Newsletter 76 Page 2 of 12 So How Will 2009 Compare This Decade? As You Can See from These Graphs, 2006 Is Going to Take Some Beating…Find out in the Next Issue!
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Two new inland sites were discovered for Six-belted Clearwing, while Hornet Moths also seem to have had a good year – or is it just that we are looking more closely? Details and other highlights can be found in Jim Wheeler’s Recorder’s Report. Moths continue to receive mixed responses in the media, both nationally and locally. One local newspaper headline, “Plagued by moths” caught my attention, referring to an infestation of Indian Meal Moths in a household kitchen. At least, we now know about it for the records! The Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella has often been portrayed as a villain. This year mines were also found on sycamore, adjacent to a heavily-infested horse chestnut. This is the first occasion such behaviour has been noted in Norfolk, but evidently this kind of overspill is already known from other areas. Whether the species will acquire a taste for this new host remains to be seen. Our field meetings this year were mostly quite successful affairs, although on a couple of occasions beetles almost stole the show from the moths! Reports on these events form much of this newsletter, and as usual we must thank all those who helped in organising, running and attending the nights. We are once again indebted to Matthew Oates and Andy Foster of the National Trust for permission to include the second part of their now infamous advice on recording “Winter Moths”. Our spring workshop meeting next year will take place on Wednesday 17 March 2010, at 7.30 pm in the Orchard Room at Mangreen Hall, TG215030. Our topic will be Plume Moths in Norfolk, and we are very privileged to have national Plume moth expert Colin Hart as our guest speaker for the evening. Any ideas or suggestions for future workshops – or any other matters – are always welcome, as are articles for the newsletter – especially the spring editions. As you will again note in Jim’s report, the number of records in the county database continues to grow. Much of the credit for this is obviously due to you, the moth recorders of Norfolk. Thank you all for your sterling efforts in adding to our knowledge of the county’s moths – and please keep sending those records in. Ken Saul THE COUNTY RECORDER’S PRELIMINARY 2009 REPORT Many thanks to all who have been regularly sending in records this year, with c29,000 records from 2009 databased to date. This takes the total Norfolk records over 697,000* and counting! Norfolk Moth Survey Newsletter 76 Page 2 of 12 So how will 2009 compare this decade? As you can see from these graphs, 2006 is going to take some beating…Find out in the next issue! *Note: Data reflects digital records only, excluding several thousand paper records. With many 2009 records still to come in, I hope to publish a complete list of all the notable Norfolk records, including the micros, in the next spring newsletter. As an aperitif, I have put together some macro highlights (see list). Of special interest… Six-belted Clearwing: Two brand new VC28 sites located. Small Eggar: Larval records from VC28 of note. Cypress Pug: New County Record, Yarmouth. Rannoch Looper: Three migrant records this year, previous records from 1997. Bedstraw Hawk-moth: Resident population reported to be doing well. Small Ranunculus: First Norfolk record for a Century, Norwich. Pale-lemon Sallow: Three VC28 records of this Na species. Rush Wainscot: Well recorded this year at a known breck site. Obscure Wainscot: Singleton at new VC28 site, last recorded 2001*. Shaded Fan-foot: Four specimens from old site, not recorded there since 1991. Notable Migrants: Striped Hawk-moth, Ni Moth, Gem and a single Clifden Nonpareil - seemingly attracted to the famous Titchwell bacon buttys! Don’t forget you can view all notable records as soon as they are entered into the NOLA database system by visiting the Norfolk Moths Website. (updated weekly*) www.norfolkmoths.co.uk/latest Please keep sending in those records, most formats accepted, Speadsheets, Mapmate (CUK 8nt), email, or the on-line Recorder: www.norfolkmoths.co.uk/recorder And finally, one small note about paper records. We are always happy to receive paper records of any kind. However, for anything other than casual records, it makes things far easier to input if you can use the standard pre-printed NMS record cards. These are available from Ken Saul. Jim Wheeler County Recorder HEIGHAM HOLMES - 20TH JUNE This rather special, secret place is not normally open to the public, and is in effect an island accessible only via the chained pontoon-style bridge across the river Thurne at Martham Ferry. Managed by the