Regal Piercer

A wander round the Cathedral Meadows on 27th June produced a good variety of interesting insects including five I'd not previously recorded.  The best of these was a new moth, but embarrassingly I stuffed up the ID at the time.  No excuses for that as it's a distinctive species, but one that wasn't really on my radar and, having found this one on a Sycamore I shoe-horned it into the vaguely-similar Sycamore Piercer Pammene aurita.  Months later I happened upon a photo of a Regal Piercer Pammene regiana and realised immediately that this was in fact the moth I'd seen (these occur on Sycamore too).

Regal Piercer Pammene regiana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

There was also an Orange-spot Piercer Pammene aurana on some Hogweed.

Orange-spot Piercer Pammene aurana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

Other moths were Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteucha culmella, and the continuing larvae of the Small Eggars.  There was a good variety of butterflies including 50 Ringlets.

Ringlet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

 Quite a few dragonflies too, including one of my earliest ever Ruddy Darters.

Ruddy Darter, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

Both Common Green and Meadow Grasshoppers were found, and surprisingly both were new species for me.  I've not a huge amount with grasshoppers in the past but enough that I should have recorded these two species before now.

Common Green Grasshopper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

Bugs included a creche of 48 Parent Bugs, final instars I think, and up to 8 Orthotylus adenocarpi, a new species for me.  I say up to 8 because I only checked one of them carefully.  They were all found on Broom but there are other very similar species occurring on Broom so it is possible that they were not all the same species.

Parent Bugs, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

Orthotylus adenocarpi, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

This beetle proved to be a Common Malachite Malachius bipustulatus.

Common Malachite Malachius bipustulatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

A hoverfly turned out to be Cheilosia illustrata, another new species for me, and there was also a Hornet.

Cheilosa illustrata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

Hornet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

I really enjoyed the display of Musk Mallow in the wildflower meadow:

Musk Mallow, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

The Turkscap Lily was still looking good...

Turkscap Lily, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June

That night at home the highlight was a Wood Groundling Parachronistis albiceps, only my third ever and the first for my garden. It seemed to me to be a good year for this species because I went on to have another three, including two more in the garden, however by the time of writing there were only two other records in the Norfolk Moth Survey database this year which is less than usual.

Wood Groundling Parachronistis albiceps, North Elmham, 27th June

Lesser Cream Wave and Shaded Broad-bar were new for the year.

Lesser Cream Wave, North Elmham, 27th June

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham, 27th June

Other moths were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Buff Mompha Mompha ochraceella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 7 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Bramble Shoot Notocelia uddmanniana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 4 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 White Plumes Pterophorus pentadactyla, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Treble Brown Spots, 9 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Yellow Shell, 6 Barred Straws, 2 Barred Yellows, Currant Pug, 2 Common Pugs, Double-striped Pug, Small Yellow Wave, 3 Brimstone Moths, Lilac Beauty, Willow Beauty, 3 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, 2 Clouded Silvers, 4 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, 3 Heart and Clubs, Heart and Dart, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Ingrailed Clay, 2 Double Square-spots, 2 Clays, Common Wainscot, 3 Brown Rustics, Treble Lines, 9 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, Beautiful Hook-tip, 4 Snouts and Fan-foot, and there was one caddisfly, Hydropsyche pellucidula.

Another kuhlweiniella

I found 30 moths of 13 species in a wander round the meadows on Monday 28th May.  Among the better ones was another Corn Moth Nemapogon granella, the first time I've recorded one outside.  Also for comparison a Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella.

Corn Moth Nemapogon granella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Perhaps even better was a Scarce Oak Midget Phyllonorycter kuhlweiniella.  I've only ever seen these on or around oak trees before so it was a great surprise to net this from the middle of one of the larger fields, at least 200m from the nearest Oak.

Scarce Oak Midget Phyllonorycter kuhlweiniella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

The other moths were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, 8 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Green Carpet and 7 Straw Dots.

Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Other insects included my first bush-cricket for the site, a nymph Dark Bush-cricket, two species of Scorpion Fly (Panorpa germanica and Panorpa communis), a Green Drake (mayfly) Ephemera danica, a Dock Bug and a copulating pair of Parent Bugs, the soldier beetles Cantharis livida and Cantharis rustica (the livida appears to be a new one for me, though I think I've tentatively identified them from photos before), a 7-spot Ladybird and a more straightforwardly-identified (compared to the last one) Tenthredo arcuata (sawfly).

