Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Gelechiids (Gelechiidae) (Part 4: Nebs - subfamily Anomologinae II)

GELECHIIDS (GELECHIIDAE) (continued)


Subfamily ANOMOLOGINAE (continued)


Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella - 10 in the garden between 22nd June and 4th July 2019 and 6 between 19th June and 31st July 2020; also 4 at Weybourne on 5th July.  I average about 8-9 here a year.  I don't find the darker examples of this species very easy to separate from metzneriella so tend to check the genitalia of any that are on the darker end of the spectrum (and some worn ones).  This is by far the commoner of the two in my experience.

male Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, North Elmham, 30th June 2019

female Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, North Elmham, 10th July 2019

Meadow Neb Metzneria metzneriella - One in my garden moth trap on 22nd June 2019.  For all my nervousness about separating this species from darker examples of lappella, I was pretty sure from the off that this one would prove to be metzneriella, and so it proved.  Only my second here following one in 2017.

male Meadow Neb Metzneria metzneriella, North Elmham, 22nd June 2019

Dark Fleabane Neb Apodia bifractella - 10 at Foxley Wood on 17th August 2019, the only site where I've seen this species previously.  They were all on Fleabane flowerheads in sunshine and all disappeared around mid afternnon.  2 at Whitwell Street on 12th August 2020, also on Fleabane but later in the day.


Bracken Neb Monochroa cytisella - One in Bintree Wood on 24th July 2020, my first local record.  There's no Bracken growing at the meadows or here in the garden but there's plenty along the railway in between, including some that's a stone's throw from the meadows, so I'm optimistic that I'll get one either there or here before too long.

Bracken Neb Monochroa cytisella, Bintree Wood, 24th July 2020

Common Plain Neb Monochroa tenebrella - One netted at the meadows on 1st June 2020 and then on 13th June one found on an Ox-eye Daisy in the same place and 2 more swept from Bird's-foot Trefoil a few steps away.  Apart from 2 in 2019 there hadn't been any other records in Norfolk since the 90s, but 2020 was clearly a good year for them as they were recorded at 3 other sites in the county too.

Common Plain Neb Monochroa tenbebrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st June 2020

Common Plain Neb Monochroa tenbebrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June 2020

Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella - one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.  I've recorded this species twice before, here in North Elmham in 2015 and 2016.

female Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Wainscot Neb Monochroa palustrellus - I was very happy to add this striking species to the garden list when I caught one in the garden trap on 30th July 2019, and then I caught another one on 22nd July 2020.  I have seen a couple elsewhere before but there were no previous records in this or the neighbouring 10k squares (although it was recorded in 3 neighbouring squares in 2020).

Wainscot Neb Metzneria palustrellus, North Elmham, 30th July 2019

Wainscot Neb Metzneria palustrellus, North Elmham, 22nd July 2020

Painted Neb Oxypteryx wilkella - 4 at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020.  Although I have recorded this species here before (in 2015) it's not one I would expect to see here on a regular basis - there hasn't ever been another record in this or the surrounding 10k squares.

Painted Neb Oxypteryx wilkella, Brancaster, 2nd July 2020

Two-spotted Neb Oxypteryx atrella - None.  I had singles here in each of the previous 3 years.


Next page: more Gelechiidae

Even more! 153 species (209 over 2 nights)

Yesterday I posted about the amazing night of 23rd July when I recorded 152 species of moth in my garden trap including no less than 5 lifers.  Well 24th July was even better, sort of.  Not better in total number of moths ('only' 600, the main difference being in the number of Water Veneers, down from 250 to zero).  Not better in the number of lifers - not a single new moth for me on 24th July.  But better in the number of species - up one to 153 species!  Interestingly there was quite a big difference in the make-up of that 153 compared to the 152 the night before - over the two nights combined there were an incredible 209 species.

