Dave Appleton

@applewildlife

Interested in pretty much any wildlife, especially birds, moths and a host of other insect groups. Norfolk county recorder for lacewings and allied insects. Based in North Elmham, Norfolk, UK.

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Dave Appleton@applewildlife· 2d

This Tree Damsel Bug (Himacerus apterus) appeared in my bathroom this morning. It’s fully-winged (macropterous) which confused me at first - the macropterous form is said to be rare, though I don’t know exactly how rare. #UKinverts

Tree Damsel Bug on a white background.

A brown bug with red-spotted connexivum(the side of the abdomen). The wings extend to beyond the end of the abdomen which is unusual in this species.

Tree Damsel Bug on a white background.

This photo shows the long antennae better.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· 11d

"Psst, hey Toady, I don't suppose you could give me a ride, could you?" "Sure Mr Newt, hop on..." OK, I didn't actually hear this conversation, but I did see a Smooth Newt walk over the top of a Common Toad in my shed this morning, while I was going through my moth trap. #Toad #Newt

A Smooth Newt next to a Common Toad. The newt has its head up to just behind the toad's eye, so it looks like it's whispering in the toad's ear.

The Smooth Newt walking over the back of the Common Toad. It climbed up the side of the toad and walked down its back. It was a very big toad and I guess it just happened to be in its way. The toad didn't move until the newt had got off.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· 13d

This Omophron limbatum (sometimes called Spangled Button-beetle) appeared in my garden moth trap last night. Despite looking like a cross between a ladybird and a diving beetle it’s actually a very unusual ground beetle (Carabidae). It’s very active and runs extremely fast! #UKbeetles

A round beetle with dull reddish-brown and black markings. Its pale legs are very long, especially the rear ones.
#UKinverts

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· 20d

We had to visit the in-laws in East Kent last week. We stayed at an AirBnB near Ash again where I caught lots of moths I don’t see in Norfolk very often (or at all), including this stunning little Promalactis procerella (Beautiful Silver-mark). #TeamMoth #KentMoths

Dorsal view of Promalactis procerella (Beautiful Silver-mark).

A stunning little bright orange moth with three black-edged shining silvery-white narrow bands across the wings. Dark marks towards the apex reflected blue-purple tones.

Side view of Promalactis procerella (Beautiful Silver-mark).

The long curved palps are orange and the antennae ringed black and white. The legs are also black and white.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jul 10

There's Hollyhock at my village fish & chip shop so I looked for Hollyhock Weevils (Rhopalapion longirostre) while waiting for my order. I found a nice flea beetle and a different weevil. I haven't keyed them yet but I think they're my second Podagrica fuscipes and my first Aspidapion aeneum.

A tiny leaf beetle belonging to a group of beetles known as flea beetles (note the thick hind femora which are used for jumping). It is black and red, the red parts being the head and thorax and the bases of the antennae.

I haven't keyed it out yet but I'm pretty sure it's Podagrica fuscipes which is a distinctive species I've only encountered once before.

#UKbeetles

A small dark Apionid weevil. The legs are black (so not the Hollyhock Weevil I was looking for). It's mostly dull black but the elytra (wing cases) are metallic dark green. There is an elongated central groove in the top of the head.

#weevil #UKinverts

I haven't keyed it out yet but I'm pretty sure it's Aspidapion aeneum which is known to live on Mallows and Hollyhock. A new one for me if I'm right.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jul 3

I found several female scorpionflies in Bintree Wood yesterday. All three UK species were suspected in the field based on their wing pattern and thorax colour, and today confirmed by checking their genital plates. Panorpa cognata was only my second record and my first female. #Mecoptera #UKinverts

Panorpa cognata, sometimes known as Scarce Scorpionfly.

Clues to its identity include, in combination, the brown centre to the thorax (usually yellow on the other UK species), dark patch at the tip of the wings not fully extending right to the edge of the wing, dark bar across wing much broader in the outer half of the wing than the inner half, and only small dark spots in the base of the wing. However for certain identification it is really necessary to dissect out the genital plate.

