A new Pigmy moth and some good bugs

92 moths of 30 species on 18th September was good for the time of year.  They included my first Barred Sallow of the year, my fifth Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella of the year (not a bad tally for a species I'd only ever seen three times before) and also by far my latest ever Clouded Silver.  The latter was worn, so unlikely a new second generation, but over a month past my previous latest (9th August).  I think it might be the latest ever in Norfolk too.

Barred Sallow, North Elmham, 18th September

Clouded Silver, North Elmham, 18th September

There were a few Neuroptera too: 3 Chrysoperla carnea (plus 2 female aggs.), Conwentzia psociformis and 5 Hemerobius lutescens.  Also no shortage of caddisflies with Oxyethira flavicornis, Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Mottled Sedges Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, 6 Limnephilus auricula, 2 Limnephilus flavicornis, 16 Limnephilus lunatus, 2 Limnephilus marmoratus, 2 Limnephilus sparsus and Limnephilus vittatus.

A new bug for me was Orthotylus marginalis.  Well, it keyed out to this, but the key recommends you check the male genitalia, and this was a female, so not sure if the ID of females is 100% safe or not.

Orthotylus marginalis, North Elmham, 18th September

Another good bug, new for the garden, was the psyllid Psyllopsis fraxinicola.

Psyllopsis fraxinicola, North Elmham, 18th September

A Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae was new for the year.

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 18th September

Apparently it's normal for Hawthorn Shieldbug to get darker before hibernating, but I don't often see them like this.

Hawthorn Shieldbug, North Elmham, 18th September

Other bugs were Forest Bug, Psallus varians, 2 Empoasca vitis, 2 Kybos betulicola, 2 Kybos strigilifer, 2 other (female) Kybos sp. and a female Edwardsiana sp.  Other things included 2 Ectopsocus sp. (barflies), the beetle Aphodius rufipes and a Hornet.

I don't think Kybos betulicola and Kybos strigilifer can be reliably separated other than by their male genitalia but interesting that both betulicola differed from both strigilifer in their general colouration, the strigilifer being paler and more yellowy-green.

Kybos betulicola (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th September

Kybos strigilifer (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th September

The following night there weren't quite so many moths but among them was a Norway-maple Pigmy Ectoedemia sericopeza, a new species for me.  It's a relatively distinctive species among the Nepticulids but although the colour of the collar is a clue it's hard to tell apart from Maple-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia louisella.  The collar colour suggested sericopera but this species was new to Norfolk as recently as 2013 and I'm not sure where my nearest Norway Maple is, it seemed sensible to check its genitalia (well, ok, I would have done anyway even if it was common).  Fortunately there are a couple of very clear differences between the male genitalia of these two species, so the ID was confirmed.  I think it was the first time an adult has been recorded in Norfolk, except where bred out from a mine (but there's been another since).

Norway-maple Pigmy Ectoedemia sericopeza (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th September

The other moths were 2 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Small Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Riband Wave, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 3 Brimstone Moths, 3 Dusky Thorns, Light Emerald, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, White-point, Common Wainscot, Beaded Chestnut, 10 Lunar Underwings, Straw Dot and 2 Snouts.

A Hemerobius lutescens was the only lacewing and there were fewer caddisflies: Grammotaulius nigropunctatus, 10 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 11 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus, Limnephilus sparsus and Halesus radiatus.

There were a few leafhoppers though, including Edwardsiana lethierryi, a new species for the garden.

Edwardsiana lethierryi (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th September

The other leafhoppers were 2 Empoasca vitis, Kybos sp. and 4 Fagocyba cruenta. Other bugs were Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae and Lygus pratensis.  The barkfly Valenzuela flavidus was new for the year for the garden.

Valenzuela flavodus, North Elmham, 19th September

The only other things I recorded were 2 Hornets and 2 Common Frogs.

The following night was much quieter with just 17 moths: Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, 4 Lunar Underwings, Vine's Rustic and Snout.

Other things were 2 Chrysoperla carnea (green lacewings), Hemerobius lutescens (brown lacewing), Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 5 Limnephilus auricula and 3 Limnephilus lunatus (caddisflies), Birch Shieldbug, Forest Bug, Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, Ectopsocus petersi (barkfly) and 2 more Ectopscous sp.

