Sprawling Sprawlers and the last of the Turnips

The best moth of the night of 25th October was a Grey Shoulder-knot, my first autumn example since 2014.  The Shoulder-knot I expect to see in October is Blair's Shoulder-knot but in 2018 I didn't catch a single one.

Grey Shoulder-knot, North Elmham, 25th October

Other things were 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 November Moths, 3 Pale November Moths, Feathered Thorn, 2 Sprawlers, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Yellow-line Quaker and the caddisfly Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus.

There were only 3 moths the following night: 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea and Yellow-line Quaker.  The following day was very windy and that night there were just 2 Pale November Moths, and then on 28th Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea and Pale November Moth.

On 29th there was a Merveille du Jour and 2 Yellow-line Quakers and the low numbers continued with Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Feathered Thorn and the caddisfly Brown Sedge Anabolia nervosa on 30th.

There was a bit more on 31st including an unprecedented count of 10 Pale November Moths.  Others were 2 November Moths, a female November Moth agg., Feathered Thorn, Mottled Umber, White-point, 2 Sprawlers, Satellite, Yellow-line Quaker, the caddisflies Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus vittatus and the mirid bug Pinalitus cervinus.

The following night there were November Moth, 3 Pale November Moths, Feathered Thorn, Sprawler, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Brick, the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea and the mirid bug Pinalitus cervinus.

A wander round the Cathedral Meadows on 2nd November turned up a few bits and pieces.  The White Willow still held at least one Willow Flea Beetle Crepidodera aurata and also had the leafhopper Lindbergina aurovittata.

Lindbergiana aurovittata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd November

A quick sweep of the Broom produced 3 Broom Psyllids Arytaina genistae, the barklouse Ectopsocus petersi and a new weevil for me, Pirapion immune. Apparently the latter is more commonly recorded on Gorse - well, there is a little bit of gorse amongst the Broom, and a fair bit more only a little distance away.

Pirapion immune, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd November

Ectopsocus petersi, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd November

Found a few occupied leafmines in fallen Oak leaves along the railway including 3 Five-spot Pigmies Ectoedemia quinquella (in one leaf) and White-banded Pigmy Ectoedemia albifasciella.

occupied leadfmines of Five-spot Pigmies Ectoedemia quinquella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd November

occupied leadfmine of White-banded Pigmy Ectoedemia albifasciella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd November

I found these galls on Goat/Grey Willow leaves but can't quite make up my mind if they are made by the fly Iteomyia capreaea or the mite Aculus laevis.  I didn't have the gall book at the time and I didn't retain the leaf for checking more detail.  Hopefully I'll find them again this year.

unidentified galls, apparently either Iteomyia capreae or Aculus laevis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd November

That night there were 2 Sprawlers and a Yellow-line Quaker in the garden moth trap.

I think this harvestman that I photographed in the house must be Leiobunum blackwalli, the first I've identified.

Leiobunum blackwalli, North Elmham, 3rd November

A few more moths in the trap that night, but not much variety: 3 Feathered Thorns, 7 Sprawlers and a Chestnut.

The following night the moth trap produced my first new moths for the year for over 2 weeks, 2 December Moths.

December Moths, North Elmham, 4th November

It wasn't a bad catch by November standards with 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, 2 November Moths, 3 Pale November Moths, 9 Feathered Thorns, Mottled Umber, Turnip Moth, 15 Sprawlers, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut, Brick and Yellow-line Quaker.

Sprawler, North Elmham, 4th November

An early morning walk round the meadows didn't produce much on 5th - a 7-spot Ladybird being the only non-avian thing I noted.  But I went back after dark with the headtorch and found a few bits and pieces. I could hear what I suspected was a Dark Bush-cricket as I walked down the track and whereas previous attempts to find calling bush-crickets had not fared well this one did eventually give itself up.  It was indeed a Dark Bush-cricket.

Dark Bush-cricket, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th November

It was a little too cold for most insects but I did find a couple of Feathered Thorns and the ground beetle Harpalus affinis.  I also noted Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica, Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus and White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger.

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th November

Harpalus affinis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th November

That night the garden moth trap produced 15 Sprawlers again...

15 Sprawlers, North Elmham, 5th November

It was a good year for Turnip Moths.  I never do very well for this species compared to many other moth trappers.  My previous best year here was a total of 13 individuals in 2015, with just 4 in 2016 and only one or two in 2017.  On 5th November I recorded my last of 2018 - my 51st individual, so about 4 times more than my previous best.

Turnip Moth, North Elmham, 5th November

Other things that night included Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 3 Pale November Moths, 4 other November Moth aggs. (3 unidentifiable females and a male that seemed intermediate but I felt was most likely an extreme Pale), 6 Feathered Thorns, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, White-point, Green-brindled Crescent, Yellow-line Quaker, 2 of the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea and 2 of the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

There were 15 Sprawlers for the third consecutive night on 6th - I don't think they were the same moths both nights, at least there was certainly a fair bit of change-over with the other insects.  Other moths were Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, December Moth, November Moth, 4 Pale November Moths, 7 Feathered Thorns, Mottled Umber, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 White-points, Green-brindled Crescent, Chestnut and Yellow-line Quaker. Non-moths included 2-3 of the green lacewings Chrysoperla carnea, the caddisflies Limnephilus affinis and 3 Limnephilus lunatus, the bugs Lygus pratensis and Pinalitus cervinus, an Edwardsiana leafhopper sp. and the barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi.

