NORWICH: July Psyllids and Aphids

Early July 2022

Some close scrutiny of various trees resulted in some new species on my daily walks to and from work. Firstly Alder, where I managed to find the psyllid Baopelma foersteri, a slightly yellowier version of the common Psylla alni. On Ash I had recorded Psyllopsis fraxini as an agg from both the galls and an adult, but I took the time to check an adult male and confirmed it was definitely that species. I also found a green psyllid on Ash, which as expected turned out to be Psyllopsis fraxinicola. The British Spiders Twitter account had mentioned that it was a good time of year to look for the tiny spiders and eggsacs of Paidiscura pallens and Theridion varians. I already find lots of the former, but with a bit of hunting I managed to find the latter as well at Wensum Park. A brood of Egyptian Geese and a Grey Wagtail were also seen in Wensum Park.

 

Elsewhere in the city new aphids included Knotgrass Aphid Aphis polygonata, Mullein Aphid Aphis verbasci and Lupin Aphid Macrosiphum albifrons.

NORTH NORFOLK: Sustead Common bioblitz

2nd July 2022

At the start of July I visited Sustead Common, a small nature reserve near Felbrigg, at the invitation of the Felbeck Trust. This small charity do some excellent work managing several small sites and enhancing them for wildlife. My role was to help with a bioblitz they were holding, which largely meant wandering over the site recording whatever I came across, talking about it to anyone who expressed an interest and stopping occasionally for cake and tea. You can read a bit more about the bioblitz on their blog here: https://www.felbecktrust.org.uk/single-post/sustead-bioblitz-july-2nd-2022. Since that blog entry was written I have received a newsletter with the species tallies - a very respectable 371 species recorded, of which 112 were new to the site.

Despite the relatively small site and having recorded here before, I still saw a few new and/or interesting things. A moth trap had been set overnight and having a look at some of the moths that had been caught I saw my first Gold Swift (I'd been wanting to see one of these for a while, partly because I like the swift moths, but also partly because it was the first regularly occurring macro moth on the Norfolk checklist that I'd not seen if you order them by number. That mantle now passes on to Goat Moth). The other highlight from the moth trap was a Hydropsyche caddisfly, which Rob identified later as Hydropsyche contubernalis.

  

Elsewhere I saw the leafhopper Edwardsiana geometrica on Alder, a Tuberous Polypore, and a Nipplewort plant came held both an occupied mine of Liriomyza puella and the rust fungus Puccinia lapsanae.

 

NORWICH: Mallota and a rare midget

Late June 2022

Towards the back end of the month Vanna Bartlett found a rare hoverly, Mallota cimbiciformis, around a rot hole in a tree in Earlham Cemetery, probably only the third Norfolk record. As it was a male there was a strong possibility it would be 'guarding' the rot hole, and this turned out to be the case as Vanna went back and saw it there the next day as well. I visited a couple of times, seeing nothing on the first occasion in windy conditions, but getting brief views the second time as it flew in, inspected the rot hole before disappearing up towards the canopy.

Whilst standing waiting near the chosen poplar tree I noticed a couple of leaf mines of the nationally scarce Winter Poplar Midget, Phyllonorycter comparella. This was only the second VC27 record (see https://www.norfolkmoths.co.uk/micros.php?bf=3650). Across the other side of the cemetery I found a tree with a large number of mines, so I took one home to rear through, and a few weeks later was pleased to see an adult moth had emerged.

SOUTH NORFOLK: Shotesham Miris striatus

Late June 2022

A brief visit to Shotesham, where I had a quick look around the common and then unsuccessfully checked the ford for Water Crickets. Highlight was an adult Miris striatus, a very striking bug. I have seen this species previously, but as a nymph rather than adult.

NORWICH: More Hornet Moths

Late June 2022

Having found a mating pair of Hornet Moths for the first time a few weeks earlier, I repeated the trick on the way home from work on a tree near to the original find. The first pair had been a bit tricky to photograph under nettles, but these were on a poplar trunk so afforded great views.

WHITLINGHAM: June WeBS count etc

19th June 2022

There were notable counts, if not species, on the June WeBS count, with 414 Greylag Geese my highest ever count here. Of the other large species there were 110 Mute Swans (including 2 pairs, both with 2 cygnets, the latter not included in the total), 64 Canada Geese and 46 Egyptian Geese.

It was a good day for invertebrates, although not everything identified to species. Selected highlights included Aphis pomi on Hawthorn, a black tumbling flower beetle, possibly Mordellistena pumila, larva of Nematus septoniatrialis on willow, an unidentified large hairy click beetle sp and Pterocallis alni, an aphid on Alder.

NORWICH: Mid-June invertebrates & wildflowers

Mid-June 2022

Various species of interest seen around the city, mostly whilst walking too or from work. Beetles included Black-clouded Longhorn Beetle agg (Leiopus nebulosus agg), Umbellifer Longhorn Beetle (Phytoecia cylindrica) and Dorytomus ictor. Plants included Carthusian Pink at UEA and Perennial Wall Rocket, a species I had been searching for amongst the commoner Annual Wall Rocket. Other species of interest included the plant bug Neolygus populi on Aspen, a mating pair of Hornet Moths at Train Wood and the leafhopper Kybos smaragdula at Wensum Park.

NORTH NORFOLK: A day out in Wells

Early June 2022

Having barely been to the coast in the past few years, I was back for the second time in a week, this time at Wells. I could probably spend several happy days (at least!) recording wildlife amongst all of the different habitats here, but had to make due with a walk up and down the quayside and the nearest part of the dune system. Still plenty of time for some some interesting finds, including some species new to me. The highlight though was a Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth found nectaring on Viper's Bugloss. I've seen one before, but they are such amazing moths.

Attulus saltator - a tiny and well camouflaged jumping spider, found amongst Marram whilst looking unsuccessfully for Marram Pseudoscorpions.

Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth

Clanoptilus barnevillei - a rare relative of the Malachite Beetle

Coccidula rufa, an inconspicuous ladybird

Cuneopalpus cyanops, a barkfly found on Pine

Gibbaranea gibbosa, a rather large and unusually shaped spider, found on pine

Marram Thatcher, Demetrias monostigma, a small dune-specialist ground beetle

Pine Jelly Fungus, Exidia saccharina

Podagrica fuscicornis - one of two similar flea beetles found on Mallow sp in coastal habitats. They can be separated by leg colour.

Sea Lavender rust fungus

NORTH NORFOLK: A visit to Holme

4th June 2022

At the start of June there was a moth trap opening at Holme Dunes NWT reserve, so we decided to go and have a look. There are quite a few coastal species that I am yet to see, and that is still the case as the cool and windy conditions meant only low numbers of mostly common species were caught. Hedge Shade, Isotrias rectifasciana, was the only 'new' species.

After the trap opening we went for a walk on the beach, the highlight of which was finding two empty sand grain tubes made by a Pectinaria sp.

After lunch we went to a short walk around the reserve. I heard my first Cuckoo of the year, and was also pleased to see the coccinea form of Early Marsh Orchid (probably my favourite orchid). Back in the car park we looked at some low growing plants, Mossy Stonecrop, Subterranean Clover and Bird's-foot Clover, whilst also finding a Fallen's Leatherbug and lots of Nysius species, probably N. huttoni.

Before leaving I found a Scaeva selenetica hoverfly and some Cavariella theobaldi aphids on Wild Parsnip.