Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Leaf-cutters (Incurvariidae), Carls (Tischeriidae) and Bagworms (Psychidae)

LEAF-CUTTERS (INCURVARIIDAE)


Pale Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria pectinea - None.  I'm yet to encounter this species but its fairly widespread, if not especially common, in Norfolk so I should bump into it sometime.  Plenty of its foodplants locally.


Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria masculella - After failing to catch a likely-looking candidate 2-3 years ago I finally added this species to the garden list when I netted one on 25th April 2020.  One at the meadows on 2nd May was the only one I found in 2019 but 3 there between 24th April and 15th May 2020 plus larval feeding signs on 2nd October.

Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria masculella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd May 2019

Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria masculella, North Elmham, 25th April 2020

larval feeding signs of Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria masculella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd October 2020

Common Leaf-cutter Incurvaria oehlmanniella - The common name for this species is rather misleading as it is described as 'rare' in Norfolk, although that seems to be increasingly inaccurate too.  Until 2019 I had only found one of these, in my garden in 2017, but in each of 2019 and 2020 I caught 3 here, on 22nd May, 2nd June and 29th June 2019 and 19th, 21st and 27th May 2020.  A couple of good years, or a species that is on the rise?

Common Leaf-cutter Incurvaria oehlmanniella, North Elmham, 22nd May 2019

Common Leaf-cutter Incurvaria oehlmanniella, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Common Leaf-cutter Incurvaria oehlmanniella, North Elmham, 27th May 2020

Striped Leaf-cutter Phylloporia bistrigella - None.  Rare but widespread enough and with a foodplant (Birch) that grows in my front garden so hopefully it won't be too long before I find my first example of this species.

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BRIGHTS (PRODOXIDAE)

This entire family (all genus Lampronia) continues to elude me.  None are particularly common but it's about time one of them gave itself up to me.

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CARLS (TISCHERIIDAE)

Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella - 5 in my garden moth trap between 24th June and 23rd July 2019 and 4 between 20th June and 14th August 2020, both very good showings considering I'd only recorded one in each of 2017 and 2018 and none in 2015-16.  Also singles at the meadows on 15th and 30th June 2019 and 17th May and 12th August 2020; also occupied mines there in September 2019.

Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 10th April 2020

Small Carl Tischeria dodonaea - None.  I'm yet to see this species but although it's reasonably scarce it's fairly widespread so may turn up locally.


Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea - 14 in my garden moth trap between 1st June and 27th August 2019 and 26 between 20th May and 20th August 2020, including 4 on 12th August.  Annual totals here since 2015 have been 2, 6, 6, 11, 14 and 26, so we're either in the midst of a run of good years or else the species is increasing (or maybe it's just that I haven't been very good at weeding the garden).  Adults recorded at the meadows in June and August 2019 and July 2020, and mines recorded here too.  Also one at Hills and Holes in May 2020.

Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

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BAGWORMS (PSYCHIDAE)


Dotted-margin Bagworm Diplodoma laichartingella - None.  I've not identified this species yet but although records are sparse it's fairly widespread and may well occur locally.  It might possibly be the identity of this mystery larval case but there are other cases that look similar (including the Dahlica species, neither of which is well-recorded in Norfolk).  It was on a wooden fence post at the meadows on 24th November 2019.  I'd initially put it down, albeit only very tentatively, as Luffia lapidella but looking at it again I'm not sure it's green enough for that?

unidentified larval case, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th November 2019

White-speckled Bagworm Narycia duplicella - None.  I've only found this species once, at Bittering, but it's perfectly feasible round here.


Brown Bagworm Taleporia tubulosa - None.  I haven't found this species locally but no reason why it shouldn't be here.


Grey Bagworm Luffia lapidella - None.  Apparently one of the most common and widespread members of the family in Norfolk but the only serious contender I've ever found turned out to be Narycia duplicella when it emerged. 


Shining Bagworm Bacotia claustrella - One to light at the meadows on 7th July 2019 was my first, and a very decent record.  There are only 7 previous records in Norfolk, 5 in the Brecks and 2 in south-east Norfolk so this was quite unexpected.  Furthermore all the previous records involved larval cases so this appears to be the first one ever trapped as an adult.  Although it is not strictly necessary to gen det these I felt it was prudent to confirm it that way in view of its scarcity and my low levels of inexperience with this whole family.

male Shining Bagworm Bacotia claustrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Common Bagworm Psyche casta - A larval case in Laura's garden in Hellesdon on 14th July was my only record of this species in 2019.  Another larval case at the meadows on 18th June 2020, 2 years to the day from my previous record there.  I've not recorded this species at home yet and I haven't seen an adult anywhere. 

larval case of Common Bagworm Psyche casta, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June 2020

Next page: Tineidae

Small Yellow Underwings

A wander round the Cathedral Meadows on Wednesday 9th was productive.  The day-flying moths were particularly interesting, especially the Small Yellow Underwings that I found in two of the meadows.  There are no previous records from this 10km square and they're the first ones I've ever seen anywhere where I hadn't already known they occurred.

Small Yellow Underwing, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

Other nice moths, both also seen at two different parts of the meadows, were Feathered Leaf-cutter Incuvaria masculella and Sulphur Tubic Esperia sulphurella.  Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella continue to fly.

Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria masculella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

Horse-chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

There were 3 Large Red Damselflies, the Scorpion Fly Panorpa germanica, and a variety of butterflies including Green-veined Whites, Orange-tips, Brimstone and Speckled Woods.