National Trust, it is a wide open landscape, chiefly of grazing marsh intersected by dykes. It retains an air of mystery, with an interesting history, having been used as a secret airfield during the Second World War, for example. Its isolation also helps to ensure it is a haven for wildlife. Typically, our expectations were spoiled by the weather. It had been a rather cool, grey rainy day, so it was no surprise when only a handful of us met up to await our crossing of the river. We were, however, joined by a couple on holiday who were keen to see some Broadland moths. Although the drizzle was petering out, you could sense that any clearance would cause a drop in temperature. Our spirits were lifted by the sight of a Hobby, while the whole exercise of getting across was quite an adventure in its own right. We followed the track to the group of buildings and barns roughly in the centre of the site, and set up two MV traps and one actinic. Views of Barn Owl, Chinese Water Deer and Cranes were enjoyed. As dusk fell we witnessed the spectral dancing of male Ghost Swifts over the damp grassland. Norfolk Moth Survey Newsletter 76 Page 3 of 12 Most of the species recorded were familiar, including Drinker, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, and Vine’s Rustic. Commonest moth of the night was Middle-barred Minor – about the only one we saw in any numbers. Eyed and Elephant Hawks provided some added interest, as did Andy Beaumont’s discovery of a Red Underwing larva on a sallow bush. Warden Steve Prowse conjured up cups of tea and chocolate biscuits, which were much appreciated as the air turned chill. Our species total of thirty-nine was disappointing, but perhaps predictable considering the weather. Our drive back to the crossing was curtailed by the large numbers of frogs and toads on the track – at least they seemed to be enjoying the damp. Ken Saul BUXTON HEATH – 27TH JUNE This SSSI is being well managed through a large programme of restoration to secure its future as a diverse heath-with-fen area on glacial sands. There is much evidence of the dedication of volunteers from Buxton Heath Wildlife Group (BHWG), Norfolk Wildlife Trust and UEA students. Buxton Heath has a complex series of communities with large variations in acidity. The main habitat is classified as being fen, marsh, swamp and lowland heath-land. Some traps were set in this area and we also investigated the adjourning woodland. The site is rich in many aspects of wildlife. It is well known for the silver-studded blue butterflies, marsh gentians, adders, nightjars and nationally scarce mosses and lichen – and much else. Being so well situated, our cause was further favourably assisted by the encouraging weather – mild, slightly humid and only a slight breeze. It was not surprising therefore, that such a large number of moths should come to the light-traps. The “count” was a remarkable 184 species – of which 65 were micro-moths. Festoon was found frequently amongst the wooded part of this heath-land. There the rides and clearings suited the Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth well. The swampier habitat was suitable for Red-tipped Clearwing and Water Ermine. The Dotted Fan-foot showed that its Norfolk family members are not confined to the Broads and the Pinion-streaked Snout tested our observation that it is not a pyralid or other micro-moth. Those few species, as named, give some insight to the event. It was an interesting, productive and enjoyable evening. There was plenty to challenge all members of the NMS – whether novice or “time-served”! It will surely be memorable for the 20 persons who were there. It was pleasing to have some members of the BHWG with us. This goes down as one of my best ever mothing evenings, but I am not going to close without mention of the glow-worms. The right place at the right time of year to witness these shining lights! John Sutton Norfolk Moth Survey Newsletter 76 Page 4 of 12 TYRREL’S WOOD ~ 18TH JULY A good turn out of moth recorders and several bat enthusiasts embarked for the Norfolk Moth Survey visit at this ancient woodland near Pulham Market. The target moth was Shaded Fan-foot (See photo page), its only Norfolk haunt and not seen here since 1990. Up to ten moth traps were deployed around an area of oak and birch with much bramble understorey, sugar was also offered as an amuse bouche. A warm night ensued and resulted in a not too disappointing 124 species. Good numbers of July Highflyer, Small Fan-footed Wave, Dun-bar, Black Arches, Endotricha flammealis, Pandemis heparana, Apotomis betuletana, Gypsonoma dealbana and Argyresthia retinella were welcome. Several large Morophaga choragella were of interest as were sightings of The Suspected, Slender Brindle, Herald, Beautiful Hook-tip and Scallop Shell.