December's moths and things

A Chestnut was the only moth on 1st December but the following evening produced 2 Winter Moths, Feathered Thorn and another Chestnut.  3 Winter Moths and a Mottled Umber on 3rd were followed by a couple of nil returns.  Another Winter Moth showed up on 6th accompanied by the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

This spider appeared inside the house on 7th - so far I haven't been able to identify it as there seem to be a number of similar species.

unidentified spider, North Elmham, 7th December

A better showing on the night of 7th December: December Moth, 2 Winter Moths, Scarce Umber and 2 Mottled Umbers. Four species again the following night with Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, Winter Moth and Mottled Umber. Nice to get a migrant (the Rusty-dot Pearl) in December!

Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, North Elmham, 8th December

Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, North Elmham, 8th December

Other insects that night included Common Earwig, another Limnephilus lunatus and this Rove Beetle which I cannot identify.  Any help welcome!

unidentified Rove Beetle, North Elmham, 8th December

A surprise on 9th December was by far my latest ever Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea.  Apart from one in Cornwall in mid November my previous latest was 6th November, so over a month later than any I've recorded in Norfolk before.

Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, North Elmham, 9th December

A Mottled Umber was the only other moth that night, along with another Common Earwig and Limnephilus lunatus.  The following night produced Winter Moth, Mottled Umber and Chestnut, with just single Mottled Umbers the following two nights.  Next day I found a moth in the bathroom, presumably having come indoors the night before, or perhaps beforehand.  It proved to be a Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, only my second record at home this year.  Presumably it was trying to over-winter here.

Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, North Elmham, 13th December

That night there was another Mottled Umber and the bug Pinalitus cervinus.

Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham, 13th December

The following night there were 2 Winter Moths and a Mottled Umber.  No moths on 15th but another Pinalitus cervinus.

Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham, 15th December

A Mottled Umber on 16th and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus on 17th.  Winter Moth on 18th, Mottled Umber on 19th, nothing on 10th, 4 Winter Moths on 21st, nothing on 22nd and Winter Moth and Mottled Umber on 23rd.

Nothing on 24th or on the very mild but windy night of Christmas Day.  The ladybirds hibernating (or more accurately in winter dormancy - apparently insects don't actually hibernate in the strict sense of the word) in my study have noticed the change in temperatures though... some of them are going for little wanders now.