This is by far the scarcest of our three scorpionflies - I have only found two (including this one) compared to 55 communis and 89 germanica.

Panorpa communis, sometimes known as Common Scorpionfly (common indeed but in my experience marginally less so than Panorpa germanica).

Clues to its identity include, in combination, the yellow centre to the thorax (usually brown on cognata but also yellow on germanica), dark patch at the tip of the wings fully extending right to the edge of the wing (but atypically small - it tends to be larger in this species), dark bar extending right across wing (broad at the costa but otherwise the outer half only slightly thicker than the inner half), and only small dark spots in the base of the wing. However for certain identification it is really necessary to dissect out the genital plate.

Panorpa germanica, sometimes known as German Scorpionfly (though probably our commonest scorpionfly in the UK, so not really German).

Clues to its identity include, in combination, the yellow centre to the thorax (usually brown on cognata but also yellow on communis), dark patch at the tip of the wings rather narrow (often larger on communis and more clearly separated from the margin in cognata), and larger dark spots towards the base of the wing compared to typical communis and cognata. However for certain identification it is really necessary to dissect out the genital plate.

Genital plates of all three scorpionflies:

Left: Panorpa communis - note pointed tips to the arms at the top (rounded on cognata, more acute on germanica), short arms compared to the length of the plate (relatively longer on germanica), anterior apodomes at the bottom strongly divergent and bluntly rounded (finer-tipped on cognata and germanica, usually less divergent on germanica).

Centre: Panorpa cognata - note blunt-tipped arms and long narrow-tipped anterior apodomes divergent at tip.

Right: Panorpa germanica - note acutely pointed and relatively long arms and long narrow-tipped and scarcely divergent anterior apodomes.

Although not referred to (but illustrated) in the key, and I’m not sure what the bit of anatomy is called, there seems to be a consistent difference in the fine dark lines running alongside the posterior end of the anterior apodomes - long and sinuous on communis, medium length and evenly arched on cognata and short and straight on germanica.

The genital plates of scorpionflies are subject to quite a bit of individual variation so some care is needed to ensure correct identification, but the differences are generally more reliable than wing-pattern.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jul 1

This week I’ve been poking around in streams and under bridges in the two areas that Giant Lacewing (Osmylus fulvicephalus) has been recorded in Norfolk. This morning I struck gold at East Carleton. Recorded here in 2022, which was the first in the county since 1963.

A Giant Lacewing (Osmylus fulvicephalus) resting at the top of the vertical side of a bridge over a stream and under a road.

The lacewing has slightly hooked wings with dark spots along the costa and (less obviously in this photo) along the dorsal edge in the basal half. The head is red and the body is mostly dark.

This is a big lacewing, though “Giant” is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration.

It was quite a low bridge meaning I had to stoop quite low to reach it. It was quite dark under the bridge and I couldn’t get the camera to focus on it without using the torch of my phone. It was a challenge holding the phone torch in one hand and the camera in the other while bending lower than I was comfortable with and trying to avoid falling in the water or dropping either phone or camera in.

The species was found at East Bilney twice in 1963 and looked for since with no success (though I am not convinced it might not still be present in the area and as it’s local to me I will continue searching). It was then found by sweeping at East Carleton Carrs in 2022 by a visiting dipterist who, not realising the significance of the record in Norfolk, did not take a specimen or any photos. By all accounts the finder was a reliable and experienced entomologist familiar with this species from elsewhere, so I was happy to accept the record on his say-so, but very happy to follow it up with some photographic evidence today.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jun 25

This little Cosmopterix scribaiella (Reed Beauty) was a nice surprise in my garden moth trap on Tuesday night. They’re spreading but not many record in Norfolk yet. There are no reed beds in my little garden so presumably it wandered here from somewhere else. #NorfolkMoths #TeamMoth

Cosmopterix scribaiella (Reed Beauty).

