Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Erebids (Erebidae) part 1: Herald, Straw Dot, Snouts and Tussocks and allies

EREBIDS (EREBIDAE)


Herald Scoliopteryx libatrix - Singles in the garden on 23rd and 24th April and 2nd May 2019 and on 5th April 2020.  I've had between 1-4 every year I've trapped here.  I've not caught this species anywhere else since living here.

Herald, North Elmham, 23rd April 2019

Herald, North Elmham, 5th April 2020

Straw Dot Rivula sericealis - At least 106 caught in the garden between 30th May and 25th September 2019 but no counts on 9 dates so the true total may have been higher (but possibly not a lot as a lot of counts of one around this period).  Almost certainly my worst year here, 2020 being the next worst year with 166 between 26th May and 30th September.  Over the previous 4 years I averaged nearly 460 a year.  Elsewhere caught next door on 3 nights, 20 seen at the meadows on 13 dates and 3-4 at Bintree Wood, Whitwell Street and Swanton Great Wood and singles at Hills and Holes and in Cornwall.

Straw Dot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

Snout Hypena proboscidalis - Totals of 105 caught in the garden between 23rd June and 20th October 2019 and 91 between 3rd June and 27th September 2020.  I catch more than double those totals in an average year - these were my worst totals so far.  Elsewhere a total of 29 over 17 dates at the meadows, 6 in Hellesdon, 9 in Cornwall and 1-2 at Bintree Wood, Whitwell Street, Swanton Great Wood, Weybourne and Row Heath (West Runton).

Snout, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st June 2019

Snout, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Snout, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Buttoned Snout Hypena rostralis - One in the garden moth trap on 18th May 2020.  I've had 2 here before, in 2015 and 2017 (and 4 at my old house in Bawdeswell between 2010 and 2014).

Buttoned Snout, North Elmham, 18th May 2020

White Satin Leucoma salicis - None at home in either year or in any year since 2016, though 2 here in each of 2015 and 2016 and one next door in 2017.  One at the meadows on 18th July 2020 was my only record in 2019-20, my second here.

White Satin, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Black Arches Lymantria monacha - 4 caught in the garden between 22nd and 27th July 2019 and 6 between 18th and 26th July 2020.  I've never gone lower than 4 and the previous 2 years' totals weren't much higher but before that 22 in 2016.  Elsewhere one next door, 2 at the meadows, 3 at Bintree Wood, 5 at Swanton Great Wood and 2 at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August.

Black Arches, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Black Arches, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Black Arches, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2019

Gypsy Moth Lymantria dispar - I've never caught this species myself but I did get to see one that someone else caught in 2019.  I don't normally twitch moths that other people catch but I took a call from Chris Mills who said that a friend who was staying in his house (while he was overseas)and  had caught what appeared to be this species.  His friend wanted someone else to go along and see it in order to confirm the ID as as I was at Winterton I was happy to pop in on my way home and take a look.  After becoming extinct in the 19th century this species is re-establishing itself in a few areas in southern England.  This was the 5th Norfolk record since 2016 and there were another 5 records in 2020 so it seems like it may be in the process of colonising Norfolk.  In any case we can expect more in coming years...

Gypsy Moth, Themelthorpe, caught by Sean on 18th August 2019

Brown-tail Euproctis chrysorrhoea - 3 caught in the garden between 11th and 26th July 2019 and 9 between 13th and 29th July 2020.  3-4 a year here is normal but I'd never gone above 6 before.  Elsewhere one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 and 30 at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020.

Brown-tail, Brancaster, 2nd July 2020

Yellow-tail Euproctis similis - At least 17 between 11th July and 3rd August 2019 and 40 between 18th June and 12th August 2020.  Although not counted on 3 nights in 2019, so the actual total may have been a little higher than 17, this was certainly my worst year for Yellow-tails here - I averaged 68 a year between 2015 and 2018.  Elsewhere a couple next door, 3 at the meadows (plus a caterpillar on 27th May 2020), one at Bintree Wood and 2 caterpillars at Titchwell on 1st June 2019.

Yellow-tail caterpillar, Titchwell, 1st June 2019

Yellow-tail caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th May 2020

Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda - Totals of 12 caught in the garden between 22nd April and 30th June 2019 and 7 between 9th and 22nd May 2020.  15 a year is average and these were my worst showings since moving here.  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows and 8 at Hills and Holes.

