Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Gelechiids (Gelechiidae) (Part 3: Nebs - subfamily Anomologinae I)

GELECHIIDS (GELECHIIDAE) (continued)


Subfamily ANOMOLOGINAE


House Neb Bryotropha domestica - 15 in the garden and one next door between 23rd July and 12th September 2019 and 25 between 17th July and 8th September 2020.  2019 was a fairly typical showing here but 2020 was my best ever (and included a record count of 5 on 5th August).

House Neb Bryotropha domestica, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella - Recorded here on 43 nights between 14th June and 17th August.  I didn't count every night but assuming only one on those nights (it was probably more) the total was 140 (including a count of 15 on 16th July).  In previous years here the total counts have varied from 31 to 62 so this was an exceptional year.  2020 was good again with 119 over 43 nights between 3rd June and 20th August.  Elsewhere recorded next door, at the meadows (19 in total), Bintree Wood, Hellesdon and Weybourne.

male Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

male Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 26th June 2019

female Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 3rd August 2019

male Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 3rd June 2020

female Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 31st July2020

female Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

female Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 8th August 2020

Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella - 5 in the garden moth trap between 24th July and 3rd September 2019 and 4 between 31st July and 21st August 2020.  These follow 5 in 2018 and a total of 5 between 2014 and 2016 which were the first 5 to be recorded anywhere in Norfolk.  Since 2018 this species has started to be recorded elsewhere (2 sites in 2018, another 2 in 2019 and a 5th in 2020) so I no longer have the monopoly of county records.  Presumably this represents a real increase rather than just better detection?

female Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 24th July 2019

female Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 25th August 2019

male Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 30th August 2019

male Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 3rd September 2019

male Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 20th August 2020

female Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 21st August 2020

Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella - 5 in the garden moth trap between 16th and 27th July 2019 and 4 between 14th July and 8th August 2020.  They're fairly average totals for here.  Also one at the meadows on 26th July 2019.  Although this is a grade 2 (dissection not required) I think this can be a trickier species to be sure about than the grading suggests and normally check the genitalia for confidence.  Although my pre-dissection provisional IDs are usually correct I have mistaken these with other Bryotropha, so care is needed if you don't dissect them.

male Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella, North Elmham, 16th July 2019

male Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella, North Elmham, 14th July 2020

male Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella, North Elmham, 18th July 2020

Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis - recorded here on 18 nights between 5th June and 8th September (not counted every night so no total count).  That's the equal highest number of nights since moving here but it hasn't varied a great deal from year to year so far.  31 over 14 nights between 26th June and 15th August 2020, my second highest total.  Also recorded next door and at the meadows in 2019.

male Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis, North Elmham, 16th August 2019

Obscure Neb Bryotropha similis - One in the garden on 29th July 2020.  2019 was the only complete year in 6 where I haven't recorded this species here at all, although with only one most years (2 in 2016) it was bound to happen sooner or later.

male Obscure Neb Bryotropha similis, North Elmham, 29th July 2020

Heather Neb Aristotelia ericinella - None.  I've not found this species locally yet but it has been recorded fairly close so it might pop up one day.

 
White-bordered Neb Isophrictis striatella - One in the garden trap on 1st August 2019, the third consecutive year I have recorded one here.  None in 2020.

White-bordered Neb Isophrictis striatella, North Elmham, 1st August 2019

Next page: more Gelechiidae

Spongefly

The highlight from my garden moth trap on 10th June was my first Spongefly, a group of lacewings represented by one species in Norfolk, Sisyra fuscata.  Compared to the brown lacewings (at least the ones I'm familiar with) it was small and dark, but sadly it was on its last legs (although that hadn't been apparent) and died before I managed to get any photos of it.  Not only that but it had covered itself in moth scales left in the pot I used so the photo really is bad!

Sisyra fuscata (dead), North Elmham, 10th June

A number of moths were new for the year: Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, 2 Little Grass-veneers Platytes cerussella, Wormwood Pug, Dingy Footman and Fan-foot.

Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, North Elmham, 10th June

Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, North Elmham, 10th June

Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, North Elmham, 10th June

Little Grsas-veneer Platytes cerussella, North Elmham, 10th June

Fan-foot, North Elmham, 10th June

Also of note were 2 Hawthorn Bent-wings Bucculatrix bechsteinella - my third and fourth here this year but a species I'd not recorded here at all in previous years.

