CENTRAL NORFOLK: Sericomyia superbiens

Mid August 2022

A few years ago the scarce hoverfly Sericomyia superbiens was discovered at a small nature reserve in central Norfolk. This summer I finally got round to going to see if it was still present, bringing Jeremy, Vanna and Ian along to help look. Initial signs weren't too promising as the site looked quite dry and the target species apparently preferred wet areas with lots of Devil's-bit Scabious, however further along there were some damper bits. Ian found some of the scabious with white anthers infected by Devil's Bit Scabious Anther Smut (Microbotryum succisae), which was a new species for me. After a bit of searching I managed to find two Sericomyia superbiens, one of which hung around long enough for some photos.

After lunch we explored a bit more of the site and a nearby footpath. Vanna noticed a bolete growing along an old bank, which turned out to be the first Norfolk record of Boletus rhodoxanthus. Another new species for me, also found by Vanna, was the small conopid fly Thecophora atra.

 

Other interesting sightings included Pale Tussock Moth caterpillar, Mint Leaf Beetle, Yellow Pimpernel and Hazel Leaf Roller Weevil.

OXFORDSHIRE: Silver-spotted Skippers and some chalk grassland

Mid August 2022

Mid month I joined Carl Chapman for one of his butterfly day trips, this time heading to Oxfordshire to look for Silver-spotted Skippers. Our destination was Aston Rowant, a lovely bit of steep-sided chalk grassland that at some point was unfortunately halved by a large motorway. It was during the spell of particularly hot weather, which wasn't ideal, but there was at least some shade around the car park area for lunch. The trip was a success, with lots of Silver-spotted Skippers seen - almost all of which kept their wings resolutely shut, but they did at least allow lots of closed wing photos.

The other butterfly highlight of the trip were the blue butterflies. We saw a few Adonis Blues, mostly concentrated in a small area near the bottom of the slope, but even more interestingly I noticed one had been taken by a robberfly. This was later identified from the pictures as Downland Robberfly, Machimus rusticus, a nationally scarce species and only the second site record according to the national recording scheme coordinator Martin Harvey. Chalkhill Blues were very common, and Carl found a nice abberation as well.

I had been keeping an eye out for Juniper trees, which are apparently common here. I hadn't seen any and was wondering if I was going mad, but scanning through binoculars spotted quite a few on the opposite side of the road. Other highlights were Pale Toadflax and a couple of galls, Mikola fagi on Beech and Aceria thomasi on Thyme.

SOUTH NORFOLK: A visit to Wymondham

Early August 2022

During a visit to Wymondham to see their mammoth sculpture I suggested we had a look around Wymondham Abbey grounds (the actual Abbey was closed that day). There were a few nice plants growing, including Fiddle Dock and Wild Clary, whilst I think a fly that I didn't recognise is probably the dark form of Cistogaster globbosa. 

NORWICH: Sweetbriar Marsh invertebrates

Early August 2022

One day after work I called in at Sweetbriar Marshes, where Vanna Bartlett had recently seen Andrena denticulata on the Fleabane. I managed to find a few, along with Red Bartsia Bee and a few other bees. On the reedmace I found Chilacis typhae bugs, some half buried in the seedheads, and an adult Orchestes hortorum weevil as on an Oak leaf. The most interesting find was a small micro moth on Skullcap. Unfortunately there are two rather variable species, both rare, so whilst I think this one is likely to be Small Metal-mark, Prochoreutis myllerana, it would require a specimen to confirm it. There are only 11 Norfolk records since 1900 The only previous record from TG20 is from Charles Barrett, the early moth chronicler back in 1874.

WHITLINGHAM: Egyptian Geese brood and some micro moths

Early August 2022

We met a friend at Whitlingham for a walk around the Great Broad. On the slipway there was a new brood of Egyptian Geese plus locally ringed Greylag Goose, Mute Swans and a returning Black-headed Gull. Whilst walking round I noticed a Notch-wing Button (Acleris emergana) and leaf mines of Antispila petryi on Dogwood.

NORTH NORFOLK: Titchwell and Holkham Park

Late July 2022

When we had been at Holme for their moth morning, one of the other attendees had mentioned that Titchwell open their moth traps outside the visitors centre each Wednesday morning. Work commitments meant it was the end of July before we could go, and unfortunately only one of the traps had been turned on, and whilst there was quite a selection of moths, none of them were saltmarsh or coastal specialities or new to me. A Red Underwing was probably the highlight. After lunch we had a quick look on the freshmarsh. Apparently a Lesser Yellowlegs was still present near the back, but I'd not brought my telescope so didn't pick it out. I did however notice lots of Golden Dock growing on the scrape near the Parrinder Hide. Presumably this has been here ages, but I'd not recorded it before. Other things of interest included a Kidney-spot Ladybird pupa, the rust Uromyces chenopodii-fruiticosi on Shrubby Seablite and a Bloody-nosed Beetle.

On the way home we stopped off at Holkham to see the mammoth sculpture present in the park. We managed to find it (I'd never been to the walled garden before), with the bonus of seeing some naturalised Stinking Tutsan by the lake. I also noticed a pair of colour-ringed Barnacle Geese with goslings, which I reported to the relevant ringing scheme.

YARE VALLEY: A sunny day at Wheatfen

Late July 2022

My annual summer visit to Wheatfen was pleasant as always, with lots of insects and a large emergence of harvestmen, with four species noted, three of them in quite large numbers. Highlights included a Sulphur Beetle (rare outside the Brecks and coast), a Bronze Shieldbug, a lacebug Derephysia foliacea, a Three-lined Soldierfly (Oxycera trilineata) and some Yellow Loosestrife Bees.

NORWICH: Riverside walk

Late July 2022

I opted to walk home from the city via riverside and the riverside footpath, seeing Hawkweed Oxtongue and Royal Midget (Phyllonorycter pastorella) for the first time. The latter is a recent moth colonist, which produces distinctive leaf mines on long-leaved willows. This was the first Norwich-area record.

WHITLINGHAM: A few July invertebrates

17th July 2022

The Whitlingham WeBS count for July was one of the quieter ones I've done, with no real species or counts of particular note. In terms of non-avian highlights, Opilio canestrinii is a common harvestman but not one I'd recorded at Whitlingham before, Alder Signal moth (Stathmopoda pedella) is a fairly scarce moth and Uroleucon aeneum aphids on Musk Thistle was a new species for me.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE: Wicken Fen

16th July 2022

Whilst most of the Norfolk Fungus Study Group programme is naturally in Norfolk, the group also has a scattering of members based in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, and this year took up the invitation to hold a meeting at Wicken Fen, a few miles over the border into Cambridgeshire. Wicken and Woodwalton Fens were places I knew of at an early age from nature documentaries, so I was eager to attend to have a look round. Unfortunately from a fungi recording point of view the visit coincided with a spell of hot dry weather, and the number of species seen was low, mostly restricted to plant fungi and a few on wood.

 

The highlight was undoubtedly a Silver Barred moth, found by Stewart Wright. This species is limited to a small number of fenland sites and was something we had been actively looking for on the trip, only for Stewart to find one as we neared the end. A downy mildew on Wild Mignonette (Peronospora crispula), Parsley Water-dropwort and the Tephritid fly known as Knapweed Ghost (Acanthiophilus helianthi) were also new species for me. Thanks to Chris Preston and Owen Mountford for facilitating our visit.