Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Prominents (Notodontidae) - part 2: Prominents and Buff- and Chocolate-tips

PROMINENTS, KITTENS and allies (NOTODONTIDAE)


Iron Prominent Notodonta dromedarius - One caught in the garden on 1st May 2019 and then 3 singles between 21st July and 26th August.  In 2020 singles on 30th April, 18th May and 12th August.  3-5 here in a year is typical but there were 19 in 2016 and none in 2017.  One at Sculthorpe Moor on 26th April 2019 was my earliest ever and first April record.  Elsewhere singles at Weybourne, Swanton Great Wood and Row Heath (West Runton) in 2019 and 2 at Hills and Holes in 2020.

Iron Prominent, Sculthorpe Moor, 26th April 2019

Iron Prominent, North Elmham, 1st May 2019

Iron Prominent, North Elmham, 30th April 2020

Pebble Prominent Notodonta ziczac - 5 trapped in the garden between 21st June and 2nd August 2019 and then singles on 22nd May, 22nd July and 6th August 2020.  These low totals were better than 2018 (2) but well short of my yearly average of over 10.  Elsewhere one next door on 27th August 2019, one at the meadows on 22nd April 2019 and one at Bintree Wood on 24th July 2020.

Pebble Prominent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Great Prominent Peridea anceps - One in the garden moth trap on 24th May 2020.  I've caught this species at home 3 times before (2015, 2016 and 2018).  Elsewhere one caught at Benhall (Suffolk) on 10th May 2019 and one at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020.

Great Prominent, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Great Prominent, North Elmham, 24th May 2020

Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula - Totals of 5 in the garden between 26th April and 29th August 2019 and 9 between 11th April (my earliest ever) and 16th May 2020.  These were my worst totals in 6 years - I've averaged 16-17 a year.  Elsewhere 3 next door, 6 at the meadows on 6 dates, one at Bintree Wood, 2 at Swanton Great Wood, one at Sculthorpe Moor, one at Hills and Holes and one at Benhall (Suffolk).

Swallow Prominent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Swallow Prominent, North Elmham, 26th April 2019

Swallow Prominent, North Elmham, 11th April 2020

Swallow Prominent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

Lesser Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula - Totals of 16 trapped here between 25th April and 23rd  August 2019 and 20 between 15th April and 23rd August 2020 - 20 a year is about average.  Elsewhere singles next door on 3 nights, 2 at Weybourne, 1 at Row Heath (West Runton) (my latest ever, on 31st August), one at Benhall (Suffolk) and one on Mull, all in 2019.

Lesser Swallow Prominent, North Elmham, 25th April 2019

Lesser Swallow Prominent (left) and Swallow Prominent (right), Benhall (Suffolk), 10th May 2019

Lesser Swallow Prominent, North Elmham, 15th April 2020

Pale Prominent Pterostoma palpina - Totals of 9 in the garden between 4th July and 21st August 2019 and 8 between 8th May and 30th July 2020 - my worst years so far (average 20 a year).  Elsewhere my earliest ever at Sculthorpe Moor on 26th April 2019 and one at the meadows each year.

Pale Prominent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

Pale Prominent, North Elmham, 8th May 2020

Pale Prominent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Coxcomb Prominent Ptilodon capucina - Totals of 22 here between 20th May and 24th August 2019 and 18 between 31st May and 14th August 2020.  These were my worst showings but in 6 years but I've never had more than 28.  Elsewhere one next door, one at Hills and Holes and one on Mull.

Coxcomb Prominent, North Elmham, 20th May 2019

Coxcomb Prominent, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Maple Prominent Ptilodon cucullina - None.  I caught 3 here (and one next-door) in 2016 but haven't had them here in any other year.  Interestingly 2016 doesn't seem to have been an especially good year elsewhere in Norfolk.


Buff-tip Phalera bucephala - Totals of 18 trapped in the garden between 26th May and 3rd August 2019 and 41 between 24th April (my earliest ever) and 22nd July 2020.  2020 was my second best year in 6, though well short of the impressive 85 caught in 2015.  Elsewhere singles at the meadows, Bintree Wood and Weybourne and 5 at Carsaig (Mull).

Buff-tip, North Elmham, 1st July 2019

Buff-tip, North Elmham, 17th May 2020

Buff-tip, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Chocolate-tip Clostera curtula - One in the garden trap on 1st May 2019 and 5 between 26th April and 23rd May 2020.  I only had one in 2017 too but in other years I've caught between 8 and 12.

Chocolate-tip, North Elmham, 1st May 2019

Chocolate-tip, North Elmham, 26th April 2020

Next page: Erebidae

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

Four Prominents and a Hawkmoth

Monday night produced 20 species (19 macros) including 7 new for the year: Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Oak-tree Pug, Brimstone Moth, Poplar Hawkmoth, Pale Prominent, Great Prominent and Lychnis.

Poplar Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 11th May

Pale Prominent, North Elmham, 11th May

Great Prominent, North Elmham, 11th May

Lychnis, North Elmham, 11th May

Brimstone Moth, North Elmham, 11th May

Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, North Elmham, 11th May

Oak-tree Pug (female, gen det), North Elmham, 11th May

 
The rest of the catch were Chinese Character, Common Pug, Brindled Beauty, Pebble Prominent, Swallow Prominent, 2 Pale Tussocks, Muslin Moth, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, Powdered Quaker, Clouded Drab, 3 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and Nut-tree Tussock.

Pebble Prominent, North Elmham, 11th May

Common Pug, North Elmham, 11th May