Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 10: Pine Beauty and Orthosias to Grey Arches

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE) (continued)


Pine Beauty Panolis flammea - One at the meadows on 20th March 2019 and one at Cranwich Heath on 14th March 2020.  None in my garden where I've only ever caught 2 in the 6 years I've trapped here (2015 and 2018).

Pine Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Pine Beauty, Cranwich Heath, 14th March 2020

Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta - 101 in the garden between 26th February and 1st May 2019 and 50 between 24th February and 20th April 2020.  2019 was the first time the total has edged into triple figures though 2020 was well under the average of 63.  Elsewhere 10 at the meadows (9 on one night), one at Sculthorpe Moor and 4 in the Brecks.

Clouded Drab, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Clouded Drab, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

female Clouded Drab, North Elmham, 11th April 2020

Blossom Underwing Orthosia miniosa - None.  Many Norfolk records of this species are migrants but a relatively high proportion of inland records may suggest that there is still a small resident population, perhaps.  Either way with one record just down the road there's some hope that I might get my first before too long.  Having said that, as I write 2021 is shaping up to be an unusually good year for this species and I haven't had a sniff of one yet.


Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi - A similar story to Clouded Drab above - 109 in the garden between 1st March and 26th April 2019 was the first time I've recorded over 100 (the average annual tally is 61) but 38 between 14th February and 22nd April 2020 was decidedly under par.  Elsewhere 19 at the meadows (3 nights) plus a caterpillar there on 25th May 2020, and 2 at Cranwich Heath.

Common Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Common Quaker caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2020

Small Quaker Orthosia cruda - 2019 was my best year for this Orthosia too, with 133 trapped in the garden between 1st March and 26th April.  Unlike the previous species 2020 was above average too with 98 between 1st March and 13th April.  Around 73 a year is average here.  Elsewhere 14 at the meadows, 4 in the Brecks and 2 at Keswick.

Small Quaker, North Elmham, 1st March 2019

Small Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Small Quakers, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th March 2020

Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti - None.  I had caught these here on 3 occasions previously (2015 and 2017) (and so far 2021 is proving to be a good year for this species with 3 here so far plus one at the meadows).


Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis - This species is never common here but like the commoner Orthosias 2019 was my best year for them with 8 between 24th March and 29th April (the latter being my latest ever).  2020 was equally good with 8 between 13th and 27th April.  I'd only caught 9 here in the previous 4 years, with a completely blank year in 2018.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows and one at Sculthorpe Moor.

Powdered Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Powdered Quakers, North Elmham, 13th April 2020

Northern Drab Orthosia opima - None.  I've never caught this species locally.  The inland form is pretty rare in Norfolk so it's a bit of a long-shot to hope for one, but there have been a handful of records in mid Norfolk so not without a chance.


Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica - Unlike the other common Orthosias 2019 was not my best year for this species - in fact it was my equal worst year, with a total of 243 between 25th February and 25th May.  2020 was even worse with 190 between 28th February and 20th May.  The average is around 256 a year.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows and 10 in the Lake District.

Hebrew Character, North Elmham, 26th February 2019

Twin-spotted Quaker Anorthoa munda - 2019 was my best year for this species at home with 20 between 2nd March (my earliest ever) and 30th March but 2020 was my worst year with just 3 between 19th and 30th March.  The average annual tally here is 8.  Also one at the meadows and 6 in the Brecks.

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham, 2nd March 2019

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Hedge Rustic Tholera cespitis - One in my garden trap on 2nd September 2019 was a nice surprise, my first here and only my second ever anywhere.  It was followed by another one here on 30th August 2020.

Hedge Rustic, North Elmham, 2nd September 2019

Hedge Rustic, North Elmham, 30th August 2020

Feathered Gothic Tholera decimalis - None in the garden in 2019 but a record 6 between 29th August and 6th September 2020.  I had 7 of these in my garden between 2015 and 2017 but none in 2014, 2018 or now 2019.  Elsewhere one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and one at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019.  All 14 Feathered Gothics that I've ever seen have been within just a 13-day period, 25th August to 6th September.