So, 24th July, no lifers but several new for the house.  Perhaps best was a Bluebell Shades Eana incanana.  This is a species I first encountered on my first ever Norfolk Moth Survey event, at Weston Park in 2011.  That night we recorded around 50 Eana incanana, remarkable as there had been just two singles recorded in the county beforehand.  There were half a dozen further records in 2011 and 2012, including some at another NMS event that I attended, but since then they've gone quiet again - no more records in the database at the moment.

Bluebell Shades Eana incanana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

The others that were new for the house were Small Red Slender Caloptilia rufipennella, 2 Body-marked Case-bearers Coleophora clypeiferella, Larch Tortrix Ptycholomoides aeriferana and 2 Orange-spotted Shoots Rhyacionia pinicolana.

Small Red Slender Caloptilia rufipennella, North Elmham, 24th July

Orange-spotted Shoots Rhyacionia pinicolana, North Elmham, 24th July

Larch Tortrix Ptycholomoides aerifaerana, North Elmham, 24th July

Body-marked Case-bearer Coleophora clypeiferella, North Elmham, 24th July

Others new for the year were Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, 2 New Oak Slenders Caloptilia robustella, 4 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Dark Umber, Purple Thorn, Nutmeg, Coronet, 2 Straw Underwings and Dotted Fan-foot.

Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, North Elmham, 24th July

 New Oak Slenders Caloptilia robustella (female & male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella, North Elmham, 24th July

Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, North Elmham, 24th July

Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, North Elmham, 24th July

Coronet, North Elmham, 24th July

Straw Underwing, North Elmham, 24th July

Nutmeg, North Elmham, 24th July

Dark Umber, North Elmham, 24th July

Other highlights among the micros included 11 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi, 2 Dull Red Groundlings Bryotropha senectella, Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella and Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella.

Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, North Elmham, 24th July

Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

The remaining micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 21 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, 5 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, 3 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 3 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, 3 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 3 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, 3 Bulrush Cosmets Limnaecia phragmitella, 2 Hawthorn Cosmets Blastodacna hellerella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 3 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, 4 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 6 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 5 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 2 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, 3 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 2 Bud Moths Spilonota ocellana, 4 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 7 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, 21 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, 2 Chequered Straws Evergestis pallidata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 16 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 5 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and 3 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

The species count was assisted by the 3 Marbled Minor aggs. all proving to be different - single Marbled, Tawny Marbled and Rufous Minors.  The same wasn't true of the Daggers: despite one being darker than the other, both proved to be Grey Daggers.

Grey Daggers (males, gen det), North Elmham, 24th July

Other macros were Pebble Hook-tip, Common Emerald, Small Emerald, Lesser Cream Wave, 11 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 25 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Shaded Broad-bars, Yellow Shell, 6 Small Rivulets, Currant Pug, V-Pug, Green Pug, Double-striped Pug, 6 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, 5 Early Thorns, 11 Scalloped Oaks, Swallow-tailed Moth, 2 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Common Wave, 3 Clouded Silvers, Poplar Hawkmoth, 3 Elephant Hawkmoths, Iron Prominent, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, 4 Yellow-tails, 2 Black Arches, Round-winged Muslin, 38 Rosy Footmen, 31 Dingy Footmen, 7 Scarce Footmen, 2 Buff Footmen, 55 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, 4 Ruby Tigers, 2 Flames, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 10 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 11 Clays, 11 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, 8 Dark Arches, Slender Brindle, 4 Cloaked Minors, 5 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, 4 Dusky Sallows, Fen Wainscot, 34 Uncertains, 6 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, Nut-tree Tussock, Burnished Brass, 2 Spectacles, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, 3 Straw Dots, 4 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Fen Wainscot, North Elmham, 24th July

Green Lacewings consisted of Cunctochrysa albolineata and Dichochrysa flavifrons and a Brown Lacewing proved to be my first confirmed Micromus variegatus - quite a distinctive species by Lacewing standards.

Micromus variegatus, North Elmham, 24th July

I had to put a break on the caddisflies for a bit.  So many moths to sort out and not enough hours in the days and nights to do all the caddisflies as well.

