TM2499 Shotesham

Plodding on. Weather continues to be disappointing so decided I needed to look at these grasses that are popping up everywhere. Have done a few of the very common ones, but more very common ones still remain to be sorted. Weekend very disappointing really - didn't see the sun through the clouds on either day and temperature peaked at 13 deg today. It's not making it easy. Still, pleasing progress with less than 300 to go now!

Late updates

663 - Prasocuris junci (Brooklime Leaf Beetle) - Swept from brooklime so had suspected this; now have the key so confirmed (25th May)
664 - Priocnemis perturbator - My first ever spider-hunting wasp, keyed out OK (26th May)
665 - Eupithecia subfuscata (Grey Pug) - Trap (30th May)
666 - Dysdera crocata - Spider found under bark of a tree we cut down in the garden (1st Jun)
667 - Xysticus ulmi - Spider keyed on shape of palps, although seeking second opinion and possibly may have to change to X. lanio (2nd Jun)
668 - Andrena labiata - Small bees with red abdomens, officially rather scarce but apparently fairly widespread around here (2nd Jun)

Monday 3rd June

669 - Elytrigia repens (Common Couch) - Finally got my act together and started to remind myself which grasses were which
670 - Geranium lucidum (Shining Cranesbill) - Small patch growing near a bridge, away from houses - bit of a surprise
671 - Musca domestica (Common House-fly) - Rather a lot of house-flies in the kitchen but I'd never keyed one out til now - so a rather overdue lifer!

Tuesday 4th June

672 - Trifolium repens (White Clover) - In flower
673 - Festuca arundinacea (Tall Fescue) - Along roadsides
674 - Lacanobia w-latinum (Light Brocade) - Trap
675 - Eupithecia centaureata (Lime-speck Pug) - Trap
676 - Hyloicus pinastri (Pine Hawk-moth) - Trap
677 - Biston betularia (Peppered Moth) - Trap
678 - Sphinx ligustri (Privet Hawk-moth) - Trap
679 - Spilosoma luteum (Buff Ermine) - Trap

Wednesday 5th June

680 - Poa trivialis (Rough Meadow-grass) - Very common once I'd revised what to look for
681 - Veronica montana (Wood Speedwell) - Identified on stem hair characteristics, but a bit unconvinced re lack of leaf-stems; this might yet be coming back off the list…
682 - Centaurea montana (Perennial Cornflower) - Escaped example in bottom of a hedge, opposite some houses
683 - Hesperis matronalis (Dame's Violet) - A few in flower on the edge of the common
684 - Mythimna albipuncta (White-point) - Trap
685 - Oligia strigilis (Marbled Minor) - Gen det of a classic individual in the trap

Thursday 6th June

686 - Euonymus europaeus (Spindle) - After stressing over tickability of some in an obviously planted hedge, found some far more acceptable bits elsewhere.
687 - Lolium perenne (Perennial Rye-grass) - Another from the grass revision-class
688 - Urtica urens (Small Nettle) - In flower now on muck-heap, thanks to John M for the tip
689 - Tamus communis (Black Bryony) - Re-identified the black bindweed of a few weeks ago as this - oops.
690 - Eriophyes tiliae - Long red galls in lime leaves - found a mite in one eventually but difficult (still failing to see mites in pimple galls of Aceria aceriscampestris in Field Maple leaves!)
691 - Parna apicalis - Occupied leaf-mine in lime leaf; mine and larva look spot on for this, apparently a recent UK colonist.
692 - Eupithecia assimilata (Currant Pug) - Trap
693 - Triaxomera parasitella - Trap

Friday 7th June

694 - Cosmorhoe ocellata (Purple Bar) - Trap
695 - Xanthorhoe montanata (Silver-ground Carpet) - Trap
696 - Apamea anceps (Large Nutmeg) - Trap
697 - Furcula furcula (Sallow Kitten) - Trap
698 - Eupithecia dodoneata (Oak-tree Pug) - Trap
699 - Eupithecia exiguata (Mottled Pug) - Trap

