Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 12: Drills and Piercers I (Dichrorampha to Cydia))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE) (continued)


Lead-coloured Drill Dichrorampha plumbana - Found at the meadows on 27th May and 20th June 2020.  None in 2019 and I've not found this species at home yet, probably because it doesn't seem to come to light very readily (nearly all of my records have been netted during the afternoon).

male Lead-coloured Drill Dichrorampha plumbana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th May 2020

male Lead-coloured Drill Dichrorampha plumbana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th June 2020

Dingy Drill Dichrorampha sedetana - None.  I've never seen this one but although there aren't many records in Norfolk the same was true of plumbana and aeratana when I started finding them.


Obscure Drill Dichrorampha aeratana - Found at the meadows on 25th and 27th May 2020.  None in 2019 and like plumbana I've not recorded this species at home and have only found it during the afternoons/evenings.

male Obscure Drill Dichrorampha aeratana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2020

male Obscure Drill Dichrorampha aeratana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th May 2020

Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana - Caught in the garden on 8th August (2) and 23rd August 2019, my first here in 3 years (though I'd had 1-3 in each of 2014 to 2016).  3 again in 2020 with one on 8th May and 2 on 10th August  Also recorded next door twice in August 2019.  6 at the meadows were mostly in May, just one in August.

male Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May 2019

male Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, North Elmham, 23rd August 2019

male Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, North Elmham, 8th May 2020

male Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th May 2020

Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana - Trapped in the garden on 23rd July (2) and 5th August 2019.  Like the previous species these were my first here since 2016, but that gap was even more unexpected in light of the 17 I recorded here in 2015-16.  2020 was a real bumper year for this species here, completely unprecedented - I caught 75 between 15th June and 23rd August including 15 on 11th August.  Also 2 at the meadows on 13th July 2019 but despite the large numbers in my garden in 2020 only one at the meadows on the relatively late date of 30th August.  Although the differences in wing-shape between this and the previous species can be reasonably obvious I still find some individuals are confusing and with the additional risk of overlooking some of the scarcer Dichrorampha I resort to checking many by referring to their genitalia.  In fact in 2020 I started to feel more comfortable with them but when the numbers were getting so large and other moth-trappers weren't reporting unusual numbers of this species I started to doubt myself again and resorted to checking  more again.  Fortunately these all proved to be correctly so I quickly reverted to checking a minority of less clear-cut individuals.  However, I still think there is plenty of opportunity to go wrong with these - although I don't think there were any suspected simpliciana that proved to be anything else on dissection there were 3-4 suspected acuminatana that proved to be simliciana on dissection.

male Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2019

female Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

male Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, North Elmham, 5th August 2019

male Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, North Elmham, 26th June 2020

male Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, North Elmham, 22nd July 2020

female Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

male Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, North Elmham, 7th August 2020

male Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, North Elmham, 10th August 2020

Square-spot Drill Dichrorampha sequana - None.  I've only seen this species at one site in Great Ryburgh (where there were 3 along a verge) but I should imagine it must occur closer to home as well.


Gold-fringed Drill Dichrorampha vancouverana - None.  I haven't seen this species since 2013 and there aren't any records local to here, but there's no reason why it shouldn't turn up round here.


Narrow-blotch Drill Dichrorampha flavidorsana - None.  I'm yet to see this species.  In theory it could occur round here but I haven't got any Tansy on my patch so perhaps not as likely as some of the other species missing from my local area.


Broad-blotch Drill Dichrorampha alpinana - One found resting on some Field Maple at the meadows on 25th May 2020.  I had singles of this species in the garden in 3 consecutive years 2015-2017 but not since.

male Broad-blotch Drill Dichrorampha alpinana, North Elmham, 25th May 2020

Common Drill Dichrorampha petiverella - None.  Despite seeing 10 at 3 sites in 2013 I haven't seen this species since.  It's not far away but I haven't yet seen it in the North Elmham area.


Silver-lined Drill Dichrorampha plumbagana - None.  This species seems to be cropping up more often recently so I am optimistic that I will find one locally before too long.