Large Red Damselfly, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

Bugs and beetles included 2 Dock Bugs and 2 Byturus ochraceus, the latter feeding on a Dandelion head.

Dock Bug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

Byturus ochraceus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

I didn't retain any hoverflies for checking this time, although this Leucozona lucorum was distinctive enough to identify in the field.

Leucozona lucorum, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

There was a Dark-edged Bee-fly and among the real bees were Common Carder Bee, Orange-tailed Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa and Buffish Mining Bee Andrena nigroaenea.  The latter looked suspiciously like the bee I identified as Large Gorse Mining Bee at home the other day, though keyed out very differently.  Can't help wondering if I made a mistake with the gorse one.

Buffish Mining Bee Andrena nigroaenea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

When I got home this very distinctive beetle Ptinus sexpunctatus appeared on my study window.

Ptinus sexpunctatus, North Elmham, 9th May

Black-headed Gold

On the night of 12th May there were three new moths for the year at home: Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Common Marble Celypha lacunana and 2 Yellow-faced Bells Notocelia cynosbatella. Not a great deal else: Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Common Pug, Scalloped Hazel, 3 Muslin Moths and Hebrew Character.

Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, North Elmham 12th May

Common Marble Celypha lacunana, North Elmham 12th May

Brown House Moth Hoffmanophila pseudospretella, North Elmham 12th May

There was also a Common Earwig and this Garden Snail, my first this year.

Garden Snail, North Elmham 12th May

Next day at Ryburgh I found a female (unfeathered) Feathered Bright Incurvaria masculella and what seems to be another Phyllobius maculicornis.

Feathered Bright Incurvaria masculella, Ryburgh, 13th May

Phyllobius maculicornis, Ryburgh, 13th May

That evening I went to a concert at Snape so wasn't at home.  I put the trap on anyway and checked it the following afternoon on returning home - don't know how much more I would have found if I'd checked it earlier in the morning but there were just five moths left: Peppered Moth was new for the year, and Green Carpet, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder and Nutmeg.  Also the caddisfly Limnephilus auricula.  I did at least see a Common Lizard at Aldeburgh in the morning.

On Sunday afternoon I found a few moths at Ryburgh: 4 Plain Golds Micropterix calthella, Meadow Long-horn Cauchas rufimitrella, 5 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana and Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella.  Beetles included one of the pollen beetles Meligethes sp. and Byturus ochraceus.

Byturus ochraceus, Ryburgh, 13th May

After this I moved on to Whitwell Common where butterflies were represented by Small Copper and Red Admiral.  Among the many Plain Golds Micropterix calthella (over 100) I found at least 3 Black-headed Golds Micropterix mansutella, a new species for me.  Sadly the sun was going in by the time I reached the spot where Dave had seen Red-barred Gold Micropterix tunbergella which would have been another lifer for me.

Black-headed Gold Micropterix mansutella, Whitwell Common, 14th May

Other moths were Long-streak Midget Phyllonorycter salicicolella, 3 Vetch Piercers Grapholita jungiella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Green Carpets and 2 Rivulets.

Long-streak Midget Phyllonorycter salicicolella, Whitwell Common, 14th May

Vetch Piercer Grapholita jungiella, Whitwell Common, 14th May

Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Whitwell Common, 14th May

Rivulet, Whitwell Common, 14th May

Beetles included a Rove Beetle Tachyporus sp. (I can't figure out how to reliably identify these to species level except using a very complex key to the arrangement of the tiny hairs on the elytra which I could barely see under the microscope) and another one that was surprisingly challenging to identify to species level (though I think I got there in the end): Malthodes marginatus.

Tachyporus sp., Whitwell Common, 14th May

Mathodes marginatus, Whitwell Common, 14th May

That night Coxcomb Prominent, Least Black Arches and Treble Lines were new for the year here, with Red Twin-spot Carpet, Green Carpet, 4 Muslin Moths and Flame Shoulder.

Coxcomb Prominent, North Elmham, 14th May

Least Black Arches, North Elmham, 14th May

Treble Lines, North Elmham, 14th May

Day-flying micros

Had a quick wander round Syderstone Common in my lunch break today and noted a few day-flying micros.  Flying around a hawthorn near the central car park was a Feathered Bright Incurvaria masculella and nearby a Common Oak Midget Phyllonorycter quercifoliella.  Around the gorse was a Dark Gorse Piercer Grapholita internana and 2 Grey Gorse Piercers Cydia ulicetana.

Dark Gorse Piercer Grapholita internana, Syderstone Common, 8th May

Grey Gorse Piercer Cydia ulicetana, Syderstone Common, 8th May

Feathered Bright Incurvaria masculella, Syderstone Common, 8th May

Common Oak Midget Phyllonorycter quercifoliella, Syderstone Common, 8th May

While having lunch at Creake Abbey on Monday I picked up this beetle from the table - turns out to be one of the Notiophilus sp.  Can't be identified to species level without gen detting which I don't know how to do.

Notiophilus sp., North Creake, 4th May

Trapping at home over the last couple of nights hasn't been too exciting, though still getting Brindled Beauties and Muslin Moths which I never used to get at Bawdeswell.  Wednesday night produced just Brindled Beauty, 3 Muslin Moths and Hebrew Character.  Last night was marginally better with Cinnabar being new for the house.  The others were Brindled Beauty, 3 Muslin Moths, Powdered Quaker and 2 Hebrew Characters. 

Cinnabar, North Elmham, 7th May

Muslin Moth, North Elmham, 7th May