Jewel-like Willow Flea Beetles and two new leafhoppers

There were a few noteworthy moths at home on 9th September, including Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana (average one a year here) and Birch Marble Apotomis betuletana (my fifth in 2018 but prior to that I'd only had singles here in 2014 and 2015).

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham, 9th September

Other moths were Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 10 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Small Birch Bells Epinotia ramella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Common Carpet, 4 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, Light Emerald, Flame, 9 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 4 Square-spot Rustics, Centre-barred Sallow, Lunar Underwing, Mouse Moth, Frosted Orange, 2 Vine's Rustics, Burnished Brass, 6 Snouts and Pinion-streaked Snout.

Pinion-streaked Snout, North Elmham, 9th September

Mayflies and lacewings were represented by 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum and Hemerobius lutescens respectively.  Caddisflies were Oxyethira flavicornis, Hydropsyche pellucidula, 4 Limnephilus flavicornis, 6 Limnephilus lunatus and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis.

There was also a Forest Bug, the leafhopper Alebra albostriella, the barkfly Ectopsocus petersi and 2 Hornets.

A walk round the meadows the next day produced a few things.  There were 2 Hornets, a Common Carder Bee, a 7-spot Ladybird and the only moth, a Common Marble Celypha lacunana.  I found another unidentifiable (by me) Philodromus spider in some Black Horehound.  I have spent a lot of time trying to identify these spiders but with no success.  Either I've not worked out how to view the epigyne properly on female spiders or else they're all immature.  Maybe this coming year I'll find some adults and figure it out...

Shaking some Acer keys produced some insects including the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, the barkfly Valenzuela flavidus (in Sycamore) and a new species of leafhopper for me, Edwardsiana lethierryi (in Field Maple).  I think this was also how I found the bug Deraeocoris lutescens but I forgot to record that at the time.

Edwardsiana lethierryi (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows 10th September

Deraeocoris lutescens, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows 10th September

The big old White Willow tree produced a couple more lifers.  Two female Kybos leafhoppers could only be partially identified based on their appearance but the fact that I found them on White Willow is, I think, sufficient to finish the job and label them as Kybos virgator.  I also found at least 6 Willow Flea Beetles Crepidodera aurata which looked like tiny little pink and green jewels (the photos don't do them justice).

Kybos virgator, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows 10th September

Willow Flea Beetle Crepidodera aurata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows 10th September

That night's garden moth trap's contents were Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Blood-vein, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, 2 Light Emeralds, Turnip Moth, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, Centre-barred Sallow, Lunar Underwing, Spectacle and Snout. Mayflies and lavewings were Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, Dichochrysa prasina, Hemerobius lutescens and Micromus variegatus. Caddisflies were Hydropsyche pellucidula, 3 Limnephilus auricula, 4 Limnephilus flavicornis, 8 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus sparsus. There was also a Forest Bug, an Ectopsocus barkfly, the beetle Aphodius rufipes and 3 Hornets.

Next day I had Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella and Small Dusty Wave in Norwich. At home a worn White-shouldered Smudge Ypsolopha parenthesella and a Yellow-line Quaker were both new for the year.

Yellow-line Quaker, North Elmham, 11th September

Other moths included Ruddy Flat-body Agonopterix subpropinquella, another Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana and an Oak Hook-tip. .

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham, 11th September

Oak Hook-tip, North Elmham, 11th September

Other moths were Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Small Dusty Wave, 2 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spot Rustic, 2 Common Wainscots, 3 Lunar Underwings, 2 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, 3 Frosted Oranges, Spectacle and 2 Snouts.

A Hemerobius lutescens was the only lacewing but there were a few caddisflies including my first Limnephilus vittatus of the year.  The other caddis were 4 Mottled Sedges Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 4 Limnephilus auricula, 3 Limnephilus flavicornis, 12 Limnephilus lunatus and 3 Limnephilus sparsus.

Limnephilus vittatus, North Elmham, 11th September

This fly looked like it might be distinctive enough for me to find an ID, and so it proved - my first Twin-spot Centurion Sargus bipunctatus, so named because of the pair of white spots on its face.  I would have taken a photo front-on if I'd realised that at the time...

Twin-spot Centurion Sargus bipunctatus, North Elmham, 11th September

The following night was quiet with 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Early Thorn, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Lunar Underwings and 3 Flounced Rustics.  The caddisflies Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus flavicornis were the only other insects I recorded.

Deraeocoris flavilinea on the wrong host?

The best moth on the night of 7th June was a Woodland Marble Orthotaenia undulana.  Others new for the year were Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Willow Beauty and Shoulder-striped Wainscot.

Woodland Marble Orthotaenia undulana, North Elmham, 7th June

Willow Beauty, North Elmham, 7th June

Shoulder-striped Wainscot, North Elmham, 7th June

Other moths that night were Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 7 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, Freyer's Pug, Common Pug, Grey Pug, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, 2 Pale Oak Beauties, Common Wave, Light Emerald, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, Pale Tussock, 2 White Ermines, 4 Buff Ermines, 4 Cinnabars, 2 Heart and Darts, 4 Ingrailed Clays, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Shears, 2 Common Wainscots, Brown Rustic, Middle-barred Minor, 3 Treble Lines, 3 Mottled Rustics, Spectacle and 5 Straw Dots.  Caddisflies consisted of Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus (the latter new for the year) and there was the mirid bug Psallus varians and a Common Frog.

The following day I found a Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella in the house, new for the year.  That night a Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana was the best moth in the trap - on average I only get one a year here.  Also new for the year was Treble-bar.

