Orange-tailed Clearwing and Hornet Moth in the garden

On the morning of Sunday 18th June I put the Hornet Moth lure out in the garden.  I think Hornet Moth is the only Clearwing species that has been recorded in my 10k square prior to this year and it's also the only Clearwing I'd seen before this year, but the nearest poplars are a fair way off so I was by no means expectant that the lure would be productive in my garden.  I checked the trap before going out at around 10ish more in hope than expectation but was pleased to find it already contained a Hornet Moth!

Hornet Moth, North Elmham, 18th June

With that success I switched the lure over to the Yellow-legged Clearwing lure - one of the commonest species I'd not yet encountered - and went out.

In the afternoon I was in Norwich and had a look round Thorpe Marshes - my first visit to this excellent newish reserve.  I only gave it a quick circuit as my wife was waiting for me in a hot car and I realised before I started that my real target (the Mallard x Pintail hybrid) wasn't actually at this site but down the road a little.  I will return here - the site looked great - but in my brief visit the highlight was seeing at least 10 Norfolk Hawkers.

Norfolk Hawker, Thorpe Marshes, 18th June

I returned home and made the mistake of not checking the pheromone lure trap straight away.  The first time I used the Yellow-legged Clearwing lure I'd opened the canister which you're not supposed to do and since then I'd had absolutely no success with it despite trying it in some really good habitat.  I thought I'd probably spoilt it and it wouldn't work, so I wasn't really expecting anything in the trap.  But I was wrong - I hadn't spoilt it - it works perfectly fine, I now know.

I learnt an unfortunate lesson today, which is not to leave the trap in direct sunlight on a hot day without checking it regularly.  When I did eventually check it, the clearwing in the trap was deceased.  This was especially sad because it wasn't the Yellow-legged Clearwing I was expecting but the other much rarer species that also comes to the same lure... Orange-tailed Clearwing!  Prior to this year there had been just two records of Orange-tailed Clearwing in Norfolk, both from the Brecks.  Mick Kerr had had one a few days earlier at Sporle near Swaffham, so a bit closer but still pretty much the Brecks.  Getting one here in North Elmham was a real surprise.

dead Orange-tailed Clearwing, North Elmham, 18th June

It's turned out to be a good year for the species (or maybe it's just that lots of people are trying the lures now?) - there have been another two records in the Brecks and one in the Fens.  I wonder how widespread they really are?  I'm not far from the VC27 border - the first for VC27 must be on the cards.

That night there were quite a few moths new for the year here: Eastern Case-bearer Coleophora vestianella, Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana, 3 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, Marbled Bell Eucosma campoliliana (only my second ever following one here around this time last year), Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Brown Powdered Knot-horns Delplanqueia inscriptella, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, 2 Foxglove Pugs, 2 V-Pugs, Scorched Carpet, 2 Engraileds and Privet Hawk-moth.

Eastern Case-bearer Coleophora vestianella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th June

Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, North Elmham, 18th June

Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th June

Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, North Elmham, 18th June

White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, North Elmham, 18th June

Marbled Bell Eucosma campoliliana, North Elmham, 18th June

Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, North Elmham, 18th June

Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, North Elmham, 18th June

Brown Powdered Knot-horns Delplanqueia inscriptella (males, gen det), North Elmham, 18th June

Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, North Elmham, 18th June

Foxglove Pug, North Elmham, 18th June

Other moths were Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 2 Meadow Case-bearers Coleophora mayrella, 3 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 14 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 14 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 7 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Hedge Shade Isotrias rectifasciana, 2 Light Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia incertana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 12 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 2 Rush Marbles Bactra lancealana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, 4 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 18 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 7 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Marsh Greys Eudonia pallida, 5 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Ghost Moth, Small Fan-footed Wave, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 8 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet, Common Carpet, 5 Barred Straws, Sharp-angled Carpet, Sandy Carpet, Currant Pug, Green Pug, Small Yellow Wave, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 2 Lilac Beauties, 2 Swallow-tailed Moths, 3 Willow Beauties, Common Wave, 3 Clouded Silvers, 5 Rosy Footmen, 4 Common Footmen, White Ermine, 6 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Short-cloaked Moth, Heart and Dart, Ingrailed Clay, 3 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Common Wainscots, 3 Brown Rustics, Dark Arches, Small Clouded Brindle, Marbled Minor, 6 Middle-barred Minors, 5 Uncertains, 5 Mottled Rustics, 2 Marbled White Spots, 2 Burnished Brasses, 4 Beautiful Hook-tips, 23 Straw Dots, 3 Fan-foots and 2 Small Fan-foots.

