Review of 2019 and 2020 - Fish, Amphibians and Reptiles

FISH (OSTEICHTHYES)

Fish must be the largest and best-known taxa that I've barely ever made any effort to see, identify and record, but an unusually clear view of the dyke alongside the meadows for a few weeks in 2020 gave me a rare opportunity to see, photograph and, I think, identify a couple of shoals.


Minnow Phoxinus phoxinus - At least 30 by the meadows on 8th April 2020, the first time I've ever identified this common species.

Minnow, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th April 2020

Chub Squalius cephalus - At least 30 by the meadows on 24th April 2020, the first time I've ever identified this species too.

Chub, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th April 2020

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AMPHIBIANS (AMPHIBIA)


Newt sp. Triturus sp. - One in my garden on 30th May 2019 but I wasn't able to examine its underside in order to identify it as it was in the beak of a Blackbird.  I imagine it was most likely a Smooth Newt Triturus vulgaris, a species I have recorded in my garden before.


Common Frog Rana temporaria - I regularly see frogs in the garden, presumably from next door's pond, and they often take an interest in my moth trap.  Recorded between 24th April and 23rd September 2019 and 26th April and 19th September 2020.  There were 4 round the trap on 9th August 2019 and 3 times in 2020 with 5 there on 18th July 2020.  In 2019 they sometimes jumped up on to the top of the moth trap, or even right into it but it wasn't until 2020 when I actually saw one eat a moth.  Elsewhere recorded on 4 occasions at the meadows.

Common Frog, North Elmham, 4th July 2019

Common Frog, North Elmham, 22nd September 2019 - on the moth trap

Common Frog, North Elmham, 18th May 2020

Common Frog, North Elmham, 12th June 2020 - staring at (but this time not eating) a White Ermine

Common Frog, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th September 2020

Common Frog, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd September 2020

Common Toad Bufo bufo - In contrast to the frogs just 5 recorded in my garden in 2019 and 8 in 2020, although I suspect if I had followed up every time I heard something moving through the leaves in the garden while I was emptying the moth trap I would have found a good deal more (and also some more frogs).  Unlike the frogs they show no interest in the moth trap.  Also recorded at the meadows on 3 dates, at Brancaster, Glenmore (Mull), Bintree Wood and Whitwell Street.

Common Toad, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

Common Toad, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Common Toad, North Elmham, 28th August 2020

Natterjack Toad Bufo calamita - One at Burnham Overy on 12th June 2020.

Natterjack Toad, North Elmham, 12th June 2020

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REPTILES (REPTILIA)

I only managed a single record of a reptile in 2019 and none in the UK in 2020.


Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans - None in the UK but at least 50 at Llobregat Delta in Spain on 21st-22nd February 2020.

Red-eared Sliders (and a Grey Heron), Llobregat Delta (Spain), 22nd February 2020

Common Lizard Lacerta vivpara - A small individual showed well at Winterton while I was looking for dragonflies on 19th August 2019.

Common Lizard, Winterton, 19th August 2019

Catalonian Wall Lizard Podarcis liolepis - Four seen during a walk up from Monistrol de Montserrat (Spain) when searching (unsuccessfully here) for Wallcreepers.  A new reptile species for me.

Catalonian Wall Lizard, Monistrol de Montserrat (Spain), 23rd Febraury 2020

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

3 lifers in 3 nights and frogs after my moths

My last post covered 5th September, a good night by September standards for numbers, variety and scarcity.  Well 6th September was a similar story, except instead of two 'seconds' there were two 'firsts' - new moths for me.  The first was immediately recognised as Barred Smudge Ypsolopha alpella, one I'd been keeping an eye out for.  Not hugely scarce, though having said that there is only one record showing on Norfolk Moths for 2014-2016 so far.  The second resembled certain Epinotia species and it took slightly longer for the penny to drop that it was in fact Brindled Shoot Gypsonoma minutana.  There are only 10 Norfolk records, mostly recent and half from one individual, so a decent one to find at home.

Brindled Shoot Gypsonoma minutana (female), North Elmham, 6th September

Barred Smudge Ypsolopha alpella, North Elmham, 6th September

Common Alder Midget Phyllonorycter rajella was new for the year and a species I don't see all that often.

