Holt Lowes has a mixture of dry, sandy heath and valley bog. The upper slopes of the valley are dominated by heather while the lower parts are wet and boggy with several species of sphagnum. Surrounding the heathland area is woodland, dominated by birch.
Twelve visits were made over 1999 from the 24th March to the 15th October, usually with a two to three week gap. Upto five traps (125w MV and 6w actinic) were placed along the valley bog, on the heathland and in the mainly birch woodland. No visits were made during April or August due to adverse weather. Some catch dates were plagued with bad luck, either the generator failing after two hours on one visit, very windy conditions prevailing after traps were started on another and on one occasion trapping was completely abandoned due to prolonged heavy rainfall. I only have the cattle now!
A list of over 260 species have been recorded. The food plant is placed in brackets.
ERIOCRANIIDAE
Eriocrania subpurpurella (oak)
NEPTICULIDAE
Stigmella aurella (bramble)
COSSIDAE
Leopard Moth (various trees and shrubs)
YPONOMEUTIDAE
Argyresthia brokeela (birch, alder)
Yponomeuta evonymella (bird cherry)
Ypsolopha dentella (honeysuckle)
Ypsolopha parenthesella (various trees)
OECOPHORIDAE
Carcina quercana (oak)
Diurnia fagella (various tress, bushes and herbaceous plants)
GELECHIIDAE
Teleiodes paripunctella (oak, bog myrtle)
TORTRICIDAE
Agapeta hamana (thistles)
Pandemis corylana (various trees and shrubs)
Pandemis cerasana (various trees including fruit trees)
Pandemis heperana (Various trees and shrubs)
Argyrotaenia ljungiana (heather, ling, bilberry)
Lazotaeniodes formosanus (scots pine)
Ditula angustiorana (various trees and shrubs)
Eulia ministrana (various trees)
Cnephasia stephensiana (herbaceous plants)
Cnephasia asseclana (herbaceous plants)
Tortrix viridana (oak)
Acleris forsskaleana (field maple, sycamore)
Acleris variegana (various trees and shrubs including roses)
Acleris hyemana (heather and ling)
Olethreutes lacunana (various trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants)
Apotomis turbidana (birch)
Apotomis betuletana (birch)
Apotomis capreana (great sallow85 salix caprea)
Bactra lancealana (rushes)
Ancylis uncella (heather and birch)
Ancylis geminana diminutana (sallow)
Ancylis mitterbacheriana (oak and beech)
Epinotia ramella (birch)
Epiblema cynosbatella (various roses and brambles)
Epiblema uddmanniana (various brambles)
Epiblema scutulana (thistles, knapweeds and burdocks)
PYRALIDAE
Chrysoteuchia culmella (various grasses)
Crambus lathoniellus (various grasses)
Agriphila straminella (various grasses, especially festuca)
Agriphila tristella (various grasses)
Agriphila inquinatella (various grasses, especially festuca)
Agriphila geniculea (various grasses)
Catoptria pinella (cotton grass and tufted hair-grass)
Scoparia ambigualis (believed to be moss)
Dipleurina lacustrata (mosses)
Elophila nymphaeata (Brown China-mark) (various aquatic plants)
Parapoynx stratiotata (Ringed China-mark) (various aquatic plants)
Perinephela lancealis (hemp agrimony, wood sage and ragwort)
Udea prunalis (herbaceous plants)
Pleuroptya ruralis (Mother of Pearl) (common nettle)
Hypsopygia costalis (Gold Triangle) (stored clover and hay, also squirrels dreys)
Endotricha flammealis (birds-foot trefoil)
Pempilia palumbella (heather, ling, milkwort and thyme)
Dioryctria mutatella (cones of scots pine)
LASIOCAMPIDAE
Drinker (various grasses and reeds)