Hawthorn Bent-wing Bucculatrix bechsteinella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Other moths were Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Sloe Flat-body Luquetia lobella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 4 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 4 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 5 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Common Swift, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Common Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Sandy Carpet, 3 Common Pugs, 2 Green Pugs, Brown Silver-line, Scorched Wing, 2 Brimstone Moths, 3 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, 3 Light Emeralds, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 White Ermines, Buff Ermine, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, 4 Ingrailed Clays, Shears, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Brown Rustic, Small Clouded Brindle, Tawny Marbled Minor (also another Marbled Minor agg. that escaped), 6 Middle-barred Minors, Treble Lines, 3 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, 3 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 20 Straw Dots, 5 Snouts and 4 Small Fan-foots.

Caddisflies were represented by 2 Ecnomus tenellus (new for the year), Goera pilosa and Mystacides longicornis.

Ecnomus tenellus, North Elmham, 10th June

Goera pilosa, North Elmham, 10th June

Birch Shieldbug, Fly Bug Reduvius personatus (sometimes known as Masked Hunter) and 7-spot Ladybird were all apparently new for the year though I've a feeling I've had the ladybird before and forgotten to record it.

Birch Shieldbug, North Elmham, 10th June

Next day I found 2 Case-bearing Clothes Moths Tinea pellionella in the house, a new species for the year here.

Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

A Diamond without diamonds

The night of 9th June was an odd one.  Not all that many moths but still a good selection of micros.  New for the house was a species I am used to seeing during the day but not coming to light - Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella.

Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella, North Elmham, 9th June

Good counts were 6 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella and 5 Yellow-faced Bells Notocelia cynosbatella while London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella was new for the year.  Other notable micros were Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella and Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella.

London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolelle, North Elmham, 9th June

Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, North Elmham, 9th June

The other micros were 9 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea and Small Magpie Anania hortulata. Interestingly one of the Diamond-backs lacked a pale line down the dorsum or almost any trace of the diamonds.  The only hint was that the sides between the diamonds were darker than the rest of the sides of the wings.  I did dissect it just to make sure...

Dimaond-back Moth Plutella xylostella (female), North Elmham, 9th June

Among the macros only Common Footman was new for the year.  The others were 2 Common Swifts, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, Green Carpet, Mottled Pug, 3 Common Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, Clouded Border, Waved Umber, 2 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, Pale Tussock, 2 White Ermines, 5 Cinnabars, Shears, Light Brocade, 2 Brown Rustics, 9 Treble Lines and 2 Mottled Rustics.

Common Footman, North Elmham, 9th June

Waved Umber, North Elmham, 9th June

Only a couple of caddisflies but these included my first Limnephilus marmoratus (and a Limnephilus lunatus).

Limnephilus marmoratus (female), North Elmham, 9th June

I think this beetle found in the house is Cantharis cryptica.

Cantharis cryptica, North Elmham, 9th June

We're getting our garden done at the moment and in removing our old shed the gardener found a couple of mice.  One was a casualty which he put out of its misery but the other seemed ok so he showed me.  I'm not sure it was ok, as it's not very normal behaviour for a mouse to lie on its side in the open, but as dead as it looked it was definitely breathing.  A Wood Mouse I believe.

Wood Mouse, North Elmham, 10th June

It was a better night for moths with 45 species including Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella, Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Treble Brown Spots, Brown Silver-line, Heart and Club and Burnished Brass all new for the year.

Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, North Elmham, 10th June

Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Barred Marble Celypha striana, North Elmham, 10th June

Heart and Club, North Elmham, 10th June

Burnished Brass, North Elmham, 10th June

Other moths were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 52 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 4 Yellow-faced Bells Notocelia cynosbatella, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 9 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 3 Common Swifts, Blood-vein, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 6 Silver-ground Carpets, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Broken-barred Carpets, Green Carpet, 3 Sandy Carpets, Mottled Pug, 7 Common Pugs, Brimstone Moth, 2 Light Emeralds, White Ermine, Buff Ermine, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Flame Shoulder, Small Square-spot, 2 Shears, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 4 Brown Rustics, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Middle-barred Minor, 12 Treble Lines and Mottled Rustic.

A subimago Procloeon bifidum was a new Mayfly for me (a second invidivual was not positively identified).

