A few interesting insects at the meadows

Southern Hawker, 2 Speckled Woods, Field Grasshopper, Hornet and Common Carder Bee were among the insects seen at the meadows on the afternoon of 1st September.  There was also a new froghopper for me, Neophilaenus lineatus.

Neophilaenus lineatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st September

Shaking ash keys produced a few more including Common Green Capsid Lygocoris pabulinus, a Common Green Shieldbug, a 7-spot Ladybird, a small black ichneumid that is probably Gelis agilis and 5 Common Earwigs (including a juvenile which I retained in the hope that I could string it into one of the smaller earwig species - I failed but it was interesting to see it had moulted into an adult by the following day).

Common Green Capsid Lygocoris pabulinus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st September

Common Green Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st September

probable Gelis agilis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st September

Common Earwig, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st-2nd September (before and after moult)

A quick sweep of some Broom also produced a few bits and pieces including another spider that I think was Xysticus cristatus (another presumed immature female) and two new bugs for me, Orthotylus concolor, and Broom Psyllid Arytaina genistae.  The latter was to prove very common here, with lots more records over the following months.

Orthotylus concolor, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st September

Broom Psyllid Arytaina genistae, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st September

I remainded out until it got dark and most of the following moths were found in torchlight: 2 White-headed Ermines Paraswammerdamia albicapitella, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Blood-vein, Green Carpet, Double-striped Pug, 3 Brimstone Moths, 6 Square-spot Rustics, Angle Shades and 4 Snouts.

 That night an Old Lady was the best moth at home, the only one I recorded last year (and there were none the year before).  Other moths were Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Blood-veins, Single-dotted Wave, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Yellow Shells, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic, Common Wainscot, 2 Flounced Rustics and 2 Frosted Oranges.

Old Lady, North Elmham, 1st September

Caddisflies consisted of 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Small Silver Sedges Lepidostoma hirtum, 2 Limnephilus auricula, 8 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus marmoratus. Other things included the brown lacewing Hemerobius lutescens, the bug Phytocoris tiliae, the beetle Aphodius rufipes, a Hornet and a Common Frog.

Phytocoris tiliae, North Elmham, 1st September

The following night the garden moth trap produced Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Chinese Character, Green Carpet, Large Yellow Underwing, 6 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 3 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow, 4 Flounced Rustics and 2 Straw Dots. Also the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, 3 caddisflies, all Limnephilus lunatus and a Hornet.

A walk round the meadows on 3rd didn't end up with many records but some good ones.  A Maple Midget Phyllonorycter acerifoliella was only my second record ever (though slightly disapppointing as I was sure it was my first having completely forgotten about one I apparently saw at Creaking Gate Lake in 2013!).

Maple Midget Phyllonorycter acerifoliella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd September

More unexpected were a number of other small white moths seen in flight.  I netted four of them, from two different meadows, and all four were Poplar Bent-wings Phyllocnistis unipunctella.  It's a species I don't see very often (have only ever seen three times) and I wouldn't expect to see such numbers away from poplars.  Well in fact there is a stand of poplars about 300m away from the north-east corner of the meadows, about 400m away from the furthest of these moths, so this is presumably where they had all come from.

Poplar Bent-wings Phyllocnistis unipunctella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd September

There was a Mottled Grasshopper calling, the only record I had of this species at the meadows last year (though I didn't search for grasshoppers very rigorously).  There were 2 Chrysoperla carnea (green lacewings) and 2 Valenzuela flavidus (barkflies) on sycamore keys, Lygus pratensis (a mirid bug) and Harlequin Ladybird in ash keys, and a female Edwardsiana leafhopper (most likely Edwardsiana rosae) at some cherry.  Also a Muntjac across the river.

Semioscopis steinkellneriana new for the garden

There were relatively few moths on the night of 20th April, though Purple Thorn was new for the year.  I also trapped Frosted Green, 2 Streamers, 5 Early Thorns, Brindled Beauty, Common Quaker, 2 Clouded Drabs, 4 Hebrew Characters and a Black Sexton Beetle.

