More Maple Prominents before a lull

Another crop of new-for-the-year on 11th included Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, Drinker, Peach Blossom and Yellow-tail, but 2 Maple Prominents and a Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana were more unexpected than any of those.

Maple Prominent, North Elmham, 11th July

Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, North Elmham, 11th July

Drinker, North Elmham, 11th July

Peach Blossom, North Elmham, 11th July

Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, North Elmham, 11th July

Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, North Elmham, 11th July

Other macros were Buff Arches, Large Emerald, Common Emerald, Small Emerald, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, Yellow Shell, 2 Barred Straws, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 2 Early Thorns, 4 Swallow-tailed Moths, 3 Peppered Moths, 4 Willow Beauties, 4 Mottled Beauties, Clouded Silver, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, 3 Coxcomb Prominents, 2 Rosy Footmen, 7 Common Footmen, 13 Buff Ermines, Short-cloaked Moth, 3 Flames, Flame Shoulder, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, 2 Clays, Poplar Grey, 4 Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, 5 Common Rustics, 11 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, Straw Dot and 6 Fan-foots.

Rustic, North Elmham, 11th July

Other micros were Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Pine Marbles Piniphila bifasciana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 9 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 6 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

The only other invert noted was the bug Stenotus binotatus, again.

The following night a Blackneck was the only moth new for the year here (but always a welcome one to find at home).

Blackneck, North Elmham, 12th July

Other macros were 2 Drinkers, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 10 Riband Waves, Phoenix, 3 Barred Straws, 2 Clouded Borders, Early Thorn, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, 3 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Buff-tips, 6 Rosy Footmen, 13 Common Footmen, 11 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Short-cloaked Moth, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, Bright-line Brown-eye, 3 Clays, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Grey Dagger, Brown Rustic, 5 Dark Arches, Light Arches, 22 Uncertains, 6 Mottled Rustics and Snout.

Relatively few micros: 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata and False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella.

A Waxfly was one of the Conwentzia species but it was a female and apparently these can't be resolved to species level.

Conwentzia sp., North Elmham, 12th July

Caddisflies were Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus lunatus.

I can't remember when I last didn't get any new moths for the year - seems like ages ago!  But there weren't any on 13th July, and only 34 species: Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Buff Arches, Small Fan-footed Wave, Dwarf Cream Wave, Single-dotted Wave, 4 Riband Waves, Clouded Border, Scalloped Oak, Peppered Moth, 3 Willow Beauties, Privet Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, Buff-tip, Rosy Footman, 11 Common Footmen, 6 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Dot Moth, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 8 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, 17 Uncertains, Rustic, 3 Burnished Brasses and Snout.

Scalloped Oak, North Elmham, 13th July

A Limnephilus auricula was the only caddisfly noted.

Scarce Silver-lines and Maple Prominent

Over 200 moths again on 7th July consisting of 86 species.  Ok, but some good quality stuff among them.  Among the best were two striking macros that I've only rarely seen before - Scarce Silver-lines which I'd only ever seen once before, 5 years ago, and Maple Prominent.

Scarce Silver-lines, North Elmham, 7th July

Maple Prominent, North Elmham, 7th July

I do like a nice green moth, and another new addition to the garden year list was this Large Emerald.

Large Emerald, North Elmham, 7th July

Several micros were new for the year too: Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis and Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis.

Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, North Elmham, 7th July

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, North Elmham, 7th July

Other micros recorded were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 6 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 4 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 7 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella and 3 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella.

Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, North Elmham, 7th July

My second Purple Clay of the year was notable and Early Thorn and Engrailed were my first of this generation.

Purple Clay, North Elmham, 7th July

Other macros were Buff Arches, 3 Common Emeralds, Small Fan-footed Wave, Dwarf Cream Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 6 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 5 Barred Straws, Green Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, 6 Brimstone Moths, Lilac Beauty, Scalloped Oak, Swallow-tailed Moth, 5 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, 3 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 6 Clouded Silvers, Eyed Hawkmoth, 2 Marbled Browns, 2 Rosy Footmen, Four-dotted Footman, 5 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 2 Flames, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Dot Moths, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Poplar Grey, Brown Rustic, Small Angle Shades, Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Common Rustic, 11 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 3 Spectacles, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, 7 Straw Dots, Snout and 7 Fan-foots.

 Lilac Beauty, North Elmham, 7th July

Spectacle, North Elmham, 7th July

Common White Wave, North Elmham, 7th July

Small Angle Shades, North Elmham, 7th July

Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

So far all of the caddisflies I've identified this year (the first year I've been doing them) have been common species, but one of them on 7th July appears to be a bit more unusual.  I'm pretty confident about the ID of Crunoecia irrorata (male, genitalia checked) but the NBN Gateway map doesn't show any records in VC28.  I've not done anything about submitting my caddis records yet... I intend to do so and when I get round to it I'll no doubt find out if this is as good as it seems.

Crunoecia irrorata (male), North Elmham, 7th July

Other caddis were Ecnomus tenellus, Limnephilus lunatus and Leptocerus tineiformis. Hoverflies were represented by Marmalade Fly Episyrphus balteatus, the sexton beetle Nicrophorus investigator was new for the year as was the mirid bug Stenotus binotatus.

Stenotus binotatus, North Elmham, 7th July

Nicrophorus investigator, North Elmham, 7th July

The following night was a bit quieter with just 57 species including 3 new for the year: Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, V-Pug and Cloaked Minor.

The rest were Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 4 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Buff Arches, 3 Common Emeralds, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 9 Riband Waves, 4 Barred Straws, Sandy Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, Lilac Beauty, Swallow-tailed Moth, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Elephant Hawkmoth, Buff-tip, 4 Rosy Footmen, 8 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 2 Heart and Darts, 2 Flames, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Poplar Greys, Brown Rustic, Tawny Marbled Minor, 3 Uncertains, Burnished Brass, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot, 4 Snouts and 5 Fan-foots.

Poplar Grey, North Elmham, 8th July

Caddisflies included 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus flavicornis and 3 Leptocerus tineiformis. Also of interest another Fly Bug Reduvius personatus.

Fly Bug Reduvius personatus, North Elmham, 8th July

I set a trap that night in my neighbour's garden and went through it the following morning with their grandson again.  There wasn't quite so much in the way of big showy moths but he still seemed to be suitably fascinated.  Another Maple Prominent was probably the best both this time, followed by Miller.

Again I made no attempt to make complete counts of everything, so the following list is just what I could recall: Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 10 Cnephasia sp., 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 6 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Dwarf Cream Wave, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 4 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Sandy Carpet, Clouded Border, Swallow-tailed Moth, Common White Wave, Rosy Footman, Scarce Footman, 4 Common Footmen, 6 Buff Ermines, 2 Double Square-spots, Cabbage Moth, 2 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Light Arches, Marbled Minor agg., 15 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips and Straw Dot.