Some interesting bugs and leafhoppers

I hadn't seen much in the way on non-avian wildlife on a visit to Burnham Overy on Saturday 16th September, but when I entered Holkham Pines I noticed something on my shoulder.  I duly potted it up and identified it as the distinctive bug Pilophorus cinnamopterus, a new one for me.  I contacted Rob Coleman the county recorder for bugs as there were no records in Norfolk showing on the NBN Atlas.  Turns out it's quite an interesting record, first recorded in Norfolk in 2013.  It's only the 5th record in Norfolk and apparently the other four were all from west Norfolk.

Pilophorus cinnamopterus, Holkham, 16th September

I also found a leafhopper at Holkham and this turned out to be Ribautiana cruciata.  Again the NBN Atlas doesn't show any records in Norfolk though it is quite widespread so I don't imagine it is really very unusual here.  Mind you, there aren't any photos on the British Bugs website which is perhaps an indicator of genuine scarcity?  Anyway, I will check with the county recorder for leafhoppers in due course.

Ribautiana cruciata, Holkham, 16th September

I was pretty much expecting that this fungus would turn out to be Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus but from what I could tell looking through my books it seemed to be a better fit for the more unusual Coprinus sterquilinus.  Thanks again to James for confirming that it was indeed Shaggy Inkcap, and for identifying the yellow stuff as Fuligo septica.

Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus, or possibly Coprinus sterquilinus?, Holkham, 16th September

Fuligo septica, Holkham, 16th September

That evening was the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Buckenham Carrs.  It was an exploratory visit really as some of us are hoping to do a bit more here next year.  It certainly seems like an excellent site, although the weather was not really much good on this occasion.  The only moths we found were Flame Carpet, Green Carpet, Dusky Thorn, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 4 Square-spot Rustics, Brindled Green, Angle Shades and Snout.  There were about 4 each of the caddisflies Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus flavicornis (probably more - these were just the ones I identified) and lots (25+) of Hornets.

I also found a leafhopper which on dissection proved to be Edwardsiana flavescens.  Now I know that the datasets on the NBN Atlas are very incomplete so there not being any Norfolk records of this species showing there may not be significant.  The fact that the NBN Atlas shows just two records in the whole of the UK might mean this one really is more significant though, maybe.  Or it might just be a recent arrival to the UK perhaps.  I will be in contact with the county recorder for leafhoppers to check the status of this and the Ribautiana above, but I know Tony is very busy at the moment so it might be a while before I find out.

Edwardsiana flavescens (male, gen det), Buckenham Carrs, 16th September

At home I noticed a distinctive-looking spider so took its photo and attempted to identify it using the new Britain's Spiders book.  It seems to be Araneus marmoreus.

Araneus marmoreus, North Elmham, 16th September

Very little in the moth trap that night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lunar Underwing, 4 Flounced Rustics, 2 Snouts and Limnephilus lunatus.

The following night this Mallow was new for the year.

Mallow, North Elmham, 17th September

Other moths were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Lunar Underwings, 4 Flounced Rustics, Frosted Orange and Snout. An Aphodius rufipes was the only beetle but there was a selection of caddisflies: Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus auricula, 5 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus rhombicus.

Nothing remotely exciting in the following night's haul: Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Lunar Underwing, 7 Flounced Rustics, Frosted Orange, Snout and the caddisflies Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis and 4 Limnephilus lunatus.

Next day while birding in the Stiffkey area I found a Lesser Marsh Grasshopper and a final instar Common Green Shieldbug.

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper, Stiffkey Greens, 19th September

Common Green Shieldbug (final instar), Stiffkey Flood, 19th September

With its attractive peachy colour to its flesh I wondered if this might be Blushing Bracket but having looked it up I wasn't sure.  Thanks once again to James for confirming that it is in fact Chicken of the Woods (Sulphur Polypore).

Chicken of the Woods, Stiffkey Campsite Wood, 19th September

There were very few moths in the trap that night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 7 Lunar Underwings and 4 Flounced Rustics.

The following night was a little better with Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Centre-barred Sallow, 8 Lunar Underwings, 2 Flounced Rustics, 2 Frosted Oranges, Vine's Rustic and 9 Snouts.

There was also a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum (mayfly), an Aphodius rufipes (beetle) and 19 caddisflies: Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Limnephilus affinis, 2 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis and 13 Limnephilus lunatus.  The Limnephilus affinis were new for the house, though I imagine I overlooked them last year when I had to step down my efforts with caddisflies during the second half of the summer.

Limnephilus affinis (female), North Elmham, 20th September

Next day I had another Common Frog in my moth trap but it didn't eat all of the moths!  There was Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, 5 Lunar Underwings, 3 Flounced Rustics, 2 Frosted Oranges, 5 Snouts and the caddisflies Limnephilus auricula, 8 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus.

The 22nd was particularly rubbish with just Feathered Thorn, Square-spot Rustic, 12 Lunar Underwings, Frosted Orange, Snout, 6 Limnephilus lunatus (caddisflies) and the beetle Aphodius rufipes.