Dark Bush-cricket nymph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Parent Bugs, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Cantharis livida, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Cantharis rustica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

7-spot Ladybird, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Tenthredo arcuata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

I think this leaf-mine on Broad-leaved Dock may belong to the fly Pegomya bicolor, but I'm not sure if other species can be eliminated or not (let me know if you think it can be recorded confidently).

probable Pegomya bicolor leafmine, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

I kept seeing this apparent fungal growth on Cocksfoot grass and was reminded of a photo I'd seen someone post on Twitter just before I came out.  I looked at my Twitter feed to see if anyone had replied to identify it and top of my feed, having tweeted literally seconds before I looked, was a reply from James Emerson confirming that it was a fungus called Choke.  Apparently there may be several species according to the species it grows on, and this one would therefore be Epichloe typhina.  Not a very good example in this photo - others were thicker and more obvious (but evidently harder to photograph!).

Epichlioe typhina, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th May

Fantastic moths in the Brecks

The run of poor nights for moths last week finished with Muslin Moth and Hebrew Character on Friday night and Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey on Saturday night. On Saturday I'd failed to find any moths on the patch during the day, despite a handful of butterflies (Orange-tips, Brimstone and Peacocks) and other insects like Dark-edged Bee Fly and Buff-tailed Bumblebee (also a Stoat).

Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Bittering, 30th April

Sunday night looked better - not brilliant, but the best night for a while and the best for a few days to come.  So Dave and I took the opportunity to try out mothing at Cranberry Rough in the Brecks.  Turned out to be excellent!  We started off in the afternoon at Santon Street, an NWT site Dave's obtained permission to trap at.  This was largely a reckie as we didn't know the site at all.  I think it will be good, though we didn't manage to record any moths this afternoon (but my first caddisfly of the year which gave me a chance to use my new Handbook on Trichoptera (caddisflies) - it was Brachycentrus subnubilus - and also the green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea).  In the car park opposite we found Common Green Shieldbug and Parent Bug - the latter a new species for me.

Parent Bug, Santon Downham, 1st May

Common Green Shieldbug, Santon Downham, 1st May

Our chosen location for trapping was Cranberry Rough.  I'd been there recently during the day and reckoned it could be good, and so it proved.  It wasn't perfect weather and it followed a run of cold nights, so we didn't expect huge amounts.  But our low expectations just contributed to how pleased we were when we found a good variety of moths coming to our lights including several species we don't see all that often.  And that was before the really exciting ones turned up.  We used 3 lights - my MV over a sheet, an Actinic and a UVB bulb powered by a car battery.

Among the first moths in was the first of 5 Lunar Marbled Browns, a species I'd only seen once before.

Lunar Marbled Brown, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Also in early were the first few of 6 Water Carpets, a couple of Frosted Greens, 5 Pine Beauties and 3 Early Tooth-stripeds, another species I don't see every year. 

Frosted Green, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Pine Beauty, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Early Tooth-striped, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Micros included a few Common Oak Purples Dyseriocrania subpurpurella and a Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana. 

Common Oak Purple Dyseriocrania subpurpurella, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

At Dave's actinic we found the first of 2 Dawn Flat-bodies Semioscopis steinkellneriana, Tufted Button Acleris cristana and what was very probably an Early Purple Eriocrania semipurpurella.  The latter keyed out to semipurpurella fine but is considered safest to gen det to confirm.  Unfortunately I had a bit of an accident with it which rendered that impossible.

Dawn Flat-body Semioscopis steinkellneriana, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

I think it was the actinic that produced another good moth, Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana.  Though not particularly scarce this was a new moth for me, so I was very pleased to see one at long last.  Dave's actinic hardly gave off enough light to be able to see the moths with - we needed to use a torch too - but it proved worth having with us.

Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Back at my MV we added Streamer, Spruce Carpet, an Oak-tree Pug among numerous Brindled Pugs, a Swallow Prominent, Great Prominent, a Red Chestnut, Angle Shades and Nut-tree Tussock. 

