Fantastic moths in the Brecks

The run of poor nights for moths last week finished with Muslin Moth and Hebrew Character on Friday night and Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey on Saturday night. On Saturday I'd failed to find any moths on the patch during the day, despite a handful of butterflies (Orange-tips, Brimstone and Peacocks) and other insects like Dark-edged Bee Fly and Buff-tailed Bumblebee (also a Stoat).

Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Bittering, 30th April

Sunday night looked better - not brilliant, but the best night for a while and the best for a few days to come.  So Dave and I took the opportunity to try out mothing at Cranberry Rough in the Brecks.  Turned out to be excellent!  We started off in the afternoon at Santon Street, an NWT site Dave's obtained permission to trap at.  This was largely a reckie as we didn't know the site at all.  I think it will be good, though we didn't manage to record any moths this afternoon (but my first caddisfly of the year which gave me a chance to use my new Handbook on Trichoptera (caddisflies) - it was Brachycentrus subnubilus - and also the green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea).  In the car park opposite we found Common Green Shieldbug and Parent Bug - the latter a new species for me.

Parent Bug, Santon Downham, 1st May

Common Green Shieldbug, Santon Downham, 1st May

Our chosen location for trapping was Cranberry Rough.  I'd been there recently during the day and reckoned it could be good, and so it proved.  It wasn't perfect weather and it followed a run of cold nights, so we didn't expect huge amounts.  But our low expectations just contributed to how pleased we were when we found a good variety of moths coming to our lights including several species we don't see all that often.  And that was before the really exciting ones turned up.  We used 3 lights - my MV over a sheet, an Actinic and a UVB bulb powered by a car battery.

Among the first moths in was the first of 5 Lunar Marbled Browns, a species I'd only seen once before.

Lunar Marbled Brown, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Also in early were the first few of 6 Water Carpets, a couple of Frosted Greens, 5 Pine Beauties and 3 Early Tooth-stripeds, another species I don't see every year. 

Frosted Green, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Pine Beauty, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Early Tooth-striped, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Micros included a few Common Oak Purples Dyseriocrania subpurpurella and a Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana. 

Common Oak Purple Dyseriocrania subpurpurella, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

At Dave's actinic we found the first of 2 Dawn Flat-bodies Semioscopis steinkellneriana, Tufted Button Acleris cristana and what was very probably an Early Purple Eriocrania semipurpurella.  The latter keyed out to semipurpurella fine but is considered safest to gen det to confirm.  Unfortunately I had a bit of an accident with it which rendered that impossible.

Dawn Flat-body Semioscopis steinkellneriana, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

I think it was the actinic that produced another good moth, Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana.  Though not particularly scarce this was a new moth for me, so I was very pleased to see one at long last.  Dave's actinic hardly gave off enough light to be able to see the moths with - we needed to use a torch too - but it proved worth having with us.

Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Back at my MV we added Streamer, Spruce Carpet, an Oak-tree Pug among numerous Brindled Pugs, a Swallow Prominent, Great Prominent, a Red Chestnut, Angle Shades and Nut-tree Tussock. 

Spruce Carpet, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Oak-tree Pug, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Swallow Prominent, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Great Prominent, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Red Chestnut, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Then in came something odd which neither of us recognised.  A distinctive moth - we knew it was something different right away, but what?  It had its wings held wide, almost Carpet-like, but I had a feeling it wasn't holding them the way it should, and that made me wonder if it was a moth we'd mentioned earlier on as we passed some Broom but which neither of us had seen before.  I checked my app and yep, that's exactly what it was, a Broom-tip! 

Broom-tip, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

And then it duly hitched its wings up like its supposed to and actually looked like they do in the books.  Fantastic!  Not a common moth by any means - indeed a Nationally Scarce species and a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority species, and not recorded in Norfolk every year.

Broom-tip, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Finally we headed up to Dave's UVB light.  Only a few moths in here, including a second Red Chestnut, another Swallow Prominent and a Pebble Hook-tip. 

Pebble Hook-tip, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Then as we turned over an eggtray from the bottom of the trap there staring us in our faces was an absolutely fantastic female Emperor Moth!  Male Emperor Moths fly during the day and can be attracted to pheremone lures (as we did last year) but females fly at night, and I have never seen one before.  In many ways this was more exciting than even the Broom-tip, such a fantastic beast it was!

Emperor, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

We realised it had laid some eggs which we tried to knock off into some Hawthorn.  They were stuck rigid on the cardboard so we tore off the cardboard round them and left the whole lot in the Hawthorn.

