Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 8: Marbles II and Rollers etc. (Endothenia to Spilonota))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE) (continued)


Teasel Marble Endothenia gentianaeana - None.  I've only seen one of these, in my garden in 2015. 


Downland Marble Endothenia oblongana - None caught by me though I did confirm 3 that were caught by Geoff Turner at Weybourne during the week before I visited in July 2019 and one caught by Dave at Toftwood (Dereham) in August 2020.  I've not had this in North Elmham yet but there's plenty of Ribwort Plantain and Common Knapweed at the meadows so I must have a really good chance of finding it locally.  I had one at Creaking Gate Lake (Bittering) once so not all that far away.

2 male and 1 female Downland Marbles Endothenia oblongana, caught at Weybourne by Geoff Turner, 30th June-4th July 2019

male Downland Marbles Endothenia oblongana, caught at Toftwood (Dereham) by Dave Norgate, 7th August 2020

Bordered Marble Endothenia marginana - None confirmed.  Another one that could plausibly turn up here but I'm yet to find it anywhere.  However an Endothenia at Brancaster with Will and Sarah on 2nd July wasn't retained for checking and bearing in mind the abundance of this species' foodplant here there's a good chance it was this.


Woundwort Marble Endothenia pullana - None.  I know this occurs locally as I trapped one here in 2016 but that was the second for Norfolk (first post-Victorian) so they clearly aren't common.  There's a lot of Marsh Woundwort growing at the meadows though, so potential to find it there.


Bugle Marble Endothenia ustulana - One trapped in my garden on 23rd July 2019 was a completely new moth for me.

male Bugle Marble Endothenia ustulana, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Black-edged Marble Endothenia nigricostana - One at Hindolveston when I visited Marcus on 6th July 2020 (I think he pointed it out).  I've recorded this here (once, when it came to Yellow-legged Clearwing pheremone lure in 2017), at the meadows and at Rawhall.


Heath Marble Endothenia ericetana - One in the garden on 17th July 2019, my first since 3 here in 2015.

Heath Marble Endothenia ericetana, North Elmham, 17th July 2019

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana - 4 in the garden trap between 29th June and 20th August 2019, a fairly typical year.  Singles on 5th and 31st July 2020 was a bit below par.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 13th June 2020.

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June 2020

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, North Elmham, 5th July 2020

Rush Marble Bactra lancealana - My worst 2 years on record here with just one in 2019, on 30th June, and 4 between 28th July and 10th August 2020.  I had 24 here in 2018 and averaged 17 a year between 2015 and 2018.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 25th May 2019, singles at Bintree Wood and Whitwell Street in 2020 and 6 near Carsaig on Mull in 2019.

female Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana - One at the meadows on 26th July 2019.  None in 2020 and none at home where I'd had 1-2 in each of the previous 3 years.

Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Saltern Marble Bactra robustana - None.  Not particularly likely here but there are a few inland records so not out of the question.  I've dissected a number of apparent candidates for this species but they're nearly always something else.


Honeysuckle Bell Eucosmomorpha albersana - None.  I've never seen this species but although it's scarce it's widespread enough to think it might be lurking round here somewhere.


Cherry-bark Moth Enarmonia formosana - None.  I had 3 of these at home in 2015/16 but not since.


Bridge Roller Ancylis uncella - None.  Although there are no records from anywhere very close to here they occur commonly enough in the heaths a little way to the east and to the west, so I should think there's a fair chance once might wander over here.


Dark Roller Ancylis upupana - None.  I've never seen this species and it's not exactly common so perhaps a bit optimistic to hope for one round here, but it's a smart-looking thing so I shall be keeping an eye out for it.  There are patches of Birch woodland round here so maybe more chance of this than one or two of the slightly commoner but habitat-restricted species like Festooned Roller Ancylis geminana?


Common Roller Ancylis badiana - One at Carsaig on Mull on 10th June 2019.  In Norfolk it's not at all common away from the Brecks though I did have one at the meadows in 2018.

Common Roller Ancylis badiana, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana - A total of 36 at home between 24th June and 23rd July 2019, my best year to date (though I've never gone below 21 in a year here).  2020 was good too with 34 between 16th June and 22nd July including a record count of 6 on 26th June.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows and one at Hellesdon in 2019.

Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Red Roller Ancylis mitterbacheriana - None.  This is a pretty widespread species in Norfolk and I've had it as close as Bawdeswell Heath but so far I've not found it in North Elmham.


Lemon Bell Thiodia citrana - None.  Although this is described as being mainly Breckland there are quite a few records from elsewhere in Norfolk (including 2 I had in my last house at Bawdeswell) so I must be in with a decent chance of finding one locally before too long.


Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana - At least 30 in the garden between 4th July and 7th August 2019 (not counted every night), my best total to date though not all that far ahead of other years.  In contrast 15 between 26th June and 7th August 2020 was my worst showing so far.  Also recorded at the meadows, Weybourne and Swanton Great Wood, all in 2019.

Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

male Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, North Elmham, 29th July 2020

Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana - 8 in the garden between 24th June and 16th August 2019 and another 8 between 5th July and 6th August 2020.  I've had between 8 and 12 here every year since 2015.  Elsewhere one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

female Bud Moth Spilonota ocellama, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

male Bud Moth Spilonota ocellama, North Elmham, 5th July 2020

Larch-bud Moth Spilonota laricana - None.  I've only ever caught one of these here, in 2017.


Next page: more Tortricidae

Leaf-miners and Narrow-winged Pug

New for the year for home on 8th August were Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella and Narrow-winged Pug, the latter a species I've only ever encountered on heather heathland before, albeit sometimes then in good numbers.

Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maesingella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 8th August

Narrow-winged Pug, North Elmham, 8th August

Another species that sounds like it should be a heathland species from its common name is, in fact, not, but still one I don't see often: Heath Marble Endothenia ericetana.

Heath Marble Endothenia ericetana, North Elmham, 8th August

Plenty of other micros too: Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 4 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 4 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrices Pandemis heparana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 2 Holly Tortrices Rhopobota naevana, Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana, Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 32 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 35 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, 3 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 5 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, 6 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis and 4 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella.

 A good variety of macros too: 3 Pebble Hook-tips, Chinese Character, Large Emerald, Blood-vein, Least Carpet, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 14 Riband Waves, 4 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, July Highflyer, Tawny Speckled Pug, Clouded Border, Scorched Carpet, 6 Willow Beauties, 2 Poplar Hawkmoths, 4 Pebble Prominents, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, Chocolate-tip, Yellow-tail, 2 Rosy Footmen, 15 Dingy Footmen, 5 Scarce Footmen, 3 Common Footmen, Ruby Tiger, Heart and Dart, Flame Shoulder, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 12 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, 2 Six-striped Rustics, Lychnis, Smoky Wainscot, Dun-bar, 2 Dark Arches, 4 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, 2 Dusky Sallows, 2 Flounced Rustics, 5 Uncertains, Rustic, Nut-tree Tussock, 3 Spectacles and Straw Dot.

 Least Carpet, North Elmham, 8th August

Lesser Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 8th August

Small Rufous

25th July wasn't a great night although White Satin was new for the year for the garden.  26th July was a little better with a: Heath Marble Endothenia ericetana which I'd only ever seen once before, back in 2010, and 2 Small Rufouses which I've not seen often.

Heath Marble Endothenia ericetana, North Elmham, 26th July

Small Rufouses, North Elmham, 26th July

The other moths on 25th were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Small Blood-vein, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Shaded Broad-bar, Clouded Border, 3 Scalloped Oaks, Peppered Moth, Poplar Hawkmoth, Coxcomb Prominent, Yellow-tail, 2 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 14 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, Double Square-spot, Nutmeg, Bright-line Brown-eye, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Dark Arches, 3 Common Rustics, 7 Uncertains, Nut-tree Tussock, Burnished Brass and Snout.

The others on 26th were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 2 Holly Tortrices Rhopobota naevana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 14 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Large Emerald, Blood-vein, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, Riband Wave, Yellow Shell, Clouded Border, 3 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, 2 Peppered Moths, Engrailed, Coxcomb Prominent, 5 Yellow-tails, Rosy Footman, 3 Dingy Footmen, 3 Scarce Footmen, 5 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 2 Heart and Darts, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 2 Dark Arches, Common Rustic, 9 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Beautiful Hook-tip and 2 Snouts. 

This hoverfly, Eristalis tenax, is a good Honey Bee mimic.  Fooled me anyway, for a bit.

Eristalis tenax, North Elmham, 26th July