Phalonidia manniana, new for the garden, plus a new site for a Red Data Book species

This summer has been mad, and I'm afraid blog posts have fallen by the wayside.  At last I'm ready to pick up where I left off.  It will take me a while to catch up, but now making a start...

The highlight of Thursday night, 31st May, was a new moth for the garden, Water-mint Conch Phalonidia manniana.

Water-mint Conch Phalnidia manniana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 31st May

A few others were new for the year including the marvellous Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, May Highflyer (just in time?), 2 Vine's Rustics and Burnished Brass.

Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, North Elmham, 31st May

Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, North Elmham, 31st May

May Highflyer, North Elmham, 31st May

Vine's Rustic, North Elmham, 31st May

Burnished Brass, North Elmham, 31st May

Other moths were 5 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 4 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Blood-veins, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, 5 Green Carpets, Mottled Pug, 4 Common Pugs, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Pale Oak Beauty, 2 Pale Tussocks, Orange Footman, 4 White Ermines, 2 Buff Ermines, 6 Heart and Darts, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Bright-line Brown-eye, 4 Common Wainscots, Brown Rustic, 8 Treble Lines, Spectacle and Straw Dot.

There was also a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum (mayfly), another Dasytes aeratus following my first ever the previous night and, new for the year, Cantharis decipiens.

Cantharis decipiens, North Elmham, 31st May

Next morning I went up to Brancaster mainly to look for birds, though of course I can't help looking at invertebrates at the same time.  Moths along Gypsy Lane included Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Silver-ground Carpet and 15 Silver Ys. There were lots of moths on the golf-course too but the most unexpected was a lovely Tawny Wave, a Red Data Book species that is mainly found in the Brecks.  There are very few records indeed from the north Norfolk coast, except for Scolt Head where Neil records them regularly.  Looks like this was a good year for them there.  Not sure if this one hopped across the chanel from Scolt or if they're breeding here too.

Tawny Wave, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

 Other moths here included 8 Plain Fanners Glyphipterix fuscoviridella, 26 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 3 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Yellow Shell, Green Carpet, 15 Cinnabars and 35 Silver Ys. Caterpillars included about 25 Brown-tails and a similar number of Garden Tigers.

Brown-tail caterpillar, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

Garden Tiger caterpillar, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

Among the butterflies Green Hairstreak was the highlight, along with Small Copper, c. 25 Common Blues, Painted Lady and about 25 Small Heaths.

Green Hairstreak, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

I noticed a couple of masses of small dark insects clinging to the trunk of an Elder tree by the huts.  Turns out they were Elder Aphids Aphis sambuci, the first time I've noticed any of these.

Elder Aphids Aphis sambuci, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

There's a really impressive display of Yellow Rattle here too.  This is a species I associate with damp meadows but apparently dry duneland habitat like this is good for it too.

Yellow Rattle, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

A good year for Small Clouded Brindles?

After a brilliant night at Ringstead I returned home to check my own trap which was relatively quiet with fewer than 60 species.  New for the year here were White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella and Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella while Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana was my first since March.

Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, North Elmham, 24th June

White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th June

Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th June

The other moths were 8 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Hedge Case-bearer Coleophora striatipennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 9 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 9 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 Common Emeralds, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 5 Dwarf Cream Waves, 11 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 12 Riband Waves, 7 Barred Straws, 2 Barred Yellows, Wormwood Pug, 4 Clouded Borders, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, 2 Elephant Hawk-moths, 2 Buff-tips, 7 Rosy Footmen, 2 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 6 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, Heart and Dart, 2 Flames, 3 Double Square-spots, 2 Clays, Smoky Wainscot, 4 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, Small Clouded Brindle, 17 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips and 4 Snouts.

The Small Clouded Brindle was my sixth this year which is remarkable given that previously I had never seen one here before and only ever seen one anywhere.

Next day I found a Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella in the house - my second here after one last September.  The species seems to be undergoing some kind of resurgence with a scattering of recent records in the county.

Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

That night Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana and Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis were new for the year here in a relatively quiet night.

Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, North Elmham, 25th June

Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, North Elmham, 25th June

Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, North Elmham, 25th June

Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, North Elmham, 25th June

Other moths were Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Cnephasia sp., 5 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 10 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 2 White Plumes Pterophorus pentadactyla, Small Blood-vein, 5 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 6 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, Common Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, 3 Willow Beauties, Common White Wave, Privet Hawk-moth, 2 Dingy Footmen, 15 Common Footmen, 10 Buff Ermines, 3 Flames, Double Square-spot, Bright-line Brown-eye, Lychnis, Smoky Wainscot, 3 Brown Rustics, Dark Arches, 2 Light Arches, 27 Uncertains, Rustic, Beautiful Hook-tip, Snout and Fan-foot.

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.

Rough-winged Conch (Phtheochroa rugosana)

In my lunch break on Monday 13th June I popped in to Whin Hill quarry, a small abandoned quarry that is often good for insects.  I have visited this site maybe 3-4 times a year over the last decade and never had the impression that anyone else goes in there before.  This time I found evidence of recent use - discarded food & drink wrappers lying around and vast numbers of spent gun cartridges.

I didn't have long this time but 3 moths recorded: Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, Olive Pearl Udea olivalis and Cinnabar.  Also something I'd never seen before: the larva of a Bloody-nosed Beetle.

Bloody-nosed Beetle larva, Whin Hill, 13th June

For the second night running my moth trap delivered a striking tortrix moth that I'd never seen before.  This time it was the long-awaited Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana.  Quite a commonly recorded species so surprising that it has taken me this long to see, but fittingly splendid for a milestone moth - my 1000th species in the UK.

Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, North Elmham, 13th June

New for the year here were Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Small Dusty Wave and Sharp-angled Carpet.

Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, North Elmham, 13th June

Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, North Elmham, 13th June

Sharp-angled Carpet, North Elmham, 13th June

Other moths recorded were 11 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Rush Marbles Bactra lancealana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 2 Common Swifts, Figure of Eighty, 3 Treble Brown Spots, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, Foxglove Pug, Mottled Pug, Common Pug, 5 Scorched Wings, Scalloped Hazel, Willow Beauty, Pale Oak Beauty, Clouded Silver, 2 Light Emeralds, Elephant Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, Buff-tip, 2 Pale Tussocks, Common Footman, 3 White Ermines, Buff Ermine, Least Black Arches, Heart and Dart, 2 Flames, Flame Shoulder, Ingrailed Clay, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Shears, Bright-line Brown-eye, 2 Brown Rustics, 17 Treble Lines, 2 Spectacles and 3 Straw Dots.

Figure of Eighty, North Elmham, 13th June

Elephant Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 13th June

Mayflies continued to give me headaches.  This one shows several features of Lake Olive Cloeon simile but some features don't tie up with that ID so I'm really not sure.

possible Lake Olive Cloeon simile, North Elmham, 13th June

Caddisflies included Ecnomus tenellus, Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus vittatus.

Ecnomus tenellus (female), North Elmham, 13th June

The following night was poor by comparison.  What was very probably the same Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana turned up in the trap but asides from that there were just 39 moths of 21 species: Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Common Swifts, Common Marbled Carpet, Sharp-angled Carpet, Foxglove Pug, Clouded Border, Peppered Moth, Orange Footman, 3 White Ermines, 4 Buff Ermines, Heart and Dart, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Shears, Lychnis, Common Wainscot, 10 Treble Lines, Mottled Rustic, Spectacle and Straw Dot.

Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, North Elmham, 14th June