Knapweed Bells (Epiblema cirsiana)

Last Sunday my garden produced my first Large White of the year and an Orange-tip, and in the evening Dave and I had a pre-dusk wander round Lolly Moor and Honeypot Wood, two small NWT reserves in the Dereham area.  We'd had some considerable success 'dusking' at Lolly Moor last year and hoped the warm evening sunshine might produce the goods again this time.

We found quite a few moths at Lolly Moor but the highlight was 3 Knapweed Bells Epiblema cirsiana.  This is a new species for me and a scarcely recorded one - just 2-3 records a year in Norfolk in the last 5 years and very few before that.  Males can be separated from the similar Thistle Bell Epiblema scutulana by their dark hindwing - I examined two of ours, both were males and both showed a dark hindwing.

Knapweed Bell Epiblema cirsiana (male, with dark hindwing), Lolly Moor, 8th May

We also recorded 10 Plain Golds Micropterix calthella, Little Slender Calybites phasianipennella, Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Grass Rivulets and a Brindled Beauty.

Plain Gold Micropterix calthella, Lolly Moor, 8th May

A single caddisfly proved to be my first Limnephilus sparsus (not an uncommon species - I've only just started keying these out).

Limnephilus sparsus, Lolly Moor, 8th May

A search of tree-trunks along the wooded path turned up 5 Kidney-spot Ladybirds, another new species for me.

Kidney-spot Ladybird, Lolly Moor, 8th May

Among the snails were at least 4 Two-toothed Door Snails, the first time I've identified these, and both Brown-lipped and White-lipped Snails.

Two-toothed Door Snail, Lolly Moor, 8th May

Brown-lipped Snail, Lolly Moor, 8th May

We found several clumps of Lords-and-Ladies but were surprised to see this purple example.  Not noticed one like this before, but presume it's just a variant rather than some different species (nothing like that in my book).  There was another that was intermediate showing purple edges.

presumed Lords-and-Ladies, Lolly Moor, 8th May

Honeypot Wood wasn't so successful for moths, though we did see a Common Oak Purple Dyseriocrania subpurpurella and another 15 Plain Golds Micropterix calthella (on Pendulous Sedge).  There were more Two-toothed Door Snails here and a variety of Slugs including Netted and Tree.

Two-toothed Door Snails, Honeypot Wood, 8th May

Netted Slugs, Honeypot Wood, 8th May

Tree Slug, Honeypot Wood, 8th May

That night was unexpectedly good for moths at home.  Common Oak Purple Dyseriocrania subpurpurella was new for the house and several species were new for the year here: Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Common Pugs, Scalloped Hazel, Cinnabar, Least Black Arches, Shuttle-shaped Dart and Herald.

 Herald, North Elmham, 8th May

Cinnabar, North Elmham, 8th May

Scalloped Hazel, North Elmham, 8th May

Common Pug, North Elmham, 8th May

Shuttle-shaped Dart, North Elmham, 8th May

Least Black Arches, North Elmham, 8th May

Bringing the list for the night up to 21 species were White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Streamers, 2 Brindled Pugs, 2 Waved Umbers, 2 Swallow Prominents, Chocolate-tip, Muslin Moth, Clouded Drab, 3 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, North Elmham, 8th May

Once again caddisflies were represented by Glyphotaelius pellucidus and 3 Limnephilus auricula.

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

Various inverts

Forecast had been quite promising for moths for Sunday night, though by the time evening came it was looking cooler and breezier.  Dave and I arrived at Creaking Gate Lake and even before I got out of the car and felt the cold I had pretty much made up my mind it wasn't going to be worth putting the MV light up.  We had a look round by torchlight anyway, with Chestnut and 4 Dotted Borders the only moths.  Across the road we couldn't find any moths, but the Copper Beech tree whose trunk has hosted all manner of inverts continued to deliver.  Among the woodlice was a Common Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum.  A tiny beetle seems to be my first Salpingus planirostris, a type of Narrow-waisted Bark Beetle.  Centipedes are well beyond my competency but I'd tentatively identify this one as Strigamia crassipes.  Finally I had a go at identifying some slugs too... Tree Slugs I think.

Philoscia muscorum, Bittering, 8th March

Salpingus planirostris, Bittering, 8th March

Centipede, possibly Strigamia crassipes, Bittering, 8th March

Tree Slugs, Bittering, 8th March

A few moths at home, though nothing new.  An Early Moth was probably the same individual I recorded yesterday.  Otherwise 2 March Moths, 4 Hebrew Characters and a Chestnut.

Yesterday was worse with just Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Hebrew Characters and 2 Chestnuts.

Here's an interesting fact: of 24 Agonopterix heracliana that I've examined this year 23 have been male.

Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, North Elmham, 9th March - another male