Natural History in Barnsley
Some Barnsley Nats members joined Cliff Gorman and Harry Beaumont at Carlton Marsh Nature Reserve for an evening—getting on to a night– mothing.
Cliff Gorman reported: Last nights moth session with Harry Beaumont, members of our group and Barnsley Naturalists, produced 32 species of macro moths. They included Coronet, Poplar Hawk, Elephant Hawk, Bordered Pug, Fen Wainscot, Iron, Pale, Swallow and Pale Swallow Prominents.
Friday 28 July, 9pm: Mothing at Carlton Marsh Nature Reserve
Cliff Gorman has been in touch to invite interested Nats members to an evening ‘mothing’ at Carlton Marsh on Friday evening —if it’s not raining at 9pm!
Tuesday 1 August, ‘Yorkshire Day’: Dragonflies at Netherwood Country Park
Alistair McLean is leading a field visit at Netherwood Country Park for Dragonflies starting at 11am. It’s a joint venture of Sorby Natural History Society, the British Dragonfly Society and Sheffield Museums.
We visited the country park and its ponds a few months back —before the dragonfly season so now there will be more to see. The car park is off Bradbury Balk Lane, grid reference: SE 3956 0404. What Three Words : ///gateway.enveloped.bugs !!
https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/event/netherwood-country-park-dragonflies/
Is anyone able to identify the larvae in these photos? We wonder if they are greater wax moths but they seem to have a black head and our understanding is that greater wax moths have a brown head.
This example was found attached to the outside of a polystyrene hive between the roof and the hive strap (holding the lid down).
There was a slight grove under the silk case which appeared to be where the larvae had chewed the polystyrene!
Thanks, Barnsley Beekeepers Association.
These images are from some of the highlights over the last two or three weeks.
My recent visits to local grassland sites have been rewarded with very pleasing numbers of grassland butterflies. In particular, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Small Skipper, Small Heath and the whites have been quite abundant. I almost felt like I’d been transported to the Victorian age!
Former Wentworth Railway Station Site
[This is now a Barnsley council brownfield site, to the west of Skiers Spring Wood.]
A total of 86 Meadow Brown. Good numbers of Ringlet, Gatekeeper, Large, Small and Green-veined Whites, and Small Skipper, along with several Six-spot Burnet Moth, Small Tortoiseshell, and numerous Meadow Grasshoppers.
A total of 189 butterflies.
Koyo Bearings Meadow and track on Dodworth Muckstack
A total of 63 Meadow Brown. Pleasing numbers of Ringlet, Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Small Skipper, Small and Green-veined White, Six-spot Burnet Moth, along with Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Shaded Broad Bar Moth and a few Meadow Grasshoppers.
A total of 216 butterflies.
Hugset Wood /Silkstone Golf Course boundary path
11 Comma, four White-letter Hairstreak and several Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Peacock, Small Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell, Small & Green-veined White, Ringlet and possible Essex Skipper.
A total of 49 butterflies
Plus I had my first ever Six-belted Clearwing Moth and more -worth a separate post!
I have never seen a Six-belted Clearwing, Bembecia ichneumoniformis, before, let alone in the Barnsley area. Apparently they are considered nationally scarce and usually found in Southern England on chalk hills and downs, at the occasional quarries and southern rough grassland/ground. Very rarely seen, they are under-recorded generally. They inhabit similar locations to Common Blues, Small Blues and Dingy Skippers.
Their larvae are ‘miners’ and burrow into and eat the roots of Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch and sometimes Horseshoe Vetch.
This one came out into the open, and kept flying fast and low but briefly settled for just a second or two.Fortunately, I managed to capture this record shot before it flew out of sight.
I had gone to check for a second brood of Small Blues in the Darton – Woolley area and found only three on this site and sadly, none on other sites. Even so, this is evidence of a partial second brood.
