Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 1: Plusias to Nut-tree Tussock

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE)


Spectacle Abrostola tripartita - Totals of 17 trapped here between 30th May and 29th August 2019 and 34 between 30th May and 22nd August 2020.  2019 was my worst year here since moving in (average 43 a year).  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows (from 25th May), one at Bintree Wood and 2 at Hellesdon.

Spectacle, North Elmham, 11th July 2020

Spectacle, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Dark Spectacle Abrostola triplasia - One in the garden moth trap on 14th June 2020.  This was my 7th here since moving in in 2014 and 2019 was my first blank year.

Dark Spectacle, North Elmham, 14th June 2020

Dewick's Plusia Macdunnoughia confusa - None.  I've never trapped this species but it's becoming so well established in Norfolk, including in parts of mid Norfolk, that it surely can't be long before it arrives here.


Burnished Brass Diachrysia chrysitis - Totals of 36 caught here between 18th June and 30th September 2019 and 19 between 21st May (my earliest ever) and 20th September 2020. The 2020 total was my worst in 6 years and both years were well below the average annual tally of 60.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows, one at Whitwell Street and one at Hellesdon.

Burnished Brass, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Burnished Brass, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st May 2020

Silver Y Autographa gamma - Totals of 17 trapped in the garden between 3rd June and 19th September 2019 and 25 between 2nd June and 26th September 2020.  My average annual tally here is 16 and 2020's total was my highest yet.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows, one at Bintree Wood, one at Row Heath (West Runton), 2 on Mull and 4 in Cornwall.

Silver Y, North Elmham, 3rd June 2019

Silver Y, North Elmham, 6th August 2020

Beautiful Golden Y Autographa pulchrina - 5 caught at Carsaig (Mull) between 9th and 13th June 2019.  This species is quite irregular here - I caught one in 2015, 4 in 2016, none in 2017, one in 2018 and none again in 2019 or 2020.

Beautiful Golden Y, Carsaig (Mull), 9th June 2019

Beautiful Golden Y, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Plain Golden Y Autographa pulchrina - None in 2019 but one in the garden moth trap on 4th July 2020.  I've only caught 3 of these at home before, in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Plain Golden Y, North Elmham, 4th July 2020

Gold Spot Plusia festucae - One to LEDs at the meadows on 31st May 2019.  I've caught this species at home twice, in 2015 and 2016.  I've never seen Lenpke's Gold Spot, though I have seen a couple of individuals that experienced moth recorders assured me were this species (but which I was doubtful about and on dissection they proved to be Gold Spots).

Gold Spot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Marbled White Spot Deltote pygarga - 3 caught in the garden between 24th and 28th June 2019, the 3rd year out of 5 that I've caught 3 here - the other 2 years yielding 11 and 13.  None caught in the garden in 2020, my first blank year here, but singles at the meadows, Bintree Wood and Hills and Holes.

Marbled White Spot, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Marbled White Spot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Silver Hook Deltote uncula - At least 2 seen by day at different points along the footpath from Carsaig to Rubha Dubh on Mull on 10th June (both in damp grassland immediately up from the beach).  None in 2020 - I've only ever seen one of these in Norfolk and it doesn't occur locally.

Silver Hooks, Carsaig to Rubha Dubh (Mull), 10th June

Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli - In 2019, 5 caught here between 8th and 29th April then at least 22 between 12th July and 5th August (not counted on 4 dates but only singles on surrounding dates).  I averaged 55 per year over the previous 4 years - safe to say this was my worst year so far.  2020 was a bit better with 7 between 6th April and 18th May and 52 between 8th July and 6th August.  Elsewhere one at the meadows, 2 at Bintree Wood and 3 at Sculthorpe Moor.

Nut-tree Tussock, North Elmham, 8th April 2019

Nut-tree Tussock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Next page: more Noctuidae

Bugs and beetles outdoing the moths again

A visit to the Cathedral Meadows on 6th August produced two lifers in the space of a few seconds - in fact if I remember rightly they were both feeding on the same Hogweed: Adonis Ladybird and the sawfly Athalia liberta.