Saturday 8th June

700 - Cantharis figurata - Small soldier-beetle by the pond; sensory pits on antennal segments noted
701 - Beris vallata (Common Orange Legionnaire) - Seem to have replaced the Scarce Orange Legionnaires of a few weeks back; these have dark hind tibiae
702 - Athous haemorrhoidalis - Common click beetle from nettles, finally keyed
703 - Alabonia geoffrella - Stunning micromoth along hedgerows, always one of my favourites
704 - Syritta pipiens - Hoverfly
705 - Caloptilia syringella - Cracking little moth on an ash leaf, much more attractive than the mines that will follow
706 - Neuroterus quercusbaccarum - Fresh galls of the sexual generation of this tiny wasp, on oak leaves. Opened up to look for grubs, which found, but also found an emerging wasp inside one - result!
707 - Holcus lanatus (Yorkshire-fog) - Another grass-for-beginners
708 - Leptophyes punctatissima (Speckled Bush-cricket) - Swept in the garden, another thing that seems rather late this year
709 - Papaver rhoeas (Common Poppy) - In flower
710 - Stachys sylvatica (Hedge Woundwort) - In flower
711 - Rusina ferruginea (Brown Rustic) - Trap
712 - Xestia c-nigrum (Setaceous Hebrew Character) - Trap

Sunday 9th June

713 - Puccinia vincae - Purple blobs on the back of Greater Periwinkle leaf in the garden; still haven't found tickable Greater Perinwinkle…
714 - Arctium lappa (Greater Burdock) - Huge leaves, solid stems
715 - Cirsium palustre (Marsh Thistle) - In flower
716 - Alisma plantago-aquatica (Water-plantain) - Fresh leaves emerging from the stream
717 - Cynosurus cristatus (Crested Dogstail) - Easy grass for once

Sneaky tick in the bottom of a hedge - Perennial Cornflower

Currant gall of the wasp Neuroterus quercusbaccarum

Water-plantain and lots more - I suspect there's probably an additional 283 species in this photo (or under the water) if I really knew what I was doing...

SP5595ish - 600+

Here's an overdue update of my square listing additions, almost two weeks on from my last posting (where does the time go!). 78 species added, with 31 of those from the garden moth traps including a couple of caddisflies. I've actually only had two walks out into the square since mt last post, a brief one on 1st June (11 species added) and a better one on my birthday on 7th (30 species added). Otherwise a few bits added from the garden and around the estate, and I may get out a bit later today.

