Clouded and unclouded Magpies

The macro moths were the highlights on 31st July with my third ever (but second this year) Dark Spinach and a Clouded Magpie which was only my third here in 4 years.  Dusky Thorn was also new for the year.

Dark Spinach, North Elmham, 31st July

Clouded Magpie, North Elmham, 31st July

Other macros were Least Carpet, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Common Carpet, Small Phoenix, Currant Pug, Magpie Moth, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 2 Willow Beauties, Coxcomb Prominent, Black Arches, 10 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, Common Footman, 3 Buff Ermines, 4 Ruby Tigers, 2 Turnip Moths, Heart and Club, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 4 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Common Wainscots, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, 2 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustics, Uncertain, Rustic and 8 Straw Dots.

Magpie Moth, North Elmham, 31st July

The micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 House Nebs Bryotropha domestica, Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, 5 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 37 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 15 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 15 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Thicket Knot-horn Acrobasis suavella and 4 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

House Neb Bryotropha domestica, North Elmham, 31st July

Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, North Elmham, 31st July

Other things included the mayfly Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita, a Common Earwig, the brown lacewings Hemerobius lutescens and 2 Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai and Molanna angustata, the mirid bug Psallus varians, the leafhopper Balclutha punctata and a Hornet.

While setting a bat detector at the Cathedral Meadows at dusk on 1st August I found a Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella and a leafhopper that I didn't immediately recognise. It turned out to be a new species for me, Macropsis scotti.

Macropsis scotti, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st August

That night there were 5 new moths for the year: Winter Groundling Scrobipalpa costella (only my second here), Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, Cabbage Moth and Angle Shades. The rhombana was my earliest ever by 12 days.

Winter Groundling Scrobipalpa costella, North Elmham, 1st August

Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 1st August

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 1st August

Cabbage Moth, North Elmham, 1st August

Angle Shades, North Elmham, 1st August

A record count of  5 Small Purple & Golds Pyrausta aurata was remarkable for here.  I only caught 5 singles across the whole of the previous 3 summers but either it is a good year for them or else they have taken a liking to the mint we planted in the garden a couple of years ago.  Although I eventually recorded 11 in the garden this summer they were only recorded on 5 nights spread over a period of just over a month.

5 Turnip Moths was also a record count, but in this case it was definitely a case of it being a good year for them as I know a lot of other moth-ers recorded exceptional numbers this year (much higher numbers than me in many cases).  I don't usually get many (only two last year and three the year before) but this year I'm looking like I will end up with a total of around 50 (I'm not sure the exact number yet as I have 2-3 slightly equivocal ones in pots waiting to be confirmed).  I know many people get more than that in a normal year and were getting 3-figure counts in a single night this year.

Other moths were Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella, 4 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 41 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 10 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Pebble Hook-tip, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Small Dusty Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, 7 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Purple Bar, Small Rivulet, Currant Pug, Magpie Moth, Scorched Carpet, Bordered Beauty, Scalloped Oak, 3 Willow Beauties, 4 Dingy Footmen, 2 Common Footmen, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 Flames, 7 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Common Wainscots, Copper Underwing, 2 Dun-bars, Cloaked Minor, Common Rustic, Small Rufous, Vine's Rustic, 3 Silver Ys and 5 Straw Dots.

Purple Bar, North Elmham, 1st August

Other things included the mayflies Green Drake Ephemera danica and 6 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg., 2 brown lacewings Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Crunoecia irrorata and Athripsodes aterrimus, Birch Shieldbug, the leafhopper Balclutha punctata again, the beetles Amara apricaria and Aphodius rufipes, Hornet and Common Wasp.

Another Clouded Magpie and a couple of new hoppers

Among the moths trapped on the night of 2nd August were four new species of the year: 2 Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis corylana, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla and White-spotted Pug.

Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, North Elmham, 2nd August

Rush Veneer Nomophila nocutella, North Elmham, 2nd August

White-spotted Pug, North Elmham, 2nd August

As well as the Rush Veneer, migrants included 13 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella.  26 Mother of Pearls (or should that be Mothers of Pearl?) Pleuroptya ruralis was the highest count of the year. 

There were two more unidentifiable Ermines Yponomeuta sp. (Orchard padella, Apple malinellus or Spindle cagnagella) - frustrating not to be able to name these but they can't even be done by checking their genitalia.

Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Another species I don't see here very often was Giant Water-veneer Schoenobius gigantella.

