Claxton Manor

Saturday before last (13th June) we had a Norfolk Moth Survey event at Claxton Manor.  It was unusual in so far as we were all taken to our various stations in gamekeeper buggies and with various hazards to avoid we stayed at our stations rather than moving round each others' as we usually do.  But that didn't spoil the evening in any way - indeed in some ways it made it more relaxing, especially as we were brought wine and whisky (very good too) during the course of the evening.

Dave and I set up at the edge of a field next to a decoy pond, a small wood and not far from a stand of Poplars.  In terms of numbers of species I don't think we did quite as well as the other two stations but we got some interesting ones among them.

Some 40 or so Middle-barred Minors outnumbered everything else and the best macro was my first ever Water Ermine.

Water Ermine, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Other good macros included Figure of Eighty, 2 White-points, Dusky Brocade and Cream-bordered Green Pea.

Figure of Eighty, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Cream-bordered Green Pea, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Dusky Brocade, Claxton Manor, 13th June

The guys from the manor who came down to see us enjoyed the Elephant Hawkmoth but were also fascinated by the likes of Pebble Hook-tip, Peppered Moth, 1 of 4 Swallow Prominents, 2 Poplar Greys and 7 Burnished Brasses.

Burnished Brass, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Poplar Grey, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Among the micros the highlight from my perspective were 4 Olive Marbles Phiaris micana - a scarce species that's only been recorded in the county half a dozen times this century.

 Olive Marbles Phiaris micana, Claxton Manor, 13th June

We got the complete set of China-marks: 5 Brown China-marks Elophila nymphaeata, 8 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata and 10+ Small China-marks Cataclysta lemnata.

Other micros consisted of 3 Common Rush Case-bearers Coleophora alticolella (gen det), 10 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella (gen det), Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 4 + Cyclamen Tortrices Clepsis spectrana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana and Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella.

Other macros were Common Swift, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, 4 Green Carpets, May Highflyer, Rivulet, 2 Grey Pugs, Light Emerald, Iron Prominent, Pale Prominent, 6 White Ermines, 2 Flames, 3 Flame Shoulders, 3 Small Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, 8 Clouded-bordered Brindles, Marbled Minor (gen det) and Straw Dot.

Grey Pug, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Rivulet, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Some impressive Caddisflies around too, like this one:

Phryganea grandis, Claxton Manor, 13th June

When we got back to the cars and met the other crews we were glad to see they'd brought some of their best moths back with them.   Among them were 4 species I'd never seen before: Fen Cosmet Cosmopterix lienigiella, Thistle Ermine Myelois circumvoluta, Oblique Carpet and Small Clouded Brindle.
 

Fen Cosmet Cosmopterix lienigiella, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Thistle Ermine Myelois circumvoluta, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Oblique Carpet, Claxton Manor, 13th June

Small Clouded Brindle, Claxton Manor, 13th June