Rhagio tringarius - no. 600 and one of a few British Ticks on my birthday

	Taxon	Vernacular	Date Added
611	Coleophora albicosta	(micromoth)	08/06/2013
610	Oedemera nobilis	Swollen-thighed Beetle	08/06/2013
609	Sonchus asper	Prickly Sow-thistle	08/06/2013
608	Centranthus ruber	Red Valerian	08/06/2013
607	Allium schoenoprasum	Chives	08/06/2013
606	Scoparia ambigualis	(micromoth)	07/06/2013
605	Eurrhypara hortulata	Small Magpie	07/06/2013
604	Phlogophora meticulosa	Angle Shades	07/06/2013
603	Malva sylvestris	Common Mallow	07/06/2013
602	Lissonota setosa	(ichneumon)	07/06/2013
601	Tachina fera	(fly)	07/06/2013
600	Rhagio tringarius	(fly)	07/06/2013
599	Empis stercorea	(fly)	07/06/2013
598	Chamaepsylla hartigii	(psyllid)	07/06/2013
597	Oncopsis flavicollis	(leafhopper)	07/06/2013
596	Cantharis lateralis	(beetle)	07/06/2013
595	Gastrophysa viridula	Green Dock Beetle	07/06/2013
594	Tragopogon pratensis	Goat's-beard	07/06/2013
593	Tipula vernalis	(fly)	07/06/2013
592	Autographa gamma	Silver Y	07/06/2013
591	Cantharis rustica	(beetle)	07/06/2013
590	Cantharis pellucida	(beetle)	07/06/2013
589	Silene latifolia	White Campion	07/06/2013
588	Rhagonycha limbata	(beetle)	07/06/2013
587	Tetrops praeustus	Plum Beetle	07/06/2013
586	Byturus tomentosus	Raspberry Beetle	07/06/2013
585	Sitona lineatus	Pea-leaf Weevil	07/06/2013
584	Arge cyanocrocea	Bramble Sawfly	07/06/2013
agg.	Sarcophaga sp.	(fly)	07/06/2013
583	Tetragnatha extensa	(spider)	07/06/2013
582	Anaspis fasciata	(beetle)	07/06/2013
581	Syritta pipiens	(hoverfly)	07/06/2013
580	Leptopterna dolabrata	(bug)	07/06/2013
579	Celypha lacunana	(micromoth)	07/06/2013
578	Stellaria graminea	Lesser Stitchwort	07/06/2013
577	Agrostis capillaris	Common Bent	07/06/2013
576	Crepis vesicaria	Beaked Hawk's-beard	07/06/2013
575	Pilosella aurantiaca	Fox-and-cubs	07/06/2013
574	Neuroterus quercusbaccarum f. sexual	(gall wasp)	06/06/2013
573	Tinodes waeneri	(caddisfly)	04/06/2013
572	Limnephilus lunatus	(caddisfly)	04/06/2013
571	Mamestra brassicae	Cabbage Moth	04/06/2013
570	Eupithecia subfuscata	Grey Pug	04/06/2013
569	Rusina ferruginea	Brown Rustic	04/06/2013
568	Lacanobia oleracea	Bright-line Brown-eye	04/06/2013
567	Epiblema cynosbatella	(micromoth)	04/06/2013
566	Eilema sororcula	Orange Footman	04/06/2013
565	Coleophora coracipennella	(micromoth) [larval]	04/06/2013
564	Chloroclysta truncata	Common Marbled Carpet	03/06/2013
563	Spilosoma lubricipeda	White Ermine	03/06/2013
562	Agrotis exclamationis	Heart and Dart	03/06/2013
561	Diaphora mendica	Muslin Moth	03/06/2013
560	Perizoma flavofasciata	Sandy Carpet	02/06/2013
559	Bucculatrix nigricomella	(micromoth)	02/06/2013
558	Calliteara pudibunda	Pale Tussock	02/06/2013
557	Bryotropha affinis	(micromoth)	02/06/2013
556	Aphomia sociella	Bee Moth	02/06/2013
555	Tibellus oblongus	(spider)	02/06/2013
554	Xyphosia miliaria	(fly)	01/06/2013
553	Lobesia abscisana	(micromoth)	01/06/2013
552	Tephritis hyoscyami	(fly)	01/06/2013
551	Neoascia podagrica	(hoverfly)	01/06/2013
550	Philaenus spumarius	(leafhopper)	01/06/2013
549	Cercopis vulnerata	(leafhopper)	01/06/2013
548	Clytus arietis	Wasp Beetle	01/06/2013
547	Veronica serpyllifolia	Thyme-leaved Speedwell	01/06/2013
546	Trifolium medium	Zigzag Clover	01/06/2013
545	Oedemera lurida	(beetle)	01/06/2013
544	Matricaria discoidea	Pineappleweed	01/06/2013
543	Hydriomena impluviata	May Highflyer	31/05/2013
542	Plutella xylostella	Diamond-back Moth	31/05/2013
541	Cabera pusaria	Common White Wave	31/05/2013
540	Apamea sordens	Rustic Shoulder-knot	31/05/2013
539	Laothoe populi	Poplar Hawk-moth	31/05/2013
538	Drepana falcataria	Pebble Hook-tip	31/05/2013
537	Evergestis forficalis	Garden Pebble	31/05/2013
536	Lomographa temerata	Clouded Silver	31/05/2013
535	Argyresthia trifasciata	(micromoth)	31/05/2013
534	Tethea ocularis octogesimea	Figure of Eighty	31/05/2013

Wasp Beetle - pleased to find this one in the square, one I usually see at 'good' sites

Thyme-leaved Speedwell - a new one for me that I've clearly overlooked in the past

Tachina fera - another new one for me, very big

I didn't want it flying around the kitchen hence duff photo in the pot ....