A 'Notable' leafhopper: Eurhadina ribauti

There was a good selection of moths on the night of 15th September, though nothing as good as the Corn Moth Nemapogon granella that I'd found on the front door earlier on.  They were Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Blood-veins, 3 Small Dusty Waves, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, 2 Light Emeralds, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic, White-point, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow, 12 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, 3 Sallows, Mouse Moth, Flounced Rustic, Frosted Orange, Straw Dot and 3 Snouts.

Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella, North Elmham, 15th September

The caddisflies were Polycentropus flavomaculatus, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Grammotaulius nigropunctatus, 2 Limnephilus affinis, 3 Limnephilus auricula, 3 Limnephilus flavicornis, 6 Limnephilus lunatus and 2 Limnephilus sparsus.

Bugs were represented by Black-kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus, barkflies by Ectopsocus briggsi and beetles by Aphodius rufipes.

The following day I found another Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, inside the house this time.  It was my fifth here this year and my 10th here since I moved in in 2014.  It was clearly a good year for this species as not only did I have as many as had been recorded in the county before, but two other recorders also found the species, the first county records from anywhere other than my garden (East Harling and Stoke Holy Cross, the latter involving two individuals and new for VC27).

Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th September

That night was good.  The best moth was a Dark Smudge Ypsolopha horridella, my second and only about the 14th for the county.

Dark Smudge Ypsolopha horridella, North Elmham, 16th September

Other moths were a Bucculatrix sp. (think this must have escaped as I didn't photograph it and have no specimen), Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 6 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, 4 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Small Dusty Wave, Green Carpet, 3 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, 4 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Common Wainscot, 9 Lunar Underwings, Sallow, Mouse Moth, 2 Vine's Rustics and 6 Snouts.

A Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum represented the mayflies and neither green nor brown lacewing were fully identified.  The green was a female Chrysoperla carnea agg., almost certainly carnea but females can't be separated from the non-Norfolk pallida.  The brown was a Hemerobius lutescens or humulinus.  Normally these can be separated easily enough but this one, a female, wasn't clear.

Caddisflies were 3 Mottled Sedges Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 7 Limnephilus auricula, 2 Limnephilus flavicornis, 3 Limnephilus lunatus, 2 Limnephilus sparsus and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis.

It was the bugs that held the most interest with a very decent selection.  The highlight was a dark Phytocoris which I had to look pretty hard at to be sure it wasn't just a dark Phytocoris tiliae (one of which was also trapped).  In the end I resorted to checking the genitalia to confirm the ID - it was a new one for me, Phytocoris dimidiatus.

Phytocoris dimidiatus (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th September

Phytocoris tiliae, North Elmham, 16th September

A Pantilius tunicatus was new for the year.

Pantilius tunicatus, North Elmham, 16th September

Other bugs were Birch Shieldbug Elasmostethus interstinctus, 3 Forest Bugs Pentatoma rufipes, Black-kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus, Lygus pratensis, Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis, Psallus varians and the leafhoppers 3 Kybos betulicola and 2 Fagocyba cruenta.  Barkflies (or barklice) consisted of a Graphopsocus cruciatus (new for the year) and 5 Ectopsocus of which at least 2 were Ectopsocus petersi.

Graphopsocus cruciatus, North Elmham, 16th September

Beetles were Amara apricaria, Nicrophorus investigator and Curculio venosus.  There was also a Hornet.

There were 3 new macro moths for the year the following night: Mallow, Green-brindled Crescent and Beaded Chestnut.  There were 35 species of moths in all, a good total for this time of year.  The others were Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella, 2 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 3 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Small Dusty Wave, Riband Wave, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, Ruby Tiger, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Square-spot Rustics, White-point, 3 Common Wainscots, 18 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow, Mouse Moth, Flounced Rustic, Vine's Rustic and 4 Snouts.

Mallow, North Elmham, 17th September

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 17th September

A selection of lacewings consisted of 1-2 Chrysoperla carnea, Cunctochrysa albolineata (both green lacewings), the waxfly Conwentzia psociformis and the brown lacewing Hemerobius lutescens.  Also a Common Earwig.

