Review of 2019 and 2020 - Caddisflies: Sericostomatidae, Beraeidae, Molannidae and part 1 of Leptoceridae

Family SERICOSTOMATIDAE


Welshman's Button Sericostoma personatum - A female netted along the footpath west from Carsaig on Mull on 10th June 2019 was my first ever, but swiftly followed by another female closer to home at the meadows on 22nd August.  Then in 2020 I caught not one but 3 in my garden moth trap between 1st August and 3rd September.  These included 2 males with their distinctive enlarged palps.

female Welshman's Button Sericostoma personatum, between Carsaig and Rubha Dubh (Mull), 10th June 2019

female Welshman's Button Sericostoma personatum, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

male Welshman's Button Sericostoma personatum, North Elmham, 1st August 2020

male Welshman's Button Sericostoma personatum, North Elmham, 14th August 2020

Notidobia ciliaris - None - there are quite a few widespread records in Norfolk so maybe some chance of finding one here sooner or later.

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Family BERAEIDAE


Beraea maurus - None.  Another caddisfly that is widespread in Norfolk but which I haven't found yet.


Beraea pullata - I finally found my first representative of this family on 24th April 2020 when I swept one from Broom (adjacent to a dyke) at the meadows.  That's not the way I usually find caddisflies and it was right next to where I often do mothing with lights so maybe this family is reluctant to come to light?

 female Beraea maurus, North Elmham, Cathedral Meadows, 24th April 2020

Beraeodes minutus - None.  Judging from the number of dots on the NBN Atlas this looks like it's the commonest member of the family in Norfolk, but it's escaped my detection so far.

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Family MOLANNIDAE


Molanna angustata - 3 in the garden moth trap between 7th and 26th August 2019 and 9 in the 6 nights between 9th and 14th August 2020.  Elsewhere 2 more August records from the meadows (one each year), one at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020 and one at Bintree Woods on 24th July 2020.

male Molanna angustata, North Elmham, 7th August 2019

male Molanna angustata, North Elmham, 10th August 2019

Molanna angustata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Molanna angustata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

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Family LEPTOCERIDAE


Adicella reducta - None.  Apparently another common and widespread caddis that I haven't encountered yet.


Triaenodes bicolor - One in my garden moth trap on 22nd July 2019 was my first record of this species.  It was on its last legs but that did mean it posed with its wings spread providing a good look at the difference in the colour between its fore and hindwings.

Triaenodes bicolor, North Elmham, 22nd July 2019

Ylodes conspersus - None but I've had one here before in August 2017 which I gather was the first for the Wensum Valley.  A pretty scarce species in Norfolk with just 2-3 records from the Nar Valley and one from the Norwich area I believe.


Athripsodes albifrons - Singles in the garden trap on 28th August 2019 and 9th and 14th August 2020.

female Athripsodes albifrons, North Elmham, 28th August 2019

Athripsodes albifrons, North Elmham, 14th August 2020

Athripsodes bilineatus - One at the meadows on 22nd August 2019 was my first record of this species.

female Athripsodes bilineatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Athripsodes cinereus - 2 at the meadows on 7th July and 22nd August 2019, my first records of this species, and then I added it to the garden list with one on 23rd August.  There were 2 more at the meadows in 2020, on 7th August and 8th September.  All but one of these were female.

female Athripsodes cinereus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

male Athripsodes cinereus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

female Athripsodes cinereus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

female Athripsodes cinereus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th September 2020

Another eventual candidate for this species was at home on 22nd June 2020.  Females are quite challenging for me, and up until 2020 the task was made easier by being able to compare genitalia with the images on the trichoptera.insects-online.de website.  With this site now down I'm pretty much relying entirely on the Barnard and Ross Handbook and this particular individual was tricky.  In many respects the genitalia looked very similar to Athripsodes aterrimus (one of which I was examining at the same time).  The indentation on the edge was perhaps closer to cinereus but the subgenital plate looked identical to the aterrimus, right down to the triangular wedge between where the two halves diverge at the tip.  But I don't think it can be aterrimus because that species always seems to have a slightly arched sub-rectangular sclerite beyond the tip of the subgenital plate (not sure what this bit is called but you can see it on the photo of aterrimus at the bottom of this page), whereas on this caddisfly there was no sign of this - instead a more square-shaped but with an obvious indentation on the top.  Unless someone more experienced gets back to me in the meantime I shall wait until I can catch more cinereus to compare with this before I record this one.

