 1 35 2 96 1
Brimstone 17 26 18 24 3.21 32 41 48 44 58 11.24 38
Large White 171 224 261 392 52.47 286 235 295 340 235 45.54 224
Small White 145 192 241 448 59.97 292 254 246 322 203 39.34 177
Green-veined White 117 148 181 320 42.83 255 219 243 311 204 39.53 179
Orange Tip 101 198 189 265 35.47 231 182 205 246 154 29.84 133
Green Hairstreak 9 14 14 29 3.88 23 19 30 22 24 4.65 7
Purple Hairstreak 10 5 7 7 2 13 9 9 13 13
White-letter Hairstreak 2 1 1 2 2 3 0 5 5 2
Small Copper 122 119 169 219 29.31 216 164 108 121 83 16.08 57
Northern Brown Argus 5 6 7 7 5 4 7 4 3 6
Common Blue 103 116 126 160 21.49 149 100 83 119 100 19.37 71
Holly Blue 79 80 36 30 4.01 41 52 142 158 86 16.66 65
Duke of Burgundy 2 2 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 2
Red Admiral 169 159 263 395 272 156 174 279 222 202
Painted Lady 103 17 134 174 415 44 60 72 176 58
Small Tortoiseshell 194 290 248 497 66.53 396 403 331 345 238 46.12 248
Peacock 113 181 158 266 35.6 290 279 305 311 226 43.79 235
Comma 91 68 66 165 22.08 138 122 104 182 168 32.55 145
Small Pearl-bordered 3 7 8 8 4 5 10 3 3 3
Pearl-bordered Fritillary 5 6 6 7 4 5 6 4 4 4
High Brown Fritillary 6 6 10 7 6 6 9 4 4 6
Dark Green Fritillary 5 4 5 7 6 5 5 4 6 4
Speckled Wood 48 69 65 102 13.65 64 74 117 190 193 37.4 179
Wall 143 175 196 205 27.44 191 147 182 209 143 27.71 99
Scotch Argus 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3
Grayling 16 12 24 18 2.4 12 18 17 15 13 2.51 19
Gatekeeper 76 86 98 105 14.05 115 75 66 133 116 22.48 101
Meadow Brown 155 261 301 410 54.88 294 225 222 322 246 47.67 213
Ringlet 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Small Heath 29 60 62 90 12.04 79 66 45 54 43 8.33 36
Large Heath 1 0 1 3 0 7 1 7 1 0
Total recorded squares 389 500 566 747 604 555 570 683 516 432
5
Small Skipper
Large Skipper
Dingy Skipper
Grizzled Skipper
Clouded Yellow
Brimstone
Large White
Small White
Green-veined White
Orange Tip
Green Hairstreak
Purple Hairstreak
White-letter Hairstreak
Small Copper
Northern Brown Argus
Common Blue
Holly Blue
Duke of Burgundy
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Small Tortoiseshell
Peacock
Comma
Small Pearl-bordered
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
High Brown Fritillary
Dark Green Fritillary
Speckled Wood
Wall
Scotch Argus
Grayling
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown
Ringlet
Small Heath
Large Heath
Total recorded squares
P Kirk E Kirkby P Kitching (PKg) P Krischkiw V Leather (VL) Leighton Moss Team G Lilley K Lister (KL) D Lumb (DL) J Lund H Macauley (HM) P Macro P Marsh (PM) J Marshall D Martin (DM) S Martin (SM) A Mayor J McCabe K McCabe D McGrath
H McKean (HMK) I & M McLean R Miller (RM) J Mills (JM) D Mower R Moyes (RMy) B & C Murphy Y Mynette J Newton (JN) R Neville G Oakes N Padgett (NP) S Palmer S Parker (SP) T Parry D Patel C Peacock R Petley-Jones (RPJ) M Pilling S Pinnington
J & D Player A Powell L Poxon B Pratt L Price S Priestley C Rae L Renshaw (LR) R Rhodes (RR) S Richardson (SR) L Richmond J Riley (JR) Rochdale Nats Soc (RN) L Rose A Rowett S Ryder (SR) J Sharp (JS) A Shaw B Shaw A Simpson
L Sivell (LS) P Slater (PS) A Small A Smith C Smith (CS) C Smith D Smith (DS) I Smith (IS) J Smith (JaS) J Smith P Smith S Smith (SS) B Snell N Southworth A Stanson R Stevens T Stones J Swales D Talbot (DT) C Tomlinson (CT)
B Townson M Wain JF Walsh (JFW) D Webster N West (NW) T West P Whittaker I Whittle S White J Willis M Winstanley C Wood D Woodward (DW) I Woosey (IW) J Worthington JW) G Wyse
2002 2003 2004 2005 % 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 % 2011 2012
114 139 99 52 13.64 115 71 63 87 86 17.02 96 106
100 116 92 62 16.27 112 78 51 80 99 19.6 119 94
6 5 7 7 9 8 8 8 8 10 10
3 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 7 2 11 65 2 1 15 3 5 0
61 59 58 42 11.02 60 60 46 47 45 8.91 67 40
260 318 228 162 42.51 207 194 200 280 173 34.25 179 166
207 301 172 114 29.92 207 181 158 216 190 37.62 197 179
201 303 245 125 32.8 183 160 138 203 221 43.76 227 199
194 185 199 99 25.98 169 171 115 138 147 29.1 211 154
38 25 27 23 6.03 46 31 27 26 28 4.15 36 18
11 16 12 10 29 12 15 19 23 30 17
3 9 6 4 22 11 7 13 27 28 21
68 147 132 56 14.69 126 79 46 69 128 25.34 115 80
6 7 8 7 8 8 8 5 6 7 7
102 121 120 77 20.2 114 77 53 75 114 22.57 96 77
99 91 122 61 16.01 130 108 124 67 76 15.04 94 100
1 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2
188 332 163 146 282 153 136 239 178 224 125
157 315 169 39 207 118 20 305 62 39 24
347 470 281 181 47.5 268 250 137 209 273 54.05 288 299
316 329 266 185 48.55 269 262 156 241 256 50.69 249 258
164 221 146 77 20.2 180 139 119 165 153 30.29 165 135
4 5 6 6 6 10 8 6 6 7 6
5 4 6 5 4 4 6 4 3 5 5
7 7 8 8 10 8 8 8 8 8 8
6 8 17 10 16 8 8 17 11 12 9
241 316 248 171 44.88 286 258 221 263 257 50.89 257 220
103 104 117 92 24.14 101 48 32 49 48 9.5 22 33
1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
12 12 17 12 3.14 13 11 9 15 11 2.17 11 17
125 135 134 80 20.99 117 103 83 97 127 25.14 128 129
233 310 236 160 41.99 243 178 156 208 204 40.39 206 193
1 2 2 2 1 9 12 12 9 1.78 14 18
59 69 60 35 9.18 55 44 34 42 58 10.49 48 42
1 4 5 1 2 4 2 2 3 7 3
563 675 537 381 554 487 399 529 505 479 476
6
Small Skipper
First 6.6.12 SR, Brockholes
Last 6.9.12 RG, Ashworth
Highest 150 IS, Ainsdale, 21.7.12
There was a slight increase in the number of recorded squares, and a few ‘best ever’ transect counts (Eaves Wood, Heysham LNR and Warton Crag LNR). The first species records were made on the transect at Jack Scout, with 7 butterflies seen (normally first colonists appear in lower numbers), and there was an increase at Martin Mere. However, Warton Crag RSPB, where the species had been making itself much at home in recent years, had a dramatic decline.