Procloeon bifidum, North Elmham, 10th June

Also new was the caddisfly Polycentropus flavomaculatus - only at the time I posted this, and for 2-3 weeks after, I had it down as Polycentropus irroratus.  Females are quite difficult, at least for a novice, as after a few more I eventually concluded that the pointedness of the subgenital plate illustrated in the key is quite hard to determine, and looks rather more pointy in flavomaculatus than it's meant to.  The other caddis were in the genus Limnephilus including lunatus, marmoratus and vittatus.

Polycentropus flavomaculatus (female), North Elmham, 10th June

Painted Neb

Sunday 5th July was much quieter than the previous day but two Plume moths made it on to the year list: Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla (rather belatedly) and Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla.

Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, North Elmham, 5th July

Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, North Elmham, 5th July

Engrailed was also new for the year.

The others were Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, 4 Large Ivy Tortrices Lozotaenia forsterana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Common Swift, Common Emerald, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, 5 Barred Straws, Common Pug, Clouded Border, 2 Peppered Moths, 2 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 3 Buff-tips, 8 Common Footmen, 13 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Short-cloaked Moth, 4 Heart and Clubs, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, 3 Double Square-spots, Nutmeg, 4 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 2 Clays, 3 Brown Rustics, 3 Dark Arches, Marbled Minor agg., 14 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, 6 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, 4 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot and 2 Snouts.

  Rustic, North Elmham, 5th July

Another of these beetles that are probably Malthinus flaveolus:

probable Malthinus flaveolus, North Elmham, 5th July

6th July was better again with  87 species.  Among these was my first Painted Neb Eulamprotes wilkella.  These are reasonably common at the coast (where I was to go on to see several a few days later) and also in the Brecks, but except for an old record near Kings Lynn there don't seem to be any inland Norfolk records away from the Brecks.  So not expected here really.

Painted Neb Eulamprotes wilkella, North Elmham, 6th July

Several new for the year included my second ever Osier Case-bearer Coleophora lusciniaepennella, a New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, Peach Blossom, Blue-bordered Carpet, Yellow-tail and Common Rustic.

Peach Blossom, North Elmham, 6th July

Blue-bordered Carpet, North Elmham, 6th July

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

Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, North Elmham, 6th July

Osier Case-bearer Coleophora lusciniaepennella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 6th July

Common Rustic (female, gen det), North Elmham, 6th July

Here's the genitalia of the Bryotropha similis with a Bryotropha affinis for comparison, showing the stouter gnathos (the arm if you imagine the top bit as a head) of the similis.  The live insects are shown below.

male genitalia of Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis (left) and Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis (right), North Elmham, 6th July

Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, North Elmham, 6th July

Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, North Elmham, 6th July

The other micros were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, 4 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 2 Buff Cosmets Mompha ochraceella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana (male, gen det), 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 6 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 30 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 5 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 7 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula stagnata, 5 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis and 3 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella.

Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, North Elmham, 6th July

Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata, North Elmham, 6th July

Other macros were Ghost Moth, Common Emerald, 6 Dwarf Cream Waves, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 20 Riband Waves, Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, Barred Yellow, Sandy Carpet, Common Pug, Grey Pug, Small Yellow Wave, 2 Clouded Borders, 2 Lilac Beauties, 2 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Elephant Hawkmoth, Coxcomb Prominent, 3 Buff-tips, 2 Rosy Footmen, Four-dotted Footman, Scarce Footman, 8 Common Footmen, 9 Buff Ermines, Short-cloaked Moth, 3 Heart and Clubs, Heart and Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Double Square-spots, 4 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Clay, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, 3 Brown Rustics, 4 Dark Arches, Dusky Brocade, 20 Uncertains, Rustic, 3 Mottled Rustics, Green Silver-lines, 6 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 7 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot, 5 Snouts and 3 Fan-foots.

Small Yellow Wave, North Elmham, 6th July

Dingy Footman, North Elmham, 6th July

Mottled Beauty, North Elmham, 6th July - a dark-banded variant I don't see very often

Next day (7th July) was very poor by recent standards and, unusually at the moment, nothing new for the year.  I recorded Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 12 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Common Emerald, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, Single-dotted Wave, Treble Brown Spot, 5 Riband Waves, 3 Barred Straws, Barred Yellow, Lilac Beauty, 3 Willow Beauties, Engrailed, Clouded Silver, Buff-tip, Rosy Footman, 3 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, 2 Double Square-spots, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 2 Brown Rustics, 18 Uncertains, Rustic, Mottled Rustic, Silver Y, Straw Dot, 3 Snouts and Fan-foot. 

Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, North Elmham, 6th July

Engrailed, North Elmham, 6th July