Green Arches

There were fewer than 40 species of moth at home on the night of 28th June but one of them was stunning and unexpected!  A Green Arches.  Like the one we had at Hedenham Wood earlier in the month it was a fresh and bright specimen, unlike either of the Green Arches I'd seen before.  The first time I've ever seen this species in my own garden.

Green Arches, North Elmham, 28th June

A Small Emerald was the only other moth added to the garden year list that night, the other macros being Ghost Moth, Treble Brown Spot, 4 Riband Waves, Grey Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, Peppered Moth, 7 Willow Beauties, Light Emerald, Common Footman, White Ermine, 8 Buff Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, Heart and Club, Heart and Dart, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Pale-shouldered Brocade, Bright-line Brown-eye, 2 Tawny Marbled Minors, Middle-barred Minor, Uncertain, 2 Burnished Brasses and 6 Snouts.

Small Emerald, North Elmham, 28th June

Micros consisted of Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 6 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Other insects new for the year were Brown Chafer and the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus.  Caddisflies included Limnephilus marmoratus and a Hydropsyche sp.  I think I've been misidentifying some of these so I'll leave it as sp. for now, and until I get round to correcting them please ignore any past records of Hydropsyche perlucidalis - I think the females (which are the majority) were siltalai.

Brown Chafer, North Elmham, 28th June

The following evening saw a slight increase in moth species, including 4 new for the year: Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella and Light Arches.

Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, North Elmham, 29th June

Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, North Elmham, 29th June

Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 29th June

Light Arches, North Elmham, 29th June

The other moths were Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 4 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 7 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 4 Riband Waves, Common Carpet, Barred Straw, Lime-speck Pug, Currant Pug, Common Pug, Green Pug, Clouded Border, 2 Scorched Wings, 2 Peppered Moths, 4 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, Common White Wave, Clouded Silver, Eyed Hawkmoth, Common Footman, 10 Buff Ermines, Heart and Dart, Flame, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Ingrailed Clays, 3 Double Square-spots, Poplar Grey, 5 Dark Arches, 3 Uncertains, 2 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 2 Straw Dots, 9 Snouts and Small Fan-foot.

 Yellow-spot Tortix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, North Elmham, 29th June

Eyed Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 29th June

Limnephilus lunatus and Limpnephilus auricula represented the caddsiflies and a Garden Bumble Bee in the trap was also new for the year here.

Garden Bumble Bee, North Elmham, 29th June

Lilac Beauty, Green Silver-lines and other nice things

Lilac Beauty is always a favourite and one on 25th June was my first of the year.  Single-dotted Wave and Rufous Minor (a gen det job) were also added to the year list that night.

Lilac Beauty, North Elmham, 25th June

Rufous Minor (male, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

Other moths that night were London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 5 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, Buff Arches, 3 Treble Brown Spots, Silver-ground Carpet, Purple Bar, Foxglove Pug, Clouded Border, 3 Scorched Wings, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Peppered Moths, 6 Willow Beauties, 2 Common White Waves, Eyed Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, 6 Common Footmen, 2 White Ermines, 13 Buff Ermines, 5 Cinnabars, Heart and Club, Flame Shoulder, Ingrailed Clay, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Clay, 7 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, Treble Lines, Uncertain, Mottled Rustic, Burnished Brass and 2 Spectacles.

Heart and Club, North Elmham, 25th June

Uncertain, North Elmham, 25th June

And if Lilac is a favourite then Green Silver-lines is even more so, and that was one of the new moths for the garden year list the following night, along with Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, 2 Barred Straws and Rivulet.

Green Silver-lines, North Elmham, 26th June

Barred Straw, North Elmham, 26th June

Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, North Elmham, 26th June

I found a Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella in the house while others that made it to the moth trap were 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Sloe Flat-body Luquetia lobella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 4 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Common Swift, Buff Arches, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 2 Riband Waves, Silver-ground Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Common Pug, Grey Pug, Green Pug, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, 3 Peppered Moths, Clouded Silver, Privet Hawkmoth, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, 2 Swallow Prominents, Buff-tip, 2 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 2 Heart and Darts, 4 Flames, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Ingrailed Clay, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 2 Brown Rustics, 4 Dark Arches, 2 Marbled Minors, Rufous Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, another Marbled Minor agg. that escaped the knife, Middle-barred Minor, Treble Lines, Uncertain, Mottled Rustic, Marbled White Spot, 3 Burnished Brasses, 4 Straw Dots, 6 Snouts and Small Fan-foot.

Privet Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 26th June

Rufous Minor (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June

Marbled Minor (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June

Caddisflies included Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus, Limnephilus rhombicus and Mystacides longicornis.

