Newsletter 77 Page 1 of 16 One of the Other Photos in the Last Newsletter Has Inadvertently Created Much Interest in Other Circles
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Norfolk Moth Survey c/o Natural History Dept., Castle Museum, Norwich, NR1 3JU Newsletter No.77 April 2010 INTRODUCTION This year sees NMS celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary. It was in 1985 that the survey was launched “...in an attempt to discover something of the current status and distribution of moths within the county.” While that remains our chief aim, it has to be acknowledged that there have been many changes over the last twenty-five years, both in terms of our actual moth fauna and our understanding of it. As I have remarked previously, the more our researches have revealed, the more we realise how much we still don’t know! The survey originated following discussions between a small group of lepidopterists and Dr. Tony Irwin at the Castle Museum. Many of us will have fond memories of those early indoor meetings, crammed into the upstairs room of the Natural History Department. There can be no doubt that the future will bring further changes, but I make no apology for repeating my comments of five years ago – that the survey would not have been possible without the continuing support and enthusiasm of all of you who have helped in any way, and that you should feel proud of the contribution you have made to the study of natural history in Norfolk. We can, justifiably I think, look back on the last twenty-five years with a sense of achievement, and look forward to continuing to monitor the moths of Norfolk and their conservation. Quite coincidentally, several of the articles in this newsletter reflect the theme of historical research alongside looking out for things in the future, while also Contents: being aware of what is going on around Introduction Ken Saul page 1 us now. A good example of this Plume Moths in Norfolk Ken Saul page 3 concerns some “new” additions to the county list that are in fact “old” records. County Recorder’s Report Jim Wheeler page 4 Most intriguing is Neil Bowman’s 2001 An Unusual Burnet Moth Francis Farrow page 6 record of Catoptria margaritella. If one Capua vulgana Recent Records Jon Clifton page 7 consults Goater (British Pyralid Moths, 1986), the species appears to be known The Elgood Collection Jim Wheeler page 8 from Norfolk, and although there were Got the Hump Jim Wheeler page 8 none current, we had always assumed Claiming Hoary Footman in Norfolk Jon Clifton page 9 the existence of old records. However, Jim Wheeler could find no evidence of The Leopard Moth Gerry Haggett page 9 such, and further questioning led back 2009 Migrant Report Dave Hipperson page 11 to the distribution quoted in Beirne Aphelia paleana Jon Clifton page 13 (British Pyralid & Plume Moths, 1952) . It all seemed to hinge on whether you Photographs page 15 understood the phrase “north of Norfolk Moths Website details page 16 Norfolk” to mean something like Blakeney and Holkham or, alternatively, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire! With no other records extant, it would appear that the latter was intended, and therefore the Eccles insect was actually a first for the county. Clearly innocent misunderstandings do occur, and it is in this respect that we must acknowledge that the credit for the photograph of Clifden nonpareil in the last newsletter was incorrectly attributed to Paul Eele, when in fact it should have been Sandra Tilley. We do apologise. Norfolk Moth Survey Newsletter 77 Page 1 of 16 One of the other photos in the last newsletter has inadvertently created much interest in other circles. This concerns the large water beetle that turned up at one of the traps at Lynford Arboretum on National Moth Night last September. It was identified as being a Dytiscus sp., either semisulcatus or dimidiatus, but the intriguing aspect was that the wing cases were covered in small molluscs. The photo, together with a brief article, was subsequently published in Latissimus, the journal of the Balfour-Browne Club. Since then, Rob Driscoll has identified the molluscs as being two species of freshwater limpets, Ancylus fluviatilis and Acroloxus lacustris. The how and why of the whole thing is still being discussed, but it just goes to show that you never know what may arrive in your moth trap! National Moth Night this year is somewhat earlier in the season, on Saturday 15 May. The theme for this occasion is moths and bats. As the incident above also reveals, this again demonstrates the inter-relationship of all our natural history studies – something that NMS has always tried to embrace from the outset. Indeed, I can recall the time when we were, rather cheekily, referred to as the “bat food research group”! We will be joining with the Hawk & Owl Trust for an evening at their Sculthorpe Moor reserve, when, no doubt, bat detectors will be in use alongside the moth traps. For further details, please see the list below. If you are unable to join us there, we would, as always, encourage you to record moths in your own garden or another suitable site on that date. As usual, we have arranged a series of field meetings throughout the county, which you are all welcome to attend. Alongside the recording work per se, these events provide a good opportunity to learn more about the county’s moths and to hone your identification skills. They are free of charge, but we have to advise that attendance is at the individual’s own risk, and that suitable attire should be worn in case of inclement weather, difficult ground conditions, etc. We must also remind you that the actual trapping site can sometimes be a little distance from the parking/meeting grid reference, so please make sure that you arrive on time if you are unfamiliar with the area. Full details of the meetings are as follows:- Saturday 15 May – National Moth Night – Sculthorpe Moor Meet 8.00 pm at the reserve Visitor Centre car park TF900305. Friday 11 June Lynford Arboretum Meet 8.30 pm at the arboretum entrance TL822941, on the right just past the entrance to Lynford Hall. Saturday 19 June Weston Park Meet 8.30 pm at the old dairy farm at the bottom of the park TG106170. Hopefully this should be signed on the night. Saturday 10 July Ashwellthorpe Wood Meet 8.30 pm by the entrance gate at TM136981. Saturday 17 July Suffield Community Meadow & Orchard Follow the private track north of Brick Kiln Lane to meet by the entrance gate at TG241311 at 8.30 pm. Please note that there is only limited parking at this point. Extra vehicles may have to park nearby at the Village Hall. Saturday 7 August Shotesham Common Meet 8.00 pm. Andy Musgrove has very kindly offered to allow us to use his house as a meeting/parking point – Tendaba, The Street, Shotesham, between The Globe public house and the junction of The Street with Hollow Lane, TM245995. Saturday 14 August Sugar & Derby Fens Park carefully along the roadside at TF694204, meeting at 8.00 pm. Norfolk Moth Survey Newsletter 77 Page 2 of 16 Saturday 11 September Blakeney Point This will involve a boat trip and an overnight stay in very basic accommodation. For this reason, numbers will be strictly limited. More details later. Saturday 23 October Ken Hill Estate, Snettisham This will be an all-day meeting to search for leaf mines. Once again we are privileged to welcome Dr. John Langmaid as our leader for the day. Take the track off the A149 Snettisham roundabout to meet 10.30 am at TF680348. Wednesday 10 November Our Annual Review Meeting 7.30 pm in the Orchard Room at Mangreen Hall, TG215030. Please join us to share and discuss the highlights of the year, and bring along your pics (we can do slides or digital), specimens, and exciting news. In order to cover costs we have to charge £3 for this meeting, but that does include a cup of tea or coffee and a piece of home-made cake! There are a number of other mothing events taking place around the county that are not organised directly by NMS, although I know that many of you are involved with them. We are always pleased to publish the details. The National Trust are organising an event at Horsey for National Moth Night, Saturday 15 May, and would be pleased to welcome anyone with a trap to operate. Please contact NT warden Steve Prowse. Keith Zealand will be hosting the regular NT bat and moth night at Sheringham Park on Friday 2 July. Although, as usual, this is a paying event for the public, NMS recorders with moth traps are always freely welcome. The Broadland group of Norfolk Wildlife Trust hold their annual moth night at Hickling Broad on Saturday 17 July. Meet 9.00 pm at the NWT visitor centre car park at TG426221. Bat and moth nights organised by the Broads Authority take place on Monday 23 August and again on Monday 6 September. This year the venue for both events is the new Waterside Tea Rooms beside Rollesby Broad. On 18 September there will be a moth night at Heigham Holmes, again under the auspices of the National Trust. With all these activities planned, we look forward to some decent mothing weather and another interesting season of recording and researching the moths of Norfolk. As always, may I conclude by saying a big thank you to you all for your continuing support and enthusiasm. Ken Saul PLUME MOTHS IN NORFOLK – 17 MARCH 2010 A goodly number of us gathered on this evening for our indoor spring meeting – a presentation by national expert Colin Hart on that intriguing, but often somewhat neglected, group of Lepidoptera, the plume moths.