A burst of activity at the end of April

I left my last post part way through 29th April so to finish off that day I found a White Oak Midget Phyllonorycter harrisella at Ryburgh.  That night the home trap produced a little more than recent nights including 3 new for the year here: Garden Carpet, Swallow Prominent and Bright-line Brown-eye.  It wasn't exactly heaving though - the rest were just Lesser Swallow Prominent, Muslin Moth, Common Quaker, 6 Hebrew Characters and 3 Early Greys.

Garden Carpet, North Elmham, 29th April

Swallow Prominent, North Elmham, 29th April

Lesser Swallow Prominent (left) and the same Swallow Prominent (right), North Elmham, 29th April

Bright-line Brown-eye, North Elmham, 29th April

On Sunday 30th I had a look round Sparham Pools in the afternoon finding about 45 Green Long-horns Adela reaumurella lekking near the car park.  Further round I found a couple more Long-horns which, in the field, seemed much less green - more golden.  Not entirely sure which species they were I took them home for closer examination, but looking at them closely they both seemed greener than I'd thought and I began to consider the possibility that they were just reaumurella like the rest.  In the end I think this one was - it was a male and its antennae were well over 3x longer than the forewing length which should rule out cuprella, the genitalia resembled reaumurella (but althouth I think I can see differences in images of cuprella genitalia I'm not entirely clear what the criteria are).  It did have some reddish-purple reflections along the costa but these were minimal.  Other similar species in other genera seemed to be ruled out either by size or flight-time.  In this photo it looks quite typical for reaumurella to me.

Green Long-horn Adela reaumurella, Sparham Pools, 30th April

The other one, which was the first one I saw in the field and really struck me as being more golden-bronze coloured, I think was Early Long-horn Adela cuprella.  I'm used to seeing these lekking on Sallows and this was in low pathside vegetation, so I wasn't expecting this result, but I think there may be Sallows just the other side of the hedge.  This one had much clearer reddish-purple reflections along the costa and although I can't find any images of female cuprella genitalia to compare it to there do seem to be some differences from the images I have found for female reaumurella.  As before, other similar species in different genera are ruled out by size or time of year.

[Update - having seen another identical female moth in habitat unsuitable for Adela cuprella I am now of the opinion that this was more likely another Adela reaumurella.  The genitalia of my two moths were identical and although I still can't find images of cuprella to compare them to I think I can now account for what I had perceived as differences from the published images of reaumurella].

Long-horn sp. Adela sp., Sparham Pools, 30th April

The only other moth I saw was a Common Oak Purple Dyseriocrania subpurpurella (thanks to John G for spotting that one) but there was this lovely weevil, Phyllobius argentatus.

Phyllobius argentatus, Sparham Pools, 30th April

On Sunday evening this Bee Moth Aphomia sociella tried to get into church...

Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Norwich, 30th April

That night trapping at home was probably the best night of the year so far with 10 new species for the year: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Chinese Character, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, 3 Waved Umbers, Pale Prominent, Pale Tussock, 2 Flame Shoulders, Clouded-bordered Brindle and Nut-tree Tussock.  Actually that was more than the moths that weren't new for the year, which were White-triangle Slender Caloptilia stigmatella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Green Carpet, Brindled Pug, Oak-tree Pug, 2 Yellow-barred Brindles, Cinnabar and 2 Hebrew Characters.

Chinese Character, North Elmham, 30th April

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (male, gen det), North Elmham, 30th April

Waved Umber, North Elmham, 30th April

Pale Prominent, North Elmham, 30th April

Pale Tussock, North Elmham, 30th April

Flame Shoulder, North Elmham, 30th April

Clouded-bordered Brindle, North Elmham, 30th April

There were also a few caddisflies around - my first at home this year.  They comprised 3  Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus sparsus.

 Glyphotaelius pellucidas (female above, male below), North Elmham, 30th April

Limnephilus auricula (male, gen det), North Elmham, 30th April

Limnephilus sparsus (female, gen det), North Elmham, 30th April

A new site for Bluebell Conch, on my patch

Recently Matthew Casey discovered multiple Bluebell Conches Hysterophora maculosana at different sites in Ringland and Costessey, a significant discovery given that there have only been two records in the county since 1881.  Even more unusual for a micro, the discovery generated quite a bit of interest with several moth-ers going to see and photograph them.  I resisted the temptation and decided to go and find my own, so when there was a glimmer of sunshine on Thursday I headed for a small patch of bluebells on the local patch.  I was joined by Dave, and almost as soon as I reached the bluebells I scored.  Bluebell Conch Hysterophora maculosana under the belt, on my patch and a new site for this supposedly-rare species.  It's also the first post-Victorian record for the vice-county.  Great stuff!

Bluebell Conch Hysterophora maculosana, near Bittering, 19th May

We continued hunting through the patch of bluebells but couldn't find any more, except possibly one that Dave saw in flight but didn't manage to catch.

Other moths at this site included Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, 8 Cocksfoot Moths Glyphipterix simpliciella and Grey Gorse Piercer Cydia ulicetana.

Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella, near Bittering, 19th May

Grey Gorse Piercer Cydia ulicetana, near Bittering, 19th May

Also this caterpillar appears to be Yellow-tail.

