Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Grass moths (Crambidae) - Part 5: Grass-veneers II (Catoptria to Platytes)

GRASS MOTHS (CRAMBIDAE) (continued)


Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella - Both years beat the previous records at home with 44 counted on 19 nights between 9th July and 7th August 2019 and two nights in the peak period when they weren't counted.  Then 53 between 17th June and 22nd August 2020.  28 was my previous best annual total.  Elsewhere recorded next door, at the meadows (just one) and at Weybourne.

Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Pearl-band Grass-veneer Catoptria margaritella - Probably my moth of the year, indeed one of the best moths I have ever caught, was one trapped in my garden on 13th July 2019.  This species is common in parts of northern and western England but does not appear to be common anywhere closer than Yorkshire.  I'm not sure of its exact status in the counties between there and here but I can't find anything to suggest that it normally occurs anywhere near Norfolk (less than 10 records in Lincolnshire apparently).  There 3 records of coastal migrants in Norfolk and Suffolk including 2 from Eccles in 2001 and 2015 (the only previous Norfolk records) and one from Felixstowe in 2003.  My garden is terrible for migrants and, with no other coastal records that I'm aware of in 2019 it seems to me to be a bit of a stretch to think this was an immigrant.  It was, however, a bumper year for this species in its normal range with, for example, at least 3,100 one night at one site in Yorkshire.  I suspect my record was a wanderer from a British population rather than an immigrant.

Pearl-band Grass-veneer Catoptria margaritella, North Elmham, 13th July 2019

Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella - Totals of 18 here between 11th July and 3rd September 2019 and 14 between 1st and 15th August 2020.  Numbers here vary considerably with 11 in 2017 and 50 in 2015 but these were below average.  Elsewhere one next door and 3 at the meadows.

Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Powdered Grass-veneer Thisanotia chrysonuchella - None.  I've only seen this species in the Brecks and it's pretty rare elsewhere in Norfolk.  However there are a scattering of records around the county so it's plausible I might turn one up here sometime.


Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella - 3 in the garden and one at the meadows all between 25th July and 1st August 2019.  I thought this was a staggering total for a moth that I recorded in my garden for the first time in 2018 (and only twice elsewhere before this), but then 2020 happened!  I caught 14 here between 16th July and 5th August, 3 at the meadows (18th July and 7th August), one at Bintree Wood and one at Brancaster (2nd July). This recent surge of records was reflected by other recorders across the county and at the moment it looks more like an upward trend than simply a couple of good years.  Although the head-down posture is distinctive I think it would be easy to confuse this species with Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella.

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham, 26th July 2019

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella - Sinlges in the garden trap on 24th June 2019 and 22nd June 2020.  This species isn't quite annual here although I have averaged one a year.  It is much commoner in the Brecks.

Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella, North Elmham, 22nd June 2020

Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella - One in the garden trap on 25th July 2019, only my third record here and first since 2015.  Although I've had a couple of other records locally this species is much easier to find at the coast.  None in 2020.

Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, North Elmham, 25th July 2019

Next page: more Crambidae

New bugs keep on coming, and a new moth for the garden

After 4 new bugs the previous day it was pretty impressive that I recorded another 5 new bugs in the moth trap on 27th July.  There were fewer moths (just 282 of 68 species and none new for the year) but the bugs made it a worthwhile catch.

The new bugs included Compsidolon salicellum and Psallus falleni. The other heteroptera were Birch Shieldbug and Megalocoleus molliculus, the latter my third this year of a species I recorded for the first time this year.

Compsidolon salicellum, North Elmham, 27th July

Psallus falleni, North Elmham, 27th July

Megalocoleus molliculus, North Elmham, 27th July

There were 3 leafhoppers, all Kybos spp.  Two were females and thus unidentifiable but the male eventually turned out to be Kybos strigilifer, my first ever confirmed example.

Kybos strigilifer (male), North Elmham, 27th July

There were also 2 psyllids, and both were new species for me.  One relatively big and obvious one was Psallus alni and the other was far trickier to identify but after much gazing down the microscope and at the keys I eventually concluded was Cacopsylla pulchra (update 28th Jan: but after examining a subsequent specimen I think I can see where I probably went wrong keying this - the subsequent individual, and probably this one too, was Cacopsylla brunneipennis).

