Early April - moths starting to appear

No April fools on 1st April but an Early Grey was new for the year.  Not many other moths: Small Quaker, Clouded Drab and 9 Hebrew Characters.

Early Grey, North Elmham, 1st April

Next day this Varied Carpet Beetle Anthrenus verbasci appeared in the house (as usual, in a room without carpets).  This one was my first this year.

Varied Carpet Beetle Anthrenus verbasci, North Elmham, 2nd April

That night Twin-spotted Quaker made it on to the year list.Others moths were 2 Shoulder Stripes, Oak Beauty, Common Quaker, 6 Clouded Drabs, 11 Hebrew Characters and 2 Chestnuts.

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham, 2nd April

It missed its own month but a March Tubic Diurnea fagella was new for the year on 3rd April.  Other moths that night were 3 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, 3 Oak Beauties, Red Chestnut, 2 Small Quakers, 5 Common Quakers, 7 Clouded Drabs, Twin-spotted Quaker and 9 Hebrew Characters.

March Tubic Diurnea fagella, North Elmham, 3rd April

A single new moth for the year for the fourth consecutive night on 4th, this time Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.  Also that night: Oak Beauty, Dotted Border, 3 Small Quakers, Common Quaker, 3 Clouded Drabs, 5 Hebrew Characters and Black Sexton Beetle.

Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, North Elmham, 4th April

The following night's moths were March Moth, 3 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, 2 Twin-spotted Quakers and 10 Hebrew Characters. The only new species for the year in the trap was this Buff-tailed Bumblebee (I guess the tick it was carrying would have been too had I been able to identify it).

Buff-tailed Bumblebee, North Elmham, 5th April

The following night produced March Moth, 2 Small Quakers, Common Quaker, 8 Clouded Drabs, 10 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

On Saturday 7th I took a birding group round Minsmere in Suffolk.  As I was tucking into a slice of Chocolate Challenge at the cafe after we'd finished I felt a sharp nip to the back of my hand.  The culrpit turned out to be this Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum.

Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum, Minsmere, 7th April

A good variety of moths at home that night, though an Engrailed was the only one that was new for the year.  The others were 6 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Shoulder Stripe, Red Chestnut, 10 Small Quakers, 7 Common Quakers, 7 Clouded Drabs, Twin-spotted Quaker, 11 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and Chestnut.

Engrailed, North Elmham, 7th April

There were a few other insects caught too, including my first green lacewing of the year, a male Chrysoperla carnea, and my first leafhopper of the year, Empoasca vitis.  Having recently joined the Dipterists Forum I thought I'd try my hand at identifying a fly, but failed.  I think it belonged to the family Simuliidae but I couldn't get any further than that.

Chrysoperla carnea (male), North Elmham, 7th April

Epoasca vitis, North Elmham, 7th April

Simuliid fly sp., North Elmham, 7th April

The following night was quieter with just 4 Small Quakers, 3 Common Quakers, Twin-spotted Quaker, 17 Hebrew Characters and Black Sexton Beetle. Next day was even worse with Varied Carpet Beetle inside, 3 Small Quakers and 7 Hebrew Characters.

The night of 10th April was more promising and hopes were raised when I went to have a quick look round the outside of the trap before I went to bed as the first two moths I saw were both new for the year: Water Carpet (not quite annual here) and Brindled Pug.  It turned out they were the only new for the year but a reasonable variety included March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Red Chestnut, 7 Small Quakers, 4 Common Quakers, 3 Clouded Drabs, 2 Twin-spotted Quakers, 23 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

Brindled Pug, North Elmham, 10th April

Water Carpet, North Elmham, 10th April

Another new moth for the year the following night: Early Thorn.  That was my 30th moth species this year - pretty poor for 11th April (last year I was on 47 by this time despite having spent a week out of the county in early April).  Also March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Red Chestnut, 6 Small Quakers, 4 Common Quakers, Twin-spotted Quaker, 15 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

Early Thorn, North Elmham, 11th April