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.

Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Pale November Moth and confusing fungi

Dave and I had seen one or two moths briefly at Caister on 26th which we didn't determine but which we suspected might have been Vapourers.  Next day I saw another at Burnham Overy and this time got a good enough look at it to confirm - it was indeed a Vapourer.

The fungi at Burnham Overy were interesting, but again showed up my inability to identify mushrooms.  I'd heard that Collared Earthstars are in the dunes and thought I might have found some, but they didn't seem to show much of a collar.  Are they Collared?  The ones in the books look more collared than these, but does the collar develop later, or are these something else?  Well thanks to James I now know that they are indeed Collared Earthstar - a new one for me.



Collared Earthstars, Burnham Overy, 27th October


Even more intriguing was this thing which having thumbed through my fungi guides I could only suggest Black Morel.  I realised that was unlikely as it's supposed to fruit in spring and the habitat was wrong, but couldn't find any better matches.  Well I should have trusted my initial instinct as Stinkhorn crossed my mind when I first saw it, but it looks so different from the Stinkhorns in my books.  Thanks to James I now know it is Dune Stinkhorn - I presume that's the same as Sand Stinkhorn Phallus hadriani.  In my defence only two of my four fungus ID books feature that species and only one illustrates it - an example with a far longer stem and shorter cap (the other book does describe it more helpfully, but only as a footnote under the commoner Stinkhorn species).


Dune Stinkhorn, Burnham Overy, 27th October


Moths that night included no less than 5 Sprawlers.  Also Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Red-green Carpets, November Moth agg. and Mottled Umber.

Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella, North Elmham, 27th October


Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 27th October


The next night was rubbish - just 2 Sprawlers.

The night of 29th brought my first Pale November Moth of the autumn.  Also Common Marbled Carpet, 3 Feathered Thorns, 3 Sprawlers, Green-brindled Crescent, Yellow-line Quaker and Beaded Chestnut.

Pale November Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 29th October

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