Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella - Both years beat the previous records at home with 44 counted on 19 nights between 9th July and 7th August 2019 and two nights in the peak period when they weren't counted. Then 53 between 17th June and 22nd August 2020. 28 was my previous best annual total. Elsewhere recorded next door, at the meadows (just one) and at Weybourne.
Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019
Pearl-band Grass-veneer Catoptria margaritella - Probably my moth of the year, indeed one of the best moths I have ever caught, was one trapped in my garden on 13th July 2019. This species is common in parts of northern and western England but does not appear to be common anywhere closer than Yorkshire. I'm not sure of its exact status in the counties between there and here but I can't find anything to suggest that it normally occurs anywhere near Norfolk (less than 10 records in Lincolnshire apparently). There 3 records of coastal migrants in Norfolk and Suffolk including 2 from Eccles in 2001 and 2015 (the only previous Norfolk records) and one from Felixstowe in 2003. My garden is terrible for migrants and, with no other coastal records that I'm aware of in 2019 it seems to me to be a bit of a stretch to think this was an immigrant. It was, however, a bumper year for this species in its normal range with, for example, at least 3,100 one night at one site in Yorkshire. I suspect my record was a wanderer from a British population rather than an immigrant.
Pearl-band Grass-veneer Catoptria margaritella, North Elmham, 13th July 2019
Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella - Totals of 18 here between 11th July and 3rd September 2019 and 14 between 1st and 15th August 2020. Numbers here vary considerably with 11 in 2017 and 50 in 2015 but these were below average. Elsewhere one next door and 3 at the meadows.
Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019
Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020
Powdered Grass-veneer Thisanotia chrysonuchella - None. I've only seen this species in the Brecks and it's pretty rare elsewhere in Norfolk. However there are a scattering of records around the county so it's plausible I might turn one up here sometime.
Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella - 3 in the garden and one at the meadows all between 25th July and 1st August 2019. I thought this was a staggering total for a moth that I recorded in my garden for the first time in 2018 (and only twice elsewhere before this), but then 2020 happened! I caught 14 here between 16th July and 5th August, 3 at the meadows (18th July and 7th August), one at Bintree Wood and one at Brancaster (2nd July). This recent surge of records was reflected by other recorders across the county and at the moment it looks more like an upward trend than simply a couple of good years. Although the head-down posture is distinctive I think it would be easy to confuse this species with Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella.
Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019
Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham, 26th July 2019
Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020
Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella - Sinlges in the garden trap on 24th June 2019 and 22nd June 2020. This species isn't quite annual here although I have averaged one a year. It is much commoner in the Brecks.
Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella, North Elmham, 24th June 2019
Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella, North Elmham, 22nd June 2020
Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella - One in the garden trap on 25th July 2019, only my third record here and first since 2015. Although I've had a couple of other records locally this species is much easier to find at the coast. None in 2020.
Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, North Elmham, 25th July 2019
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