December Moth Poecilocampa populi - Totals of 22 in the garden between 16th November and 5th December 2019 and 37 between 6th November and 12th December 2020. These were my best totals so far and included peaks of 7 on 22nd November 2019 (a record count) and 6 on 24th November 2020. Also caterpillars in the garden on 23rd March 2019 and 5th April 2020. Elsewhere singles at the meadows in both years.
December Moth, North Elmham, 23rd November 2019
December Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th November 2019
December Moth caterpillar, North Elmham, 5th April 2020
December Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th November 2020
Pale Eggar Trichiura crategi - Singles trapped at home on 4 dates between 28th August and 5th September 2019 and on 24th August 2020. Even allowing for the possibility of having re-trapped the same individual once or twice the 2019 series was a good showing as I've only ever caught 2 before (2015 and 2016).
Pale Eggar, North Elmham, 28th August 2019
Pale Eggar, North Elmham, 24th August 2020
Lackey Malacosama neustria - None. I've never seen this species although it seems to be common enough in various parts of Norfolk. Not round here though - a complete lack of modern-day records anywhere near here until one in the Reepham area in 2020 - maybe there is hope?
Small Eggar Eriogaster lanestris - None. I'm yet to record this species at home despite seeing a colony of caterpillars in next door's hedge in 2018, less than 50m away from my moth trap. It appears that this species doesn't come to light easily - I've only ever trapped one adult anywhere.
Oak Eggar Lasiocampa quercus - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 and one in the garden on 13th July 2020, my 5th record here in 6 years.
Oak Eggar, North Elmham, 13th July 2020 - making a Large Yellow Underwing look small
Fox Moth Macrothylacia rubi - None in Norfolk but 4 caterpillars at various points along the Cornish coast between Porthgwarra Moor and St Loy in October 2020. Despite being quite easy to find in the Brecks, the west Norfolk heaths and parts of the east coast this species appears to be completely absent from central Norfolk, even from the heathy areas. In view of that I'm probably not very likely to record one locally, but you never know...
Fox Moth caterpillar, St Loy (Cornwall), 5th October 2020
Drinker Euthrix potatoria - 2 very poor years for this species with singles in the garden moth trap on just 3 dates, 16th and 20th July 2019 and 20th July 2020. I've averaged 4 a year here and never had as few as one before. Elsewhere 2 at the meadows, 2 at Bintree Wood and singles at Hellesdon and Mull.
Drinker, Carsaig (Mull), 11th June 2019
Drinker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020
Lappet Gastropacha quercifolia - This was the main target on a visit to Brancaster dunes with Will and Sarah on 2nd July 2020 and we were made up when one came in to the LED lights. An absolutely incredible moth, and one that had long been high up on my most-wanted list.
Lappet, Brancaster, 2nd July 2020
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EMPEROR (SATURNIIDAE)
Emperor Moth Saturnia pavonia - Attracted to pheremone lure here on 21st April 2019 and 9th April 2020, my second and third records here. Also 5 to lure at the meadows between 29th March and 20th April 2019 and one on 8th April 2020.
Emperor Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th March 2019
Emperor Moth, North Elmham, 21st April 2019
Emperor Moth, North Elmhamn Cathedral Meadows, 8th April 2020 (I had the lure out for just a couple of minutes; these were taken after I'd put it away but the smell must have remained on the surface where I'd placed it (it did fly off after a while)
Emperor Moth,
North Elmham, 9th April 2020
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HAWK-MOTHS (SPHINGIDAE)
Lime Hawk-moth Mimas tiliae - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019. I've only ever had one of these at home (2016) - not sure where my nearest Limes are. I had one at the meadows in 2018 despite no limes there either. None in 2020.
Eyed Hawk-moth Smerinthus ocellata - None in the garden moth trap in 2019 despite averaging 7-8 a year over the previous 4 years, but 7 here between 20th May and 25th June 2020. Elsewhere 2 to LED lights at the meadows, 2 at Weybourne and 2 at Brancaster.
Eyed Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019
Eyed Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020
Eyed Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th June 2020
Poplar Hawk-moth Laothoe populi - Totals of 32 at home between 7th May and 27th August 2019 and 40 between 9th May and 16th August - fairly typical years. Elsewhere 2 next door, 2 at the meadows, 5 at Hellesdon, 3 at Weybourne and singles at Bintree Wood, Hills and Holes and on Mull.
Poplar Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019
Poplar Hawk-moths, North Elmham, 26th May 2019
Poplar Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 9th May 2020
Convolvulus Hawk-moth Agrius convolvuli - None. The only example of this migrant species that I've ever trapped was in my garden in October 2016. My garden doesn't do well for migrants generally so it's never likely to be more than a very occasional visitor here.
Privet Hawk-moth Sphinx ligustri - 8 caught in my garden between 5th June and 4th August 2019 and 9 between 26th May and 6th July 2020, fairly typical showings. Elsewhere one at the meadows and one at Weybourne.
Privet Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 5th June2019 - with a Treble Lines for scale
Privet Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 6th July 2020
Pine Hawk-moth Sphinx pinastri - One in the garden trap on 22nd July 2019. That was only my 5th since moving in in August 2014 so it was pretty remarkable that I caught 8 here between 19th May and 29th July 2020 (all singles except 2 on 18th July). Elsewhere one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and 3 at Bintree Wood in 2020.
Pine Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 22nd July 2019
Pine Hawk-moth, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019
Pine Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 18th July 2020
Pine Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 29th July 2020
Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth Hemaris fuciformis - None. I've never recorded this species locally but there are a small number of recent records from not far away so it's feasible that I will someday.
Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum - One at the meadows on 29th July 2019 hovered briefly at a Rosebay Willowherb flower but didn't actually feed before flying off, and I was unable to relocate it. I've never recorded this species in my garden but with it being a small sheltered garden there isn't much room to grow suitable sun-loving flowers.
Bedstraw Hawk-moth Hyles gallii - None. I've never seen this scarce migrant locally (only at the coast where it breeds). Records in mid Norfolk are few and far between but there's a chance I might get one here one day.
Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor - Totals of 37 caught in the garden between 30th May and 1st August 2019 and 33 between 18th May and 23rd July 2020 - both at or close to the bottom end of the range of annual numbers of this species here. Elsewhere 3 at the meadows, 5 at Hellesdon, 2 at Weybourne, one at Brancaster and a total of 8 on Mull. A neighbour asked my to go and have a look at a mystery creature she had found on a plant in her garden on 16th August 2020 - it was an Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar.
Elephant Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 30th May 2019
Elephant Hawk-moth, Carsaig (Mull), 11th June 2019
Elephant Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019
Elephant Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 17th July 2020
Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar, North Elmham, 16th August 2020
Small Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila porcellus - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019. I caught 3 in my garden in 2015 and one the following year but none now for 4 consecutive years. None in 2020.
Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Weybourne, 5th July 2019
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