There were 7 species of caddisfly: 2 Lype phaeopa, 3 Mottled Sedges Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 4 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 9 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus.

Bugs consisted of Lygus pratensis, 2 Kybos betulicola and the highlight of the nght, a decent new leafhopper.  It was easy to establish that it belonged to the genus Eurhadina, and a more careful look narrowed it down to one of two species, Eurhadina concinna or Eurhadina ribauti.  It was bound to be concinna as that's a widespread and common species on Oak rather than ribauti which is apparently much rarer, but to be sure you have to dissect them.  Well I like to be sure, and good job I do as it was in fact the rarer one, Eurhadina ribauti.  It's hard to get up to date information about the status of the various leafhopper species in Norfolk, but nationally it is listed as Notable B and there are only 12 records across the whole of the UK showing on NBN.  Apart from one in London these are all in the West Midlands or Wales, but this doesn't necessarily mean it is rare or unrecorded in Norfolk.

Eurhadina ribauti (male, aedeagus shown), North Elmham, 17th September

There were also 8 Ectopsocus barkflies.  I suspect they were all the same but I only checked one, an Ectopsocus petersi.  A Nicrophorus investigator was the only beetle and there was a Hornet.

A new flower and a new hoverfly

It was another very quiet night for moths on 13th September with just 8 species, all macro: Blood-vein, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Lunar Underwings, 2 Flounced Rustics and 3 Frosted Oranges.  But there was some interest among the other insects, including this Devil's Coach-horse beetle, a new species for the garden.  Perhaps the mites on it were new too, but I've no idea how to identify them...

Devil's Coach-horse Ocypus olens, North Elmham, 13th September

Among the caddisflies Limnephilus ignavus was my second ever and Halesus radiatus was new for the year.  Others were Limnephilus flavicornis, 10 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus.

Limnephilus ignavus (male), North Elmham, 13th September

Halesus radiatus (male), North Elmham, 13th September

Next day an early wander round the meadows produced this fine Roe Deer, one of the first I've seen actually on the meadows themselves (usually too much disturbance from dog-walkers).

Roe Deer, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th September

Butterflies included Small Copper and Comma.

Small Copper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th September

Comma, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th September

There were 7-spot Ladybirds, a Hornet and this hoverfly which proved to be my first Epistrophe grossulariae.

Epistrophe grossulariae, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th September

I didn't get round to identifying this umbellifer until recently - turns out it was Burnet-Saxifrage.  By no means an unusual plant but apparently the first time I've identified it.

Burnet-Saxifrage, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th September

That night at home moths included my first Pink-barred Sallow of the year.

Pink-barred Sallow, North Elmham, 14th September

This Ash-bud Moth Prays fraxinella wasn't new for the year but was a good deal rarer here - only my third record.

Ash-bud Moth Prays fraxinella, North Elmham, 14th September

Other moths were Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Chinese Character, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Sharp-angled Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, 2 Light Emeralds, Buff Ermine, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic, Common Wainscot, 3 Lunar Underwings, Sallow, 2 Flounced Rustics, Frosted Orange, Straw Dot and 7 Snouts.

There was one mayfly, one green lacewing: Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum and Chrysoperla carnea.  The caddisflies were 4 Mottled Sedges Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 6 Limnephilus auricula, 14 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus marmoratus. An Aphodius rufipes was the only beetle and a bug was probably Lygus pratensis but I seem to have lost the specimen to confirm it.  This hoverfly was Melangyna cincta, new for the year.

Melangyna cincta, North Elmham, 14th September

Next day I found a Corn Moth Nemapogon granella on the outside of my window of the front door, my fifth here since 2016.  Not bad for a moth that's only had six other records in Norfolk this millenium.  I don't think we have any stored grain or vegetable products here that are likely to hold a population of these so can only presume they are originating from somewhere else.  They do also breed on fungus, which was presumably the source of one that I netted up the road at the meadows earlier this year.

Corn Moth Nemapogon granella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 15th September

Jewel-like Willow Flea Beetles and two new leafhoppers

There were a few noteworthy moths at home on 9th September, including Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana (average one a year here) and Birch Marble Apotomis betuletana (my fifth in 2018 but prior to that I'd only had singles here in 2014 and 2015).

