My first Sloe Midget

Arguably the highlight on the night of Sunday 16th July was a New Poplar Pigmy Ectoedemia hannoverella, a species I'd seen for the first time in June.  Again this one keyed out quite straightforwardly and I checked its genitalia for added confidence (this time it was a female - the last one was a male) (but see 2018 comment below).

New Poplar Pigmy Ectoedemia hannoverella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July - or not: see below...

* Edit 2018: OK, I got a bit suspicious after my fourth in 2018 which seems a lot for a Poplar-feeding species given the distance from here to the nearest Poplars.  Having looked into it a bit more it now seems possible - indeed likely - that they are not hannoverella but Spotted Black Pigmies Ectoedemia subbimaculella.  I cannot rule out hannoverella, nor the Holm-Oak species heringella as both the external appearance and the genitalia are very similar between all 3 species, but as there is an Oak tree close by (subbimaculella feeds on Oak) and no Poplar or Holm-Oak very close I think subbimaculella is most likely.  Not entirely sure why I overlooked this as a possibility - probably because most of the photos online show much better patterned individuals than any of mine.

A few species were new for the year: Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Dagger and Herald.

Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 16th July

Dark Dagger (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Herald, North Elmham, 16th July

A good selection of other micros consisted of Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, 26 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 4 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella, Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 3 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Bud Moths Spilonota ocellana, 18 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 24 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 20 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella and Chalk Knot-horn Phycitodes maritima.

Other insects included the mayfly Serratella ignita, the green lacewing Cunctochrysa albolineata and the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus.  Caddisflies included Hydroptila sparsa which was new for the year, Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula and Leptocerus tineiformis.  Beetles included the water beetle Rhantus suturalis, new-for-the-year Bradycellus verbasci (one confirmed and a second presumed) and Brown Chafer.

Hydroptila sparsa, North Elmham, 16th July

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham, 16th July

There were Peacock and Small Tortroiseshell in the garden next day - the Peacock apparently being my first garden record this year (really?!).  I also found a Small Purple and Gold (Mint Moth) Pyrausta aurata flying around the mint in the garden.

Earlier in July I reported my first fully-identified Phyllonorycter cerasicolella (I'd seen cerasicolella/spinicolella agg. before).  Now I can report my first fully-identified example of the other of the aggregate pair, Sloe Midget Phyllonorycter spinicolella, at home on Monday 17th July.

Sloe Midget Phyllonorycter spinicolella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 17th July

A Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella was another good moth that night - not one I see often at home (my first here was almost exactly a year ago).

Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella, North Elmham, 17th July

The only other new moth for the year that night was a Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis.

Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, North Elmham, 17th July

Other moths in the garden that night were Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, 3 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 20 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 3 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Chinese Characters, Blood-vein, 3 Least Carpets, 9 Single-dotted Waves, Small Scallop, 6 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow Shell, 2 Magpie Moths, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, Peppered Moth, Engrailed, Elephant Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, 2 Round-winged Muslins, 4 Rosy Footmen, 25 Dingy Footmen, 6 Scarce Footmen, 21 Common Footmen, 6 Buff Ermines, 2 Ruby Tigers, Flame Shoulder, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Double Square-spots, 2 Brown-line Bright Eyes, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 4 Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, 8 Uncertains, 5 Rustics, 7 Nut-tree Tussocks, Spectacle and Straw Dot.

Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, North Elmham, 17th July

There were 3 species of mayfly in the trap: Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, Green Drake Ephemera danica and Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita.  Lacewings were less well-represtented with just one Dichochrysa flavifrons.  A selection of caddisflies included Oxyethira flavicornis, Cyrnus trimaculatus, Polycentropus flavomaculatus, Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus lunatus.  Two Aphodius rufipes were the only beetles and the only bugs were 2 Zygina angusta, a leafhopper I'd not positively identified before.