Purple Thorn, North Elmham, 20th April

The following night was much better with 6 new moths for the year.  Among them were 2 Dawn Flat-bodies Semioscopis steinkellneriana, a new species for the garden, bringing my garden list up to 790.  With four additions this week, hitting 800 must be on the cards for this year.

Dawn Flat-body Semioscopis steinkellneriana, North Elmham, 21st April

The others new for the year were Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella and Great Prominent. The last was only my third here - I didn't get one last year.

 Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st April

Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, North Elmham, 21st April

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, North Elmham, 21st April

Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, North Elmham, 21st April

Great Prominent, North Elmham, 21st April

Other moths that night were March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Frosted Green, Streamer, 5 Brindled Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 4 Early Thorns, 5 Brindled Beauties, Common Quaker, 2 Clouded Drabs, 7 Hebrew Characters and Nut-tree Tussock.

Other insects included Chrysoperla carnea, Black Sexton Beetle and a new hoverfly for the year, Platycheirus albimanus.  The beetle seemed to be eating a dead Brindled Beauty on the ground next to the trap.

Platycheirus albimanus, North Elmham, 21st April

Next day I found a Sandpit Mining Bee Andrena barbilabris trying to get out of my dining room - a species I'd not identified previously.

Sandpit Mining Bee Andrena barbilabris, North Elmham, 22nd April

The Large Red-belted and Red-belted Clearwing lures failed to attract any clearwings (it is a bit early and neither are known to occur anywhere near here, so not very surprising really).  But the Red-belted did attract an as-yet unidentified beetle and a Stenodema laevigata, a new bug for the garden.

Stenodema laevigata, North Elmham, 22nd April

An evening visit to the Cathedral Meadows produced this Common Frog.

 Common Frog, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April

This snail keyed out as Hairy Snail Trochulus hispidus despite having virtually no trace of any hairs, and I initially had it down as such.  After looking at some more snails I think this was erroneous and it was in fact a (small) Strawberry Snail Trochulus striolatus.

Strawberry Snail Trochulus striolatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April

That night 2 Waved Umbers and a Muslin Moth (and a Common Earwig) were new for the year.  Other moths were Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 3 Water Carpets, Early Thorn, 3 Brindled Beauties, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, 6 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and 2 Nut-tree Tussocks. The record of 3 Water Carpets is remarkable here - although common elsewhere I only had one here in 2015, none in 2016 and two in 2017 - I've now had 5 here this year.

Waved Umber, North Elmham, 22nd April

Muslin Moth, North Elmham, 22nd April

Common Earwig, North Elmham, 22nd April

On the ground by the trap was my first Black Clock Beetle Pterostichus madidus for the year.

Black Clock Beetle Pterostichus madidus, North Elmham, 22nd April

Foulden Common

My first night back after my trip to Cornwall was a poor one for moths with just Yellow-barred Brindle, Early Thorn and 2 Hebrew Characters.  The first of those was a new species for the year.

Yellow-barred Brindle, North Elmham, 8th April

There was also this tiny juvenile Common Earwig and, in the house, another Varied Carpet Beetle.

Common Earwig, North Elmham, 8th April

Sunshine the next day produced Brimstone butterflies at a couple of places and in the evening I headed off to have a look round Foulden Common.  This is a site I've never visited before but have heard it mentioned a few times in the context of mothing.  The exposed parts of the west side of the common were too breezy to be any good but I caught Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae and Double-striped Pug here, along with the green and brown lacewings Chrysoperla canea and Hemerobius humulinus.

Brown Birch Slender Paronix betulae (male, gen det), Foulden Common, 9th April

Hemerobius humulinus, Foulden Common, 9th April

The eastern side was more sheltered and I netted another Double-striped Pug and an Early Purple Eriocrania semipurpurella.  The latter are quite hard to identify with certainty and although I had probably seen it before I hadn't managed to confirm any of the previous ones, so good to get one I was happy with at last.