Psallus alni, North Elmham, 27th July

probable Cacopsylla brunneipennis, North Elmham, 27th July

There was also an unprecedented influx of what I call greenfly.  I had assumed that there were a number of different species (and that I had no means of identifying them) but one source I've since found implies that they are all Rose Aphids.  As I didn't retain any I can't check that, but whatever there were there were literally hundreds of them in the trap.  I've never had anything like that before.

The micro moths were Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Grey Ermine Yponomeuta sedella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, 3 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella, 4 Clover Case-bearers Coleophora alcyonipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 2 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis, Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella, 6 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 115 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 28 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Small Purple & Golds Pyrausta aurata, 10 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis and 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis.

Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 27th July

Macros consisted of 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Shaded Broad-bars, Common Carpet, Small Phoenix, Lime-speck Pug, Double-striped Pug, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Early Thorn, 8 Dingy Footmen, 5 Common Footmen, 2 Ruby Tigers, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 11 Flame Shoulders, Least Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, Copper Underwing, Straw Underwing, 3 Dun-bars, 2 Cloaked Minors, Lesser Common Rustic, 3 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, Silver Y, Spectacle and 9 Straw Dots.

Other insects included the mayflies 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum and 4 Pale Evening Duns Procloeon bifidum, the green lacewings Chrysoperla carnea (a confirmed male and 2 presumed females) and Dichochrysa flavifrons, the brown lacewings Hemerobius lutescens (new for the year) and 4 Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus and 7 Limnephilus auricula, 2 Bradycellus verbasci (beetles), 2 Harlequin Ladybirds, a Marmalade Fly Episyrphus balteatus and 2 Hornets.

Next day at the Cathedral Meadows Essex Skipper was the best of the butterflies.

Essex Skipper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th July

Dragonflies included Banded Demoiselle and Common Darter.

Bamded Demoiselle, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th July

Common Darter, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th July

Moths were Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 3 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis and Yellow Shell.

There was a Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita (a mayfly) and both Field and Meadow Grasshoppers.  There were 20 7-spot Ladybirds, 2 Marmalade Flies Episyrphus balteatus, a Common Wasp and a Garden Bumblebee.

Common Wasp, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th July

Garden Bumblebee, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th July

That night there were only 49 species of moth in the garden, but one of them was new for the garden, Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, and another new for the year, Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella.

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham, 28th July

Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella, North Elmham, 28th July

The other 47 were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 5 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 55 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 19 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Small Scallop, 3 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Shaded Broad-bars, 2 Magpie Moths, Scorched Carpet, Coxcomb Prominent, Yellow-tail, Common Footman, Buff Ermine, 2 Ruby Tigers, Turnip Moth, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Flame Shoulders, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Copper Underwing, Straw Underwing, Common Rustic, Lesser Common Rustic, Uncertain, 2 Rustics, Silver Y, 4 Straw Dots and Snout.

There wasn't much else apart from moths either: the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 3 Limnephilus rhombicus, the mirid bug Lygus rugulipennis and a Hornet.

Frost's Common in the rain and a Small Waved Umber

Saturday 29th July was the date of the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Frost's Common, a site I was very much looking forward to trapping at.  Sadly the forecast was abysmal and it looked like it would be raining for most of the night, but incredibly quite a few people actually bothered to turn up in the wet.  There wasn't any chance of trapping in the weather but we had a wander round with torches hoping to pick up a few interesting moths.  We pretty much failed, or at least none of the moths I saw were very remarkable.  The best was a Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella which I'd only seen once before.  I missed out on the Pale Lettuce Bell Eucosma conterminana which others apparently saw - must have been somewhere else when that was passed round which is a shame as it would have been a lifer for me.  Not too rare though - I'll get one sometime.

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, Frost's Common, 29th August

The other moths I saw were 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 80 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Barred Grass-veneers Agriphila inquinatella, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Blood-vein, 2 Large Twin-spot Carpets, 8 Shaded Broad-bars, Flame Shoulder, Lesser Common Rustic and 10 Straw Dots.