Small Skipper 2008- 2012 (crosses 2003-2007)
Large Skipper
First 23.5.12 JC, Gait Barrows
Last 24.8.12 RG, Rakewood
Highest 25 SB, Arnside Knott
The high figure is less than half that of 2011., and the number of recorded squares was down by around 10%. At most tran-sects, there was a decline, but the best ever counts was made at Arnside Knott, and Heald Brow had an increase.
There were other relatively good counts; 21 from Sefton Park (PS), 19 from Warton Crag RSPB (AG), 16 also at Warton Crag RSPB (RM) and several decent counts from Bottom O’ Th’ Brow, the best being of 23 (GA).
Dingy Skipper
First 12.5.12 SR, Gait Barrows
RPJ, Gait Barrows
Last 22.7.12? MF, Gait Barrows
5.7.12 JN, Warton Crag LWT
Highest 22 RPJ, Gait Barrows
The last date is very late for this species, and the sighting occurred nearly 3 weeks after the previous ’last’ record, so ‘doubtful’. The high count is slightly down on 2011, though some sites (Myers and Heald Brow) had their best ever counts. There was also a slight increase at Gait Barrows and Jack Scout, and a good increase at Warton Crag LWT. Other transects showed a decrease however.
After many years with no records it was very pleasing to see sightings from Lundsfield Quarry, Carnforth (BHk) - a previously known site that had been overlooked by recording visits for a while.
Clouded Yellow
No records for 2012
Large Skipper 2008-2012 (crosses 2003-2007)
Dingy Skipper 2012
7
Brimstone
First 23.2.12 CT, Martin Mere
Last 11.9.12 LR, Middlebarrow
Highest 5 BC, Warton Crag LWT
NP, Heald Brow
A high count of 5 is devastatingly low for this butterfly. What’s worse, both these high counts were made in the spring flight period. Normally, the late summer flight would be in much stronger numbers.
Brimstone 2008-2012. Blue crosses 2003-2007.
Large White
First 20.3.12 AB, Leigh
Last 21.10.12 CS, Sale Water Park
Highest 50 DB, Cuerden Valley Park
Yet another depressing account; a plethora of ‘worst ever’ transect counts, and all the others showed a decline. Many routes, where Large White is frequent if never plentiful, had no records at all.
Small White
First 22.3.12 KMC, Flixton
CS, Chorlton
Last 21.10.12 IW, Wrightington
Highest 52 KF, Aintree Race Course
A slight fall in the number of recorded squares made 2012 a moderately poor year. Worst ever transect counts were made at Heald Brow, Myers Alotment and Eaves Wood and down at all the others, apart from Warton Crag LNR, where there was a slight increase.
Green-veined White
First 24.3.12 HMK, Sefton Coast
Last 18.10.12 KF, Lunt Meadows
Highest 100+ SM, DM, RR, IH, Belmont
Down across the board - and this species is one that does well in damp habitats so it should have thrived across the whole region.
Orange Tip
First 26.3.12 TD, Spring Wood
SS, Avenham Park
Last 22.7.12 MF, Gait Barrows
Highest 55 SM, DM, RR, IH, Belmont
Apart from the Martin Mere and Myers Allotment transects, which were average, it was another case of down across the board. The ‘worst ever’ transects are too many to list.
Orange Tip 2008-2012
8
Green Hairstreak
First 28.4.12 PHo, Beacon Fell
Last 22.7.12 MF, Gait Barrows
Highest 55 GA, Birchen Holts
The high count was one of only two counts of over 20 butterflies. That’s bad. Also, the number of recorded squares was half that of 2011, though the inclement conditions probably kept many recorders at home during the flight season. Transect counts were severely down on all the routes where this species is normally found.
Purple Hairstreak
First 9.7.12 MIM, Rufford
Last 8.9.12 KH, JM, Horwich
Highest 11 SM, DM, RR, IH, Belmont
It’s never easy to assess how well the treetop hairstreaks have done. They don’t make life easy for people trying to count them! In 2012, the number of recorded squares was nearly halved, and there were no transect records on any site - although there were records from Myers Allotment (off the transect). KL counted 10 at Lumb Wood, Rossen-dale.
White-letter Hairstreak
First 7.7.12 DS, Devonshire Road Park
Last 26.8.12 KH, JM, Horwich
Highest 3 PBH, Dead Elms Lane
PBH, Bradley Lane
KH, JM, Blackrod
I think this is the first time sightings of White-letter Hairstreak have exceeded those of Purple Hairstreak.
There were 3 records from the Sefton Coast, 2 from Ainsdale and another from a Formby garden. These are the first good records from Ainsdale, backed up with photographs, following a ‘possible’ in the 1990s.
The work of KM and JM on this species has also produced a good number of records of ova.
9
Small Copper
First 20.4.12 VL, Fleetwood
Last 21.10.12 DC, Freshfield Dune Heath
Highest 150 IS, Ainsdale
120 KH, Wilderswood
Small Copper achieved numbers in 2012 that we haven’t seen for a good number of years, although the small colony on Warton Crag LNR showed a dramatic decline. Heysham LNR had their worst year, and Arnside Knott had their best, with 3 butterflies. ! Showed up at Myers Allotment. Apart from these, the species was not recorded on any transects.
Northern Brown Argus
First 28.5.12 AF, Arnside Knott
Last 10.8.12 DT, Eaves Wood
Highest 24 RM, Warton Crag RSPB
There were other counts at Warton Crag RSPB not far below the highest (which is disappointingly low). The next best was 11 at Arnside Knott (SB), an increase on 2011. There was another slight increase at Yealand Hall Allotments, also at Heald Brow. All the Warton Crag transects had decreases, as did Gait Barrows (worst ever) and Eaves Wood (2nd worst).
Common Blue
First 16.5.12 SR, Middleton NR
Last 22.9.12 SS, Bury
Highest 293 JFW, Fairhaven Dunes
222 BDy, Fleetwood Nature Park
It was the worst ever year on the transects at Martin Mere and Gait Barrows; Eaves Wood, Arnside Knott, Yealand Hall Allotments and Heald Brow all had declines too. Warton Crag bucked the trend, with increases in all management areas and the best ever count for the LNR.
Holly Blue
First 26.3.12 KH, SD6411
PKi, Romily
Last 28.9.12 JR, Chorley
Highest 4 RMy, SD3416
PS, Sudely Hall
Although there was a slight increase in the number of tet-rads recording this species, sightings seem well down. This butterfly is famous for its boom and bust colony size, and now it seems to be well and truly busted. The maximum index on any transect was 1 sighting through the year, in-cluding at sites where a decade ago you could expect to see more than 5 on the same walk.
Small Copper 2007-2011. Crosses are 2002-2006.
Common Blue 2008-2012. Blue crosses are 2003-2007
10
Duke of Burgundy
First 4.5.12 LS, Gait Barrows
Last 22.7.12 MF, Gait Barrows
It was a really poor summer, but this date seems so extremely late as to cause quite a bit of doubt. The next latest was
10.6.12 NF, Gait Barrows
Much more in line with the norm and what would be expected given the conditions
Highest 4 LS, Gait Barrows
Awful awful, awful - that’s the Duke at Gait Barrows (the last Lancashire site) in 2012. They started emerging on cue, but then the weather turned and very few more emerged. The ones I was rearing just rotted and died in their pupae, or dessicated and hatched unable to inflate their wings, as the correct conditions to trigger emergence failed to occur. It seems that any breeding in the wild at Gait Barrows suffered the same fate, as few butterflies other than those released were seen, and there was no evidence of breeding or larval activity across the site other than in the main Duke glade - and there was little enough there. Fewer than 20 larvae were found, barely enough to sustain a colony.
