Bordered Beauty and more

After a relatively disappointing evening at Claxton with the Norfolk Moth Survey on 6th August I didn't have particularly high hopes for my own moth trap as I emptied it the following morning.  In fact it turned out to be an excellent night at home with several quality moths.  The impression was one of quality over quantity but actually even the quantity was respectable enough for August: 278 moths of 102 species.  There were several highlights but I suppose the moth of the night had to be this Bordered Beauty.  Technically I had seen one before as I happened to be round Dave's house when he had one in a pot that he'd caught the night before, but I don't normally count moths under those circumstances, and in any case it's far more exciting catching your own.

Bordered Beauty, North Elmham, 6th August

This Straw Flat-body Agonopterix kaekeritziana was perhaps the rarest moth of the night with only two records in Norfolk over the last 12 years (one of which was mine at my old house).  Quite a distinctive and subtly attractive Agonopterix in my opinion.

Straw Flat-body Agonopterix kaekeritziana, North Elmham, 6th August

Another moth that hadn't been recorded in Norfolk for a couple of years was Bog Dwarf Elachista utonella, until I caught one here on 26th July.  That one surprised me as it's a long way from any known sites, so it was interesting to trap another one on 6th August - presumably there must be a poplation not far away. rather than both of them having wandered half way across the county. 

Bog Dwarf Elachista utonella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th August

Not one but 2 Vetch Sobers Aproaerema anthyllidella were a surprise - new for the house and only my second and third ever.  It's another moth with relatively few county records but unlike the last this species seems to be increasing (or at least is being recorded more frequently) - the vast majority of records have been in the last few years.

Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th August

Also new for the house, though not so unexpected, was Sallow Marble Apotomis capreana. Several new for the year here too: 2 Sharp-winged Drills Dichrorampha acuminatana, 2 Orange Swifts, Maple Pug and Dusky Thorn.

Dusky Thorn, North Elmham, 6th August

Orange Swift, North Elmham, 6th August

Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, North Elmham, 6th August

The other macros that night were Drinker, 3 Pebble Hook-tips, Chinese Character, Small Fan-footed Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 8 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, 5 Common Carpets, Lime-speck Pug, Wormwood Pug, 3 Magpie Moths, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, Purple Thorn, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, 2 Pebble Prominents, 2 Swallow Prominents, 2 Pale Prominents, 6 Yellow-tails, 3 Black Arches, 4 Rosy Footmen, 9 Dingy Footmen, 4 Scarce Footmen, Common Footman, 2 Ruby Tigers, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 7 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 9 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, Lychnis, Brown-line Bright-eye, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, Grey Dagger, 2 Straw Underwings, 3 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, Common Rustic, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, Ear Moth, 2 Uncertains, 4 Nut-tree Tussocks, 12 Straw Dots and Fan-foot.

Lesser Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th August

The other micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 3 Ribwort Slenders Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 White Oak Midgets Phyllonorycter harrisella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, 4 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 2 House Groundlings Bryotropha domestica, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, 5 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, 4 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Maple Buttons Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 28 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 17 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 5 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 4 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, 10 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, North Elmham, 6th August

Other insects included the distinctive Brown Lacewing Micromus variegatus, a Lucerne Bug Adelphocoris lineolatus and Forest Bug (Red-legged Shieldbug).

Lucerne Bug Adelphocoris lineolatus, North Elmham, 6th August

Micromus variegatus, North Elmham, 6th August