Leopard Moth and Red-tipped Clearwing

New for the year on 4th July were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana and Leopard Moth.

Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, North Elmham, 4th July

Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, North Elmham, 4th July

Leopard Moth, North Elmham, 4th July

The other moths were 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, 3 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Drinker, Small Fan-footed Wave, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, Barred Straw, 3 Clouded Borders, 2 Willow Beauties, Engrailed, 2 Elephant Hawk-moths, Coxcomb Prominent, Dingy Footman, 33 Common Footmen, 11 Buff Ermines, Double Square-spot, Clay, 3 Smoky Wainscots, Dark Arches, 3 Common Rustics, 13 Uncertains, 5 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, 2 Burnished Brasses, Straw Dot and Fan-foot.

A whirligig beetle proved to be a Common Whirligig Gyrinus substriatus, the first time I have identified any of this family to species level.  There was also another Lagria hirta.

Common Whirligig Gyrinus substriatus, North Elmham, 4th July

Other things included the brown lacewings Hemerobius humulinus, the caddisflies Hydropsyche siltalai and Limnephilus marmoratus, a Common Toad and new for the garden, the common centipede Lithobius forficatus.

Common Lithobius Lithobius forficatus, North Elmham, 4th July

I left the pheromone lure for Red-tipped Clearwing out in the garden and attracted one Red-tipped Clearwing, my first of the year.

Red-tipped Clearwing, North Elmham, 4th July - with a close-up showing the vivid orange palps

A morning visit to the Cathedral Meadows was productive, being one of the better days for butterflies including 3 Large Whites, 13 Green-veined Whites, 35 Meadow Browns, 120 Ringlets, 5 Gatekeepers (the only date I saw multiple Gatekeepers this year), Essex Skipper and 20 Small Skippers.  Moths consisted of Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 3 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella and 6 Cinnabar caterpillars.

Essex Skipper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

I retained this Field Grasshopper in order to confirm its identification, not realising that it wasn't fully adult - when I looked at it later in the week it had moulted.

Field Grasshopper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

the same Field Grasshopper and its former skin on 9th July

Dragonflies included Banded Demoiselle and 2 Ruddy Darters.

Banded Demoiselle, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Ruddy Darter, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

There were lots of Common Red Soldier Beetles Rhagonycha fulva again (at least the two I checked were this species and the others looked the same), as well as 7-spot Ladybirds and Swollen-thighed Beetles.

A Yellow-legged Mining Bee Andrena flavipes was a new one for me; other hymenoptera included German Wasp, 10 Red-tailed Bumblebees and Common Carder Bee.  Hoverflies included probable Sphaerophoria taeniata, Cheilosia illustrata and Volucella pellucens.

Yellow-legged Mining Bee Andrena flavipes, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

I think this leafmine on a Sow-thistle belongs to the fly Liriomyza sonchi.

leafmine of Liriomyza sonchi on Sow-thistle sp., North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

I returned to the meadows that night for some moth-trapping.  This proved successful and I caught 104 species before heading home.  Although there was nothing enormously exciting among them there were plenty of good moths like Sorrel Bent-wing Opostega salaciella, Ash-bud Moth Prays fraxinella, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, 2 White-foot Bells Epiblema foenella, Large Grey Scoparia subfusca, Peach Blossom, Buff Arches and Dotted Fan-foot.

Ash-bud Moth Prays fraxinella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Large Grey Scoparia subfusca, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Buff Arches, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Dotted Fan-foot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

In theory you can't separate Orchard, Apple and Spindle Ermines from one another but I'm not sure either Apple or Spindle can ever get as grey as some Orchard Ermines, in which case this one was surely an Orchard Ermine Yponomeuta padella.

probable Orchard Ermine Yponomeuta padella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