There were no transect records. Extensive searches for the butterfly in adult, egg or larval stages across the site proved fruitless.
Red Admiral
First 12.1.12 RN, Rochdale - very early
Next 23.3.12 AB, Pennington Flash
Last 15.11.12 SS, Haughton Dale
Highest 15 CT, Martin Mere
None of the migrants did well in 2012, with a generally very quiet year for the Red Admiral. Things picked up towards the end of the summer and into autumn, but peak counts were well below what we often get.
Painted Lady
First 20.3.12 JW, Staleybridge
Next was 22.5.12 GA, Greebbooth
With a few seen in the following days.
Last 7.10.12 JaS, Woodley
Highest 5 MB, Bamber Bridge
A disappointing high count, but not surprising. 2012 was another very poor year for migrants. As expected given the conditions, most records were from August and September, mainly of singletons. Very few turned up on transects. 2 at Yealand Hall Allotments was the best, and the only count of more than 1.
Small Tortoiseshell
First 23.2.12 PBH, Croxford
ED, Carleton and Hardhorn
SP, SD4215
Last 28.11.12 LS, Lancaster
Highest 60 DS, Knott End
55 DM, SM, RR, IH, Belmont
51 DL, Edge Lane
The number of recorded squares was the best since 2003, so even in such a bad year, things seem to be picking up again for the Small Tortoiseshell across the region. The high counts are quite good too. On the transects, Martin Mere had an increase, and Gait Barrows BMS had a tiny increase - just a few seen. Warton Crag LNR had neither increase nor decrease, but the other sites had decreases, ranging from moderate (Warton Crag RSPB, Jack Scout) to greater losses (Yealand Hall Allotments, Heysham LNR who had their worst count ever) and a real crash at Arnside Knott
11
Peacock
First 25.1.12 CT, Martin Mere
Last 23.11.12 PBH, PKi, SJ7893
Highest 72 KF, Aintree Race Course
42 CT, Martin Mere
Arnside Knott had an average year, most other transects ranged from slightly down (Myers, Jack Scout) down to very down (Gait Barrows, Trowbarrow, Yealand Hall Allotments, Warton Crag RSPB and LNR, Heald Brow, Leighton Moss). It was the worst year for Eaves Wood.
Martin Mere and Warton Crag LWT both had increases, so the picture is not total gloom.
Comma
First 1.3.12 SP, Aughton, Merseyside
Last 15.11.12 PBH, Sale
Highest 8 CT, Martin Mere
The only transect not having a marked decline was Yealand Hall Allotments, where there was an increase. The high count is also depressingly low.
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
First 28.5.12 RM, Warton Crag RSPB
Last 22.7.12 MF, Gait Barrows
Highest 33 RM, Warton Crag RSPB
Arnside Knott had a spectacular year, with their best ever count, showing a significant increase, see next column.
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
First 12.5.12 DS, Gait Barrows
RPJ, Gait Barrows
DHT, Gait Barrows
GJ, Warton Crag
JN, Warton Crag LWT
Last 10.6.12 BC, Warton Crag LWT
Highest 22 SR, Warton Crag LWT
On Gait Barrows Wardens transect it was a bad year with a significant decline, and it was also the worst year on the BMS route, with only 1 seen. Yealand Hall Allotments, and Warton Crag LNR and RSPB also had decreases, but Warton Crag LWT had better numbers, with an annual index of 58 - very impressive for these times.
High Brown Fritillary
First 27.6.12 AF, Arnside Knott
Last 15.8.12 RPJ, Gait Barrows
Highest 16 RM, Warton Crag RSPB
2012 was a another depressing year for the High Brown. The high count is around a third of last year’s (on the same site).
On the Gait Barrows wardens transect, only 5 were counted, though there were so few weeks the walk was done that we can’t know just how many there were.
Only one site didn’t show a decline; Warton Crag LWT had 5, the same as last year. On every other transect, numbers were down, and ‘worst ever’ counts at Gait Barrows, worst since 1994 at Arnside Knott, none seen at Eaves Wood for the first year all add up to a very depressing picture for this species.
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
None
All Sections
Year
2012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991
Tota
l Num
ber C
ount
ed
115
110
105
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Let’s hope we don’t see a repeat of what happened after their last major expansion!
Warton Crag LWT also had an increase. Every other site had a decrease, although some colonies (e.g. Yealand Hall Allot-ments) remain large enough to give good opportunities for recovery in better conditions.
There were no records from Birkbank Bog (did anyone go there?) or from the other sites near the Yorkshire border, apart from 1 butterfly seen at Thrushgill Plantation (PM).
12
Dark Green Fritillary
First 18.6.12 ASI, Heald Brow
Last 24.8.12 SB, Arnside Knott
Highest 293 SB, Arnside Knott
Although several sites showed a marked decrease (Yealand Hall Allotments, Gait Barrows, Eaves Wood, Heald Brow, others had a different outcome. Jack Scout, Warton Crag RSPB and Warton Crag LNR had increases, whilst Arnside Knott had a good increase, nearly doubling last year’s index.
Speckled Wood
First 24.3.12 HM, Sefton Park
Last 24.10.12 PM, Heysham
Highest 90 PS, Sefton Park
The only site with a transect increase was Arnside Knott; all others had decreases, with ‘worst’ counts at Leighton Moss, Heald Brow, Jack Scout and Gait Barrows.
Not quite in line with the recent media declarations of grass-feeding butterflies having had a bumper year due to the rain!
Wall
First 4.5.12 JC, Birkdale
Last 26.9.12 BC, Warton Crag LWT
Highest 7 BC, Warton Crag LWT
GA, Greenbooth
More gloom. The only transects recording any were Arn-side Knott (very poor),Warton Crag LNR (worst ever), Heald Brow (1 record), Warton Crag RSPB (very few), Warton Crag LWT (down but still a decent sized colony). There was a slight increase in the low numbers at Eaves Wood (possibly benefitting from clearance work at Middlebarrow. The count of 9 at Martin Mere looks like an improvement, but only because the total of 1 in 2011 was so bad. - oh for the heady days of the 1990s when the annual index there was over 100.
Gatekeeper
First 11.7.12 JS, Heald Brow
Last 9.9.12 DL, Coal Pit Road
PM, Heysham LNR
Highest 900+ DM, SM, RR, IH, Belmont SD4150
100+ DW, Hope Carr
Gatekeeper did pretty well: good numbers at Arnside Knott, equal-best count at Eaves Wood, best ever at Heysham LNR, average at Martin Mere - also a goodincrease at Warton Crag LNR. There were, however, significant losses at Jack Scout and Heald Brow.
Dark Green Fritillary
None
All Sections
Year
2012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991
Tota
l Num
ber C
ount
ed
460
440
420
400
380
360
340
320
300
280
260
240
220
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Arnside Knott
13
Grayling
First 24.6.12 LR, Arnside Knott
Last 8.9.12 DS, Lytham Dunes
Highest 98 JFW, Fairhaven Dunes
Apart from Yealand Hall Allotments who had a good increase on the transect, all other routes were well down in numbers. The dune colonies around Lytham seemed to do rather better than the limestones.
Meadow Brown
First 6.5.12 DB, White Coppice
Seems extraordinarily early, can it be real?
Next, 27.5.12 NW, Cuerden Park
Last 15.9.12 AB, Romily
Highest 300 DM,SM,RR,IH, Belmont
202 BD, Fleetwood Nature Park
200 IS, Ainsdale
Across the Morecambe Bay limestone transects, Meadow Brown numbers were generally somewhat down; the exception being Warton Crag LWT where there was a slight improvement.
