Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Flat-bodies (Depressariidae) (part 2: Depressaria and Telechrysis), Ermels (Ethmiidae) and Cosmets (Cosmopterigidae)

FLAT-BODIES (DEPRESSARIIDAE) (continued)


Parsnip Moth Depressaria radiella - One in my garden moth trap on 22nd April 2020.  This species is unexpectedly scarce here with just 2 previous records (in 2014 and 2015).  I used to see it regularly at Bawdeswell so expected more here.

Parsnip Moth Depressaria radiella, North Elmham, 22nd April 2020

Brown Flat-body Depressaria badiella - None.  I've only seen this species at Winterton and I'm not sure how likely it is to crop up locally.  There's plenty of its foodplants round here but in Norfolk records are pretty much restricted to the coast and one site in the Brecks.


Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella - One in my garden trap on 8th November 2020, my first ever autumn record.  I had 1-2 here each spring from 2015 to 2018, so 2019 was my first blank year, but I made up for it with one at the meadows on 22nd April.

male Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

male Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella, North Elmham, 8th November 2020

Chervil Flat-body Depressaria sordidatella - None.  One in my garden in 2016 was the first county record since 1874 so perhaps not all that likely to be repeated quickly.


Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli - Singles caught in the garden on 22nd April 2019 (quite a worn and therefore indistinct individual) and 20th May 2020.  I've previously caught this species here in 2016 and 2017 (3).

male Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli, North Elmham, 22nd April 2019

female Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli, North Elmham, 20th May 2020

Treble-spot Flat-body Telechrysis tripuncta - 2 netted at the meadows early on 1st June 2020, at exactly the same place and the same time of day as I netted 2 on 15th June 2018.  On both occasions it followed a clear night and was quite chilly.  I've caught this species at home once, in 2017.

Treble-spot Flat-body Telechrysis tripuncta, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st  June 2020

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ERMELS (ETHMIIDAE)


Dotted Ermel Ethmia dodecea - One at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020 but sadly I didn't manage to get a photo.  None at home where I've recorded this species 3 times, twice in 2016 and once in 2017.


Comfrey Ermel Ethmia quadrillella - None.  I've not found this species locally and it's not as widespread as the previous species so not sure how likely it is to crop up round here.


Bordered Ermel Ethmia bipunctella - None.  I've never seen this species but it's not all that far away from here so I have hope.  A lovely fresh example in my garden moth trap would go down very well indeed.

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COSMETS (COSMOPTERIGIDAE)


Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella - A total of 25 caught at home over 10 nights between 9th  July and 14th August 2019, with a peak of 15 on 25th July.  This is my best year to date but numbers of this species seems to fluctuate wildly.  I caught 4 in 2020 between 16th and 30th July.  Most years it is very scarce or absent but every now and then there are loads.  Good years were 2014 (23 at my old house in Bawdeswell, with no proper trap), 2016 (19 here) and now 2019 (25).  Apart from those years, I had one at Bawdeswell in 2009, 2 here in 2017, one here in 2018 and apart from the 4 in 2020, none at all in any of the other years.  Elsewhere in 2019, one at the meadows on 26th July.

Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Hedge Cosmet Cosmopterix zieglerella - None.  I've never seen an adult of this species but it's pretty widespread in Norfolk so I should in theory have a good chance of finding them locally.  It would help if I could find some hops growing in the hedgerows first...


Fen Cosmet Cosmopterix lienigiella - None.  I've only ever seen one of these and it wasn't local, but there are records from the neighbouring 10k square so I must have a chance of finding it at the meadows at least (although their preference for large reed beds might stack the odds against me - there is Common Reed growing by the railway and nearby on the river but you certainly couldn't describe it as a large reed bed).


August Cosmet Sorhagenia rhamniella - None.  This is the only member of the genus that I've ever seen, and only once - one caught in my garden in June 2018.


Next page: Gelechiidae

Magpie and Canary

Monday 10th July was another poor night with just 35 moth species, none of which were new for the year.  They were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 Blood-veins, Small Fan-footed Wave, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 7 Riband Waves, Shaded Broad-bar, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, Engrailed, Common Wave, 2 Pale Prominents, 2 Yellow-tails, 14 Dingy Footmen, 16 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 2 Double Square-spots, Brown-line Bright Eye, Smoky Wainscot, Dusky Sallow, 16 Uncertains, 4 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock and Fan-foot.

Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, North Elmham, 10th July

Double-striped Tabby Hypospygia glaucinalis, North Elmham, 10th July

Other insects included the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, the caddisfly Hydropsyche pellucidula, the water beetles Ilybius fuliginosus and Rhantus suturalis and a Brown Chafer.

