Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Momphas (Momphidae), Dowds (Blastobasidae) and Owlets (Scythrididae)

MOMPHAS (MOMPHIDAE)


Buff Mompha Mompha ochraceella - Singles caught in the garden on 30th June and 5th July 2019 and on 6 dates between 22nd July and 11th July 2020.  A poor year and a good year, but neither quite my worst nor quite my best.


Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella - One caught in the garden on 26th July 2019 and 4 between 17th July and 21st August 2020.  This species isn't quite annual here though I average over one a year - the 4 in 2020 was unprecedented.  This species frequently shows buff tones to the "white" head and thorax so this should not be taken as indicative of Rust-blotch Mompha Mompha lacteella and it's almost never pure white.  Possibly lacteella shows a deeper more clearly buff head and thorax compared with most propinquella but I suspect that the mantra that propinquella has a white head and thorax must lead to misidentifications of some as lacteella.  I gen det any examples with significant (and sometimes slight) buff tones head and thorax and I am yet to come across a real lacteella.

female Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella, North Elmham, 17th July 2020

male Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella, North Elmham, 4th August 2020

male Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella, North Elmham, 18th August 2020

Scarce Mompha Mompha jurassicella - None.  One in my garden in 2018 is my only record of this species.


New Neat Mompha Mompha bradleyi - None.  I've never seen this species and until recently it never seemed particularly likely with very few Norfolk records.  However a few recent records in mid Norfolk gives me hope.  There's plenty of its foodplant along the railway here including at the meadows.


Garden Mompha Mompha subbistrigella - Only one record in 2019, an individual I found dead inside the house.  It hadn't been there before so I presume it was recently arrived on 7th June.  This is the nearest I've come to a blank year so far in North Elmham, averaging 2 a year, and 2020 was on average with singles trapped on 2nd and 17th June.  I've never seen Kentish Mompha Mompha sturnipennella and am never quite sure how obvious it will be when one appears, so I tend to gen det any but the freshest clearest examples of subbistrigella.

male Garden Mompha Mompha subbistrigella, North Elmham, 2nd June 2020

male Garden Mompha Mompha subbistrigella, North Elmham, 17th June 2020

Common Mompha Mompha epilobiella - Singles at home on 30th May and 14th August 2019 and 22nd July 2020.  2020 was my worst year here; 2 in a year isn't unusual but I had 10 in 2017.  Netted at the meadows on 4 dates (19th April 2019 and 3 dates in 2020).  Also one in Hellesdon on 14th July 2019.

Common Mompha Mompha epilobiella, Hellesdon, 15th July 2019

Common Mompha Mompha epilobiella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd May 2020

Clouded Mompha Mompha langiella - None.  There are several rare or scarce species of Mompha that I haven't yet encountered but this is perhaps one of the more likely to appear here.  There aren't any recent records from this vice county but there are a few widespread recent records from the eastern half of the county.  Another possibility is Enchanters Mompha Mompha terminella, with plenty of recent records from east Norfolk and numerous mines found in the Brecks in 2020.


Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella - Singles here on 17th June and 26th August 2019 and 6th August and 15th September 2020.  I didn't record this species here in my first 2 years here but have now had 9 since 2017.  Elsewhere one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019, occupied leaf-mines in Rosebay Willowherb at the meadows on 8th September 2019 and 10th July 2020 and an adult there on 13th July 2020.

Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella, North Elmham, 17th June 2019

leaf-mine of Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th September 2019, and caterpillar that emerged from it on 11th September 2019

Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2020

Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella, North Elmham, 6th August 2020

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DOWDS (BLASTOBASIDAE)


Dingly Dowd Blastobasis adustella - Recorded on 29 nights at home in 2019 which is slightly more than in previous years.  I didn't count them every night but the highest of those I did count was 23 on 23rd July.  In 2020 I caught 228 here over 35 nigthts between 16th July and 2nd September, the most I've ever recorded here.  Also recorded next door, at the meadows, in Hellesdon, Swanton Great Wood, Whitwell Street and Row Heath (West Runton).

Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella - Totals of 29 in the garden trap between 2nd June and 24th November 2019 and 20 between 21st May and 12th November 2020, with records spread out and never more than 3 in a night.  2019 was my best year so far, although totals have been in the 20s for the last 4 years.  Elsewhere recorded at the meadows on 8 occasions, County School Station, Bintree Wood, Swanton Great Wood, Weybourne and on Mull.

London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st May 2019

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ALDER SIGNAL (STRATHMOPODIDAE)


Alder Signal Stathmopoda pedella - None.  I have recorded this twice in the garden, in 2016 and 2017.

