The highlight of Thursday night, 31st May, was a new moth for the garden, Water-mint Conch Phalonidia manniana.
Water-mint Conch Phalnidia manniana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 31st May
A few others were new for the year including the marvellous Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, May Highflyer (just in time?), 2 Vine's Rustics and Burnished Brass.
Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, North Elmham, 31st May
Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, North Elmham, 31st May
May Highflyer, North Elmham, 31st May
Vine's Rustic, North Elmham, 31st May
Burnished Brass, North Elmham, 31st May
Other moths were 5 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 4 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Blood-veins, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, 5 Green Carpets, Mottled Pug, 4 Common Pugs, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Pale Oak Beauty, 2 Pale Tussocks, Orange Footman, 4 White Ermines, 2 Buff Ermines, 6 Heart and Darts, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Bright-line Brown-eye, 4 Common Wainscots, Brown Rustic, 8 Treble Lines, Spectacle and Straw Dot.
There was also a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum (mayfly), another Dasytes aeratus following my first ever the previous night and, new for the year, Cantharis decipiens.
Cantharis decipiens, North Elmham, 31st May
Next morning I went up to Brancaster mainly to look for birds, though of course I can't help looking at invertebrates at the same time. Moths along Gypsy Lane included Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Silver-ground Carpet and 15 Silver Ys. There were lots of moths on the golf-course too but the most unexpected was a lovely Tawny Wave, a Red Data Book species that is mainly found in the Brecks. There are very few records indeed from the north Norfolk coast, except for Scolt Head where Neil records them regularly. Looks like this was a good year for them there. Not sure if this one hopped across the chanel from Scolt or if they're breeding here too.
Tawny Wave, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June
Other moths here included 8 Plain Fanners Glyphipterix fuscoviridella, 26 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 3 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Yellow Shell, Green Carpet, 15 Cinnabars and 35 Silver Ys. Caterpillars included about 25 Brown-tails and a similar number of Garden Tigers.
Brown-tail caterpillar, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June
Garden Tiger caterpillar, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June
Among the butterflies Green Hairstreak was the highlight, along with Small Copper, c. 25 Common Blues, Painted Lady and about 25 Small Heaths.
Green Hairstreak, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June
I noticed a couple of masses of small dark insects clinging to the trunk of an Elder tree by the huts. Turns out they were Elder Aphids Aphis sambuci, the first time I've noticed any of these.
Elder Aphids Aphis sambuci, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June
There's a really impressive display of Yellow Rattle here too. This is a species I associate with damp meadows but apparently dry duneland habitat like this is good for it too.
Yellow Rattle, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June
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