DREPANIDAE
Scalloped Hook-tip (birch)
Oak Hook-tip (oak)
Pebble Hook-tip (birch)
THYATIRIDAE
Peach Blossom (bramble)
Buff Arches (bramble)
Yellow Horned (birch)
GEOMETRIDAE
Orange Underwing (birch)
Grass Emerald (gorse and broom)
Large Emerald (birch)
Common Emerald (various trees and shrubs)
Birch Mocha (birch)
False Mocha (oak)
Maidens Blush (oak)
Blood-vein (dock, sorrel and knotgrass)
Cream Wave (dock, knotgrass and dandelion
Small Fan-footed Wave (bramble, knotgrass, plantain and dandelion)
Dwarf Cream Wave (bramble and dandelion)
Single-dotted Wave (cow parsley and burnet saxifrage)
Satin Wave (dandelion, knotgrass and plantain)
Riband Wave (various low plants such as bedstraw and chickweed)
Plain Wave (dandelion and knotgrass)
Red Twin-spot Carpet (bedstraw and other low plants)
Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (various low plants)
Silver-ground Carpet (bedstraw and primrose and other low plants)
Garden Carpet (various Cruciferae)
July Belle (gorse and petty whin)
Common Carpet (various species of bedstraw)
Shoulder Stripe (wild rose)
Water Carpet (various species of bedstraw)
Purple Bar (various species of bedstraw)
Chevron (sallow, creeping willow, aspen and birch)
Spinach (red and black currant)
Small Phoenix (various species of willowherb)
Red-green Carpet (oak and rowan)
Common Marbled Carpet (various trees and bushes)
Pine Carpet (pine)
Grey Pine Carpet (pine)
Spruce Carpet (Norway spruce, Douglas fir and other species of Picea)
Broken-barred Carpet (birch, oak, hawthorn and other trees)
Green Carpet (various species of bedstraw)
November Moth (various trees and bushes)
Autumnal Moth (birch and alder)
Small Rivulet (hemp-nettle)
Sandy Carpet (red campion)
Foxglove Pug (foxglove)
Mottled Pug (hawthorn, blackthorn and sycamore)
Freyers Pug (juniper)
Wormwood Pug (mugwort, yarrow, ragwort and goldenrod)
Grey Pug (various trees and bushes)
Bordered Pug (mugwort)
Narrow-winged Pug (heather)
Brindled Pug (oak)
V-Pug (various plants)
Double-striped Pug (heather, holly, gorse, broom and other plants)
Early Tooth-striped (honeysuckle, sallow, birch and alder)
Small Yellow Wave (maple)
Clouded Border (sallow and aspen)
Tawny-barred Angle (Scots pine, Norway spruce)
Latticed Heath (lucerne and various species of clover and trefoil)
Brown Silver-line (bracken)
Scorched Wing (oak, birch and sallow)
Brimstone (hawthorn, blackthorn and other trees)
Canary-shouldered Thorn (various trees)
Early Thorn (various trees and bushes)
Purple Thorn (birch, oak, alder and other trees)
Scalloped Hazel (various trees such as oak, birch, privet, larch and pine)
Scalloped Oak (various trees and shrubs)
Swallow-tailed Moth (ivy and a variety of trees and shrubs)
Feathered Thorn (various trees and shrubs)
Oak Beauty (oak, elm, hazel, aspen and other trees)
Peppered Moth (many trees and plants)
Dotted Border (various trees and shrubs)
Waved Umber (garden privet and lilac)
Willow Beauty (various trees)
Mottled Beauty (various trees and plants)
Pale Oak Beauty (oak and birch)
Engrailed (various trees and shrubs)
Grey Birch (birch)
Common Heath (heather, clover and trefoils)
Common White Wave (birch, sallow, alder, oak and other trees)
White-pinion Spotted (hawthorn and blackthorn)
Clouded Silver (hawthorn, blackthorn, plum, wild cherry and apple)
Light Emerald (various trees)
Barred Red (various conifers)
SPHINGIDAE
Pine Hawk-moth (Scots pine and Norway spruce)