Spruce Carpet, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Oak-tree Pug, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Swallow Prominent, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Great Prominent, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Red Chestnut, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Then in came something odd which neither of us recognised.  A distinctive moth - we knew it was something different right away, but what?  It had its wings held wide, almost Carpet-like, but I had a feeling it wasn't holding them the way it should, and that made me wonder if it was a moth we'd mentioned earlier on as we passed some Broom but which neither of us had seen before.  I checked my app and yep, that's exactly what it was, a Broom-tip! 

Broom-tip, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

And then it duly hitched its wings up like its supposed to and actually looked like they do in the books.  Fantastic!  Not a common moth by any means - indeed a Nationally Scarce species and a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority species, and not recorded in Norfolk every year.

Broom-tip, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Finally we headed up to Dave's UVB light.  Only a few moths in here, including a second Red Chestnut, another Swallow Prominent and a Pebble Hook-tip. 

Pebble Hook-tip, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Then as we turned over an eggtray from the bottom of the trap there staring us in our faces was an absolutely fantastic female Emperor Moth!  Male Emperor Moths fly during the day and can be attracted to pheremone lures (as we did last year) but females fly at night, and I have never seen one before.  In many ways this was more exciting than even the Broom-tip, such a fantastic beast it was!

Emperor, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

We realised it had laid some eggs which we tried to knock off into some Hawthorn.  They were stuck rigid on the cardboard so we tore off the cardboard round them and left the whole lot in the Hawthorn.

A peculiar looking spider or mite in one of the egg trays held our curiosity, until we realised it was a tick.  A quick Google search confirmed our fears - it was a Deer Tick.  I've always known that walking around in the Brecks carries a high risk of an encounter with a Deer Tick but never actually seen one before (so a tick in more ways than one).  At least we saw it in an eggtray and not attached to our legs, but it made us feel itchy and uncomfortable even so!  I checked myself and my clothing carefully when I got home, although  the reality is that we were no more (or less) at risk because we'd seen one than if we hadn't.  Apparently they look even uglier when they're feeding on you.

 Deer Tick, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Common Earwig, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Other moths not so far mentioned included Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 3 Common Quakers, Clouded Drab, 3 Hebrew Characters, 2 Early Greys and 3 Chestnuts.  Also another green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea.

Chrysoperla carnea, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Plenty of caddisflies too, allowing me a chance to practice their ID.  I'd recommend the handbook - based on the first few I've tried it makes their ID quite easy compared to a lot of groups - very well laid out and simple to follow.  You need a  microscope (maybe you could manage with a good lens, but it won't be so easy) but you don't need to do any complicated dissections or anything.  From tonight I identified 3 species: Grammotaulius nigropunctatus, Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus griseus.

Grammotaulius nigropunctatus, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Limnephilus auricula, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Limnephilus griseus, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Beetles were represented by Black Sexton Beetle, Orange Ladybird and two that I'd not identified before, though both looked familiar: Dalopius marginatus and Cantharis decipiens.

Dalopius marginatus, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Cantharis decipiens, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Black Sexton Beetle, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Orange Ladybird, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Given how well we managed in the Brecks I had hopes of a good range in the home moth trap too.  Well there were more than there have been lately, but not hordes.  If we hadn't had one already that night Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana would have been a lifer - as it was just new for the house.  Amazing how often that's happened - seeing a moth for the first time when moth-trapping away from home and then coming back to find one at home too.  Not surprising in a way as the conditions for their emergence are the same at different sites, but as the glaring holes in my moth list get fewer it will surely stop happening soon.

Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana, North Elmham, 1st May

A rarer moth was this Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli.  It's only the 20th record for Norfolk so quite scarce.  New for the house of course, though I did have one in my final year at Bawdeswell.

Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli (female, gen det), North Elmham, 1st May

First for the year for the garden were Powdered Quaker and Nut-tree Tussock.  Also Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Streamer, Common Quaker, 2 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

Powdered Quaker, North Elmham, 1st May

Also Black Sexton Beetle and two more Caddisflies, Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus auricula.

Glyphotaelius pellucidus (male above, female below), North Elmham, 1st May - unusual among caddisflies in being sexually dimorphic