Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 3: Buttons I (Tortrix to Acleris))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE) (continued)


Small Purple Button Spatalistis bifasciana - None.  I've only ever seen one of these and it wasn't local to here, but all the Norfolk records are from the last 20 years and most in the last 10 years, which suggests it's on the increase.  Not many records in this vice county yet, but it's widespread enough in the east so it should turn up here sometime.


Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana - 3 in the garden trap between 24th and 28th June 2019 but none here in 2020.  This was my first blank year - between 1-4 is normal but I had an exceptional 23 in 2018.  Elsewhere 6 at the meadows between 23rd June and 7th July 2019 (one in 2020), and 2 at Bintree Wood on the earlier date of 13th June. 

Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana - 7 in the garden trap between 24th June and 19th July 2019, about an average showing but just a single one here in 2020, on 23rd June.  Also 4 at the meadows in 2019 only.

Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, North Elmham, 23rd June 2020

White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana - None.  These were my first blank years here for this distinctive and attractive moth - in previous years I've recorded 1-6 in the garden.


Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana - At least 20 in the garden (not counted every night) between 19th July and 23rd August 2019 and 20 again between 17th July and 22nd August 2020.  These are slightly above-average totals.  Elsewhere recorded next door and at the meadows.

Maple Button Aleimma forsskaleana, North Elmham, 7th August 2020

Yellow Rose Button Acleris bergmanniana - None.  I am yet to find this species but given the spread of records in Norfolk it must surely only be a matter of time before I do.


Strawberry Tortrix Acleris comariana - None.  I've only had one confirmed record of this species, at home, in 2017.


Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana - just 4 in my garden trap between 15th August and 24th September 2019.  I've had more than that in a night before and average 16 per year, so this was an exceptionally poor total, but 2020 was only slightly better with 6 between 9th and 19th August.  Only one elsewhere, at Row Heath (West Runton).

male Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, North Elmham, 15th August 2019

male Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, North Elmham, 27th August 2019

female Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Row Heath (West Runton), 31st August 2019

female Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, North Elmham, 20th September 2019

male Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, North Elmham, 24th September 2019

male Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, North Elmham, 9th August 2020

female Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, North Elmham, 14th August 2020

male Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, North Elmham, 15th August 2020

Ashy Button Acleris sparsana - 3 at home between 30th September and 7th October 2019, my equal-worst year (double this on average) and a healthier 7 between 11th September and 9th November 2020.  Also one at the meadows and 3 in Cornwall.

Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, North Elmham, 11th September 2020

Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th November 2020

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana - 5 here between 30th August and 18th October 2019 and 5 again between 16th August and 20th October 2020, typical showings for this species.

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 20th October 2020

Notch-wing Button Acleris emargana - one in the garden trap on 11th September 2019.  This species is nearly annual here with up to 3 a year but none in 2020.


Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana - A total of 8 here in 2019, 5 of the summer generation between 23rd June and 17th July and 3 in the autumn (hibernating) generation between 3rd November and 19th December.  One of the latter generation appeared on 10th March 2020 and then the summer season kicked off with a record 3 on 24th June, followed by another 4 by 16th July.  None in the autumn generation in 2020.  This species is listed as rare and up until 2015 it seems that that was an accurate description.  Numbers have surged in the last 5 years though, and it can hardly be described as rare any longer. 

Separation of this species from the Acleris laterana/comariana complex is not always straightforward based on external features and although I had a pretty good idea what most of these would turn out to be I have had individuals which I would have passed off as laterana had I not dissected them to eliminate comariana.  Equally I have had examples that I thought were going to be schalleriana but which proved to be laterana.  I think it is possible to identify some without recourse to dissection but personally I think it wise to build up a good level of experience of gen detted individuals before being confident about this, and at the moment I'm still building up that experience (although there was one particularly clear individual that I let go with just a photo in 2020).  Despite having caught 32 of these here now, I'm yet to record a single one anywhere else.

male Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, North Elmham, 23rd June 2019

male Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

male Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, North Elmham, 11th July 2019

male Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, North Elmham, 17th July 2019

male Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, North Elmham, 19th December 2019

male Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, North Elmham, 10th March 2020

male Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, North Elmham, 13th July 2020

Next page: more Tortricidae

My second Sisyra and another basaltinella

Six species of lacewing on 29th July was a good haul and two of them were new for the year: my second ever Sisyra fuscata and a Nineta vittata.  Other lacewings 2 Chrysoperla carnea, 2 Cunctochrysa albolineata and Dichochrysa ventralis, and 4 of the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus.

