Saltmarsh meets North Elmham, a scarce barkfly, a new bug and a new beetle

2018 seems to have been an exceptional year for saltmarsh species making their way inland.  I have already blogged about a surprise Silver-streaked Case-bearer Coleophora limoniella that turned up here on 23rd July, one of 3 inland records in July of a species that had never turned up inland in Norfolk before.  I've also already blogged about a Saltmarsh Plume Agdistis bennetii at Derby Fen in June, and very soon I'll be writing about another one at home - again in a year when other observers have also recorded unusual numbers of these inland.  Well there was one more saltmarsh surprise in my North Elmham trap on 3rd August - a Saltern Groundling Scrobipalpa instabilella.  This is another very unexpected record - until this year the furthest inland records in Norfolk were at Catfield Fen in the Broads and at Dersingham.  There was another at Derby Fen on 8th August but this one is by far the furthest inland record there has been in Norfolk...

Saltern Groundling Scrobipalpa instabilella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

Small Waved Umber was only my second here, indeed only my third anywhere, and Birch Ermine Swammerdamia caesiella was also only my second here.

Small Waved Umber, North Elmham, 3rd August

Other moths new for the year were Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii, Birch Ermine Swammerdamia caesiella, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana and 2 Tawny Speckled Pugs.

Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

Birch Ermine Swammerdamia caesiella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, North Elmham, 3rd August

Tawny Speckled Pug, North Elmham, 3rd August

Other micros were 3 Bordered Carls Coptotriche marginea, Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 2 Bird’s-nest Moths Tinea trinotella, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, 2 Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine agg. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Wainscot Smudges Ypsolopha scabrella, 6 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 2 Clover Case-bearers Coleophora alcyonipennella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 4 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, 4 House Nebs Bryotropha domestica, 7 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 3 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana, Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 45 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 48 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 8 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula nitidulata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Pearl Evergestis pallidata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 14 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella, 2 Beautiful Plumes Amblyptilia acanthadactyla and 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

The rest of the macros were 2 Orange Swifts, Blood-vein, Small Blood-vein, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Riband Waves, Flame Carpet, 3 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Garden Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, 5 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, 2 Maple Pugs, Lime-speck Pug, Bordered Beauty, Early Thorn, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 5 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawk-moth, Iron Prominent, Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, 4 Dingy Footmen, Ruby Tiger, 3 Turnip Moths, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 8 Flame Shoulders, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 8 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, Cabbage Moth, Common Wainscot, Marbled Beauty, 4 Straw Underwings, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, Twin-spotted Wainscot, Fen Wainscot, Rustic and 22 Straw Dots.

Mayflies included what I think is a Pale Watery Baetis fuscatus, but although I identified this at the time and let it go I omitted to add it to my notes or caption the photo, so I'm now having to identify it again from the photos which I never like doing with mayflies.  Also 2 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita.

Pale Watery Baetis fuscatus, North Elmham, 3rd August

There was a good selection of green and brown lacewings: 2 Chrysoperla carnea, 2 Cunctochrysa albolineata, Dichochrysa flavifrons, Hemerobius lutescens and Micromus variegatus.

Among the caddisflies Athripsodes albifrons was new for the year; there were also 2 Ithytrichia lamellaris, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 3 Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus auricula and 1-2 Athripsodes aterrimus.

Athripsodes albifrons, North Elmham, 3rd August

The best of the bugs was Atractotomus parvulus, a new species for me.

Atractotomus parvulus (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

Deraeocoris lutescens was also new for the year, and other bugs were  Birch Shieldbug, Blepharidopterus angulatus and the leafhopper Empoasca vitis.

Deraeocoris lutescens, North Elmham, 3rd August

This barkfly was eventually identified as Valenzuela piceus, a scarce species according to the National Barkfly Recording Scheme.  There are only 9 records on NBN for the whole country, the nearest being in the Cambridge area, but that doesn't always mean a great deal as barkflies are one of the taxa that aren't well represented in NBN.

Valenzuela piceus, North Elmham, 3rd August

Among the beetles there were a dozen or so Bradycellus sp.  Usually these turn out to be Bradycellus verbasci and one of the two I retained did just so.  As soon as I looked at the other one under the microscope I had a feeling it was a different species and so it proved - my first Bradycellus harpalinus.  Other beetles included an Ophonus sp. that I couldn't quite resolve and another Aphodius rufipes.

Bradycellus harpalinus (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

A quick visit to the meadows produced Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla and a 7-spot Ladybird.

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