Zygina angusta (male above, female below), North Elmham, 17th July

1500 Beetles and my 700th garden moth

In my last post I reported that things started to pick up on 21st August after a quiet spell in mid August.  The next night wasn't just warming up, it was positively hot.  306 moths of 92 species, though well short of the July peak was a pretty ok total for the second half of August.  But the main event wasn't the moths at all - it was an incredible arrival/emergence of beetles!  The trap was covered in and full of small reddish brown beetles.  Every egg box had dozens of them on and the bottom of the trap was literally piled high with them.  With them being in piles it was pretty hard to count them but my estimate of 1500 was as careful as I could, veering on the conservative side.  I had no idea what species was involved but it was clear from Twitter that many other moth-trappers in the county had experienced the same phenomenon, and some of them were competent to identify them as Bradycellus verbasci, with some reporting a smaller number of Bradycellus harpalinus among them.  I can't confirm the latter in my haul but verbasci was a new species for me.

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham, 22nd August

Among the moths an impressive 9 species were new for the year here.  Two of them were new for the garden, namely Poplar Bent-wing Phyllocnistis unipunctella and Brown Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria simplicella. The former had so few scales left on it I had to chop it to work out what genus it was even.  These brought my garden moth list to over 700 - not bad considering I only moved here in August 2014!

Brown Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria simplicella, North Elmham, 22nd August

The others new for the year were 5 Oak Bent-wings Bucculatrix ulmella, Yellow-triangle Slender Caloptilia alchimiella, Cherry Fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, Dark Ash Bud Moth Prays ruficeps, Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, White-shouldered Smudge Ypsolopha parenthesella and Small Purple and Gold (Mint Moth) Pyrausta aurata.

Oak Bent-wing Bucculatrix ulmella, North Elmham, 22nd August

Yellow-triangle Slender Caloptilia alchimiella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd August

Cherry Fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, North Elmham, 22nd August

Dark Ash Bud Moth Prays ruficeps, North Elmham, 22nd August

Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, North Elmham, 22nd August

White-shouldered Smudge Ypsolopha parenthesella, North Elmham, 22nd August

Small Purple and Gold Pyrausta aurata, North Elmham, 22nd August

An excellent selection of other micros: Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella, 2 New Oak Slenders Caloptilia robustella, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, 3 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, Long-streak Midget Phyllonorycter salicicolella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 4 Horse Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, 5 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine agg. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella, 4 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, 5 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, 5 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, 4 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Rush Marbles Bactra lancealana, 2 Common Birch Bells Epinotia immundana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 2 Round-winged Drills Dichrorampha simpliciana, 6 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 9 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 9 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 3 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, 6 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 3 Rusty-dot Pearls Udea ferrugalis, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella and 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd August

Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, North Elmham, 22nd August

In comparison the macros were relatively mundane, although a count of 63 Straw Dots was notable.  The other macros were 5 Orange Swifts, Pebble Hook-tip, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Riband Waves, 13 Common Carpets, Purple Bar, 4 Green Carpets, Slender Pug, 2 Currant Pugs, 2 Tawny Speckled Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, Magpie Moth, 14 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 3 Dusky Thorns, 2 Willow Beauties, Common Wave, Iron Prominent, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Swallow Prominent, Pale Prominent, Dingy Footman, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 9 Flame Shoulders, 14 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 7 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Six-striped Rustic, 3 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, Copper Underwing, Mouse Moth, 2 Common Rustics, 8 Flounced Rustics and Burnished Brass.

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 22nd August

Slender Pug (female, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd August

Mouse Moth, North Elmham, 22nd August

Among the other insects was the barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi, a new one for me.

Ectopsocus briggsi (male), North Elmham, 22nd August

Caddisflies included the microcaddis Hydroptila sparsa, a new species for the garden.

Hydroptila sparsa (female, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd August

Bugs included my first Common Green Caspid Lygocoris pabulinus of the year and 3 of the impressive Eared Leafhopper Ledra aurita.  Also Birch Shieldbug and no less than 9 Forest Bugs (Red-legged Shieldbugs).

Common Green Caspid Lygocoris pabulinus, North Elmham, 22nd August

Birch Shieldbug, North Elmham, 22nd August

Also 3 Hemerobius lutescens (a Brown Lacewing), an Oak Bush-cricket (inside the house) and 2 Common Wasps.

Oak Bush-cricket, North Elmham, 22nd August