Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Argents (Argyresthiidae)

ARGENTS (ARGYRESTHIIDAE)

Some of these are stunning and highly distinctive while others can be extremely tricky to identify, even after reference to their genitalia.  I sometimes have to leave them unidentified, and at least two caught in my garden trap in 2019 were not resolved.


Triple-barred Argent Argyresthia trifasciata - One in the garden moth trap on 20th May 2019 was only my second record here following one in May 2018, but 2020 smashed it with 5 between 18th May and 9th June (including 3 on 21st May).

Triple-barred Argent Argyresthia trifasciata, North Elmham, 20th May 2019

Triple-barred Argent Argyresthia trifasciata, North Elmham, 18th May 2020

Juniper Argent Argyresthia dilectella - None.  I've recorded this species here twice (2016 and 2017).


Cypress-tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella -  3 in the garden trap between 1st and 7th June 2019 and 2 in 2020 (22nd May and 14th June).  2-3 a year is typical since the neighbours chopped down the big cypress hedge that bordered our property (which I wasn't at all sad to see go).  Prior to that there were 8-9 a year.


Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella - One in the garden trap on 29th June 2019.  I have 1-2 here most years but none in 2020.  One at Bintree Wood in 2020, on 24th July.

Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella - Totals of 15 in my garden trap between 23rd July and 27th August 2019 and 14 between 31st July and 3rd September 2020.  Numbers here vary greatly from one year to the next with annual totals varying from 3 to 32.  Also one at Swanton Great Wood in August 2019.

Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Sallow Argent Argyresthia pygmaeella - None.  I've never seen this species but there must be a chance of finding it locally.


Brindled Argent Argyresthia curvella - None.  I've recorded this species here just once (2017).


Netted Argent Argyresthia retinella - One in the garden trap on 21st July 2019 was only my second here following one in 2017.  It was in a very worn state and its identification was assisted by examination of its genitalia. None in 2020.

female Netted Argent Argyresthia retinella, North Elmham, 21st July 2019

Oak-bark Argent Argyresthia glaucinella - Caught in my garden trap on 23rd and 26th June 2020.  My only previous record of this species was a worn example in my garden in 2015 although after taking advice about that one's genitalia I decided not to formally submit it as their genitalic differences are rather subtle.  Based on a combination of internal and external appearance I personally felt sufficiently satisfied about the ID for my own notes but not for the official record.  The 2020 records were fresher, and together with my improved dissection skills, I think these are ok to record formally.

male Oak-bark Argent Argyresthia glaucinella, North Elmham, 23rd June 2020

female Oak-bark Argent Argyresthia glaucinella, North Elmham, 26th June 2020

Blackthorn Argent Argyresthia spinosella - None.  I've only recorded this species here once, in 2018, although some of the unidentified Argyresthia that I've not been able to resolve may have been this species.


Apple-fruit Moth Argyresthia conjugella - None.  This is another species I have recorded here on just one occasion, in 2015.


Brown Rowan Argent Argyresthia semifusca - One in the garden trap on 29th July 2019.  This species is not quite annual here although I had 5 in 2018.  None in 2020.

Brown Rowan Argent Argyresthia semifusca, North Elmham, 29th July 2019

Cherry-fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella - Singles in my garden trap on 23rd and 29th July 2019 and 3 between 29th June and 7th September 2020.  This species is just about annual here though 1-2 is typical (4 in 2018).  Also singles at the meadows on 26th July and 25th August.

Cherry Fruit-moth Argyresthia pruniella, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Cherry Fruit-moth Argyresthia pruniella, North Elmham, 29th June 2020

Cherry Fruit-moth Argyresthia pruniella, North Elmham, 7th September 2020

Hawthorn Argent Argyresthia bonnetella - One here on 4th August 2019.  I seem to get 1-2 here every other year and true to form, none in 2020.

Hawthorn Argent Argyresthia bonnetella, North Elmham, 4th August 2019

Purple Argent Argyresthia albistria - 3 in the garden trap between 31st July and 1st August 2020.  2019 was my first blank year here since moving in in 2014 (though I had more than 2 in a year prior to 2020).

Purple Argent Argyresthia albistria, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

Large Beech Argent Argyresthia semitestacella - None.  I've never found this species, or at least if I have I've never positively identified it (it was a good contender for a worn Argyresthia I caught on 23rd September 2019 but even after examining the genitalia I couldn't rule out a couple of other species - perhaps when I'm better informed about the genitalic differences I will be able to return to this and confirm it one way or the other).


Next page: Lyonetiidae plus

Six new moths for the year

Having seen a probable in flight a few days earlier it was good to confirm a day-flying Magpie Moth at Ryburgh on Thursday 3rd August.  There were 2 Banded Demoiselles and a Black-tailed Skimmer here, along with Green-veined White, Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma.

Small Tortoiseshell and Comma, Ryburgh, 3rd August

That night produced 6 new moths for the garden year list: Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, Hawthorn Midget Phyllonorycter corylifoliella, Least Yellow Underwing, Square-spotted Clay, White-point and Marbled Beauty.

Hawthorn Midget Phyllonorycter corylifoliella, North Elmham, 3rd August

Square-spotted Clay, North Elmham, 3rd August

White-point, North Elmham, 3rd August

Marbled Beauty, North Elmham, 3rd August

The rest of the moths were 2 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, Sloe Midget Phyllonorycter spinicolella, 2 Red Birch Midgets Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Hedge Case-bearer Coleophora striatipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 5 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 17 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Pebble Hook-tip, Blood-vein, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Flame Carpets, 3 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, 2 Magpie Moths, 2 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, Brown-tail, Yellow-tail, 2 Dingy Footmen, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 6 Flame Shoulders, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 4 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics (and another Common Rustic agg.), Rustic and 11 Straw Dots.

Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, North Elmham, 3rd August

Lacewings consisted of just Chrysoperla carnea (2 confirmed males and 3 aggregate females).  Caddisflies included Cyrnus flavidus and Hydropsyche siltalai.

Cyrnus flavidus (male), North Elmham, 3rd August

Leafhoppers included Empoasca vitis and a Kybos sp.  The last time I recorded a Kybos leafhopper I speculated that it was likely betulicola but this time armed with a bit more information I was able to narrow it down to either virgator, strigilifer or calyculus (females of these three are not identifiable to species level).

Kybos virgator, strigilifer or calcyculus (female), North Elmham, 3rd August

Beetles included my second identified Harpalus rufipes and a Nut Weevil Curculio nucum.

Harpalus rufipes, North Elmham, 3rd August

Nut Weevil Curculio nucum, North Elmham, 3rd August

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

Even more! 153 species (209 over 2 nights)

Yesterday I posted about the amazing night of 23rd July when I recorded 152 species of moth in my garden trap including no less than 5 lifers.  Well 24th July was even better, sort of.  Not better in total number of moths ('only' 600, the main difference being in the number of Water Veneers, down from 250 to zero).  Not better in the number of lifers - not a single new moth for me on 24th July.  But better in the number of species - up one to 153 species!  Interestingly there was quite a big difference in the make-up of that 153 compared to the 152 the night before - over the two nights combined there were an incredible 209 species.

So, 24th July, no lifers but several new for the house.  Perhaps best was a Bluebell Shades Eana incanana.  This is a species I first encountered on my first ever Norfolk Moth Survey event, at Weston Park in 2011.  That night we recorded around 50 Eana incanana, remarkable as there had been just two singles recorded in the county beforehand.  There were half a dozen further records in 2011 and 2012, including some at another NMS event that I attended, but since then they've gone quiet again - no more records in the database at the moment.

Bluebell Shades Eana incanana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

The others that were new for the house were Small Red Slender Caloptilia rufipennella, 2 Body-marked Case-bearers Coleophora clypeiferella, Larch Tortrix Ptycholomoides aeriferana and 2 Orange-spotted Shoots Rhyacionia pinicolana.

Small Red Slender Caloptilia rufipennella, North Elmham, 24th July

Orange-spotted Shoots Rhyacionia pinicolana, North Elmham, 24th July

Larch Tortrix Ptycholomoides aerifaerana, North Elmham, 24th July

Body-marked Case-bearer Coleophora clypeiferella, North Elmham, 24th July

Others new for the year were Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, 2 New Oak Slenders Caloptilia robustella, 4 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Dark Umber, Purple Thorn, Nutmeg, Coronet, 2 Straw Underwings and Dotted Fan-foot.

Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, North Elmham, 24th July

 New Oak Slenders Caloptilia robustella (female & male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella, North Elmham, 24th July

Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, North Elmham, 24th July

Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, North Elmham, 24th July

Coronet, North Elmham, 24th July

Straw Underwing, North Elmham, 24th July

Nutmeg, North Elmham, 24th July

Dark Umber, North Elmham, 24th July

Other highlights among the micros included 11 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi, 2 Dull Red Groundlings Bryotropha senectella, Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella and Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella.

Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, North Elmham, 24th July

Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

The remaining micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 21 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, 5 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, 3 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 3 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, 3 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 3 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, 3 Bulrush Cosmets Limnaecia phragmitella, 2 Hawthorn Cosmets Blastodacna hellerella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 3 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, 4 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 6 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 5 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 2 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, 3 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 2 Bud Moths Spilonota ocellana, 4 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 7 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, 21 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, 2 Chequered Straws Evergestis pallidata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 16 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 5 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and 3 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

The species count was assisted by the 3 Marbled Minor aggs. all proving to be different - single Marbled, Tawny Marbled and Rufous Minors.  The same wasn't true of the Daggers: despite one being darker than the other, both proved to be Grey Daggers.

Grey Daggers (males, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

Other macros were Pebble Hook-tip, Common Emerald, Small Emerald, Lesser Cream Wave, 11 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 25 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Shaded Broad-bars, Yellow Shell, 6 Small Rivulets, Currant Pug, V-Pug, Green Pug, Double-striped Pug, 6 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, 5 Early Thorns, 11 Scalloped Oaks, Swallow-tailed Moth, 2 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Common Wave, 3 Clouded Silvers, Poplar Hawkmoth, 3 Elephant Hawkmoths, Iron Prominent, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, 4 Yellow-tails, 2 Black Arches, Round-winged Muslin, 38 Rosy Footmen, 31 Dingy Footmen, 7 Scarce Footmen, 2 Buff Footmen, 55 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, 4 Ruby Tigers, 2 Flames, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 10 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 11 Clays, 11 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, 8 Dark Arches, Slender Brindle, 4 Cloaked Minors, 5 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, 4 Dusky Sallows, Fen Wainscot, 34 Uncertains, 6 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, Nut-tree Tussock, Burnished Brass, 2 Spectacles, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, 3 Straw Dots, 4 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Fen Wainscot, North Elmham, 24th July

Green Lacewings consisted of Cunctochrysa albolineata and Dichochrysa flavifrons and a Brown Lacewing proved to be my first confirmed Micromus variegatus - quite a distinctive species by Lacewing standards.

Micromus variegatus, North Elmham, 24th July

I had to put a break on the caddisflies for a bit.  So many moths to sort out and not enough hours in the days and nights to do all the caddisflies as well.