Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Hook-tips, Lutestrings and allies (Drepanidae)

HOOK-TIPS, LUTESTRINGS and allies (DREPANIDAE)


Scalloped Hook-tip Falcaria lacertinaria - Singles in the garden trap on 14th July 2019 and 21st May 2020, my first here since 2016.  I had 3 in autumn 2014 just after moving in, one in 2015 and one in 2016.  Elsewhere singles at the meadows on 22nd April and 4th August 2019, 2 at Sculthorpe Moor on 26th April 2019 and one at Bintree Wood on 24th July 2020.

Scalloped Hook-tip, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Scalloped Hook-tip, North Elmham, 21st May 2020

Oak Hook-tip Watsonalla binaria - One caught at home on 3rd August 2019 and 5 here between 18th May and 24th July 2020.  5 represents the best year here so far - I've had between 1-3 before.  Elsewhere one next door, 8 at the meadows (including 5 on 7th August 2020) and 2 at Bintree Wood.

Oak Hook-tip, North Elmham, 3rd August 2019

Oak Hook-tip, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd September 2019

Oak Hook-tip, North Elmham, 18th May 2020

Oak Hook-tip, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Spiny Hook-tip Watsonalla uncinula - One to LEDs in Spain in February 2020, the first time I've seen this non-British species that's pretty similar to our Oak Hook-tip.

Spiny Hook-tip, between Sant Vicenc and Torrelles de Llobregat, 23rd February 2020

Dusky Hook-tip Watsonalla cultraria - None.  Away from a few hotspots this species is pretty rare in Norfolk but there are scattered records from quite a lot of the county so perhaps the odds of finding one locally aren't impossibly low.


Pebble Hook-tip Drepana falcataria - Totals of 15 in the garden trap between 16th July and 6th August 2019 and 11 between 21st July and 19th August 2020, totals that are a bit below average.  Elsewhere one next door, 3 at the meadows, one at Bintree Wood, one at Weybourne, a later one at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019 and 2 earlier ones at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020.

Pebble Hook-tip, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Pebble Hook-tip, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Chinese Character Cilix glaucata - One in the garden and 2 at the meadows between 21st April and 31st May 2019 and then commoner in the summer generation with 16 here between 6th July and 2nd September, and 2 more at the meadows.  I've averaged 33 a year here - this was my worst year so far. 2020 was a little better though still below par - 5 between 18th and 20th May and 34 between 8th July and 3rd September; also 1-2 at the meadows, Whitwell Street, Hills and Holes and Brancaster.

Chinese Character, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Chinese Character, North Elmham, 19th May 2020

Peach Blossom Thyatira batis - One at the meadows on 26th July 2019.  2019 and 2020 were my first blank years at home though apart from 4 in 2015 I've only had one per year so the occasional nil return isn't all that surprising.

Peach Blossom, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Buff Arches Habrosyne pyritoides - Singles at home on 5th and 6th July 2019 and 26th June 2020, 2 very bad showings for a species that had been averaging 16 a year here.  Also one at Hellesdon on 14th July 2019.

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 26th June 2020

Figure of Eighty Tethea ocularis - None in 2019 - my first blank year here - but one on 28th May 2020.  I only average one a year so a blank year was bound to happen sooner or later.

Figure of Eighty, North Elmham, 28th May 2020

Common Lutestring Ochropacha duplaris - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.  North east Norfolk seems to be a bit of a hotspot for this species - my only previous record was of 3 near Selbrigg in 2014.

Common Lutestring, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Oak Lutestring Cymatophorina diluta - Dave N and I were very grateful to Ben D for arranging access to Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.  Our main target was this species which is pretty much restricted to this site in Norfolk (there have been just a couple of records elsewhere since the 1800s).  We scored, and we scored well - they were the first moths in and we caught a total of at least 26.

Oak Lutestrings, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Frosted Green Polyploca ridens - 9 at home between 6th April and 3rd May.  This was my best year yet though not far ahead of the 8 in 2018.  In contrast just 2 in 2020, on 15th and 21st April - not my worst year as I didn't have any at all in 2017.  Elsewhere 6 at the meadows on 22nd April 2019 and one at Sculthorpe Moor on 26th.

Frosted Green, North Elmham, 20th April 2019

Frosted Green, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Frosted Green, North Elmham, 15th April 2020

Yellow Horned Achlya flavicornis - Singles in the garden trap on 5th March 2019 and 7th March 2020 were only my second and third here following one in 2016.