The others were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Hawthorn Ermines Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 2 Common Oak Case-bearers Coleophora lutipennella, 2 Tipped Oak Case-bearers Coleophora flavipennella, 8 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, 3 Knapweed Conches Agapeta zoegana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 3 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, 4 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, 2 Green Oak Tortrixes Tortrix viridana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 2 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, 2 Bramble Shoots Notocelia uddmanniana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 3 Satin Grass-veneers Crambus perlella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 5 Dotted Oak Knot-horns Phycita roborella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 4 Riband Waves, Common Carpet, Barred Yellow, Small Rivulet, Bordered Pug, Small Yellow Wave, Clouded Border, 2 Brimstone Moths, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, 2 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, 2 Clouded Silvers, Poplar Hawk-moth, 4 Elephant Hawk-moths, Iron Prominent, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, Yellow-tail, Round-winged Muslin, Rosy Footman, Dingy Footman, 10 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, Ruby Tiger, Short-cloaked Moth, Heart and Dart, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 4 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, Clay, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, Poplar Grey, Knot Grass, Dun-bar, Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Dusky Sallow, Uncertain, Rustic, Mottled Rustic, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, Beautiful Hook-tip, Straw Dot, 2 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

White Plume Pterophorus pentadactylus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Brimstone Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Coxcomb Prominent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Rosy Footman, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th July

Other insects included Common Earwig, the caddisflies Goera pilosa and Limnephilus rhombicus and the beetle Lagria hirta.

Monopis obviella

After an excellent night's mothing at Warham Greens I returned home to check my garden moth trap - and it was busy!  Actually 244 moths of 98 species isn't remarkable for the second half of June but it was one of the best nights of the year so far and there were lots new for the year.  The highlight was a belated lifer, Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella.  I've had a few of the similar but rarer Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella before but obviella has eluded me until now.  When I did get a good candidate for one last year it managed to escape before I could confirm it, so nice to get one sorted at last.

Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th June

New for the house was Meadow Neb Metzneria metzneriella and it was interesting to compare it to a Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella (new for the year) - very similar but the rufousy tones along the costa on metzneriella were distinctive if subtle.

Meadow Neb Metzneria metzneriella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th June

Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th June

A Larch-bud Moth Spilonota laricana was only my second and new for the house.

Larch-bud-Moth Spilonota laricana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th June

An Osier Case-bearer Coleophora lusciniaepennella was only my third.

Osier Case-bearer Coleophora lusciniaepennella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th June

Others new for the year here were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, Giant Water-veneer Schoenobius gigantella, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Long-winged Pearl Anania lancealis, Small Blood-vein, Blue-bordered Carpet, Swallow-tailed Moth and one of my favourites, Green Silver-lines.

Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, North Elmham, 16th June

Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, North Elmham, 16th June

Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, North Elmham, 16th June

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, North Elmham, 16th June

Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, North Elmham, 16th June

Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, North Elmham, 16th June

Giant Water-veneer Schoenobius gigantella, North Elmham, 16th June

Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, North Elmham, 16th June

Blue-bordered Carpet, North Elmham, 16th June

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 16th June

Green Silver-lines, North Elmham, 16th June

Other moths were presumed Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, Sloe Flat-body Luquetia lobella, 3 Hawthorn Cosmets Blastodacna hellerella, 5 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 5 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 6 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, (and another Cnephasia sp.), 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Pine Marbles Piniphila bifasciana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana, 3 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 8 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Buff Arches, 6 Common Emeralds, Blood-vein, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Small Dusty Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 13 Treble Brown Spots, 3 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, 5 Barred Straws, Green Carpet, 2 Sharp-angled Carpets, Sandy Carpet, Currant Pug, Double-striped Pug, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, 6 Brimstone Moths, 3 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, 2 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 4 Clouded Silvers, Light Emerald, White Ermine, 3 Buff Ermines, Heart and Dart, 3 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 7 Ingrailed Clays, 2 Double Square-spots, Common Wainscot, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, 6 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, Tawny Marbled Minor (and another Marbled Minor agg.), 10 Middle-barred Minors, 6 Uncertains, 3 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, Spectacle, 4 Beautiful Hook-tips, 13 Straw Dots, 4 Snouts, 5 Fan-foots and 4 Small Fan-foots.

Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, North Elmham, 16th June

Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, North Elmham, 16th June

Sharp-angled Carpet, North Elmham, 16th June

Mayflies included a male Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, subimago when caught but emerging into imago state by the time I came to identify it.

There were four beetles in the trap, three of which were new for the house (no doubt because I'm trying much harder than before): the water beetle Rhantus suturalis, Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus and completely new for me, Mealworm Beetle Tenebrio molitor (the fourth was Cantharis cryptica).

Rhantus suturalis, North Elmham, 16th June

Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus, North Elmham, 16th June

Mealworm Beetle Tenebrio molitor, North Elmham, 16th June