A saltmarsh species in North Elmham

29th July was another good night with 516 moths of 128 species.  The highlight from my perspective was my second ever Sorrel Bent-wing Opostega salicella.

Sorrel Bent-wing Opostega salicella, North Elmham, 29th July

Another nice addition to the garden list was this Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana.

Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 29th July

North Elmham, in the middle of Norfolk, isn't renouned for its saltmarsh species, so a Saltmarsh Bell Eucosma tripoliana was quite a surprise.  This species does turn up inland occasionally - I had two together at Bawdeswell once and at the time I recall Jon mentioning that he'd had them at Hindolveston a couple of times too.  Even so, a very good one to add to the garden list.  I don't recall the weather on the night but looking it up it seems like there was a light northerly breeze during the night, so perhaps this helped move this individual down from the coast.

Saltmarsh Bell Eucosma tripoliana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 29th July

I didn't realise the identity of the above Eucosma until I dissected it, though perhaps in hindsight I should have at least suspected it at the time.  I thought it might be Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana.  In an odd twist there was a Eucosma hohenwartiana among the moths I retained, but an unusually plain individual which I thought was a Bactra species!  Obviously I wasn't having a very good morning when I looked at these!

Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 29th July

Other goodies among the micros included Body-marked Case-bearer Coleophora clypeiferella and another Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana.

Body-marked Case-bearer Coleophora clypeiferella, North Elmham, 29th July

Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 29th July

The remaining micros were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, 14 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 4 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 5 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 35 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 3 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 3 Pale Water-veneers Donacaula forficella, 12 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 5 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula nitidulata, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 6 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 2 Dusky Pearls Udea prunalis, 19 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae (female, gen det), North Elmham, 29th July

Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 29th July

Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, North Elmham, 29th July

Although most of the excitement was with the micros there were some noteworthy macros too, inlcuding my first Sallow Kitten here this year and another Bordered Pug.

Sallow Kitten, North Elmham, 29th July

Bordered Pug, North Elmham, 29th July

It was another good night for Footmen with 15 Rosy Footmen, 39 Dingy Footmen, 18 Scarce Footmen, 3 Buff Footmen and another count of 76 Common Footmen.  This rather tired-looking individual was tiny - perhaps 60% the size of a typical Common Footman.  Can't see that it can be anything else though.

Common Footman, North Elmham, 29th July

Dingy Footman, North Elmham, 29th July

Others were a male Ghost Moth, 3 Pebble Hook-tips, Chinese Character, Buff Arches, 2 Blood-veins, 8 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 22 Riband Waves, Flame Carpet, 3 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 5 Shaded Broad-bars, 2 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, Sharp-angled Carpet, 6 Small Rivulets, Foxglove Pug, Double-striped Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, Early Thorn, 3 Scalloped Oaks, Swallow-tailed Moth, Peppered Moth, 2 Willow Beauties, Privet Hawkmoth, Iron Prominent, 5 Yellow-tails, 2 Black Arches, 3 Buff Ermines, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 5 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 4 Double Square-spots, Nutmeg, 2 Dot Moths, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Brown-line Bright-eye, 6 Clays, 7 Smoky Wainscots, 3 Grey Daggers, 3 Dun-bars, 6 Dark Arches, Slender Brindle, Cloaked Minor, 3 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, 4 Dusky Sallows, 2 Ear Moths, 24 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, 2 Spectacles, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot and 3 Fan-foots.

Ear Moths (males, gen det), North Elmham, 29th July

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (female, gen det), North Elmham, 29th July

I mentioned the 2 Dichochrysa prasina (Green Lacewings) at the end of my post for 28th July and apart from those there wasn't a great deal of non-Lep interest in the trap.  Bugs were represented by my first Forest Bug (aka Red-legged Shieldbug) of the season and bettles by a Brown Chafer.

On the outside of the trap was this slug.  I've attempted to identify a few slugs this year but am struggling a bit.  I think this one is probably a Great Red Slug Arion rufus, but am not sure if I can rule out the red form of Lusitanian Slug Arion vulgaris, or possibly other Arion species.  Any clues would be appreciated...

possible Great Red Slug Arion rufus, North Elmham, 29th July

Dune Chafer, dune moths and dune toad

I headed up to Burnham Overy on 1st August, mainly for birding but, with it being towards the end of the day I notched up a few moths too.  As good as any of the moths was this fine beetle, a Dune Chafer, munching a Rosebay Willowherb leaf:

Among the moths was a Saltmarsh Bell Eucosma tripoliana and a Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella.

Saltmarsh Bell Eucosma tripoliana, Burnham Overy, 1st August

Some Bryotropha provided interesting: one was just Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella but two (one from each end of the dunes) proved to be Dull Red Groundlings Bryotropha senectella.  I was more surprised by another which to me looked like a fairly pale terrella, but well within range for that species.  On dissection it proved to be a Desert Groundling Bryotropha desertella.

Desert Groundling Bryotropha desertella (female, gen det), Burnham Overy, 1st August

 Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella (male, gen det), Burnham Overy, 1st August

There were loads of Bud Moths Spilonota ocellana (I counted 12 but I'm sure they were just the tip of the iceburg) around the Sea Buckthorn.  They were all relatively dark - most of the ocellana I see seem to be yet if you look at photos online the paler form seems to be the more usual variant.

Bud Moths Spilonota ocellana, Burnham Overy, 1st August

No surprise to see Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta cagnagella after finding the Spindle trees stripped by the larvae earlier in the year.

Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta cagnagella, Burnham Overy, 1st August

Other moths seen were Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 2 Yellow-spot Tortrices Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, 4 Barred Grass-veneers Agriphila inquinatella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Dwarf Cream Wave, Shaded Broad-bar and 2 Yellow Shells. Also 20 Cinnabar moth caterpillars.

Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella, Burnham Overy, 1st August

Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Burnham Overy, 1st August

Dusk at Buirnham Overy at this time of year guarantees a chorus of Natterjack toads but it's not so often that I see them.  This one was seen as it was almost dark crossing the path on the north side of the dunes.

Natterjack Toad, Burnham Overy, 1st August

At home that night it was fairly unremarkable.  Two new moths for the year were the terribly named Golden Lance-wing Epermenia chaerophyllella and Straw Underwing.

Golden Lance-wing Epermenia chaerophyllella, North Elmham, 1st August

Straw Underwing, North Elmham, 1st August

Red and Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets are supposed to be quite tough to identify with certainty, with some Red having dark bars and some Dark-barred being quite reddish.  Some features once thought to be diagnostic have been shown not to be (like the notch in the bar) and the scarcer Dark-barred is sometimes said to need gen detting to confirm.  It's also supposed to be quite scarce now and it's often suspected that records relate to misidentified dark-barred Red Twin-spot Carpets.  Well I've found quite a few dark-barred carpets that I've dissected and they've all proved to be Dark-barred, while the few red-barred ones I've dissected have been Red.  I also find Dark-barred to be consistently small-looking, though matched by a minority of presumed Red.  Well this large red-barred individual wouldn't have even come inside for closer inspection had it not kept its wings firmly closed while I was emptying the trap.  When it did eventually open up it just looked like a straightforward Red, albeit quite a worn one so the red wasn't as clear as it might have been when fresh.  Maybe the red colour was a bit darker than normal so with it being on its last legs I decided to dissect it anyway.  To my  surprise this one was not a Red Twin-spot Carpet after all - it was a female Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet!  All the others I've dissected have been males so maybe females are either more variable or larger/redder?

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (female, gen det), North Elmham, 1st August

Other moths were Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, 2 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 32 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Small Emerald, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, Poplar Hawkmoth, 3 Yellow-tails, 4 Dingy Footmen, 7 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Double Square-spots, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Dark Arches, Common Rustic, 4 Uncertains, Rustic, Mottled Rustic, Nut-tree Tussock and Snout.

Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, North Elmham, 1st August

Brancaster with Norfolk Moth Survey

18th July was the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Brancaster, doubling up as part of the National Trust's bioblitz weekend.  It was a cool clear night so hopes weren't especially high, but there were plenty of us there to give it a good try.  It certainly turned out to be a worthwhile evening.

Garden Tiger, Brancaster, 18th July

Arguably the best moth, if not the most attractive, was the last moth I saw.  Found in Rob's trap as he was packing it up, it was a small greyish Gelechiid that none of us who were left recognised.  I took it home and was still unable to identify it when I looked through the Gelechiid photos on the Norfolk Moths website.  Turned out that was because there weren't any photos of this species which I eventually identified (and confirmed by gen detting) as Saltern Neb Monochroa tetragonella, a Red Data Book species with only one other county record in the last 35 years.

Saltern Neb Monochroa tetragonella, Brancaster, 18th July

Another 5 species were completely new to me: Roseate Marble Celypha rosaceana, Saltmarsh Grass-veneer Pediasia aridella, 2 Crescent Stripeds, Lyme Grass and 4 Saltern Ears.

Crescent Striped, Brancaster, 18th July

Lyme Grass, Brancaster, 18th July

Saltern Ears (female above, male below, both gen det), Brancaster, 18th July

Roseate Marble Celypha rosaceana, Brancaster, 18th July

Saltmarsh Grass-veneer Pediasia aridella, Brancaster, 18th July

Other good macros included Rosy Wave, White-line Dart, 2 Archer's Darts, Sand Dart, Dog's Tooth and Rosy Minor, all of which were either my second or third records.

Rosy Minor, Brancaster, 18th July

White-line Dart, Brancaster, 18th July

Other macros included Willow Beauty, Pine Hawkmoth, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, 4 Brown-tails, 6 White Satins, Common Footman, 3 Garden Tigers, 2 Ruby Tigers, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 6 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Campion, 2 Clays, Striped Wainscot, 9 Smoky Wainscots, Sycamore, 6 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, Common Rustic, Silver Y and Dotted Fan-foot. 

Pine Hawkmoth, Brancaster, 18th July

Ruby Tiger, Brancaster, 18th July

Common Rustic (male, gen det), Brancaster, 18th July

Among the micros other highlights were 2 Silver-streaked Case-bearers Coleophora limoniella, Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Saltmarsh Bell Eucosma tripoliana, 3 Pale-streak Grass-veneers Agriphila selasella, Sandhill Knot-horn Anerastia lotella and 4 Saltmarsh Plumes Agdistis bennetii.

Silver-streaked Case-bearer Coleophora limoniella, Brancaster, 18th July

Saltmarsh Bell Eucosma tripoliana, Brancaster, 18th July

Saltmarsh Plume Agdistis bennetii, Brancaster, 18th July

A couple of Bactra were retained that looked interesting.  The commoner Bactra lancealana is variable but neither of these two matched the most typical form.  The scarcer Bactra species have forms that do match these individuals so we hoped they'd prove to be either of the scarcer species.  In fact the one I retained turned out to be Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, and so did the one dissected by one of the other attendees.

Rush Marble Bactra lancealana (female, gen det), Brancaster, 18th July

Other micros were Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 5 Saltern Groundlings Scrobipalpa instabilella, 3 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 30 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella and Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella.

Saltern Groundlings Scrobipalpa instabilella (males, gen det), Brancaster, 18th July

Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana (male, gen det), Brancaster, 18th July