Pea Moth Cydia nigricana - 3 at the meadows on 22nd-25th May 2019 and 2 there on 8th May 2020.  I've not seen this at home yet but that's not surprising for a species mainly found in the afternoons rather than being attracted to light, though I did get one come to light at Bintree Wood on 13th June 2020 so it's not impossible!

female Pea Moth Cydia nigricana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd May 2019

female Pea Moth Cydia nigricana, Bintree Wood, 13th June 2020

Grey Gorse Piercer Cydia ulicetana - None in 2019 (must be one of the commonest moths I didn't see that year) and just 2 in 2020 (one at the meadows on 15th May and one at Frost's Common on 21st May).  I've only ever had one in my garden (2017).

female Grey Gorse Piercer Cydia ulicetana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th May 2020

Grey Gorse Piercer Cydia ulicetana, Forst's Common, 21st May 2020

Pine-cone Piercer Cydia conicolana - None.  I've only seen one of these and that wasn't confirmed (someone took it away to gen det but I never heard back about it), so it's a species I'd be keen to see again.  There are no records very close to here though (Keith's 2020 record at Litcham is closest), so not sure what my chances of finding it locally are.  I'd be equally or even more happy to find any of the other scarcer conifer-feeding Cydia round here, the only ones of which I've ever seen anywhere are Norfolk's only Larch Piercer Cydia illutana and the cosmophorana below.


Scarce Pine Piercer Cydia cosmophorana - One at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020 was the first time I've encountered this species.  There were 5 records in Norfolk in 2020 but only 6 prior to 2020.

female Scarce Pine Piercer Cydia cosmophorana, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Codling Moth Cydia pomonella - 3 in the garden between 9th and 24th July 2019 and 6 between 25th June and 12th August 2020.  I've had between 2 and 8 of these each year since I've lived here.  Elsewhere one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.


Sallow-shoot Piercer Cydia servillana - One netted at Frost's Common on 21st May 2020, the first moth seen on arrival and the 5th record for Norfolk.  I'm still hoping for a repeat of my 2018 record at the meadows.

Sallow-shoot Piercer Cydia servillana, Frost's Common, 21st May 2020

Next page: more Tortricidae

My first Scale-tooth Lance-wing (Phaulernis dentella)

Just two new moths for the year again on 4th June: Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana and Common Footman.

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, North Elmham, 4th June

Other moths consisted of Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 2 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Common Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, Blood-vein, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 7 Silver-ground Carpets, 4 Green Carpets, 2 Common Pugs, 2 Grey Pugs, Light Emerald, Orange Footman, White Ermine, 4 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, 6 Heart and Darts, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Bright-line Brown-eye, Common Wainscot, 3 Brown Rustics, Middle-barred Minor, 5 Treble Lines, Vine's Rustic, 2 Mottled Rustics and 8 Straw Dots.

Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, North Elmham, 4th June

Just one caddisfly (Limnephilus lunatus) and one bug, but the latter was new for the house: Psallus perrisi.

Psallus perrisi (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th June

A poor night on 5th June produced one nice new moth for the year, Brindled Tortrix Ptycholoma lecheana - only my second here and a species I don't see often anywhere.

Bridled Tortrix Ptycholoma lecheana, North Elmham, 5th June

Apart from that there was just White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 6 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 5 Silver-ground Carpets, 5 Common Marbled Carpets, Green Carpet, 2 Common Pugs, Grey Pug, 2 Light Emeralds, Eyed Hawk-moth, 2 Common Footmen, 3 White Ermines, 3 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Small Square-spot, Shears, 2 Common Wainscots, Brown Rustic, Middle-barred Minor, 5 Treble Lines, 2 Straw Dots and the caddisfly Limnephilus sparsus.

Next day another wander round the Cathedral Meadows provided a good haul of invertebrates including no less than four lifers.  My visits to the meadows this year have been very rewarding with lots of species I had not previously identified, but most of these come from groups that I haven't studied much.  I've seen some good moths here, but between late April when I started and late November when I'm writing this only two moths have been entirely new for me.  One of these was on 6th June, netted along the track - a Scale-tooth Lance-wing Phaulernis dentella.

Scale-tooth Lnace-wing Phaulernis dentella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

Other moths were 3 Yellow-barred Long-horns Nemophora degeerella, 6 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 2 Pea Moths Cydia nigricana, 4 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Yellow Shell and Green Carpet; also the leaf-cone of Common Slender Gracillaria syringella.

Pea Moth Cydia nigricana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

Other bits and pieces included Banded Demoiselle, Dark Bush-cricket nymph, the Scorpion Fly Panorpa communis, Garden Chafer, the soldier beetle Cantharis livida, 7-spot Ladybird, the hoverlfly Volucella bombylans, the sawfly Tenthredo arcuata, Red-tailed Bumblebee, Strawberry Snail and Garden Snail.  Another bee keyed out as Broad-margined Mining Bee Andrena synadelph, a new species for me.

