Gold-sheen Clothes Moths and another insectella

My first Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella for the garden came to a pheronomore lure for Yellow-legged Clothes Moth last year.  My second came to the same pheromone lure this year, on 25th June.  Probably it was no coincidence that my third came to my Robinson trap overnight that very same night.  I can only guess that it was attracted to the garden by the pheromone lure, didn't go in the trap so was still in the garden when the light trap switched on and got caught by that instead.  This is still a rarely-recorded species in Norfolk with just 6 post-Victorian records prior to these but half of those were mine (all from different locations) and I can't help thinking that this species is being overlooked because they don't come to light traps very often.

Gold-sheen Clothes Moths Nemapogon ruricolella (males, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

Four new moths for the year in the trap that night were Drab Clothes Moth Haplotinea insectella, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Rosy Footman and Short-cloaked Moth.  The clothes moth seems to be on the increase in Norfolk - I had the first post-Victorian record at Warham Greens in 2014 followed by two more here at home in 2015.  There were three more records elsewhere in the county in 2016-17, but this is still a good record for the time being.

Drab Clothes Moths Haplotinea insectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

Rosy Footman, North Elmham, 25th June

Short-cloaked Moth, North Elmham, 25th June

Other moths were 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Small Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Barred Straws, Willow Beauty, 2 Privet Hawk-moths, Common Footman, 10 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Clubs, 6 Heart and Darts, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Double Square-spot, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Common Wainscots, 3 Brown Rustics, Treble Lines, 6 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Straw Dots and Snout. Also the caddisfly Hydropsyche pellucidula and a Common Frog.

Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, North Elmham, 25th June

The following night saw another wave of new moths for the year, viz. 3 Plain Conches Phtheochroa inopiana, Rose Tortrix Archips rosana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Bramble Shoot Notocelia uddmanniana, Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Buff Arches, Yellow Shell, Haworth's Pug, 2 Wormwood Pugs, Scarce Footman and Rustic.

Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, North Elmham, 26th June

Rose Tortrix Archips rosana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June

Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, North Elmham, 26th June

Bramble Shoot Notocelia uddmanniana, North Elmham, 26th June

Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella, North Elmham, 26th June

Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, North Elmham, 26th June

Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, North Elmham, 26th June

Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June

Beautiful Plume Ambvlyptilia acanthadactyla, North Elmham, 26th June

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 26th June

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 26th June

Haworth's Pug, North Elmham, 26th June

Rustic, North Elmham, 26th June

With the others the species total hit 94, not bad but some way to go to the peak counts possible at this time of year.  The others were 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Buff Mompha Mompha ochraceella, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, 4 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 21 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella, 7 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 8 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 Ghost Moths, 6 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 21 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, 8 Barred Straws, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Barred Yellows, 3 Sandy Carpets, Common Pug, 3 Grey Pugs, V-Pug, 6 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Small Yellow Waves, 3 Clouded Borders, 4 Brimstone Moths, Willow Beauty, 4 Mottled Beauties, 4 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Eyed Hawk-moth, Rosy Footman, 5 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, 2 Short-cloaked Moths, Turnip Moth, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, 2 Flame Shoulders, Ingrailed Clay, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 4 Smoky Wainscots, 4 Common Wainscots, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Brown Rustic, 2 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 4 Uncertains, 3 Mottled Rustics, Burnished Brass, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3 Straw Dots, 6 Snouts and 6 Fan-foots.

Other insects included the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg., the caddisfly Limnephilus sparsus and an Orange Ladybird.

Four Leopards in the garden

When I started recording Rose Tortrix Archips rosana at Bawdeswell there were relatively few records in Norfolk, and most of them were from just 2-3 observers.  I added to the pattern recording quite a few while I was there, though I see that there are now quite a few more records from a greater variety of other people too.  I didn't get any at North Elmham last year despite there being far more roses in the immediate vicinity than there were at Bawdeswell.  This year they have appeared - starting with this one on 17th July.

Rose Tortrix Archips rosana, North Elmham, 17th July

The best macros that night were 4 Leopard Moths.  None of them were in the trap - 3 were in the grass or on the sheet round the trap in the evening and the fourth was on the side of the shed in the morning.

Leopard Moth, North Elmham, 17th July

Also new for the year were White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana and Small Scallop.

Small Scallop, North Elmham, 17th July

Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, North Elmham, 17th July

White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 17th July

Overall there were significantly fewer moths than the night before, but 74 species wasn't all that bad (well, maybe quite bad for the peak of summer in reasonable conditions).  Other micros were Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis and Bee Moth Aphomia sociella.

The other macros were Common Emerald, Small Emerald, Lesser Cream Wave, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 15 Riband Waves, Yellow Shell, Barred Yellow, Green Pug, Double-striped Pug, 3 Clouded Borders, 3 Early Thorns, 4 Scalloped Oaks, Willow Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Poplar Hawkmoth, Buff-tip, Brown-tail, 2 Rosy Footmen, 9 Dingy Footmen, 2 Scarce Footmen, 29 Common Footmen, 18 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 3 Flames, 2 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Clay, 7 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 14 Uncertains, Rustic, 5 Nut-tree Tussocks, Burnished Brass and 2 Snouts.

The caddisflies were quite good.  One species was new to me: Oecetis lacustris.

Oecetis lacustris (female), North Elmham, 17th July

Two apparently different female Hydropsyche were the trigger for my re-assessment of the ID I've been making of these.  Initially I had a male pellucidula among numerous females, which are harder to ID.  I struggled with these as they showed one feature that seemed to fit siltalai better but in other ways were unconvincing, and although I can't recall the details one day when I had two different examples I figured out that the majority had to be pellucidula - no doubt partly influenced by the ID of the male.  Well as time went on I became increasingly uncomfortable with this ID but all I was getting was females.  Eventually I got one or two male siltalai but it wasn't until 17th when I got two different females, one of which may well have really been pellucidula and the other, like the majority of the previous ones that it resembled, I'm now fairly convinced was siltalai.  I'm still not entirely clear on these though, and won't be submitting these records without taking expert advice. Externally they've all looked pretty similar, except the worn ones that haven't shown much pattern.

probable Hydropsyche siltalai (female), North Elmham, 17th July

Hydropsyche sp., possibly pellucidula (female), North Elmham, 17th July

There were also Ecnomus tenellus, Polycentropus flavomaculatus, Agrypnia pagetana, Athripsodes aterrimus, 3 Leptocerus tineiformis and 3 Mystacides longicornis.

Agrypnia pagetana (male), North Elmham, 17th July

Polycentropus flavomaculatus (male), North Elmham, 17th July

Ecnomus tenellus (female), North Elmham, 17th July

Athripsodes aterrimus (female), North Elmham, 17th July

Mystacides longicornis (female), North Elmham, 17th July

Other things included Green Drake (Mayfly) Ephemera danica (and a Cloeon/Procloeon sp. that I can't identify) and a Summer Chafer.