All 3 November Moth aggregates

This Brick was new for the year on 20th October.

Brick, North Elmham, 20th October

Othe rmoths that night were Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 8 November Moths, another unidentified Epirrita sp., 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and 2 Beaded Chestnuts.

The following night produced Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 4 November Moths, 3 Feathered Thorns, Black Rustic, Green-brindled Crescent, Yellow-line Quaker and Lunar Underwing.  Also a Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg.

A visit to the coast on 22nd produced this Muntjac at Brancaster and a big gathering of 30+ Harlequin Ladybirds on sycamores in Burnham Deepdale churchyard - that count wasn't a very careful one so the true figure was undoubtedly very much higher.

Muntjac, Brancaster, 22nd October

That night the moth trap at home produced 3 November Moths, another unidentified Epirrita sp., Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker and Yellow-line Quaker.

The following night delivered my first Sprawler of the year, along with 3 November Moths, 4 Feathered Thorns, 2 Black Rustics, 3 Green-brindled Crescents and 2 Yellow-line Quakers.

Sprawler, North Elmham, 23rd October

My first Autumnal Moth of the year appeared on 24th.  This is very much the scarcer of the 3 Epirrita species here with just 2 in 2014 and none in 2015 (cf. 95 November Moths and 26 Pale November Moths in 2014-15).

Autumnal Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th October

Also that night were 3 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, 3 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, Yellow-line Quaker and Beaded Chestnut. See how similar the first of these November Moths is to the Autumnal Moth - I wonder if anyone would have been brave enough to call these without checking their abdominal features...

November Moths (males, 8th sternite det), North Elmham, 24th October

25th produced 3 November Moths, Merveille du Jour and Beaded Chestnut.

Merveille du Jour, North Elmham, 25th October

This Weasel was lying dead in the middle of the coastal footpath at Stiffkey Greens on 26th.

dead Weasel, Stiffkey Greens, 26th October

Later that day I visited Wiveton Down LNR for the first time.  This leafhopper landed on my car as I got out of it - a Fagocyba sp. I think.  The options appear to be Facogyba cruenta and Fagocyba carri.  Seems that the former is commoner but mainly associated with Beech whereas the latter is associated with Oak - I recall seeing Oak there but don't remember any Beech.

Fagocyba sp., Wiveton Down LNR, 26th October

I suspected these fungi might be Sulphur Tufts, but James tells me they aren't - some kind of Rustgill Gymnopilus sp. apparently.

Rustgills sp., Wiveton Down LNR, 26th October

I finished the day at Friary Hills (Blakeney) where another mushroom initially defied identification attempts.  In the end I settled on Yellowleg Bonnet although the stem wasn't as vivid yellow as one of my books suggested. Again James has put me right - not Yellowleg Bennet (clearly quite different from the examples he photographed recently) but unfortunately not clear what it is from these photos.

unidentified mushroom, Friary Hills, Blakeney, 26th October

An Epirrita sp. was seen at Friary Hills too, but it landed too high up to reach so couldn't get a firm ID on it.  At home that night there were 4 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut and 2 Beaded Chestnuts.

2 Pale November Moths on 27th were my first of the year and it was the best night for variety for a while including a couple species that I had thought were done for the year (Shuttle-shaped Dart and 2 Snouts).  The others were Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, 6 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Merveille du Jour, 3 Yellow-line Quakers and 3 Beaded Chestnuts.

Pale November Moth (male, 8th sternite det), North Elmham, 27th October

Also a Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg. and another Pinalitus cervinus.

Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham, 27th October

The following night there were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 6 November Moths, another Pale November Moth, Feathered Thorn, Green-brindled Crescent, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and Beaded Chestnut.

Convolvulus Hawkmoth!

The biggest surprise on 1st October was Mottled Umber - a very early date for this species, 3.5 weeks earlier than my previous earliest.

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 1st October

Also new for the year was this Yellow-line Quaker.

Yellow-line Quaker, North Elmham, 1st October

Not much else - the season really is coming to a close - just Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Mallows, Common Marbled Carpet, Beaded Chestnut, 6 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow and 2 Rosy Rustics.

I haven't been doing caddisflies lately as I've had such a big backlog with moths, but I retained one from this catch as it was obviously different from any I'd caught here this year.  It proved to be Halesus radiatus, actually one of the few distinctive caddisflies I'd identified from photos prior to owning the caddisfly key (not from here though, so this was new for the house).

Halesus radiatus, North Elmham, 1st October

Next day we wre down to 11 moths of 7 species, but these included one of my favourites, Green-brindled Crescent new for the year.

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 2nd October

The others were Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, Black Rustic, Beaded Chestnut, 5 Lunar Underwings and Rosy Rustic.

A lunchtime stroll round Thornham produced Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana on 3rd, along with Southern Hawker and Common Darters.  That night's moths were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Grey Pine Carpet, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, 6 Beaded Chestnuts, 5 Lunar Underwings, Rosy Rustic and Snout.