Ringlet
First 26.6.12 LS, Gait Barrows
Last 20.8.12 DT, Eaves Wood
A rather isolated in time late record, the next last was
8.8.12 JN, Warton Crag LWT
AG, Warton Crag RSPB
Highest 100 Pho, Gib Hill
81 RPJ, Gait Barrows
Whoopee! A butterfly that did well in 2012! 9 were recorded at Eaves Wood, whereas no more than 1 had been seen there previously. There was a huge increase at Warton Crag RSPB, and the first records were made on the transects at Myers Allotment (1), Warton Crag LNR (5), Leighton Moss (1), Yealand Hall Allotments (1) and Trowbarrow (2). The transect count at Gait Barrows looks poor, but so many weeks of the transect were missed during the flight season, the butterfly actually did very well there; I had never seen so many.
14
Small Heath
First 12.5.12 GJ, Warton Crag
Last 8.9.12 RN, Summit Quarry
LP, Freshfields
Highest 75 RM, Warton Crag RSPB
There were good numbers at Arnside Knott and a good increase at Warton Crag LWT - average to slightly down across the other limestone sites.
Large Heath
First 29.6.12 SR, Winmarleigh Moss
Last 12.7.12 DS, Winmarleigh Moss
Highest 33 SR, Winmarleigh Moss
Some exciting and hopeful news for this species and others -the Wildlife Trust has bought part of Winmarleigh Moss and the more wildlife-friendly management should improve the site, along with the Trust’s holding on the adjoining Cockerham Moss. Keeping the moss nice and wet shouldn’t have been at all difficult in recent months!
The Large Heath was also recorded at Thrushgill Plantation, part of the Goodber network, by PM.
15
Review of the macromoth BAP species recorded during 2012
Stephen Palmer
Five species of macromoth listed as national Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species were recorded in Lancashire during the 2012
season. Poor weather conditions during early and mid-season meant opportunities to record some species by light trapping
were reduced.
Goat Moth (Cossus cossus) numbers continued at a low ebb with only 3 adults seen at light at one Formby site between the 5th
and 7th July (R. Walker, D. Rumley). One larval record was received in September in a different 10km square in the Ainsdale
area (M. Maynard). Only very limited survey work was carried out for this species.
Organised searches co-ordinated by Richard Walker for the Forester (Adscita statices) produced some excellent results. Moths
were seen during daytime survey work between the 19th June (R. Walker) and the 21st July (T. Davenport, P. Smith) in five 1km
squares, all in the Ainsdale area of the Sefton Coast. Numbers peaked at 40 moths in three separate 1kms squares on the 15th
July (G. Jones).
The regular survey work to monitor the Netted Carpet (Eustroma reticulatum) colony produced records of some adults. Howev-
er, larval searches are much the most successful way to monitor this moth and the annual search took place on the 10 th Sep-
tember co-ordinated by Graham Jones and produced a superb 509 larvae. Work has been carried out in Hynning Scout Wood
and nearby fields used by the local Bee Keeping community to improve conditions for the Touch-me-not Balsam foodplant by
bramble clearance and seed sowing, the former considerably improving the number of plants available to the moth.
Poor early season weather considerably reduced the number of opportunities to record the Barred Tooth-striped (Trichopteryx
polycommata) and no organised survey work took place. The moth was recorded between the 30th March (S. Stokes) and the
3rd May (G. Jones) at six sites on the north Lancashire limestone – all as single moths coming to light.
Numbers of the Belted Beauty (Lycia zonaria) were well down from previous years. Searches co-ordinated by Stephen Palmer
produced daytime sightings from the usual Potts Corner to Sunderland Point site between the 22nd March and the 6th May.
Numbers on the annual organised search (23rd April) came to 107 female and 63 males counted by the 12 participants. A por-
tion of this site is currently under threat from an offshore wind-farm cable landfall application which is being strongly opposed
by the Lancashire Moth Group and Butterfly Conservation.
16
New 10K records for 2012
SD20
2011 Pale Prominent Formby Alex & Shelagh Parsons
2325 Crescent Striped Formby Charlie Fletcher, Bootle,
Merseyside
SD30
1992 Small Elephant Hawk-
moth Freshfield Dune Heath
LWT Graham Jones
2201 Shore Wainscot Moss Green, Formby Mary Dean & Rod Hill
2259 Dark Chestnut Freshfield Dune Heath
LWT Graham Jones
2399 Bordered Sallow Freshfield Dune Heath
LWT Graham Jones
SD31
1715 Plain Wave Ainsdale R.walker, C.Fletcher,
R.Moyes
2377 Fen Wainscot Birkdale Green Beach Graham Jones
2391 Silky Wainscot Cedar Street, Southport Ron Moyes
2440 Lempke's Gold Spot Birkdale Green Beach Graham Jones & Richard
Burkmar
SD32
1719 Oblique Carpet Marshside, Southport Alex & Shelagh Parsons
1930 Oak Beauty Lytham St.Annes David Wright
SD33
1766 Blue-bordered Carpet Rockingham Rd
Bispham Michael J Bloomfield
1819 Mottled Pug Hardhorn, Poulton le
Fylde Anne Smith
2078 Least Black Arches 18 Holts Lane, Poulton Dyson, Barry
2165 Small Ranunculus Carleton Crematorium Ashley Baines First VC60 record
SD34
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty Carleton Jonathan Scragg
2028 Pale Tussock Carleton Jonathan Scragg
2312 Olive Carleton Jonathan Scragg
2380 Treble Lines Carleton Jonathan Scragg
SD40
1864 Streak Graysons Rd, Rainford,
St. Helens Cheney, A.
