New centipede and beetle

At Strumpshaw Fen last Saturday some black fungi caught our attention.  It reminded me of Jelly Ear, but black, and I wondered if it might be that species having blackened with age.  Other options were considered but a knowledgable chap at the reception informed us they were indeed Jelly Ear.  Well, thanks to James E for coming to the rescue once again... turns out it's Black Bulgar Bulgaria inquinans.

Black Bulgar, Strumpshaw Fen, 4th March

We also saw at least 3 Chinese Water Deer at Buckenham Marshes.

The only moths in my trap that evening were March Moth, Pale Brindled Beauty and Dotted Border.  Sunday night was no better with just Hebrew Character and Chestnut.

A Stoat and 2 Common Seals were the non-avian highlights of a birding visit to Burnham Overy on Monday and that night the garden trap produced March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, 2 Dotted Borders and 3 Hebrew Characters.

On Tuesday I walked round Haddiscoe Island (a long way!) and encountered at least 25 Chinese Water Deer, very probably more.  Moths at home that night were Oak Beauty, 5 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

On Wednesday evening the good mothing weather promised by the forecast didn't materialise but Dave and I spent an hour or so at Thursford Wood with headtorches to see if we could pick anything up.  We managed to find Pale Red Slender Caloptilia elongella, 9 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, 6+ Dotted Borders, 4 Engraileds (including a mating pair) and 2 Chestnuts.

Engrailed, Thursford Wood, 8th March

Among lots of woodlice that looked like they were probably Common Rough Woodlice, the one I encounter by far the most, one was tiny and yellow-blotched.  Hoping it would turn out to be something more interesting I keyed it out only to find it was just a Common Rough Woodlouse too, presumably a young one.  The pale spots looked much yellower in life than they do in the photo.

 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber, Thursford Wood, 8th March

A couple of millipedes turned out to be White-legged Snake-Millipedes I think but a centipede was more interesting, if only because it was my first since owning the key to centipedes allowing a confident identification.  Unsurprisingly it turned out to tbe a very common species, but nevertheless the first time I'd identified Common Lithobius Lithobius forficatus.

Common Lithobius Lithobius forficatus, Thursford Wood, 8th March

White-legged Snake-Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger, Thursford Wood, 8th March

The home trap caught Oak Beauty, Dotted Border, Hebrew Character and Chestnut.

On Thursday night moth numbers started picking up but variety was still very lacking - 5 Dotted Borders, 3 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

Likewise on Friday night there were 2 Shoulder Stripes, 3 Dotted Borders, 5 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

On Saturday morning I found the very small beetle Epuraea biguttata in my bathroom, a new species for me.

Epuraea biguttata, North Elmham, 11th March

Poor mothing but always something to look at

The last week hasn't been a good one for moths.  They don't like snow and Arctic conditions, apparently.

Last Friday night scraped the bottom of the barrel with Brindled Pug and Early Grey, but a smallish slug on the bottom of the moth trap aroused my curiosity.  Turns out it's a Netted Slug, but the biggest surprise is that this is supposed to be one of our commonest slugs yet it didn't look familiar to me at all.  The first time I've identified one anyway.

Netted Slug, North Elmham, 22nd April

On Saturday morning in the Brecks some early sunshine got me a nice Common Oak Purple Dyseriocrania subpurpurella.

Common Oak Purple Dyseriocrania subpurpurella, Hockham Heath, 23rd April

I also caught this Brown Lacewing which provided me with my first opportunity to try out my newly-acquired key to Lacewings.  It was Hemerobius humulinus, the first time I've identified a Brown Lacewing to species level.

Brown Lacewing Hemerobius humulinus, Hockham Heath, 23rd April

The Snails key also got its first use, although it wasn't the first time I've identified Brown-lipped and White-lipped Snails.  Indeed in this case the key sent me in the wrong direction as the Brown-lipped Snail showed a substantial and completely unobscured umbilicus.  Bad snail.

Some fungi caused me problems, as always.  I think this one might be Birch Polypore...

Birch Polypore?, near Thompson Water, 23rd April

...but these white blobs on the side of a tree in a swamp made me wonder if there was a species related to King Alfreds Cakes, only white.  Well if there is I can't find it in my books, and King Alfred's Cakes aren't supposed to be white even when they're young, so I've no idea what they were.  Maybe they weren't even fungi?  Ah, as I type this I've had an idea... slime mould maybe.  Yes, that looks likely, perhaps Enteridium lycoperdon?

slime mould, perhaps Enteridium lycoperdon, Cranberry Rough, 23rd April

As a very novice botanist, Forget-me-nots are always a challenging group to identify.  Hopefully they get easier with experience but I still struggle.  I think these were Wood Forget-me-nots.

