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

White Birch Case-bearer (Coleophora betulella)

After a good night on 5th July, and a Currant Clearwing to pheromone lure during the day, there was another good night on 6th July with 464 moths of 114 species.  Prize among these was my first ever White Birch Case-bearer Coleophora betulella.  Maybe not everyone's cup of tea I'll admit - it was a pretty worn specimen and there wasn't a hope of identifying it based on its external features.

Currant Clearwing, North Elmham, 6th July

White Birch Case-bearer Coleophora betulella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th July

Quite a lot of other new moths for the year too (for the garden - had seen some of these elsewhere): Cherry-fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, Lesser Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, 2 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, 12 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Chequered Pearl Evergestis pallidata, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Brown Scallop, Scalloped Oak and Small Rufous.

Cherry-fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, North Elmham, 6th July

Lesser Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, North Elmham, 6th July

Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th July

Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, North Elmham, 6th July

Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, North Elmham, 6th July

Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, North Elmham, 6th July

Brown Scallop, North Elmham, 6th July

Small Rufous, North Elmham, 6th July

The rest of the moths were 10 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 3 Ermine sp. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, 2 Hawthorn Ermines Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 2 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, 3 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 7 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, 5 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, 3 Red-barred Tortrixes Ditula angustiorana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, 8 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 2 Many-plume Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 80 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 2 Satin Grass-veneers Crambus perlella, 3 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Meadow Greys Scoparia pyralella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 4 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 19 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 5 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia woodiella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, 3 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Chinese Character, Buff Arches, Common Emerald, Blood-vein, 3 Small Blood-veins, 9 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, Small Dusty Wave, 11 Single-dotted Waves, 17 Riband Waves, 4 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Common Carpet, Barred Straw, July Highflyer, Scallop Shell, Small Rivulet, Sandy Carpet, 4 V-Pugs, 4 Double-striped Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, 2 Clouded Borders, 3 Early Thorns, Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Common Wave, 4 Clouded Silvers, 3 Elephant Hawk-moths, Yellow-tail, 12 Rosy Footmen, 3 Dingy Footmen, Buff Footman, 30 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, Heart and Dart, Flame, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Dot Moths, Clay, 4 Smoky Wainscots, Marbled Beauty, Brown Rustic, 3 Dark Arches, Middle-barred Minor, Common Rustic, 34 Uncertains, 4 Rustics, 5 Mottled Rustics, 4 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot, 9 Snouts, 14 Fan-foots and Small Fan-foot.

Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, North Elmham, 6th July

The mayfly Lake Olive Cloeon simile was new for the year. 

Lake Olive Cloeon similie, North Elmham, 6th July

One of 2 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita moulted from sub-imago to imago the following day:

Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita, North Elmham, 6th July

Lacewings consisted of Chrysoperla carnea agg., Cunctochrysa albolineata and Dichochrysa flavifrons.  Among the caddisflies Molanna angustata was new for the house and Crunoecia irrorata new for the year.  The others were Hydropsyche pellucidula, Medium Sedge Goera pilosa and Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus.

Molanna angustata, North Elmham, 6th July

Crunoecia irrorata, North Elmham, 6th July

There were 5 Iassus lanio (leafhoppers), 2 Common Red Soldier Beetles Rhagonycha fulva and 4 Lagria hirta (another beetle).

Derby Fen

I was supposed to be 'in charge' at the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Derby Fen as none of the usual suspects could make it that night (9th June).  I'd not been there before so Dave and I arrived early and had a wander round. We managed to find a good range of moths in the lower parts of the fen including my first ever confirmed Marsh Pug, a Hawthorn Bent-wing Bucculatrix bechsteinella and a variety of the commoner Coleophora species.  We also found Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella to be abundant here, a species I’ve only previously seen in those sorts of numbers in the Brecks.

Marsh Pug, Derby Fen, 9th June

We were then joined by Tony and Garry and set up light traps. What may perhaps have been the best area to set them was too far to lug all the equipment, although Tony did manage to get his smaller trap down as far as a patch of Bog Myrtle. I was hoping we might find a Light Knot Grass there, but no such luck – but between us we did trap a nice variety of species including a few decent ones like Wood Carpet and Sloe Pug (both lifers for me).

Wood Carpet, Derby Fen, 9th June

Sloe Pug (male, gen det), Derby Fen, 9th June

We were surprised to find a Saltmarsh Plume Agdistis bennetii, but it seems like it was a good year for this species turning up inland.