Limnephilus rhombicus, North Elmham, 26th June

Common Emerald was the only new moth for the year in the garden on 27th, the rest being Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Sloe Flat-body Luquetia lobella, 3 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrices Pandemis cerasana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Ghost Moth, Common Swift, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Riband Waves, Barred Straw, Mottled Pug, Common Pug, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, 2 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, Common White Wave, Clouded Silver, Poplar Hawkmoth, Eyed Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, 2 Pale Prominents, Buff-tip, 2 Common Footmen, 2 White Ermines, 11 Buff Ermines, 5 Cinnabars, Heart and Club, 6 Heart and Darts, Large Yellow Underwing, Ingrailed Clay, Brown Rustic, Dark Arches, Middle-barred Minor, 2 Uncertains, 2 Burnished Brasses, 2 Spectacles, Straw Dot and 3 Snouts.

Elder Pearl Anania coronata, North Elmham, 27th June

Eyed Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 27th June

Dark Arches, North Elmham, 27th June

Lots of moths and a rare spider

Getting behind again as the peak moth season leaves me with far more to process than I have time to process.  I'm sure I'll catch up eventually, but I have a study full of material waiting to be examined and it isn't going to be quick!

Next up is 23rd June - over 200 moths of 72 species isn't bad I suppose, but not fantastic for this time of year. Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella was new for the house while Broad-blotch Drill Dichrorampha alpinana, Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, Privet Hawkmoth and Rosy Footman were new for the year here.

Rosy Footman, North Elmham, 23rd June

Broad-blotch Drill Dichrorampha alpinana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd June

Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, North Elmham, 23rd June

The others were 2 Cypress Tip Moths Argyresthia cupressella, 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 2 Light Grey Torrixes Cnephasia incertana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 13 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 5 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 7 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, Common Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, 3 Treble Brown Spots, 3 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Sandy Carpet, Foxglove Pug, 4 Common Pugs, 4 Clouded Borders, 3 Scorched Wings, 2 Peppered Moths, 5 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, Pale Oak Beauty, 2 Common White Waves, 2 Common Waves, 4 Clouded Silvers, 2 Light Emeralds, Elephant Hawkmoth, Pale Prominent, 2 Buff-tips, 3 Common Footmen, 5 White Ermines, 10 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Flame, 2 Ingrailed Clays, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Common Wainscot, Poplar Grey, 8 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, Dusky Brocade, 6 Middle-barred Minors, 2 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 10 Burnished Brasses, 2 Spectacles, Beautiful Hook-tip, 33 Straw Dots, 3 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Dusky Brocade, North Elmham, 23rd June

Other insects included the Mayfly Cloeon Dipterum, the Caddisfly Hydropsyche pellucidula (3 in fact) and a Cockchafer.

Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 23rd June

Next day was poorer with far fewer moths and only 47 species.  Among those Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Double Square-spot and Clay were new for the year.

Clay, North Elmham, 24th June

Double Square-spot, North Elmham, 24th June

Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th June

There was a good count of 22 Buff Ermines, but that's still a little way off my peak count last year.  The others were Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 11 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 5 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Common Swift, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, 3 Common Pugs, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, 2 Common White Waves, Clouded Silver, Light Emerald, Privet Hawkmoth, Eyed Hawkmoth, Common Footman, 5 White Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Common Wainscot, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 5 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, 2 Marbled Minors, Middle-barred Minor, Uncertain, 2 Mottled Rustics, 2 Burnished Brasses, Silver Y, 2 Spectacles, 8 Straw Dots, Snout and Small Fan-foot.

Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, North Elmham, 24th June

Marbled Minor (female, gen det), North Elmham, 24th June

Privet Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 24th June

The only caddisflies identified were Hydropsyche pellucidula and Phryganea grandis.

Phryganea grandis, North Elmham, 24th June

Andy B likes his spiders and a little while ago after showing some to me at Burnham Overy he texted to say he'd found a really rare one.  Well on 25th June I returned to Burnham Overy and found Andy standing with another chap who was lying flat on his belly in the saltmarsh photographing something.  I wandered over and Andy showed me the rare spider he'd found - this one being an egg-sac carrying female: Yellow-striped Bear Spider Arctosa flavolineata.

Yellow-striped Bear Spider Arctosa flavolineata, Burnham Overy, 25th June

A Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella and 4 Cinnabars were the only moths seen but a Bee turned out to be a Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee, which from the range map in the new Bees book looks like is restricted to the NW coast in Norfolk, although the NBN Gateway shows it as being recorded fare more widespreadly in the county.  Not sure the reason for the discrepancy.

Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris, Burnham Overy, 25th June

A single Pyramidal Orchid as nice to see.

Satyr surprise!

The night of Friday 22nd June was the best so far this year with over 300 moths of 92 species.  That's a good total, but not an especially remarkable total, for this time of year.  Several nice ones among them but I had no clue about the best one until over a week later.

