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

Stigmella incognitella

The night of Friday 7th July was one of the best this summer with getting on for 400 moths of 118 species.  The smallest of them was the best - my first Grey Apple Pigmy Stigmella incognitella.

Grey Apple Pigmy Stigmella incognitella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Pearl Dwarf Elachista apicipunctella was new for the garden - the first I've seen anywhere for a while.  It's hard to capture in photos but the white fascia and spots are highly shining making this a very attractive little moth.

Pearl Dwarf Elachista apicipunctata (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Then there was a long list of other moths that were new for the year here: Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella, Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella, Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana, Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Dark Umber, Cloaked Minor, Dusky Sallow and Blackneck.

Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Smoky Marble Lobesia abscisana, North Elmham, 7th July

Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Dark Umber, North Elmham, 7th July

Cloaked Minor, North Elmham, 7th July

Dusky Sallow, North Elmham, 7th July

It was good to get both Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella and Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella together - obviella I'd only seen for the first time in June whereas crocicapitella is supposed to be rarer.  I don't think the size difference between these species is usually so extreme but in this case the crocicapitella was literally twice the size of the obviella.  I couldn't persuade them to sit side by side for a photo so had to shoot them in their pots to show the size difference.

Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella (left) and Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella (right), North Elmham, 7th July

I had my largest count of any species of moth so far this year - 61 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteucha culmella.  Other micros consisted of Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 7 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, White-headed Ermel Paraswammerdamia albicapitella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, 3 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella, New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, 2 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, 6 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, 4 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 3 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 5 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, 2 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, 4 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 14 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 2 Ermine Knot-horns Phycitodes binaevella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, North Elmham, 7th July

The rest of the macros were 2 Drinkers, 3 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Lesser Cream Wave, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 9 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Riband Waves, 3 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, 3 Yellow Shells, July Highflyer, Haworth's Pug, Lime-speck Pug, 6 V-Pugs, Green Pug, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 4 Clouded Borders, 4 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, Swallow-tailed Moth, Willow Beauty, 3 Engraileds, Common White Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Pale Prominent, Buff-tip, 2 Yellow-tails, 6 Rosy Footmen, 22 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 27 Common Footmen, 2 Heart and Darts, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 10 Double Square-spots, 2 Nutmegs, Bright-line Brown-eye, 4 Clays, 6 Smoky Wainscots, Tawny Marbled Minor, 2 Common Rustics, Mere Wainscot, 38 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, Marbled White Spot, 6 Nut-tree Tussocks, Beautiful Hook-tip, Straw Dot, Snout and 5 Fan-foots.

Lacewings were represented by Micromus variegatus, a brown lacewing that was new for the year.  There was a new caddisfly for the year too: Agrypnia pagetana; also an Oxyethira flavicornis.

Micromus variegatus, North Elmham, 7th July

Agrypnia pagetana, North Elmham, 7th July

A Hair-trap Ground Beetle Loricera pilicornis was my first, or at least the first time I'd identified one.  A Nut Weevil Curculio nucum was new for the year - one I've seen here before but some accounts on the internet suggest it can be quite a difficult species to find.  Other beetles were Brown Chafer and Lagira hirta.

Hair-trap Ground Beetle Loricera pilicornis, North Elmham, 7th July

Nut Weevil Curculio nucum, North Elmham, 7th July