Pea-leaf Weevil

Empis stercorea - another new one

Fox and Cubs - yet another one new for me, again possibly overlooked

Rhagonycha limbata

Oncopsis flavicollis - a new one for me, swept from birch

Swollen-thighed Beetle - a garden tick (though I don't keep a garden beetle list at the moment)

New boy on the blog

Hi

I've been doing the challenge from the outset on a 'just for fun basis', but had to get in touch with Andy this week to ask whether Gorse Shield bug eggs counted as a species (yes!) and he sent me an invite to join the blog.

After adding Cochylis atricapitana from the moth trap this morning my list has reached a respectable 621 species in square  SP4993 (Sapcote, Leicestershire), although I have to admit to calling in a fair bit of help with identification of spiders and beetles.

The main thing I have learnt from this so far is what a motivator it is, I have almost literally left no stone unturned in my effort to add species!  It is quite amazing what's going on right under your nose.

Beetles in the last few days have included the jazzy longhorn Anaglyptus mysticus, and two elm weevils Orchestes alni, the weevil that thinks it's a ladybird, and  Magdalis armigera with it's stick out 'shoulder pads'.

grahamc

500 Up - Broadholme, Lincolnshire

500 reached in my Lincolnshire square, moths are now the predominant species but still very poor compared to other years.
Highlights in the last week are :
Hairy Dragonfly first site record at the local pond.
Wood Avens peeking through a paltry bit of hedgerow, most unexpected.
Tetrops praeostus (Longhorn Beetle) - very few Lincolnshire records found along my driveway.

It will be interesting at the end of the year to see the entire list from us all, I,m sure Andy could arrange this.

Regards Martin Gray 

450 - AETHES SMEATHMANNIANA 1/6/13
BLOODVEIN
RUSTIC SHOULDER-KNOT
MOTTLED PUG
SMALL SQUARE-SPOT 1/6/13
BROWN ARGUS 2/6/13
CLOUDED SILVER 2/6/13
SMALL CHINA MARK 2/6/13
CYDIA NIGRICANA (PEA MOTH) 2/6/13
MICROPTERIX ARUNCELLA 2/6/13
10-SPOT LADYBIRD 2/6/13
CANTHARIS FIGURATA (SOLDIER BEETLE) 2/6/13
PODABRUS ALPINUS (SOLDIER BEETLE) 2/6/13
COMMON KIDNEY-VETCH 2/6/13
BROWN RUSTIC
LARGE NUTMEG 2/6/13
CYLLECORIS HISTRIONIS (PLANT BUG) 3/6/13
SITONA LUNEATUS (WEEVIL) 3/6/13
ENDELOMYIA AETHIOPS (ROSE-SLUG SAWFLY LARVA) 3/6/13
LARGE TWIN-SPOT CARPET
IRON PROMINENT
PRIVET HAWKMOTH
PHTHEOCHROA RUGOSANA 3/6/13
SCROBIPALPA ACUMINATELLA 3/6/13
DEROCERAS RETICULATUM (NETTED SLUG) 4/6/13
ARION HORTENSIS (GARDEN SLUG) 4/6/13
CINNABAR 4/6/13
HAIRY DRAGONFLY 4/6/13
RED-EYED DAMSELFLY 4/6/13
COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY 4/6/13
WOOD AVENS 4/6/13
MEADOW BUTTERCUP 4/6/13
CREAM-SPOT LADYBIRD 4/6/13

PYROCHROA SERRATICORUS (CARDINAL BEETLE) 4/6/13

CLUBIONA TERRESTRIS ? (SPIDER) 4/6/13

CALOPTILIA SYRINGELLA (LEAFMINE) 4/6/13
PSYCHE CASTA (LARVA) 4/6/13
WHITE CAMPION 4/6/13
LESSER POND-SEDGE 4/6/13
COMPACT RUSH 4/6/13
TINEA TRINOTELLA 4/6/13
TETROPS PRAEUSTUS (LONGHORN BEETLE) 4/6/13

SMALL MAGPIE 4/6/13
SETACIOUS HEBREW CHARACTER 4/6/13
LIME-SPECK PUG 4/6/13
EPIBLEMA CYNOSBATELLA 4/6/13
GREY DAGGER (GEN DET) 5/6/13
GARDEN PEBBLE 5/6/13
OCHREOUS PUG 6/6/13
GREEN SILVER-LINES 6/6/13
500 - COMMON WAINSCOT 6/6/13
501 - SHOULDER-STRIPED WAINSCOT 6/6/13
502 - PALE-SHOULDERED BROCADE 6/6/13

A late entry from TG3208

Foolishly tempted into the challenge just over a week ago, I am tackling the square where I live. TG3208 is mostly a chunk of the village of Brundall, with a few accessible hectares of wet woodland, a small patch of fen and some uninspiring arable, but close to the rich wetland habitats of the yare valley from where I am hoping a specialities will stray to pump up my species list.

