White-barred Clearwings

On Friday 2nd June I headed over to Potter Heigham Marsh where I immediately started seeing Swallowtail butterflies - hard to know how many but at least 4 and probably a very much higher number.  A variety of dragonflies included Large Red Damselflies, Four-spotted Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly (though I still await a photo-opportunity for these) and a brief glimpse of what was probably a Norfolk Hawker.  A Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana was the only moth found.

I knew there was a site for White-barred Clearwing near Catfield but didn't have the details of where to go so, initially unable to contact my source of info (Dave) I headed to the track running east from Catfield Common.  It wasn't the right place, but I put the lure out and in a short while my first White-barred Clearwing was buzzing around it.

White-barred Clearwing, Catfield Common, 2nd June

There was another Swallowtail butterfly here too, along with Common Carpet, Large Red Damselfly and Hairy Dragonfly.  By now I'd got the info about the other site and decided to try it too out of curiosity.  An even quicker response there with one appearing almost straight away.

White-barred Clearwing, Catfield Fen, 2nd June

I also tried for Red-tipped Clearwing at both sites but no luck this time.  I did however find a Variable Damselfly - the first I've seen for ages.

Variable Damselfy, Catfield Fen, 2nd June

There were also several Norfolk Hawkers flying around and a couple of Hairy Dragonflies.  Also a Brimstone butterfly.

Norfolk Hawker, Catfield Fen, 2nd June

Moths at Ryburgh that afternoon included 2 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana, Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella and Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana.

New for the year in the moth trap that night were Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, Buff Arches, Single-dotted Wave, Sharp-angled Carpet and 2 Snouts.

Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, North Elmham, 2nd June

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 2nd June

Single-dotted Wave, North Elmham, 2nd June

Sharp-angled Carpet, North Elmham, 2nd June

Other moths caught were Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Hedge Shade Isotrias rectifasciana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 3 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 6 Common Swifts, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Treble Brown Spot, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, 3 Green Carpets, 5 Common Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, 5 Scorched Wings, Brimstone Moth, Scalloped Hazel, 2 Willow Beauties, Common White Wave, Common Wave, 3 Light Emeralds, 2 Eyed Hawk-moths, Coxcomb Prominent, Buff-tip, Orange Footman, 9 White Ermines, Buff Ermine, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Shears, 2 Common Wainscots, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 4 Brown Rustics, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Marbled Minor, Middle-barred Minor, 8 Treble Lines, 3 Mottled Rustics, Spectacle and 16 Straw Dots.

Eyed Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 2nd June

Caddisflies included Limnephilus auricula and new for the year, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus vittatus.  Mayflies consisted of Small Spurwing Centroptilum luteolum (new for the year) and 2 Pale Evening Duns Procloeon bifidum.  Also a Common Earwig.

Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 2nd June

Small Spurwing Centroptilum luteolum, North Elmham, 2nd June

A Diamond without diamonds

The night of 9th June was an odd one.  Not all that many moths but still a good selection of micros.  New for the house was a species I am used to seeing during the day but not coming to light - Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella.

Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella, North Elmham, 9th June

Good counts were 6 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella and 5 Yellow-faced Bells Notocelia cynosbatella while London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella was new for the year.  Other notable micros were Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella and Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella.

London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolelle, North Elmham, 9th June

Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, North Elmham, 9th June

The other micros were 9 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea and Small Magpie Anania hortulata. Interestingly one of the Diamond-backs lacked a pale line down the dorsum or almost any trace of the diamonds.  The only hint was that the sides between the diamonds were darker than the rest of the sides of the wings.  I did dissect it just to make sure...

Dimaond-back Moth Plutella xylostella (female), North Elmham, 9th June

Among the macros only Common Footman was new for the year.  The others were 2 Common Swifts, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, Green Carpet, Mottled Pug, 3 Common Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, Clouded Border, Waved Umber, 2 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, Pale Tussock, 2 White Ermines, 5 Cinnabars, Shears, Light Brocade, 2 Brown Rustics, 9 Treble Lines and 2 Mottled Rustics.