Ghost Moth, North Elmham, 18th June

I often see frogs around the moth trap at this time of year - there were 3 Common Frogs on this occasion.  I've never seen one eat a moth but I suspect that's why they're there.  One thing I did see eating a moth, a Common Marble Celypha lacunana, was one of 2 Fly Bugs Reduvius personatus.

Fly Bug Reduvius personatus eating Common Marble Celypha lacunana, North Elmham, 18th June

Other bugs consisted of a mating pair of Birch Shieldbugs.  Other insects in the trap included 2 Green Drakes Ephemera danica (mayflies) and a new beetle for me, Strawberry Seed Beetle Harpalus rufipes - at least I'm pretty sure that's what it was: it was a bit on the small side and there were slightly more setae on the head than the key implies there should be for this genus, but everything else checked out perfectly and it's supposed to be relatively distinctive with its golden-haired elytra.  Hopefully I'll manage a better photo when I see another one...

Strawberry Seed Beetle

Among the caddisflies 2 Polycentropus flavomaculatus and Oecetis lacustris were new for the year. There were also 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, 3 Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus lunatus.

Polycentropus flavomaculatus, North Elmham, 18th June

albitarsella but the tarsi weren't very albi

White-legged Case-bearer Coleophora albitarsella is supposed to be one of the few Coleophora that can be identified without recourse to dissection.  Well I didn't notice the white legs on this one on 21st July so dissected it.  There was some white on the legs but it wasn't very obvious - it certainly didn't have white tarsi on every leg as it's supposed to.  But a new moth for me, so I'm not complaining.

White-legged Case-bearer Coleophora albitarsella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Earlier in the day I'd had another Small Tortoiseshell come in the house but you don't expect butterflies in the moth trap, with them being diurnal.  Occasionally it happens though, and it was a Green-veined White this time.

Two nights earlier I reported a ring of Water Veneers round the trap in the evening.  Hardly any the next night but the same thing happened this night, only even more: 200 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella in a squirming heaving circle in the grass round the trap.  Once again most of them had disappeared before dawn.

Long-winged Pearl Anania lancealis was new for the garden and Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Least Carpet, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and Ear Moth were new for the year.

Ear Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 21st July

Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, North Elmham, 21st July

Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

A total of 564 moths but less variety with the species count only just breaking triple figures (101).  Other macros were 4 Chinese Characters, Buff Arches, Large Emerald, Small Blood-vein, Lesser Cream Wave, 10 Small Fan-footed Waves, Single-dotted Wave, 20 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Shaded Broad-bars, Common Carpet, Small Rivulet, Green Pug, Small Yellow Wave, 2 Clouded Borders, 2 Early Thorns, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 2 Swallow-tailed Moths, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Clouded Silver, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Buff-tips, 3 Yellow-tails, 3 Round-winged Muslins, 25 Rosy Footmen, 31 Dingy Footmen, 2 Scarce Footmen, 63 Common Footmen, 6 Buff Ermines, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, Double Square-spot, 5 Clays, 4 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, 3 Dark Arches, Clouded Brindle, 2 Double Lobeds, 4 Common Rustics, 4 Lesser Common Rustics, Ear Moth, 30 Uncertains, 4 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, Burnished Brass, 2 Spectacles, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3 Straw Dots and 3 Fan-foots.

Other micros were Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, 6 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 7 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 2 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, 4 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 4 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 6 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 5 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Not much non-avian interest - the Orthotrichia costalis I mentioned in the previous days' post and the only other caddis recorded was Mystacides longicornis.  It's so busy on the moth front now I'm having to be a bit selective with the caddisflies, not recording all of them.  Wasps are starting to appear in bigger numbers, this one being a German Wasp.

