Flounced Chestnut

A good night on 19th October with 51 moths of 22 species.  I didn't immediately recognise the best one but when Dave suggested the ID it was obvious (well, fairly).  Indeed I'd been keeping an eye out for one as I'd never seen one before but they're usually a bit more strongly marked and I'd not appreciated how plain they could be.  It was a Flounced Chestnut, a very welcome macro lifer for so late in the season.  They're a little on the scarce side so it's not entirely surprising that I'd not seen one before but there are a few records in Norfolk every year.

Flounced Chestnut, North Elmham, 19th October

The other moths were Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 6 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Ashy Buttons Acleris sparsana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Pale November Moth, Feathered Thorn, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, Large Yellow Underwing, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 7 Black Rustics, 4 Green-brindled Crescents, Merveille du Jour, Brick, Red-line Quaker, 10 Yellow-line Quakers, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, Angle Shades, Large Wainscot, Burnished Brass and 2 Straw Dots.

Other insects included 5 Chrysoperla carnea (green lacewing), Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 15 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus, Halesus radiatus (caddisflies), Pinalitus cervinus (bug) and a leafhopper that was probably Empoasca decipiens (would be new for the house but I wasn't entirely convinced by the externals and couldn't make the genitalia quite fit either, though I couldn't find anything else that fitted better).

I think this ugly little beast in my study the next day was Amaurobius similis.  I still dislike spiders but I'll try to identify them so long as I don't have to touch them or get too close.  Maybe one day I'll grow to like them, but for now, ugh.

Amaurobius similis, North Elmham, 20th October

Slightly fewer moths that night: 2 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 November Moths, Pale November Moth, 2 Feathered Thorns, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Black Rustics, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, 2 Merveille du Jours, 2 Bricks, 5 Yellow-line Quakers, Beaded Chestnut, Straw Dot and Snout.

Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, North Elmham, 20th October

The only lacewings and caddisflies were Chrysoperla carnea, Limnephilus affinis and 7 Limnephilus lunatus but hot on the heals of my first identified ones a few days earlier there were 5 Fagocyba cruenta (yellow leafhoppers).

There was a big drop in moth numbers the following night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, November Moth, Pale November Moth, Black Rustic, Yellow-line Quaker and Beaded Chestnut.  But it was worth putting the trap on for the leafhoppers - two more yellow leafhoppers, one another Fagocyba cruenta but the other a new one for me, Alnetoidea alneti.  The joy of being fairly new to identifyting a group like this is that you can still pick up new species from among the common ones - and this one is supposed to be "extremely common".

Alnetoidea aneti, North Elmham, 21st October

Fagocyba cruenta, North Elmham, 21st October

A Froghopper hopped away before I could ID it and the only other insects I noted were caddisflies: 3 Limnephilus lunatus and Halesus radiatus.

Things quietened down the following night with just Pale November Moth, Feathered Thorn, Green-brindled Crescent, Merveille du Jour, 5 Yellow-line Quakers and 2 Beaded Chestnuts making up the moths and Chrysoperla carnea agg., Limnephilus flavicornis and Limnephilus lunatus the lacewings and caddisflies.

If 22nd was quiet 23rd made up for it.  The highlights among 58 moths of 28 species were my first Sprawler of the year and my first Mottled Umber of the autumn but a much bigger surprise was an Orange Pine Tortrix Lozotaeniodes formosana.  Not because it's rare (though it is unusual here - I've only seen one here before, this July) or because it's stunning (though it certainly is) but because of the late date.  They normally finish flying in August and I think this might be the latest ever in Norfolk.

Orange Pine Tortrix Lozotaeniodes formosana, North Elmham, 23rd October

Blair's Shoulder-knot (left) and Sprawler (right), North Elmham, 23rd October

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 23rd October

Other moths were 2 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 4 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, Red-green Carpet, 2 Pine Carpets, 9 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, White-point, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Black Rustics, Blair's Shoulder-knot, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Merveille du Jour, Satellite, Red-line Quaker, 2 Yellow-line Quakers, 5 Beaded Chestnuts, Rosy Rustic, 2 Large Wainscots, 2 Burnished Brasses, 3 Straw Dots and Snout.

November Moth (male), North Elmham, 23rd October - not every pale November Moth is a Pale November Moth...

It wasn't just moths in the trap - there were lots of leafhoppers.  Having had several in recent days I imagined all the bright yellow leafhoppers would be Fagocyba cruenta so didn't retain them all for checking.  Of those I did keep 2 were indeed cruenta but one turned out to be Edwardsiana flavescens, a new one for here.  Other leafhoppers included Alebra albostriella, 5 Empoasca vitis and probably 2 Kybos betulicola (the male confirmed, the female either this or smaragdula).

Edwardsiana flavescens, North Elmham, 23rd October

Alebra albostriella, North Elmham, 23rd October

There were also 2 mirid bugs (Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae and Pinalitus cervinus), 2 barkflies Valenzuela flavidus, the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea and the caddisflies Limnephilus affinis, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis and 9 Limnephilus lunatus.

Someone once pointed out a spider to me which they identified as Nuctenea umbratica on the basis of two white marks on the underside of its abdomen.  This spider in my shed had similar markings, but whether that's diagnostic or not I'm not sure.  I didn't get a good look at the top side of it.

