Norfolk moths: Rockland St. Peter garden, 30 August 2013

A fine, windy, almost cloudless and relatively cool (close to 10°C here). The highlight was a single Heath Rustic, a local moth restricted to acid heath and moorland which is recognised as a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority species. The nearest habitat is probably some 10 km from here. Pale Eggar was a treat - it's always nice to get a Lasiocampid! The zesty Frosted Orange is a sure sign of summer's close.

A fresh Heath Rustic Xestia agathina, local, UK BAP species.

Pale Eggar Trichiura crataegi.

Frosted Orange Gortyna flavago, harbinger of autumn.

♂ & ♀ Feathered Gothic Tholera decimalis.   

The morning catch (thanks to members of Norfolk Moth Survey who helped put a name to the stragglers) was as follows.

Macros (35 spp.):-
Trichiura crataegi	Pale Eggar	1
Cosmorhoe ocellata	Purple Bar	1
Chloroclysta truncata	Common Marbled Carpet	1
Opisthograptis luteolata	Brimstone Moth	15
Ennomos fuscantaria	Dusky Thorn	1
Cabera exanthemata	Common Wave	1
Campaea margaritata	Light Emerald	1
Pheosia tremula	Swallow Prominent	1
Agrotis segetum	Turnip Moth	1
Agrotis puta	Shuttle-shaped Dart	1
Ochropleura plecta	Flame Shoulder	11
Noctua pronuba	Large Yellow Underwing	6
Noctua comes	Lesser Yellow Underwing	6
Noctua janthe	Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing	10
Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	17
Xestia xanthographa	Square-spot Rustic	15
Xestia agathina	Heath Rustic	1
Mamestra brassicae	Cabbage Moth	1
Tholera cespitis	Hedge Rustic	1
Tholera decimalis	Feathered Gothic	6
Mythimna albipuncta	White-point	1
Mythimna pallens	Common Wainscot	2
Atethmia centrago	Centre-barred Sallow	4
Amphipyra pyramidea	Copper Underwing	2
Luperina testacea	Flounced Rustic	2
Hydraecia micacea	Rosy Rustic	1
Gortyna flavago	Frosted Orange	3
Celaena leucostigma	Crescent	1
Hoplodrina ambigua	Vine's Rustic	1
Paradrina clavipalpis	Pale Mottled Willow	1
Diachrysia chrysitis	Burnished Brass	1
Autographa gamma	Silver Y	2
Abrostola tripartita	Spectacle	2
Rivula sericealis	Straw Dot	4
Hypena proboscidalis	Snout	2

Identifiable Micros (there were others...):-

Evergestis forficalis Garden Pebble 4 Pleuroptya ruralis Mother of Pearl 4