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OWLETS  (SCYTHRIDIDAE)


White-dusted Owlet Scytrhis picaepennis - One at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020, the first time I've ever seen this species and the 10th record for Norfolk.  There is one previous record from north-west Norfolk and a handful of records from the Brecks, all since 2013.

male White-dusted Owlet Scythris picaepennis, Brancaster, 2nd July 2020

Sorrel Owlet Scytrhis potentillella - None.  I've never seen this species but it's perhaps one of the more likely species to turn up locally?


Next page: Alucitidae plus

Clouded and unclouded Magpies

The macro moths were the highlights on 31st July with my third ever (but second this year) Dark Spinach and a Clouded Magpie which was only my third here in 4 years.  Dusky Thorn was also new for the year.

Dark Spinach, North Elmham, 31st July

Clouded Magpie, North Elmham, 31st July

Other macros were Least Carpet, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Common Carpet, Small Phoenix, Currant Pug, Magpie Moth, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 2 Willow Beauties, Coxcomb Prominent, Black Arches, 10 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, Common Footman, 3 Buff Ermines, 4 Ruby Tigers, 2 Turnip Moths, Heart and Club, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 4 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Common Wainscots, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, 2 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustics, Uncertain, Rustic and 8 Straw Dots.

Magpie Moth, North Elmham, 31st July

The micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 House Nebs Bryotropha domestica, Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, 5 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 37 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 15 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 15 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Thicket Knot-horn Acrobasis suavella and 4 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

House Neb Bryotropha domestica, North Elmham, 31st July

Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, North Elmham, 31st July

Other things included the mayfly Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita, a Common Earwig, the brown lacewings Hemerobius lutescens and 2 Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai and Molanna angustata, the mirid bug Psallus varians, the leafhopper Balclutha punctata and a Hornet.

While setting a bat detector at the Cathedral Meadows at dusk on 1st August I found a Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella and a leafhopper that I didn't immediately recognise. It turned out to be a new species for me, Macropsis scotti.

Macropsis scotti, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st August

That night there were 5 new moths for the year: Winter Groundling Scrobipalpa costella (only my second here), Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, Cabbage Moth and Angle Shades. The rhombana was my earliest ever by 12 days.

Winter Groundling Scrobipalpa costella, North Elmham, 1st August

Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 1st August

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 1st August

Cabbage Moth, North Elmham, 1st August

Angle Shades, North Elmham, 1st August

A record count of  5 Small Purple & Golds Pyrausta aurata was remarkable for here.  I only caught 5 singles across the whole of the previous 3 summers but either it is a good year for them or else they have taken a liking to the mint we planted in the garden a couple of years ago.  Although I eventually recorded 11 in the garden this summer they were only recorded on 5 nights spread over a period of just over a month.

5 Turnip Moths was also a record count, but in this case it was definitely a case of it being a good year for them as I know a lot of other moth-ers recorded exceptional numbers this year (much higher numbers than me in many cases).  I don't usually get many (only two last year and three the year before) but this year I'm looking like I will end up with a total of around 50 (I'm not sure the exact number yet as I have 2-3 slightly equivocal ones in pots waiting to be confirmed).  I know many people get more than that in a normal year and were getting 3-figure counts in a single night this year.

Other moths were Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella, 4 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 41 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 10 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Pebble Hook-tip, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Small Dusty Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, 7 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Purple Bar, Small Rivulet, Currant Pug, Magpie Moth, Scorched Carpet, Bordered Beauty, Scalloped Oak, 3 Willow Beauties, 4 Dingy Footmen, 2 Common Footmen, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 Flames, 7 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Common Wainscots, Copper Underwing, 2 Dun-bars, Cloaked Minor, Common Rustic, Small Rufous, Vine's Rustic, 3 Silver Ys and 5 Straw Dots.

Purple Bar, North Elmham, 1st August

Other things included the mayflies Green Drake Ephemera danica and 6 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg., 2 brown lacewings Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Crunoecia irrorata and Athripsodes aterrimus, Birch Shieldbug, the leafhopper Balclutha punctata again, the beetles Amara apricaria and Aphodius rufipes, Hornet and Common Wasp.

Second Agonopterix lifer in 3 days

Saturday 19th August I set the trap as usual before heading out to Winterton and returned to find what turned out to be the best moth of the evening.  It looked superficially similar to the Dark-fringed Flat-body Agonopterix nervosa that I'd had for the first time two nights earlier but apart from anything else it lacked a dark fringe.  I did consider Dusted Flat-body Agonopterix assimilella quite early on but ruled that out as its supposed to fly from April to June and in the absence of any other contenders I spent a while wondering if it might turn out to be another nervosa despite the lack of a dark fringe.  The genitalia of many of the Agonopterix aren't enormously different from one another so looking at it under the microscope didn't yield an immediate answer.  Eventually I felt I'd eliminated everything apart from assimilella and it was only then that I discovered that the hindwing pattern was helpful in determining this species.  Sure enough the hindwing ticked the final box and confirmed that it was indeed a Dusted Flat-body Agonopterix assimiliella, another new moth for me and my 780th species for North Elmham since August 2014.

