Description


A diary of my mothing activity covering highlights and photos from my moth trapping activities. Mainly Norfolk (UK), occasionally beyond. I may mention other wildlife sightings here, especially insects, but for birds see my birding diary.

Saturday 5 August 2017

Vestal, Yellow-legged Clearwing and metamorphotic mayflies

I checked my lure trap when I got home from Burnham Overy and there was nothing in it.  I happened to look out ten minutes later and saw something in it... and it proved to be my first Yellow-legged Clearwing.  Lurvely!


Yellow-legged Clearwing, North Elmham, 26th June


That night I trapped a Vestal!  A migrant species that I encountered in Cornwall in 2011 but which I have failed to find in Norfolk since, despite there being a good year for them recently.  It's a moth I really wanted to see here, so great to find one at last.

Vestal, North Elmham, 26th June


Apart from that Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella and Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella were new for the year but it wasn't a big haul by any means.

Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, North Elmham, 26th June


Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, North Elmham, 26th June


Other moths caught were Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, Sallow Button Acleris hastiana, 6 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 11 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 5 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 5 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Ghost Moth, Large Emerald, Least Carpet, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 4 Dwarf Cream Waves, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 5 Riband Waves, 4 Barred Straws, 3 V-Pugs, Green Pug, Double-striped Pug, Small Yellow Wave, 3 Clouded Borders, Scorched Wing, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Common Wave, Buff-tip, 3 Rosy Footmen, 3 Dingy Footmen, 38 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Double Square-spot, Smoky Wainscot, 8 Uncertains, 2 Mottled Rustics, 2 Spectacles, Beautiful Hook-tip and Snout.

Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June


Sallow Button Acleris hastiana, North Elmham, 26th June


Large Emerald, North Elmham, 26th June


Least Carpet, North Elmham, 26th June


The micro-caddisfly Oxyethira flavicornis was new for the year.

Oxyethira flavicornis (male), North Elmham, 26th June


The following night was poor - a Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana was the only moth new for the year.  The others were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Ghost Moth, 9 Small Fan-footed Waves, Single-dotted Wave, Barred Straw, V-Pug, Double-striped Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, Mottled Beauty, 2 Engraileds, Common Wave, Clouded Silver, Coxcomb Prominent, Rosy Footman, Dingy Footman, 10 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Flame, Bright-line Brown-eye, 4 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3 Snouts and Small Fan-foot.

The caddisfly Ceraclea dissimilis was new for the year.

Ceraclea dissimilis (male), North Elmham, 27th June


Things were even slower the following night with just 38 moths of 21 species - a staggeringly poor show for the end of June.  Two of the few were new for the year though: Lesser Cream Wave and Silver Y.

Lesser Cream Wave, North Elmham, 28th June


Silver Y, North Elmham, 28th June


The others were London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Small Fan-footed Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Barred Straw, Double-striped Pug, Clouded Silver, Eyed Hawk-moth, 7 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 2 Uncertains and 2 Snouts.

The 29th wasn't much better with no new moths for the year.  The most interesting moth was a Silver-ground Carpet which was minute.  The forewing length is supposed to be 14-17mm - this one's forewing was just 11mm long!

Silver-ground Carpet, North Elmham, 29th June


The other moths were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Small Emerald, Blood-vein, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Barred Straw, Common Pug, 5 Clouded Borders, Early Thorn, Light Emerald, Poplar Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, 4 Rosy Footmen, Dingy Footman, 15 Common Footmen, 7 Buff Ermines, 3 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Brown-line Bright Eye, 2 Clays, 3 Smoky Wainscots, Brown Rustic, 14 Uncertains, 2 Mottled Rustics, Silver Y and 2 Straw Dots.  There was also a single forewing belonging to a Swallow-tailed Moth which must have been predated by something during the night - maybe a bat?

At Ryburgh on Friday 30th June there was this hoverfly, Baccha elongata.

Baccha elongata, Ryburgh, 30th June


Once I'd realised that the reason it wasn't on rose was it wasn't a Large Rose Sawfly (superficially similar, at a stretch), I twigged that this was in fact a fly.  It looks like Sciara hemerobioides but there are apparently other similar species and I've no idea how to eliminate those.


probable Sciara hemerobioides, Ryburgh, 30th June


Back at home a White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella came into the house.  The mothing got a bit livelier again that night, though still short of what late June can offer in a good year.  Orange Swift, Shaded Broad-bar and Slender Brindle were all new for the year.

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham, 30th June


Slender Brindle, North Elmham, 30th June


Other moths were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 6 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Ghost Moth, Drinker, Large Emerald, Small Blood-vein, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, Riband Wave, 5 Barred Straws, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, 2 Brimstone Moths, Willow Beauty, 5 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, Clouded Silver, Light Emerald, Poplar Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, 4 Rosy Footmen, Dingy Footman, 36 Common Footmen, White Ermine, Buff Ermine, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, 5 Flames, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Dot Moths, Bright-line Brown-eye, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Dark Arches, 24 Uncertains, Rustic, 3 Mottled Rustics and 10 Snouts.

Dot Moth, North Elmham, 30th June


There was clearly an emergence of mayflies that night too, with 8 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum, of which 6 were sub-imago.  It was good to see several of the sub-imago insects shedding their skins and becoming imagos.  Apart from this being interesting in and of itself it gave a good opportunity to get to grips with the identification better than I had done up to now.  Here are two female imagos, one with what I think is a typical appearance and the second with darker body and almost black eyes.


female imago Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 30th June


The next two photos show the same female insect, firstly as a sub-imago and secondly after it had moulted into imago.


female sub-imago then imago Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 30th June


And here is a male before and after.


male sub-imago then imago Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 30th June


Finally here's another male where it didn't quite manage to shed its sub-imago skin.


male sub-imago then imago Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 30th June


A Limnephilus auricula was the only caddisfly, but my first of this common species for a few weeks.  A Brown Chafer was the only beetle and there was only one bug too, but a new one for me, Phytocoris ulmi.

Phytocoris ulmi, North Elmham, 30th June

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