Lime Hawk-moth (lime and elm)
Eyed Hawk-moth (willow, aspen, sallow and apple)
Poplar Hawk-moth (poplar, aspen, sallow and willow)
Elephant Hawk-moth (willowherb, bedstraw and many other plants)
NOTODONTIDAE
Buff-tip (various trees and shrubs)
Alder Kitten (birch and alder)
Sallow Kitten (sallow and aspen)
Lobster Moth (oak, hazel, birch and beech)
Iron Prominent (birch, alder, hazel and oak)
Pebble Prominent (sallow, willow, aspen and poplar)
Great Prominent (oak)
Lesser Swallow Prominent (birch)
Swallow Prominent (poplar, aspen, willow and sallow)
Coxcomb Prominent (various trees)
Maple Prominent (field maple)
Marbled Brown (oak)
Lunar Marbled Brown (oak)
LYMANTRIIDAE
Pale Tussock (various trees)
Yellow-tail (various trees)
Black Arches (oak)
ARCTIIDAE
Round-winged Muslin (lichens and mosses)
Rosy Footman (lichens on trees)
Four-dotted Footman (lichens and algae)
Dingy Footman (lichens)
Scarce Footman (lichens)
Buff Footman (lichen and algae)
Common Footman (lichens)
White Ermine (various plants)
Buff Ermine (various plants, trees and bushes)
Muslin Moth (various herbaceous plants)
Ruby Tiger (various herbaceous plants)
Cinnabar (ragwort and groundsel)
NOLIDAE
Short-cloaked Moth (hawthorn, blackthorn, apple and plum)
NOCTUIDAE
Turnip Moth (root vegetables)
Heart and Dart (various plants)
Dark Sword-grass (various plants)
Shuttle Shaped Dart (various herbaceous plants)
Flame (various low plants)
Flame Shoulder (various plants)
Large Yellow Underwing (various plants and grasses)
Lesser Yellow Underwing (various plants and trees)
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (various plants and shrubs)
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (various plants and bushes)
Least Yellow Underwing (various plants and grasses)
True Lovers Knot (heather)
Ingrailed Clay (various plants)
Small Square-spot (various herbaceous plants)
Seteceous Hebrew Character (various herbaceous plants)
Double Square-spot (various plants and trees)
Square-spot Rustic (various plants and trees)
Heath Rustic (heather)
Green Arches (various plants)
Red Chestnut (various plants)
Beautiful Yellow Underwing (heather)
Nutmeg (mainly goosefoot and orache)
Grey Arches (various plants and trees)
Cabbage Moth (various plants, especially Brassicas)
Dot Moth (various plants and some trees)
Light Brocade (various plants)
Pale-shouldered Brocade (various trees and plants)
Bright-line Brown-eye (various plants and shrubs)
Campion (various plants)
Small Quaker (oak, sallow and other trees)
Powdered Quaker (bog myrtle, willow, sallow and other plants)
Common Quaker (oak, sallow and other trees)
Clouded Drab (various trees and shrubs)
Hebrew Character (various plants and trees)
Brown-line Bright Eye (various grasses)
Clay (various grasses)
Striped Wainscot (various grasses such as purple moor-grass and reeds)
Smoky Wainscot (various grasses)
Common Wainscot (various grasses)
Minor Shoulder-knot (willow and sallow)
Grey Shoulder-knot (oak)
Early Grey (honeysuckle)
Green-brindled Crescent (blackthorn and hawthorn)
Merveille du Jour (oak)
Chestnut (various trees)
Red-line Quaker (sallow and willow)
Yellow-line Quaker (beech, poplar, hawthorn and oak)
Flounced Chestnut (various plants and trees)
Beaded Chestnut (various grasses and plants)
Suspected (birch)
Centre-barred Sallow (ash)
Pink-barred Sallow (sallow)
Sallow (sallow)
Poplar Grey (poplar and aspen)
Miller (mainly on birch)
Grey Dagger (various trees)