Giant Water-veneer Schoenobius gigantella, North Elmham, 2nd August

A reasonable selection of other micros too: Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 4 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, 3 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 3 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana, 2 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 38 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 7 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 4 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 2 Double-striped Tabbies Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella and Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella.

Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Another Clouded Magpie was the best macro.

Clouded Magpie, North Elmham, 2nd August

Unusually all the Common Rustic aggs. that were dissected proved to be Lesser Common Rustics (3 - a fourth got away without being determined).

Lesser Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 2nd August

Other macros were 4 Pebble Hook-tips, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, 5 Small Fan-footed Waves, 4 Riband Waves, 4 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 4 Shaded Broad-bars, 3 Common Carpets, 2 Small Rivulets, Tawny Speckled Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, 2 Magpie Moths, Scalloped Oak, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Clouded Silver, Pebble Prominent, Swallow Prominent, Yellow-tail, 2 Rosy Footmen, 4 Dingy Footmen, 7 Scarce Footmen, 3 Buff Footmen, 12 Common Footmen, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, 3 Nutmegs, 3 Clays, Grey Dagger, 3 Dun-bars, 7 Dark Arches, Dusky Sallow, 11 Uncertains, Rustic, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, Spectacle, 7 Straw Dots and 2 Fan-foots.

Among the Green Lacewings, Dichochrysa ventralis was new for the house (though I'd seen one next door when I trapped there recently).  Also Dichochrysa flavifrons and Chrysoperla carnea agg.

Dichochrysa ventralis, North Elmham, 2nd August

I'm not doing the caddisflies while I'm so far behind with the moths but a Glyphotaelius pellucidus was readily identified in the field.  Among the bugs there were 3 Forest Bugs (aka Red-legged Shieldbugs) and my first Phytocoris varipes of the year.

Phytocoris varipes, North Elmham, 2nd August

Also a couple of new hoppers that I'd not identified before (I thought I had seen the first one before but don't have any records) - Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius and the leafhopper Eupteryx florida.

Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius, North Elmham, 2nd August

Eupteryx florida, North Elmham, 2nd August

I haven't yet managed to work out what this Ichneumon was:

unidentified Ichneumon wasp, North Elmham, 2nd August

Dark and Cloudy (Dagger and Magpie)

Things started to hot up a bit on 15th July with 283 moths of 93 species including 3 new for the house.  Those included this Clouded Magpie...

Clouded Magpie, North Elmham, 15th July

...also this Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana, my second ever anywhere...

Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana, North Elmham, 15th July

...and one that needed a gen det to confirm, a Dark Dagger.

Dark Dagger (female, gen det), North Elmham, 15th July

Several others were new for the year here, namely Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Antler Moth and Slender Brindle.

Antler Moth, North Elmham, 15th July

Slender Brindle, North Elmham, 15th July

Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, North Elmham, 15th July

Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, North Elmham, 15th July

Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella, North Elmham, 15th July

Other micros were 3 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, 2 Grey Rush Case-bearers Coleophora glaucicolella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 3 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 3 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 6 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 9 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, 6 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 3 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella and Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella.


Other macros were Ghost Moth, Common Swift, Drinker, 2 Buff Arches, 3 Common Emeralds, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, Small Dusty Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 12 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, Phoenix, 4 Barred Straws, 2 July Highflyers, Small Rivulet, Green Pug, 4 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, 4 Peppered Moths, 4 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, Common White Wave, 5 Clouded Silvers, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Yellow-tail, 8 Rosy Footmen, 2 Scarce Footmen, 12 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, Short-cloaked Moth, 4 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Double Square-spots, 3 Dot Moths, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 3 Clays, 4 Smoky Wainscots, 11 Dark Arches, 4 Tawny Marbled Minors, 2 Common Rustics, 19 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 4 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, 2 Straw Dots, 15 Snouts and 9 Fan-foots.

Buff Ermine (left) and Buff Arches (right), North Elmham, 15th July

Dot Moth, North Elmham, 15th July

Common Rustics (males, gen det), North Elmham, 15th July

One of the caddisflies was new to me: Ceraclea dissimilis.  Others were 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Limnephilus lunatus, Leptocerus tineiformis and Mystacides longicornis.

Ceraclea dissimilis, North Elmham, 15th July

Beetles and bugs were represented by an unidentified Diving Beetle, a Black Sexton Beetle and the bug Phylus palliceps.

unidentified Diving Beetle, North Elmham, 15th July

Phylus palliceps, North Elmham, 15th July

And finally I think this Mayfly was Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum.

Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 15th July