SD42
1767 Pine Carpet 29 Bank Croft, Longton,
Preston Roy Boydell
1789 Scallop Shell Walmer Bridge Graham Jones
2367 Haworth's Minor Walmer Bridge Graham Jones
SD45
1897 V-Moth
Heysham Nature
Reserve LWT Girdley, Marsh, Draper,
Roberts, Neville
1957 White-pinion Spotted Heysham Nature LWT John Girdley
17
SD46
1881 Early Tooth-striped 342 Heysham Rd John Holding
SD47
2088 Heart and Club Carnforth railway sidings nr keer
bridge Roy Hilton
SD51
1789 Scallop Shell Euxton Richard Hoult
2044 Dingy Footman Euxton Richard Hoult
SD53
1767 Pine Carpet Lightfoot Green Steve and Carolyn Palmer
SD54
1637 Northern Eggar Bleasedale Moors Barry Dyson
1797 Autumnal Moth Beacon Fell Andrew Barker
SD55
1754 Phoenix Conderside barn J Chadwick
1885 Clouded Magpie Conderside barn J Chadwick
2196 Striped Wainscot Bay Horse, Lancaster Nigel A J Rogers
2312 Olive Bay Horse, Lancaster Nigel A J Rogers
2466 Blackneck Conderside barn J Chadwick
SD56
1646 Oak Hook-tip Baines Crag (near) John Girdley
SD57
1749 Dark Spinach Yealand Conyers Brian Hancock
1753 Striped Twin-spot Carpet Yealand Conyers Brian Hancock
1804 Barred Rivulet Warton Martin Elsworth
1995 Puss Moth Carnforth Jennifer Rae
1998 Poplar Kitten Carnforth Liz Lyon
2162 Glaucous Shears Yealand Conyers Brian Hancock
2164 Broad-barred White Carnforth Jennifer Rae
2183 Blossom Underwing Yealand Conyers Brian Hancock
2303 Straw Underwing Yealand Conyers Brian Hancock
2412 Silver Hook Silverdale, Hale Moss Brian Hancock
SD60
1776 Green Carpet Abram, Wigan Judith Smith
1915 September Thorn Abram, Wigan Judith Smith
2011 Pale Prominent Abram, Wigan Judith Smith
2044 Dingy Footman Low Hall Park R W Rhodes and J D Wil-
son
2368 Crescent Low Hall Park R W Rhodes and J D Wil-
son
2473 Beautiful Hook-tip Abram, Wigan Judith Smith
SD61
1848 Angle-barred Pug Belmont R.Rhodes
2300 Old Lady Belmont R.Rhodes
18
SD64
1653 Buff Arches Wheatley Cottage, Wheatley James Hide and Stephen
Palmer
1669 Common Emerald Wheatley Cottage, Wheatley James Hide and Stephen
Palmer
1708 Single-dotted Wave Wheatley Cottage, Wheatley James Hide and Stephen
Palmer
1760 Red-green Carpet Longridge Fell Andrew Barker
1762 Dark Marbled Carpet Longridge Fell Graham Jones & Andy
Barker
1798 Small Autumnal Moth Longridge Fell Graham Jones & Andy
Barker
1846 Narrow-winged Pug Jeffrey Hill, Longridge Fell Steve Palmer
1856 Larch Pug Longridge Fell Andrew Barker
1860 Green Pug Wheatley Cottage, Wheatley James Hide and Stephen
Palmer
1893 Tawny-barred Angle Longridge Fell Andrew Barker
2049 Buff Footman Longridge Fell Graham Jones & Andy
Barker
2134 Square-spot Rustic Longridge Fell Graham Jones & Andy
Barker
2162 Glaucous Shears Longridge Fell Andrew Barker
2233 Golden-rod Brindle Longridge Fell Graham Jones & Andy
Barker
2250 Dark Brocade Longridge Fell Andrew Barker
2265 Flounced Chestnut Longridge Fell Graham Jones & Andy
Barker
2338 Rufous Minor Wheatley Cottage, Wheatley James Hide and Stephen
Palmer
2341 Cloaked Minor Longridge Fell Graham Jones & Andy
Barker
2345 Small Dotted Buff Wheatley Cottage, Wheatley James Hide and Stephen
Palmer
2381 Uncertain Wheatley Cottage, Wheatley James Hide and Stephen
Palmer
2440 Lempke's Gold Spot Longridge Fell Andrew Barker
2489 Fan-foot Wheatley Cottage, Wheatley James Hide and Stephen
Palmer
SD66
1987 Bedstraw Hawk-moth Crossdale Grains wolfys Pete Marsh
2447 Scarce Silver Y Crossdale Grains wolfys Pete Marsh
SD71
1761 Autumn Green Carpet Edenfield, Rossendale Ina Smith
1775 Mottled Grey Edenfield, Rossendale Ina Smith
1837 Grey Pug Edenfield, Rossendale Ina Smith
1852 Brindled Pug Edenfield, Rossendale Ina Smith
1930 Oak Beauty Horrocksfold, Bolton Jim Ormerod
2145 Nutmeg Edenfield, Rossendale Ina Smith
2437 Golden Plusia Horrocksfold, Bolton Jim Ormerod
SD72
1669 Common Emerald Rishton Dave Bickerton
1708 Single-dotted Wave Rishton Dave Bickerton
1762 Dark Marbled Carpet Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
1769 Spruce Carpet Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
1802 Rivulet Rishton Dave Bickerton
1803 Small Rivulet Rishton Dave Bickerton
1819 Mottled Pug Rishton Dave Bickerton
1825 Lime-speck Pug Rishton Dave Bickerton
1830 Wormwood Pug Rishton Dave Bickerton
1832 Currant Pug Rishton Dave Bickerton
1873 Welsh Wave Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
19
1874 Dingy Shell Rishton Dave Bickerton
1876 Small Yellow Wave Rishton Dave Bickerton
1884 Magpie Rishton Dave Bickerton
1940 Satin Beauty Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
1947 Engrailed Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
1994 Buff-tip Rishton Dave Bickerton
1996 Alder Kitten Rishton Dave Bickerton
1998 Poplar Kitten Rishton Dave Bickerton
2050 Common Footman Rishton Dave Bickerton
2061 Buff Ermine Rishton Dave Bickerton
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character Rishton Dave Bickerton
2128 Double Square-spot Rishton Dave Bickerton
2173 Lychnis Rishton Dave Bickerton
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker Rishton Dave Bickerton
2199 Common Wainscot Rishton Dave Bickerton
2232 Black Rustic Rishton Dave Bickerton
2256 Satellite Rishton Dave Bickerton
2258 Chestnut Rishton Dave Bickerton
2262 Brick Rishton Dave Bickerton
2263 Red-line Quaker Rishton Dave Bickerton
2264 Yellow-line Quaker Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
2269 Centre-barred Sallow Rishton Dave Bickerton
2280 Miller Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
2312 Olive Rishton Dave Bickerton
2322 Light Arches Rishton Dave Bickerton
2336 Double Lobed Rishton Dave Bickerton
2341 Cloaked Minor Rishton Dave Bickerton
2342 Rosy Minor Rishton Dave Bickerton
2345 Small Dotted Buff Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
2353 Flounced Rustic Rishton Dave Bickerton
2381 Uncertain Rishton Dave Bickerton
2382 Rustic Rishton Dave Bickerton
2440 Lempke's Gold Spot Rishton Dave Bickerton
2469 Herald Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
2484 Pinion-streaked Snout Jack House area, Oswaldtwistle Mark Memory
SD73
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave Spring Wood, Nr. Whalley Andrew Barker
1754 Phoenix Spring Wood, Nr. Whalley Andrew Barker
1811 Slender Pug Spring Wood, Nr. Whalley Andrew Barker
2050 Common Footman Spring Wood, Nr. Whalley Andrew Barker
2335 Slender Brindle Spring Wood, Nr. Whalley Andrew Barker
2489 Fan-foot Spring Wood, Nr. Whalley Andrew Barker
SD74
2138 Green Arches Clitheroe Pete Morris
2150 Grey Arches Clitheroe Pete Morris
2280 Miller Clitheroe Pete Morris
2381 Uncertain Clitheroe Pete Morris
2382 Rustic Clitheroe Pete Morris
SD81
2031 White Satin Rochdale Peter Stevens
2379 Small Rufous Rochdale Peter Stevens
20
SD82
1727 Silver-ground Carpet Shedden Geoff Turner
1728 Garden Carpet Shedden Geoff Turner and Graham
Gavaghan
1738 Common Carpet Shedden Geoff Turner
1756 Northern Spinach Shedden Kevin McCabe
1776 Green Carpet Shedden Geoff Turner
1809 Twin-spot Carpet Shedden Kevin McCabe
2350 Small Wainscot Shedden Kevin McCabe
SD83
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave Burnley Geoff Turner and Graham
Gavaghan
SD84
1722 Flame Carpet Pendle Geoff Turner
1738 Common Carpet Black Moss Reservoir Geoff Turner
SD91
1708 Single-dotted Wave Calderbrook, Littleborough Yvonne Mynett and
S.Pinnington
1789 Scallop Shell Calderbrook, Littleborough Yvonne Mynett and
S.Pinnington
2039 Red-necked Footman Calderbrook, Littleborough Yvonne Mynett and
S.Pinnington
SD92
1856 Larch Pug Cockhill Wood Brian Leecy
SD94
1955 Common White Wave Foulridge area Kevin McCabe
SJ48
1951 Grey Birch Hale Widnes Carol Cockbain
2241 Red Sword-grass Hale Widnes Carol Cockbain
SJ58
1648 Pebble Hook-tip Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
1722 Flame Carpet Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
1777 July Highflyer Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
1827 Freyer's Pug Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
1851 Golden-rod Pug Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
1867 Treble-bar Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
1883 Yellow-barred Brindle Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
1913 Canary-shouldered Thorn Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2031 White Satin Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2044 Dingy Footman Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2060 White Ermine Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2063 Muslin Moth Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2088 Heart and Club Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2166 Campion Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2179 Pine Beauty Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2188 Clouded Drab Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2232 Black Rustic Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2243 Early Grey Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