I also recorded 18 Small Skippers and 3 Essex Skippers, along with 7 Marbled Whites, several Large, Small and Green-veined Whites, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers and Ringlets, a Small Tortoiseshell, an old Common Blue and a Shaded Broad Bar moth, Scotopteryx chenopodiata. The weather was warmish, dry, with gathering clouds and sunny intervals, no wind. Alwyn.
The caterpillar became a moth.
From Kent. You will remember that when Doug and I visited Gypsy Marsh a few weeks ago we found a couple of moth caterpillars which I took home to rear. The one feeding on bramble pupated and this female Vapourer has now emerged. The female Vapourer is an example of an almost wingless moth, whereas the males are fully winged.
And in answer to Rick’s request last time whether someone could identify the caterpillar (moth?) on his next door neighbour’s garage: David S says that it’s the caterpillar of the Vapourer Moth (Orgyia antiqua). So two sightings!
From Doug. Hello All. A few weeks ago (27 May) Paul B was querying an Ichneumon Wasp found in his moth trap. I have since found a site on the internet which may be of some help in the future – it’s the Natural History Museum’s “Beginners Guide to Identifying British Ichneumonids” https://www.nhm.ac.uk/content/dam/nhmwww/take-part/identify-nature/british-ichneumonid-wasps-id-guide.pdf. Although it only covers 22 commonly encountered species (less than one hundredth of Britain’s Ichneumon Wasp species) it’s nonetheless a useful introduction to a fascinating group for which records are needed.
The glowworm transect continues with 19 glowworms glowing on the last two visits. Stay safe and well, Doug and Jill.
From Colin and Linda. After all the recent bad weather we were getting worried about ‘our’ Barn Owls. So this evening, July 6th, our 71st, we were not very hopeful, but as we sat silently we were treated to a fly past right over our heads!
For more on Colin and Linda’s barn owls go to:
http://www.barnsleynats.org.uk/barn-owls/
An opportunity – Conker trees are under attack – by a small leaf-mining moth. Infected trees are weakened and produce smaller conkers. You can help by taking part in the new Citizen Science project at http://conkertreescience.org.uk. Good to join in – we saw some the other day.
And a message:
We are hoping that we can be back in the Town Hall for our Autumn programme of talks and presentations, starting on Wednesday October 7th. More news when we know.
In the meantime, enjoy getting out and about and continue sending us information about sightings and wildlife Always good to hear from you.
Keep well and safe. Barnsley Nats
From Annefie. Last Sunday we walked from Darton to Haigh along the Dearne, then on to Woolley Edge and back through the fields, an area we had not explored before. The river meanders and runs quite clear with the banks covered in a variety of vegetation.
Although it was a rather windy day, we saw a good number of butterflies, especially lots of Tortoiseshells and Ringlets, but also Small Whites, Red Admiral, Comma, Small Skippers and a Gatekeeper.
On our way back we searched for the Small Blues and found some patches of seeding kidney vetch with a few grasshoppers, but alas, no Small Blues. We may have to wait for the next brood! We also encountered a number of Burnet moths (Narrow-bordered Five-spots).
From Kent. Doug and I walked over the area of Gypsy Marsh on Monday, where we heard Willow Warbler and Chiff Chaff.
The ground was covered with Orchids and Ragged Robin and large clumps of Deschampsia grass and the odd plant of Crested Dogs tail, Cocks foot and Common Bent. Reed Mace, Greater Spearwort and Skullcap were there amongst others.
Doug found (and I collected) two moth caterpillars, one feeding on Bramble and the other on Ribwort Plantain . We also found some insect eggs on Bramble.
All specimens are now being reared at home! Perhaps someone will be able to recognize and identify these. Might be a Vapourer or Tussock.
RSPB site manager Heather Bennett visited the day afterwards and was impressed with what she found …
From Kent. Here are two moths, Nutmeg and Varied Coronet, taken here in Ardsley. They are both uncommon; Varied Coronet is probably only the second record in Barnsley.
