Norfolk Moth Survey c/o Natural History Dept., Castle Museum, Norwich, NR1 3JU Newsletter No.84 November 2013 INTRODUCTION To borrow the well-worn sporting analogy, this year has definitely been a season of two halves. Cool weather dominated the spring and early summer, with a persistent and chilly north-east breeze. In contrast, July and August enjoyed some very high temperatures, both by day and night. The latter part of the season was rather more typically variable, again with a mix of both cool and mild periods. Not surprisingly, these conditions had a great effect on the moths – and our recording of them. Some of the early species emerged relatively later in their season, but some were scarcely noted at all. The onset of the very warm weather brought a real explosion of activity, but yet again, not for all species. For example, several recorders commented specifically on the low numbers of Large Yellow Underwing this year – indeed, there was even the mischievous suggestion that it would probably now be listed as a red data species! Conversely, others reported seeing species again after a gap of many seasons. All of which adds to our experience of interest and discovery in the world of Norfolk moths, and highlights the important work carried out by you, our army of recorders. A further consequence is that we have been able to add eight new species to the Norfolk list this year. These are Ectoedemia sericopeza, Parornix carpinella, Phyllonorycter comparella, Scythris picaepennis, Diaphania perspectalis (the Box Tree moth), Ground Lackey, Jersey Tiger, and Dotted Chestnut. Most of the micros are likely CONTENTS: to be spreading or previously overlooked, but records of both Introduction Ken Saul page 1 Ground Lackey and Jersey Tiger have County Recorder’s Report Jim Wheeler page 2 raised eyebrows with regard to their Mecyna flavalis in Norfolk J. & J. Geeson page 6 provenance. D. perspectalis, on the other hand, is an Asian species. In Late Record for Lime Hawk-moth Martin Greenland page 6 recent years it has become increasingly Box Tree Moth. A Norfolk 1st. Matthew Casey page 7 recorded in Europe, including the UK, Field Meetings 2013 almost certainly as a result of being imported with plant stocks. More Hockwold – 13th March Colin Hart page 7 details of these and other notable Weston Park – 1st June Dave Allleton page 8 records of the year are to be found in Suffield - 8th June Ken Saul page 8 Jim Wheeler’s County Recorder’s report later in this newsletter. Brettenham Heath 15th June Joe Wheeler page 9 Betty’s Fen, etc. – 6th July Jon Clifton page 9 Again, after a slowish start, it appears Sutton Fen – 13th July Mick A’Court page 10 to have been a fair season for migrant species. Reasonable numbers of some How Hill – 3rd August Rob Lee page 11 of the more frequent arrivals have been Whitwell Common 10th Aug. Jon Clifton page 11 noted, with Dark Sword-grass having a Buxton Heath – 7th Sept. Phil Heath page 12 particularly good year. Vestals have also been widely reported, while other Sculthorpe Moor – 21st Sept. Dick Jones page 13 highlights have included the pyrales Phalonidia manniana / P. udana Jon Clifton page 13 Spoladea recurvalis and Mecyna Norfolk Migrants 2013 Dave Hipperson page 14 flavalis, together with Orache, Ni moth and Tree-lichen Beauty. As Norfolk Moths Website details page 17 usual, Dave Hipperson has compiled a Photographs page 18 full list of migrant records received so Norfolk Moth Survey Newsletter 84 Page 1 of 19 far. If you still have any outstanding migrant records, do please send them in. A list of further additions will be included in our Spring 2014 newsletter. All of our planned series of field meetings actually went ahead this year, although it has to be said that some of those earlier in the season were not particularly successful! Again, this was largely due to the cool weather. However, we did enjoy some very good nights too, and reports on all of those meetings are featured here. Many thanks are due, as always, to all those of you who helped in any way or supported these events. For National Moth Night, the group visited Whitwell Common. Although Ruby Tiger was the only representative of the “target species” for NMN (tiger moths) that we recorded, it was a very good night, with many other interesting moths seen. In the light of comments received, we have been considering some changes in respect of our usual spring meeting. These centre around three aspects – date, location, and activity. For some while now the format has been an indoor meeting in the Norwich area (Mangreen Hall) during March, with a guest speaker ( either local or national), covering a variety of moth-related topics. Firstly, a