So far I have collated my garden lists for the year, done a bit of botanising and started netting, potting and photographing any invertebrate I see, and have rustled up around 400 species - mostly plants and birds.

The last few days have provide two nice inverts:

The RDB2 cleptoparasitic digger wasp Nysson interruptus - a real Norfolk speciality (the only other recent UK records from the Isle of Wight), loafing on an apple leaf at the edge of the village.

Great silver diving beetle Hydrophilus piceus RDB3 - freshly dead on my doorstep this evening, apparently found by my step daughter in the garden yesterday. A common species on the grazing marshes down the road from where it must have flown. 

A careful count is required this weekend to come up with a reliable total.

Tim

Nysson interruptus male - Brundall 03/06/2013

An ex great silver diving beetle - found in my garden today

500 up in Guernsey

Been a little frustrated that, even though I've just had a week off, I haven't been able to 'hit it hard' recently, due to the multiple responsibilities of family, work, writing the local bird report and getting smashed in St. Malo. Still I scurried on past 500, crossing the checkpoint with the beast below:

457 - Common Carpet
458 - Knot Grass
459 - Lime-speck Pug
460 - Grey Pine Carpet
461 - Least Black Arches
462 - Small Dusty Wave
463 - Scalloped Hazel
464 - Pale Mottled Willow
465 - Peppered Moth
466 - Mullein Wave
467 - Fever Fly (Dilophus febrilis)
468 - Pachyrhinus lethierryi (weevil)
469 - Pencilled Cranesbill (garden escape)
470 - Strawberry (garden escape)
471 - Celypha lacunana (tortrix moth)
472 - Loose-flowered Orchid

I was very surprised to see 3 spikes of Loose-flowered Orchid in an area of rough ground just up the lane from here. A new site for the species, there are no others within a mile of the house. Although common here on the island in a few areas, the species is quite restricted in range.

473 - Eriophyes similis (larvae of mites in gall on Blackthorn)
474 - Onthophagus similis (dung beetle)
475 - Rough Meadow-grass
476 - Neuroterus quercusbaccarum (larvae of wasps in Oak Currant Galls)
477 - Taphrina pruni (Plum Pocket Gall Fungus)
478 - Phratora laticollis (beetle on Poplar)
479 - Philodromus aureolus (spider)
480 - Jauasella pellucida (planthopper)
481 - Phyllonorycter rajella (moth)
482 - Zophomyia temula (fly)
483 - Balm-leaved Figwort
484 - Elachista argentella (moth)
485 - Field Wood-rush
486 - Greater Reed-mace/Bulrush
487 - Silver Hair-grass
488 - Oval Sedge
489 - Chrysotoxum festivum (hoverfly)
490 - Plagiotrichus quercusilicis (larvae of wasps in Evergreen Oak galls)
491 - Bordered Shieldbug

492 - Black Vine Weevil
493 - Grey Bush Cricket (nymph)
494 - Puccinia arenariae (Red Campion Rust Fungus)
495 - Small Brown Ladybird
496 - Phyllonorycter messaniella (moth)
497 - Pale Tussock
498 - May Highflyer
499 - Cinnabar
500 - Privet Hawk-moth
501 - Vine's Rustic
502 - Pebble Prominent
503 - Yellow-barred Brindle
504 - Xylota segnis (hoverfly)