Early Purple Eriocrania semipurpurella (female, gen det), Foulden Common, 9th April

Actually "gen det" simplifies it a bit too much - the ID was done through a combination of the hindwing scale width, the size and separaton of the sensoria (basically holes) on the bottom of the abdomen and a tiny little bit of its genitalia.

This leafhopper was a very common species, Empoasca vitis.

Empoasca vitis, Foulden Common, 9th April

As it got dark I decided conditions weren't good enough to bother setting up the MV light but did another quick circuit of the common with a headtorch.  This confirmed my suspicion that conditions were not good as all I added were Water Carpet and Early Thorn.  Oh, and a few click-beetles flying around which all looked the same and the one I retained for checking proved to be Dalopius marginatus.

Dalopius marginatus, Foulden Common, 9th April

Not many moths at home either, although 3 different micros made for a change.  These were Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli (new for the year and a species I've only seen twice before) Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana and another new one for the year, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea.  Macros consisted of Shoulder Stripe, 2 Streamers and 3 Hebrew Characters.

Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli (female, gen det), North Elmham, 9th April

Other insects in the trap were a Black Sexton Beetle and a new hoverfly species for me, Platycheirus albimanus.  Most examples of this genus (which I'd never encountered before) are characterised by the modifications on the front tarsi which you can see in the image below (the yellow feet sticking out behind the eyes).

Platycheirus albimanus, North Elmham, 9th April

The following night another Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli was the highlight.  Muslin Moth was new for the year and there were also Streamer, Early Thorn, Oak Beauty and 2 Hebrew Characters. A German Wasp was also new for the year.

Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th April

Muslin Moth, North Elmham, 10th April

German Wasp, North Elmham, 10th April

First field trip and another new moth

On Wednesday night the conditions seemed as good for mothing as they have been for ages and better than they looked like they would be for another few days.  So Dave and I headed down to Creaking Gate Lake.  There were a few moths, enough to keep us entertained for a while, though things soon dried up and we packed up quite early.  The clear highlight was a whopping 9 Yellow Horned - a fantastic total for a species that I only saw for the second time earlier this week.  Indeed it was our highest count for any species!

Yellow Horned, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

The others were 4 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, 4 Brindled Pugs, Early Thorn, 2 Oak Beauties, 2 Small Quakers, 8 Common Quakers, 2 Hebrew Characters, Satellite and 2 Chestnuts.

mating pair of March Tubics Diurnea fagella, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Brindled Pug, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Chestnut, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Satellite, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Other 'wildlife' included several millipedes which I later identified as White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger, the first time I've managed to put a name to a Millipede!

White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Common Earwig, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Common Toad, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

When I got home I went upstairs and promptly found a Caloptilia on the landing.  It proved to be Pale Red Slender Caloptilia elongella, a new species for me and, amazingly, my 5th moth lifer at home this year.  I suppose with it being an alder-feeder and there being tonnes of alders at Creaking Gate Lake, there has to be a suspicion that I brought it home with me, but the circumstances of finding it - settled upstairs discovered as soon as I went upstairs for the first time after getting home - make it seem relatively unlilely.

Pale Red Slender Caloptilia elongella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd March

Apart from that mothing at home since my last post has been fairly mediocre at best, except for my second Tufted Button Acleris cristana, also on 23rd.

Tufted Button Acleris cristana, 23rd March

The rest were:

• Monday 21st: 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Small Quaker and Hebrew Character;
• Tuesday 22nd: 2 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, Small Quaker, 6 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut; 
• Wednesday 23rd: 3 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, 2 Small Quakers, Hebrew Character, Early Grey and Chestnut; 
• Thursday 24th: just a single Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana at a window - absolutely nothing in the moth trap

March Tubic Diurnea fagella, North Elmham, 22nd March

2-spot Ladybird, North Elmham, 24th March