Yellow Horned, North Elmham, 5th March 2019

Yellow Horned, North Elmham, 7th March 2020

Next page: Lasiocampidae plus

Warming up in mid April

Moths on 12th April consisted of 4 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, Red Chestnut, 4 Small Quakers, 3 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, Twin-spotted Quaker, 6 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.  There was also a Carabid Beetle that has defied identification so far.  I've spent far more time than I have keying it out and no matter which way I go when the couplets are ambiguous or uncertain I always end up at a dead end.

Next day a look round the patch at Bittering with Dave produced relatively little in the way of inverts, but a few things of note.  The only adult moth was a March Tubic Diurnea fagella on an Oak trunk.  Also on an Oak was this algae-covered caterpillar.  I think it belongs to a Virgin Bagworm Luffia ferchaultella, a new species for me.  I will see if I can rear it through - I've already had to go back to find some more algae-covered bark as it soon cleaned up the algae off the bit of bark I took it home on!  As I write, over a week later, it's still chomping away. [Update May 2018: I reared it through successfully and it turns out it was in fact a White-speckled Bagworm Narycia duplicella!]

White-speckled Bagworm Narycia duplicella, Bittering, 13th April

I recently acquired a sweep net and used it for the first time today.  A couple of sweeps and I had enough insects to identify that would keep me busy for long enough!  One was a new beetle for me, Epuraea silacea.  Two other beetles have so far defied identification, so I'll hold them back for another day when I have more time.

Epuraea silacea, Bittering, 13th April

A couple of these curious little knobbly creatures came out of a Norway Maple tree.  They turned out to be aphids, and look like Periphyllus testudinaceus.

Periphyllus testudinaceus, Bittering, 13th April

That night was arguably the best of the year so far for moths with Scarce Alder Slender Caloptilia falconipennella, Ruddy Flat-body Agonopterix subpropinquella, Brindled Beauty and Pale Pinion all new for the year here, and apart from the Brindled Beauty all species that I don't quite record annually here.  Indeed the falconipennella was only my third anywhere.

 Scarce Alder Slender Caloptilia falconipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th April

Ruddy Flat-body Agonopterix subpropinquella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th April

Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 13th April

Pale Pinion, North Elmham, 13th April

Other moths that night were 2 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Shoulder Stripes, Red Chestnut, 3 Small Quakers, 3 Common Quakers, Clouded Drab, 5 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.  There was also the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea and 3 Black Sexton Beetles.

The following night there were a few moths but not much variety and nothing new: 3 Brindled Beauties, Red Chestnut, 6 Small Quakers, 4 Common Quakers, 3 Clouded Drabs, 11 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

When I went out to check the light was going on the next night I moved the electrics box and this beetle came out from underneath.  It turned out to be Harpalus affinis, a new species for me.

Harpalus affinis, North Elmham, 13th April

Frosted Green, Double-striped Pug and Herald were all new for they year that night and I also recorded Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Engrailed, Small Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, 6 Hebrew Characters and 2 Black Sexton Beetles.

Frosted Green, North Elmham, 15th April

Double-striped Pug, North Elmham, 15th April

Herald, North Elmham, 15th April

There was another Varied Carpet Beetle in the house on 16th and that night I trapped Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Frosted Green, Early Thorn, Small Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, 7 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and 3 Black Sexton Beetles.

Dotted Chestnut (and a cool beetle)

On Thursday night the garden moth trap only produced 8 species but it was definitely a night of quality not quantity.  The clear highlight was a Dotted Chestnut, a species first recorded in Norfolk as recently as 2013.  Since then there have been pushing 30 more, the majority in the Brecks but a few scattered elsewhere in the southern half of the county - the species is clearly on the increase.  Mine seems to be the most northerly record in Norfolk so far, if only by a gnat's whisker, but I don't suppose that will last for long.

Dotted Chestnut, North Elmham, 5th May

In addition to this no less than 4 moths were new for the year: White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Frosted Green, Waved Umber and Pale Tussock.

Frosted Green, North Elmham, 5th May

Pale Tussock, North Elmham, 5th May

Waved Umber, North Elmham, 5th May

The rest weren't bad either: 3 Streamers, Muslin Moth and 5 Hebrew Characters.

Muslin Moth, North Elmham, 5th May

Next day I had a quick scan over the marshes at Burnham Norton in my lunch break.  Not much doing there except my first Common Blue of the year so I moved on to Barrow Common.  A short walk through the wood on the southern side produced this fantastic beastie.  Wasn't sure what it was at first, first impression was a beetle but when I saw it more closely I figured it was some kind of shieldbug or something.  Further inspection of the photos reveals that I was right with my first impression, and it proves to be a beetle called Oiceoptoma thoracicum.

Oiceoptoma thoracicum, Barrow Common, 6th May

This Snail seems to be a Kentish Snail Monacha cantiana if I'm not mistaken...

Kentish Snail, Barrow Common, 6th May