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 29th August 2020

Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis - Singles in the garden moth trap on 17th August 2019 and 8th August 2020.  Numbers here have varied from 1-7 in a year.  Also one next door on 9th August 2019 and at the meadows on 18th July 2020.

Antler Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Nutmeg Anarta trifolii - At least 10 caught in my garden trap between 8th July and 21st August 2019 (not counted on one night) and then after one on 26th May 2020, 7 between 6th July and 9th September.  These were quite poor totals (average is around 15 a year).  Also recorded at the meadows, Whitwell Street, Weybourne (2) and Brancaster.

Nutmeg, North Elmham, 26th May 2020

Beautiful Yellow Underwing Anarta myrtilli - One to light at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019 - only the second I've ever seen.  I've not found this species locally and given its heath-specific habits I'm not particularly expecting to.  None in 2020.

Beautiful Yellow Underwing, Row Heath (West Runton), 31st August 2019

Grey Arches Polia nebulosa - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 was only the third I've ever seen.  I've never found it locally but it has been caught in my street.  None in 2020.

Grey Arches, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Next page: more Noctuidae

Ancylis badiana

I spent much of Friday 5th May birding in the Fens but picked up a few non-birds along the way.  One of a number of Coniopterix Waxflies at Methwold Lode defied identification to species level.  A Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana was easier.  A family of Otters along the River Wissey just west of the beet factory were fun to watch.

Otters, Wissington, 5th May

Further along this path were Orange-tip, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshells, with Brimstones seen at a number of places later on.  I also found this spider which I initially thought looked very distinctive with a turquoise abdomen.  But looking at the photos I realised that the large round turquoise thing at the end of it was in fact an egg sac, so the spider itself wasn't so distinctive.  Might be identifiable though - but not my me at the moment.

unidentified spider, west of Wissington, 5th May

Back closer to home a new bee for me, Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava was on the verge at Ryburgh.

Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava, Ryburgh, 5th May

This Cereal Leaf Beetle Oulema melanopus/rufocyanea agg. was at home.

Cereal Leaf Beetle Oulema sp., North Elmham, 5th May

A Roe Deer on the patch was looking photogenic...

Roe Deer, Bittering, 5th May

The moth trap that night produced my first Eyed Hawk-moth and Nutmeg of the year, along with Streaked Flat-body Depressaria chaerophylli, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Flame Shoulder, 3 Hebrew Characters and 2 Common Earwigs.

Eyed Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 5th May

Nutmeg, North Elmham, 5th May

Found a Parsnip Moth Depressaria radiella at Ryburgh the following evening before another poor night's moth trapping at home - Brown-spot Flat-body Agonopterix alstromeriana and Flame Carpet were new for the year but Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 3 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and Clouded-bordered Brindle were the only other moths.

Flane Carpet, North Elmham, 6th May

James Emerson had been to Hills and Holes at Hockham on Saturday and seen a couple of Ancylis badiana, a very smart tortrix moth that I've not seen before.  The forewing markings looked quite chestnut-brown which piqued my interest as Ancylis unculana is said to be distinguished from badiana by have chestnut-brown forewing markings.  Indeed I couldn't find any references which stated any other distinguishing features.  Yet looking at photos of both species I was pretty sure James was correct with his ID - for example the clean creamy surround to the dorsal blotch which was obvious in James' photos was consistently present on images of badiana whereas on all the images I could find of unculuna this was heavily marked with greyish.  Anyway, a site I had been planning to revisit soon, a good chance of a smart new moth, plus a desire to fully resolve an interesting ID conundrum made for an easy decision as to what to do on Sunday afternoon.

So, Dave and I rocked up to Hills and Holes and very soon found lots of insects including 23 Common Rollers Ancylis badiana.  The extent of chestnut colouration varied quite a lot - some were pretty much textbook individuals while others were much more chestnutty.  None looked like online images of unculana though, and for that matter none showed the terminal marks of the third similar species, Ancylis paludana.  I was already confident badiana was the correct ID and now I was even more sure, but just to leave no stone unturned I retained a couple of the more chestnutty coloured ones for gen detting.  The genitalia were, of course, consistent with badiana, apparently wrong for unculana (though the differences don't seem to be huge) (I can't find out what paludana is meant to be like, so that species was only ruled out on external features).