Adonis Ladybird, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th August

Athalia liberta, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th August

The following moths were seen: 2 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana, 20 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella and Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis.  Other insects included Southern Hawker, Field Grasshopper and Early and Buff-tailed Bumblebees.

Southern Hawker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th August

That night the garden moth trap produced the goods once again, but it wasn't moths taking the limelight.  There were a few interesting moths though including two new for the year: New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella and Dark Spectacle.

New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th August

Dark Spectacle, North Elmham, 6th August

The other moths were 2 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, 3 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Ermine sp. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 3 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 3 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, 2 Dark Nebs Bryotropha affinis, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, 4 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 28 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 45 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Pearl Evergestis pallidata, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Maiden's Blushes, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, 3 Flame Carpets, 4 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Common Carpets, 2 Maple Pugs, Wormwood Pug, 5 Currant Pugs, 3 Tawny Speckled Pugs, Double-striped Pug, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, Willow Beauty, Poplar Hawk-moth, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Swallow Prominent, 2 Dingy Footmen, 5 Turnip Moths, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 4 Flame Shoulders, 11 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 5 Six-striped Rustics, Common Wainscot, Marbled Beauty, Copper Underwing, Straw Underwing, 3 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, 2 Vine's Rustics, Silver Y, Spectacle and 7 Straw Dots.

Tawny Speckled Pug, North Elmham, 6th August

The mayflies, lacewings and caddisflies didn't cause too much excitement: Pale Evening Dun Procloeon bifidum, 2 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, Dichochrysa flavifrons, Conwentzia psociformis, Micromus variegatus, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 8 Hydropsyche siltalai and Limnephilus auricula.

Conwentzia psociformis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th August

The bugs were more interesting with 3 lifers.   Apart from 3 Birch Shieldbugs and 2 Forest Bugs there was only one heteropteran bug, but that was exquisite, easily identified and new for me: Malacocoris chlorizans.

Malacocoris chlorizans, North Elmham, 6th August

Out of 3 leafhoppers, one was the very common Empoasca vitis but the other two were both species I had not recorded before.  One was Grypotes puncticollis, a relatively nondescript species that I struggled at first to identify.

Grypotes puncticollis, North Elmham, 6th August

The other was either Kybos butleri or Kybos rufescens.  The thick dark line down the dorsum makes these two Kybos species very striking compared to the other Kybos species that I see more frequently, but you need a look at a male's genitalia to separate the two and this one was a female.  Neither species' foodplants (different species of willow) grow sufficiently close to the garden for this to be a significant clue.  I don't think proper competetive pan-listers would count it without a full species-level ID but a new species-pair is good enough for me until such time as I get a male of one or other species.

Kybos butleri or Kybos rufescens (female), North Elmham, 6th August

The water beetle Colymbetes fuscus is apparently very common but was a new species for me.  Other beetles included Amara apricaria, Bradycellus verbasci, Aphodius rufipes and two small black rove beetles which I was unable to identify.  There were also 2 Hornets.

Colymbetes fuscus, North Elmham, 6th August

Dark Spectacle and Feathered Gothic

A few moths on the patch at Bittering on Wednesday 23rd August were Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis.

That night New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella and Dark Spectacle were new for the year.

New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd August

Dark Spectacle, North Elmham, 23rd August

The other moths were Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 4 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 24 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 8 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 4 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Chinese Character, 3 Blood-veins, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Common Carpets, 2 Yellow Shells, 3 Green Carpets, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 5 Brimstone Moths, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, Dusky Thorn, Engrailed, Common Wave, 4 Light Emeralds, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 4 Common Wainscots, 10 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic, 6 Straw Dots and Snout.

Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, North Elmham, 23rd August

Other insects included the mayflies Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum and Pale Evening Dun Procloeon bifidum and the caddisflies Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus sparsus. There were 2 Birch Shieldbugs and a Forest Bug and but it was the beetles that got me a lifer, the water beetle Rhantus frontalis (along with another Trechus quadristriatus, following my first two nights previous, and Aphodius rufipes).

Rhantus frontalis, North Elmham, 23rd August

Trechus quadristriatus, North Elmham, 23rd August

The following night was quieter with nothing of real note: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 10 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 5 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Orange Swift, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Green Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Common Wave, Light Emerald, Swallow Prominent, 3 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, Mouse Moth, Straw Underwing, 6 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, Burnished Brass and Straw Dot. Also the caddisfly Lype phaeopa.

