Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Clothes Moths (Tineidae) (part 2: Tinea, Monopis and Psychoides)

CLOTHES MOTHS (TINEIDAE) (continued)


Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella - A total of 10 here in 2019, all indoors I think, between 19th May and 10th August.  An above average year for me but topped by a record year in 2020 when I found 24 indoors between 19th April and 22nd December.  Also recorded at a couple of sites in Norwich in 2019 (again, indoors) including one where in addition to several adults, an occupied case was found in the toilet facilities where no fabrics are kept (except for toilet paper which is regularly changed).

Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, North Elmham, 14th June 2019

larva and case of Case-bearnig Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, Norwich, 9th July 2019

Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, North Elmham, 19th April 2020

Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella - A total of 9 caught in my moth trap between 29th June and 15th September 2019, my best year here although I had a slightly higher total once or twice in Bawdeswell. This was promptly followed by a poor year in 2020 with just 3 at home: one on 12th June and 2 on 5th July.  Also one found during the day at the meadows on 22nd May 2019 and one to light at Weybourne in July 2019 and one at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020.

Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd May 2019

Bird's-nest Moth Tinea trinotella - Recorded on 25 nights at home between 25th May and 12th September 2019, making it my best year to date (although only a little better than 2018).  48 over 21 nights between 8th May and 17th August 2020 was probably a further improvement in terms of numbers although I can't compare accurately as I didn't count them on a couple of nights in 2019.  Peak counts of 6 on 23rd July 2019 and 8th May 2020.  Also one at Weybourne in 2019 and 2 at the meadows in 2020.

Bird's-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th September 2020

Brown-dotted Clothes Moth Niditinea fuscella - None.  Although only one was confirmed, I thought I had this species a few times at Bawdeswell so I expected to find it regularly here in North Elmham too.  So in my first autumn here I wasn't too worried about getting a likely candidate gen detted (this was just before I started doing my own gen dets) but since then I've only had one more contender and that one escaped.  I'm therefore still waiting to add this species to the house/garden list.


Skin Moth Monopis laevigella - One at Weybourne on 5th July was the only one I identified in 2019 making it my second consecutive blank year here (although in 2018 a strong contender escaped before I could confirm it).  Just one in 2020, found in my home on 8th May.  Ideally I prefer to dissect this species to confirm them as they can closely resemble weaverella, especially when worn, but this one escaped before I had a chance.  However it was a very fresh individual with strong irroration and virtually no tornal spot (and was also a very large individual) so I think the ID is safe enough.

Skin Moth Monopis laevigella, North Elmham, 8th May 2020

Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella - In contrast to the previous species 2019 was my best year for this one, with 27 individuals recorded in my garden on 17 nights.  Only 2 were in the first flight period (26th May and 1st June) the rest being between 22nd July and 26th August.  2020 was even better with 40 over 26 nights, 6 between 8th and 23rd May and 42 between 4th July and 21st August (including a record 5 on 14th August).  Also 4 at the meadows over the 2 years, one at Swanton Great Wood in 2019, one on Mull in 2019 and one at Hills and Holes in 2020.  I am happy to record the more obvious examples without gen det but any that aren't at all clear go under the scalpel to be confirmed.

male Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, North Elmham, 26th May 2019

male Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, North Elmham, 8th May 2020

Yellow-backed Moth Monopis obviella - Singles in my garden trap on 29th June 2019 and 30th and 31st July 2020.  I'd only recorded 2 prevously, both in 2017.

male Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Pale-backed Moth Monopis crocicapitella - One at the meadows on 31st May and one caught in my garden trap on 1st June 2019.  Very probably one here again on 20th May 2020 but unfortunately it escaped before I was able to confirm it.  Excluding 2020 when the only record wasn't confirmed, I have recorded this species here annually since moving in in 2014.

