Mervs, a Hummer and some Ivy Bees

When I got back from Cornwall on 8th October pretty much the first thing I did was get the moth trap on. I didn't catch many moths that night, but 2 Merveille du Jour were new for the year.  Other moths in the trap were Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 11 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Black Rustics, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker, Yellow-line Quaker, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, 5 Lunar Underwings, Sallow and 2 Snouts.

Merveille du Jours, North Elmham, 8th October

Also new for the year was the caddisfly Anabolia nervosa, aka Brown Sedge.  Other caddis were Limnephilus affinis and 2 Limnephilus lunatus.

Brown Sedge Anabolia nervosa, North Elmham, 8th October

Next day I was keen to get back to the meadows after a week away.  Butterflies included 6 Small Coppers, 2 Red Admirals and a Speckled Wood.

Small Copper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th October

Also found a Forest Bug, a Broom Psyllid Arytaina genistae and a yellow leafhopper that turned out to be Fagocyba carri, a nice result as I don't think that's an especially common species.

Fagocyba carri (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th October

There were also 2 7-spot Ladybirds, 3 Willow Flea Beetles, a Hornet and the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg.  I think this spider is Phylloneta sisyphia.  The epigynal features weren't totally clear but this seemed to be the best match.

Phylloneta sisyphia, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th October

Wildflowers included a late showing of Musk Mallow (also one plant that seemed to have leaves that were intermediate between this species and Common Mallow - a hybrid perhaps?) and Lady's Bedstraw.

Lady's Bedstraw, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th October

That evening there was a Many-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla indoors, and in the trap, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, 5 Black Rustics, 4 Green-brindled Crescents, Merveille du Jour, Red-line Quaker, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

The following night the trap was a little busier with Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 17 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Treble Brown Spot, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Black Rustics, 3 Beaded Chestnuts, 2 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow, Rosy Rustic and Snout.

There was also the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, the beetle Lagria hirta and the following caddisflies: Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 5 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 11 Limnephilus lunatus and Halesus radiatus.

I did some birding at Brancaster on 11th.  The non-avian highlight was a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in the dunes between the golf-course and the beach.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth, Brancaster, 11th October

There were also a couple of caddisflies Anabolia nervosa along the seawall and an Ivy Bee at Broad Lane.

Anabolia nervosa, Brancaster, 11th October

Ivy Bee, Brancaster, 11th October

I also popped along to the chalk pit at Titchwell where there were lots more Ivy Bees.

Ivy Bees, Titchwell Chalkpit, 11th October

That night a Large Wainscot was new for the year at home.

Large Wainscot, North Elmham, 11th October

The other moths were 5 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 18 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 6 Shuttle-shaped Darts, White-point, 3 Black Rustics, 7 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker, Yellow-line Quaker, 7 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing, 3 Barred Sallows, Sallow, Rosy Rustic, Straw Dot and Snout.

There were 5 green lacewings, at least one of which was Chrysoperla carnea (the other 4 were female aggs., presumably the same species).  There were several caddisflies: Brown Sedge Anabolia nervosa, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, 4 Limnephilus auricula, 11 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus vittatus and Halesus radiatus.

Bugs consisted of Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis and 2 Pinalitus cervinus.  Also 7 Kybos leafhoppers (all female so not identifiable) and another Fagocyba carri, this time a new species for the garden.

Fagocyba carri (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th October

Beetles consisted of Black Sexton Beetle, Lagria hirta and a new genus of rove beetle for me, Philonthus.  Unfortunately I don't have references that enable me to make a positive species-level ID, though I suspect it is carbonarius.

Philonthus sp., possibly Philonthus carbonarius, North Elmham, 11th October