2364 Frosted Orange Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
0409a Argyresthia trifasciata Penketh, Sanky Valley Joy Mitchell-Lisle
21
SJ59
1752 Purple Bar Town Centre, St Helens Owen, D.
2380 Treble Lines Sankey Valley, St. Helens Owen, D.
SJ68
1933 Scarce Umber Bluebell Wood, Nr.Rixton Kevin McCabe
SJ69
2281 Alder Moth Windy Bank, Glazebury Roy Rhodes
2302 Brown Rustic Windy Bank, Glazebury Roy Rhodes
SJ79
1812 Maple Pug Flixton Kevin McCabe NEW COUNTY RECORD
2127 Triple-spotted Clay Flixton Kevin McCabe
Micromoth Report for 2012 Steve Palmer Despite the weather just short of 17,000 micro-moth records were submitted covering Lancashire’s two Vice Counties (VC59 and VC60) during 2012, a small decrease on the 2011 total. These were made up of 558 different species, a drop of 34 species from the previous year. The large number of species found precludes mentioning each individually and as a consequence only a summary of some of the more interesting, localised and notable species is presented below.
Four species were added to the county list during 2012 – one was an overlooked resident, one is extending its range nationally, another was a rare migrant and the final one, was an adventive (introduced) species found in grapes from a supermarket. Acleris effractana, the newly discovered resident species, has been searched for over several years since it was split from the common and widespread Acleris emargana. My experience of the moth in Scotland had suggested it was most likely to be found in the higher parts of the county in damp, scrubby areas close to moorland habitat and this proved to be the case. Nigel Rogers had critically examined several possible candidates over the last few years and eventually his patience and thorough-ness paid off. A second specimen, retained from the 2011 season, also proved to be this species. Acrolepiopsis assectella (the leek moth) has been spreading northwards in the UK but was still an unexpected arrival in Lancashire. The nearest known rec-ords were probably at least 100 miles away from John Donnelly’s light trap in Crosby. It can be an occasional garden pest on leeks, so was not exactly welcomed with open arms by some of the keen gardeners amongst us. The third new species, Platy-tes alpinella, was one of those strange and totally unexpected arrivals in a light trap. In one of the worst years we’ve experi-enced for migratory species, this moth chose to arrive with some strong easterly winds. Fortunately Steve Palmer checked his Preston light trap early in the morning on this occasion (not always the case!) as the moth was sitting on the outside, on one of the fins. The final moth, an adventive species, arrived courtesy of a supermarket purchase of grapes in Bootle by Charlie Fletcher. Charlie tried to track down the origin of the packet that Anatrachyntis badia arrived in – the supermarket staff ad-vised it could have been Spain or Brazil so unfortunately we’ll never quite know its origin.
Included in the comprehensive details of the new county records below are a few species added to one or other of the vice counties (59 or 60).
Yponomeutidae
445 Ocnerostoma friesei Svensson – Lightfoot Green SD513333 (60) to MV light 4.viii.2012, genitalia det. – C. A. & S. M. Palmer.
Glyphipterigidae
473 Acrolepiopsis assectella (Zell.) – Crosby SJ325991 (59) to MV light 25.vi.2012 – J. Donnelly.
Coleophoridae
517a Coleophora frischella (Linn.) – Gait Barrows NNR SD479769 (60) to MV light 25.v.2012, female genitalia det. (SMP) – G. Jones.
Momphidae
887 Mompha lacteella (Steph.) – Worsthorne SD870329 (59) to MV light 28.vi.2012, genitalia det. (SMP) – G. Gavaghan & G. Turner.
Cosmopterigidae
0897a Anatrachyntis badia (Hodges) – Bootle SJ39 (59) alive in bag of supermarket Grapes (origin unknown) 28.x.2012, det. B. Smart – C. Fletcher.
22
Tortricidae
1062a Acleris effractana (Hubn.) – Bay Horse SD529525 (60) to MV light 18.viii.2012 male, genitalia det. – N. A. J. Rogers.
Crambidae
1325 Platytes alpinella (Hubn.) – Lightfoot Green SD513333 (60) to MV light 11.viii.2012 – C. A. & S. M. Palmer.
Pterophoridae
1503 Platyptilia ochrodactyla (D. & S.) – St. Annes SD3130 (60) netted amongst tansy at dusk 20.viii.2012 – S. M. Palmer.
A visit to Lancashire by micromoth expert Bob Heckford and colleague Stella Beavan during 2012 resulted in details of the biol-ogy of two micromoth species being understood to a far greater extent than had been the case before. A detailed description of the larva of Scythris fallacella was published during a visit to Warton Crag on the 17th May where the moth was bred follow-ing larvae and pupa being found on Helianthemum nummularium (common rock-rose). Celypha rufana’s larva and foodplants were found for the first time in Britain when Bob and Stella visited Gait Barrows on the following day and again subsequently reared the moth. The foodplants included the dead leaves of Fragaria vesca (wild strawberry) and Potentilla sterilis (barren strawberry).
As well as the new county and vice county records listed above, it was a reasonable year for records relating to species in new 10km squares. Quite a few of these records come from garden light-trap sites, but daytime visits, rearing of larvae and leaf mine searches away from gardens have produced many of the most interesting records. Rearing of larvae and looking for feeding signs can be as successful as light trapping where micros are concerned and I would urge all recorders to give this a try. Try the British Leaf-mining fauna website (http://www.leafmines.co.uk/index.htm) for example as an excellent identification resource.
Over the first few months of each year the bulk of micromoth records relate to overwintering moths from genera such as Agonopterix or Mompha. One such report related to the County’s second Mompha jurrasicella found in Morecambe on the 13th March (J. Girdley - JG). This species, together with M. bradleyi and M. sturnipennella are spreading into and across Lanca-shire and are worth keeping an eye out for indoors or in sheds or outhouses. A similar spread of several of this genus has l ike-wise been reported in Yorkshire (H. Beaumont, pers. comm.). Newly emerged micros coming to light traps early in the season are restricted to relatively few species. One of these widespread but sometimes over-looked species is Tortricodes alternella and this was new to a well recorded garden in Hale (C. Cockbain) on 2nd March.
Biselachista trapeziella had not been noted since the 19th Century in Lancashire and has been the subject of larval searches by a couple of recorders over recent years, unfortunately without success. It was therefore pleasing to come across the larva feeding on Luzula pilosa (hairy wood-rush) in the Brock Bottoms area on 27th April and to rear the moth through to confirm identity (S Palmer – SP). The larva also feeds on L. sylvatica (greater wood-rush) which is a regular plant of the wooded river banks of the Lune and Wyre. Searches here have so far failed to locate the moth but the recent find at Brock suggests further searches would be worthwhile. Another species found by searching for leaf mines in spring is Bucculatrix cristatella, a local but surely under-recorded species which feeds on Achillea millefolium (yarrow). A visit to Marshside (nr. Southport) on 3rd May (K. McCabe, SP) produced a few larval feeding cocoons of this apparently local moth, one of which was bred through.
