Review of 2019 and 2020 - Butterflies: Swallowtails, Whites, Hairstreaks, Coppers and Blues

SWALLOWTAILS (PAILIONIDAE)

Scarce Swallowtail Iphiclides podalirius - A brief view of one at the Parc del Garaf in NE Spain on 22nd February 2020 - sadly too quick for a photo.

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WHITES (PIERIDAE)


Large White Pieris brassicae - Recorded here in the garden and at the meadows between 5th July and 14th September 2019 and between 15th May and 30th September 2020.  Also at Foxley Wood and Thompson Common.


Small White Pieris rapae - Recorded here in the garden and at the meadows between 5th July and 14th September 2019 and then (in relatively small numbers) between 20th May and 24th August 2020.  Also at a couple of other sites locally and at Llobregat Delta (NE Spain) on 22nd February 2020.  There are always a few white butterflies that aren't seen well enough to determine and with the late start in 2019 I imagine I must have overlooked some on earlier dates - having said that, butterflies in general were few and far between at my main study site prior to when these began to appear.

Small White, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th July 2019

Small White, Llobregat Delta (Spain), 22nd February 2020

Green-vined White Artogeia napi - Recorded here in the garden and at the meadows between 30th March and 2nd May 2019 and between 5th July and15th August 2019 then between 24th April and 8th May 2020 and between 4th July and 16th September 2020.  Also recorded on Mull on 10th and 12th June 2019 and in Spain on 22nd February 2020.

Green-veined White, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th July 2019

Green-veined White, Gava Mar (Spain), 22nd February 2020

Green-veined White, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th July 2020

Green-veined White, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 16th September 2020

Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines - Recorded locally between 19th April and 25th May 2019 and between 4th April and 15th May 2020.  The majority were from the Cathedral Meadows but a handful in my garden and elsewhere.

male and female Orange-tips, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th April 2019

Clouded Yellow Colias crocea - None.  I'm yet to record this species in the North Elmham area but should imagine I've got a good chance of finding it at the meadows in a good year.  I saw several in the Beetley/Bittering area in 2013 and I'm sure I would have found them round here had I been watching the area back then.


Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni - Mostly recorded in early spring between 22nd February and 25th May 2019, here, at the meadows and at 2-3 other sites.  Also one here on 23rd August.

Brimstone, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th March 2019

Cleopatra Gonepteryx cleopatra - One in the Llobregat Delta (Spain) on 22nd February 2020.

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HAIRSTREAKS, COPPERS and BLUES (LYCAENIDAE)


Purple Hairstreak Quercusia quercus - After a good year in 2018 I looked hard (well, ok, not all that hard, but I looked) for these along the railway at the bottom of the meadows in 2019 but only managed to see a single individual, on 29th July.  None here at all in 2020 but 4 at Foxley Wood on 10th July and 2 there next day.

Purple Hairstreak, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th July 2019

Purple Hairstreak, Foxley Wood, 10th July 2020

White-letter Hairstreak Satyrium w-album - None.  I really must make a concerted effort to see this species one of these days as it must be the most glaring gap on my list of species recorded - not just butterflies but all taxa.  OK, there are much commoner species missing among taxa like spiders that I've not paid much attention to, and even among taxa like bugs with which I've been making a fair bit of effort in recent years, but for group that I've been interested in and looking at and for pretty much my entire life this is a gap that's a little bit embarrassing!  I have looked for it at several known sites around Norfolk over the years but I clearly need to put in a bit more effort.


Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi - No confirmed records locally (or indeed anywhere in Norfolk) although I did get a frustrating glimpse of what I think was this species at the meadows one day.  On Mull at least 3 at Glen More and 2 west of Tiroran on 10th June 2019.

Green Hairstreak, Glen More (Mull), 10th June 2019

Green Hairstreak, west of Tiroran (Mull), 10th June 2019

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas - In 2018 I only recorded this species at the meadows in August and September but in 2019 it was the other way round with 1-3 on 3 dates between 30th April and 25th May and none later in the summer.  2020 was back to summer only, with records between 10th July and 11th September.  Also one near Carsaig (Mull) on 10th June 2019.

Small Copper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th April 2019

Small Copper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 10th July 2020

Small Copper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th July 2020

Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus - In 2019 recorded between 18th April and 23rd May and again between 23rd July and 17th August.  Most records from the meadows (max 5 on 26th April) but also several from my garden and in Norwich.  In 2020 recorded here and at the meadows between 10th April and 20th May and between 3rd July and 23rd August (during which period also at Foxley Wood and Thompson Common).  Also at Gava Mar in NE Spain on 22nd February 2020.

