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

Another Dotted Ermel and other good moths

16th July was getting back to form.  Not the numbers of spcecies of a few days earlier but an improvement on the day before and a good night with several new for the year (for the garden).  Among these Lunar-spotted Pinion was a species I wasn't particularly expecting at home:

Lunar-spotted Pinion, North Elmham, 16th July

Least Carpet has only started appearing in numbers in very recent years.  I saw them for the first time last year.

Least Carpet, North Elmham, 16th July

The Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana was so worn it would have gone unidentified had I not dissected it, although traces of its normal pattern were just visible.

Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, North Elmham, 16th July

Despite its vernacular name, I have never found Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella to be common - in fact this one was only my second.

Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, North Elmham, 16th July

I've stumbled across a few of the next one before in various places, but I may have been lucky as this relatively distinctive tortrix isn't particularly well-recorded: White-barred Tortrix Olindia schumacherana.

White-barred Tortrix Olindia schumacherana, North Elmham, 16th July

Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana is one I don't see all that often, though I used to get the occasional example at Bawdeswell.

Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, North Elmham, 16th July

Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella and Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella are both species I've only recorded occaisonally, though that probably has more to do with the need to dissect them to confirm than them being particularly scarce.

Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Two much more frequent species were also new for the year: Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana and Cloaked Minor. 

Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, North Elmham, 16th July

Cloaked Minor, North Elmham, 16th July

Although not new for the year, Dotted Ermel Ethmia dodecea was probably better than any of the above.

Dotted Ermel Ethmia dodecea, North Elmham, 16th July

Other macros were 2 Chinese Characters, Large Emerald, Common Emerald, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, 11 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Barred Straws, Common Pug, V-Pug, 2 Green Pugs, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 5 Early Thorns, 3 Scalloped Oaks, 2 Swallow-tailed Moths, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, Clouded Silver, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, Yellow-tail, 6 Rosy Footmen, 2 Dingy Footmen, 7 Scarce Footmen, Buff Footman, 36 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, 3 Heart and Darts, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, 6 Double Square-spots, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Lychnis, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, 3 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 13 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Beautiful Hook-tip, 4 Snouts and Fan-foot. 

Large Emerald, North Elmham, 16th July

Buff Footman, North Elmham, 16th July

V-Pug, North Elmham, 16th July

Other micros were 10 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 5 Red-barred Tortrices Ditula angustiorana, 3 Grey Tortrices Cnephasia stephensiana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 27 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 8 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, 13 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis and 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis.

Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, North Elmham, 16th July

Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

First century at home including five lifers

The moth trap was heaving on the morning after the night of 1st July.  Indeed there was plenty to look at all around the outside before I even started delving into the trap itself - 62 moths of 38 species before I opened the trap up!  Once I had gone through the trap that tally increased to 439 moths of 105 species (59 macros).

There were lots of goodies among them, macro and micro, but it was among the micros that all five of my lifers lay - an exceptionally high number of new moths for a trapping at home night.  Among the five were two very attractive tortrices, neither hugely rare.  The Cherry Bark Moth Enarmonia formosana was not the freshest individual and perhaps not as bright as they can be, but not too shabby either.  The Teasel Marble Endothenia gentianaeana is the commoner congener of the Downland Marble Endothenia oblongana I recorded back in May and the larger size of this gentianaeana was very apparent.

Cherry Bark Moth Enarmonia formosana, North Elmham, 1st July

Teasel Marble Endothenia gentianaeana, North Elmham, 1st July

Even more striking was this Dotted Ermel Ethmia dodecea - and a good record too.  Nearly all of the county's records are from the west of the county, along a line running between Holme and the Brecks.  There are just two dots on the map east of that line (both just in VC27).

Dotted Ermel Ethmia dodecea, North Elmham, 1st July

The rarest, or at least the most poorly-recorded, moth was Southern Case-bearer Coleophora badiipennella.  Jon had two records last year but prior to that there were just three county records, two of which were back in 1874.  It's one that needs the chop to confirm and males are difficult even then (fortunately this was a female) so it's undoubtedly under-recorded.  It's another Elm-feeder like the last decent moth I had (this Carpatolechia fugitivella).  Must work out where the nearest Elms are - I still need White-letter Hairstreak and they might be nearby!

