Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 7: Minors to Sallows

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE) (continued)


Rosy Minor Litoligia literosa - None.  I've only ever seen this species at the coast but there are quite a few records locally including some very nearby, so it must be high up on the "next most likely new moth for the garden" list.


Cloaked Minor Mesoligia furuncula - At least 13 in the garden between 7th July and 21st August 2019 (not counted on 2 nights but unlikely to have been many more than singles).  That was about average (then 15 a year) but in 2020 I caught a record 53 including a peak count of 12 on 31st July, 3 times my previous highest count.  Elsewhere recorded next door on 4 consecutive nights in 2019, one at the meadows in 2019 and 11 there in 2020 over 2 nights.

Cloaked Minor, North Elmham, 14th July 2019

Cloaked Minor, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd August 2020

Cloaked Minor, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Marbled Minor Oligia strigilis - Totals of 10 confirmed in the garden between 26th May and 25th June 2019 and 12 between 20th May and 25th June 2020.  I'd been thinking that I wouldn't bother confirming all the Marbled Minor aggs. from 2019 to save time (and moths) but there were so few I only let one go unconfirmed in the end.  The average annual tally here is 17-18.  Also 4 at the meadows in 2019.

male Marbled Minors, North Elmham, 1st June 2019

male Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 5th June 2019

male Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 18th June 2019

female Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 30th May 2020

male Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 17th June 2020

Tawny Marbled Minor Oligia latruncula - 6 caught in the garden between 7th June and 18th July 2019 and 8 between 20th May and 27th June 2020.  2019 was my worst year to date for this species - I catch 14 a year on average.

male Tawny Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 27th June 2019

male Tawny Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 4th July 2019

male Tawny Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 14th July 2019

male Tawny Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 20th May 2020

male Tawny Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 3rd June 2020

male Tawny Marbled Minor, North Elmham, 27th June 2020

Rufous Minor Oligia versicolor - Singles trapped and confirmed at home on 15th and 21st July 2019 - my third consecutive year of recording 2 here (following 5 in 2015 and 10 in 2016).  Better in 2020 when 5 between 26th June and 13th July.  Also one at the meadows on 7th July 2019.

male Rufous Minor, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

male Rufous Minor, North Elmham, 15th July 2019

male Rufous Minor, North Elmham, 21st July 2019

male Rufous Minor, North Elmham, 26th June 2020

female Rufous Minor, North Elmham, 9th July 2020

Marbled Minor agg. Oligia strigilis agg. - In addition to those detailed above, 3 at home, 4 at the meadows and 2 at Weybourne.  The following chart shows the relative flight times of the 3 species based on records here from 2015 to 2020.  Throughout this time I identified all individuals throughout their flight periods, with the exception of the a few random individuals that got away.

Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula - Totals of 28 trapped at home between 1st and 28th June 2018 and just 4 between 21st May and 23rd June 2020.  I started with 59 in 2015 and each year since has been worse than or the same as the year before, but the 4 in 2020 was especially lame.  Elsewhere 6 at the meadows on 4 dates (including a later one on 7th July 2019).

Middle-barred Minor, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

Middle-barred Minor, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Orange Sallow Tiliacea citrago - One at the meadows on 15th September 2019; none in 2020.  I've caught 4 of these in the garden, in 2014, 2017 (2) and 2018.

Orange Sallow, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th September 2019

Barred Sallow Tiliacea aurago - 6 in the garden between 30th September and 11th October 2019 and just one in 2020, on 16th October.  I've had up to 21 in a year here and never less than 6 before (the poor total in 2020 may have been partly down to me being away in Cornwall for a few days during its peak flight period).  Also one on Ivy at the meadows on 4th October 2019.

Barred Sallow, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th October 2019

Pink-barred Sallow Xanthia togata - 12 caught in the garden between 28th September and 7th October 2019 and 7 between 22nd September and 14th October 2020.  Excluding 2020 when I was away for a few days during the peak flight period, the annual average here is 15-16.  Elsewhere 2 on Ivy at the meadows on 4th October 2019 and 4 in Cornwall in early October 2020.

Pink-barred Sallows, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th October 2019

Sallow Cirrhia icteritia - Totals of 18 trapped in the garden between 21st September and 15th October 2019 and 21 between 15th September and 16th October 2020 (during which flight period I was away for a few days).  The annual average here is about 22.  Elsewhere 2 on Ivy and blackberries at the meadows and one in Cornwall.