505 - Metzneria lappella (moth)
506 - Bloxworth Snout
507 - Buff-tip
508 - Small Magpie
509 - Homoeosoma sinuella (moth)
510 - Cochylis atricapitana (moth)
511 - Bactra lanceolana (moth)
512 - Argyresthia spinosella (moth)
513 - Theridion melanurum (spider)
514 - Common Knot-grass
515 - Small Copper
516 - Red-tailed Bumblebee
517 - Yellow Flag Iris
518 - Marmalade Hoverfly
519 - Caloptilia rufipennella (moth)
520 - Monostegia abdominalis (sawfly larvae on Scarlet Pimpernel)
521 - Straw Dot
522 - Lyonetia clerkella (moth larva mining Hawthorn)
523 - Swammerdamia pyrella (moth)
524 - Wall Brown
525 - Green-veined White
526 - Borage
527 - Common Blue
528 - Tall Fescue
529 - Misumena vatia (crab spider)
530 - Brown House Moth

A couple of unknown caddis flies in the moth trap:

And I am supposing these beasts cannot be ID'd to species from a photo...

Cheers!

TQ6410: Mothy nights ....

I've been shamefully slacking on the 1KSQ front recently. Actually that's not quite right - I've been slacking with the blog write-ups as I tend to leave them until late evening then wonder why I'm slumped over the lap-top after just two minutes. Possibly too many surveys last month - the Pearl-bordered Fritillary re-introductions are clashing with the bird and other butterfly surveys around the High Weald .... and the gardening gets a bit ballistic too with everything growing at such a rate of knots. OK - excuses over - I'm just cream-crackered - too much fresh air and I'm getting on a bit! Possibly O/D'd on the moth-trapping too - had to switch it off at 2am on Sunday morning as the bats were in danger of mopping up everything and anything flying just above and around the trap. I watched for ages in the overgrown upper meadow but after a while there was such a bat-fest going on I decided enough was enough. I think the Brown Long-eared's are back - although I was only picking up Pipistrelles.

551 - Ruby Tiger Phragmatobia fuliginosa - 21/5
552 - 14-Spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata 22/5
553 - Aspen Populus tremula  - 23/5 in the front meadow all this time, suckers and all. I’ve walked past it loads of times, glanced at it once or twice and mentally dismissed it as ‘just another sallow’ with all its very pale, almost white greenery. My tick of shame .... or one of them! 

24th May .....
554 - Hobby Falco subbuteo  Just S. of the Castle - and heading out of  the square ....
555 - Hairy Tare Vicia hirsute
556 - Lesser Trefoil Trifolium dubium
557 - Dung Fly Scathophaga inquinata 

25th May .....
558 - Longhorn Beetle Rhagium mordax
559 - Crab Spider Minsumena vatia (female) .... found on Hawthorn blossom
560 - Fairy Ring Champignon Marasmius oreades 
561 - Common Hemp Nettle Galeopsis tetrahit
562 - Curled Dock Rumex crispus

Around the plot on 27th May ....
563 - Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata - two caught at dusk with the net
564 - Soldier Beetle Cantharis pellucida - appeared from nowhere in the workshop - must have been on some hawthorn blossom I’d picked.
565 - Glow-worm (beetle larva) Lampyris noctiluca
566 - Dor Beetle Geotrupes stercorarius

New additions via the moth-trap 27th May - picking up a bit now …. at long last!
567 - Peach Blossom Thyatira batis
568 - Least Black Arches Nola confusalis
569 - Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta
570 - Scorched Carpet Ligdia adustata
571 - Sandy Carpet Perizoma flavofasciata

More moths in the trap on 31st May
572 - Cream Wave Scopula floslactata
573 - Figure of Eighty Tethea ocularis octogesimea
574 - Pebble Prominent Notodonta ziczac
575 - Pale Tussock Dasychira pudibunda
576 - Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria
577 - Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata
578 - Rivulet Perizoma affinitata
579 - Tawny-barred Angle Macaria liturata
580 - Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa

Around the plot and along or near the bridleway by the Castle on 1st June:
581 - Hoary Plantain Plantago media
582 - Creeping (Red) Fescue Festuca rubra
583 - Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne
584 - Smooth Meadow Grass Poa pratensis
585 - Dock Shield Bug Coreus marginatus  
586 - Green Shield Bug Palomena prasina  both shield bugs in the front meadow

587 - Wood Millet Milium effusum
588 - Marsh Fox-tail Alopecurus geniculatus
589 - Reed-grass Phalaris arundinacea
590 - Common Click Beetle Agriotes lineatus  mostly in the young oaks in the upper meadow

