Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Diamond-backs (Plutellidae) and Fanners (Glyphipterigidae)

DIAMOND-BACKS (PLUTELLIDAE)


Diamond-back Plutella xylostella - Totals of 122 recorded in my garden over 56 nights between 22nd April and 24th November 2019 and 105 over 51 nights between 21st May and 13th December 2020.  Only one night scraped into double figures - 10 on 16th August 2020.  These were slightly higher totals than in 2018 and much more than 2015 and 2017, but a long way short of the 2016 influx year when I caught over a thousand.  Elsewhere a total of 26 seen at the meadows, 3 next door, 5 at Weybourne, 3 at Burnham Overy and singles at County School, Bintree Wood, Swanton Great Wood, Row Heath, Brancaster and Tresidder (Cornwall).

Diamond-back Plutella xytlostella, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

Grey-streaked Diamond-back Plutella porrectella - 2019 was an excellent year for this species with 8 recorded at home between 16th May and 4th August, plus one at Laura's in Hellesdon.  I'd only ever seen 8 before, although that includes 1-2 here most years since moving in in 2014.  2020 was back to normal with just one on 26th May.

Grey-streaked Diamond-back Plutella porrectella, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

Bitter-cress Diamond-back Eidophasia messingiella - None.  I've only ever seen one of these and it wasn't round here.  It could occur nearby - it's pretty widespread if a little scarce.

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FANNERS (GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE)


Reed Fanner Orthotelia sparganella - I had only ever seen this species in the Broads and thought of it as being an exclusively Broadland species.  In fact there are a scattering of records elsewhere in the county so perhaps it shouldn't have been as much of a surprise as it was when I caught one at the meadows on 18th July 2020.

Reed Fanner Orthotelia sparganella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Speckled Fanner Glyphipterix thrasonella - None.  I've found this species at 3 sites around Norfolk but never close to home.


Plain Fanner Glyphipterix fuscoviridella - None.  This species is very common at Burnham Overy and I've seen lower numbers at a few other sites in the Brecks or NW Norfolk, but I haven't found it near here yet.  There are a few records in central Norfolk so it wouldn't be very unexpected.


Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpiciella - Despite being one of our most abundant moths this species doesn't seem to come to light and was absent from my garden list until 2019.  This gap was closed on 2nd June 2019 when one was attracted to the Yellow-legged Clearwing pheremone lure.  Mostly seen at the meadows where recorded between 12th and 25th May 2019 and 8th and 27th May 2020 with up to 45 counted in a day (I'm sure a more careful count would have revealed far more than this).

Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella, North Elmham, 2nd June 2019

Bog-rush Fanner Glyphipterix schoenicolella - None.  Although very unexpected, this is the only member of the family to have come to light here in my garden.  It was a long way from any other records of this species and also a fair way from anywhere its foodplant grows so far as I know, so I don't have high hopes for a repeat.


Leek Moth Acrolepiopsis assectella - None.  Of all the species that hasn't turned up here at North Elmham yet, I think this is the one that I saw at my last house in Bawdeswell the most.  I had 9 there (without a proper trap) between 2010 and 2013 so I feel very overdue one here in North Elmham.


Bittersweet Fanner Acrolepiopsis autumnitella - None.  I've only seen one of these here, in 2015.


Next page: Argyresthiidae

New Pigmy for the garden

Another visit to the Cathedral Meadows on Monday 14th added a few more species to the list.  A Large White was the only new butterfly but I managed to get some better photos of other species including Holly Blue and Orange-tip (just too slow for Brimstone).

Holly Blue, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th May

Orange-tip, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th May

Green-veined White, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th May

As well as 5 Large Red Damselflies there was this Common Blue Damselfly, my first this year.

Common Blue Damselfly, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th May

A Dark-edge Bee-fly provided an opportunity for some flight shots...

Dark-edged Bee-fly, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th May

I only found 3 moths: Oak Satin Lift Heliozela sericiella, Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella and Vetch Piercer Grapholita jungiella.

Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th May

Hoverflies included another Melanostoma mellinum and my first Epistrophe eligans.

Epistrophe eligans, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th May

I eventually identified this bee as a Chocolate Mining Bee Andrena scotica.

Chocolate Mining Bee Andrena scotica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th May

When I got home I found a Varied Carpet Beetle in the house.  Ironically I always seem to find them in the uncarpeted rooms - maybe the ones in the carpeted rooms are hiding in the carpets?

The star of that night's moth trap was a Coarse Hazel Pigmy Stigmella floslactella, a new species for the garden.

Coarse Hazel Pigmy Stigmella floslactella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 14th May

Also new for the year were Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Pale Tussock, Heart and Dart (again, worn almost to the point of being unrecognisable) and a Cockchafer.

Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, North Elmham, 14th May

Pale Tussock, North Elmham, 14th May

Cockchafer, North Elmham, 14th May

Other moths were 3 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Garden Carpet, Green Carpet, Common Pug, Brimstone Moth, Chocolate-tip, Flame Shoulder and Nut-tree Tussock, while Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus and 3 Limnephilus auricula represented the caddisflies.

Brimstone Moth, North Elmham, 14th May