Two micro ticks and a striking Figwort Sawfly larva

After the previous day's poor showing, 6th August was another great night.  Although 290 moths of 89 species was some way short of the best this summer they included two lifers, and any night with two ticks has to be a good night.  Both were pine-feeders: Pine Leaf-mining Moth Clavigesta purdeyi and New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella, neither enormously rare but still good to get under the belt.  I was surprised how distinctive the latter was - not only very strikingly marked but also massive - quite a different beast from other Dioryctria that I've seen before.

Pine Leaf-mining Moth Clavigesta purdeyi, North Elmham, 6th August

New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella, North Elmham, 6th August

Nothing else was new for the year but there were some notable moths among the micros including Grey Ermine Yponomeuta sedella, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis and Chalk Knot-horn Phycitodes maritima.

Grey Ermine Yponomeuta sedella, North Elmham, 6th August

Other micros were 2 Ribwort Slenders Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 10 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 4 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 2 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 4 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 3 Holly Tortrices Rhopobota naevana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 3 Round-winged Drills Dichrorampha simpliciana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 48 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 24 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 18 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis and Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella.

Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 6th August

Dark Umber, Fen Wainscot and Small Rufous were the best macros, the rest being Small Blood-vein, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, 5 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, 2 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, Slender Pug, Scorched Carpet, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, 5 Willow Beauties, Pebble Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, Buff-tip, 6 Yellow-tails, 5 Rosy Footmen, 10 Dingy Footmen, 11 Scarce Footmen, 8 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 5 Ruby Tigers, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 12 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, Lychnis, Smoky Wainscot, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, 4 Dusky Sallows, Flounced Rustic, 3 Ear Moths, 7 Uncertains, Rustic, 3 Nut-tree Tussocks, Straw Dot, Snout and Fan-foot.

Dark Umber, North Elmham, 6th August

 Small Rufous, North Elmham, 6th August

This rather striking caterpillar was found on the Buddleia.  If I'm not mistaken it's a Figwort Sawfly, a species that's supposed to feed on Figwort, as its name suggests.  I'm not sure if that's meant to be Figwort in the strict sense or anything in the Figwort family, but the leafmines website doesn't give this species among those that feed on Buddleia.  With that being in the Figwort family though, I suspect it's appearance on the Buddeia was not coincidental.

Figwort Sawfly larva on Buddleia, North Elmham, 6th August