591 - Wasp Beetle Clytra arietus  in the wild flower bank
592 - Rove Beetle Paederus littoralis – a tiny little beetle

Moth trap in the upper meadow Saturday night 1st June …. best night by far – 35 species (13 new for the Challenge) ..... but not yet ID'd the micros and Caddis Flies:
593 - Peppered Moth Biston betularia
594 - Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
595 - Orange Footman Eilema sororcula
596 - Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata
597 - Sallow Kitten Furcula furcula
598 - Lunar Thorn Selenia lunularia
599 - Marbled Brown Drymonia dodonaea
600 - Sharp-angled Peacock Macaria alternata
601 - Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli
602 - Knot Grass Acronicta rumicis
603 - Puss Moth Cerura vinula
604 - Spectacle Abrostola tripartita
605 - Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica

Around the plot and Church & Castle bridleway Sunday 2nd June:
606 - Rough-stalked Meadow Poa trivialis  So many mystery grasses on this plot to ID  .....
607 - Sheep’s Fescue Festuca ovina  by some of the churchyard tombstones
608 - Black Briony Tamus communis along the bridleway

609 - Yellow Sorrel Oxalis stricta  miniscule where it had been strimmed or rabbit-grazed by the tombstones in the churchyard
610 - Common Blue (butterfly) Polyommatus icarus ....  my 1st of the year!
611 - Hornet Vespa crabro   ditto

612 - Zebra (jumping) Spider Salticus scenicus
613 - Eastern Rocket Sisymbrium orientale
614 - Woody Nightshade Solanum dulcamara
615 - Rough Hawk’s Beard Crepis biennis
616 - 6-spot Burnet moth (larva) Zygaena filipendulae in the front meadow

Just a small selection of pics of recent stuff  .....

Minotaur Beetle - not a new tick as this was my first invert of the challenge but they just keep turning up in the upper meadow. It looks good for dung beetles (as well as moths) up there .....

This one had a little mite (or two) hanging on for the ride ..... are these the same as Bumble Bee mites or are they specific to beetles?

Longhorn Beetle Rhagium mordax - landed on my finger while I was photo-ing hawthorn blossom. If only they were ALL this easy to find ….

 Crab Spider Minsumena vatia (female) .... found on Hawthorn blossom in the lower meadow

Peach Blossom Thyatira batis 

Common Lizard - one of several on the old (horizontal) telegraph pole by the parking area. I ticked it a while back but it's only now warm enough to get them to pose for photos ....

A sample of Saturday night's catch  - took me ages to train them to sit still for the camera ....

Common Blue Polyommatus icarus  Pleased to see one back in the water meadow just S. of  the Castle yesterday afternoon

Mystery Hoverfly ..... despite buying the recent book!

No luck so far with this one either (saw-fly?) .... and a couple of mystery beetles, a spotless ladybird, another hoverfly,  a weevil and even a couple of plants evading ID! And some micros and Caddis Flies are still in the in-tray .....

Pressing on (not literally) with 616 species .....

Shotesham - gonna need a bigger fridge

Sunday night update time. Plenty more progress this week, but I seem to be acquiring "things to check" faster than I can process them. I keep them all logged in a spreadsheet so I don't lose track, and this shows me there are still 103 pots and photos to check. Gulp, I need a few days off when it rains and I can't go out. Anyway, below are the latest confirmed species (including my elm and strawberry related woes - advice welcome!)

Late additions

612 Pammene argyrana - tortrix moth netted on 18/5, distinctive hindwing once had narrowed it down to this.
613 Eriophyes padi - gall mites in blackthorn on 25/5 - mites seen
614 Scathophaga stercoraria - Yellow Dung Flies finally confirmed on 25/5, thanks to tips from Seth
615 Platycheirus peltatus - female netted on common on 25/5, note orange on antennae
616 Myathropa florea - distinctive hoverfly on 26/5
617 Eristalis interruptus (was nemorum) - hoverfly on 26/5
618 Cantharis livida - soldier beetle keyed from 26/5
619 Panorpa germanica - scorpion-fly in garden on 26/5, finally found a (do-able) male after seeing several females.
620 Treble Lines; 621 Buff-tip; 622 Ruby Tiger - all moth-trap 26/5