Broad-margined Mining Bee Andrena synadelph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

Volucella bombylans, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

This fly turned out to be a Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius, a species that I've probably seen before but hadn't previously identified.

Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

This rather attractive Cucumber Spider appears to be Twin Cucumber Spider Araniella opisthographa if I'm not mistaken.  I find it pretty hard to see the relevant details that enable identification of these spiders, even under a microscope, but this one seemed to fit oposthographa best I think.

Twin Cucumber Spider Araniella opisthographa, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

Found another Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella when I got home.  New for the year that night were Barred Marble Celypha striana and Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, and there was also Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 3 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Treble Brown Spot, 5 Silver-ground Carpets, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, Green Carpet, Freyer's Pug, 5 Common Pugs, Brimstone Moth, 3 Light Emeralds, Eyed Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, Orange Footman, Common Footman, 4 White Ermines, 13 Buff Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Ingrailed Clay, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Shears, 4 Common Wainscots, 2 Brown Rustics, Middle-barred Minor, 2 Treble Lines, Silver Y, Spectacle, Straw Dot and the caddisflies Plectrocnemia conspersa and 2 Limnephilus lunatus.

Cydia servillana, 3rd for Norfolk

After the previous day's productive wander round the Cathedral Meadows I returned a little later in the evening on Saturday 19th May, and it was very worthwhile.  The clear highlight was a new moth for me, and a rare one at that, Sallow-shoot Piercer Cydia servillana.  This "Nationally Scarce" species has ony twice been recorded in Norfolk, at Dersingham in 2011 and Aldeby in 2017, so opposite ends of the county with mine now being right in the middle.  It was quite a distinctive-looking moth with beautiful pale blue reflections at the base and tips of the wings.

Sallow-shoot Piercer Cydia servillana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

I netted 3 moths that at first I thought were Dichrorampha species, most likely Dichrorampha plumbana like the one I'd seen the day before, but they all proved to be Pea Moths Cydia nigricana.  I've only seen one of these before and had the same experience of thinking it was Dichrorampha at first.  Maybe I will learn for next time...

Pea Moth Cydia nigricana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

There were quite a few Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella netted and among them a single Skin Moth Monopis laevigella.

Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

Skin Moth Monopis laevigella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

Other moths included Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, 8 Cocksfoot Moths Glyphipterix simpliciella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, 3 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 5 Green Carpets and Small Yellow Underwing.

Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

What at first I thought were going to be hoverflies turned out to be Face Flies Musca autumnalis.  I'm sure I must have seen these before but these were the first ones I've photographed and confirmed.  (Uptdate August 2019 - I probably have seen Face Flies before but these weren't they... I now think they were in fact Tachina fera.)

 Tachina fera, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

I eventually managed to name this beetle, a new one for me, Choleva agilis.  [2023 edit - clearly this was not Choleva agilis and I have no idea why I thought it was! (it was my early days of beetle identification...)  It's an Anaspis, frontalis probably.]

(not) Choleva agilis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

This soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans was with it.

Cantharis nigricans, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

A Shieldbug nymph turned out to be "just" a Forest Bug (Red-legged Shieldbug).  An early/mid instar I think.

Forest Bug (Red-legged Shieldbug) early-mid instar nymph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

I have found keying out Andrena bees harder this year than I remember them being last year.  This one confused me at first but I eventually identified it as Buffish Mining Bee Andrena nigroaenea.  I couldn't see the ridges on the frons from above but on tilting the insect a bit they became visible.  A Buff-tailed Bumblebee was the only other bee I identified.

Buffish Mining Bee Andrena nigroaenea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

At home I found a Common Clothes Moth Tinola bisselliella, new for the year.

Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella, North Elmham, 19th May

The only moths new for the year in the trap that night were these 2 Buff-tips - high up on my list of favourite moths.

Buff-tips, North Elmham, 19th May

Otherwise it was a pretty poor showing with just Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Green Carpet, Common Pug, Scalloped Hazel, White Ermine, Muslin Moth, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 Flame Shoulders, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks and a Cockchafer.

Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, North Elmham, 19th May

A Mottled Pug was new for the year the following night but there wasn't much else: 3 Common Pugs, Poplar Hawk-moth, Lesser Swallow Prominent (so worn I had to gen det it to identify it), 3 White Ermines, 3 Muslin Moths, Heart and Dart, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Hebrew Character and Spectacle.

Mottled Pug, North Elmham, 20th May