possible female Athripsodes cinereus, North Elmham, 22nd June 2020

Athripsodes aterrimus - The 2019 season started with singles at the meadows on 25th May and 15th June but then I caught 4 in the garden between 24th June and 3rd August.  In 2020 just 3 here, one on 26th June and 2 on 12th August.  I'd recorded far more than this here in each of the previous 3 year (with 23 in 2016).  Again all but one were female.

female Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

female Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th June 2019

female Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham, 8th July 2019

female Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham, 16th July 2019

female Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham, 3rd August 2019

male (above) and female Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham, 12th August 2020

Next page: more Leptoceridae

Or return to Caddisfly index

Spindle Knot-horn

I ran a light in the meadows for a while on the evening of 12th August and caught a few moths.  The most unexpected moth was Spindle Knot-horn Nephopterix angustella, only the second time I have seen this species.  I've not located any Spindle here so not sure where it came from.

Spindle Knot-horn Nephopterix angustella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Other highlights included 2 New Oak Slenders Caloptilia robustella, Hawthorn Midget Phyllonorycter corylifoliella, Large Lance-wing Epermenia falciformis, Wax Moth Galleria mellonella and Cream-bordered Green Pea.

New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Hawthorn Midget Phyllonorcyter corylifoliella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Large Lance-wing Epermenia falciformis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Wax Moth Galleria mellonella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

The other moths were Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, 3 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, Ash-bud Moth Prays fraxinella, Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, 3 Knapweed Conches Agapeta zoegana, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, 3 Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis corylana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 50 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 2 Oak Hook-tips, Blood-vein, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Common Carpets, Purple Bar, Lime-speck Pug, 2 Brimstone Moths, 3 Dusky Thorns, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Poplar Hawk-moth, Swallow Prominent, Black Arches, Dingy Footman, 3 Turnip Moths, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 3 Six-striped Rustics, 3 Common Wainscots, Copper Underwing, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, 2 Cloaked Minors, Rosy Rustic, 2 Vine's Rustics, Silver Y and Straw Dot.

Rosy Rustic, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Straw Underwing, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

This sub-imago Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum later moulted into its imago stage:

Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August - the same mayfly in both photos taken a day or two apart before and after its moult

Lacewings included Chrysopa commata, Chrysoperla carnea agg. and the waxfly Coniopteryx tineiformis.  A good selection of caddisflies were recorded including Hydroptila sparsa, Ithytrichia lamellaris, Hydropsyche pellucidula, Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus, Limnephilus rhombicus, 3 Molanna angustata, Athripsodes albifrons and Ceraclea albimacula.

Athripsodes albifrons, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Ceraclea albimacula, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Bugs included 2 Hawthorn Shieldbugs, Forest Bug, Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis, Phytocoris varipes and the leafhopper Kybos strigilifer.

Kybos strigilifer (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Beetles included Strawberry Seed Beetle Harpalus rufipes, probably 30 Bradycellus verbascis (2 checked properly, others probably the same), 2 Aphodius rufipes, Lagria hirta and Acorn Weevil Curculio glandium.  Also a Hydrophiliid that has so far defied my best efforts to identify it.

Strawberry Seed Beetle Harpalus rufipes, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Acorn Weevil Curculio glandium, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Other insects inluded Oak Bush-cricket, the hoverfly Eupeodes latifasciatus and 2 German Wasps.  (Edit: I reported before that one of these had stung me.  I got mixed up - it was actually on 19th August I got stung, possibly by a Common Wasp not a German Wasp.  Not the first time something German has been blamed for something that was fairly and squarely the fault of common Brits).