Pale Tussock, North Elmham, 22nd April 2019

Pale Tussock, North Elmham, 9th May 2020

Pale Tussock, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Vapourer Orgyia antiqua - Singles in the garden moth trap on 6th Augsut and 26th September 2020.  I'd only ever caught 2 here before (2015 and 2017) though I'd also found a caterpillar in 2014.  Elsewhere oone to light at the meadows on 30th July 2019 and then 3 seen in flight in daytime on 15th-17th October; another to light on 18th July 2020.  Also one day-flying at Cromer on 22nd October 2019. 

Vapourer, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd July 2019

Vapourer, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Vapourer, North Elmham, 26th September 2020

Next page: more Erebidae

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.

My first Sloe Midget

Arguably the highlight on the night of Sunday 16th July was a New Poplar Pigmy Ectoedemia hannoverella, a species I'd seen for the first time in June.  Again this one keyed out quite straightforwardly and I checked its genitalia for added confidence (this time it was a female - the last one was a male) (but see 2018 comment below).

New Poplar Pigmy Ectoedemia hannoverella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July - or not: see below...

* Edit 2018: OK, I got a bit suspicious after my fourth in 2018 which seems a lot for a Poplar-feeding species given the distance from here to the nearest Poplars.  Having looked into it a bit more it now seems possible - indeed likely - that they are not hannoverella but Spotted Black Pigmies Ectoedemia subbimaculella.  I cannot rule out hannoverella, nor the Holm-Oak species heringella as both the external appearance and the genitalia are very similar between all 3 species, but as there is an Oak tree close by (subbimaculella feeds on Oak) and no Poplar or Holm-Oak very close I think subbimaculella is most likely.  Not entirely sure why I overlooked this as a possibility - probably because most of the photos online show much better patterned individuals than any of mine.

A few species were new for the year: Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Dagger and Herald.

Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 16th July

Dark Dagger (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Herald, North Elmham, 16th July

A good selection of other micros consisted of Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, 26 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 4 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella, Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 3 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Bud Moths Spilonota ocellana, 18 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 24 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 20 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella and Chalk Knot-horn Phycitodes maritima.

Other insects included the mayfly Serratella ignita, the green lacewing Cunctochrysa albolineata and the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus.  Caddisflies included Hydroptila sparsa which was new for the year, Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula and Leptocerus tineiformis.  Beetles included the water beetle Rhantus suturalis, new-for-the-year Bradycellus verbasci (one confirmed and a second presumed) and Brown Chafer.

Hydroptila sparsa, North Elmham, 16th July

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham, 16th July

There were Peacock and Small Tortroiseshell in the garden next day - the Peacock apparently being my first garden record this year (really?!).  I also found a Small Purple and Gold (Mint Moth) Pyrausta aurata flying around the mint in the garden.

Earlier in July I reported my first fully-identified Phyllonorycter cerasicolella (I'd seen cerasicolella/spinicolella agg. before).  Now I can report my first fully-identified example of the other of the aggregate pair, Sloe Midget Phyllonorycter spinicolella, at home on Monday 17th July.

Sloe Midget Phyllonorycter spinicolella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 17th July

A Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella was another good moth that night - not one I see often at home (my first here was almost exactly a year ago).

Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella, North Elmham, 17th July

The only other new moth for the year that night was a Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis.

Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, North Elmham, 17th July

Other moths in the garden that night were Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, 3 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 20 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 3 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Chinese Characters, Blood-vein, 3 Least Carpets, 9 Single-dotted Waves, Small Scallop, 6 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow Shell, 2 Magpie Moths, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, Peppered Moth, Engrailed, Elephant Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, 2 Round-winged Muslins, 4 Rosy Footmen, 25 Dingy Footmen, 6 Scarce Footmen, 21 Common Footmen, 6 Buff Ermines, 2 Ruby Tigers, Flame Shoulder, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Double Square-spots, 2 Brown-line Bright Eyes, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 4 Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, 8 Uncertains, 5 Rustics, 7 Nut-tree Tussocks, Spectacle and Straw Dot.

Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, North Elmham, 17th July

There were 3 species of mayfly in the trap: Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, Green Drake Ephemera danica and Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita.  Lacewings were less well-represtented with just one Dichochrysa flavifrons.  A selection of caddisflies included Oxyethira flavicornis, Cyrnus trimaculatus, Polycentropus flavomaculatus, Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus lunatus.  Two Aphodius rufipes were the only beetles and the only bugs were 2 Zygina angusta, a leafhopper I'd not positively identified before.

Zygina angusta (male above, female below), North Elmham, 17th July