Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 5: Conches I (Phtheochroa to Aethes))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE) (continued)


Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana - Singles in the garden on 1st August 2019 and 16th July 2020.  I usually (but not always) see more than this.

female Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, North Elmham, 16th July 2020

Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana - One in the garden on 29th June and one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.  It took me until 2016 to record this species anywhere but since then I've had 1-2 here each year - up until 2020 when there were none.


Bluebell Conch Hysterophora maculosana - None.  I've not recorded this in my garden yet, and perhaps it's not all that likely as I think most records (all of mine at least) have been flying around bluebells in sunshine.


Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea - Singles in my garden trap on 17th and 23rd August 2019 and 15th August 2020.  Although I had 6 here in 2018 I'd only had 0-1 a year prior to that.

Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, North Elmham, 17th August 2019

Water-mint Conch Phalonidia manniana - None.  One in my garden in 2018 was my first here.


Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana - Recorded on 37 nights between 1st June and 17th August 2019 involving at least 100 individuals (not counted every night).  This was my best year here, about 50% better than average.  A more typical 57 between 11th June and 16th August 2020.  Also recorded next door, at the meadows on numerous occasions (including on the earlier/later dates of 25th May and 3rd September in 2019), and at Weybourne.


Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana - 5 in the garden trap between 6th July and 16th August 2019 was slightly short of 2018's total but more than usual.   2020 was exceptional with 19 here between 17th June and 12th August (including at least 5 of the brown form ferrugana).  Also found next door, at the meadows and at Thompson Common.

Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, North Elmham, 18th June 2020

Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Marbled Conch Eupoecilia angustana - 2 at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 and one at home on 9th July.  The latter was only my second for the garden following one in 2016.  None in 2020.

Marbled Conch Eupoecilia angustana, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Marbled Conch Eupoecilia angustana, North Elmham, 9th July 2019

Yarrow Conch Aethes smeathmanniana - None in the garden in 2019 (for the second year running) but 4 in 2020 (3 between 21st and 25th May and one on 8th August).  I'd had 2 here in 2015 and again in 2017 but blank years every other year.  Elsewhere singles at the meadows on 22nd August 2019 and 17th May 2020.

Yarrow Conch Aethes smeathmanniana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Yarrow Conch Aethes smeathmanniana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

Yarrow Conch Aethes smeathmanniana, North Elmham, 25th May 2020

Downland Conch Aethes tesserana - 2 at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020.  I've never had this species locally but there are a few inland records so it's not out of the question.


Hemlock Conch Aethes beatricella - Singles in the garden trap on 29th June and 2nd July 2019, my second and third records here following one in 2017.  Also one at Weybourne on 5th July.  None in 2020.

Hemlock Conch Aethes beatricella, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Hemlock Conch Aethes beatricella, North Elmham, 2nd July 2019

Long-barred Yellow Conch Aethes francillana - None.  I've never seen this species but although it's quite scarce there's no reason why I shouldn't find it locally.


Thistle Conch Aethes cnicana - None.  I've had one in the garden, in 2018.


Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana - Recorded in 2019 in the garden on 21st and 25th July, the meadows on 26th July and 4th August and next door on 7th August.  I've had 2-6 here each year since moving in until 2020 when I didn't catch any anywhere.

Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Next page: more Tortricidae

Clouded and unclouded Magpies

The macro moths were the highlights on 31st July with my third ever (but second this year) Dark Spinach and a Clouded Magpie which was only my third here in 4 years.  Dusky Thorn was also new for the year.

Dark Spinach, North Elmham, 31st July

Clouded Magpie, North Elmham, 31st July

Other macros were Least Carpet, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Common Carpet, Small Phoenix, Currant Pug, Magpie Moth, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 2 Willow Beauties, Coxcomb Prominent, Black Arches, 10 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, Common Footman, 3 Buff Ermines, 4 Ruby Tigers, 2 Turnip Moths, Heart and Club, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 4 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Common Wainscots, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, 2 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustics, Uncertain, Rustic and 8 Straw Dots.

