Norfolk moths: Rockland St. Peter garden, 28 March 2014

After a fairly warm, sunny day, the temperature fell rapidly once the sun had set, reaching 2.3°C at 21h45, but warming to 3.9°C by 05h15 when I turned off the trap. There was no detectable wind and a waning crescent moon. I turned the trap on at dusk (18h45) and an hour later activity peaked with half a dozen noctuids buzzing around the light and singles of March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, Early Thorn and Oak Beauty had landed on nearby walls.

By morning, new for the trap were Early Thorn, Red Chestnut and Powdered Quaker. Pale Pinion was new for the year, although not for the trap (the first was caught last October). This species is spreading in East Anglia. A hundred years ago, South (1908) notes that "it seems to be absent from the eastern counties, except Cambridge – where, however, it is scarce". Several decades later, both Skinner (1984) and Waring, Townsend & Lewington (2003) state that it is occasionally recorded from East Anglia; Norfolk recotrds date from 2002. 

♂ Early Thorn Selenia dentaria, resting like a butterfly  

Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa   

Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis

Pine Beauty Panolis flammea

Pale Pinion Lithophane hepatica   

Macro-moths (63 moths of 13 spp.); no micros:-

Alsophila aescularia	March Moth	1
Anticlea badiata	Shoulder Stripe	1
Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	1
Biston strataria	Oak Beauty	1
Cerastis rubricosa	Red Chestnut	1
Panolis flammea	Pine Beauty	1
Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	10
Orthosia gracilis	Powdered Quaker	1
Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	14
Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	13
Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	15
Lithophane hepatica	Pale Pinion	1
Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	3

References

Skinner, B. (1984) Colour identification guide to moths of the British Isles. Viking: Middlesex. x + 267 pp.

South, R. (1908) The moths of the British Isles, second series. Frederick Warne & Co.: London. 388 pp.

Waring, P., Townsend, M. & Lewington, R. (2003) Field guide to the moths of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing: Hook, Hampshire. 432 pp.