Description


A diary of my mothing activity covering highlights and photos from my moth trapping activities. Mainly Norfolk (UK), occasionally beyond. I may mention other wildlife sightings here, especially insects, but for birds see my birding diary.

Friday 12 April 2019

A rush of new autumnal moths for the year

A relatively good night on 27th September produced no less than four new macro moths for the year: Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, Brick and Red-line Quaker.

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 27th September


Black Rustic, North Elmham, 27th September


Brick, North Elmham, 27th September


Red-line Quaker, North Elmham, 27th September


Other moths that night were London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 22 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Small Dusty Wave, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 3 Riband Waves, Common Marbled Carpet, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 19 Lunar Underwings, Barred Sallow, Pink-barred Sallow and 2 Snouts.

There was a selection of caddisflies: Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, 3 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 3 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus. There was also the barkfly Ectopsocus petersi and 2 beetles Aphodius rufipes.  On the ground by the trap were another two beetles, Nebria brevicollis, and a Common Frog.

Well that little burst of activity was short-lived and it was back to normal the following night with just 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 12 Lunar Underwings and Sallow - oh, and a Common Earwig.

Just a Shuttle-shaped Dart and 18 Lunar Underwings on 29th.

It was a bit better again on 30th with Pine Carpet being the best moth.  It seems like these are getting commoner, or perhaps I was just a bit unlucky with them when I started mothing?  The other moths were Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Red-line Quaker, 3 Beaded Chestnuts, 23 Lunar Underwings and Sallow.

Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 30th September


There was a noteworthy caddisfly too, my first Limnephilus decipiens of the year.  The only other caddis were 3 Limnephilus lunatus.

Limnephilus decipiens, North Elmham, 30th September


Next day I headed down to Cornwall for a few days - more about that shortly...

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