I'm not certain about the identity of this grasshopper - unless I'm missing something it doesn't seem to be any species that is normally so short-winged.  Based on the pattern of the pronotum I'm guessing it's either Mottled Grasshopper or, and I favour this, Field Grasshopper.  Is it a species that sometimes has a short-winged form, or is it not fully mature?  Let me know if you have any ideas...

possible Field Grasshopper, Frost's Common, 29th August

The best of the moths trapped at home that night was a Small Waved Umber - only my second ever and my first here.

Small Waved Umber, North Elmham, 29th August

A Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella was my first at home this year.

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, North Elmham, 29th August

Other moths at home were Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 4 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 34 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 21 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Lesser Cream Wave, Least Carpet, Single-dotted Wave, 8 Riband Waves, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Early Thorn, 3 Willow Beauties, Lesser Swallow Prominent, 4 Dingy Footmen, Common Footman, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Arches, Rustic and 3 Straw Dots.

Other insects I recorded were Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum (mayfly), Chrysoperla carnea (and a Chrysoperla carnea agg.) (green lacewings), 2 Hemerobius humulinus (brown lacewings) and the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus rhombicus, the latter new for the year.

Limnephilus rhombicus (male), North Elmham, 29th August

New for the year the following night were Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella and Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, the former regular here but fairly scarce across the county.

Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella, North Elmham, 30th August

Other moths on what was a busier night than most recent nights were Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 4 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 28 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Least Carpet, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Riband Waves, Flame Carpet, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, 2 Currant Pugs, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 4 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawk-moth, 2 Lesser Swallow Prominents, 2 Pale Prominents, Yellow-tail, Black Arches, 2 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, Buff Footman, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics (plus a Common Rustic agg.), Rustic, Spectacle and 3 Straw Dots.

A Chrysoperla carnea was the only lacewing but there were 4 species of caddisfly: Hydropsyche siltalai, Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus flavicornis.  There was also a Buff-tailed Bumblebee in the grass next to the trap.

Numerically the next night wasn't very far behind the previous night but there were no standout highlights: Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 31 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 4 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 3 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Double-striped Pug, Willow Beauty, Poplar Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, 2 Swallow Prominents, Pale Prominent, Black Arches, Rosy Footman, 2 Dingy Footmen, Buff Ermine, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Dun-bar, Common Rustic and 5 Straw Dots.  Not much in the way of other insects either - the sexton beetle Nicrophorus investigator was the only other thing noted.

Brimstone and Holly Blue were among the butterflies in the garden the following day.

Brimstone, North Elmham, 1st August

That night the only new moth for the year was an Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine sp. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella - a shame that this aggregate species group cannot be identified to species level even with examination of the genitalia (you need to see what foodplant the larvae fed on, and even then it isn't always entirely reliable).

Orchard, Apple or Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, North Elmham, 1st August

Other moths that night were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 57 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 3 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Phoenix, Magpie Moth, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, Early Thorn, 3 Willow Beauties, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 Pale Prominents, Rosy Footman, Dingy Footman, Common Footman, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, Spectacle and 6 Straw Dots.

House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, North Elmham, 1st August

A Ginger Button Acleris aspersana was new for the year on Wednesday 2nd August.

Ginger Button Acleris aspersana, North Elmham, 2nd August

Other moths that night were 4 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, 7 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 17 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 4 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Magpie Moth, 2 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, 2 Willow Beauties, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Dingy Footman, Scarce Footman, Common Footman, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Arches, Common Rustic, Rustic and 6 Straw Dots.

There was a good number of green lacewings but apart from one Dichochrysa flavifrons all were Chrysoperla sp.  The latter are almost invariably Chrysoperla carnea but only the males can be separated (with a good look at the tips of their abdomen) from pallida, a species relatively recently recognised and which has not yet been recorded in Norfolk.  Of tonight's haul 5 were male carnea and 13 were females.  There was one more male which for a second I thought might be pallida as the abdomen looked interesting, but then I remembered that there is a third species of Chrysoperla which is supposed to be common, although I'd not seen it before.  Chrysoperla lucasina, as this turned out to be, has a slight point on the tip of the wing, distinct from the more rounded wing tip of carnea (and pallida).  It's quite subtle - I overlooked it at first - it was only when I noticed the abdomen tip was wrong for carnea that I looked hard enough at the wing shape to detect the difference.  They can show more brown along the side of the base of the abdomen too, but that was virtually undetectable on this individual.

