Goyt Valley VC58

[stevehind]

Goyt Valley (VC58):

Had a walk over the moors above the Goyt Valley last Thursday afternoon. The rain had held off long enough for the vegetation to dry out. The wind was fairly calm and although it was mainly cloudy, the sun had been out earlier. I managed to see a couple of Wood Tigers (Parasemia plantaginis); the first rose from my feet as I made my way across a patch of Molinia, the second some way off from Bilberry and Heather. Smoky Wave (Scopula ternata) was easily disturbed, as was Northern Spinach (Eulithis populata), Twin-spot Carpet (Perizoma didymata) and Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria). Aphelia viburnana, Orthotaenia undulana and the ubiquitous Celypha lacunana were also amongst the Bilberry. On the wetter parts of the moor Elachista kilmunella was common wherever Cottongrass grew. Moving into the pines I found single Epinotia rubiginosana and Rhyacionia pinivorana and Bordered Whites (Bupalus piniaria) were occasionally seen flying around the tops. A Barred Red (Hylaea fasciaria) was noticed resting on a stone wall. Coleophora laricella was expected off the Larches as was C.alticolella from the Juncus but C.orbitella was a surprise as it was the first record from the eastern hills.

Regards,

Steve

[stevehind]

I was back in the Goyt Valley on Saturday 21st July 2012, although this time I walked from the picnic site at Errwood Reservoir up the steep east facing slope into Shooter’s Clough. It’s a climb of about 150 meters and the direct path is popular with ramblers, although I ignored this and zigzagged back and forth across the meadows. Skirting the first meadow I soon came across a Gold Swift, which was ‘calling’ from a blade of grass. Bracken had spread into the field and another Gold Swift was flying along the edge. Both activities usually performed at dusk, whereas this was mid-morning!

Moving on through a small belt of trees I reached an area of bilberry grassland in which I spent the next three hours. Eana osseana was easily disturbed around midday along the 330-350 meter contour range. Above which there was no sign of them. I remember finding the Black Mountain Moth to be restricted to an altitudinal range many years ago whilst walking up Cairngorm. I guess they will emerge higher up the slopes as the season progresses.

Celypha lacunana was the most frequent species disturbed from the bilberry. Also found were Aphelia viburnana, Rhopobota naevana, Northern Spinach, July Highflyer, Green Carpet, Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet and especially higher up the slope, Apotomis sauciana and Philedone gerningana. I have always associated this latter species with the uplands, so was surprised back in the mid 1990’s when I was shown what was initially thought to be this species, well away from the moors, in a Heald Green garden, only to discover that it was the first of what was to become the soon abundant Epiphyas postvittana. Notice the bipectinate antennae on the attached photo of P.gerningana, which E.postvittana lacks.

Along the northern edge of this bilberry grassland was the Shooter’s Clough woodland and I investigated the old stone walls and woodland edge. There was little of interest until I disturbed a Bilberry Pug from a branch of Scot’s Pine. This is the first VC58 record for Bilberry Pug. The moth prefers open woodland where bilberry is the dominant ground flora and there is plenty of suitable habitat along the upper reaches of the Goyt Valley. Torchlight searches at dusk or light trapping would be worthwhile to see how widespread the moth is in this area. The Goyt Valley was worked by Hugh Michaelis in the 1950’s and light traps have been run on a number of occasions since, without finding the moth. There have been new discoveries of the Bilberry Pug in Lancashire and Cumbria during the last few years, so I would suspect that it is a recent colonist, rather than one that has been overlooked.

Regards,

Steve

[stevehind]

There were plenty of Northern Eggar zipping across the moor on 8th August. This species has a two year life cycle and flies biennially, reportedly only in odd-numbered years on these moors, so I’m not sure what so many were doing out and about this year. July Highflyer was abundant amongst the pine branches and along one small sheltered stretch I disturbed six Bryotropha politella from branches of Scot’s Pine, a not uncommon moth in these uplands, although I’ve only previously found them at dusk. Also disturbed from the pines were four Barred Straw and a Buff Footman.

Four Ochsenheimeria urella were on the wing shortly after noon, another species which appears to be confined to the uplands, although as it only flies at midday it may be being missed elsewhere. The trunk of an isolated Beech held six Twin-spot Carpets and a Green Carpet, as well as the usual Scoparia ambigualis. A couple of Crambus pascuella flushed from the wet cotton-grass flushes, were my first from up here. A fresh Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana appears to be new for the VC58 part of hectad SK07, as also were the six Eupoecilia angustana amongst the heather. Tenanted leaf mines of Stigmella myrtillella could be found on the Bilberry both here and the following day at nearby Taxal Moor, where it was good to see that most of the Rhododendron, which was taking over the moor, has now been cleared. Moorland moths were harder to find here as the site is still cattle grazed with subsequently shorter vegetation, a pair of Ochsenheimeria urella in cop. and a single Acleris caledoniana being the highlights.

Regards,
Steve