Common Rollers Ancylis badiana, Hills and Holes, 7th May

Other moths seen were 60 Plain Golds Micropterix calthella, Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, 2 Green Long-horns Adela reaumurella, Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella and 4 Grey Gorse Piercers Cydia ulicetana. One female Adela looked really golden-bronze, indeed identical to the individual I posted about the other day which I'd quite unconvincingly concluded must be cuprella.  This time though there were no sallows in the immediate vicinity - surely this wasn't cuprella.  The genitalia were the same as the last one, apparently unlike the published image I had seen of reaumurella, but I still couldn't find any images of cuprella to compare to.  Then I realised that I'd been looking at the reaumurella image wrong - there are two pairs of stick-like appendages joined at the top and on my insects all four appendages were the same length.  The image of reaumurella made it look like one pair was much shorter than the other, but looking at it again I realised the two pairs had been separated so although the tips of one pair fell short of the other they were (probably) the same length.  So both of mine might be reaumurella after all, and despite them not looking green I think that's what they probably both were.

probable Green Long-horn Adela reaumurella, Hills and Holes, 7th May

lots of Plain Golds Micropterix calthella on sedge, Hills and Holes, 7th May

Bugs here included Harpocera thoracica and Red-and-black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata.

Harpocera thoracica, Hills and Holes, 7th May

Red-and-black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata, Hills and Holes, 7th May

I keyed this beetle out to Cantharis nigricans but subsequently wondered if I may have made a mistake and it should be Cantharis pellucida having seen Dave's similar insect (from elsewhere) identified as the lattter.  I re-found the specimen and checked the elytra hair again as this seems to be the critical point in the key - "Elytra almost covered with close-set very short pubescence, along with more scattered longer hair" for nigricans and "not as above" for pellucida (there are further species for both but the following couplets key out to nigricans or pellucida).  The elytra are covered with close-set pubescence, though whether that is very short or not is debatable.  There are also some scattered hairs protruding more than the downy hairs and at least some of them are clearly longer than the flatter downy hairs.  So I think I was right - oe else the key is misleading.

Cantharis nigricans, Hills and Holes, 7th May

An intersting selection of Ladybirds included Kidney-spot Ladybird, 7-spot Ladybird, four 14-spot Ladybirds and an 18-spot Ladybird - the latter apparently my first ever.

18-spot Ladybird, Hills and Holes, 7th May

14-spot Ladybirds, Hills and Holes, 7th May

There were half a dozen small shiny round black beetles one of which I retained to identify - but not being sure what family it's in that might take a while.  As I'm already getting behind I think I'll park it for now and come back to it later.

Dave pointed out this Cranefly and I agreed it looked distinctive.  I don't have a key or anything like that for these so please shout if I'm wrong, but I think it's Tipular varipennis, a new one for me.

Tipula varipennis, Hills and Holes, 7th May

Just four moths that night: Scalloped Hazel, Flame Shoulder, Hebrew Character and Early Grey.

Fenland mothing

Dave recently obtained permission for us to trap at NWT's Hilgay Fen.  There's no public access there so it was a great opportunity to see what would be there, and we had a pretty successful night on 4th July with 116 species.  Three good micros were new to me: Speckled Fanner Glyphipterix thrasonella, Wainscot Neb Monochroa palustrellus and Lesser Wax Moth Achroia grisella.

Lesser Wax Moth Achroia grisella, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Wainscot Neb Monochroa palustrellus, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Speckled Fanner Glyphipterix thrasonella, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Two macros were new to me too, but one of these was reasonably common (Clouded Brindle) while the other (Brown-tail) is so common that it's quite extraordinary that I'd not managed to see one before!  I've seen quite a few in the month since so not sure how I had managed to avoid them up to this year (adults, that is - I've seen thousands of the larvae).