Wood Forget-me-not, Cranberry Rough, 23rd April

This Brown Hare tried to hide from me in the rain.

Brown Hare, Bodney, 23rd April

When I drew up beside it it soon changed its mind and ran away instead.

Brown Hare, Bodney, 23rd April

Another brief spell of sunshine in the garden after I got home produced what I assume was a Feathered Bright Incurvaria masculella in the Wysteria.  It didn't stop long enough for me to get a good enough look to be 100% sure, but it's by far the most likely moth that looks anything like that.  One insect that did pause long enough for a close examination was the hoverfly Eristalis arbustorum - the first time I've identified this common species.

Eristalis arbustorum, North Elmham, 23rd April

In the trap overnight there were just 2 Hebrew Characters but after Saturday the weather deteriorated even more and it felt more like January than late April.  The moth catches shifted from being dreadful to non-existent.  Three nights in a row without a single moth and for at least two of those not a single insect - not even a fly!  Hate to think what effect this is having on insectivorous birds, especially resident ones that have already started breeding.

One moth (and one fly) in the trap on Wednesday night - a new one for the year too, Muslin Moth.

Muslin Moth, North Elmham, 27th April

Also on Wednesday I had my first opportunity to use another new key, the one on Woodlice - this is a Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber.

Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber, North Elmham, 27th April

Thursday night saw another (or perhaps the same) Muslin Moth and a Hebrew Character.

Wood Mouse and Woodlouse (and a nice beetle and some moths)

The Wood Mouse was running in and out of the shed for ages on Saturday again, in the rain.  Seems to like the rain.

Wood Mouse, North Elmham, 9th April

Not much on Saturday night (3 March Moths, 2 Small Quakers, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab and 2 Hebrew Characters) but Sunday night was better with Red Chestnut new for the year.

Red Chestnut, North Elmham, 10th April

Some better totals of a couple of the commoner species too: March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, 8 Small Quakers, 5 Common Quakers, Clouded Drab, 14 Hebrew Characters, 3 Early Greys and Chestnut.

Early Thorn was new for the year at home on Monday night.  Also 3 March Moths, Shoulder Stripe, Double-striped Pug, Oak Beauty, Red Chestnut, 5 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, 9 Hebrew Characters, 2 Early Greys and Chestnut.

Early Thorn, North Elmham, 11th April

Fewer moths on Tuesday night, though another common moth new for the year at home: Engrailed.  Also March Moth, Red Chestnut, 5 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.  I think the Red Chestnut was the same individual as I trapped on Monday night as it was distinctively worn, but Sunday's looked different.

Engrailed, North Elmham, 12th April

On Wednesday a Cereal Leaf Beetle Oulema melanopus/rufocyanea agg. appeared on my study windowsill.  Lovely beetle!

Cereal Leaf Beetle Oulema melanopus or Oulema rufocyanea, North Elmham, 13th April

Not much in the moth trap last nigtht: Early Thorn, 2 Small Quakers, Twin-spotted Quaker, 5 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham, 13th April

I had a look round the local patch before work this morning and found 2 Common Oak Purples Dyseriocrania subpurpurella there.  Also this unidentified small larva (sawfly sp.?).

unidentified larva, near Bittering, 14th April

Other things crawling down tree trunks included this Tree Slug.

Tree Slug, near Bittering, 14th April

I'd thought the following Woodlouse might be interesting.  Not when photographing it, but looking it up when I got home.  The information I found on the net suggested that I could rule out the common Porcellio scaber leading me to speculate that it might be either Porcellio spinicornis or Trachelipus rathkei, although neither seemed particularly likely.  Well James has had a look and he advises me that it is in fact Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber after all.  Ah well, I shall have to look a bit harder to find one of the scarcer ones, and buy myself a decent key.

Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber, near Bittering, 14th April

A slow week

After a couple of nil returns Thursday night seemed more promising but proved a great disappointment with just 5 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana and 2 Dotted Borders.  Friday night was no better with 4 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana and March Moth.  On Friday night Dave and I tried searching by torchlight at a local spot we thought might be sheltered from the wind.  Number of moths attracted to torch light = zero.  A few mildly interesting things on one big old Copper Beech trunk - a Common Earwig, a Common Green Shieldbug and 2-3 woodlouse which proved to be Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber - probably the commonest woodlouse but the first time I've identified it.

Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber, Bittering, 6th March