A very elongated moth with a red eye and long palps curved up and back. The wings are mostly dark brown but there’s a broad orange band crossing them at about two thirds of the way along. This orange band is bordered both sides by thin bands of shiny silvery-white scales. The orange spoils through the rear silver band (which is characteristic of this species) and continues in a line until it meets a fine white line that carries on to the apex. There are also several fine silvery-white lines through the base of the wings.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jun 25

Enjoy them while they last... if my garden is anything to go by they're on their way out, sadly (unless there just happened to be some really good years when I first moved here, but I don't think the wider data supports that). At least Black Rustics are doing well. And Oak Rustics apparently.

Graph showing annual number of records and individuals of Dot Moth in my mid Norfolk garden from 2015 to 2025.
Figures are:
2015 - 13 records (27 individuals)
2016 - 21 records (28 individuals)
2017 - 2 records (3 individuals)
2018 - 13 records (14 individuals)
2019 - 1 record (1 individual)
2020- 1 record (1 individual)
2021 - 0 records (0 individuals)
2022 - 4 records (4 individuals)
2023 - 1 record (1 individual)
2024 - 2 records (2 individuals)
2025 - 2 records (2 individuals)

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jun 19

Coleophora siccifoliella (Keeled case-bearer), netted in flight beside a hedgerow in mid Norfolk early one morning recently. If I’ve done my maths right this is the 55th species of Coleophora I’ve recorded as adult. #NorfolkMoths

Coleophora siccifolia, Keeled case-bearer.

A fairly nondescript greyish-brown Coleophora with ringed antennae.

Make genitalia of Coleophora siccifolia, Keeled case-bearer.

Unfortunately with the majority of Coleophora you need to examine the genitalia to be sure which species is involved.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jun 18

This Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee (Megachile willughbiella) was on the side of my shed at dawn this morning. I’ve not attempted to key many leafcutters before so although this is a common species, it was the first time I’ve identified one. I should do more #bees…

Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee on my shed. A buffish bee with narrow pale bands of hairs on the abdomen and an orange pollen brush under the abdomen.

Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee, another side view.

Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee, dorsal view with wings held to the side.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jun 8

Thanks Andy - front margin of the pronotum is *slightly* paler but the tip of the scutellum isn’t at all. Do you have both volumes of Niedringhaus, Stöckmann & Wachmann? Looks like it might be £200 well spent 😮

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jun 8

This bug was in my garden moth trap on Sat night and I think it's Brachyarthrum limitatum. AI suggested Orthonotus rufifrons but seems to have been trained on a couple of photos purporting to be rufifrons which I believe are actually misidentified limitatum. #Hemiptera @arcanelove.bsky.social

A dark blackish-brown mirid bug with orange legs, orange base to the cuneus and orange base to the wings. It is 4.6mm long. The species is associated with Aspen and there's one of those growing about 50m away.

My ID process was complicated by AI getting it wrong and a couple of photos online (which I suspect the AI had used in its training) which I eventually worked out must also be Brachyarthrum limitatum but are identified and labelled as Orthonotus rufifrons. Although males of the latter are superficially similar, after examining lots of images of both species I think I found a number of differences that seem consistent. These include leg colour, cuneus colour, colour at the base of the wings and perhaps most obviously the colour of the third antennal segment (pale, strongly contrasting with the second on Orthonotus rufifrons and dark, only slightly paler than the second on Brachyarthrum limitatum).

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Jun 4

I found these two #sawflies at Bintree Wood in May and have now identified them as Aneugmenus fuerstenbergensis (both males) which is apparently new for Norfolk. Thanks to @andymus.bsky.social for confirming.

Aneugmenus fuerstenbergensis dorsal view.

Like most Aneugmenus, a predominantly black sawfly with yellow legs.

Basal tergites of the Aneugmenus fuerstenbergensis showing microsculpture that is not present on other British Aneugmenus. The head was also more sculptured, the mandibles bent more right-angled and it was a male, which would be unusual for the other species.