German Wasp, North Elmham, 21st July

Next day a lunchtime stroll at Houghton produced a surprise Clouded Magpie.  Also Common Marble Celypha lacunana and the Brown Lacewing Hemerobius humulinus.

The moth trap that night delivered only 85 species (309 moths).  New for the house was Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana but rarer (and new for the year here) was Dotted Ermel Ethmia dodecea.

Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, North Elmham, 22nd July

Dotted Ermel Ethmia dodecea, North Elmham, 22nd July

A Pine Hawkmoth was also new for the year.

Pine Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 22nd July

Other macros were 2 Chinese Characters, 6 Small Fan-footed Waves, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 24 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Common Carpet, Phoenix, July Highflyer, 4 Clouded Borders, 3 Early Thorns, 4 Scalloped Oaks, Willow Beauty, 2 Engraileds, Common White Wave, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Coxcomb Prominent, 3 Yellow-tails, Round-winged Muslin, 11 Rosy Footmen, 25 Dingy Footmen, Buff Footman, 61 Common Footmen, 11 Buff Ermines, 2 Ruby Tigers, Large Yellow Underwing, 7 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, 4 Clays, Smoky Wainscot, Dark Arches, Slender Brindle, 3 Common Rustics, 21 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, 2 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Slender Brindle, North Elmham, 22nd July

Best of the other micros was another Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana.

Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana, North Elmham, 22nd July

The other micros were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Bramble Shoot Moths Notocelia uddmanniana, Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 4 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, 4 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, 20 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

Other insects included a new leafhopper for me: Edwardsiana geometrica.

 Edwardsiana geometrica, North Elmham, 22nd July

Eulamprotes atrella

A lunchtime wander round Syderstone Common on 18th July produced plenty of Ringlets and Meadow Browns, the odd Gatekeeper and Small Heath but few moths.  Just 1 Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and 30 Cinnabar caterpillars.

A good selection of moths that night with 276 individuals of 100 species.  Only Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella was new for the garden.

Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella, North Elmham, 18th July

Several new for the garden year list though: Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella, 2 Chinese Characters, Shaded Broad-bar, Blue-bordered Carpet, 3 Round-winged Muslins and Dusky Sallow.

Dusky Sallow, North Elmham, 18th July

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham, 18th July

Blue-bordered Carpet, North Elmham, 18th July

Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th July

Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, North Elmham, 18th July

Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th July

Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th July

Other macros were Drinker, 2 Buff Arches, Large Emerald, 3 Common Emeralds, Small Emerald, Small Blood-vein, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 8 Riband Waves, Phoenix, 2 Barred Straws, 2 Green Pugs, 4 Clouded Borders, 3 Brimstone Moths, Lilac Beauty, 4 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, 2 Swallow-tailed Moths, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, 3 Brown-tails, 4 Yellow-tails, 13 Rosy Footmen, 11 Dingy Footmen, 4 Scarce Footmen, 31 Common Footmen, 13 Buff Ermines, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Double Square-spot, Dot Moth, Clay, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Poplar Grey, Lesser Common Rustic, 14 Uncertains, Rustic, Mottled Rustic, Green Silver-lines, Nut-tree Tussock, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Large Emerald, North Elmham, 18th July

Green Silver-lines, North Elmham, 18th July

Lilac Beauty, North Elmham, 18th July

Small Blood-vein, North Elmham, 18th July

Other micros were 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 8 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, 2 White-foot Bells Epiblema foenella, 3 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 13 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 4 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 6 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, North Elmham, 18th July

Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, North Elmham, 18th July

Other life forms included no less than 4 Green Drakes Ephemera danica (Mayflies) and a variety of caddisflies: Hydropsyche siltalai, Phryganea grandis, Goera pilosa, 2 Athripsodes aterrimus and Mystacides longicornis.

Goera pilosa, North Elmham, 18th July

Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham, 18th July