Best moth got away

Probably the best moth on the night of 3rd July got away, though I'm still hoping to recover it.  It was an Acleris sp. of the comariana/laterana type.  Every such Acleris I've ever checked has been laterana - I'm yet to see a confirmed (or even suspected) comariana.  But this was early (my earliest laterana so far is late July) and comariana starts flying early.  There had to be a good chance this was my first Stawberry Tortrix Acleris comariana.  I took one photo, went to take a better one and it scuttled.  It didn't exaclty fly, just fluttered along the desktop to a pile of papers.  I lifted the edge of the papers expecting to see it, but nothing.  I went through the pile piece by piece checking each one until I got to the bottom, and the moth still hadn't appeared!  I suspect it was on its last legs and may still be in my study somewhere.  Maybe when I have a good spring clean I'll find it...  That might be a while!

Acleris laterana agg., North Elmham, 3rd July - in view of the date perhaps most likely Strawberry Tortrix Acleris comariana, but got away before it could be confirmed

A few other moths were new for the year: 2 Speckled Case-bearers Coleophora sternipennella, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, Barred Yellow, July Highflyer and Swallow-tailed Moth.

Barred Yellow, North Elmham, 3rd July

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 3rd July

July Highflyer, North Elmham, 3rd July

Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, North Elmham, 3rd July

Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, North Elmham, 3rd July

Speckled Case-bearer Colephora sternipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd July

Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, North Elmham, 3rd July

Other micros were Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, 5 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 3 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 8 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 4 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella and Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella.

Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, North Elmham, 3rd July

False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, North Elmham, 3rd July

The other macros were Buff Arches, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, Barred Straw, Green Carpet, Clouded Border, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, Clouded Silver, Light Emerald, Elephant Hawkmoth, 2 Common Footmen, 10 Buff Ermines, 7 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Double Square-spots, 3 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, 2 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, 3 Dark Arches, Dusky Brocade, 2 Marbled Minors, 2 Tawny Marbled Minors, 2 Middle-barred Minors, 4 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Burnished Brasses, 2 Spectacles, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, 3 Straw Dots, 5 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Small Angle Shades, North Elmham, 3rd July

Caddisflies included my first confirmed Agrypnia varia, probably Hydropsyche siltalai and 3 Mystacides longicornis.  On the beetle front Summer Chafer was my first this year.

Agrypnia varia, North Elmham, 3rd July

Summer Chafer, North Elmham, 3rd July