Gypsy Lane, Brancaster

Dave and I headed up to Gypsy Lane, Brancaster for some moths on the night of 16th July.  We didn't manage to find any new moths for me, although may have come close as we were buzzed by something that may well have been a Lappet.  Frustratingly it didn't stop.  Still a good evening with several noteworthy species seen.  Among the highlights were 2 Saltmarsh Case-bearers Coleophora atriplicis, White-strap Sober Syncopacma larseniella (a species I'd seen for the first time only a week earlier), Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, 2 Hemlock Yellow Conches Aethes beatricella, Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, 3 Acorn Piercers Pammene fasciana, Small Elephant Hawkmoth, Striped Wainscot, 2 Southern Wainscots, Lyme Grass, Fen Wainscot, 2 Cream-bordered Green Peas and Dotted Fan-foot.

Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana, Brancaster, 16th July

 Lyme Grass, Brancaster, 16th July

White-strap Sober Syncopacma larseniella, Brancaster, 16th July

Saltmarsh Case-bearer Coleophora atriplicis, Brancaster, 16th July

Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Brancaster, 16th July

Hemlock Yellow Conch Aethes beatricella, Brancaster, 16th July

Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, Brancaster, 16th July

This Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana was living up to its vernacular name more than usual - it lacked the pale shoulders that are normally a determining feature of this species.

 Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana (female, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Other micros were Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 6 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, 4 Saltern Groundlings Scrobipalpa instabilella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 4 Bulrush Cosmets Limnaecia phragmitella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, 3 Water-mint Conches Phalonidia manniana, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Pine Marbles Piniphila bifasciana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, White-backed Marble Hedya salicella, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 4 Cock's-head Bells Zeiraphera isertana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, 2 White-foot Bells Epiblema foenella, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Pale-bordered Piercer Grapholita janthinana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 3 Wainscot Veneers Chilo phragmitella, 20 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 2 Base-lined Greys Scoparia basistrigalis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis and 2 Dotted Oak Knot-horns Phycita roborella.

Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis (female, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Brancaster, 16th July

Pale-bordered Piercer Grapholita janthinana, Brancaster, 16th July

Water-mint Conch Phalonidia manniana (female, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Cock's-head Bells Zeiraphera isertana, Brancaster, 16th July

Saltern Groundling Scrobipalpa instabilella (female, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Other macros were Ghost Moth, 5 Drinkers, 5 Buff Arches, Common Emerald, Single-dotted Wave, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, 2 Barred Straws, Barred Yellow, V-Pug, Green Pug, Small Yellow Wave, Clouded Border, Latticed Heath, Brimstone Moth, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 6 Swallow-tailed Moths, 2 Peppered Moths, 2 Mottled Beauties, Light Emerald, Privet Hawkmoth, 2 Poplar Hawkmoths, Elephant Hawkmoth, 40 Brown-tails, 2 Yellow-tails, White Satin, 2 Round-winged Muslins, 2 Rosy Footmen, Dingy Footman, 3 Scarce Footmen, Common Footman, Ruby Tiger, Flame, Flame Shoulder, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Clay, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Poplar Greys, Small Angle Shades, Dun-bar, Dark Arches, Light Arches, Marbled Minor, 2 Rufous Minors, Tawny Marbled Minor, Uncertain, Plain Golden Y, Beautiful Hook-tip and Fan-foot.

Drinker (female), Brancaster, 16th July

Rufous Minors (females, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Tawny Marbled Minor (male, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

With no lifers among the moths perhaps the best observation was a hoverfly - my first Volucella inflata (although I've spent a lot less effort recording hoverflies than moths so it's much easier to find lifers among them).  This is a southern species that only extends up as far as Lincolnshire.

Volucella inflata, Brancaster, 16th July

Other non-Lepidopteran interest included a 10-spot Ladybird and both Cockchafer and Summer Chafer (and a Hobby).

10-spot Ladybird, Brancaster, 16th July