Lots of Sprawlers and a Streak

30th October saw a handful of moths: Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Grey Pine Carpet, November Moth (plus an aggregate), 3 Feathered Thorns, Mottled Umber, 4 Sprawlers, Merveille du Jour, Chestnut, Beaded Chestnut and Sallow.

This Feathered Thorn caught me out - looking smaller than most and with strongly-marked cross-lines (but poorly marked pale spots in the apex of the wings).  It reminded me more of dusky Scalloped Oak than Feathered Thorn at first glance, but of course a closer inspection revealed the true identity, with the white based antennae eliminating any niggling doubts.  Actually doesn't seem all that unusual going by photos online, but looked it to me at the time!

 

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 30th October

The next three days produced lower numbers of pretty typical stuff: 

• Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella, 3 Feathered Thorns, Sprawler, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Merveille du Jour, Yellow-line Quaker and Beaded Chestnut on 31st;
• Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Feathered Thorn, 5 Sprawlers and 2 Chestnuts on 1st November;
• Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 November Moths, 2 November Moth aggs., 2 Feathered Thorns, Mottled Umber, 4 Sprawlers, Green-brindled Crescent, Merveille du Jour, Brick and Beaded Chestnut on 2nd.

 

Brick, North Elmham, 2nd November

The 3rd delivered no less than 10 Sprawlers, an excellent count considering I only ever seen 3 singles in the 8 years I was at Bawdeswell.  There was a fair variety of other bits and pieces that night too: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Red-green Carpet, 5 November Moths, 2 Pale November Moths, 2 November Moth aggs., 5 Feathered Thorns, Mottled Umber, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Green-brindled Crescent, 2 Merveille du Jours, Chestnut, 2 Yellow-line Quakers, Beaded Chestnut and Pale Mottled Willow.

Red-green Carpet, North Elmham, 3rd November

Yellow-line Quaker, North Elmham, 3rd November

4th November was a good night, the star of the show being a Streak - a moth I recorded for the first time last year.

Streak, North Elmham, 4th November

Also new for the year was this December Moth:

December Moth, North Elmham, 4th November

The night also produced Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 4 Pale November Moths, November Moth agg., 2 Feathered Thorns, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 6 Sprawlers, Green-brindled Crescent, Red-line Quaker and Yellow-line Quaker.

Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, North Elmham, 4th November

Pale November Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th November