Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 7: Marbles I (Eudemis to Lobesia))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE) (continued)


Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana - Singles in the garden on 23rd July 2019 and 25th July 2020 were my first here since 2016 (one before that in 2015).  Also one at the meadows on 4th August 2019.  For what is quite a variable species the 2 in 2019 were surprisingly similar in appearance.

Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Willow Marble Apotomis lineana - None.  I haven't recorded this species locally yet but I can't see any reason why it shouldn't occur in this part of the Wensum Valley.


White-shouldered Marble Apotomis turbidana - None.  I've not recorded this species in North Elmham yet but it must be on the cards.


Birch Marble Apotomis betuletana - Singles in the garden trap on 19th and 24th July and 12th August 2019 and on 7 dates between 1st and 29th Augsut 2020.  I don't get this species (or genus) here every year, and 7 was the most I've ever had.  Also one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and one at Bintree Wood on 24th July 2020.  I suspect that in the past I may have misidentified some betuletana with a strong hook-shaped white indentation into the darker base as capreana as I have come to realise in the last 2-3 years that this feature is more variable than I had once appreciated.  Differences in genitalia aren't all that obvious to me either, so it's not inconceivable that I've gone wrong even after examining them under the microscope, though I think I have a better understanding of the differences now.

male Birch Marble Apotoomis betuletana, North Elmham, 19th July 2019

Birch Marble Apotoomis betuletana, North Elmham, 24th July 2019

male Birch Marble Apotoomis betuletana, North Elmham, 12th August 2019

Birch Marble Apotoomis betuletana, Bintree Wood, 24th July 2020

Sallow Marble Apotomis capreana - One in the garden trap on 1st July 2020 was my first here since 2 in 2016.

Sallow Marble Apotoomis capreana, North Elmham, 1st July 2020

Woodland Marble Orthotaenia undulana - None.  I had 6 of these in my garden in my first full year here (2015) followed by singles in each of the next 3 years, so 2019 and 2020 were my first full years without any.


White-backed Marble Hedya salicella - One in the garden moth trap on 8th July 2020 was only my second here and the first for 5 years.  Also one at Laura's in Hellesdon on 4th July 2019 and one at the meadows on 18th July 2020.

White-backed Marble Hedya salicella, North Elmham, 8th July 2020

Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana - Totals of 18 in the garden between 17th June and 18th July 2019 and 16 between 11th June and 17th July 2020.  These were my worst year here to date - not far behind the previous couple of years but a long way short of the 57 in 2015.  Also 3 at the meadows.

Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana - Totals of 12 in the garden between 22nd June and 16th July 2019 and 8 between 22nd May and 25th June 2020.  As with the last species these were my worst years here, past annual totals peaking at 23 in 2016.  Elsewhere 7 at the meadows and 2 at Weybourne.

Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2020

Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana - One at the meadows on 30th June 2019 and one in the garden trap on 4th July.  The latter was my third here but first since 2016, so all the more surprising to catch 3 here in 2020, on 20th and 24th June and 4th July.

Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, North Elmham, 20th June 2020

female Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, North Elmham, 4th July 2020

Shoulder-spot Marble Hedya atropunctata - None.  I've never seen this species but there's a scattering of records around the county so it might turn up locally.


Barred Marble Celypha striana - At least 133 recorded at home between 18th June and 22nd August (not counted every night).  That's above average, but over 100 is normal.  A record year in 2020 with 182 between 26th May and 27th August including a record count of 11 on 16th June.  Also recorded next door, at the meadows (7), at Weybourne and at Hellesdon.

Barred Marble Celypha striana, North Elmham, 29th May 2020

Roseate Marble Celypha rosaceana - None.  I've not recorded this species locally yet, but imagine (hope) I will do sooner or later.


Thyme Marble Celypha cespitana - None.  I've caught this species at home twice, in 2015 and 2016.


Common Marble Celypha lacunana - At least 250 in the garden between 23rd May and 12th September (probably more as they weren't counted every night).  Since 2015 I've averaged over 300 a year here so this wasn't a particularly good year.  Only 245 here in 2020, between 19th May and 17th September - my worst year here to date.  Elsewhere 76 recorded at the meadows and others at Bintree Wood, Whitwell Street, Weybourne, Hellesdon, Hills and Holes, Row Heath (West Runton), Burnham Overy and on Mull.

Common Marble Celypha lacunana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May 2019

dark variant of Common Marble Celypha lacunana, North Elmham, 26th June 2020

Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana - Singles in the garden trap on 23rd and 29th June 2019.  1-2 a year is typical but I had 9 in each of 2016 and 2017.  Also 2 at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.  None in 2020, my first blank year since moving here.

Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, North Elmham, 23rd June 2019

Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana - One at the meadows on 18th July 2020.  My last 3 examples of this species were at the meadows but previously I've had 6 here at home.

Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Oak Marble Lobesia reliquana - None.  I've not recorded this species in North Elmham yet but should imagine I must be in with a good chance, at the meadows if not in the garden.  I've seen it reasonably close, at Bawdeswell Heath.


Next page: more Tortricidae

Another Dotted Ermel and other good moths

16th July was getting back to form.  Not the numbers of spcecies of a few days earlier but an improvement on the day before and a good night with several new for the year (for the garden).  Among these Lunar-spotted Pinion was a species I wasn't particularly expecting at home:

Lunar-spotted Pinion, North Elmham, 16th July

Least Carpet has only started appearing in numbers in very recent years.  I saw them for the first time last year.

Least Carpet, North Elmham, 16th July

The Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana was so worn it would have gone unidentified had I not dissected it, although traces of its normal pattern were just visible.

Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, North Elmham, 16th July

Despite its vernacular name, I have never found Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella to be common - in fact this one was only my second.

Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, North Elmham, 16th July

I've stumbled across a few of the next one before in various places, but I may have been lucky as this relatively distinctive tortrix isn't particularly well-recorded: White-barred Tortrix Olindia schumacherana.

White-barred Tortrix Olindia schumacherana, North Elmham, 16th July

Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana is one I don't see all that often, though I used to get the occasional example at Bawdeswell.

Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, North Elmham, 16th July

Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella and Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella are both species I've only recorded occaisonally, though that probably has more to do with the need to dissect them to confirm than them being particularly scarce.

Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Two much more frequent species were also new for the year: Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana and Cloaked Minor. 

Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, North Elmham, 16th July

Cloaked Minor, North Elmham, 16th July

Although not new for the year, Dotted Ermel Ethmia dodecea was probably better than any of the above.

Dotted Ermel Ethmia dodecea, North Elmham, 16th July

Other macros were 2 Chinese Characters, Large Emerald, Common Emerald, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, 11 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Barred Straws, Common Pug, V-Pug, 2 Green Pugs, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 5 Early Thorns, 3 Scalloped Oaks, 2 Swallow-tailed Moths, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, Clouded Silver, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, Yellow-tail, 6 Rosy Footmen, 2 Dingy Footmen, 7 Scarce Footmen, Buff Footman, 36 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, 3 Heart and Darts, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, 6 Double Square-spots, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Lychnis, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, 3 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 13 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Beautiful Hook-tip, 4 Snouts and Fan-foot. 

Large Emerald, North Elmham, 16th July

Buff Footman, North Elmham, 16th July

V-Pug, North Elmham, 16th July

Other micros were 10 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 5 Red-barred Tortrices Ditula angustiorana, 3 Grey Tortrices Cnephasia stephensiana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 27 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 8 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, 13 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis and 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis.

Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, North Elmham, 16th July

Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July