Chrysoperla lucasina, North Elmham, 2nd August

Other insects included 3 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum, Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus lunatus, Harlequin Ladybird and the following bugs: Liocoris tripustulatus (which was new for the house), Alebra albostriella (a leafhopper which I identified for the first time this July) and Empoasca vitis (a very common tiny green leafhopper).

Liocrois tripustulatus, North Elmham, 2nd August

Alebra albostriella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Banham Zoo bioblitz

A few of us rocked up to Banham Zoo on the evening of 10th September to help with their bioblitz weekend.  We arrived in the rain and by the time darkness fell the rain was still going strong.  Not willing to be defeated I set my light up in a shelter so that it could stay dry while still attracting any moths stupid enough to be flying.  Then when the rain eventually stopped I moved it out, but the skies cleared as soon as the rain stopped and the temperature plummeted.  Far from ideal conditions but we still managed a few interesting moths.

The highlight from my perspective was a new moth for me: Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella.

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, Banham Zoo, 10th September

There were also 2 Marsh Dwarfs Elachista alpinella, a species which by that time I had never positively identified although I had 3 suspects sitting in pots at home from earlier in the month.

Marsh Dwarf Elachista alpinella (male, gen det), Banham Zoo, 10th September

Other moths I recorded were Ash Bud Moth Prays fraxinella, White-shouldered Smudge Ypsolopha parenthesella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 2 White-faced Tortrixes Pandemis cinnamomeana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Dusty Wave, Garden Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, 2 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, Flame Shoulder, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 3 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, 2 Angle Shades and 3 Snouts.

Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella, Banham Zoo, 10th September

Common Marbled Carpet, Banham Zoo, 10th September

This being a bioblitz we all tried as best as we could to find and identify other groups too.  I retained a few caddisflies for checking and among these were two species I'd not recorded before: Cyrnus flavidus and Hydropsyche augustipennis.  Others were Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 3 Limnephilus auricula, 2 Limnephilus flavicornis, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus vittatus.

Cyrnus flavidus (female), Banham Zoo, 10th September

Hydropsyche angustipennis (male), Banham Zoo, 10th September

Stewart was looking at leafhoppers so I passed him some which proved to be Metidiocerus rutilans, Viridicerus ustulatus and Tremulicerus tremulae (all alternatively placed in the genus Idiocerus - I'm not quite sure which is currently regarded as correct).  I retained 3 myself (by accident - thought I'd passed them all to Stewart) and these proved to be another Viridicerus ustulatus and 2 Idiocerus stigmaticalis.  All of these were new species for me.

Viridicerus (=Idiocerus) ustulatus, Banham Zoo, 10th September

Idiocerus stigmaticalis, Banham Zoo, 10th September

This barkfly proved to be Valenzuela flavidus - a familiar looking creature both in name and appearance so I thought I'd recorded it before... can't see that I have though having checked my records.

Valenzula flavidus, Banham Zoo, 10th September

I'm not competent to do much with flies but one looked so distinctive I decided to retain it and see what it was.  Wasn't as easy as I'd imagined as it's a big genus and I couldn't find any details of what most of them look like, but in the end it turned out to be Macrocera phalerata.

Macrocerua phalerata, Banham Zoo, 10th September

The light also attracted a Hornet and a German Wasp, the latter discovered when it stung me.  The last couple of times I've been stung by wasps it was pretty much a non-event, barely any worse than a stinging nettle and lasting even less time.  This was something else - left me uncomfortable and sore for about 10 days.

Other species recorded included Common Toad, Speckled and Oak Bush-crickets, Common Earwig, the Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg. (female), the Scorpion Fly Panorpa germanica, Orange and Harlequin Ladybirds, Tree Slug, about 30 Common Rough Woodlice and 10 White-legged Snake Millipedes.  Someone also pointed out the spider Nuctenea umbratica, a new one for me.

Nuctena umbratica, Banham Zoo, 10th September

Nothing much to shout about in the moth trap at home that night: Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Small Dusty Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, 3 Brimstone Moths, Willow Beauty, 4 Light Emeralds, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 8 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, Square-spot Rustic, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Flounced Rustics, Silver Y, Straw Dot and 6 Snouts.

The hoverfly Eupeodes latifasciatus was new for the year.

Eupeodes latifasciatus, North Elmham, 10th September