Magpie Moth, North Elmham, 31st July

The micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 House Nebs Bryotropha domestica, Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, 5 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 37 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 15 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 15 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Thicket Knot-horn Acrobasis suavella and 4 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

House Neb Bryotropha domestica, North Elmham, 31st July

Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, North Elmham, 31st July

Other things included the mayfly Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita, a Common Earwig, the brown lacewings Hemerobius lutescens and 2 Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai and Molanna angustata, the mirid bug Psallus varians, the leafhopper Balclutha punctata and a Hornet.

While setting a bat detector at the Cathedral Meadows at dusk on 1st August I found a Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella and a leafhopper that I didn't immediately recognise. It turned out to be a new species for me, Macropsis scotti.

Macropsis scotti, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st August

That night there were 5 new moths for the year: Winter Groundling Scrobipalpa costella (only my second here), Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, Cabbage Moth and Angle Shades. The rhombana was my earliest ever by 12 days.

Winter Groundling Scrobipalpa costella, North Elmham, 1st August

Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 1st August

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 1st August

Cabbage Moth, North Elmham, 1st August

Angle Shades, North Elmham, 1st August

A record count of  5 Small Purple & Golds Pyrausta aurata was remarkable for here.  I only caught 5 singles across the whole of the previous 3 summers but either it is a good year for them or else they have taken a liking to the mint we planted in the garden a couple of years ago.  Although I eventually recorded 11 in the garden this summer they were only recorded on 5 nights spread over a period of just over a month.

5 Turnip Moths was also a record count, but in this case it was definitely a case of it being a good year for them as I know a lot of other moth-ers recorded exceptional numbers this year (much higher numbers than me in many cases).  I don't usually get many (only two last year and three the year before) but this year I'm looking like I will end up with a total of around 50 (I'm not sure the exact number yet as I have 2-3 slightly equivocal ones in pots waiting to be confirmed).  I know many people get more than that in a normal year and were getting 3-figure counts in a single night this year.

Other moths were Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella, 4 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 41 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 10 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Pebble Hook-tip, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Small Dusty Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, 7 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Purple Bar, Small Rivulet, Currant Pug, Magpie Moth, Scorched Carpet, Bordered Beauty, Scalloped Oak, 3 Willow Beauties, 4 Dingy Footmen, 2 Common Footmen, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 Flames, 7 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Common Wainscots, Copper Underwing, 2 Dun-bars, Cloaked Minor, Common Rustic, Small Rufous, Vine's Rustic, 3 Silver Ys and 5 Straw Dots.

Purple Bar, North Elmham, 1st August

Other things included the mayflies Green Drake Ephemera danica and 6 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg., 2 brown lacewings Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Crunoecia irrorata and Athripsodes aterrimus, Birch Shieldbug, the leafhopper Balclutha punctata again, the beetles Amara apricaria and Aphodius rufipes, Hornet and Common Wasp.

First decent moth-trapping session at the meadows

I returned to the Cathedral Meadows at dusk on Friday 25th and set up two lights. There was quite a good variety of species - 61 species in the end.  Most of them were fairly much expected but a rather tatty Common Roller Ancylis badiana was a surprise.  Despite its common name this speceis certainly isn't common in Norfolk away from the Brecks (actually away from a fairly small section of the eastern side of the Brecks).

Common Roller Ancylis badiana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Other micros consisted of Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, 3 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 4 Gorse Case-bearers Coleophora albicosta, 2 Triple-spot Dwarfs Elachista maculicerusella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, 2 Chamomile Conches Cochylidia implicitana, Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, 5 Rush Marbles Bactra lancealana, Grey Gorse Piercer Cydia ulicetana, 2 Pea Moths Cydia nigricana, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis and Bee Moth Aphomia sociella.

Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella (female, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Gorse Case-bearers Coleophora albicosta, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

The 43 species of macro moth were 2 Pebble Hook-tips, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Silver-ground Carpet, 2 Common Carpets, 2 Small Phoenixes, Common Marbled Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, 8 Green Carpets, Rivulet, Sandy Carpet, 2 Mottled Pugs, Lime-speck Pug, Common Pug, Oak-tree Pug, 2 Brown Silver-lines, 4 Scorched Wings, 2 Brimstone Moths, Scalloped Hazel, Pale Oak Beauty, 3 White-pinion Spotteds, 2 Clouded Silvers, Lime Hawk-moth, Eyed Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, Iron Prominent, Pebble Prominent, Swallow Prominent, Pale Prominent, 2 Marbled Browns, 6 Pale Tussocks, 9 White Ermines, 2 Heart and Darts, 5 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Flames, 6 Flame Shoulders, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, White-point, Common Wainscot, Rustic Shoulder-knot and 2 Spectacles.

Blood-vein, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Small Phoenix, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Lime-speck Pug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Scorched Wing, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Lime Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Eyed Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Elephant Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Pale Prominent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Pale Tussock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

White Ermine, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

White-point, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

There were also 5 species of caddisfly: Hydropsyche pellucidula, Phryganea bipunctata, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 2 Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus sparsus.

The only bug was a new species for me, and a striking one too, even if its name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue: Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus.

Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

There were 3 Cockchafers and this Denticollis linearis which was another new species for me.

Denticollis linearis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

I haven't yet managed to put a name to this caterpillar or this grasshopper nymph (please let me know if you can).

unidentified caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

unidentified grasshopper nymph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May

Second Agonopterix lifer in 3 days

Saturday 19th August I set the trap as usual before heading out to Winterton and returned to find what turned out to be the best moth of the evening.  It looked superficially similar to the Dark-fringed Flat-body Agonopterix nervosa that I'd had for the first time two nights earlier but apart from anything else it lacked a dark fringe.  I did consider Dusted Flat-body Agonopterix assimilella quite early on but ruled that out as its supposed to fly from April to June and in the absence of any other contenders I spent a while wondering if it might turn out to be another nervosa despite the lack of a dark fringe.  The genitalia of many of the Agonopterix aren't enormously different from one another so looking at it under the microscope didn't yield an immediate answer.  Eventually I felt I'd eliminated everything apart from assimilella and it was only then that I discovered that the hindwing pattern was helpful in determining this species.  Sure enough the hindwing ticked the final box and confirmed that it was indeed a Dusted Flat-body Agonopterix assimiliella, another new moth for me and my 780th species for North Elmham since August 2014.

Dusted Flat-body Agonopterix assimilella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th August

Two other moths were new for the year that night: Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea (my second here) and Rosy Rustic.

Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th August

Rosy Rustic, North Elmham, 19th August

Other moths that night were Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella agg., Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 7 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, Willow Beauty, Light Emerald, Poplar Hawk-moth, 3 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Small Square-spots, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Common Wainscots, Flounced Rustic, Vine's Rustic and Straw Dot.  There were 4 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum and caddisflies were Hydropsyche siltalai, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus lunatus.

The next day an afternoon wander round the local gravel pits produced Borderd Carl Coptotriche marginea, Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella (feeding on Fleabane), 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella and Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella.

Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, Bittering, 20th August

There was also this bug which I'm pretty sure is a nymph of Notostira elongata and as such a new species for me.

Notostira elongata nymph, Bittering, 20th August

A Dusky Thorn was the only new moth for the year that night; other moths being Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 House Groundlings Bryotropha domestica, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 16 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Riband Wave, Garden Carpet, Yellow Shell, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 6 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 2 Willow Beauties, Light Emerald, Pebble Prominent, Swallow Prominent, 2 Flame Shoulders, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Six-striped Rustic, Square-spot Rustic, 3 Common Wainscots, 3 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, Burnished Brass, Spectacle and 4 Straw Dots. There was also a presumed Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella indoors but its identity couldn't be confirmed as it had been eaten by its own larvae before I dissected it - a frequent problem with this species when I'm behind with my dissections!

Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 20th August

That wasn't a bad selection but the caddisflies were better as they contained my 50th species identified at home, an entirely new one for me, Small Siver Sedge Lepidostoma hirtum.

Small Silver Sedge Lepidostoma hirtum (female), North Elmham, 20th August

Other caddisflies were Polycentropus flavomaculatus, 3 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus sparsus.  Other insects recorded were the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea and the beetle Aphodius rufipes.