More Poplar Cosmets and an early Butterbur

One of the new moths I saw in the Waveney Valley on 10th July was Poplar Cosmet Batrachedra praeangusta.  I didn't expect to get my next record of this species quite so quickly, but in my garden trap the following night, 11th July, there were not only one but two Poplar Cosmets Batrachedra praeangusta!

Poplar Cosmets Batrachedra praeangusta, North Elmham, 11th July

There were a number of other new moths for the garden year-list that night, mostly micros: Small Red Slender Caloptilia rufipennella (only my second here although I've seen a few elsewhere), Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana, Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella (just about annual here with single records in 2015, 2016 and 2017) and Campion.

Small Red Slender Caloptilia rufipennella, North Elmham, 11th July

Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th July

Smoky Marble Lobesia abscisana, North Elmham, 11th July

Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella, North Elmham, 11th July

Campion, North Elmham, 11th July

Other moths that night were 2 Fulvous Clothes Moths Tinea semifulvella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 6 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Ermine sp. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, White-headed Ermine Paraswammerdamia albicapitella, Hawthorn Ermine Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 3 Clover Case-bearers Coleophora alcyonipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, 4 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Buff Mompha Mompha ochraceella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, 5 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 3 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, 6 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 2 Bright Bells Eucosma hohenwartiana, 4 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Many-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 48 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 62 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 20 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 3 Double-striped Tabbies Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 4 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Ghost Moth, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, 6 Small Fan-footed Waves, 14 Single-dotted Waves, 11 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 4 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Garden Carpet, Barred Straw, Scallop Shell, Dark Umber, Bordered Pug, V-Pug, Green Pug, 7 Double-striped Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, 5 Clouded Borders, 3 Brimstone Moths, 7 Early Thorns, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 3 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, 2 Common Waves, 2 Poplar Hawk-moths, 11 Rosy Footmen, 25 Dingy Footmen, 2 Scarce Footmen, 2 Buff Footmen, 51 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Flame, 4 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 3 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Marbled Beauty, 2 Dun-bars, 4 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 2 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics (and 2 further Common Rustic aggs.), 44 Uncertains, 4 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, 3 Nut-tree Tussocks, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3 Snouts and 2 Fan-foots.

Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th July

Dun-bar, North Elmham, 11th July

Other insects included the mayfly Pale Evening Dun Procloeon bifidum, a Common Earwig, the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea,the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai and Leptocerus tineiformis, and the beetles Nicrophorus investigator, Black Sexton Beetle and Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva.

What may well have been a Pale Birch Pigmy Stigmella confusella would have been a new moth and the highlight of the garden moth trap on 12th July, except that I am currently unable to confirm the ID.  I do not have any reference material to compare the genitalia to (there are no pictures of the species' female genitalia on the Dissection Group website) but there is comparative reference material for most of the other feasible similar-looking Stigmella, and their genitalia doesn't match my moth's bits.  However, these are tricky and I don't think it would be safe to call this one just at the moment.

probable Pale Birch Pigmy Stigmella confusella (female), North Elmham, 12th July

Quite a few of the relatively small number of county records of Butterbur are undated, but of those that are dated the earliest is 20th July.  So a Butterbur here on 12th July was quite a surprise.  I had 3 Butterburs in the garden trap in 2016, the only ones I've ever seen before, and was to go on and see 3 again in 2018.

Butterbur, North Elmham, 12th July

There were a few other new moths for the year: Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella, Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Garden Lance-wing Epermenia chaerophyllella, Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana, Nutmeg and 2 Slender Brindles, .  The finitimella was only my third, following singles here in each of the previous two years.  The chearophyllella was only my fourth here too, though I've had more of them elsewhere.

Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 12th July

Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 12th July

Garden Lance-wing Epermenia chaerophyllella, North Elmham, 12th July

Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana, North Elmham, 12th July

Slender Brindle, North Elmham, 12th July

The rest of the night's 103 species of moth were 12 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Ermine sp. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 2 Clover Case-bearers Coleophora alcyonipennella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 4 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, 3 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 3 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, 10 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 3 Many-plume Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 42 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 5 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 137 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 3 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 19 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, Ghost Moth, Pebble Hook-tip, Chinese Character, 2 Buff Arches, Common Emerald, 2 Small Blood-veins, Least Carpet, 10 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, Small Dusty Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 6 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, Barred Straw, July Highflyer, Scallop Shell, Dark Umber, 2 Small Rivulets, Sandy Carpet, 2 Green Pugs, 8 Double-striped Pugs, 3 Clouded Borders, 4 Brimstone Moths, 4 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, 2 Swallow-tailed Moths, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Clouded Silver, Poplar Hawk-moth, 14 Rosy Footmen, 19 Dingy Footmen, 2 Scarce Footmen, 2 Buff Footmen, 59 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, Flame, Flame Shoulder, 13 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Clay, 4 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, 6 Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, Dusky Sallow, 30 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, 3 Straw Dots, 2 Snouts and 6 Fan-foots.

Dusky Sallow, North Elmham, 12th July

The only bug in the trap was a new species for me, Trigonotylus caelestialium.  Although Trigonotylus is a distinctive genus there are two very similar species; this one is distinguished by the very distinct red stripe through the 1st antennal segment (diffuse in T ruficornis).

Trigonotylus caelestialium, North Elmham, 12th July

Other insects included the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, the caddisfly Limnephilus marmoratus, 2 Common Red Soldier Beetles Rhagonycha fulvas, 4 Lagria hirta and my first garden Hornet of the year.