Tracking species as they expand their range through the county is a fascinating project and garden light trappers can make a significant contribution to our understanding of this spread as it occurs. Tachystola acroxantha, an introduced species in Brit-ain originally from Australia, is doing well and has been reported for the first time in several new areas during 2012. These include Houghton on 20th May (G. Dixon), Widnes on 28th May (P. Hillyer) and Preston on 26th June (C. Palmer & SP). Caloptilia azaleella, another moth on the move, was found in Preston on 26th May (A. Powell), Penketh on 2nd August (J. Mitchell-Lisle – JM-L) and Aintree on 8th August (K. Fairclough – KF). KF also found Argyresthia cupressella new to his Aintree garden on 26th June, a species that was also new to the Southport area on 10th June (R. Moyes). Although associated with garden conifers and junipers, A. cupressella is expanding more slowly than some other garden associated species.
Although the weather was not at its best in following the sunny period of late May, several local species were found in late May and June. All were at light and included Pammene obscurana in Yealand Redmayne on the 25th May (JG), Elachista subal-bidella in Adlington (P. Krischkiw) on 4th June, Crambus pratella at Ainsdale on 12th (R. Moyes – RM), the same site also produc-ing Morophaga choragella (J. Clews, C. Daly & RM) on the 26th. On the same date Agonopterix yeatiana was found in Walmer Bridge (G. Jones), Ancylis unguicella in Rochdale (P. Stevens – PS) and Carpatolechia fugitivella in Rainford (S. Williams). The set of June highlights were rounded off nicely when Homoeosoma sinuella came to light in Carleton on the 28th (J. Scragg).
A table of some of the more notable species found during July, August and September is reproduced over the page.
23
Choreutis pariana is normally a scarce moth in the county but 2012 proved to be a bit of a bumper year for the species with four records! All related to the moths rather than the larval stages and they were found in Chorlton on the 21st July (B. Smart), Parr on the 7th September (R. Banks), Poulton le Fylde on the 9th September (A. Smith) and Flixton on the 11th Octo-ber (KM).
Collecting sead-heads of various plants in late autumn or overwinter is often a good way to see moths that rarely come to light. Heads of Fleabane, Knapweed and Tansy may all produce moths the following spring and summer while heads of Tea-sel can produce a couple of different species, including Endothenia gentianaeana. This very local species in the county ap-peared from some teasel heads collected in Martinscroft by KM.
It is quite unusual for long-term resident species to suddenly put on a dramatic range expansion, but this does seem to be the case with the beautiful orange and black micro, Mompha locupletella. In the 19th and 20th century there had been only eight records while during the first 13 years of the 21st century there have been 52 records, most of these post 2006. During August and early September 2012 the adults were attracted to light at ten sites across the county, including new sites in Edenfield (Rossendale) on the 19th August (I. Smith), Penketh on 21st (JM-L), Euxton on 22nd (R. Hoult), Mill Houses (JG) on 2nd September and Rochdale (PS) on the 9th.
Most people’s experience of the smaller moths relates to those regularly occurring in their light traps. The species found in largest numbers during 2012 was, for the second year running, the bird-cherry ermine Yponomeuta evonymella. This was followed by the light-brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana, which has made a good recovery after its dramatic drop in numbers during 2010. The bee moth, Aphomia sociella, dropped out of the top ten in line with the reduced numbers of bumble bees and wasps that have been around over the last two years. Its place was taken by a moorland grass-moth spe-cies Catoptria margaritella. The presence of this species in the top ten is likely to be a transient one as it was found on one occasion during a daytime visit to a damp upland site in huge numbers and also abundantly at a light trap on a couple of up-land trapping sessions.
Coleophora trifolii Westhead A. & S. Parsons 7th Jul. one of several similar species
Crambus uliginosellus Leighton Moss S. Palmer 7th Jul. second site in VC60
Bryotropha politella Loftshaw Moss J. Girdley 14th Jul. local, upland sp. gen. det. SP
Yponomeuta rorrella Heysham NR J. Girdley 16th Jul. search for larval webs
Bryotropha politella Pendle Hill G. Turner 18th Jul. local, upland sp. gen. det. SP
Coleophora adspersella Southport R. Moyes 20th Jul. very local, gen. det. SP
Bryotropha terrella Oswaldtwis- M. Memory 20th Jul. new area for this common sp
Lozotaenia forsterana Glazebury R. Rhodes, J. Wilson 23rd Jul. uncommon sw lancs - new site
Orthotelia sparganella Hoole A. Barker 24th Jul. only 2012 record of this local sp.
Carpatolechia fugitivella Wheatley J. Hide, S. Palmer 24th Jul. new area for this local sp.
Philedone gerningana Pendle Hill G. Turner 24th Jul. new 10km for this upland sp.
Agonopterix liturosa Heysham NR A. Draper 30th Jul. 3rd county record - last 1986
Cochylis dubitana Hale C. Cockbain 1st Aug. new site for this common sp.
Nymphula stagnata Rishton D. Bickerton 4th Aug. widespread, rarely reported
Philedone gerningana Bleasedale B. Dyson 10 Aug. new 10km for this upland sp.
Acleris caledoniana Pendle Hill G. Turner 10 Aug. new 10km for this upland sp.
Prochoreutis myllerana Blackpool A. Smith 11 Aug. good year for this sp.
Eana incanana Whalley A. Barker 11 Aug. very local
Roeslerstammia erxlebella Wigan G. & B. Wynn 12 Aug. spreading northwards
Ypsolopha nemorella Conderside J. Chadwick 14 Aug. very local sp.
Prochoreutis myllerana Conderside J. Chadwick 14 Aug. several found over a few days
Roeslerstammia erxlebella Preston A. Powell 15 Aug. slowly spreading northwards
Nymphula stagnata Horwich J. Mills, K. Haydock 18 Aug. widespread but rarely reported
Argyresthia semifusca Ince Woods J. Donnelly, C. Fletcher 3 Sept. local sp., possibly under-recorded
Depressaria badiella Formby R. Walker 5 Sept. very local - gen. det. SP
Stigmella magdalenae Foulridge K. McCabe 6 Sept. On rowan - 2nd county rec
Depressaria badiella Lytham J. Wardle 14 Sept. very local, gen. det. SP
Bohemannia pulverosella Anglezarke K. McCabe 15 Sept. mines on apple leaves
Ypsolopha sequella Edenfield I. Smith 20 Sept. new area for this common sp.
Parornix scoticella Oswaldtwis- K. McCabe 22 Sept. local - mines on rowan
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Only one of our micromoths occurs on the National Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) list. Anania funebris is a small but beautiful black, white and yellow day-flying moth that can be seen in May on the limestone areas of north Lancashire. Its flight period during 2012 coincided with some of the worst late spring weather I’ve known. Very cold and cloudy conditions were followed by a brief spell of sunny weather in late May and thereafter the wet set in. For the first time in many years I failed to see the moth at all in Lancashire and only five reports were received between 22nd May and 10th June, from Gait Barrows NNR and Warton Crag. All of the reports were of singletons except two at Gait Barrows on the 25th May (G Jones). Anyone visiting the north Lancs limestone during 2013 is asked to keep a special look out for this moth – any reported sightings can be passed on to Graham or I in the usual way.
Each year Kevin McCabe very kindly puts together a list of new 10km records for each micromoth species and the 2012 list can be seen in the Files area of the Lancashire Moth Yahoo Group (for details about joining this internet group contact Graham Dixon on [email protected] or Graham Jones, contact details at the end of this Report). Additionally Kevin pro-vides an invaluable resource showing the distribution of each species by 10km square in a matrix style format. This can be found on the Lancashire Moth Group website www.lancashiremoths.co.uk and is an good way of finding under-recorded areas on the county. Do try to target an area near you during 2013.