Dusted Flat-body Agonopterix assimilella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th August

Two other moths were new for the year that night: Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea (my second here) and Rosy Rustic.

Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th August

Rosy Rustic, North Elmham, 19th August

Other moths that night were Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella agg., Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 7 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, Willow Beauty, Light Emerald, Poplar Hawk-moth, 3 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Small Square-spots, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Common Wainscots, Flounced Rustic, Vine's Rustic and Straw Dot.  There were 4 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum and caddisflies were Hydropsyche siltalai, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus lunatus.

The next day an afternoon wander round the local gravel pits produced Borderd Carl Coptotriche marginea, Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella (feeding on Fleabane), 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella and Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella.

Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, Bittering, 20th August

There was also this bug which I'm pretty sure is a nymph of Notostira elongata and as such a new species for me.

Notostira elongata nymph, Bittering, 20th August

A Dusky Thorn was the only new moth for the year that night; other moths being Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 House Groundlings Bryotropha domestica, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 16 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Riband Wave, Garden Carpet, Yellow Shell, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 6 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 2 Willow Beauties, Light Emerald, Pebble Prominent, Swallow Prominent, 2 Flame Shoulders, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Six-striped Rustic, Square-spot Rustic, 3 Common Wainscots, 3 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, Burnished Brass, Spectacle and 4 Straw Dots. There was also a presumed Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella indoors but its identity couldn't be confirmed as it had been eaten by its own larvae before I dissected it - a frequent problem with this species when I'm behind with my dissections!

Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 20th August

That wasn't a bad selection but the caddisflies were better as they contained my 50th species identified at home, an entirely new one for me, Small Siver Sedge Lepidostoma hirtum.

Small Silver Sedge Lepidostoma hirtum (female), North Elmham, 20th August

Other caddisflies were Polycentropus flavomaculatus, 3 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus sparsus.  Other insects recorded were the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea and the beetle Aphodius rufipes.

A quite spell in mid August

A few butterflies seen in the garden on 13th August including Large White, Holly Blue, Peacocks and Gatekeeper.  That night two moths were new for the year: Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella and Copper Underwing.

Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th August

Copper Underwing (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th August

The other moths that night were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Two-coloured Bells Eucosma obumbratana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, 7 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 15 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 4 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Orange Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, Blood-vein, 9 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Common Carpets, Purple Bar, 3 Small Rivulets, 2 Currant Pugs, Tawny Speckled Pug, Double-striped Pug, Treble-bar, 2 Yellow-barred Brindles, Magpie Moth, Brimstone Moth, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, 2 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawkmoth, Iron Prominent, 2 Lesser Swallow Prominents, 3 Swallow Prominents, 2 Dingy Footmen, Buff Footman, 6 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 16 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Least Yellow Underwing, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spot Rustic, 2 Straw Underwings, Dark Arches, 2 Cloaked Minors, Common Rustic, 7 Flounced Rustics, Uncertain, Burnished Brass, Silver Y, Spectacle and 11 Straw Dots.

Canary-shouldered Thorn, North Elmham, 13th August

Silver Y, North Elmham, 13th August

Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, North Elmham, 13th August

Since owning the key to Lacewings and allies I've only had one Wax Fly which proved to be one that couldn't be fully identified to species level even with the key (a female Conwentzia sp.), so it was good to get one at last that I could fully identify.  This proved to be Coniopteryx tineiformis.

Coniopteryx tineiformis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th August

Next day there were Large White, Holly Blue and Peacocks in the garden again and that night Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna was new for the year.

Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, North Elmham, 14th August

Other moths on 14th were Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 14 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 8 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 5 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 4 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 2 Pebble Hook-tips, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, Flame Carpet, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Garden Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, 4 Common Carpets, 4 Tawny Speckled Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, Clouded Border, 2 Brimstone Moths, 3 Canary-shouldered Thorns, Scalloped Oak, 2 Willow Beauties, Iron Prominent, Swallow Prominent, 2 Dingy Footmen, 3 Flame Shoulders, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 9 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Six-striped Rustic, Square-spot Rustic, Copper Underwing, Common Rustic, 7 Flounced Rustics, Uncertain, Nut-tree Tussock and 7 Straw Dots.