A peculiar looking spider or mite in one of the egg trays held our curiosity, until we realised it was a tick.  A quick Google search confirmed our fears - it was a Deer Tick.  I've always known that walking around in the Brecks carries a high risk of an encounter with a Deer Tick but never actually seen one before (so a tick in more ways than one).  At least we saw it in an eggtray and not attached to our legs, but it made us feel itchy and uncomfortable even so!  I checked myself and my clothing carefully when I got home, although  the reality is that we were no more (or less) at risk because we'd seen one than if we hadn't.  Apparently they look even uglier when they're feeding on you.

 Deer Tick, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Common Earwig, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Other moths not so far mentioned included Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 3 Common Quakers, Clouded Drab, 3 Hebrew Characters, 2 Early Greys and 3 Chestnuts.  Also another green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea.

Chrysoperla carnea, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Plenty of caddisflies too, allowing me a chance to practice their ID.  I'd recommend the handbook - based on the first few I've tried it makes their ID quite easy compared to a lot of groups - very well laid out and simple to follow.  You need a  microscope (maybe you could manage with a good lens, but it won't be so easy) but you don't need to do any complicated dissections or anything.  From tonight I identified 3 species: Grammotaulius nigropunctatus, Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus griseus.

Grammotaulius nigropunctatus, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Limnephilus auricula, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Limnephilus griseus, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Beetles were represented by Black Sexton Beetle, Orange Ladybird and two that I'd not identified before, though both looked familiar: Dalopius marginatus and Cantharis decipiens.

Dalopius marginatus, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Cantharis decipiens, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Black Sexton Beetle, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Orange Ladybird, Cranberry Rough, 1st May

Given how well we managed in the Brecks I had hopes of a good range in the home moth trap too.  Well there were more than there have been lately, but not hordes.  If we hadn't had one already that night Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana would have been a lifer - as it was just new for the house.  Amazing how often that's happened - seeing a moth for the first time when moth-trapping away from home and then coming back to find one at home too.  Not surprising in a way as the conditions for their emergence are the same at different sites, but as the glaring holes in my moth list get fewer it will surely stop happening soon.

Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana, North Elmham, 1st May

A rarer moth was this Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli.  It's only the 20th record for Norfolk so quite scarce.  New for the house of course, though I did have one in my final year at Bawdeswell.

Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli (female, gen det), North Elmham, 1st May

First for the year for the garden were Powdered Quaker and Nut-tree Tussock.  Also Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Streamer, Common Quaker, 2 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

Powdered Quaker, North Elmham, 1st May

Also Black Sexton Beetle and two more Caddisflies, Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus auricula.

Glyphotaelius pellucidus (male above, female below), North Elmham, 1st May - unusual among caddisflies in being sexually dimorphic

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.

Streamer

2 Hebrew Characters were the only new moths on Sunday night but Monday was a little better with 3 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, Brindled Pug, Clouded Drab, Hebrew Character and 3 Early Greys. In addition Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla and  Yellow-barred Brindle were both new for the year.

Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, North Elmham, 18th April

Yellow-barred Brindle, North Elmham, 18th April

Next day I photographed this Zebra Spider in my study.  I don't normally like spiders but these dinky little ones are oddly cute.

cute little Zebra Spider, North Elmham, 19th April

Sadly I can't say the same about this horrible thing, which I think may be Tegenaria gigantea, though I'm not clear if there are other similar species that need ruling out.  Proper scared of these!

gross scary Spider (possibly Tegenaria gigantea?), North Elmham, 19th April

Only 2 moths on Tuesday night - Clouded Drab and Early Grey.  On Wednesday I had the day off and headed up to Burnham Overy for some birding.  Little non-avian interest - a Peacock butterfly was the only Lepidoptera (oh, and Brown-tail larvae).  This Stoat disappeared down a rabbit burrow emerging from a different hole.

Stoat, Burnham Overy, 20th April

I've caught what I presumed to be the same Red Chestnut on a number of occasions recently, albeit sometimes with 2-3 nights between trappings.  I've assumed it was the same because it seemed to have the same distinctive pattern of wear - like someone had stuck there thumb across the middled of it and rubbed all its scales off from a big patch in the middle.  Caught it again on Wednesday night, or aother similarly worn individual.  Other than that just 2 Hebrew Characters.

On Thursday I found a Buffish Mining Bee Andrena nigroaenea in the garden - the first time I've positively identified this species, thanks to Richard Lewington's new book.

Thursday night was another poor night for moths but I'm always excited to see a Streamer and this was my first of the year.  Otherwise just 2 Hebrew Characters and an Early Grey.

Streamer, North Elmham, 21st April