There were a few caddisflies, the best of which was Hydropsyche instabilis on 4th, a species I've only seen once before. The other caddis were Limnephilus auricula (41 over the first 4 nights, max 23 on 2nd), Limnephilus lunatus (10 over the first 4 nights, max 5 on 2nd), Limnephilus sparsus (4 on 3 of the first 4 nights), Limnephilus vittatus (singles on each of the first 3 nights) and Halesus raidatus (4 on 3rd followed by up to 4 on each of the final 3 nights).
Hydropsyche instabilis, Tresidder, 4th October
Halesus radiatus, Tresidder, 3rd October
The only true bug to appear in the moth trap was this Pantilus tunicatus on 4th.
Pantilus tunicatus, Tresidder, 4th October
The best leafhopper I caught was a Ribautiana tenerrima (on 4th), a new species for me.
Ribautiana tenerrima, Tresidder, 4th October
Other leafhoppers were Empoasca vitis (1 on 3rd), Empoasca decipiens (2 on 4th), Fagocyba cruenta (different single males on 2nd and 4th) and Edwardsiana rosae (different single males on 2nd, 3rd and 4th; also a female Edwardsiana sp. on 3rd).
This striking barkfly (or booklouse) turned out to be Atlantopsocus adustus, a lifer for me.
Atlantopsocus adustus, Tresidder, 4th October
The only beetle I identified while I was in Cornwall was this one, a new species for me, Chrysolina banksii.
Chrysolina banksii, Tresidder, 4th October
This bee turned out to be a Common Furrow Bee Lasioglossum calceatum, a species I'd not identified before.
Common Furrow Bee, Tresidder, 3rd October
This Wall Brown butterfly was roosting in the garden near the trap on 2nd.
Wall Brown, Tresidder, 2nd October
There was a lot of grasshopper chirping going on in the garden but they always fell silent when I started pointing a torch in their direction so it was very hard to find them, and the sound didn't seem to quite match the sounds on the iRecord Grasshoppers app. Eventually I identified them as Meadow Grasshoppers, but I also found a single Field Grasshopper.
Meadow Grasshopper, Tresidder, 4th October
Field Grasshopper, Tresidder, 4th October
While trying to catch the grasshoppers I swept a couple of bugs, Stenodema laevigata and my first ever Ant Damsel Bug Himacerus mirmicoides, both on 2nd. Also 2 Common Shiny Woodlice on 2nd.
Stenodema laevigata, Tresidder, 2nd October
Ant Damsel Bug Himacerus mirmicoides, Tresidder, 2nd October
Well that's just what I found at the place we were staying. There were a few things to note from elsewhere too, though mainly my focus was on birds for the rest of the trip.
On 3rd October we walked down the Penberth Valley from our cottage and along the cliffs to Porthgwarra. Here there were lots of Ivy Bees, a new species for me although it has now colonised Norfolk. Butterflies at Porthgwarra included 2 Red Admirals, Speckled Wood and Wall Brown, and there were also 5 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana and a Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.
Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Rosketal, Porthgwarra, 3rd October
This thick caterpillar was on those huge-leaved plants (Gunnera I think?). I can't figure out what species it is - let me know if you can please!
unidentified caterpillar, Rosketal, Porthgwarra, 3rd October
As we walked back across the fields at Polgigga I found another caterpillar I can't identify. This was on the crop growing in the field - Oil Seed Rape or something similar.
unidentified caterpillar, Polgigga, 3rd October
I think I can identify two caterpillars I found on the moor at Porthgwarra the next morning - Fox Moths.
Fox Moth caterpillar, Porthgwarra Moor, 4th October
I also found a couple of Ivy Bees at Tresidder that day too.
Next day at Porthgwarra I found a few butterflies: Small Copper, 5 Red Admirals and 2 Speckled Woods. There were also a few moths including a Grey Pine Carpet and 5 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana. I spent some time looking for migrant birds at Trevean Pool and didn't find any, but I did find 3 migrant moths on the adjacent bit of moor: Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella and Silver Y.
Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, Trevean Pool/Porthgwarra Moor, 5th October
The only other migrant I found there was a Migrant Hawker. Also Common Darter.
Migrant Hawker, Trevean Pool, 5th October
I have seen mayflies doing what I took to be a display flight where they fly up and down in the air like a yo-yo, and imagined they would be males displaying. But I saw a mayfly doing this at Kenidjack and caught it in order to identify it. It turned out to be a female ready to lay eggs, a Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita.
Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita, Kenidjack Valley, 5th October
I didn't have much else to add after this, except for a few butterflies at Porthgwarra on the final morning (7th): Small Copper, 4 Red Admirals and Wall Brown.
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