Saltmasrh Plume Agdistis bennetii, Derby Fen, 9th June

Hawk-moths included Pine, Eyed, Poplar, Elephant and Small Elephant Hawk-moths and there were 3 Fox Moths. There were good numbers of July Belles and Sharp-angled Carpets along with 2 Shaded Pugs, 2 Four-dotted Footmen, a Broom Moth, 2 Bird’s Wings and a Dark Spectacle.

Fox Moth, Derby Fen, 9th June

Four-dotted Footman, Derby Fen, 9th June

Broom Moth, Derby Fen, 9th June

Bird's Wing, Derby Fen, 9th June

Other macro moth species we recorded were Ghost Moth, 4 Common Swifts, 2 Pebble Hook-tips, Treble Brown Spot, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, 2 Purple Bars, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, 5 Green Carpets, May Highflyer, Sandy Carpet, 's Pug, Wormwood Pug, 2 Common Pugs, 2 Grey Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, 2 Clouded Borders, Brown Silver-line, 5 Scorched Wings, 4 Brimstone Moths, 2 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, 3 Clouded Silvers, Light Emerald, Pebble Prominent, 2 Lesser Swallow Prominents, 2 Marbled Browns, 2 Pale Tussocks, 5 White Ermines, 2 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Club, 6 Heart and Darts, 4 Flame Shoulders, Ingrailed Clay, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 4 Shears, 2 Light Brocades, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Lychnis, Common Wainscot, 5 Shoulder-striped Wainscots, Grey or Dark Dagger, 6 Brown Rustics, Angle Shades, 3 Dark Arches, 2 Clouded-bordered Brindles, 2 Small Clouded Brindles, Large Nutmeg, 2 Rustic Shoulder-knots, 5 Marbled Minors, 2 Tawny Marbled Minors, 18 Middle-barred Minors, 6 Treble Lines, Mottled Rustic, Marbled White Spot, 4 Burnished Brasses, 2 Silver Ys, Dark Spectacle, Spectacle, Beautiful Hook-tip, 12 Straw Dots and Snout.

The rest of the micros were 3 Sorrel Bent-wings Opostega salaciella, Yellow-barred Long-horn Nemophora degeerella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Gorse Case-bearer Coleophora albicosta, Hedge Case-bearer Coleophora striatipennella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, Large Groundling Teleiopsis diffinis, 2 Black-headed Conches Cochylis atricapitana, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 9 Light Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia incertana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 3 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, 4 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 15 Meadow Greys Scoparia pyralella,

Caddisflies included Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus sparsus and there was a Glow-worm.

After all that lot it was a surprisingly quiet night back at home - which made me wonder how good Derby Fen would have been on a better night.  Single-dotted Wave and Snout were the only new moths for the year at home, the rest being Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Pebble Hook-tip, Cream Wave, Treble Brown Spot, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, Currant Pug, Pale Oak Beauty, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Buff-tip, Pale Tussock, 2 Orange Footmen, Common Footman, White Ermine, 4 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Flame Shoulder, 4 Ingrailed Clays, 3 Common Wainscots, Brown Rustic, Tawny Marbled Minor, Middle-barred Minor, 2 Mottled Rustics, 8 Straw Dots; also the caddisfly Limnephilus flavicornis.

Cinereous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 9th June

The following night was dire - just 19 species at what was coming up to the peak time of the year: Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Treble Brown Spot, Clouded Border, Buff-tip, 2 White Ermines, 6 Buff Ermines, Heart and Dart, Flame Shoulder, Ingrailed Clay, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Brown Rustics, Middle-barred Minor, Mottled Rustic and Burnished Brass.

There was a better range of moths during the day at the Cathedral Meadows next day, with Sorrel Bent-wing Opostega salaciella, Buff Long-horn Nematopogon metaxella, Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, Cherry-fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, 2 Light Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia incertana, 12 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 11 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Yellow Shell, 4 Green Carpets and Straw Dot.

Buff Long-horn Nematopogon metaxella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June

Cherry-fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June

Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June

Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June

Common Marble Celypha lacunana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June

Bugs included 2 Leptopterna dolabrata and a female leafhopper would have been a new species for me if I'd managed to identify it to species-level - it was either Cicadula persimilis or Cicadula quadrinotata, but you need a male to get any further than that.

Leptopterna dolobrata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June

 Cicadula persimilis/quadrinotata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June

I netted a beetle seen flying over the railway and this proved to be Hydrobius fuscipes.  I think this is a very common species as I've found several since but this was the first one I'd identified.  There was also a 24-spot Ladybird and the hoverfly Eupeodes corollae.

Hydrobius fuscipes, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June

Eupeodes corollae, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June

I think this spider is Tetragnatha extensa, another I'd not identified before.

Tetragnatha extensa, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th June