Alder Signal

After a great night on 7th July the following night was dire - chalk and cheese with 118 species one night and just 29 the next.  Despite the poor showing I managed two new for the year: Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis and Ear Moth.

Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, North Elmham, 8th July

Ear Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 8th July

The others were Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 2 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 15 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Lesser Cream Wave, Small Fan-footed Wave, Dwarf Cream Wave, 6 Single-dotted Waves, Yellow Shell, 2 Early Thorns, Willow Beauty, 4 Dingy Footmen, 29 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, 8 Smoky Wainscots, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, 18 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Mottled Rustic and Nut-tree Tussock.

Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, North Elmham, 8th July

Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 8th July

It wasn't all bad - I managed to identify a new beetle, the water beetle Ilybius fuliginosus.  Also the soldier beetle Rhagonycha fulva and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

Ilybius fuliginosus, North Elmham, 8th July

Next morning this Common Darter was perched on the buddleia, my first here this year.

Common Darter, North Elmham, 9th July

The moths were back on form that night topping 100 species again.  My second ever Alder Signal Stathmopoda pedella was the highlight.

Alder Signal Stathmopoda pedella, North Elmham, 9th July

Also new for the year were Sorrel Bent-wing Opostega salaciella, Cherry Fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, Grey-streaked Smudge Plutella porrectella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 2 White-triangle Buttons Acleris holmiana, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella and Ruby Tiger.

Sorrel Bent-wing Opostega salaciella, North Elmham, 9th July

Cherry Fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, North Elmham, 9th July

Grey-streaked Smudge Plutella porrectella, North Elmham, 9th July

Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, North Elmham, 9th July

White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, North Elmham, 9th July

Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, North Elmham, 9th July

Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella, North Elmham, 9th July

Ruby Tiger, North Elmham, 9th July

Other micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 28 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, 3 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, 3 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella, Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, 3 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, probable Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Rusty Oak Buttons Acleris ferrugana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 2 Bud Moths Spilonota ocellana, 50 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 6 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 3 Yellow Satin Veneers Crambus perlella, 3 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 17 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis and Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella.

Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 9th July

Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, North Elmham, 9th July

The macros were 2 Chinese Characters, Small Emerald, 8 Blood-veins, 2 Lesser Cream Waves, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, 6 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Riband Waves, 3 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow Shell, 2 Barred Straws, Brown Scallop, Green Pug, 3 Small Yellow Waves, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Early Thorns, 4 Scalloped Oaks, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, 3 Clouded Silvers, Brown-tail, Yellow-tail, 7 Rosy Footmen, 25 Dingy Footmen, 2 Scarce Footmen, Buff Footman, 28 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Heart and Dart, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 7 Double Square-spots, 4 Nutmegs, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 3 Dun-bars, Dark Arches, Light Arches, Slender Brindle, Rufous Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Common Rustic, 20 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Marbled White Spot, Nut-tree Tussock, 2 Spectacles, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3 Straw Dots, Snout, 4 Fan-foots and Small Fan-foot.

Mayflies were represented by 2 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita.  The green lacewings were Cunctochrysa albolineata and Dichochrysa flavifrons.

A good variety of caddisflies included my first Oxyethira falcata.  Also 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Agrypnia pagetana, Limnephilus lunatus, Athripsodes aterrimus and Ceraclea dissimilis.

Oxyethira falcata (female), North Elmham, 9th July

Beetles consisted of Brown Chafer, Rhygonycha fulva, Orange Ladybird and Lagria hirta.  There was the leafhopper Ianus lanio while other bugs consisted of 2 Stenotus binotatus and another Macrotylus solitarius - my third this summer of this species that had only been recorded in Norfolk once before.

Macrotylus solitarius, North Elmham, 9th July