Garden-first Cochylis hybridella

Just 12 days earlier I had seen my first ever White-bodied Conch Cochylis hyrbidella at Surlingham; now on Thursday 7th September I had one in my garden trap.  It sounds like this species has become much commoner in Norfolk in recent years.

White-bodied Conch Cochylis hybridella, North Elmham, 7th September

A Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana was new for the year.

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 7th September

Other than those it was pretty quiet: Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Flounced Rustics and 4 Snouts.  Also 2 Small Silver Sedges Lepidostoma hirtum, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus (all caddisflies), Lamprotettix nitidulus (leafhopper) and 2 Aphodius rufipes (beetles).

15 moths of 7 species was pretty dire the following night: 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Light Emerald, Square-spot Rustic and 5 Flounced Rustics.

Even fewer moths the following night but they did include my first Frosted Orange of the year.  The others were Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Green Carpet, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Square-spot Rustic, 6 Flounced Rustics and Burnished Brass.

Frosted Orange, North Elmham, 9th September

There wasn't much excitement the following night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Currant Pug, Brimstone Moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow, Flounced Rustic, Frosted Orange, Burnished Brass, 4 Snouts and the beetle Aphodius rufipes.

The highlight on 11th was 2 Purple Bars, the first time I've recorded this species in September and the first time I've had more than one in a night at home.  Other moths were 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Common Wainscot, 6 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic and 8 Snouts.

This Feathered Thorn was new for the year on Tuesday 12th:

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 12th September

Other moths were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 9 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, Flame Shoulder, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Common Wainscot, 2 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic and 3 Snouts.  Also the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, the beetle Aphodius rufipes and caddisflies 5 Limnephilus auricula and 5 Limnephilus lunatus.

A Sallow and 3 Lunar Underwings were new species for the year on the otherwise unremarkable night of Wednesday 13th.  The rest were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Flounced Rustic and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

Sallow, North Elmham, 13th September

Lunar Underwing, North Elmham, 13th September

A slight improvement in numbers the following night, though nothing very remarkable: Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Lunar Underwing, Flounced Rustic, Burnished Brass and 5 Snouts.  Four species of caddisfly were all from the same genus: Limnephilus flavicornis, 4 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus vittatus. There was also the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum and a Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae.

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 14th September

The following night was back to normal with Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lunar Underwing, 3 Flounced Rustics, Snout and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

Clothes Moth and some bugs

After posting yesterday morning I discovered a Clothes Moth in the house - proved to be Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella.

Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 4th April

Dave and I had a look round the patch during the afternoon mainly in the hope of finding some birds but also keeping an eye out for insects.  Many tree trunks were examined, mostly producing nothing, but a single moth was found: March Tubic Diurnea fagella.

March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Bittering, 5th April

This small caterpillar has us stumped - any ideas what it is?  It was on Oak if that helps... [edit 11th April: I think I have an ID now... Common Footman]

Common Footman, Bittering, 5th April

There was also a Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae:

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, Bittering, 5th April

Dave found this leafhopper which I later identified as a Zygina sp. using the very helpful British Bugs website.  Zygina suavis is very similar to Zygina tiliae and requires gen detting (I don't know how) to confirm, but under the microscope the dark hind tarsus seems to have a slightly paler base which apparently makes it likely to be suavis.

probable Zygina suavis, Bittering, 5th April

A pleasant mild evening with enough cloud cover to make us think about trapping locally, but we knew it was clearing up and the temperatures would fall, and both of us had other things to be getting on with, so we decided against it.  It did clear up, the temperatures did fall and when I woke up this morning the moon was so bright I thought it was the MV light reflecting in my bedroom window!  If the contents of my home trap are anything to go by then I'm glad we didn't bother trapping elsewhere - just a single March Moth and 2 Early Greys!