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Wednesday 13 April 2016

Whiteholme and Turley Holes and Higher House Moor

With the sun out I thought I might try the moor in the slim chance of an early emperor moth and/or  the beetle Carabus nitens.  It was still rather chilly and damp up here and I didn't see either.  There weren't many birds about either, apart from red grouse, curlews, meadow pipits, a lone swallow heading west and a redshank was heard.  I did however find four species of sphagnum moss, including S. fallax, S. denticulatum, S. capillifolium and possible S. palustre.  There were also some (recent) significant carvings on Closet Stone (or thereabouts).

 S. denticulatum
 S. capillifolium
 S. palustre?


2 comments:

  1. Nice post Chris.

    Emperor moths have always eluded me.
    I went looking for one near Fly Flats Res.last spring. No luck with any adults, but I did find a caterpillar.
    If anyone is puzzled where Fly Flats Res.is; it's the one labelled Warley Moor Res. on the Ordnance survey map. It's nearly always referred to as Fly Flats.

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  2. Thanks Steve. Sphagnum is a new interest. Very tricky! I've never seen an emperor moth either, the closest being a few years ago, when I found the forewing of one near Stoodley Pike.

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