The next day there was a Large White in the garden and a Common Wasp came to the Red-belted Clearwing lure.

There were far fewer moths that night with just 55 species.  These included two new for the year: Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana and Rosy Rustic.

Rosy Rustic, North Elmham, 13th July

The others were 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana (and another Cnephasia sp. that escaped), 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, 8 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 54 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Buff Arches, Least Carpet, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 7 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, July Highflyer, V-Pug, 3 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, 2 Early Thorns, Purple Thorn, Scalloped Oak, Swallow-tailed Moth, Engrailed, 2 Common White Waves, Poplar Hawk-moth, 5 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 34 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Double Square-spot, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Clay, Dun-bar, 3 Dark Arches, 2 Slender Brindles, 2 Common Rustics, 25 Uncertains, 4 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot and Snout.

Not many non-moths of note - the only caddisfly was Hydropsyche pellucidula and the only beetle was Lagria hirta.

Dark Spectacle and Feathered Gothic

A few moths on the patch at Bittering on Wednesday 23rd August were Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis.

That night New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella and Dark Spectacle were new for the year.

New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd August

Dark Spectacle, North Elmham, 23rd August

The other moths were Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 4 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 24 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 8 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 4 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Chinese Character, 3 Blood-veins, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Common Carpets, 2 Yellow Shells, 3 Green Carpets, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 5 Brimstone Moths, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, Dusky Thorn, Engrailed, Common Wave, 4 Light Emeralds, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 4 Common Wainscots, 10 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic, 6 Straw Dots and Snout.

Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, North Elmham, 23rd August

Other insects included the mayflies Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum and Pale Evening Dun Procloeon bifidum and the caddisflies Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus sparsus. There were 2 Birch Shieldbugs and a Forest Bug and but it was the beetles that got me a lifer, the water beetle Rhantus frontalis (along with another Trechus quadristriatus, following my first two nights previous, and Aphodius rufipes).

Rhantus frontalis, North Elmham, 23rd August

Trechus quadristriatus, North Elmham, 23rd August

The following night was quieter with nothing of real note: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 10 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 5 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Orange Swift, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Green Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Common Wave, Light Emerald, Swallow Prominent, 3 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, Mouse Moth, Straw Underwing, 6 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, Burnished Brass and Straw Dot. Also the caddisfly Lype phaeopa.

There were fewer species the next night but a couple of more interesting ones.  A Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella was only my second ever following one here in 2015 and a Feathered Gothic was a nice addition to the year list.

Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 25th August

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 25th August

Other moths were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 5 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 6 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Shaded Broad-bar, 4 Brimstone Moths, 3 Light Emeralds, 4 Flame Shoulders, 8 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 4 Square-spot Rustics, 4 Common Wainscots, 8 Flounced Rustics, 3 Vine's Rustics and Straw Dot. Other insects included the caddisflies Hydropsyche siltalai, 4 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus lunatus, the leafhopper Empoasca vitis and 3 of the dung beetles Aphodius rufipes.

Six Parornix species here in 2 years

The Parornix moths are a tricky group to identify and really need dissecting to be sure.  There are 8 species in Norfolk and you can expect to pick up a selection of these if you do take the trouble to confirm them.  I've been surprised in the variety here at North Elmham.  When I moved here in August 2014 I retained 3 specimens at random in anticipation that I would be learning to dissect later that autumn - they all proved to be different: scoticella, betulae and torquillella.  So far this year I've had 3 Parornix and I've dissected each one - again they've all been different, but moreover they've been different from 2014's - devoniella, anglicella and now finitimella.  So that's 6 out of the 8 leaving the scarce fagivora (only one record in this vice-county) and carpinella (only one record of a mine in Norfolk, no records in this VC).

The one I've just dissected was a female Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella from Saturday night and was my first ever example of this species.

Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 21st May

With 58 moths of 37 species Saturday night was the best so far this year.  One other was new for the house: Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella.

Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella, North Elmham, 21st May

In total there were no less than 12 species that were new for the year here, quite a lot considering I trap every night.  The other 10 were Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Silver-ground Carpet, Sandy Carpet, Foxglove Pug, 2 Mottled Pugs, Eyed Hawkmoth, Buff Ermine, Flame Shoulder, Lychnis and Spectacle.

Eyed Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 21st May

Mottled Pug, North Elmham, 21st May

Buff Ermine, North Elmham, 21st May

Lychnis, North Elmham, 21st May

Silver-ground Carpet, North Elmham, 21st May

Spectacle, North Elmham, 21st May

The other moths were 3 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Common Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Green Carpets, Currant Pug, 7 Common Pugs, Brimstone Moth, Waved Umber, Common White Wave, 2 Poplar Hawkmoths, 2 Pale Prominents, Chocolate-tip, Pale Tussock, Orange Footman, 3 Muslin Moths, Cinnabar, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Hebrew Character and 2 Treble Lines.

Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, North Elmham, 21st May

It was the best night so far this year for caddisflies too: another Hydropsyche pellucidula, my first identified Phryganea bipunctata, 3 Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Grammotaulius nigropunctatus (my first here) and 7 Limnephilus auriculas.

Phryganea bipunctata, North Elmham, 21st May

Grammotaulius nigropunctatus, North Elmham, 21st May

The Brown Lacewing Hemerobius humulinus was the first I've confirmed here too.

Hemerobius humulinus, North Elmham, 21st May