Sisyra fuscata, North Elmham, 29th July

Nineta vittata, North Elmham, 29th July

Only one moth was new for the year: Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella. The other micros were 2 Chestnut Pigmies Stigmella samiatella, Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, 2 Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, presumed Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella, 4 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Cherry-fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, 3 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Common Groundlings Teleiodes vulgella, Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis, 11 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, 31 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, 4 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, 2 Bright Bells Eucosma hohenwartiana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 63 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 15 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella, North Elmham, 29th July

Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, North Elmham, 29th July

Macros consisted of 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Small Scallop, 3 Riband Waves, 6 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Common Carpet, 2 Lime-speck Pugs, Bordered Pug, 2 Magpie Moths, Early Thorn, Willow Beauty, Yellow-tail, 10 Dingy Footmen, Common Footman, 4 Ruby Tigers, 3 Turnip Moths, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 6 Flame Shoulders, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Clays, Copper Underwing, Straw Underwing, 2 Dun-bars, Double Lobed, 3 Common Rustics, Fen Wainscot, 3 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, 9 Straw Dots and Snout.

Two bugs were new for the year: the mirid bug Blepharidopterus angulatus and the leafhopper Alebra albostriella.  Others were 2 Birch Shieldbugs, Macrotylus horvathi, Phytocoris longipennis, Phytocoris varipes, Psallus varians, 3 Trigonotylus caelestialium and another Kybos strigilifer.

Blepharideopterus angulatus, North Elmham, 29th July

Alebra albostriella, North Elmham, 29th July

Other insects included 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum (mayflies), the caddisflies Polycentropus flavomaculatus, Limnephilus auricula and 2 Limnephilus rhombicus, 2 Harlequin Ladybirds and 4 Hornets.

Next day at the Cathedral Meacdows moths included 6 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and Silver Y. There was also a leafmine of Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella in Apple and there were 6 7-spot Ladybirds.

Back at home a moth inside proved to be my seventh - and Norfolk's seventh - Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella.

Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 30th July

New moths for the year that night were 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Orange-spotted Shoot Rhyacionia pinicolana and Square-spotted Clay.

Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana (males, gen det), North Elmham, 30th July

Orange-spotted Shoot Rhyacionia pinicolana, North Elmham, 30th July

Other micros were 2 Bird’s-nest Moths Tinea trinotella, Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermines Swammerdamia pyrella, 4 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Grey-streaked Diamond-back Plutella porrectella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, 4 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 63 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 21 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 2 Dusky Pearls Udea prunalis, 27 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella and Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis.

The other macros were Chinese Character, Blood-vein, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, 5 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, 3 Common Carpets, 2 Yellow Shells, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, 3 Scalloped Oaks, 4 Willow Beauties, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, Yellow-tail, 10 Dingy Footmen, 3 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 3 Ruby Tigers, 2 Turnip Moths, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 7 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Brown-line Bright Eye, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Common Wainscots, Marbled Beauty, 4 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, (one unchecked Common Rustic agg.), Fen Wainscot, 3 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, 2 Silver Ys and 8 Straw Dots.

Marbled Beauty, North Elmham, 30th July

Other bits and pieces included the mayflies Green Drake Ephemera danica and 7 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus (2), the caddisflies Hydropsyche siltalai and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis, the beetles Aphodius rufipes and 4 Bradycellus verbascis, 2 Hornets and Common Wasp.

Butterbur but better

Two Migrant Hawkers graced the garden during the day of 12th August, along with Brimstone, Large White and 4 Peacocks.  That night proved to be an excellent night for moths with 227 moths of 87 species including some good surprises.  Among them was a macro lifer, and not one I particularly expected to encounter at home although it proved to be the first of three this autumn - an enormous dull (coloured), chubby-winged version of a Rosy Rustic - a Butterbur.

Butterbur, North Elmham, 12th August

Much nicer looking was this Bordered Beauty, hot on the heels of my first one on 6th August.