Common Alder Midget Phyllonrycter rajella, North Elmham, 6th September

Other micros were New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta sp., 4 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, 10 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 6 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 2 Marsh Greys Eudonia pallida, 9 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, North Elmham, 6th September

The macros included 2 Pinion-streaked Snouts, bringing my total for the year to 7 (5 at home) - suggesting they've had a good year given that I'd only seen 2 in Norfolk previously.

Other macros were Chinese Character, Small Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Grey Pine Carpets, 22 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, 23 Brimstone Moths, 7 Dusky Thorns, 14 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, 3 Flame Shoulders, 14 Large Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 9 Square-spot Rustics, Cabbage Moth, 7 Common Wainscots, Centre-barred Sallow, Copper Underwing agg., Mouse Moth, Flounced Rustic, 3 Frosted Oranges, 2 Burnished Brasses, 7 Straw Dots and 16 Snouts.

Common Marbled Carpet, North Elmham, 6th September

There were 4 species of Lacewing again - 4 Chrysoperla carnea (1 male and 3 presumed females), Cunctochrysa albolineata, 2 Dichochrysa flavifrons and Hemerobius lutescens.  Interestingly one of the Chrysoperla had atypical wing venation.  The genus is normally identified by the position of vein RMCV in relation to cell IMC, but this individual didn't have a cell IMC!  It was the same on both wings.

Chrysoperla carnea agg. (female), North Elmham, 6th September

Bugs consisted of 7 Birch Shieldbugs and 4 Forest Bugs.

Next day the highlight was another Butterbur, amazingly my third this autumn.

Butterbur, North Elmham, 7th September

Otherwise it was quieter than the previous two nights: New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 9 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, 8 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Chinese Character, Common Marbled Carpet, 13 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, 8 Brimstone Moths, 7 Dusky Thorns, 4 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, 2 Flame Shoulders, 9 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 5 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 5 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Mouse Moths, 2 Flounced Rustics, Frosted Orange, 2 Vine's Rustics, 6 Straw Dots and 17 Snouts.

Found this hoverfly in the garden on 8th, Helophilus hybridus.

Helophilus hybridus, North Elmham, 8th September

The best moth that night was inside the house, not in the moth trap: a Common Clothes Moths Tineola bisselliella.  In the days before central heating and when we wore mainly natural-fibre clothes this species was considered a pest.  Now it has declined to such an extent that there was only one record in the Norfolk Moths database prior to 2014.  A mini-spate of recent records is surprising but this still appears to be only the 5th record for the county.

 Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 8th September

Nothing so exciting in the trap... Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 8 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Rusty-dot Pearls Udea ferrugalis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Grey Pine Carpet, 5 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, 14 Brimstone Moths, 5 Dusky Thorns, 7 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, 5 Flame Shoulders, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, 8 Square-spot Rustics, Cabbage Moth, 4 Common Wainscots, Centre-barred Sallow, 6 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, Frosted Orange, 2 Vine's Rustics, 3 Straw Dots and 28 Snouts.

Square-spotted Clay, North Elmham, 8th September

Rosy Rustic, North Elmham, 8th September

There were 2 Common Frogs on the sheet by the moth trap when I inspected it on the evening of 9th September.  I didn't see them eating any moths but got the distinct impression they were there to catch moths and not just passing.  Hope they didn't eat anything rare.

Common Frogs, North Elmham, 9th September

The best moth in the trap was this new-for-the-garden Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella.

Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 9th September

 Yet another Marsh Dwarf Elachista alpinella was notable too.

Marsh Dwarf Elachista alpinella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 9th September

Other moths were Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, 4 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 5 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Rusty-dot Pearls Udea ferrugalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Orange Swift, 2 Blood-veins, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Carpet, 5 Common Marbled Carpets, Grey Pine Carpet, Green Carpet, 10 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 2 Dusky Thorns, 5 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, 2 Flame Shoulders, 16 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, 11 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 6 Square-spot Rustics, 5 Common Wainscots, 4 Flounced Rustics, 2 Rosy Rustics, 2 Burnished Brasses, Straw Dot and 37 Snouts.

Here are the Rosy Rustics alongside the Butterbur from a couple of nights previous.

 Butterbur from 7th September flanked by 2 Rosy Rustics, North Elmham, 9th September

Bugs consisted of 2 Birch Shieldbugs, 2 Forest Bugs and a new one for me: Pantilius tunicatus.

Pantilius tunicatus, North Elmham, 9th September