Common Footman, North Elmham, 9th June

Waved Umber, North Elmham, 9th June

Only a couple of caddisflies but these included my first Limnephilus marmoratus (and a Limnephilus lunatus).

Limnephilus marmoratus (female), North Elmham, 9th June

I think this beetle found in the house is Cantharis cryptica.

Cantharis cryptica, North Elmham, 9th June

We're getting our garden done at the moment and in removing our old shed the gardener found a couple of mice.  One was a casualty which he put out of its misery but the other seemed ok so he showed me.  I'm not sure it was ok, as it's not very normal behaviour for a mouse to lie on its side in the open, but as dead as it looked it was definitely breathing.  A Wood Mouse I believe.

Wood Mouse, North Elmham, 10th June

It was a better night for moths with 45 species including Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella, Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Treble Brown Spots, Brown Silver-line, Heart and Club and Burnished Brass all new for the year.

Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, North Elmham, 10th June

Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Barred Marble Celypha striana, North Elmham, 10th June

Heart and Club, North Elmham, 10th June

Burnished Brass, North Elmham, 10th June

Other moths were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 52 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 4 Yellow-faced Bells Notocelia cynosbatella, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 9 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 3 Common Swifts, Blood-vein, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 6 Silver-ground Carpets, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Broken-barred Carpets, Green Carpet, 3 Sandy Carpets, Mottled Pug, 7 Common Pugs, Brimstone Moth, 2 Light Emeralds, White Ermine, Buff Ermine, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Flame Shoulder, Small Square-spot, 2 Shears, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 4 Brown Rustics, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Middle-barred Minor, 12 Treble Lines and Mottled Rustic.

A subimago Procloeon bifidum was a new Mayfly for me (a second invidivual was not positively identified).

Procloeon bifidum, North Elmham, 10th June

Also new was the caddisfly Polycentropus flavomaculatus - only at the time I posted this, and for 2-3 weeks after, I had it down as Polycentropus irroratus.  Females are quite difficult, at least for a novice, as after a few more I eventually concluded that the pointedness of the subgenital plate illustrated in the key is quite hard to determine, and looks rather more pointy in flavomaculatus than it's meant to.  The other caddis were in the genus Limnephilus including lunatus, marmoratus and vittatus.

Polycentropus flavomaculatus (female), North Elmham, 10th June

Varied Coronet

When we were at Claxton Manor last Saturday I ran the trap as usual at home too.  It produced a few that were new for the year for the garden: Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Brown Silver-line, Willow Beauty, Elephant Hawkmoth, Tawny Marbled Minor and 2 Silver Ys.

Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, North Elmham, 13th June

Elephant Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 13th June

Tawny Marbled Minor (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th June

Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, North Elmham, 13th June

Silver Y, North Elmham, 13th June

Willow Beauty, North Elmham, 13th June

Other moths recorded that night were Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 5 Common Swifts, Silver-ground Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Grey Pine Carpet, Green Carpet, Mottled Pug, 2 Common Pugs, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, 2 Brimstone Moths, Common Wave, Light Emerald, Pale Tussock, Orange Footman, White Ermine, 2 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Heart and Dart, Ingrailed Clay, 3 Small Square-spots, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Shears, 2 Common Wainscots, 3 Brown Rustics, 9 Treble Lines, Mottled Rustic and Straw Dot.


Sunday night was poorer but Varied Coronet was a nice addition to the year-list.

Varied Coronet, North Elmham, 14th June

The others were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Common Swifts, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Green Carpet, Light Emerald, Cinnabar, Heart and Dart, 3 Ingrailed Clays, Small Square-spot, Common Wainscot, 2 Brown Rustics, 2 Treble Lines, Mottled Rustic and Burnished Brass.

Monday night was even worse: Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Silver-ground Carpet, Light Emerald, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Buff Ermines, 10 Heart and Darts, Small Square-spot, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 2 Brown Rustics and Treble Lines.