Clouded Brindle, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Brown-tail, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

A real surprise given that I've only ever seen one before, were 4 Twin-spot Carpets.

Twin-spot Carpets, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Several good micros were seconds for me too: Hemlock Yellow Conch Aethes beatricella, Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana and Thistle Ermine Myelois circumvoluta.

Hemlock Yellow Conch Aethes beatricella, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Thistle Ermine Myelois circumvoluta, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

This Poplar Grey was probably the darkest I've seen:

Poplar Grey, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Other macros were 2 Ghost Moths, 2 Leopard Moths, 2 Drinkers, Peach Blossom, 2 Figure of Eighties, 2 Common Emeralds, Small Fan-footed Wave, 3 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Common Carpets, 2 Yellow Shells, Barred Straw, Sandy Carpet, Wormwood Pug, Grey Pug, Green Pug, Small Yellow Wave, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, Swallow-tailed Moth, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Pale Oak Beauty (melanic), Engrailed, Common White Wave, Privet Hawkmoth, 2 Poplar Hawkmoths, Eyed Hawkmoth, 4 Elephant Hawkmoths, Swallow Prominent, Yellow-tail, Rosy Footman, 2 Red-necked Footmen, Scarce Footman, Common Footman, Buff Ermine, Ruby Tiger, Flame, Flame Shoulder, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Ingrailed Clay, Double Square-spot, Nutmeg, Dot Moth, Bright-line Brown-eye, Lychnis, Brown-line Bright-eye, 5 Smoky Wainscots, 4 Poplar Greys, Angle Shades, 3 Dark Arches, 2 Light Arches, Double Lobed, 3 Tawny Marbled Minors (gen det), Uncertain, 3 Rustics, 2 Mottled Rustics, Cream-bordered Green Pea, 2 Silver Ys, 3 Spectacles, Beautiful Hook-tip, Straw Dot and 3 Snouts.

Leopard Moth, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Nutmeg, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Among the micros I would never have detected 4 species of Cnephasia had I not been on that dissection course last autumn.  We had at least 7 Grey Tortrices Cnephasia stephensiana, 4 Flax Tortrices Cnephasia asseclana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana and Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana. Incidentally, I looked up the plural of Tortrix to check I was right in calling them Tortrices and it seems both Tortrices and Tortrixes are acceptable.  What's the norm though among other moth recorders?

Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana (male, gen det), Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana (male, gen det), Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana (male, gen det), Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana (male, gen det), Hilgay Fen, 4th July

And they say asseclana is supposed to be one of the strongest marked species!

Other micros were 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella (gen det), London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 15 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Little Conches Cochylis dubitana, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrices Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, 2 Variegated Golden Tortrices Archips xylosteana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, 2 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 4 White-backed Marbles Hedya salicella, Sallow Marble Apotomis capreana, 5 Smoky-barred Marbles Lobesia abscisana, 2 Cock's-head Bells Zeiraphera isertana, 4 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, 25 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Yellow Satin Veneers Crambus perlella, Giant Water-veneer Schoenobius gigantella, 3 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 3 Meadow Greys Scoparia pyralella, 3 Brown China-marks Elophila nymphaeata, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula stagnata, 2 Small China-marks Cataclysta lemnata, Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata, Long-winged Pearl Anania lancealis, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Olive Pearl Udea olivalis, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla and 4 White Plumes Pterophorus pentadactyla. 

Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

White-backed Marble Hedya salicella, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Sallow Marble Apotomis capreana, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella (male, gen det), Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Giant Water-veneer Schoenobius gigantella, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

Other insects included my first Lesser Stag Beetle...

Lesser Stag Beetle, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

...Four-spotted Chaser, 20+ Azure Damselflies and 6 Blue-tailed Damselflies...

Blue-tailed Damselfly, Hilgay Fen, 4th July

...and this tiny red mite that had attached itself to the Lesser Wax Moth.

Mite (on Lesser Wax Moth Achroia grisella), Hilgay Fen, 4th July

A Red Fox was the best of the other wildlife noted.