There were fewer species the next night but a couple of more interesting ones.  A Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella was only my second ever following one here in 2015 and a Feathered Gothic was a nice addition to the year list.

Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 25th August

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 25th August

Other moths were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 5 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 6 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Shaded Broad-bar, 4 Brimstone Moths, 3 Light Emeralds, 4 Flame Shoulders, 8 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 4 Square-spot Rustics, 4 Common Wainscots, 8 Flounced Rustics, 3 Vine's Rustics and Straw Dot. Other insects included the caddisflies Hydropsyche siltalai, 4 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus lunatus, the leafhopper Empoasca vitis and 3 of the dung beetles Aphodius rufipes.

Diamond-back invasion

I should imagine most of my readers will be aware that we are amidst an impressive invasion of migrant Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella.  These have been the dominant species in my moth trap over the last few nights.  It started last Sunday night, though I only saw one that night.  A pale indidivual, as many have been this invasion.

Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, North Elmham, 29th May

The best moth on Sunday night was this Dark Spectacle.

Dark Spectacle, North Elmham, 29th May

Also new for the year were Heart and Dart and Tawny Marbled Minor.

Tawny Marbled Minor (male, gen det), North Elmham, 29th May

Heart and Dart, North Elmham, 29th May

Other moths on Sunday night were Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, Common Swift, Silver-ground Carpet, 2 Common Pugs, Scalloped Hazel, Poplar Hawkmoth, Coxcomb Prominent, 5 White Ermines, Cinnabar, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 4 Flame Shoulders, Light Brocade, Angle Shades and 6 Treble Lines.

Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, North Elmham, 29th May

Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus auricula were the only Caddisflies.

On Monday night Lime Hawkmoth was new for the house and Clouded Silver new for the year.

Lime Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 30th May

Clouded Silver, North Elmham, 30th May

Not many other moths but 11 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Cinnabar, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Flame Shoulders and Treble Lines. Two hoverflies in the trap both proved to be species I'd not identified before (though common): Eupeodes corollae and Syrphus torvus.

Eupeodes corollae, North Elmham, 30th May

Syrphus torvus, North Elmham, 30th May

By far the most dominant feature of Tuesday night was an impressive 135 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, my peak count up to the time of writing.

Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, North Elmham, 31st May

They weren't the only migrants - this Silver Y sneaked in too.

Silver Y, North Elmham, 31st May

A Vine's Rustic was new for the year but the only other moths were Brimstone Moth and 5 Treble Lines.  Also a caddisfly Limnephilus auricula.

Vine's Rustic, North Elmham, 31st May

A quick look round the garden on Wednesday evening got me White Oak Midget Phyllonorycter harrisella, new for the house, and Common Marble Celypha lacunana, new for the year here.

White Oak Midget Phyllonorycter harrisella, North Elmham, 1st June

In and around the trap that night there was a slight reduction to 120 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella.  The only other moths were Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Common Swifts, Poplar Hawkmoth, Muslin Moth, 2 Flame Shoulders and 5 Treble Lines. This Mayfly, a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum was new for the year, one of the few Mayflies I had identified prior to this year.

Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 1st June

If you're a Snail and there's a big Snail in the way, what do you do?  Go round it?  Nope, you go over it.  This Kentish Snail (I think) walked straight over the top of a Garden Snail.  Also 2 Strawberry Snails and Brown-lipped Snails in the garden.

Kentish Snail (I think) walking all over a Garden Snail, North Elmham, 1st June

Thursday night produced 63 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Common Swift, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, Poplar Hawkmoth, 3 Flame Shoulders, Clouded-bordered Brindle, 4 Treble Lines, Silver Y, Cockchafer and antoher Eupeodes corollae (Hoverfly).

Garden Carpet and Common Marbled Carpet, North Elmham, 2nd June

Clouded-bordered Brindle, North Elmham, 2nd June

There will be more to say about Diamond-backs in a post covering Saturday when I didn't catch so many in the trap but saw 10s if not 100s of 1000s in the field.