The second Aneugmenus fuerstenbergensis dorsal view.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 31

Waiting for a train yesterday evening, sitting on the Canalside Green Steps at London's Coal Drop Yard, my wife noticed moths flitting around the ivy at the edge of the steps. I went over and found several pairs of the recent colonist Clepsis dumicolana (Banded Ivy Tortrix). #LondonMoths #TeamMoth

A mating pair of Clepsis dumincolana (Banded Ivy Tortrix) on ivy

One of the Clepsis dumicolana (Banded Ivy Tortrix), a brown moth with a broad wavy dark band across its forewings.

Another Clepsis dumicolana (Banded Ivy Tortrix)

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 29

Last night I think the White Ermines may have been suffering from an inferiority complex. Here is one dwarfed by a Puss Moth and one being quite literally trampled on by a Poplar Hawk-moth. Or may be the hawk-moth was just trying to give it a cuddle? #TeamMoth #NorfolkMoths

Two white moths with black markings: a White Ermine with black spots and Puss Moth with an intricate pattern of black lines. The White Ermine isn’t exactly a small moth but here it’s dwarfed by the much larger Puss Moth.

A Poplar Hawk-moth resting with its wings out. Underneath the hawk-moth is a White Ermine being somewhat squashed by the hawk-moth. The hawk-moth’s legs are either side of abcs on top of the White Ermine.

I assume the hawk-moth settled there by chance, not deliberately attacking (or cuddling) the White Ermine. Either way I don’t suppose the White Ermine was very happy about it.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 23

These were both rosaceana - one had a hint of pink along the front half of the costa + on the head but the other didn't have a single pink scale. Not saying yours isn't rufana - just that I think if it isn't fresh, textbook and in an area rufana is known to occur, gen det may be necessary...

Celypa rosaecolana - a confirmed male (gen det). This individual appeared to lack any pink tones but on close inspection did have a few pink scales along the costa and on the head.

Celypa rosaecolana - a confirmed male (gen det). This individual completely lacked any pink scales.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 20

Highlights from the #TeamMoth trap so far this week: Lime Hawk-moth, only my third here in 11 years, and last night an unexpected addition to the garden list, perhaps carried here from the Brecks on the SW breeze: Thisanotia chrysonuchella (Powdered Grass-moth). #NorfolkMoths

Lime Hawk-moth. This individual is form brunnea with reddish-brown cross-band and orangey-brown tones elsewhere. The more typical form has more olive-green hues with a dark khaki cross-band.

Thisanotia chrysonuchella (Powdered Grass-moth). In Norfolk these are mostly found in the Brecks but there are a handful of records from other locations.

A smallish elongate moth. In some ways similar to Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass-moth) with a thick pale line along the length of the forewing splitting into fingers near the apex, and a pair of dark-edged pale fascias crossing the outer half of the wing, but the forewing is more liberally peppered with dark brown and it has distinctive orange scales on the head.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 18

The first cockroach I've found in the UK but I don't suppose I'm allowed to tick it... I think it is, or was, Panchlora nivea - Green Banana Cockroach or Cuban Cockroach. It was kindly delivered by Sainsbury's last week but I only noticed it when I went to eat the banana today.

A squashed and dried-out cockroach attached to a banana skin. The wings are damaged and mostly detached from the body. The abdomen is also damaged. The pronotum remains intact. It's about 2cm long and pale yellowish brown which I understand Green Banana Cockroaches are after death (if not before, but they usually look brighter and greener when alive).

My ID is based primarily on Google, so please correct me if I'm wrong...

The same squashed and long (?) dead cockroach turned upside down. One antenna is still present.