A couple of new micros and an Old Lady

I mentioned the Small Mottled Willow (and Rush Veneer) already, but 21st July was excellent even without them.

When I got home from work in the afternoon a large dark buttefly flew up the driveway towards me.  Flying right at me it looked big and dark, Peacock I presumed at first but I could see no sign of colour on the upperwing and something didn't look right.  A hint of a pale border to the wing made Camberwell Beauty cross my mind but surely I'd have seen more than just a vaguest hint of a pale border had that been the (unlikely) solution?  To my surprise if flew right past be and into the house through the front door!  I followed it in seeing it fly into the living room, but following it in there I was surprised to find no sign of it anywhere.  Surely a buttefly trapped in the house would be flying around the windows trying to get out?  I searched high and low and couldn't find it anywhere.  At this point the possibility that it was a moth crossed my mind and I wondered if it could have been an Old Lady.  Had I remembered then that Old Ladies have a pale border wings I might have been more confident from the off, but as it was it took several days before the riddle was solved.  Eventually it appeared at a window five days later - it was an Old Lady.

Old Lady, North Elmham, 26th July having been in hiding since its arrival on 21st July

The total count for 21st July was 540 moths of 123 species including 3 lifers.  The Small Mottled Willow was one, the other two were Dark Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora paripennella and Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella, both of which had to be confirmed by gen detting.

Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Dark Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora paripennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Some good macros too including some that I haven't seen very often before: Juniper Pug, Slender Brindle and Fen Wainscot.

Juniper Pug (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Fen Wainscot, North Elmham, 21st July

Slender Brindle, North Elmham, 21st July

Also new for the year were Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella and Plain Golden Y.

Plain Golden Y, North Elmham, 21st July

Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, North Elmham, 21st July

Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella, 2 Cereal Tortrices Cnephasia pumicana, Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella and Rufous Minor were noteworthy too.

 Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, North Elmham, 21st July

Dull Red Groundling Bryotrophra senectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Other macros were 3 Chinese Characters, Peach Blossom, Buff Arches, Blood-vein, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 18 Single-dotted Waves, 17 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Yellow Shells, Barred Straw, V-Pug, 3 Green Pugs, 5 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, 3 Brimstone Moths, 4 Early Thorns, 4 Scalloped Oaks, Swallow-tailed Moth, 5 Peppered Moths, 4 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Common White Wave, 3 Clouded Silvers, Privet Hawkmoth, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Pebble Prominent, 2 Buff-tips, Brown-tail, 4 Yellow-tails, Round-winged Muslin, 17 Rosy Footmen, 6 Dingy Footmen, 8 Scarce Footmen, Buff Footman, 42 Common Footmen, 11 Buff Ermines, Ruby Tiger, 5 Heart and Darts, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flames, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 16 Double Square-spots, 4 Nutmegs, 3 Dot Moths, Bright-line Brown-eye, Lychnis, Brown-line Bright-eye, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, Brown Rustic, 3 Dun-bars, 15 Dark Arches, 2 Tawny Marbled Minors, 14 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, 38 Uncertains, 5 Rustics, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, Beautiful Hook-tip, Straw Dot, 11 Snouts and 2 Fan-foots.

Privet Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 21st July

Peach Blossom, North Elmham, 21st July

Lesser Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Common Rustics (males, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

The rest were Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 38 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, 2 Woundwort Case-bearers Coleophora lineolea, 2 Grey Rush Case-bearers Coleophora glaucicolella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 7 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 3 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrices Pandemis heparana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 24 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 38 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 8 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula stagnata, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 2 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, 3 Dusky Pearls Udea prunalis, 15 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla. 

Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, North Elmham, 21st July

Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

A couple or nice bugs too, including Britain's largest leaf-hopper, Ledra aurita, and Iassus lanio.

Ledra aurita, North Elmham, 21st July

Iassus lanio, North Elmham, 21st July