female Pale-backed Clothes Moth ]Monopis crocicapitella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Drab Clothes Moth Haplotinea insectella - None in 2019 but 3 in the garden moth trap in 2020, on 24th June and 4th and 17th July.  I've now recorded 8 of these once-rare moths here, but only in 3 of the 6 years I've been trapping (2 in 2015 and 3 in 2018).

female Drab Clothes Moth Haplotinea insectella, North Elmham, 24th June 2020

male Drab Clothes Moth Haplotinea insectella, North Elmham, 17th July 2020

Hart's-tongue Smut Psychoides verhuella - My search for the larvae of this species at the meadows had been unsuccessful but instead led to the discovery of a population of aphids of a species that was not previously known to exist outdoors in Britain and northern Europe.  Then in turn, when looking to check if the aphids were still present I discovered an adult verhuella sitting on the underside of a Hart's-tongue leaf, on 15th June 2019, a new moth for me and only the 10th record for Norfolk.  I have now found both species of Psychoides on Hart's-tongue growing here.

male Hart's-tongue Smut Psychoides verhuella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

Fern Smut Psychoides filicivora - I've already written about the 2 adults that emerged in February 2019 from larvae collected from the Cathedral Meadows in November 2018, so won't repeat myself here (you can read that here).  Back at home I trapped an adult in my garden on 2nd June 2019 which was only the second I have caught here (and the first one I saw alive as the one in 2017 was found dead in the bottom of the trap).  Then in 2020 one netted in the garden during the day on 9th May was followed by a total of 4 attracted to pheremone lure trap for Currant Clearwing between 15th and 27th May.

male Fern Smut Psychoides filicivora, North Elmham, 2nd June 2019

male Fern Smut Psychoides filicivora, North Elmham, 15th May 2020

Next page: Bucculatricidae

Cydia servillana, 3rd for Norfolk

After the previous day's productive wander round the Cathedral Meadows I returned a little later in the evening on Saturday 19th May, and it was very worthwhile.  The clear highlight was a new moth for me, and a rare one at that, Sallow-shoot Piercer Cydia servillana.  This "Nationally Scarce" species has ony twice been recorded in Norfolk, at Dersingham in 2011 and Aldeby in 2017, so opposite ends of the county with mine now being right in the middle.  It was quite a distinctive-looking moth with beautiful pale blue reflections at the base and tips of the wings.

Sallow-shoot Piercer Cydia servillana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

I netted 3 moths that at first I thought were Dichrorampha species, most likely Dichrorampha plumbana like the one I'd seen the day before, but they all proved to be Pea Moths Cydia nigricana.  I've only seen one of these before and had the same experience of thinking it was Dichrorampha at first.  Maybe I will learn for next time...

Pea Moth Cydia nigricana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

There were quite a few Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella netted and among them a single Skin Moth Monopis laevigella.

Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

Skin Moth Monopis laevigella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

Other moths included Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, 8 Cocksfoot Moths Glyphipterix simpliciella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, 3 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 5 Green Carpets and Small Yellow Underwing.

Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

What at first I thought were going to be hoverflies turned out to be Face Flies Musca autumnalis.  I'm sure I must have seen these before but these were the first ones I've photographed and confirmed.  (Uptdate August 2019 - I probably have seen Face Flies before but these weren't they... I now think they were in fact Tachina fera.)

 Tachina fera, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

I eventually managed to name this beetle, a new one for me, Choleva agilis.  [2023 edit - clearly this was not Choleva agilis and I have no idea why I thought it was! (it was my early days of beetle identification...)  It's an Anaspis, frontalis probably.]

(not) Choleva agilis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

This soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans was with it.

Cantharis nigricans, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

A Shieldbug nymph turned out to be "just" a Forest Bug (Red-legged Shieldbug).  An early/mid instar I think.

Forest Bug (Red-legged Shieldbug) early-mid instar nymph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

I have found keying out Andrena bees harder this year than I remember them being last year.  This one confused me at first but I eventually identified it as Buffish Mining Bee Andrena nigroaenea.  I couldn't see the ridges on the frons from above but on tilting the insect a bit they became visible.  A Buff-tailed Bumblebee was the only other bee I identified.

