Dotted Chestnut (and a cool beetle)

On Thursday night the garden moth trap only produced 8 species but it was definitely a night of quality not quantity.  The clear highlight was a Dotted Chestnut, a species first recorded in Norfolk as recently as 2013.  Since then there have been pushing 30 more, the majority in the Brecks but a few scattered elsewhere in the southern half of the county - the species is clearly on the increase.  Mine seems to be the most northerly record in Norfolk so far, if only by a gnat's whisker, but I don't suppose that will last for long.

Dotted Chestnut, North Elmham, 5th May

In addition to this no less than 4 moths were new for the year: White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Frosted Green, Waved Umber and Pale Tussock.

Frosted Green, North Elmham, 5th May

Pale Tussock, North Elmham, 5th May

Waved Umber, North Elmham, 5th May

The rest weren't bad either: 3 Streamers, Muslin Moth and 5 Hebrew Characters.

Muslin Moth, North Elmham, 5th May

Next day I had a quick scan over the marshes at Burnham Norton in my lunch break.  Not much doing there except my first Common Blue of the year so I moved on to Barrow Common.  A short walk through the wood on the southern side produced this fantastic beastie.  Wasn't sure what it was at first, first impression was a beetle but when I saw it more closely I figured it was some kind of shieldbug or something.  Further inspection of the photos reveals that I was right with my first impression, and it proves to be a beetle called Oiceoptoma thoracicum.

Oiceoptoma thoracicum, Barrow Common, 6th May

This Snail seems to be a Kentish Snail Monacha cantiana if I'm not mistaken...

Kentish Snail, Barrow Common, 6th May