Oak Bush-cricket, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Eupeodes latifasciatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Saltmarsh meets North Elmham, a scarce barkfly, a new bug and a new beetle

2018 seems to have been an exceptional year for saltmarsh species making their way inland.  I have already blogged about a surprise Silver-streaked Case-bearer Coleophora limoniella that turned up here on 23rd July, one of 3 inland records in July of a species that had never turned up inland in Norfolk before.  I've also already blogged about a Saltmarsh Plume Agdistis bennetii at Derby Fen in June, and very soon I'll be writing about another one at home - again in a year when other observers have also recorded unusual numbers of these inland.  Well there was one more saltmarsh surprise in my North Elmham trap on 3rd August - a Saltern Groundling Scrobipalpa instabilella.  This is another very unexpected record - until this year the furthest inland records in Norfolk were at Catfield Fen in the Broads and at Dersingham.  There was another at Derby Fen on 8th August but this one is by far the furthest inland record there has been in Norfolk...

Saltern Groundling Scrobipalpa instabilella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

Small Waved Umber was only my second here, indeed only my third anywhere, and Birch Ermine Swammerdamia caesiella was also only my second here.

Small Waved Umber, North Elmham, 3rd August

Other moths new for the year were Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii, Birch Ermine Swammerdamia caesiella, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana and 2 Tawny Speckled Pugs.

Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

Birch Ermine Swammerdamia caesiella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, North Elmham, 3rd August

Tawny Speckled Pug, North Elmham, 3rd August

Other micros were 3 Bordered Carls Coptotriche marginea, Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 2 Bird’s-nest Moths Tinea trinotella, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, 2 Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine agg. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Wainscot Smudges Ypsolopha scabrella, 6 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 2 Clover Case-bearers Coleophora alcyonipennella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 4 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, 4 House Nebs Bryotropha domestica, 7 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 3 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana, Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 45 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 48 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 8 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula nitidulata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Pearl Evergestis pallidata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 14 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella, 2 Beautiful Plumes Amblyptilia acanthadactyla and 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

The rest of the macros were 2 Orange Swifts, Blood-vein, Small Blood-vein, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Riband Waves, Flame Carpet, 3 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Garden Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, 5 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, 2 Maple Pugs, Lime-speck Pug, Bordered Beauty, Early Thorn, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 5 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawk-moth, Iron Prominent, Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, 4 Dingy Footmen, Ruby Tiger, 3 Turnip Moths, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 8 Flame Shoulders, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 8 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, Cabbage Moth, Common Wainscot, Marbled Beauty, 4 Straw Underwings, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, Twin-spotted Wainscot, Fen Wainscot, Rustic and 22 Straw Dots.

Mayflies included what I think is a Pale Watery Baetis fuscatus, but although I identified this at the time and let it go I omitted to add it to my notes or caption the photo, so I'm now having to identify it again from the photos which I never like doing with mayflies.  Also 2 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita.

Pale Watery Baetis fuscatus, North Elmham, 3rd August

There was a good selection of green and brown lacewings: 2 Chrysoperla carnea, 2 Cunctochrysa albolineata, Dichochrysa flavifrons, Hemerobius lutescens and Micromus variegatus.

Among the caddisflies Athripsodes albifrons was new for the year; there were also 2 Ithytrichia lamellaris, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 3 Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus auricula and 1-2 Athripsodes aterrimus.

Athripsodes albifrons, North Elmham, 3rd August

The best of the bugs was Atractotomus parvulus, a new species for me.

Atractotomus parvulus (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

Deraeocoris lutescens was also new for the year, and other bugs were  Birch Shieldbug, Blepharidopterus angulatus and the leafhopper Empoasca vitis.

Deraeocoris lutescens, North Elmham, 3rd August

This barkfly was eventually identified as Valenzuela piceus, a scarce species according to the National Barkfly Recording Scheme.  There are only 9 records on NBN for the whole country, the nearest being in the Cambridge area, but that doesn't always mean a great deal as barkflies are one of the taxa that aren't well represented in NBN.

Valenzuela piceus, North Elmham, 3rd August

Among the beetles there were a dozen or so Bradycellus sp.  Usually these turn out to be Bradycellus verbasci and one of the two I retained did just so.  As soon as I looked at the other one under the microscope I had a feeling it was a different species and so it proved - my first Bradycellus harpalinus.  Other beetles included an Ophonus sp. that I couldn't quite resolve and another Aphodius rufipes.

Bradycellus harpalinus (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd August

A quick visit to the meadows produced Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla and a 7-spot Ladybird.