Description


A diary of my mothing activity covering highlights and photos from my moth trapping activities. Mainly Norfolk (UK), occasionally beyond. I may mention other wildlife sightings here, especially insects, but for birds see my birding diary.

Tuesday, 13 October 2015

Knot Grass, Cherry Bark and Chocolate

The highlight on 14th August was my second ever Knot Grass, exactly one year after my first (also here).

Knot Grass, North Elmham, 14th August


Also new for the year were Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana and Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana.

 Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, North Elmham, 14th August


Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, North Elmham, 14th August



Other micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 3 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 6 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 41 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula stagnata, 4 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 18 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella and Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis.

The other macros were Orange Swift, Chinese Character, 2 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, 6 Single-dotted Waves, 22 Riband Waves, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Common Carpets, Maple Pug, Wormwood Pug, Tawny Speckled Pug, Brimstone Moth, Early Thorn, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 11 Willow Beauties, Coxcomb Prominent, Pale Prominent, 2 Yellow-tails, 3 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, Common Footman, Ruby Tiger, 10 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 5 Flame Shoulders, 8 Large Yellow Underwings, 15 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 3 Square-spotted Clays, Six-striped Rustic, Lychnis, Antler Moth, White-point, 2 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 3 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, Dusky Sallow, 3 Flounced Rustics, Ear Moth, 3 Uncertains, Dark Spectacle and 2 Straw Dots.


Next day I was birding at Burnham Overy and scored some lepidoptera while I was at it... Six species of butterfly included Grayling, 2 Wall Browns and Painted Lady, while moths included at least 15 Spindle Ermines Yponomeuta cagnagella and a Yellow Shell.

Among the moths at home on 15th only one was new for the year, and that a very common species: Square-spot Rustic.

Square-spot Rustic, North Elmham, 15th August


But there were some good moths too.  My first ever Cherry Bark Moth Enarmonia formosana was just a few weeks ago and tonight got me my second.  Like the first it wasn't the freshest of individuals so I still look forward to a proper fresh one, stunning as they look to be from the photos.  This one was worn enough that I decided it was safest to dissect it just to make sure I'd got it right.

Cherry Bark Moth Enarmonia formosana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 15th August


A Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis was pretty late - they normally fly between May and mid July, peaking in June.  There are a handful of later records and as this was quite worn I assume it was just a late flying individual rather than a second generation.

Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, North Elmham, 15th August


The rest were Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 11 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 31 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Chalk Knot-horn Phycitodes maritima, 2 Chinese Characters, Large Emerald, Blood-vein, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, Tawny Speckled Pug, Scalloped Oak, 3 Willow Beauties, 2 Pebble Prominents, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, Chocolate-tip, Dingy Footman, 4 Shuttle-shaped Darts, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, 6 Six-striped Rustics, Antler Moth, Straw Underwing, Dark Arches, 3 Flounced Rustics, Burnished Brass and Straw Dot.

Square-spotted Clay, North Elmham, 15th August


Next evening (16th) was much quieter: just Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 8 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Pebble Prominent, Swallow Prominent, Chocolate-tip, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, Square-spot Rustic and 6 Flounced Rustics.

Chocolate-tip, North Elmham, 16th August

No comments:

Post a Comment