Holly Blue, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th April 2019

Holly Blue, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th May 2019

Holly Blue, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th May 2020

Brown Argus Aricia agestis - Recorded at the meadows on 25th May and 24th June 2019 and 20th July 2020 (2); also 2 at Foxley Wood on 17th August 2019.

Brown Argus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

Brown Arguses, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th July 2020

Common Blue Polyommatus icarus - Recorded at the meadows between 22nd May and 15th August 2019 and between 20th July and 12th August 2020; also on Mull and at Foxley Wood and Thompson Common.

Common Blue, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st June 2019

Common Blue, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd August 2019

Next page: Admirals, Fritillaries and allies

A new psyllid and a Mere Wainscot

A wander round the meadows on 30th August produced a nice selection of insects including 8 Common Darters and both Field and Meadow Grasshoppers.  Butterflies included Large, Small and Green-veined Whites, Small Copper, Common Blue, Comma, Red Admiral and at least 17 Speckled Woods.

Large White, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

Small Copper, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

Common Blue, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

Speckled Wood, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

Not many moths seen - just a Yellow Shell and some leafmines (at least one occupied) of Common Oak Midget Phyllonorycter quercifoliella.

occupied leafmine of Common Oak Midget Phyllonorycter quercifoliella, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

Shaking ash keys into a net produced a few insects including at least 10 green lacewings (all those checked were Chrysoperla carnea), Common Earwigs, 7-spot and Harlequin Ladybirds and a new one for me, the (relatively) large green psyllid Psyllopsis fraxinicola.

Psyllopsis fraxinicola, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

Elsewhere around the meadows there were the hoverflies Eupeodes latifasciatus and Eristalis pertinax, and at least 3 Hornets.

Eristalis pertinax, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

An attempt to identify some spiders was met with limited success.  I think this one from Ash keys was probably an Araniella sp., but was immature preventing a full ID.  However it did moult, but although I could just make out its epigyne then, it wasn't clear - it seemed to look closer to Araniella cucurbitina but wasn't really clear.  Maybe still not fully mature, or is it actually something else entirely?

possible immature Common Cucumber Spider Araniella ccuurbitana, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August - top photo was taken on the day, lower photo taken a few days later after a moult

The epigyne wasn't clear on this one either (immature?) but a combination of features leads me moderately satisfied that it was Xysticus cristatus.

Xysticus cristatus, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

Slightly easier were Garden Spider Araneus diadematus and Nurseryweb Spider Pisaura mirabilis.

Nurseryweb Spider Pisaura mirabilis, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

Wildflowers included a good display of Autumn Hawkbit.

Autumn Hawkbit, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

Thanks again to James Emerson for help with identifying some fungi.  Among those identified were Brown Mottlegill, Pleated Inkcap, Sulphur Tuft, Dryad's Saddle, Bolete Mould and Hogweed Powdery Mildew.  Others not fully identified included Bolete spp. and Agaricus sp.

Hogweed Powdery Mildew, North Elmham Catherdal Meadows, 30th August

It wasn't a great night for moths that night, but Mere Wainscot was nice, my fifth here.  Other moths were 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Small Dusty Wave, Single-dotted Wave, Latticed Heath, Common Wave, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Square-spot Rustic, Common Wainscot, 4 Flounced Rustics and Snout. The only other insect of taxa that I record was the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

Mere Wainscot (male, gen det), North Elmham, 30th August

August went out with a whimper,  Just a small handful of moths: Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, Orange Swift, Large Yellow Underwing, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 5 Square-spot Rustics, Centre-barred Sallow and 4 Flounced Rustics.  Also the brown lacewing Hemerobius lutescens and caddisflies 3 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Ceraclea albimacula.

Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, North Elmham, 31st August

Another Wood Carpet

After a couple of poor nights it was back to form on 11th June with the following new moths for the year (for the garden): Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia woodiella, Ghost Moth, Dwarf Cream Wave, Riband Wave, Heart and Club, Large Nutmeg (not annual here) and Small Fan-foot.