Buffish Mining Bee Andrena nigroaenea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May

At home I found a Common Clothes Moth Tinola bisselliella, new for the year.

Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella, North Elmham, 19th May

The only moths new for the year in the trap that night were these 2 Buff-tips - high up on my list of favourite moths.

Buff-tips, North Elmham, 19th May

Otherwise it was a pretty poor showing with just Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Green Carpet, Common Pug, Scalloped Hazel, White Ermine, Muslin Moth, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 Flame Shoulders, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks and a Cockchafer.

Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, North Elmham, 19th May

A Mottled Pug was new for the year the following night but there wasn't much else: 3 Common Pugs, Poplar Hawk-moth, Lesser Swallow Prominent (so worn I had to gen det it to identify it), 3 White Ermines, 3 Muslin Moths, Heart and Dart, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Hebrew Character and Spectacle.

Mottled Pug, North Elmham, 20th May

Spruce Bud Moth

2nd August was another good night.  A couple of moths were species I have rarely seen before:  Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella was only my second while the scarce Spruce Bud Moth Zeiraphere ratzeburgiana was my third.

Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Spruce Bud Moth Zeiraphera ratzburgiana, North Elmham, 2nd August

2 White-triangle Buttons Acleris holmiana were new for the year.

White-triangle Buttons Acleris holmiana, North Elmham, 2nd August

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella and Scalloped Hook-tip were also new for the year for home.

 Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Scalloped Hook-tip, North Elmham, 2nd August

This Dotted Grey Groundling Athrips mouffetella was suspiciously similar to the one I trapped a couple of nights earlier - I guess it was the same individual.

Dotted Grey Groundling Athrips mouffetella, North Elmham, 2nd August

This Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella wasn't the same as the one I had recently.

Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella, North Elmham, 2nd August

An excellent selection of micros also included Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, 3 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, 4 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 3 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Holly Tortrices Rhopobota naevana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 46 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 28 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 5 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella and 5 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella.

 Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, North Elmham, 2nd August

 Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, North Elmham, 2nd August

The rest of the macros were 2 Chinese Characters, Blood-vein, Least Carpet, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 15 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow Shell, Barred Straw, July Highflyer, Small Rivulet, Slender Pug, Double-striped Pug, 4 Brimstone Moths, Purple Thorn, Willow Beauty, Coxcomb Prominent, Yellow-tail, Black Arches, 3 Rosy Footmen, 9 Dingy Footmen, 3 Scarce Footmen, 12 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Dark Arches, 2 Cloaked Minors, 8 Common Rustics, Dusky Sallow, 8 Uncertains, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, Spectacle and Snout.

 Slender Pug, North Elmham, 2nd August

I'm still trying to sort out how to identify Agonopterix ciliella.  I thought this one was a good candidate being large and dark, though it lacked much in the way of pinkish tones underneath (just a bit on the legs).

 Agonopterix sp., North Elmham, 2nd August

The hindwing showed a very strong pink flush to the cilia around the apex and five fusous bars through the cilia.  Not as distinct as some ciliella can be and so still not a firm ID, but at this point it's looking hopeful.

 Agonopterix sp., North Elmham, 2nd August

The genitalia are very similar to the very much commoner heracliana, but there are supposed to be differences.  To me this one's bits look exactly the same as every other male Agonopterix heracliana I've examined.  So either it was heracliana, or the genitalia of ciliella are harder to separate than various texts suggest.  I await a clear and undisputable ciliella to compare, but in the meantime am increasingly suspicious about how accurately a lot of records of ciliella have been identified.

 Agonopterix sp., North Elmham, 2nd August

One curious thing if this was just a Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana is that of all the ones I've examined (scores now) the large dark ones have also been the ones with the best looking hindwings.  But I'm yet to find one with 5-6 really obvious dark fuscous bars on the cilia... maybe when I do I'll be able to spot the differences in the genitalia.