North Denes

Last Saturday saw a Norfolk Moth Survey event at the North Denes, Great Yarmouth.  With it being such a good year for migrants and reasonable condtions forecast this was an opportunity not to miss.  As it turned out, it wasn't so good for migrants as we'd hoped for.  Maybe we packed up too early (a bit before midnight), but the number of migrant species recorded were lower than hoped: Silver Y, Dark Sword-grass, Small Mottled Willow and, a first for me, Scarce Bordered Straw.  Stuck in one of Jim's famously semi-opaque pots photographing the latter was a challenge... Someone get him some new pots!

Scarce Bordered Straw, Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

Another victim of Jim's pots was this Coast Dart, another lifer for me.

Coast Dart, Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

A couple of micro species were good.  Agate Knot-horn Nyctegretis lineana is a proposed Red Data Book species, in Norfolk known only from the south-east of the county.

Agate Knot-horn Nyctegretis lineana, Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

The other interesting micro was Sea-holly Flat-body Agonopterix cnicella.  We found quite a few of these - I reckon there must have been at least 10 - which is remarkable for such a scarce species, especially as they're supposed to fly in June-July!  Most were quite worn so it's not entirely clear whether these represent a second generation or are set to over-winter as some other Agonopterix species do.

Sea-holly Flat-bodies Agonopterix cnicella (males, gen det), Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

Looking through a hand-lens in the field we could see the diffuse dark area adjacent to the white spots but it wasn't until I looked through the microscope that I detected another external feature that appears to be distinctive.  All four individuals that I retained showed a few rusty-red scales adjacent to the white ones, and also in a diagonal line extending back from the base of the wing.  Never seen that on heracliana so maybe a useful ID pointer?  Not sure if it's consistent though - I can't detect it in some of the photos online.

Sea-holly Flat-body Agonopterix cnicella (close-up of discal region of top individual above), Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

Other notable micros were Large Groundling Teleiopsis diffinis, Desert Groundling Bryotropha desertella and 8 White-streak Grass-veneers Agriphila latistria.

Large Groundling Teleiopsis diffinis, Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

 Desert Groundling Bryotropha desertella (female, gen det), Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

The best of the other macros were 2 Yellow Belles and 3 Archer's Darts.  The other moths I saw were 4 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Common Carpet, 8 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 4 Square-spot Rustics, Straw Underwing, 2 Cloaked Minors and Snout.

Straw Underwing, Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana (male), Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

A couple of bug lifers for me too: Chorosoma schillingi and Lucerne Bug Adelphocoris lineolatus.

Lucerne Bug Adelphocoris lineolatus, Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September

Chorosoma schillingi, Great Yarmouth North Denes, 12th September