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham, 9th September

Other moths were Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 10 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Small Birch Bells Epinotia ramella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Common Carpet, 4 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, Light Emerald, Flame, 9 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 4 Square-spot Rustics, Centre-barred Sallow, Lunar Underwing, Mouse Moth, Frosted Orange, 2 Vine's Rustics, Burnished Brass, 6 Snouts and Pinion-streaked Snout.

Pinion-streaked Snout, North Elmham, 9th September

Mayflies and lacewings were represented by 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum and Hemerobius lutescens respectively.  Caddisflies were Oxyethira flavicornis, Hydropsyche pellucidula, 4 Limnephilus flavicornis, 6 Limnephilus lunatus and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis.

There was also a Forest Bug, the leafhopper Alebra albostriella, the barkfly Ectopsocus petersi and 2 Hornets.

A walk round the meadows the next day produced a few things.  There were 2 Hornets, a Common Carder Bee, a 7-spot Ladybird and the only moth, a Common Marble Celypha lacunana.  I found another unidentifiable (by me) Philodromus spider in some Black Horehound.  I have spent a lot of time trying to identify these spiders but with no success.  Either I've not worked out how to view the epigyne properly on female spiders or else they're all immature.  Maybe this coming year I'll find some adults and figure it out...

Shaking some Acer keys produced some insects including the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, the barkfly Valenzuela flavidus (in Sycamore) and a new species of leafhopper for me, Edwardsiana lethierryi (in Field Maple).  I think this was also how I found the bug Deraeocoris lutescens but I forgot to record that at the time.

Edwardsiana lethierryi (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows 10th September

Deraeocoris lutescens, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows 10th September

The big old White Willow tree produced a couple more lifers.  Two female Kybos leafhoppers could only be partially identified based on their appearance but the fact that I found them on White Willow is, I think, sufficient to finish the job and label them as Kybos virgator.  I also found at least 6 Willow Flea Beetles Crepidodera aurata which looked like tiny little pink and green jewels (the photos don't do them justice).

Kybos virgator, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows 10th September

Willow Flea Beetle Crepidodera aurata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows 10th September

That night's garden moth trap's contents were Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Blood-vein, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, 2 Light Emeralds, Turnip Moth, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, Centre-barred Sallow, Lunar Underwing, Spectacle and Snout. Mayflies and lavewings were Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, Dichochrysa prasina, Hemerobius lutescens and Micromus variegatus. Caddisflies were Hydropsyche pellucidula, 3 Limnephilus auricula, 4 Limnephilus flavicornis, 8 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus sparsus. There was also a Forest Bug, an Ectopsocus barkfly, the beetle Aphodius rufipes and 3 Hornets.

Next day I had Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella and Small Dusty Wave in Norwich. At home a worn White-shouldered Smudge Ypsolopha parenthesella and a Yellow-line Quaker were both new for the year.

Yellow-line Quaker, North Elmham, 11th September

Other moths included Ruddy Flat-body Agonopterix subpropinquella, another Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana and an Oak Hook-tip. .

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham, 11th September

Oak Hook-tip, North Elmham, 11th September

Other moths were Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Small Dusty Wave, 2 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spot Rustic, 2 Common Wainscots, 3 Lunar Underwings, 2 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, 3 Frosted Oranges, Spectacle and 2 Snouts.

A Hemerobius lutescens was the only lacewing but there were a few caddisflies including my first Limnephilus vittatus of the year.  The other caddis were 4 Mottled Sedges Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 4 Limnephilus auricula, 3 Limnephilus flavicornis, 12 Limnephilus lunatus and 3 Limnephilus sparsus.

Limnephilus vittatus, North Elmham, 11th September

This fly looked like it might be distinctive enough for me to find an ID, and so it proved - my first Twin-spot Centurion Sargus bipunctatus, so named because of the pair of white spots on its face.  I would have taken a photo front-on if I'd realised that at the time...

Twin-spot Centurion Sargus bipunctatus, North Elmham, 11th September

The following night was quiet with 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Early Thorn, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Lunar Underwings and 3 Flounced Rustics.  The caddisflies Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus flavicornis were the only other insects I recorded.