Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Gelechiids (Gelechiidae) (Part 5: Groundlings - subfamily Gelechiinae I)

GELECHIIDS (GELECHIIDAE) (continued)


Subfamily GELECHIINAE


Dotted Grey Groundling Athrips mouffetella - One in the garden trap on 23rd July 2019 was my first for 3 years.  I've only seen this species here, twice in 2015 (probably involving one individual) and twice in 2016.

Dotted Grey Groundling Atrhips mouffetella, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

White-shouldered Groundling Sophronia semicostella - None.  I've only ever seen this species in the Brecks which seems to be its stronghold in Norfolk, but there are widespread records elsewhere so it might crop up locally.


Gorse Groundling Mirificarma mulinella - One in the garden trap on 8th September 2020, my third here following individuals in 2016 and 2018.

Gorse Groundling Mirificarma mulinella, North Elmham, 8th September 2020

Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella - One at the meadows on 30th June 2019, 2 in next-door's garden on 8th August and then singles in my own garden trap on 21st and 23rd August.  For a species that I'd only seen twice here before (in 2014 and 2015) that represents a pretty good showing.  2020 carried on good with 5 caught in the garden between 27th June and 21st August.

Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella, North Elmham, 8th August 2019

Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella, North Elmham, 21st August 2019

Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella, North Elmham, 23rd August 2019

Dusky Groundlings Aroga velocella, North Elmham, 21st August 2020

Eastern Groundling Chionodes distinctella - 2 at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020, a new moth for me.

Eastern Groundlings Chionodes distinctella, Brancaster, 2nd July 2020

Humped Groundling Psoricoptera gibbosella - One to light at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 was a completely new moth for me.  As such I thought I would confirm the ID with reference to the genitalia, but as it turned out this was possible without dissection as its highly distinctive uncus was visible protruding from the end of the abdomen.  Even better in 2020 as I caught one in my own garden, on 24th July.

male Humped Groundling Psoricoptera gibbosella, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019 - showing the uncus and valvae tips

male Humped Groundling Psoricoptera gibbosella, North Elmham, 24th July 2020

Next page: more Gelechiidae

Over-run with Garden Grass-veneers and Uncertains

Seems I forgot to post this pic of the Archer's Dart in yesterday's post about our Winterton trip.  A decent enough moth to be worth rectifying that oversight.

Archer's Dart, Winterton, 11th July

Winterton didn't have the monopoly of good moths that evening - at home I recorded a monster 580 moths of 117 species.  Lots were new for the year for the garden, including several species we had recorded at Winterton during the evening: Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella, Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Brown-tail and Dingy Shears.

 Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, North Elmham, 11th July

Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella, North Elmham, 11th July

Dingy Sheers, North Elmham, 11th July

Other new moths for the year were White-backed Marble Hedya salicella, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, 3 Leopard Moths, July Highflyer, Wormwood Pug, Pine Hawkmoth, Buff Footman, Sycamore, Dun-bar and Blackneck.

Blackneck, North Elmham, 11th July

Leopard Moths, North Elmham, 11th July

Pine Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 11th July

Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, North Elmham, 11th July

The numbers were swelled by 120 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteucha culmella.  The other micros were 7 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella, 2 Grey Rush Case-bearers Coleophora glaucicolella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 2 Burdock Nebs Metzneria lappella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, 3 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 13 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 4 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla. 

Elder Pearl Anania coronata, North Elmham, 11th July

Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, North Elmham, 11th July

White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th July

Some good lookers among the macros, like 2 Buff Arches, Large Emerald, Phoenix, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, 3 Peppered Moths, Poplar Hawkmoth, an impressive 11 Elephant Hawkmoths, 3 Lesser Swallow Prominents, 5 Buff-tips, 13 Rosy Footmen, 6 Dot Moths, Cream-bordered Green Pea and 6 Burnished Brasses.

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 11th July

Phoenix, North Elmham, 11th July

With the macros it was 65 Uncertains that boosted the numbers.  Gen detting got me all three of the Marbled Minor aggs: 3 Marbled Minors, Rufous Minor and Tawny Marbled Minor, as well as Grey Dagger and Common Rustic.

Rufous Minor (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th July

The rest of the macros were 3 Common Emeralds, 10 Small Fan-footed Waves, 4 Dwarf Cream Waves, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 13 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Shaded Broad-bars, Common Carpet, 7 Barred Straws, 8 Green Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, 4 Clouded Borders, 3 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 4 Willow Beauties, 4 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, 3 Common White Waves, 9 Clouded Silvers, 3 Yellow-tails, 3 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 27 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, Short-cloaked Moth, Heart and Club, 4 Heart and Darts, 10 Flames, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Ingrailed Clays, 24 Double Square-spots, 8 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 6 Clays, 9 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Brown Rustics, 10 Dark Arches, Light Arches, 3 Rustics, 4 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, 4 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot, 8 Snouts and 2 Fan-foots.

It was getting dark by the time I finished sorting through the trap and with an overwhelming number of moths in pots awaiting attention I decided to give it a break the following night.  Hate to think what I missed as the weather was still good, but there just aren't enough hours in the day and night to do everything!