I threw away the label that probably said where the bananas had been imported from last week so don't know its country of origin. Given the state of it I suspect it didn't leave there alive.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 18

I noticed the wind had picked up this afternoon and it looked like I might have a bit of time before the rain arrived, so I went out looking for snakeflies. The other three species continue to elude me but I found my fourth Xanthostigma xanthostigma (and my first male). #Snakefly #UKInverts

Side view of the male Xanthostigma xanthostigma (sometimes called Small Snakefly). The reddish reflections at the rear of the snakefly come from my camera and are not a feature of the snakefly!

Top view of the Xanthostigma xanthostigma.

Close up of the head of the Xanthostigma xanthostigma. After Simon Knott recently brought our attention to differences in the head sculpture between this species and the scarcer Subilla confinis, I thought it would be a good idea to get a good look at this. It's well-punctured but obviously smooth and shiny between the punctures.

I didn't rely on this for the ID though - the hindwing venation was checked.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 18

Scarce everywhere the last couple of years I think. Hopefully just a temporary blip though I fear it may be evidence of a steady decline. I averaged 8 per year here 2015-19 but only 3 per year here 2021-25.

Graph showing numbers of Scalloped Hazels recorded in my mid Norfolk garden from 2015 to 2025:

2015 - 7 individuals (5 records)
2016 - 8 individuals (8 records)
2017 - 9 individuals (7 records)
2018 - 7 individuals (5 records)
2019 - 9 individuals (6 records)
2020 - 5 individuals (4 records)
2021 - 3 individuals (3 records)
2022 - 9 individuals (7 records)
2023 - 2 individuals (2 records)
2024 - 1 individual
2025 - none

Trapping more-or-less every night every year.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 11

Chinese Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis) are on the increase round here but it's not every day that one lets me get as good a look at it as this one did on Friday. #UKMammals

Chinese Water #Deer showing off his tusk

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 7

I guess not every guest would have been so pleased to find a large woodlouse in the shower, but for me it was one of the highlights of the weekend. Southern Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium depressum) is my first #woodlouse that isn't one of the "famous five" common species. #Isopod

Dorsal view of the Southern Pill Woodlouse.

A large and uniformly blackish woodlouse.

Front view of the Southern Pill Woodlouse. You can see here how the pereon is slightly splayed at the sides.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· May 7

I spent the weekend in Kent visiting in-laws, mostly involving sorting out junk and trips to the tip, but also taking in some moth trapping at the place we were staying near Ash. Highlights were this Cryptic Fern and a (wet) Pinion-spotted Pug, both new for me. #TeamMoth #KentMoths

A male Cryptic Fern on the side of the moth trap. The lack of a discal spot and the clear dark line at the apex of the forewings provided a strong clue that this would be Cryptic Fern not just a Fern, and dissection of the genitalia confirmed this.

Another view of the male Cryptic Fern.

The 'normal' Fern remains one of the most common and widespread moths that I haven't yet found. I didn't expect to see Cryptic Fern first.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Apr 30

Sweeping birch under oak this morning provided two new insects: the Nationally Scarce Pammene splendidulana (Shining Oak Tortrix) & the commoner Anaspis fasciata. Later 4 Wood Sandpipers with the local Crane #NorfolkBirding. Green Hairstreak & Pammene rhediella (Fruitlet Mining Tortrix) there too.

Shining Oak Tortrix (Pammene splendidulana), side view.

A small grey-brown moth covered in pale vermiculations, stronger towards the apex of the wing. Through these are a number of curved fascia that appear grey in the photo but are reflective and silvery in life. There is a large black discal spot and two smaller black subterminal spots.

#NorfolkMoths

Shining Oak Tortrix (Pammene splendidulana), dorsal view.

This species has a white diamond-shaped dorsal blotch which appears quite prominent in some photos of the species, but on this individual this blotch is quite indistinct.

#TeamMoth

Anaspis fasciata.

A black beetle with four large orangey-red blotches on its wing cases. The base of the antennae are the same colour.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Apr 25

I think my personal highlight from today's @norfolknats.bsky.social walk at Wendling Beck was finding this Green-socks Peacock (Elaphrus riparius). It was my first peacock beetle and I found it in exactly the spot (the muddy edge of a pond) that I've looked for them previously but without success.

