Description


A diary of my mothing activity covering highlights and photos from my moth trapping activities. Mainly Norfolk (UK), occasionally beyond. I may mention other wildlife sightings here, especially insects, but for birds see my birding diary.

Saturday 21 October 2017

Garden-first Cochylis hybridella

Just 12 days earlier I had seen my first ever White-bodied Conch Cochylis hyrbidella at Surlingham; now on Thursday 7th September I had one in my garden trap.  It sounds like this species has become much commoner in Norfolk in recent years.

White-bodied Conch Cochylis hybridella, North Elmham, 7th September


A Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana was new for the year.

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 7th September


Other than those it was pretty quiet: Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Flounced Rustics and 4 Snouts.  Also 2 Small Silver Sedges Lepidostoma hirtum, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus (all caddisflies), Lamprotettix nitidulus (leafhopper) and 2 Aphodius rufipes (beetles).

15 moths of 7 species was pretty dire the following night: 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Light Emerald, Square-spot Rustic and 5 Flounced Rustics.

Even fewer moths the following night but they did include my first Frosted Orange of the year.  The others were Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Green Carpet, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Square-spot Rustic, 6 Flounced Rustics and Burnished Brass.

Frosted Orange, North Elmham, 9th September


There wasn't much excitement the following night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Currant Pug, Brimstone Moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow, Flounced Rustic, Frosted Orange, Burnished Brass, 4 Snouts and the beetle Aphodius rufipes.

The highlight on 11th was 2 Purple Bars, the first time I've recorded this species in September and the first time I've had more than one in a night at home.  Other moths were 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Common Wainscot, 6 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic and 8 Snouts.

This Feathered Thorn was new for the year on Tuesday 12th:

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 12th September


Other moths were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 9 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, Flame Shoulder, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Common Wainscot, 2 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic and 3 Snouts.  Also the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, the beetle Aphodius rufipes and caddisflies 5 Limnephilus auricula and 5 Limnephilus lunatus.

A Sallow and 3 Lunar Underwings were new species for the year on the otherwise unremarkable night of Wednesday 13th.  The rest were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Flounced Rustic and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.


Sallow, North Elmham, 13th September



Lunar Underwing, North Elmham, 13th September


A slight improvement in numbers the following night, though nothing very remarkable: Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Lunar Underwing, Flounced Rustic, Burnished Brass and 5 Snouts.  Four species of caddisfly were all from the same genus: Limnephilus flavicornis, 4 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus vittatus. There was also the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum and a Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae.

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 14th September


The following night was back to normal with Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lunar Underwing, 3 Flounced Rustics, Snout and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

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