Monday 27th May

623 Spotted Flycatcher - at least two returned to village near church.
{Not a new species, but bird highlight of the day though was three Red Kites together over the village, unprecedented here!}

Tuesday 28th May
624 Beaked Hawksbeard - confirmed after glimpsing from car yesterday
625 Cat's-ear - along roadside
626 Ivy-leaved Toadflax - in churchyard
627 Maidenhair Spleenwort - on church wall
628 Common Bird's-foot trefoil - in churchyard
629 Hemlock - single plant (so far) in ditch
630 Tinea trinotella; 631 Common Swift; 632 Poplar Grey; 633 Scoparia ambigualis; 634 Scalloped Hazel; 635 Yellow-barred Brindle; 636 Green Carpet - all moth-trap

Wednesday 29th May
637 Rough Chervil - on the drive, been walking past it for a while clearly
638 Pineappleweed - field margins
639 Small Square-spot; 640 Chinese Character - moth-trap

Thursday 30th May

Nothing

Friday 31st May
641 Mole - dead one found by my wife whilst I was at work, but still present when I returned thankfully. Not very satisfying ticking dead-stuff, but in the rules. And I have seen a million mole-hills since 1st Jan...
642 Nicrophorus vespilloides - burying beetle under the dead mole! All-black antennae
643 The Herald; 644 The Lychnis - moth-trap

Saturday 1st June
645 Garden Strawberry - bit of a surprise to find one along side of the path up to the church. Bit confused that it is listed as a hybrid in several books, but as a species Fragaria ananassa in the NHM Species Inventory, which is what I've been using as my standard. So I'll have it for the time being, but could be argued out of it! Oh, and I realise that the real botanists tend to count hybrids anyway. I don't currently, but perhaps I should. Those Russian Comfreys are rather tempting...
646 Small Phoenix - moth-trap

Sunday 2nd June
647 Episyrphus balteatus - at last, this is normally by far the commonest hoverfly and I've been amazed at its absence, until today! Just the one though.
648 Hedge Mustard - taken a while, I was expecting this earlier (but perhaps remembering wrongly)
649 Hornet - huge queen buzzing around top of an oak
650 Pyrhochroa serraticornis - the Red-headed Cardinal Beetle, several seen today
651 English Elm - aargh, I hate elms. I've been looking at them for MONTHS now and every now and then trying to key them, and coming a cropper. However, I've plumped for Ulmus procera for the time being - and advice welcome. Broadly, there's loads of elms with small leaves which are rough on the upper surface, which seems to rules out glabra and minor on my naive understanding. The particular shrub I'm named as procera today keyed fine using Poland & Clement, which helpfully says this is the commonest hedgerow elm. My main problem is that the Norfolk Flora, published in 1999, says that there is no more procera in Norfolk. But perhaps thoughts have changed since?
652 Celypha lacunana - first of this very common tortrix moth by the pond today
653 Common Spike-rush - lots on the common, once I'd noticed it
654 Sand Martin - 2 flew over the common, always half-expected but very welcome at last
655 Ragged-Robin - in flower on the common
656 Jaapiella veronicae - gall midge on germander speedwell, orange larvae seen inside
657 Early Marsh-orchid - one in flower on the common, checked carefully and seems spot on except that sides of lips not really folding back; perhaps cos its just appeared? Pale pink flowers, double loop, lip 7mm, unspotted, keeled, hooded leaves.
658 Salticus scenicus - the Zebra Spider finally located on a brick wall
659 Slender Speedwell - on playing field
660 Puccinia malvacearum - rust/gall on Common Mallow leaves
661 Wall Barley - hairy leaves
662 Lime Hawk-moth; 663 Common Carpet - moth-trap

One of the three on Bank Holiday Monday - almost as good as a new species...

Mole, deceased. Not the most satisfying tick.

Small Phoenix - the moth-trap still limping along, way behind what one might hope for

Early Marsh-orchid (plus several probably new species of grasses and sedges!)

Woolly aphids under alder leaf - one of the next jobs to work out what these are - tips welcome!