Yellow-tail, near Bittering, 19th May

Moths weren't the only attraction.  We did quite well for beetles too - here are a selection:

Red-headed Cardinal, near Bittering, 19th May

Green Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus, near Bittering, 19th May

Common Leaf Weavil Phyllobius pyri, near Bittering, 19th May

10-spot Ladybird, near Bittering, 19th May

14-spot Ladybird, near Bittering, 19th May

Among the hoverflies I identified were some Leucozona lucorum.

Leucozona lucorum, near Bittering, 19th May

This Scorpion Fly, my first this year, gave me a chance to learn new ID skills (though it did have to sacrifice itself in the process).

Panorpa germanica (female, gen det), near Bittering, 19th May

It was the Bees that gave me the most new species, if only because I've not spent much effort identifying Bees until the recent publication of Falk & Lewington's excellent field guide on Bees.  Four Bees retained for checking proved to be male and female Orange-tailed Mining Bees, Wilke's Mining Bee and the very striking Lathbury's Nomad Bee, all species I had not identified previously.

[Edit 2023 - the Nomad Bee was misidentified - I think it's a Flavous Nomad Bee and it certainly isn't a Lathbury's]

Orange-tailed Mining Bees Andrena haemorrhoa (male above, female below), near Bittering, 19th May

Wilke's Mining Bee Andrena wilkella, near Bittering, 19th May

[2023 edit: probably Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava], near Bittering, 19th May

Rained off

Last Monday night looked good for moths, according to the weather forecast.  Overcast and relatively mild with not much wind.  Dave and I headed up to Gypsy Lane near Brancaster hoping for a few specialities of that bit of coast.  But as we reached our preferred spot we found the breeze still stronger than we'd expected and with skies still far from cloud-covered the temperature much cooler.  For this sort of location the weather wasn't good enough - there seemed to be no point in setting up here.  Instead we headed inland to Bunker's Hill at Anmer, 3.5 degrees warmer and very sheltered.  I've trapped here a couple of times and done ok, including my first new moth for Norfolk (Cydia illutana).

Well it started off ok, if unremarkable, and might have turned out to be a reasonable night if the weather forecast hadn't got it even more wrong than we realised.  Rain was due at about 5 or 6 in the morning but there were no rain drops in the forecast for tonight, so when it started to rain at about 10 o'clock we thought it would be just a quick shower.  Some time later there was no sign of it letting up, and it became clear that the forecast was just completely wrong, again.  We packed up disappointed that we'd wasted our efforts due to yet another poor weather forecast.

In the short time we were there we amassed a few moths but nothing staggering: 2 Common Oak Purples Dyseriocrania subpurpurella, Common Oak Midget Phyllonorycter quercifoliella, 6 Beech Midgets Phyllonorycter maestingella, Peach Blossom, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Water Carpet, Spruce Carpet, 3 Brindled Pugs, 4 Purple Thorns, Great Prominent, Pale Tussock, 5 Orange Footmen, 8 Least Black Arches, Common Quaker, Twin-spotted Quaker, 3 Hebrew Characters and 16 Nut-tree Tussocks.

Peach Blossom, Bunker's Hill, 9th May

Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestigella (male, gen det), Bunker's Hill, 9th May

Spruce Carpet, Bunker's Hill, 9th May

Purple Thorn (with Nut-tree Tussock and Common Quaker), Bunker's Hill, 9th May

Two Brown Lacewings proved to be Micromus paganus and Wesmaelius nervosus, both species I'd not identified before (not surprising as they were my second and third Brown Lacewings since owning the key for them).

Micromus paganus, Bunker's Hill, 9th May

Wesmaelius nervosus, Bunker's Hill, 9th May

The caddisflies were represented by Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 4 Limnephilus affinis and 2 Limnephilus auricula.

Limnephilus affinis, Bunker's Hill, 9th May

The beetles were more interesting: among the 6 or so Cockchafers were Orange Ladybird, Cream-spot Ladybird, 2 Eyed Ladybirds and Phyllobius argentatus.

Cream-spot Ladybird, Bunker's Hill, 9th May

Eyed Ladybird, Bunker's Hill, 9th May

Phyllobius argentatus, Bunker's Hill, 9th May

I didn't look close enough at all the things on the sheet as looking through my photos of various moths I found some Springtails that I failed to realise were there at the time.

2 different-looking springtails (and a fly), Bunker's Hill, 9th May

I had found my first Treble-bar for the year in the garden during the afternoon and the trap produced a few bits and pieces overnight.  New for the year for the garden were Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet and White-pinion Spotted.

Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 9th May

Red Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 9th May

Grey Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 9th May

White-pinion Spotted, North Elmham, 9th May

Bringing the total up to 26 species, I think the most so far this year, were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 2 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, 2 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Shoulder Stripe, 4 Streamers, 2 Brindled Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, Scalloped Hazel, Brindled Beauty, 2 Waved Umbers, Pale Tussock, Cinnabar, Least Black Arches, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Clouded Drab, 6 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and Nut-tree Tussock.

Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, North Elmham, 9th May

Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, North Elmham, 9th May

Most of the caddisflies were Limnephilus auricula but Limnephilus sparsus was new for the house.  Also recorded were the leafhopper Empoasca vitis, 2 Green Lacewings Chrysoperla carnea, 2 Black Sexton Beetles and a Common Rough Woodlouse.

Limnephilus sparsus, North Elmham, 9th May

Empoasca vitis, North Elmham, 9th May