Ghost Moth, North Elmham, 11th June

Heart and Club, North Elmham, 11th June

Large Nutmeg, North Elmham, 11th June

Small Fan-foot, North Elmham, 11th June

In addition to these was a new moth for the garden, or at least one that I have not put down before (and some might argue should still not put down).  I've been a but dubious of claims of Wood Carpet and have probably thrown away "Common Carpets" that were a bit bigger than normal with clearer white bands in the wings before.  But buoyed by the really obvious one at Derby Fen I couldn't help wondering about another such individual trapped at home two nights later.  It wasn't nearly such an obvious candidate as the Derby Fen example as it had a weak grey line through the white band, more-or-less throughout its length, and the band itself wasn't as completely pure white, but it was big and it looked better in life than it does in the photos!  Now if it is the case that these cannot be done on genitalia then it probably isn't wise to claim such a non 'classic' individual as Wood Carpet, and I have heard it said that this is the case - there is no difference in genitalia.  It certainly is, as far as I can tell, impossible to separate these two on male genitalia, but the images of female genitalia on the Dissection Group website show very obviously different female genitalia for Common Carpet and Wood Carpet, as well as a comparison plate, the inclusion of which implies that this is a real difference rather than just variation between individuals.  Well, my moth was a female, and her genitalia were exactly like the image in the Dissection Group for Wood Carpet.  So on that basis, for the time being at least, I'm calling it a Wood Carpet, but I should point out that at least one expert considers that these are not separable and may not even be valid species.

 

apparent Wood Carpet (female), North Elmham, 11th June

Other species were Hedge Case-bearer Coleophora striatipennella, 5 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 3 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 14 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Blood-veins, 4 Treble Brown Spots, Flame Carpet, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 4 Silver-ground Carpets, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 3 Green Carpets, Sandy Carpet, Foxglove Pug, Mottled Pug, Freyer's Pug, Common Pug, 2 Grey Pugs, Clouded Border, Brown Silver-line, 2 Peppered Moths, Privet Hawk-moth, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, Marbled Brown, Buff-tip, 10 Orange Footmen, Common Footman, White Ermine, 8 Buff Ermines, 4 Cinnabars, 4 Heart and Darts, Ingrailed Clay, Bright-line Brown-eye, 3 Common Wainscots, 6 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, 2 Marbled Minors, Middle-barred Minor, Treble Lines, Burnished Brass, 15 Straw Dots and Snout.

Foxglove Pug, North Elmham, 11th June

There were two mayflies in the trap, one of which was a Baetis sp., possibly a Large Dark Olive Baetis rhodani.  It's size may have helped resolve this one but unforunately I didn't get to measure it before it dried out and shrunk.  The other was one of the Anglers' Curse species and if I identified it correctly (some of the features are pretty subtle) it was a new one for me, Caenis luctuosa.

possible Large Dark Olive Baetis rhodani, North Elmham, 11th June

Caenis luctuosa, North Elmham, 11th June

Caddisflies consisted of Hydropsyche pellucidula, Phryganea grandis and Limnephilus flavicornis, the grandis being new for the year.  There was also the mirid bug Psallus perrisi.

Phryganea grandis, North Elmham, 11th June

 
The following night was atrocious again with just 19 species: Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Silver-ground Carpet, Buff-tip, White Ermine, 8 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Common Wainscot, 4 Brown Rustics, Dark Arches (new for the year), 2 Treble Lines, 3 Mottled Rustics, Straw Dot and 2 Snouts.

A nice day on 13th June meant several new insects at the meadows.  My first Ringlet and Meadow Browns of the year as well as Common Blue and Painted Lady.

Ringlet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

Meadow Brown, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

Common Blue, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

A Four-spotted Chaser in one of the meadows was the first one I've seen here.

Four-spotted Chaser, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

The green lacewing Chrysopa perla is one I don't get at home very often - apparently they don't favour gardens.

Chrysopa perla, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

An unremarkable selection of moths consisted of Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Silver-ground Carpet, Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, Cinnabar and Silver Y.  Garden Chafer and Swollen-thighed Beetle represented the beetles and the hoverfly Melangyna umbellatarum was a new species for me.

Melangyna umbellatarum, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

 I think this leafmine on Creeping Buttercup belongs to the fly Phytomyza ranunculivora.

mine of Phytomyza ranunculivora, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

Another species I hadn't identified before was this striking digger wasp, Ectemnius cephalotes.

Ectemnius cephalotes, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

There were some nice wildflowers on show too, like these Common Spotted Orchids and Herb Bennet.

Common Spotted Orchids, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

Herb Bennet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

It looks like this Grass Vetchling is relatively unusual, and is certainly easily overlooked.

Grass Vetchling, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June

This Maidenhair Spleenwort is an attractive plant growing profusely on the chapel ruins.

Maidenhair Spleenwort, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June