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

New beetle and bugs make up for unremarkable moths

After a decent afternoon at the meadows on 28th May I set the light at home as usual and drew in a selection of moths over the night.  There was nothing very unexpected but the following were new for the year: Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana, 2 Buff Ermines, Large Yellow Underwing, Mottled Rustic and Marbled White Spot.

Crescnt Bell Epinotia bilunana, North Elmham, 28th May

Buff Ermine, North Elmham, 28th May

Large Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 28th May

Mottled Rustic, North Elmham, 28th May

Marbled White Spot, North Elmham, 28th May

Other moths trapped that night were Common Mompha Mompha epilobiella, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 3 Common Swifts, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet, 3 Green Carpets, Currant Pug, 6 Common Pugs, Brown Silver-line, Brimstone Moth, Pale Oak Beauty, Engrailed, Privet Hawk-moth, 2 Eyed Hawk-moths, 2 White Ermines, 4 Heart and Darts, Flame Shoulder, Shears, 5 Common Wainscots, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 2 Brown Rustics, 5 Treble Lines and Spectacle.

Brown Rustic, North Elmham, 28th May

The following night this Clouded Silver was the only new moth for the garden year-list.

Clouded Silver, North Elmham, 29th May

The other moths were Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Cream Wave, Silver-ground Carpet, 7 Green Carpets, Mottled Pug, Common Pug, Brimstone Moth, Scalloped Hazel, Poplar Hawk-moth, 2 Elephant Hawk-moths, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, 3 Pale Tussocks, 3 White Ermines, 2 Buff Ermines, 3 Heart and Darts, Flame Shoulder, 2 Common Wainscots, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Brown Rustic, 3 Treble Lines, Silver Y and 2 Spectacles.

Caddisflies conisted of 7 Limnephilus auricula and, new for the year, 2 Limnephilus lunatus.

Limnephilus lunatus, North Elmham, 29th May

This beetle on the ground near the trap proved to be Nebria brevicollis.  When keying it out on first attempt I misinterpreted the degree of swelling on the mandibles and the length of the palps so keying it to Leistus sp.  The Leistus key led me to Leistus rufomarginatus and the insect certainly looked a lot like the one I'd identified as that a while back (13th May).  But I noticed the size was slightly out and I decided to go back through the genus key and double check, at which point I realised it was Nebria not Leistus.  In hindsight I think I probably made the same mistake with the one on 13th May, and that that was probably Nebria brevicollis too, though I shan't record it as I no longer have the specimen to check.

Nebria brevicollis, North Elmham, 29th May

I found a Treble Brown Spot in the hall the following day, a new one for the year, and a Diamond-back Plutella xylostella in the garden.

Treble Brown Spot, North Elmham, 30th May

In the trap that night were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Black-headed Dwarf Elachista atricomella, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Clouded Border, Marbled Brown and 3 Straw Dots, all new species for the year.

Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, North Elmham, 30th May

Black-headed Dwarf Elachista atricomella, North Elmham, 30th May

Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, North Elmham, 30th May

Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, North Elmham, 30th May

Marbled Brown, North Elmham, 30th May

Straw Dot, North Elmham, 30th May

There was a good selection of other moths too: 7 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, 3 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Rush Marbles Bactra lancealana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Pebble Hook-tip, Chinese Character, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, 2 Mottled Pugs, Currant Pug, 2 Common Pugs, White-pinion Spotted, Poplar Hawk-moth, 2 Pale Tussocks, 2 White Ermines, 4 Buff Ermines, 3 Heart and Darts, Shears, Lychnis, 4 Common Wainscots, 4 Treble Lines and Spectacle.

There was a single beetle in the trap, a new species for me Dasytes aeratus.

Dasytes aeratus, North Elmham, 30th May

There was also a Hydropsyche pellucidula (caddisfly) and 2 Psallus sp. (mirid bugs) which at first I left unidentified.  Thanks to Tristan Bantock I have just accessed an excellent key that enables me to make more progress with these and I have been able to establish that they were different species, one Psallus varians and the other either Psallus perrisi or Psallus wagneri.  Both were females and the perrisi/wagneri pair need male genitalia to resolve to speices level (though I think perrisi is much more likely, and a male caught nearby a few days later was indeed this species).