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham, 8th June

Also that night were Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Common Swift, Cream Wave, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 8 Silver-ground Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, Broken-barred Carpet, 2 Green Carpets, 6 Common Pugs, Grey Pug, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, Light Emerald, Elephant Hawk-moth, 2 Orange Footmen, 2 Common Footmen, 5 White Ermines, 9 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame Shoulder, Common Wainscot, 4 Brown Rustics, Treble Lines, 2 Mottled Rustics, 3 Straw Dots, the caddisfly Limnephilus marmoratus and a new leafhopper for the year, Fagocyba cruenta.

Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 8th June

Fagocyba cruenta (female), North Elmham, 8th June

The next day I had to help the Mrs with something on her allotment and found a few insects while I was at it, including Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Silver Y, Straw Dot and 4 Harlequin Ladybirds (3 adults and 1 larva).  There were also two differnt types of bugs I didn't recognise among the currants.  Well, it turned out that they were all the same species - one adult and at least 4 nymphs, but they were a species I hadn't identified before: Deraeocoris flavilinea.  Interestingly this species is supposed to have sycamore and field maple as its host plants, though it is often encountered on other trees and shrubs.  I can't help thinking this must have bred on the currants though, with so many nymphs present there as well as an adult.

Deraeocoris flavilinea, North Elmham allotments, 9th June - adult above, nymph below

A good new moth overshadowed by a first for Norfolk

If Frost's Common didn't quite live up to expectations on Tuesday 22nd August, the garden moth trap certainly did.  A haul of 165 moths of 61 species wasn't at all bad for the second half of August and there were a couple of noteworthy species among them.  By far the best was this Dark Smudge Ypsolopha horridella, a new moth for me and also just the 7th record for Norfolk.

Dark Smudge Ypsolopha horridella, North Elmham, 22nd August

This Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana was new for the year.

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham, 22nd August

The other moths were White Oak Midget Phyllonorycter harrisella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 6 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 4 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 25 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 3 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Pebble Hook-tip, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Garden Carpet, 2 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, Common Marbled Carpet, 6 Green Carpets, Sharp-angled Carpet, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 11 Brimstone Moths, Common White Wave, 2 Common Waves, 5 Light Emeralds, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 6 Flame Shoulders, 9 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, 2 Six-striped Rustics, Square-spot Rustic, 6 Common Wainscots, Mouse Moth, 6 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, 3 Vine's Rustics, 3 Straw Dots and 5 Snouts.

So the moths were good, but the real highlight wasn't a moth but a waxfly, tiny relatives of lacewings covered in powdery white scales.  Several species of waxfly can't be identified if they are females and when I keyed this one out the other day I looked at its abdomen and sexed it as a female.  At this point I nearly threw it away thinking it would not be possible to determine it, but at the last minute I decided to macerate its abdomen to get a better look just in case I was mistaken.  What a good job I did, as it was in fact a male, and thus identifiable by examining its genitalia... and they proved that it was Semidalis pseudouncinata.  Not only a new species for me, but a new species for Norfolk!  This is a relatively new species in Britain, until recently only known from the south-east, but was considered likely to expand its range into other parts and I gather it has now been found just over the border at Santon Downham.

Semidalis pseudouncinata, North Elmham, 22nd August

I have caught just 5 waxflies at home this year.  Three were Conwentzia sp. that could not be identified to species as they were females and the two males that could be fully identified were both new species for Norfolk (here is a link to my account of the other, Coniopteryx esbenpeterseni).

Other lacewings that night were Chrysoperla carnea, Cunctochrysa albolineata, Nineta vittata and Hemerobius lutescens, the last being new for the year.

Hemerobius lutescens, North Elmham, 22nd August

A Pale Evening Dun Procloeon bifidum was the only mayfly and the best caddisfly was another Small Silver Sedge Lepidostoma hirtum - recorded now on three consecutive nights.  Other caddisflies were Hydropsyche siltalai, 5 Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus lunatus and there were 2 Forest Bugs and the leafhopper Empoasca vitis.

The best of the beetles was my first ever Amara bifrons.  Others were Bradycellus verbasci, 3 Aphodius rufipes, Stenagostus rhombeus and Harlequin Ladybird.

Amara bifrons, North Elmham, 22nd August

Quiet start to September

September started quite poorly, which is pretty much how it was for most of the month so far as moths are concerned.  A Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana was new for the garden year list on 1st but apart from that not a lot else: 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Maiden's Blush, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Brimstone Moths, Light Emerald, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, Six-striped Rustic, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 16 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, 2 Straw Dots and Snout.

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham 1st September

The next night was even worse: 4 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, Currant Pug, Treble-bar, Common Wave, Light Emerald, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Angle Shades, 2 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, Burnished Brass, Spectacle and Straw Dot.

Angle Shades, North Elmham 2nd September

Common Wave, North Elmham 2nd September

Currant Pug, North Elmham 2nd September

Centre-barred Sallow was new for the year on 3rd.

Centre-barred Sallow, North Elmham 3rd September

Other stuff was Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 4 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 3 Orange Swifts, Currant Pug, 2 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 2 Turnip Moths, 24 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 3 Small Square-spots, Square-spot Rustic, 2 Flounced Rustics, Silver Y and Spectacle.

The 4th only produced 3 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 2 Treble-bars, 2 Brimstone Moths, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow and Copper Underwing.

Copper Underwing (male, gen det), North Elmham 4th September

5th September was a similar story: Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 2 Green Carpets, 4 Brimstone Moths, Light Emerald, 14 Large Yellow Underwings, 8 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 4 Square-spot Rustics, Centre-barred Sallow, 8 Flounced Rustics and Spectacle.

On 6th September Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella was new for the year.

 Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella, North Elmham 6th September

Other moths that night were Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Garden Carpet, 3 Green Carpets, 9 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 9 Flounced Rustics and Vine's Rustic.