There was a bit more on 4th: 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Fan-footed Wave, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Black Rustics, Yellow-line Quaker, 4 Beaded Chestnuts, 11 Lunar Underwings, 3 Barred Sallows, Pink-barred Sallow, 2 Sallows, 2 Rosy Rustics and Snout.

Sallow, North Elmham, 4th October

Plenty of Red Admirals around when I was out and about around this time...

Red Admirals, Stiffkey, 5th October

That night's moths included the first Chestnut of the autumn and 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 5 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, Brown-spot Pinion, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, 3 Lunar Underwings, 3 Pink-barred Sallows, Sallow and Angle Shades.

It's been a good autumn for Convolvulus Hawkmoth and I've been bombarded with messages and photos of these amazing beasts that people have been seeing.  Some people haven't just had one or two, they've had loads of them.  But I have not.  I have not seen one.  Not one.  Indeed, I have never seen one.  Right up to 6th October.

Then the next morning as I was going through the moth trap I looked in and saw this big grey head peering out from beneath one of the eggboxes...

Surely... gotta be... hasn't it?  I carefully lifted the eggbox out and turned it over... YES!!  At last!  A Convolvulus Hawkmoth!  And not only that but a fresh one!

Convolvulus Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 6th October

I know they're not all that rare - certainly not as rare as a lot of other moths I've recorded this year, but I reckon this was probably my most exciting moth moment this year - such a badly wanted and long-awaited moth and an absolute BEAST.

Nothing else mattered much but Red-line Quaker was new for the year and Beautiful Hook-tip was an unusual second-generation record.   Also 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Yellow-barred Brindle, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Black Rustics, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut, 4 Beaded Chestnuts, 2 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow and Snout.

Red-line Quaker, North Elmham, 6th October

Also 5 Wasps, of which at least 2 were Common Wasps.

Feathered Thorn and Blair's Shoulder-knot were new for the year on 7th.  Other moths were Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Black Rustics, 2 Merveille du Jours, Chestnut, 7 Beaded Chestnuts, 4 Lunar Underwings, 2 Barred Sallows, Pink-barred Sallow, 3 Sallows and Snout.

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 7th October

Blair's Shoulder-knot, North Elmham, 7th October

Merveille du Jour, North Elmham, 7th October

The following night produced 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Green-brindled Crescent, Chestnut, 5 Beaded Chestnuts, 7 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow and Sallow.

Not so many moths the next night: 2 Black Rustics, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Green-brindled Crescent, Merveille du Jour and Lunar Underwing. Even fewer on 10th - Green-brindled Crescent, Satellite and Beaded Chestnut.  The 11th wasn't much better with Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Green-brindled Crescents and Lunar Underwing.  Another Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea was at Burnham Overy Dunes on 12th and that night at home produced just 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Lunar Underwing and Barred Sallow.

Things improved a bit on 13th with 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, Red-green Carpet, Feathered Thorn, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Black Rustics, Red-line Quaker, Lunar Underwing, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow and Angle Shades.

Epirrita season kicked off on 14th with the first new moth for the year in a week: 4 November Moths.  Also Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, Feathered Thorn, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Black Rustic, 6 Green-brindled Crescents, Satellite, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing and Sallow.

November Moth (male, 8th sternite checked), North Elmham, 14th October

No more Epirrita for a few days though,  15th produced 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Feathered Thorn, Large Yellow Underwing, Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Lunar Underwing and 2 Barred Sallows. On 16th 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Red-green Carpet, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker, Yellow-line Quaker, Lunar Underwing and Barred Sallow. Just 4 moths on 17th: Green-brindled Crescent, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and Lunar Underwing; and only slightly better on 18th: Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut and Lunar Underwing. 

Things picked up again on 19th with a return of Epirritas - 6 November Moths.  Also Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Green-brindled Crescents and Pink-barred Sallow. Also 2 Pinalitus cervinus, the first time I recorded this mirid bug this year.

Pine Carpets, Merv and a Large Ranunculus

Just 11 species of moth on 25th September was a fairly poor showing but they included 2 Pine Carpets, a new species for the garden.  The ohers were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Light Emerald, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Black Rustics, 20 Lunar Underwings, Sallow and 2 Snouts.

Pine Carpets, North Elmham, 25th September

Just 10 species the next night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Black Rustics, 14 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow and Large Wainscot.

A couple of new moths for the year on 27th: Merveille du Jour and, coming all at once, 4 Barred Sallows.

Merveille du Jour, North Elmham, 27th September

Barred Sallow, North Elmham, 27th September

The others that night were 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, Brimstone Moth, Engrailed, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 3 Black Rustics, 5 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow, Rosy Rustic and 2 Snouts.

Also found when emptying the trap were the Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea and a small woodlouse that was paler than most of the ones I see in my garden.  Sadly it didn't turn out to be anything new - it was the same speceis as they nearly always are, Common Rough Woodlouse.

Common Rough Woodlouse, North Elmham, 27th September

Next night Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia was new for the year.  Other moths were Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Blood-vein, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Black Rustic, 3 Lunar Underwings, Barred Sallow, Sallow, Angle Shades, Burnished Brass and 5 Snouts.

Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia, North Elmham, 28th September

Bugs included 2 Birch Shieldbugs and, new for the house, Lygus rugulipennis.

Lygus rugulipennis, North Elmham, 28th September

There were also 6 Harlequin Ladybirds.  I haven't been able to work out what sort of Aphid this is.  Please let me know if you know how to identify these.

unidentified Aphid, North Elmham, 28th September

A quarter of the moth species on 29th September were new for the year - Brindled Green, Beaded Chestnut and new for the house, Large Ranunculus.  Actually I think I may have overlooked one or two Beaded Chestnuts among the recent Lunar Underwings - I'd slightly misremembered one feature that separates those types that look broadly similar and didn't check the underwing.

Large Ranunculus, North Elmham, 29th September

Brindled Green, North Elmham, 29th September

Beaded Chestnut, North Elmham, 29th September

The others were Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Garden Carpet, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 3 Black Rustics, 4 Lunar Underwings and Rosy Rustic.

Slim pickings on the last night of the month: Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Brown-spot Pinion, 3 Beaded Chestnuts and 6 Lunar Underwings.

Bulrush Wainscot

Another poor night for moths on 16th September with just Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, Brimstone Moth, 18 Light Emeralds, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Frosted Orange and Snout.  The psocid (barkfly) Valenzuela flavidus was new for the house though, following on from the one I had at Banham Zoo the previous weekend.

There weren't many more moths the next night but one was new for the house (Bulrush Wainscot) and two more were new for the year (Mallow and Black Rustic).   

Bulrush Wainscot, North Elmham, 17th September

Black Rustic, North Elmham, 17th September

Pale Mottled Willow was the first of the autumn and there was a good count of 31 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea.  The few others were 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, 4 Common Marbled Carpets, Brimstone Moth, 4 Light Emeralds, 14 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Straw Dot and 9 Snouts.

Another new barkfly for the house, and indeed my first anywhere, was Trichopsocus brincki. Also 2 Birch Shieldbugs and 2 Hornets.

Trichopsocus brincki, North Elmham, 17th September

A similar range of moths on 18th: Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 11 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Riband Wave, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Black Rustic, 4 Lunar Underwings, Flounced Rustic, Rosy Rustic, Frosted Orange, Burnished Brass, Straw Dot and 4 Snouts.

Lunar Underwing, North Elmham, 18th September

Lepidoptera at Burnham Overy on 19th included 4 Small Coppers, Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana and Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea. Not sure what this fungus was - possibly one of the Boletes?;

Bolete sp.?, Burnham Overy, 19th September

The moth tally at home that night consisted of Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 30 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 5 Common Marbled Carpets, Yellow-barred Brindle, 2 Brimstone Moths, Engrailed, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Black Rustic, 7 Lunar Underwings, Flounced Rustic, Frosted Orange, Burnished Brass, Straw Dot and 7 Snouts.

The only moth seen at the coast the following day was a Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana.  That night at home there were fewer moths than the night before but two were new for the year: Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana and Brown-spot Pinion.

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 20th September

Brown-spot Pinion, North Elmham, 20th September

The rest were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 23 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Riband Wave, Flame Carpet, 6 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Grey Pine Carpets, Dusky Thorn, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 6 Lunar Underwings, Flounced Rustic, 2 Burnished Brasses and 7 Snouts.

The following night produced Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 5 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 25 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, Small Fan-footed Wave, Small Dusty Wave, Garden Carpet, 9 Common Marbled Carpets, Grey Pine Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 7 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Common Wainscot, Black Rustic, Brown-spot Pinion, 6 Lunar Underwings, Frosted Orange, Burnished Brass and 9 Snouts.

Much less on 22nd: 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 17 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 3 Black Rustics, Brown-spot Pinion, 19 Lunar Underwings and 3 Snouts.

Mallow, North Elmham, 22nd September

Pink-barred Sallow was new for the year on 23rd.  Others that night were Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 9 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Square-spot Rustic, 6 Black Rustics, 16 Lunar Underwings, Sallow, Large Wainscot and 3 Snouts.

Pink-barred Sallow, North Elmham, 23rd September

Sallow, North Elmham, 23rd September

Large Wainscot, North Elmham, 23rd September

A better night on 24th September produced my first Red-green Carpet of the year and Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, 4 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, 4 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 8 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Mallows, 4 Common Marbled Carpets, Brimstone Moth, Willow Beauty, Light Emerald, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 10 Black Rustics, 16 Lunar Underwings, 2 Pink-barred Sallows, Sallow, Large Wainscot, Burnished Brass, Straw Dot and 9 Snouts.

Red-green Carpet, North Elmham, 24th September

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 24th September

A few other insects of interest in the trap too. The bug Phytocoris tiliae was a new one for me as was the leafhopper Dikraneura variata.

Phytocoris tiliae, North Elmham, 24th September

Dikraneura variata, North Elmham, 24th September

Also another Valenzuela flavidus (barkfly), 2 Hornets, 2 Common Earwigs and the Green Lacewings Chrysoperla carnea and Dichochrysa flavifrons.

Valenzuela flavidus, North Elmham, 24th September