Copper Underwing (oak, ash, wild privet and honeysuckle)
Svenssons Copper Underwing (oak, sallow and lime)
Brown Rustic (various low plants)
Small Angle Shades (bracken and ferns also on birch, oak and ivy)
Angle Shades (various plants)
Angle-striped Sallow (birch)
Dun-bar (various trees and shrubs)
Dark Arches (various grasses)
Light Arches (various grasses)
Clouded-bordered Brindle (various grasses)
Cloaked Minor (various grasses)
Lesser Common Rustic (various grasses)
Dusky Sallow (various grasses)
Flounced Rustic (various grasses)
Bulrush Wainscot (bulrush)
Brown-veined Wainscot (common reed)
Fen Wainscot (common reed)
Uncertain (various low plants)
Rustic (various low plants)
Vines Rustic (various low plants)
Marbled White Spot (purple moor-grass, false brome and other grasses growing on wet places on heaths)
Green Silver-lines (oak, beech, birch, hazel and other trees)
Nut-tree Tussock (beech, hazel, birch, field maple and hornbeam)
Burnished Brass (common nettle and probably other low plants)
Silver Y (various low plants)
Beautiful Golden Y (honeysuckle and other low plants)
Plain Golden Y (common nettle and other low plants)
Straw Dot (various grasses)
Snout (common nettle)
Pinion-streaked Snout (unknown)
Fan-foot (various trees)
Small Fan-foot (oak and alder)
A list of the species associated with heathland are recorded below. Their national status is given in brackets.
Heather feeders:
TORTRICIDAE
Argyrotaenia ljungiana (local)
Acleris hyemana (local)
Ancylis uncella (local with few recent records)
PYRALIDAE
Pempilia palumbella (local)
GEOMETRIDAE
Narrow-winged Pug (local)
Double Striped Pug (common)
Common Heath (common)
NOCTUIDAE
True Lovers Knot (common)
Heath Rustic (local)
Beautiful Yellow Underwing (common)
Gorse feeders:
GEOMETRIDAE
July Belle (common)
Bracken feeders:
GEOMETRIDAE
Brown Silver-line (common)
The Marbled White Spot may also be classed as being associated with damp heathland. Its food plant is Purple-moor Grass and False Brome.
Other species associated with some of the other habitat at Holt Lowes are as follows:
Birch feeders:
TORTRICIDAE
Apotomis turbidana (common)
Apotomis betuletana (common)
Epinotia ramella (common)
DREPANIDAE
Scalloped Hook-tip (common)
Pebble Hook-tip (common)
Yellow Horned (common)
GEOMETRIDAE
Orange Underwing (local)
Large Emerald (common)
Birch Mocha (local)
Autumnal Moth (common)
Grey Birch (common)
NOTODONTIDAE
Alder Kitten (Notable B)
Lesser Swallow Prominent (common)
NOCTUIDAE
Miller (common)
Angle Striped Sallow (a migrant to Norfolk but resident in Linconshire)
Various rush and reed feeders:
TORTRICIDAE
Bactra lancealana (common)
NOCTUIDAE
Striped Wainscot (local)
Bulrush Wainscot (common)
Brown-veined Wainscot (local)
Fen Wainscot (local)
Various pine feeders:
TORTRICIDAE
Lazotaeniodes formasanus (fairly common in the Brecks. Status in north Norfolk?)
PYRALIDAE
Dioryctria mutatella (local)
GEOMETRIDAE
Pine Carpet (common)
Grey Pine Carpet (common)
Spruce Carpet (common)
Tawny-barred Angle (common)
Barred Red (common)
SPHINGIDAE
Pine Hawk-moth (local)
Cotton-grass/Tufted hair-grass feeders:
PYRALIDAE
Catoptria pinella (local)
The Pinion-streaked Snout is a little un-known noctuid
moth and is a species of fens and bogs or at least of wet ground. Its food
plant is thought to be thyme, heather and wild mint but has not been proven.
The survey will continue next year providing the
cattle do not cause too much disturbance!