Green-socks Peacock, a ground beetle that likes bare muddy banks.

Here, in a photo taken with a normal camera, the beetle strikingly patterned but not very brightly coloured. The 'peacock' spots on the wing cases are evident but the beetle appears bronzy brown in colour.

#UKBeetles

In this photo taken under the microscope the beetle looks much more colourful. The strong top lighting really brings out the metallic green colour that covers most of the beetle except the lilac-grey peacock spots with pale surrounds. The tibia are reddish brown but the tarsi have the same metallic green that's on the body and femora - it's the green tarsi that give it it's vernacular name Green-socks Peacock.

#UKInverts

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Apr 15

Some snaps from the the local area over the last few days: Marsh Tit still common round here, a Crane that's been here since February, Green Hairstreak at a new site for the species yesterday and Light Orange Underwing at it's only known current Norfolk site. #NorfolkBirds #NorfolkMoths

Marsh Tit on a branch. Still common round here, but for how long?

Crane walking through shallow water. An uncommon visitor to the local area and for one to hang around for more than a couple of days is truly exceptional. I don't think I've ever had better views of a Common Crane anywhere.

Green Hairstreak - fabulous green butterfly on a Dandelion flower. We haven't recorded them at this location before, but it is only about 250m away from a site where they are known to occur (or at least used to be).

Light Orange Underwing feeding on willow catkins. This was one of quite a good number of orange underwing sp. moths that were seen in flight at different parts of the wood. I only managed to net one to confirm it was Light Orange Underwing (and then releasing it), and later realised I'd also captured the feathered antennae of this one proving it also to be Light Orange Underwing. I suspect the others were too, but Orange Underwing is also reported to occur here so it's possible that both species were involved.

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Mar 23

The last group of beetles, finishing my 2+ year-long project of working through my outstanding specimens and reviewing my old records, is the bark beetles, Scolytinae. Often difficult to ID but if I haven’t made any mistakes then some relatively unusual ones among them. IDs in ALT text. #UKBeetles

Hylastes ater, a relatively common species I believe.

An elongated dark #beetle with mahogany-toned wing cases.

I think this is Polygraphus poligraphus, the Small Spruce Bark Beetle. If I’m right and the record is accepted then it looks like it will only be the second for Norfolk.

A tiny dark beetle with paler legs and antennae.

At 4.3mm this is one of the larger bark beetles I’ve found, and keys to Hyelinus crenatus once I place it in the tribe Hylesinini. It actually seemed to key to a different tribe but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t look like anything in that tribe.

A relatively chunky bark beetle, mostly black.

Another tiny bark beetle, Pityogenes trepanatus. A black beetle with pale antennae and legs. The apex of the wing cases has a distinctively furrowed centre bordered by a pair of ridges each with three prominent teeth.

#UKinverts

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Mar 23

Here are some more weevils: from subfamily Hyperinae, Brachypera zoilus and what seems to be Hypera venusta, and from subfamilies Lixinae and Mesoptiliinae, the lovely Rhinocyllus conicus and Magdalis carbonaria. #UKBeetles

Brachypera zoilus, a brown broad-nosed weevil.

Apparent Hypera venusta - I’ve had a couple of beetles that seem to be this species though one or two characters haven’t fitted the key perfectly.

Rhinocyllus conicus, a furry mottled buff and fuscous #beetle with straight antennae (not elbowed after a long scape as they are in many #weevils).

Magdalis carbonaria, a black weevil with a long rostrum and parallel-sided wing cases.

#UKInverts

Dave Appleton@applewildlife· Mar 14

I’m rather partial to the metallic green weevils in this subfamily too, from the genera Phyllobius, Pachyrhinus and Polydrusus. I’ve not always found them easy to ID though and I had to correct a few of my older records, but I think I’m getting the hang of it now. Names of these in ALT text.