A Dark Chestnut the following night was my first of the year, belatedly perhaps.

Dark Chestnut, North Elmham, 7th November

Apart from the Orchard Ermine Yponomeuta padella complex, which cannot be identified on external features or genitalia, and apart from female Epirrita spp., it's pretty unusual nowadays for me to catch a moth that I cannot identify one way or another.  But here's one I'm not entirely sure about.  Once I would have seen the strongly pale-edged median band and the dark lines delineating some of the cells within the median band and called it a Spruce Carpet, but it's not as easy as that.  Apparently Grey Pine Carpet can be as grey and contrasty as this, and as it doesn't have much of a postmedian line I think that has to remain in the frame.  I kept hold of it, hoping it would be a male so I could check its antennae (males of the two species have different-shaped segments of the antennae) but alas it's a female.  I suspect some people would call this one way or the other, and if you know what you're talking about and are convinced it is identifiable then please let me know, but for now I shall leave it unidentified.

Spruce or Grey Pine Carpet (female), North Elmham, 7th November

Other moths were Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Pale November Moth, 6 Sprawlers, 2 Bricks and 2 Yellow-line Quakers. There was also a green Llacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg., 5 of the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus and the barkfly Graphopsocus cruciatus in the trap and a Common Heart-shield beetle Nebria brevicollis on the ground.

Graphopsocus cruciatus, North Elmham, 7th November

Common Heart-shield Nebria brevicollis, North Elmham, 7th November

Warming up in mid April

Moths on 12th April consisted of 4 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, Red Chestnut, 4 Small Quakers, 3 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, Twin-spotted Quaker, 6 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.  There was also a Carabid Beetle that has defied identification so far.  I've spent far more time than I have keying it out and no matter which way I go when the couplets are ambiguous or uncertain I always end up at a dead end.

Next day a look round the patch at Bittering with Dave produced relatively little in the way of inverts, but a few things of note.  The only adult moth was a March Tubic Diurnea fagella on an Oak trunk.  Also on an Oak was this algae-covered caterpillar.  I think it belongs to a Virgin Bagworm Luffia ferchaultella, a new species for me.  I will see if I can rear it through - I've already had to go back to find some more algae-covered bark as it soon cleaned up the algae off the bit of bark I took it home on!  As I write, over a week later, it's still chomping away. [Update May 2018: I reared it through successfully and it turns out it was in fact a White-speckled Bagworm Narycia duplicella!]

White-speckled Bagworm Narycia duplicella, Bittering, 13th April

I recently acquired a sweep net and used it for the first time today.  A couple of sweeps and I had enough insects to identify that would keep me busy for long enough!  One was a new beetle for me, Epuraea silacea.  Two other beetles have so far defied identification, so I'll hold them back for another day when I have more time.

Epuraea silacea, Bittering, 13th April

A couple of these curious little knobbly creatures came out of a Norway Maple tree.  They turned out to be aphids, and look like Periphyllus testudinaceus.

Periphyllus testudinaceus, Bittering, 13th April

That night was arguably the best of the year so far for moths with Scarce Alder Slender Caloptilia falconipennella, Ruddy Flat-body Agonopterix subpropinquella, Brindled Beauty and Pale Pinion all new for the year here, and apart from the Brindled Beauty all species that I don't quite record annually here.  Indeed the falconipennella was only my third anywhere.

 Scarce Alder Slender Caloptilia falconipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th April

Ruddy Flat-body Agonopterix subpropinquella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th April

Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 13th April

Pale Pinion, North Elmham, 13th April

Other moths that night were 2 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Shoulder Stripes, Red Chestnut, 3 Small Quakers, 3 Common Quakers, Clouded Drab, 5 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.  There was also the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea and 3 Black Sexton Beetles.

The following night there were a few moths but not much variety and nothing new: 3 Brindled Beauties, Red Chestnut, 6 Small Quakers, 4 Common Quakers, 3 Clouded Drabs, 11 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

When I went out to check the light was going on the next night I moved the electrics box and this beetle came out from underneath.  It turned out to be Harpalus affinis, a new species for me.

Harpalus affinis, North Elmham, 13th April

Frosted Green, Double-striped Pug and Herald were all new for they year that night and I also recorded Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Engrailed, Small Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, 6 Hebrew Characters and 2 Black Sexton Beetles.

Frosted Green, North Elmham, 15th April

Double-striped Pug, North Elmham, 15th April

Herald, North Elmham, 15th April

There was another Varied Carpet Beetle in the house on 16th and that night I trapped Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Frosted Green, Early Thorn, Small Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, 7 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and 3 Black Sexton Beetles.