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.

Tuesday 16 April 2019

One October night, one trap, 14 species of bug

November Moth and Sprawler were new for the year on 12th November.

November Moth (male, 8th sternite det), North Elmham, 12th October


Sprawler, North Elmham, 12th October


A pretty good selection of other moths for this time of year too: 2 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 9 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, 7 Shuttle-shaped Darts, Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 3 White-points, 2 Black Rustics, 5 Green-brindled Crescents, Satellite, 2 Yellow-line Quakers, Brown-spot Pinion, 3 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing, 8 Barred Sallows, Sallow, 2 Straw Dots and Snout.

Satellite, North Elmham, 12th October


There were lots of green lacewings too, though probably all the same species.  At least 12 (the males) were Chrysoperla carnea and most likely the 10 females were too (either that or pallida which hasn't been recorded in Norfolk yet).  The caddisflies were 2 Brown Sedges Anabolia nervosa, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, 4 Limnephilus auricula, 5 Limnephilus lunatus and Halesus radiatus.

There was a particularly impressive haul of bugs, and some good ones among them.  The Heteroptera were 3 Birch Catkin Bugs Kleidocerys resedae, Black-kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus, Lygus pratensis, 2 Tarnished Plant Bugs Lygus rugulipennis, Orthotylus flavosparsus, Pantilius tunicatus and 3 Pinalitus cervinus. The Orthotylus was only my second of this species.

Orthotylus flavosparsus, North Elmham, 12th October


The Hemiptera were even better with two completely new species of leafhopper: Idiocerus herrichi and Edwardsiana crataegi. The other leafhoppers were Alebra albostriella, 2 Empoasca vitis, 8 Kybos sp. (all females), Fagocyba cruenta and a Zygina sp.which escaped before I could identify it.

Idiocerus herrichi, North Elmham, 12th October


Edwardsiana crataegi, North Elmham, 12th October


Alebra albostriella, North Elmham, 12th October


There were relatively few beetles (Black Sexton Beetle Nicrophorus humator, Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis and Lagria hirta) but I recognised a distinctive fly as being one of the fungus gnats Macorcera.  I think they're pretty cool-looking things and I've now discovered there's a key online that enables a full ID, so I shall be checking these when I get a chance now.  Up until now I'd only confirmed one species, Macrocera phalerata, but this was a new one, Macrocera stigmoides.

Macrocera stigmoides, North Elmham, 12th October

No comments:

Post a Comment