I hope many of you have been using the superb new Field Guide to the Micromoths of Great Britain and Ireland by Phil Ster-ling (one of the country’s top micromoth experts), Mark Parsons, head of Moth conservation at Butterfly Conservation and the internationally renowned artist Richard Lewington. In order to assist recorders with developing their micromoth identification skills, a weekend course is being held in late September based initially at Liverpool Museum, followed by fieldwork in Formby and, on the following day at Roudsea Wood and Mosses NNR. Booking for this proved extremely popular and all 30 places were taken within a couple of days of advertising on the internet.
I am always happy to receive specimens or good quality photos of micromoths to identify, particularly from under-recorded areas. When submitting the records it is very important to note if someone else has identified the moth for you, even if this process has been carried out on-line. There are many internet groups covering moths, such as back garden moths or ukmicro-moths which provide this help so please ask for the name of the identifier if it is not obvious from their ‘internet name’. That person should be listed as the Determiner when submitting a record. If there are any subsequent questions about the record it will be known whom to address any questions to.
Please could all those submitting records via Mapmate avoid using anything greater than an eight digit grid reference as this causes problems when extracting the data for onward transmission to other recording schemes. If you want to note a ten digit then this can be placed in the comments column. Six digit references are ideal as far as the Moth Group is concerned.
Thanks to all of you who have submitted records for 2012 and I look forward to a bumper crop of records in 2013.
Borrow a Moth Trap
The Lancashire Branch of Butterfly Conservation has two moth traps available for loan (subject to prior bookings) usually for about a fortnight to a month at a time. One is a mains electricity powered mercury vapour bulb Robinson trap, which has a very bright light and can catch large numbers of moths in suitable conditions. The other is a reasonably portable battery pow-ered 15W Actinic trap which can be used in gardens or elsewhere. Its light output is much lower than the Robinson and con-sequently it catches fewer moths but is ideal for areas where the bright light of the other might cause nuisance to neighbours. The traps come with an identification book and are an ideal way to experiment with moth trapping and to see if it is some-thing you might like to continue with in the future. Even if you don’t take up moth trapping any records you make during the loan period will be of great value in expanding our knowledge of moth distribution in Lancashire.
Species Records Individuals 2011
Yponomeuta evonymella 187 (335) 4714 (2875) 1st
Epiphyas postvittana 882 (506) 3168 (1330) 6th
Chrysoteuchia culmella 542 (447) 2507 (1600) 4th
Agriphila straminella 398 (435) 1773 (2253) 2nd
Eudonia mercurella 599 (480) 1620 (1461) 5th
Pleuroptya ruralis 376 (426) 1162 (1189) 8th
Scoparia ambigualis 355 (368) 1092 (1224) 7th
Udea lutealis 278 (254) 1081 (872) 10th
Catoptria margaritella 67 (42) 1049 (514) -
Agriphila tristella 320 (409) 1007 (1738) 3rd
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Eaves, Seamus
Ellison, Mary
Elsworth, Martin & Jenny
Fairclough, Keith
Fletcher, Charlie
Foot, Dave
Foy, David
Gavaghan, Graham
Giavanni, Vince
Gibson, John & Margaret
Gilchrist, Peter &
Veronica
Girdley, John
Gleave, Ann
Graham, Stuart
Grubb, Alasdair
Hall, Rick
Halliwell, Steve
Hancock, Brian
Hannan, Amy
Hardy, Peter B.
Haydock, Ken
Heckford, Bob
Heslop, Anne
Hide, James
Hill, Rod
Hillyer, Paul
Hilton, Roy
Holding, John
Hornby, Peter
Hoult, Richard
Hugo, B.
Hutchinson, Tim
Jones, Gary
Jones, Graham
Kippax, Ian
Kitching, Mr. & Mrs.
Krischkiw, Peter
Lambert, Denis
Langrish, Eddie
Lawson, Karen
Allen, Sonia
Anderton, John
Ashton, Pippa
Ashworth, Gavin
Baines, Ashley
Banks, Ray
Barker, Andrew
Barnes, Peter
Bateson, Alex
Beattie, David
Beattie, Jim
Beavan, Stella
Bedford, Alan
Bedford, Susan
Benson, John
Bickerton, Dave
Bloomfield, Michael J.
Bond, S.
Botham, Marc
Boydell, Roy
Briers, SBritt, A.
Broomfield, Mary
Brotherstone, Liz
Brown, David
Burkmar, Richard
Bushell, Colin
Caunce, Dorothy
Chadwick, J.
Cheney, Alec
Christian, J.
Clerk, Mike & Joyce
Clews, John
Cockbain, Carol
Daly, Colin
Darbyshire, Chris
Davenport, Trevor
Davies, Colin
Davies, Ken
Dean, Mary
Deed, Ben
Dixon, Graham
Dockery, Mike
Donnelly, John
Draper, Alan
Dyson, Barry
Leecy, Brian
Lumb, David
Lyon, Liz
Machin, Adam
Mansfield, Phil
Marsh, Pete
Martin, S. J.
Maynard, Maurice
McCabe, Jenny
McCabe, Kevin
McGrath, Dave
Memory, Mark
Miller, Richard
Mills, Jill
Mitchell-Lisle, Joy
Morris, Pete
Mower, Irene
Moyes, Ron
Mynnett, Yvonne
Neale, Eddy
Neil, Gregory
Neville, Reuben
Newton, Jennifer
Ormerod, Jim
Owen, Dave
Packham, Janet
Palmer, Carolyn
Palmer, Steve
Parker, Stuart
Parsons, Alex & Shelagh
Partington, Raymond
Peacock, Colin
Petley-Jones, Rob
Piggot, Alex
Pinnington, Steve
Powell, Alan
Priestley, Stephen
Rae, Jennifer
Rhodes, Roy
Richards, Mo
Riley, Ella
Riley, Geoff
Roberts, Jean
Rogers, Nigel
RSPB Vol. team
Rumley, David
Ryder, Steve
Sarre, Valerie
Scragg, Jonathan
Sefton, Clare
Shaw, Anne
Simpson, Archie
Sivell, Laura
Smart, Ben
Smith, Anne E
Smith, D. A.
Smith, David
Smith, Derek & Ida
Smith, Ina
Smith, Judith
Smith, Phil
Stevens, Peter
Stokes, Sylvia
Sunners, Fiona
Threadgold, L.
Tordoff, Martin
Turner, Geoff
Vale, J
Vickers, D. E.
Wain, Martin
Walker, Ian
Walker, Richard
Walsh, Frank
Wardle, Jean
Whitaker, Terry
Whitehouse, Steve
Williams, Stuart
Wilson, J. Dave
Woosey, Ian
Wright, David
Wynn, Geoff and Barbara
Wyse, Gordon
Moth Recorders 2012
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Apologies if anyone has been omitted from this list by mistake – if so do please let Steve Palmer know (address be-low).
Please keep the records coming in, with Date, Location, Grid Reference (to six figures if poss.), Recorder and Deter-miner. Please note that records posted on Yahoo or Twitter sites should be submitted as above to the one or other of the County Recorders.
Send Records To:
County Macro-moth Recorder
Graham Jones,
45 Liverpool Old Road, Walmer Bridge, Preston PR4 5QA. 01772 617221 or email - [email protected]
County Microlepidoptera Recorder
Steve Palmer, 137 Lightfoot Lane, Fulwood, Preston PR4 0AH. 01772 861570 or [email protected]
Records can be sent to either of the above. Please continue to send Mapmate files to Steve (CUK - 1b8). If record-ers would like a written reply acknowledging receipt of their records or other correspondence, a stamped self-addressed envelope would be appreciated by Graham and Steve.
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