Brimham Rocks just north-west of Harrogate is one of my favourite sites and just wish I had trapped there a bit more often in the nine months I lived at Hartwith just down the hill. The conditions were not looking too favourable in that there was a breeze, clearing skies and a full moon, with the feel that it would go chilly by morning. As it happened the wind dropped, a veil of high cloud subdued the effects of the moon and the temperature only dropped to +11. I tried a new spot halfway between the carparks and the visitor centre in an area of mixed woodland, millstone grit rock outcrops and open areas of low scrub including bilberry. Not big numbers, but at least one new species for me, Grey Mountain Carpet, apparently the first record for the area since the 1980's.
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| Grey Mountain Carpet |
A total of 180 moths of 40-odd species was the final haul with a selection of typical late summer species including Barred Chestnut, Flounced Chestnut and Autumnal Rustic, A selection of the haul follows:
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| Argyresthia semifusca |
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| Epinotia ramella f.costana |
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| Catoptria falsella |
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| Udea lutealis |
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| Barred Chestnut Diarsia dahlii |
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| Suspected Parastichtis suspecta |
There was a greyish moth which attracted my attention in holding its wings in a slightly tentiform fashion and which did not immediately allow identification. After some initial excitement in considering species such as Northern Deep-brown Dart, consultation with Charlie Fletcher the County Recorder, we came to the conclusion it was just an odd Flounced Rustic.
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