Next day I popped in to Bunker's Hill near Anmer in my lunch break.  No moths but interesting inverts included the impressive beetle Oiceoptoma thoracicum and a harvestman which I believe to be Mitopus morio.

Oiceoptoma thoracicum, Bunker's Hill near Anmer, 15th August

Mitopus morio, Bunker's Hill near Anmer, 15th August

It was a poor night for moths that night: 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 7 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 8 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ghost Moth, 2 Orange Swifts, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Currant Pug, Treble-bar, Dingy Footman, 4 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, 3 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic and 3 Straw Dots.

Rosy Rustic, North Elmham, 15th August

The following night wasn't much better: Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 3 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 5 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Orange Swifts, Single-dotted Wave, 8 Riband Waves, Common Carpet, Willow Beauty, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Six-striped Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, 5 Flounced Rustics, Uncertain, Burnished Brass and 5 Straw Dots.

I did notice a caddisfly that I was pretty sure would be a new species and so it proved: Mystacides azurea.  Unfortunately I didn't notice that my attempt at photographing it had failed badly until it was too late.

A brief lunch-break stroll around Thornham on 17th produced a good selection of butterflies (Large and Small Whites, Common Blue, Peacock, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood and Wall Brown).  Also Ruddy Darters and a Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana.

Phyllonorycter kuhlweiniella at home!

I have a bit of a thing for Scarce Oak Midgets Phyllonorycter kuhlweiniella.  It was known from south Norfolk between 1982 and 1996 and then wasn't seen again in the county until I discovered them at several new sites in different parts of the county, sometimes in good numbers and some on my local patch, in the excellent Phyllonorycter year of 2014.  None were recorded again in 2015 (a much worse year for Phyllonorycter generally) and so far this year the only record in the database is one Paul Cobb found while I was with him, and which I identified.  On 7th August I topped it all off with one in my own garden trap.  Amazing!  It was a bit worn so I gen detted it just to make sure, not that there was really anything else it could have been.

Scarce Oak Midget Phyllonorycter kuhlweiniella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th August

Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella and Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana were both new for the year.  According to various references Mompha propinquella can be separated from the much rarer (at least in Norfolk) Mompha lacteella by its white (not buff) head and thorax.  Why then does every single Mompha propinquella I ever see have a buff head and thorax?  Some, including this one, were gen detted to make sure.

Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th August

Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana, North Elmham, 7th August

Other micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, White Oak Midget Phyllonorycter harrisella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, 5 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana (and another unidentified Cnephasia that may have been the same), Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Nut Bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 28 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 20 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, 6 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella and 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

The best macro was Twin-spotted Waisncot, new for the year here and not one I see many of at home.

Twin-spotted Wainscot, North Elmham, 7th August

Other macros were Large Emerald, 2 Blood-veins, 2 Least Carpets, 10 Single-dotted Waves, 6 Riband Waves, Flame Carpet, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, Currant Pug, 2 Magpie Moths, Brimstone Moth, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, 2 Dusky Thorns, Early Thorn, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 3 Pebble Prominents, Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, 4 Pale Prominents, 7 Yellow-tails, 2 Black Arches, 3 Dingy Footmen, 2 Scarce Footmen, 2 Common Footmen, 2 Ruby Tigers, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 7 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Least Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic, 4 Dark Arches, 5 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, Uncertain, 3 Nut-tree Tussocks and 10 Straw Dots.

Least Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 7th August

Lacewings included my second Nineta vittata and a Chryoperla carnea agg. (female, presumably carnea).  A Forest Bug (Red-legged Shieldbug) was the only bug noted and Nicrophorus investigator the only beetle identified.

Nineta vittata, North Elmham, 7th August

The following night was much less productive although it did produce one new moth for the house, a Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana.

Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, North Elmham, 8th August

The only other micros were 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 15 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis and 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis.

The macros consisted of Orange Swift, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Riband Waves, Dusky Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 3 Willow Beauties, Pebble Prominent, 2 Pale Prominents, 2 Yellow-tails, 2 Black Arches, Dingy Footman, Ruby Tiger, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 10 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Straw Underwings, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, 2 Flounced Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, Spectacle and 3 Straw Dots.

Other insects included by first Oak Bush-cricket of the year here and another Nicrophorus investigator.

Oak Bush-cricket, North Elmham, 8th August

Next day (9th August) was even poorer with just 51 moths of 27 species: a Parornix sp. (lost before I could check the species), Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 8 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Single-dotted Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Tawny Speckled Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, Scalloped Oak, 2 Willow Beauties, Pebble Prominent, Yellow-tail, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 9 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Common Rustic, Lesser Common Rustic, 2 Flounced Rustics, Spectacle and Straw Dot.