Pasllus varians, North Elmham, 30th May

Pasllus perrisi or Psallus wagneri, North Elmham, 30th May

Thompson Water moths & inverts

On Saturday night the forecast looked interesting for moths - mild and cloudy but with the likelihood of a little light rain later on.  Dave and I headed down to Thompson Water, thinking that if the rain came to pass we would just use our headtorches, but if it remained dry the traps were in the car.  As it turned out the rain started before we'd left home, much more than the forecast had suggested, and it didn't let up when we arrived.  We decided to press on anyway, with headtorches of course, and quickly found a couple of Water Carpets, followed by 2 Hebrew Characters.  A wander through the woodland towards Thompson Common produced no less than 34 March Tubics Diurnea fagella and we eventually added 3 Engrailed and best of all, a Mottled Grey.  There were lots of Common Toads enjoying the puddles - I counted 33 but I'm sure I wouldn't have had to try very hard to reach a much higher number.

Mottled Grey, Thompson Water, 18th March

At home Early Thorn and, at long last, Common Quaker were added to the garden year list.

Early Thorn, North Elmham, 18th March

Common Quaker, North Elmham, 18th March

Other moths at home were Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Shoulder Stripe, Oak Beauty, 2 Dotted Borders, 3 Small Quakers, 3 Clouded Drabs and 4 Hebrew Characters.

On Sunday night the forecast was similar - mild and cloudy - except this time no rain was forecast.  We decided to try Thompson Water again, this time hopefully being able to put the traps out.  Ominously, and contrary to the forecast, it was raining as we headed there again and still raining when we arrived, albeit much lighter than yesterday - just a light drizzle really.  We put Dave's battery-operated trap up somewhere sheltered and then decided that the drizzle had become so light now that we would risk the others too.

We found another 7 Mottled Greys, some of which were quite worn and we pondered for a while whether they really were Mottled Greys or Early Tooth-striped.  Eventually we settled on the former but then I found one which I really wasn't convinced by - surely this one was an Early Tooth-striped?  I retained it to check and was later able to confirm that it was indeed a female Early Tooth-striped.

Early Tooth-striped, Thompson Water, 19th March

Other moths were about 20 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, 6 Winter Shades Tortricodes alternella, 4 March Moths, 4 Water Carpets, 4 Brindled Pugs, Early Thorn, 8 Oak Beauties, 4 Engraileds, Red Chestnut, 7 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, 2 Hebrew Characters and 2 Chestnuts.

Red Chestnut, Thompson Water, 19th March

Three beetles all proved to be species I hadn't identified before: Mud-dweller Ilybius ater, Nebria brevicollis and Silpha atrata.  Actually I had seen the Silpha before but without access to decent reference material I had misidentified it as a different Silpha species.

Mud-dweller Ilybius ater, Thompson Water, 19th March

Nebria brevicollis, Thompson Water, 19th March

Silpha atrata, Thompson Water, 19th March

When I retained a smaller creature I thought it might be a rove beetle, having a long flexible abdomen apparently not covered by elytra.  But under the lens it didn't look like a beetle at all, lacking any elytra but being covered in long hairs.  A really strange thing that I couldn't even identify to order at first.  Springtails (Collembola) came to mind but I dismissed that thought as at about 4mm long it was several times bigger than springtails I'd seen before, but when I looked at it under the microscope and saw its furcula (tail-like appendages folded beneath the body that are used for jumping) I realised it was a springtail after all.  Turns out it was Orchesella villosa - sometimes called Hairy Springtail but I don't think that name is always reserved for this species as opposed to others in the family.  According to the maps at NBN Gateway there aren't any records in Norfolk, but I suspect that has more to do with the lack of Collembola records in their database than it being remotely unusual.

Orchesella villosa, Thompson Water, 19th March

Other things of note included Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus and some White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger.

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, Thompson Water, 19th March

Common Toads were not in such evidence as on Saturday but a few could still be found in the puddles.

Common Toads, Thompson Water, 19th March

At home 2 Twin-spotted Quakers were new for the garden year list.  There were also March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Early Thorn, 2 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, 5 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and Chestnut.

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham, 19th March