More like it!

Saw my first hoverfly of the year at Strumpshaw Fen today - a Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (on a Coltsfoot flower).

Despite Friday night's lack of success with torchlight mothing Dave and I tried again for a short while this evening.  This time Beetley Common was the location as I figured it would be more sheltered.  So it proved and despite the clear sky, moonlight and significant breeze we did manage to find a few moths.  Nothing amazing but 3 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Dotted Border and Satellite.

There was no sign of much happening at the home moth trap when I went to bed, and the garden was not well sheltered from the wind.  So expectations were low when I went to check the trap in the morning, especially after the poor results of the past couple of nights.  I was pleasantly surprised to see three different moths on the top of the trap: an Early Moth (not living up to its name: my latest ever by about two weeks), a March Moth and my first Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana of the year.

Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th March

 
It didn't stop there as the trap contained 4 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Oak Beauty (always a stunner and new for the year), Clouded Drab (never a stunner but also new for the year), Hebrew Character and Chestnut.

Oak Beauty, North Elmham, 7th March

Clouded Drab, North Elmham, 7th March

A Varied Carpet Beetle was less welcome in the house this morning, though oddly in a room that had neither carpets for it to breed in nor open windows for it to have come in through.

Varied Carpet Beetle, North Elmham, 7th March