I often keep back pugs if I'm not completely sure about their identify, even if I think they're probably Common Pugs.  That was the case with 2 pugs on this occasion, one proving as expected to be Common Pug but the other, a female, having gentitalia that I did not immediately recognise.  I still didn't recognise it after pawing through the diagrams in the Pugs book and resorted to checking each species one by one in the Dissection Group website.  Eventually I found it - it was a Satyr Pug!  This is a scarcely-recorded species and completely new to me, but there is no way I would have reached this conclusion without dissecting it.  I guess that's part of the reason they aren't recorded very often, though fresher examples are a little bit easier.

Satyr Pug (female, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

I'm not sure if the number of new moths for the year was testament to how good the night was or, probably more likely, how bad the year had been before, but a phenonemal 22 species were new for the year for the garden despite trapping every night.  Apart from the Satyr Pug, Purple Clay and Cream-bordered Green Pea were probably the best.

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham, 22nd June

Purple Clay, North Elmham, 22nd June

The others new for the year were Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Green Oak Tortrixes Tortrix viridana, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, 3 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 2 Meadow Greys Scoparia pyralella, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Ghost Moth, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Green Pugs, Bordered White, Uncertain, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Fan-foots and Small Fan-foot.

Ghost Moth, North Elmham, 22nd June

Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, North Elmham, 22nd June

Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, North Elmham, 22nd June

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, North Elmham, 22nd June

Green Pug, North Elmham, 22nd June

Bordered White, North Elmham, 22nd June

Large Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 22nd June

Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, North Elmham, 22nd June

Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, North Elmham, 22nd June

Pale Water-venner Donacaula forficella, North Elmham, 22nd June

White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, North Elmham, 22nd June

Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucinalis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

Water Venner Accentria ephemerella, North Elmham, 22nd June

Fan-Foot, North Elmham, 22nd June

Uncertain, North Elmham, 22nd June

Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, North Elmham, 22nd June

A staggering total of 48 Straw Dots was interesting and the other macros were 2 Blood-veins, 3 Small Dusty Waves, 11 Treble Brown Spots, 9 Riband Waves, 7 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, 2 Yellow Shells, 3 Sandy Carpets, 2 Foxglove Pugs, Mottled Pug, 3 Common Pugs, Clouded Border, 4 Scorched Wings, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Peppered Moths, 5 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, 2 Common White Waves, 13 Clouded Silvers, 2 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, Pebble Prominent, Orange Footman, Common Footman, 5 White Ermines, 3 Buff Ermines, 4 Cinnabars, Least Black Arches, 3 Heart and Darts, Flame, Large Yellow Underwing, Ingrailed Clay, Pale-shouldered Brocade, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Shoulder-striped Wainscots, Poplar Grey, 7 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, 7 Middle-barred Minors, 4 Treble Lines, 5 Mottled Rustics, 5 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle and 3 Snouts.

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 22nd June

Pale-shouldered Brocade, North Elmham, 22nd June

Poplar Grey, North Elmham, 22nd June

Mottled Beauty, North Elmham, 22nd June

The remaining micros were 2 Cypress Tip Moths Argyresthia cupressella, 14 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella, 5 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 2 Red Piercers Lathronympha strigana, 5 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 14 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 4 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 7 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 4 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, North Elmham, 22nd June

According to the books the rings on the antennae of Coleophora caespititiella fade out before the tip of the antennae.  Well they do normally but there is variatioon - some are ringed to the very tip although not normally as clearly so as on this one:

antenna tip of Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

One moth was so worn it didn't really show any fieldmarks.  It looked very pale sandy coloured but I wasn't sure if that was at all reflective of how it would have appeared when it had a full quota of scales.  It's square-ended wings and the way it held them made me think it was one of the larger Agonopterix species, so I took it in to find out which one.  It really was on its last legs and by the time I photographed it it didn't seem able to rest properly with its wings down, hence the awkward posture in the photo.  Anyway, the genitalia revealed that it wasn't an Agonopterix species at all, nor anything else in that family.  I tried using the Kleine Vlinders key to find what family it belongs to but that was hard given the sad state it was in.  It keyed out as a Tortrix but several features were hard to judge and I'm not convinced it was a Tortrix.  The Pyralids (which I think includes Crambids in that key) were close, and I think the genitalia are broadly close to a number of the Pyralids, so I suspect that's the family.  But having been through numerous genitalia images of Pyralids and every other family I could possibly conceive it belonging to, I can't find anything that really matches this thing.  No doubt I've overlooked something obvious, but here is the moth, the genitalia and aedeagus in case any reader recognises it... let me know if you do please!

unidentified moth, North Elmham, 22nd June

Mayflies were represented by a Green Drake Ephemera danica, a new species for the garden.  The Leafhopper Oncopsis subangulata was the second I've seen this year.

Oncopsis subangulata, North Elmham, 22nd June

Caddisflies included Polycentropus flavomaculatus, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus flavicornis, Limnephilus marmoratus and 2 Mystacides longicornis.  Also what I think must be Athripsodes aterrimus but the genitalia didn't look quite right.

probable Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham, 22nd June