Brancaster with Norfolk Moth Survey

18th July was the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Brancaster, doubling up as part of the National Trust's bioblitz weekend.  It was a cool clear night so hopes weren't especially high, but there were plenty of us there to give it a good try.  It certainly turned out to be a worthwhile evening.

Garden Tiger, Brancaster, 18th July

Arguably the best moth, if not the most attractive, was the last moth I saw.  Found in Rob's trap as he was packing it up, it was a small greyish Gelechiid that none of us who were left recognised.  I took it home and was still unable to identify it when I looked through the Gelechiid photos on the Norfolk Moths website.  Turned out that was because there weren't any photos of this species which I eventually identified (and confirmed by gen detting) as Saltern Neb Monochroa tetragonella, a Red Data Book species with only one other county record in the last 35 years.

Saltern Neb Monochroa tetragonella, Brancaster, 18th July

Another 5 species were completely new to me: Roseate Marble Celypha rosaceana, Saltmarsh Grass-veneer Pediasia aridella, 2 Crescent Stripeds, Lyme Grass and 4 Saltern Ears.

Crescent Striped, Brancaster, 18th July

Lyme Grass, Brancaster, 18th July

Saltern Ears (female above, male below, both gen det), Brancaster, 18th July

Roseate Marble Celypha rosaceana, Brancaster, 18th July

Saltmarsh Grass-veneer Pediasia aridella, Brancaster, 18th July

Other good macros included Rosy Wave, White-line Dart, 2 Archer's Darts, Sand Dart, Dog's Tooth and Rosy Minor, all of which were either my second or third records.

Rosy Minor, Brancaster, 18th July

White-line Dart, Brancaster, 18th July

Other macros included Willow Beauty, Pine Hawkmoth, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, 4 Brown-tails, 6 White Satins, Common Footman, 3 Garden Tigers, 2 Ruby Tigers, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 6 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Campion, 2 Clays, Striped Wainscot, 9 Smoky Wainscots, Sycamore, 6 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, Common Rustic, Silver Y and Dotted Fan-foot. 

Pine Hawkmoth, Brancaster, 18th July

Ruby Tiger, Brancaster, 18th July

Common Rustic (male, gen det), Brancaster, 18th July

Among the micros other highlights were 2 Silver-streaked Case-bearers Coleophora limoniella, Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Saltmarsh Bell Eucosma tripoliana, 3 Pale-streak Grass-veneers Agriphila selasella, Sandhill Knot-horn Anerastia lotella and 4 Saltmarsh Plumes Agdistis bennetii.

Silver-streaked Case-bearer Coleophora limoniella, Brancaster, 18th July

Saltmarsh Bell Eucosma tripoliana, Brancaster, 18th July

Saltmarsh Plume Agdistis bennetii, Brancaster, 18th July

A couple of Bactra were retained that looked interesting.  The commoner Bactra lancealana is variable but neither of these two matched the most typical form.  The scarcer Bactra species have forms that do match these individuals so we hoped they'd prove to be either of the scarcer species.  In fact the one I retained turned out to be Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, and so did the one dissected by one of the other attendees.

Rush Marble Bactra lancealana (female, gen det), Brancaster, 18th July

Other micros were Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 5 Saltern Groundlings Scrobipalpa instabilella, 3 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 30 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella and Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella.

Saltern Groundlings Scrobipalpa instabilella (males, gen det), Brancaster, 18th July

Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana (male, gen det), Brancaster, 18th July