Mervs, Quakers, best count of Black Rustics and Stagshorn

Everyone likes a Merveille du Jour, myself included although I still think they're a tiny bit over-rated.  This was my first of the year:

 Merveille du Jour, North Elmham, 12th October

Personally I prefer these, though I see more of them.  There were 2 Green-brindled Crescents on 12th October.

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 12th October

Red-line Quaker and Yellow-line Quaker both joined the 2015 year list that night.

Yellow-line Quaker, North Elmham, 12th October

Red-line Quaker, North Elmham, 12th October

Other moths were Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, 4 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Black Rustics, 2 Dark Chestnuts, 3 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing, Pink-barred Sallow, 2 Sallows and Large Wainscot.

On 13th October I netted a Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella during my lunch break, at Thornham.  Not much at home that night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Feathered Thorn, 2 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, 2 Dark Chestnuts, 4 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing and 2 Pink-barred Sallows.

 The catch on 14th consisted of Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Mallows, Red-green Carpet, 5 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut, Yellow-line Quaker, 2 Pink-barred Sallows and 2 Sallows.

Red-green Carpet, North Elmham, 14th October

 November Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 14th October

Chestnut, North Elmham, 14th October

Another typical selection on 15th: Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, 3 November Moths, 2 Feathered Thorns, Light Emerald, Black Rustic, 5 Green-brindled Crescents, Merveille du Jour, Dark Chestnut, Red-line Quaker, 4 Yellow-line Quakers, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, Barred Sallow, Pink-barred Sallow and Sallow.

16th was a good night - nothing amazing but 10 Black Rustics was easily my best count yet.  Plenty of other stuff too: Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 5 November Moths, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Blair's Shoulder-knot, 6 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut, Dark Chestnut, Red-line Quaker, 2 Yellow-line Quakers, 4 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing, Barred Sallow, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow, Rosy Rustic, Pale Mottled Willow, Silver Y and Snout.

Blair's Shoulder-knot, North Elmham, 16th October

On 17th October I headed up to Wells for some birding (more about that towards the end of this post in my birding diary).  One moth seen, an Angle Shades, and some curious yellow fungi.  Turns out, I think, that they're Yellow Stagshorn - apparently very common though I don't recall seeing them before.

 Yellow Stagshorn, Wells, 17th October

That evening was my last before heading off to Cornwall for a week.  The trap contained Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 8 November Moths, 3 Black Rustics, Yellow-line Quaker, Brown-spot Pinion, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing, Barred Sallow, 2 Sallows and Rosy Rustic.  Also a worn Pine/Grey Pine Carpet - the upperwing pattern was somewhat intermediate in that it showed a substantial dent in the orangey cross-bar but not quite as long and pointed as I'd expect on Pine Carpet.  Pretty sure it was Grey Pine as on Pine the inner edge of the cross-bar seems to extend more sharply towards the base of the wing as it approaches the costa, and of course Grey Pine is more likely.  You're not meant to be able to do Grey Pine vs. Spruce on genitalia but I don't know about Grey Pine vs. Pine (the upperwing pattern is normally sufficient).  This one was a female and I've not found sufficient reference material on female genitalia of these to determine it for certain.

Large Wainscots and the first November Moth

A few more days of little interest in the second week of October:

• 6 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Black Rustic, 4 Beaded Chestnuts, 2 Lunar Underwings and Pink-barred Sallow on 7th
• Setaceous Hebrew Character, Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents and 3 Beaded Chestnuts on 8th
• Feathered Thorn, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Black Rustic, Blair's Shoulder-knot and 2 Beaded Chestnuts on 9th

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 9th October

Blair's Shoulder-knot, North Elmham, 9th October

Marginally more on 10th including the first Large Wainscot of the year.

Large Wainscot, North Elmham, 10th October

The rest were Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Mallow, 2 Feathered Thorns, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, Dark Chestnut, 7 Beaded Chestnuts, 2 Lunar Underwings, 2 Sallows, 2 Rosy Rustics and Vine's Rustic.

Dark Chestnut, North Elmham, 10th October

My first November Moth agg. for the year on 11th looked a reasonable candidate for Pale November Moth on external markings, but proved to be November Moth.

November Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th October

Otherwise much the same: Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Mallow, 2 Feathered Thorns, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Green-brindled Crescent, Chestnut, 5 Beaded Chestnuts, 2 Lunar Underwings, Barred Sallow, 2 Sallows, Rosy Rustic and another Large Wainscot.

Catching up... now into October...

The end of September was very unremarkable for moths: 4 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Light Emerald, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, 4 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, Burnished Brass and Snout on 29th and Ashy Button Acleris sparsana (which was at least new for the year), 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 4 Lunar Underwings and 2 Snouts on 30th.

Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, North Elmham, 30th September

October didn't start much better:

• Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Turnip Moth, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 4 Lunar Underwings and Burnished Brass on 1st;
• 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Turnip Moth, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 10 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, Burnished Brass and Snout on 2nd;
• 2 Rhomboid Tortrices Acleris rhombana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Black Rustic, 3 Beaded Chestnuts, 11 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, Rosy Rustic and 3 Burnished Brasses on 3rd;
• Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Mallows, Common Marbled Carpet, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Beaded Chestnuts and 14 Lunar Underwings on 4th.

Things improved a bit on 5th October with two new for the year - Green-brindled Crescent and Barred Sallow - and also Pale Mottled Willow which was my first of the autumn.

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 5th October

Barred Sallow, North Elmham, 5th October

Pale Mottled Willow, North Elmham, 5th October

Plenty more to look at too: Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Brown-spot Flat-body Agonopterix alstromeriana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Blood-vein, 4 Mallows, 2 Dusky Thorns, Large Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic, 4 Black Rustics, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, 4 Lunar Underwings, 3 Pink-barred Sallows, Sallow, Rosy Rustic, Burnished Brass and Snout.

Brown-spot Flat-body Agonopterix alstromeriana, North Elmham, 5th October

Mallow, North Elmham, 5th October

6th October was another good night with 4 new for the year: 3 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, Feathered Thorn, Blair's Shoulder-knot and Brown-spot Pinion. A Chestnut was also the first of the autumn.

Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, North Elmham, 6th October

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 6th October

Brown-spot Pinion, North Elmham, 6th October

Also recorded on 6th were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Mallows, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, Turnip Moth, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Black Rustics, 11 Beaded Chestnuts, 4 Lunar Underwings, Barred Sallow, Pink-barred Sallow, 3 Sallows, Burnished Brass, Straw Dot and Snout.

Beaded Chestnut, North Elmham, 6th October

Not entirely sure which beetle this is.  Nicrophorus interruptus is supposed to differ from N. investigator in having the front orange band interrupted in the middle.  That would appear to be the case here, but some online photos of investigator (which certainly occurs here) seem similar.

Nicrophorus sp., North Elmham, 6th October

Also not sure about this leafhopper - can find several similar species, across different genera, but none quite like it.  Looks familiar though - have a feeling I've sorted one like this out previously.

unidentified leafhopper, North Elmham, 6th October

Also on 6th a birding visit to Burnham Overy turned up a single moth - Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea.

Another Prays ruficeps as the moths make way for non-Lepidopteran interest

I recently posted about my first ever Dark Ash Bud Moth Prays ruficeps, but when I caught that one I didn't have time to work out what it was and potted it up to look at later.  I hadn't done so when I caught another unfamiliar moth on 24th September, and I hadn't a clue what it was.  This one was a bit worn, and the pale reddish collar from which it gets its name ruficeps wasn't clear.  It was not only a species I wasn't familiar with, but a member of a whole family I wasn't familiar with, and it wasn't really on my radar.  At first I thought it was a Tineid, but although some of the rarer clothes moths could look superficially similar it didn't really look right for a Tineid and none of the likely species matched at all.  Perhaps a worn Scythrid I pondered, but it would have to be not only a very rare species that normally flies in daytime (it was caught overnight) but also flying much later than normal.  Not likely.  Eventually I followed Rob's advice and used the Kleine Vinders key to families in order to at least resolve what family it was in.  These keys aren't always easy to use, but it pointed to Yponomeutidae.  Well, there aren't any Yponomeutids that look anything like this, so that can't be right.  But the size and shape of the moth was somewhat reminiscent of some Yponomeutids.  Then I remembered that some species formerly considered part of Yponomeutidae are now treated as a separate family - specifically Prayidae.  Some of my references don't cover Prays ruficeps as it used to be considered to be a dark form of Ash Bud Moth Prays fraxinella, so perhaps that's my excuse for overlooking it, but anyway once I checked the Prayidae thumbnails on Norfolk Moths, all became clear.