Bordered Beauty, North Elmham, 12th August

I was pretty happy with these, but had I identified one tricky tortrix straight away I'd have been even more pleased.  But it was pretty worn and apart from seeming quite dark it didn't have much in the way of distinguishing features - although how much that was due to its condition wasn't clear.  I had to dissect it to find out what it was.  The female genitalia pointed me to one of the Endothenia species but it wasn't immediately obvious which one.  Eventually I figured it out, though I had to get a second opinion before confirming it given its rarity.  It was a Woundwort Marble Endothenia pullana, a nationally notable species of fens and marshes that's only been recorded in Norfolk once before - in 1892!

Woundwort Marble Endothenia pullana (female, gen det confirmed per Jim Wheeler), North Elmham, 12th August

Two other micros were new for the house: Long-streak Midget Phyllonorycter salicicolella and Little Conch Cochylis dubitana.

Long-streak Midget Phyllonorycter salicicolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 12th August

Little Conch Cochylis dubitana, North Elmham, 12th August

 
Another micro would have been noteworthy had it not escaped before I had a chance to identify or photograph it.  It was either Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella, which would have been another new moth for me, or Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella, which would have been new for the year and is supposed to be a rarer moth.

Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea was new for the year and other micros consisted of Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 2 Ribwort Slenders Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, White Oak Midget Phyllonorycter harrisella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 3 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 2 Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis corylana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, 4 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, 14 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 21 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 5 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 14 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis and Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella.

Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, North Elmham, 12th August

Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, North Elmham, 12th August

Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 12th August

Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, North Elmham, 12th August

Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simliciana, North Elmham, 12th August

The remaining macros were 2 Orange Swifts, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Blood-veins, Small Fan-footed Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, Common Carpet, 2 Small Rivulets, Maple Pug, Currant or Wormwood Pug (got away), 2 Yellow-barred Brindles, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, 2 Dusky Thorns, 2 Willow Beauties, Iron Prominent, Lesser Swallow Prominent, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, 2 Pale Prominents, 3 Dingy Footmen, 8 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 17 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, Square-spot Rustic, Knot Grass, Coronet, Straw Underwing, 5 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustics, 3 Flounced Rustics, Twin-spotted Wainscot, Uncertain, Nut-tree Tussock and 19 Straw Dots.

Twin-spot Wainscot, North Elmham, 12th August

Knot Grass, North Elmham, 12th August

Maple Pug (female, gen det), North Elmham, 12th August

Finally the bug Psallus haematodes was a new one for me.

Psallus haematodes, North Elmham, 12th August

Gorse Groundling

After a couple of poor nights 10th August picked up just a little bit.  Only one new for the year: a Square-spotted Clay.

Square-spotted Clay, North Elmham, 10th August

Other macros were Large Emerald, Small Fan-footed Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, 3 Common Carpets, Yellow-barred Brindle, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Dusky Thorn, Scalloped Oak, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Swallow Prominent, Pale Prominent, 2 Yellow-tails, 2 Black Arches, Dingy Footman, 2 Flame Shoulders, 15 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Least Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Clay, 2 Straw Underwings, Dun-bar, 5 Common Rustics, 5 Lesser Common Rustics and 2 Straw Dots.

Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th August

Lesser Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th August

The micros consisted of Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 5 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 7 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 5 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 4 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis and Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella.

11th August was better with over 150 moths of 66 species, the best being Gorse Groundling Mirificarma mulinella, new for the house and my third anywhere.

Gorse Groundling Mirificarma mulinella, North Elmham, 11th August

New for the year on 11th were Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Svensson's Copper Underwing and Rosy Rustic.

Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th August

Svensson's Copper Underwing (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th August

Rosy Rustic, North Elmham, 11th August

Other micros that night were New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 4 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 13 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 11 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 8 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 12 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

The other macros were 2 Orange Swifts, Pebble Hook-tip, Small Blood-vein, 6 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Common Carpet, 4 Small Rivulets, Maple Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, 2 Dusky Thorns, Scalloped Oak, 2 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawkmoth, Iron Prominent, Pebble Prominent, 2 Lesser Swallow Prominents, Yellow-tail, Black Arches, 4 Dingy Footmen, Buff Ermine, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, 10 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, Common Rustic, Lesser Common Rustic, Small Rufous, Nut-tree Tussock and 9 Straw Dots.

Lacewings consisted of Chrysoperla carnea and Dichochrysa flavifrons.  Bugs included 3 Forest Bugs (Red-legged shieldbugs) and a Phytocoris varipes.

Phytocoris varipes, North Elmham, 11th August