My second Sisyra and another basaltinella

Six species of lacewing on 29th July was a good haul and two of them were new for the year: my second ever Sisyra fuscata and a Nineta vittata.  Other lacewings 2 Chrysoperla carnea, 2 Cunctochrysa albolineata and Dichochrysa ventralis, and 4 of the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus.

Sisyra fuscata, North Elmham, 29th July

Nineta vittata, North Elmham, 29th July

Only one moth was new for the year: Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella. The other micros were 2 Chestnut Pigmies Stigmella samiatella, Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, 2 Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, presumed Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella, 4 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Cherry-fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, 3 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Common Groundlings Teleiodes vulgella, Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis, 11 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, 31 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, 4 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, 2 Bright Bells Eucosma hohenwartiana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 63 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 15 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella, North Elmham, 29th July

Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, North Elmham, 29th July

Macros consisted of 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Small Scallop, 3 Riband Waves, 6 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Common Carpet, 2 Lime-speck Pugs, Bordered Pug, 2 Magpie Moths, Early Thorn, Willow Beauty, Yellow-tail, 10 Dingy Footmen, Common Footman, 4 Ruby Tigers, 3 Turnip Moths, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 6 Flame Shoulders, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Clays, Copper Underwing, Straw Underwing, 2 Dun-bars, Double Lobed, 3 Common Rustics, Fen Wainscot, 3 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, 9 Straw Dots and Snout.

Two bugs were new for the year: the mirid bug Blepharidopterus angulatus and the leafhopper Alebra albostriella.  Others were 2 Birch Shieldbugs, Macrotylus horvathi, Phytocoris longipennis, Phytocoris varipes, Psallus varians, 3 Trigonotylus caelestialium and another Kybos strigilifer.

Blepharideopterus angulatus, North Elmham, 29th July

Alebra albostriella, North Elmham, 29th July

Other insects included 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum (mayflies), the caddisflies Polycentropus flavomaculatus, Limnephilus auricula and 2 Limnephilus rhombicus, 2 Harlequin Ladybirds and 4 Hornets.

Next day at the Cathedral Meacdows moths included 6 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and Silver Y. There was also a leafmine of Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella in Apple and there were 6 7-spot Ladybirds.

Back at home a moth inside proved to be my seventh - and Norfolk's seventh - Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella.

Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 30th July

New moths for the year that night were 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Orange-spotted Shoot Rhyacionia pinicolana and Square-spotted Clay.

Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana (males, gen det), North Elmham, 30th July

Orange-spotted Shoot Rhyacionia pinicolana, North Elmham, 30th July

Other micros were 2 Bird’s-nest Moths Tinea trinotella, Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermines Swammerdamia pyrella, 4 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Grey-streaked Diamond-back Plutella porrectella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, 4 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 63 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 21 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 2 Dusky Pearls Udea prunalis, 27 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella and Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis.

The other macros were Chinese Character, Blood-vein, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, 5 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, 3 Common Carpets, 2 Yellow Shells, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, 3 Scalloped Oaks, 4 Willow Beauties, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, Yellow-tail, 10 Dingy Footmen, 3 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 3 Ruby Tigers, 2 Turnip Moths, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 7 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Brown-line Bright Eye, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Common Wainscots, Marbled Beauty, 4 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, (one unchecked Common Rustic agg.), Fen Wainscot, 3 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, 2 Silver Ys and 8 Straw Dots.

Marbled Beauty, North Elmham, 30th July

Other bits and pieces included the mayflies Green Drake Ephemera danica and 7 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus (2), the caddisflies Hydropsyche siltalai and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis, the beetles Aphodius rufipes and 4 Bradycellus verbascis, 2 Hornets and Common Wasp.

Phyllonorycter kuhlweiniella at home!

I have a bit of a thing for Scarce Oak Midgets Phyllonorycter kuhlweiniella.  It was known from south Norfolk between 1982 and 1996 and then wasn't seen again in the county until I discovered them at several new sites in different parts of the county, sometimes in good numbers and some on my local patch, in the excellent Phyllonorycter year of 2014.  None were recorded again in 2015 (a much worse year for Phyllonorycter generally) and so far this year the only record in the database is one Paul Cobb found while I was with him, and which I identified.  On 7th August I topped it all off with one in my own garden trap.  Amazing!  It was a bit worn so I gen detted it just to make sure, not that there was really anything else it could have been.

Scarce Oak Midget Phyllonorycter kuhlweiniella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th August

Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella and Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana were both new for the year.  According to various references Mompha propinquella can be separated from the much rarer (at least in Norfolk) Mompha lacteella by its white (not buff) head and thorax.  Why then does every single Mompha propinquella I ever see have a buff head and thorax?  Some, including this one, were gen detted to make sure.

Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th August

Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana, North Elmham, 7th August

Other micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, White Oak Midget Phyllonorycter harrisella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, 5 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana (and another unidentified Cnephasia that may have been the same), Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Nut Bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 28 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 20 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, 6 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella and 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

The best macro was Twin-spotted Waisncot, new for the year here and not one I see many of at home.

Twin-spotted Wainscot, North Elmham, 7th August

Other macros were Large Emerald, 2 Blood-veins, 2 Least Carpets, 10 Single-dotted Waves, 6 Riband Waves, Flame Carpet, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, Currant Pug, 2 Magpie Moths, Brimstone Moth, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, 2 Dusky Thorns, Early Thorn, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 3 Pebble Prominents, Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, 4 Pale Prominents, 7 Yellow-tails, 2 Black Arches, 3 Dingy Footmen, 2 Scarce Footmen, 2 Common Footmen, 2 Ruby Tigers, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 7 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Least Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic, 4 Dark Arches, 5 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, Uncertain, 3 Nut-tree Tussocks and 10 Straw Dots.

Least Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 7th August

Lacewings included my second Nineta vittata and a Chryoperla carnea agg. (female, presumably carnea).  A Forest Bug (Red-legged Shieldbug) was the only bug noted and Nicrophorus investigator the only beetle identified.

Nineta vittata, North Elmham, 7th August

The following night was much less productive although it did produce one new moth for the house, a Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana.

Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, North Elmham, 8th August

The only other micros were 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 15 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis and 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis.

The macros consisted of Orange Swift, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Riband Waves, Dusky Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 3 Willow Beauties, Pebble Prominent, 2 Pale Prominents, 2 Yellow-tails, 2 Black Arches, Dingy Footman, Ruby Tiger, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 10 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Straw Underwings, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, 2 Flounced Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, Spectacle and 3 Straw Dots.

Other insects included by first Oak Bush-cricket of the year here and another Nicrophorus investigator.

Oak Bush-cricket, North Elmham, 8th August

Next day (9th August) was even poorer with just 51 moths of 27 species: a Parornix sp. (lost before I could check the species), Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 8 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Single-dotted Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Tawny Speckled Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, Scalloped Oak, 2 Willow Beauties, Pebble Prominent, Yellow-tail, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 9 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Common Rustic, Lesser Common Rustic, 2 Flounced Rustics, Spectacle and Straw Dot.

New hoverfly and lacewing

Now over a month behind, ah well.  30th June then: a number of new moths for the year included Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Small Fan-footed Wave, Dot Moth and Smoky Wainscot.

Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana, North Elmham, 30th June

Dot Moth, North Elmham, 30th June

Smoky Wainscot, North Elmham, 30th June

Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, North Elmham, 30th June

Other micro moths were Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 9 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata including this quite dark one and 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata.

Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata (male, gen det), North Elmham, 30th June

The rest of the macros were Common Emerald, Treble Brown Spot, 2 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Yellow Shell, Common Pug, Grey Pug, 2 Green Pugs, Clouded Border, 2 Brimstone Moths, 5 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, 2 Clouded Silvers, Poplar Hawkmoth, Eyed Hawkmoth, 3 Elephant Hawkmoths, 6 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Clubs, 3 Heart and Darts, 6 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Common Wainscot, Brown Rustic, Angle Shades, 6 Dark Arches, 4 Marbled Minors, Rufous Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, 4 Middle-barred Minors, possible Rustic, Mottled Rustic, 2 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, Straw Dot and 7 Snouts.

Large Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 30th June

Dark Arches, North Elmham, 30th June

Caddisflies were 2 probable Hydropsyche siltalai, Phryganea grandis, 2 Limnephilus auricula,  Leptocerus tineiformis and Mystacides longicornis. A beetle resembled Malthinus flaveolus but I'm not sure how to eliminate other similar species.

A hoverfly caused me a bit of a headache but I eventually identified it as my first Melangyna cincta.  I'd overlooked the genus as they're supposed to have mainly black legs (but other photos of this species don't seem to) and at least a partial dark stripe on the face which I couldn't detect.

Melangyna cincta, North Elmham, 30th June

Also a Eupeodes corollae.

 Eupeodes corollae, North Elmham, 30th June

Another new insect was a green lacewing: Nineta vittata.

Nineta vittata, North Elmham, 30th June

July started badly with just 60 moths of 31 species on the night of 1st.  None were even new for the year: Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, 4 Barred Straws, Lime-speck Pug, Clouded Border, 3 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Eyed Hawkmoths, 16 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Heart and Club, Heart and Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, Ingrailed Clay, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Clay, Brown Rustic, 2 Dark Arches, 2 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 3 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle and Straw Dot.