There weren't many more species the following night but two were new for the year: Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana and Magpie Moth.

Magpie Moth, North Elmham, 11th July

The other moths that night were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 18 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Emerald, Small Blood-vein, 10 Small Fan-footed Waves, 10 Single-dotted Waves, 9 Riband Waves, Shaded Broad-bar, Sharp-angled Carpet, V-Pug, Willow Beauty, Engrailed, Pale Prominent, Yellow-tail, 2 Rosy Footmen, 26 Dingy Footmen, 18 Common Footmen, Large Yellow Underwing, Bright-line Brown-eye, 3 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, Common Rustic, Dusky Sallow, 8 Uncertains, 4 Rustics and 2 Fan-foots.  Other insects were 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum, a Hydropsyche pellucidula and a Brown Chafer.

Next day there was a Comma in the garden and a Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis inside the house.  That evening was very poor for moths with just Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Scalloped Oaks, Willow Beauty, 3 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 3 Uncertains and 3 Rustics.

The following night was a considerable improvement with Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, Yarrow Case-bearer Coleophora argentula, Body-marked Case-bearer Coleophora clypeiferella, Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata and Canary-shouldered Thorn all new for the year.

Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, North Elmham, 13th July

Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th July

Yarrow Case-bearer Coleophora argentula (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th July

Body-marked Case-bearer Coleophora clypeiferella, North Elmham, 13th July

Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, North Elmham, 13th July

Canary-shouldered Thorn, North Elmham, 13th July

Other moths that night were 10 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 3 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 25 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 8 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Chinese Character, Least Carpet, 5 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 9 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, Barred Straw, Small Rivulet, 2 Clouded Borders, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, Willow Beauty, Clouded Silver, 3 Poplar Hawk-moths, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, Pale Prominent, Yellow-tail, 9 Rosy Footmen, 25 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 2 Buff Footmen, 16 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, 2 Double Square-spots, 2 Nutmegs, 2 Brown-line Bright Eyes, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, 2 Slender Brindles, 2 Common Rustics (plus one Common Rustic agg.), 13 Uncertains, 4 Rustics, Marbled White Spot, Nut-tree Tussock and 2 Fan-foots.  Also a Brown Chafer and the leafhopper Iassua lanio.

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham, 13th July

Two-tick night at home

While I was out mothing at Brancaster my trap was running at home (16th July).  I didn't manage any new moths at Brancaster but made up for it at home with two new moths: Small Rush Case-bearer Coleophora taeniipennella and Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana.

Small Rush Case-bearer Coleophora taeniipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

I was also very pleased to find my second ever European Corn Borer Ostrinia nubilalis.

European Corn Borer Ostrinia nubilalis, North Elmham, 16th July

A record of 4 Bulrush Cosmets Limnaecia phragmitella was interesting, a new species for the house.  At the old house I had 4 one night which were the first I'd seen there in 5 years, and then I went on to record lots more that same year (2014 - 27 in total).  I've only been at North Elmham 2 years, but didn't catch any at all here last year and like at Bawdeswell in 2014 this year kicked off with 4 and was followed by lots more (19 in the space of 2.5 weeks).  Of course all species are prone to fluctuation in numbers but maybe this one more so than others, with lots emerging in a short space of time?

Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, North Elmham, 16th July

A good selection of other new moths for the year: Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, 3 Dull Red Groundlings Bryotropha senectella, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 3 Small Blood-veins, 3 Dingy Footmen, Buff Footman, Cabbage Moth, Dun-bar and 2 Lesser Common Rustics.

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

Woudwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Cabbage Moth, North Elmham, 16th July

Lesser Common Rustics (males, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

I think this night was the first of 2016 to have reached over 100 species at home - 262 moths of 104 species.  Just over half were macros, the ones not already mentioned being 2 Drinkers, Buff Arches, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 13 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Yellow Shell, Barred Straw, Foxglove Pug, Green Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, Swallow-tailed Moth, Mottled Beauty, 2 Common White Waves, Clouded Silver, Privet Hawkmoth, 3 Poplar Hawkmoths, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, 2 Buff-tips, Brown-tail, 16 Rosy Footmen, 4 Scarce Footmen, 8 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, 2 Flames, Flame Shoulder, 5 Double Square-spots, Brown-line Bright-eye, 3 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 8 Dark Arches, Light Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustics, 24 Uncertains, Marbled White Spot, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, Herald, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Straw Dots, 4 Snouts and 7 Fan-foots.

Herald, North Elmham, 16th July

The micros not yet mentioned were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 4 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi, 2 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Pine Marbles Piniphila bifasciana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 7 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pale Water-veneers Donacaula forficella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 6 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, 2 Ermine Knot-horns Phycitodes binaevella and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.