Southern Case-bearer Coleophora badiipennella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 1st July

Much less unusual but still new for me were 2 Garden Cosmets Mompha subbistrigella.

 Garden Cosmet Mompha subbistrigella, North Elmham, 1st July

A couple of good migrants were among the macros: Pearly Underwing and Red-necked Footman.  At least the Footman may have been a migrant though there is a breeding population in Norfolk nowadays so we can't be sure.  Large numbers were being recorded at the coast around this time though, so I expect mine was a migrant.

Red-necked Footman, North Elmham, 1st July

Pearly Underwing, North Elmham, 1st July

Macros that were new for the year included Phoenix, 2 Freyer's Pugs and Lilac Beauty, while other notable macros were Maiden's Blush, Small Seraphim, Small Elephant Hawkmoth, Four-dotted Footman (my third this year!) and Light Brocade.

Lilac Beauty, North Elmham, 1st July

Phoenix, North Elmham, 1st July

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 1st July

Small Seraphim, North Elmham, 1st July

Small Elephant Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 1st July

Freyer's Pug, North Elmham, 1st July

Among the micros were 4 Monopis which I thought at first were my first Monopis obviella, a relatively frequently recorded moth that I'm yet to come across. Upon closer inspection though they proved to be the much rarer Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella, a species I recorded here last autumn.

Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella, North Elmham, 1st July

Lots of other micros were new for the year: Hawthorn Argent Argyresthia bonnetella, 4 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 4 Meadow Case-bearers Coleophora mayrella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella (gen det), 2 Grey Rush Case-bearers Coleophora glaucicolella (gen det), 2 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana and Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana.

 Hawthorn Argent Argyresthia bonnetella, North Elmham, 1st July

Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, North Elmham, 1st July

Traingle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, North Elmham, 1st July

Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana, North Elmham, 1st July

Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana, North Elmham, 1st July

Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, North Elmham, 1st July

Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, North Elmham, 1st July

Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, North Elmham, 1st July

Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 1st July

Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 1st July

Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, North Elmham, 1st July

Other micros were 3 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, 5 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, 7 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 3 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrices Pandemis cerasana, 11 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, 7 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrices Lozotaenia forsterana, Hedge Shade Isotrias rectifasciana, 5 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 6 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, 5 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 45 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 9 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, 25 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 5 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Brown China-marks Elophila nymphaeata, 4 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 6 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, North Elmham, 1st July

Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, North Elmham, 1st July

Finally the remainder of the macros were 6 Dwarf Cream Waves, Small Dusty Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 13 Treble Brown Spots, 15 Riband Waves, Silver-ground Carpet, 5 Barred Straws, Green Carpet, Sandy Carpet, Mottled Pug, 4 Common Pugs, 5 Green Pugs, Clouded Border, 9 Brimstone Moths, 7 Swallow-tailed Moths, 3 Mottled Beauties, 3 Common White Waves, 2 Common Waves, Clouded Silver, Light Emerald, Privet Hawkmoth, Buff-tip, 4 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 5 Heart and Clubs, 7 Heart and Darts, 2 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Ingrailed Clays, 13 Double Square-spots, Clay, Common Wainscot, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 3 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, 3 Tawny Marbled Minors (gen det), 12 Middle-barred Minors, 2 Treble Lines, 21 Uncertains, 11 Mottled Rustics, 3 Marbled White Spots, 5 Burnished Brass, 8 Beautiful Hook-tips, 14 Straw Dots, 9 Snouts, 3 Fan-foots and 2 Small Fan-foots.

Tanwy Marbled Minor (female, gen det), North Elmham, 1st July

Non-lepidopteran interest was there too, though I ddn't have time to look at everything too closely.  Two bugs I looked at, one identified (Stenotus binotatus) and one not yet identified and two beetles, one identified (Nicrophorus investigator) and one not yet identified.

Stenotus binotatus, North Elmham, 1st July

unidentified bug, North Elmham, 1st July

Nicrophorus investigator, North Elmham, 1st July

unidentified beetle, North Elmham, 1st July

Finally this toad has been kicking around the trap recently - finally got a pic of him (or her) mid-leap.

Common Toad, North Elmham, 1st July