Dark Ash Bud Moth Prays ruficeps, North Elmham, 24th September

Otherwise it was a pretty poor night with just Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Brimstone Moth, Light Emerald, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 18 Lunar Underwings and Sallow.

I think this Harvestman may be Odiellus spinosus, but if anyone who knows their Arachnids can confirm that would be great...

possible Odiellus spinosus, North Elmham, 24th September

On 25th September another attempt to find avian migrants in my lunch break failed, but I did find Stoat, Migrant Hawker and Hairy Shieldbug.

Hairy Shieldbug, Thornham, 25th September

The next couple of nights' mothing was extremely poor: 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 5 Lunar Underwings and Sallow on 25th (along with a Speckled Bush-Cricket), Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana and 2 Lunar Underwings on 26th.

 Speckled Bush-Cricket, North Elmham, 25th September

On 27th I enjoyed some interesting non-avian activity while out birding, which I've already posted about on my birding diary.  Specifically this Stoat 12' up a tree (with a Yellow-browed Warbler) was interesting...

Stoat, Brancaster Staithe, 27th September

...and I enjoyed watching Bats (were they Noctules?) in the evening:

Bats (Noctules?), Burnham Norton, 27th September

With cold clear nights continuing the mothing remained poor: 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Square-spot Rustic and 5 Lunar Underwings on 27th and Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Dusky Thorn, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing and 5 Lunar Underwings on 28th.

A few new for the year

After a couple of weeks in the first half of September with hardly anything added to the moth year list (except for the one night with two lifers), things started to progress slightly.  17th September was as poor as most of the previous nights on balance, but one good moth that was new for the year was Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella - only my second confirmed record ever, in fact.

Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 17th September

Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana was my latest ever record by 26 days.  The rest were Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Green Carpets, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, 2 Dusky Thorns, 3 Light Emeralds, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 5 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Centre-barred Sallows, 6 Lunar Underwings, Frosted Orange, Burnished Brass and 3 Snouts.

Frosted Orange, North Elmham, 17th September

This Cream-streaked Ladybird is a species I've not often seen before:

Update 2025 - just reviewing my photos and came across this clearly misidentified - it's a Harlequin not Cream-streaked!

Harlequin Ladybird, North Elmham, 17th September

Two more new for the year the following night: Mallow and Black Rustic.
 

Black Rustic, North Elmham, 18th September

Also on 18th were 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Green Carpets, 4 Brimstone Moths, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, Square-spot Rustic, 16 Lunar Underwings, Vine's Rustic, Straw Dot and 2 Snouts.

The next evening also produced another addition to the year list, despite few moths in total: 2 Sallows.

Sallows, North Elmham, 19th September

Also on 19th were Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Brimstone Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spot Rustic, 11 Lunar Underwings, Vine's Rustic and Burnished Brass.

Nothing new for the year on 20th, thought slightly more moths: White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 3 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, 2 Green Carpets, 2 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, 2 Light Emeralds, Turnip Moth, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Common Wainscots, 10 Lunar Underwings, Sallow, Frosted Orange, 2 Vine's Rustics and 4 Snouts.

21st saw fewer moths, but still some nice ones among them: White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Square-spot Rustic, 2 Black Rustics, 8 Lunar Underwings, Rosy Rustic, Frosted Orange and Snout.

Mallow, North Elmham, 21st September

 Rosy Rustic, North Elmham, 21st September

Another year-tick on 22nd was not one but 3 Pink-barred Sallows.

Pink-barred Sallow, North Elmham, 22nd September

Also on 22nd were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Black Rustic, Centre-barred Sallow, 10 Lunar Underwings, Sallow, 2 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, Frosted Orange and Snout.

Sallow, North Elmham, 22nd September

Lunar Underwing, North Elmham, 22nd September

Another new for the year on 23rd which, like most of the above, is expected at this time of year - 2 Beaded Chestnuts.

Beaded Chestnuts, North Elmham, 23rd September

Other moths that night were Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 7 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, Black Rustic, Centre-barred Sallow, 15 Lunar Underwings, Sallow, Flounced Rustic, Frosted Orange, 2 Vine's Rustics, 2 Burnished Brasses and Snout.