NORWICH: Rosary Cemetery Firebugs

Late April 2023

Near the end of the month someone found a Firebug in Rosary Cemetery. There are few records of this attractive red-and-black bug in Norfolk, although they are spreading northwards (and be aware there is another red-and-black bug that is common in Norfolk, Corizus hysoscyami). On my first visit to the cemetery I didn't see any Firebugs, but did find a Bordered Shieldbug, which was a decent sighting. Soon after both Vanna Bartlett and Chris Lansdell had seen large numbers of Firebugs, suggesting that there was a breeding colony. I returned for a quick visit and this time soon found them. The foodplants are Lime trees  (Tilia) and Mallow (Malva), both of which are plentiful around Norwich, so it is likely we will be seeing more Firebugs soon.

WHITLINGHAM: April WeBS highlights

Mid-April 2023

The April WeBS count turned up the expected range of common wildfowl, plus my first Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Common Tern, Swallow, Sand Martin and House Martin of the year. Two Cuckoos were present and at one point I watched one chase the other along the treeline. A Skylark singing opposite the large car park was unusual here despite their presence on nearby farmland. Five Pochard were still present, along with a scattering of Gadwall, Teal and Tufted Duck, whilst a Canada Goose had five goslings. The most notable observation of the visit however were several Cormorants on nests, which as far as I am aware is the first time here and is still unusual in a Norfolk context, despite the large numbers of wintering birds. Grey Herons also nested successfully, with three large young visible in the nest used last year. Other than birds, both Aglaostigma sawflies were seen in several places around the site.

NORWICH: April Earlham Cemetery visits

Early April 2023

I visited Earlham Cemetery twice in April, firstly for an event organised by the Friends of Earlham Cemetery to look at mosses, and secondly for a few hours on a sunny day looking for hoverflies. Most of the mosses were species that I had seen before, but a couple pointed out by East Norfolk bryophyte recorder Mary Ghullam that I hadn't seen were Hooded Bristle-moss (Orthotrichum cupulatum) and Streblotrichum convolutum (=Barbula convoluta).

On my second visit I failed to find any Criorhina species, but did find a few new bits and bobs. I typically don't pay much attention to bluebottle and greenbottle type flies because many need close examination for ID, but I had seen pictures of one called Eudasyphora cyanella that has a small area of white at the front of the thorax, and I amanged to find one of those. I also saw the tephritid fly Tephritis formosa, a leafhopper Acericerus heydenii, the bug Stygnocoris fuligineus and a caterpillar of the Tree Lichen Beauty moth.