Norfolk moths: Rockland St. Peter garden, 29 May 2014

Dark Brocade Blepharita adusta, a UK BAP species

After three days of moderate E winds, the prospect of a mild, overcast night with a light E breeze was too much to resist. It was not dark enough to turn on the trap until 21h25, by which time it was still 12.4°C, with the sky masked by white cloud. I took the opportunity of a 02h30 start the next day to stay up and daub some sugar around as well. The sugar itself attracted only slugs and woodlice, and while checking it at regular intervals I trod squarely on a hedgehog! But the trap was abuzz with activity from 22h00 onwards. It was interesting to watch the different moths come in, circle and then disappear again into the dark; very few seems to fall into the trap. At exactly 23h00 pm, we heard something crashing through the pear tree and watched as an Eyed Hawk-moth came in to rest in the shade of long grass near the trap, where it remained until dawn. I turned off the trap at 04h25, when the thermometer showed a mild 10.5°C.

Scorched Wing Plagodis dolabraria

We ended up with 42 species of which 16 were new and 7 new for the year – all this from only 99 moths, which is a pretty good ratio. I was able to identify only two micros; a lovely bright pink and yellow micro that was not obviously illustrated in Lewington almost made me want to learn dissection. The highlight was perhaps BAP species Dark Brocade, which is common and widespread, but rapidly declining. It was lovely to see Scorched Wing (local in Norfolk) and Beautiful Golden Y.

Beautiful Golden Y Autographa pulchrina

There was a first Peppered Moth, last seen with 27 years ago with Mike Majerus!

♂ Peppered Moth Biston betularia

       May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata

Other new ones were Broken-barred Carpet (these with intact bar), May Highflyer (an alder carr species which should find sufficient habitat in this area), Freyer's Pug, Clouded Border, Pale Prominent, Common Footman, Flame, Ingrailed Clay, Shears, Brown Rustic, Dark Arches and Clouded-bordered Brindle. Of course, Eyed Hawk and
Poplar Hawk-moths are always welcome.

As ever, I am grateful to Andy Mackay for casting his experienced eye over some of the moths I found puzzling and either confirming my identifications or – more usually – setting me straight.

Freyer's Pug Eupithecia intricata

Macro-moths (99 moths of 42 spp.):-

Hepialus lupulinus	Common Swift	3
Timandra comae	Blood-vein	2
Xanthorhoe montanata	Silver-ground Carpet	4
Chloroclysta truncata	Common Marbled Carpet	4
Electrophaes corylata	Broken-barred Carpet	2
Colostygia pectinataria	Green Carpet	1
Hydriomena impluviata	May Highflyer	1
Eupithecia exiguata	Mottled Pug	1
Eupithecia intricata	Freyer's Pug	2
Lomaspilis marginata	Clouded Border	1
Plagodis dolabraria	Scorched Wing	1
Biston betularia	Peppered Moth	1
Hypomecis punctinalis	Pale Oak Beauty	1
Campaea margaritata	Light Emerald	1
Smerinthus ocellata	Eyed Hawk-moth	1
Laothoe populi	Poplar Hawk-moth	1
Pterostoma palpina	Pale Prominent	1
Drymonia dodonaea	Marbled Brown	1
Eilema lurideola	Common Footman	4
Spilosoma lubricipeda	White Ermine	2
Agrotis segetum	Turnip Moth	1
Agrotis exclamationis	Heart and Dart	6
Agrotis puta	Shuttle-shaped Dart	1
Axylia putris	Flame	2
Ochropleura plecta	Flame Shoulder	3
Diarsia mendica	Ingrailed Clay	3
Diarsia rubi	Small Square-spot	1
Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	3
Hada plebeja	Shears	1
Lacanobia oleracea	Bright-line Brown-eye	2
Mythimna pallens	Common Wainscot	1
Blepharita adusta	Dark Brocade	1
Rusina ferruginea	Brown Rustic	2
Apamea monoglypha	Dark Arches	1
Apamea crenata	Clouded-bordered Brindle	2
Apamea sordens	Rustic Shoulder-knot	4
Oligia strigilis agg.	Marbled Minor agg.	10
Charanyca trigrammica	Treble Lines	16
Paradrina clavipalpis	Pale Mottled Willow	1
Diachrysia chrysitis	Burnished Brass	1
Autographa pulchrina	Beautiful Golden Y	1
Abrostola tripartita	Spectacle	1

Micro-moths (6 moths identified, of 2 spp.):-

Evergestis forficalis	Garden Pebble	2
Eurrhypara hortulata	Small Magpie	4

References

Sterling, P., Parsons, M. & Lewington, R. (2012) Field guide to the micro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing: Gillingham, Dorset. 416 pp.