later date has been arranged, Wednesday 30 April 2014. It is also suggested that perhaps we should consider moving the meeting place around the county. With a later date, we could perhaps try doing something different from having a guest speaker. For example, some of you will recall that, in times past, we have had a larval hunt, followed by an indoor appraisal of our captures – and a cup of tea, of course! We really do need to hear your opinions on this, as there is no point in us organising an event that nobody actually wants to attend. Any ideas regarding speakers, topics, or other activities will be welcome. We hope to have something arranged in time for details to be sent out in the spring newsletter, but it may also be worth checking the website nearer the time. Please let us know what you would like us to do. We still intend to keep the November Annual Review Meeting at Mangreen as usual. Lastly, it remains for me to proffer our ongoing grateful thanks to all of you who continue to record the moths of Norfolk, and who support NMS in so many and varied ways. Ken Saul COUNTY RECORDER’S REPORT According to my calculations, we have already recorded a staggering 1232 species of moth this year in Norfolk. With many records not yet submitted, it is a little early to finalise figures, however we are on target for 2013 to be the highest yielding year on record. Contributory factors include the expanding army of moth recorders we now have in Norfolk (including 76 new members joining the on-line recorder in 2013), an ever increasing number of previously overlooked, new aggregate and split species (Phalonidia udana for example), improved identification and determination skills, recording techniques, but mostly the fantastic summer weather and a huge recording effort from you all. Please find listed below a selection of notable records taken from the data that has been sent to me so far this year. These include 8 species new for Norfolk, plus 4 new for Vice- county 28 (West Norfolk) and 3 new for Vice-county 27 (East Norfolk). The list also includes several species recorded this year that were last listed in Victorian times by the great Charles Barrett, plus other notable records from 2013. The year started with a new Norfolk Vice-county 28 record of Duponchelia fovealis (Dark Marbled Tabby) recorded on New Year’s Day 2013. The moth was found indoors at Watton in west Norfolk by Chris and Angela Pye. An adventive species and rare migrant, the species is associated with imported cut flowers or pot plants. Just six Norfolk records, being first recorded in the UK from Thorpe St. Andrew, Norfolk in 1996. Norfolk Moth Survey Newsletter 84 Page 2 of 19 The first Norfolk record of Dotted Chestnut (Conistra rubiginea) was trapped at Hockwold in west Norfolk on 24th April 2013 by Katherine Puttick. A very local species, occurring mainly in the south and south-east of England. The moth overwinters as an adult, flying again in the spring. The Nationally Scarce (Na) species - Lace Border (Scopula ornata) was found at a second Norfolk site along the Wensum valley in East Norfolk VC27 (M. Casey, 31st May 2013) A remnant population was formerly known to inhabit only one site in VC28 West Norfolk, where it was first discovered in 1914 and is well recorded annually. The Nationally Scarce (Nb) micro moth Scythris picaepennis (White-dusted Owlet) was discovered at Cranwich Heath, Norfolk. A single male was netted and determined by gen. det. on 18th June 2013 by Ian Barton and Kathleen Rosewarne, with further specimens netted at the site in 2013. [see photo on page 19], Parornix carpinella (Hornbeam Slender) - New for Norfolk. Leaf-mine on leaf of Hornbeam was found at Hoveton Hall gardens in Norfolk VC27 in July (S. Wright) Ectoedemia sericopeza (Norway-maple Pigmy) - New for Norfolk in 2013, mines found in samaras from Norway maple at Lynford Arboretum, with an adult hatching in August. (I. Barton, K. Rosewarne) [see photos on page 19], Small Chocolate-tip (Clostera pigra) was found in the Norfolk Broads in late July. Not seen in Norfolk for many years, thought possibly locally extinct until this year! Ground Lackey (Malacosoma castrensis) - A single Norfolk record of a female was trapped in a Norwich garden in 2013. The circumstances of this unexplainable capture remain a mystery. It is not thought that this is from a hidden Norwich colony(!), but possibly either bred, hitched a ride from Suffolk, carried on wind or caught in a thermal during the extreme hot weather? [see photo on page 18] Spoladea recurvalis (Maize Moth) First for East Norfolk (VC27). A scarce autumn migrant from the tropics, first recorded in Britain in Surrey and Dorset in September 1951.