Spider (possibly Nuctenea umbratica?), North Elmham, 24th October

Some interesting bugs and leafhoppers

I hadn't seen much in the way on non-avian wildlife on a visit to Burnham Overy on Saturday 16th September, but when I entered Holkham Pines I noticed something on my shoulder.  I duly potted it up and identified it as the distinctive bug Pilophorus cinnamopterus, a new one for me.  I contacted Rob Coleman the county recorder for bugs as there were no records in Norfolk showing on the NBN Atlas.  Turns out it's quite an interesting record, first recorded in Norfolk in 2013.  It's only the 5th record in Norfolk and apparently the other four were all from west Norfolk.

Pilophorus cinnamopterus, Holkham, 16th September

I also found a leafhopper at Holkham and this turned out to be Ribautiana cruciata.  Again the NBN Atlas doesn't show any records in Norfolk though it is quite widespread so I don't imagine it is really very unusual here.  Mind you, there aren't any photos on the British Bugs website which is perhaps an indicator of genuine scarcity?  Anyway, I will check with the county recorder for leafhoppers in due course.

Ribautiana cruciata, Holkham, 16th September

I was pretty much expecting that this fungus would turn out to be Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus but from what I could tell looking through my books it seemed to be a better fit for the more unusual Coprinus sterquilinus.  Thanks again to James for confirming that it was indeed Shaggy Inkcap, and for identifying the yellow stuff as Fuligo septica.

Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus, or possibly Coprinus sterquilinus?, Holkham, 16th September

Fuligo septica, Holkham, 16th September

That evening was the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Buckenham Carrs.  It was an exploratory visit really as some of us are hoping to do a bit more here next year.  It certainly seems like an excellent site, although the weather was not really much good on this occasion.  The only moths we found were Flame Carpet, Green Carpet, Dusky Thorn, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 4 Square-spot Rustics, Brindled Green, Angle Shades and Snout.  There were about 4 each of the caddisflies Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus flavicornis (probably more - these were just the ones I identified) and lots (25+) of Hornets.

I also found a leafhopper which on dissection proved to be Edwardsiana flavescens.  Now I know that the datasets on the NBN Atlas are very incomplete so there not being any Norfolk records of this species showing there may not be significant.  The fact that the NBN Atlas shows just two records in the whole of the UK might mean this one really is more significant though, maybe.  Or it might just be a recent arrival to the UK perhaps.  I will be in contact with the county recorder for leafhoppers to check the status of this and the Ribautiana above, but I know Tony is very busy at the moment so it might be a while before I find out.

Edwardsiana flavescens (male, gen det), Buckenham Carrs, 16th September

At home I noticed a distinctive-looking spider so took its photo and attempted to identify it using the new Britain's Spiders book.  It seems to be Araneus marmoreus.

Araneus marmoreus, North Elmham, 16th September

Very little in the moth trap that night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lunar Underwing, 4 Flounced Rustics, 2 Snouts and Limnephilus lunatus.

The following night this Mallow was new for the year.

Mallow, North Elmham, 17th September

Other moths were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Lunar Underwings, 4 Flounced Rustics, Frosted Orange and Snout. An Aphodius rufipes was the only beetle but there was a selection of caddisflies: Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus auricula, 5 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus rhombicus.

Nothing remotely exciting in the following night's haul: Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Lunar Underwing, 7 Flounced Rustics, Frosted Orange, Snout and the caddisflies Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis and 4 Limnephilus lunatus.

Next day while birding in the Stiffkey area I found a Lesser Marsh Grasshopper and a final instar Common Green Shieldbug.

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper, Stiffkey Greens, 19th September

Common Green Shieldbug (final instar), Stiffkey Flood, 19th September

With its attractive peachy colour to its flesh I wondered if this might be Blushing Bracket but having looked it up I wasn't sure.  Thanks once again to James for confirming that it is in fact Chicken of the Woods (Sulphur Polypore).

Chicken of the Woods, Stiffkey Campsite Wood, 19th September

There were very few moths in the trap that night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 7 Lunar Underwings and 4 Flounced Rustics.

The following night was a little better with Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Centre-barred Sallow, 8 Lunar Underwings, 2 Flounced Rustics, 2 Frosted Oranges, Vine's Rustic and 9 Snouts.

There was also a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum (mayfly), an Aphodius rufipes (beetle) and 19 caddisflies: Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Limnephilus affinis, 2 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis and 13 Limnephilus lunatus.  The Limnephilus affinis were new for the house, though I imagine I overlooked them last year when I had to step down my efforts with caddisflies during the second half of the summer.

Limnephilus affinis (female), North Elmham, 20th September

Next day I had another Common Frog in my moth trap but it didn't eat all of the moths!  There was Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, 5 Lunar Underwings, 3 Flounced Rustics, 2 Frosted Oranges, 5 Snouts and the caddisflies Limnephilus auricula, 8 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus.

The 22nd was particularly rubbish with just Feathered Thorn, Square-spot Rustic, 12 Lunar Underwings, Frosted Orange, Snout, 6 Limnephilus lunatus (caddisflies) and the beetle Aphodius rufipes.