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.

Thursday 8 April 2021

Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: smaller Black Arches, Silver-lines, Nycteoline and allies (Nolidae)

SMALLER BLACK ARCHES, SILVER-LINES, NYCTEOLINE and allies (NOLIDAE)


Kent Black Arches Meganola albula - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.  I've not recorded this species locally but that's not very surprising as it's predominantly coastal in Norfolk (although there are widespread inland records so it wouldn't be altogether surprising to catch one here).

Kent Black Arches, Weybourne, 5th July 2019



Short-cloaked Moth Nola cucullatella - Totals of 14 caught in my garden between 29th June and 17th July 2019 and 9 between 24th June and 11th July 2020.  2019 was my best year yet (average 9 a year).  4 on 8th July 2019 was my highest count so far and the one on 17th July my latest ever.  Elsewhere one at the meadows, one at Weybourne and 3 at Brancaster.

Short-cloaked Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019



Least Black Arches Nola confusalis - Singles at home on 21st and 27th May 2020 but none here in 2019.  I don't get many here - 2-3 a year is typical (8 in 2016) but 2019 was my first blank year.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 22nd April 2019, one on Mull on 13th June 2019 and one at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020.

Least Black Arches, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 22nd April 2019


Least Black Arches, North Elmham, 27th May 2020



Scarce Silver-lines Bena bicolorana - None.  I caught 3 of these in my garden in July 2016 but haven't had any others in the 6 summers I've lived here.


Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana - One caught in the garden on 23rd June 2019.  Hard to beat these - if you press me to tell you my favourite moth I may well give you this as my answer.  I don't get many here - none in 2018 or 2020 and only 9 here in 5 years.

Green Silver-lines, North Elmham, 23rd June 2019



Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana - One trapped in the garden on 24th July 2019 was only my 3rd record here.  Also found at the Cathedral Meadows on 22nd April and 26th July 2019 and my only record in 2020 was one at Cranwich Heath on 14th March.

Oak Nycteoline, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 22nd April 2019


Oak Nycteoline, North Elmham, 24th July 2019


Oak Nycteoline, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 26th July 2019


Oak Nycteoline, Cranwich Heath, 14th March 2020



Cream-bordered Green Pea Earias clorana - One in the garden trap on 31st July 2020 but 2019 was my first blank year here (though I never see more than 3 a year here).  Elsewehere one at the meadows on 25th May 2019 and 18th July 2020, one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019, one at Hellesdon on 14th July 2019 and one at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020 (my earliest ever). 

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 25th May 2019


Cream-bordered Green Pea, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020


Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 18th July 2020


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