Sallow, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th October 2019

Sallow, North Elmham, 18th September 2020

Sallow, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th September 2020

Dusky-lemon Sallow Cirrhia gilvago - None.  I'm still missing this species here in North Elmham, despite having had 3 to light in my bedroom in Bawdeswell before moving here.


Pale-lemon Sallow Cirrhia gilvago - None.  I've only ever caught one of these, in my garden soon after moving here, in September 2014.


Next page: more Noctuidae

Orange Sallow heads up another good night

An Orange Sallow was the headliner in the garden trap on 13th October, only the third adult I've ever seen.

Orange Sallow, North Elmham, 13th October

A Brown Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria simplicella was also new for the year, and only my second in the garden.  A Common Thorn Midget Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae was also my second here.

Brown Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria simplicella, North Elmham, 13th October

A count of 17 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella smashed my previous record for this species (7).

In total there were 37 species of moth which is a pretty respectable total for this time of year.  The others were 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 3 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 4 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Ashy Buttons Acleris sparsana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, 2 Double-striped Tabbies Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Single-dotted Wave, Treble Brown Spot, Riband Wave, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 November Moths, Turnip Moth, 9 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, White-point, Black Rustic, 8 Green-brindled Crescents, Brick, 2 Red-line Quakers, Yellow-line Quaker, 2 Brown-spot Pinions, 3 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing, 7 Barred Sallows, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow, Large Wainscot and Silver Y.

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 13th October

Brick, North Elmham, 13th October

In addition to the moths there was another 28 Chrysoperla carnea (green lacewings, 12 confirmed males and 16 presumed females).  Caddisflies consisted of 2 Brown Sedges Anabolia nervosa, Limnephilus affinis, 6 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus decipiens, Limnephilus flavicornis, 9 Limnephilus lunatus and Halesus radiatus.   The true (heteropteran) bugs were 4 Birch Catkin Bugs Kleidocerys resedae, Black-kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus, 2 Tarnished Plant Bugs Lygus rugulipennis and Pinalitus cervinus.

If there were a lot of leafhoppers the previous night, this night was crazy.  There were so many small green and  yellow leafhoppers I couldn't possibly check them all.  I checked 8 Kybos spp., but again they were all females so not resolvable anyway.  The yellow ones were mostly female Edwrdsiana spp. which again cannot be fully identified.  There were a couple of male Fagocyba cruenta there too.  The rest of the leafhoppers I did check more carefully - they were Balclutha punctata, Empoasca decipiens, 7 Empoasca vitis and Lindbergina aurovittata.

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 13th October

Lindbergina aurovittata, North Elmham, 13th October

There were also lots of Ectopsocus barkflies, of which I checked about 3 (all Ectopsocus petersi).  There weren't so many beetles though 4 Lagria hirta was a good count.  The only other beetle was Bradycellus harpalinus, only the second time I've seen this species.

Bradycellus harpalinus, North Elmham, 13th October

The following night was a completely different story with far less.  The moths were 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 November Moths, Turnip Moth, 4 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Black Rustics, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut, 3 Yellow-line Quakers, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, 2 Lunar Underwings, Barred Sallow and Frosted Orange.  Caddisflies were 5 Limnephilus affinis, 9 Limnephilus auricula, 19 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus vittatus.

In stark contrast to the night before there was just a single leafhopper - mind you that was a better one, Fagocyba carri.  There was only a single Ectopsocus too, a female Ectopsocus briggsi.  There was also another barkfly, Valenzuela flavidus.

The following night was pretty so-so too with 17 species of moth and nothing very remarkable among them: Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Blood-vein, Mallow, 4 November Moths, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Satellite, Red-line Quaker, 4 Yellow-line Quakers, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, Sallow and Straw Dot.

There was one green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg. and a few caddis: Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, 11 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 15 Limnephilus lunatus and 2 Halesus radiatus.  Only one leafhopper, Fagocyba cruenta, and one beetle, a Black Sexton Beetle.

Next day Brown-spot Flat-body Agonopterix alstromeriana made it on to the year list. I've managed one every full year I've lived here (i.e. since 2015) but have never had more than 2 in a year.

Brown-spot Flat-body Agonopterix alstromeriana, North Elmham, 16th October

A Notch-wing Button Acleris emargana was equally unusual for the garden, though not new for the year.  A Pale November Moth was new for the year though.

Pale November Moth (male, 8th sternite det), North Elmham, 16th October

A Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis was unexpected being my first ever October record.  My previous latest was 29th August so this being a fresh individual was presumably part of a new second generation.

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flannneakus, North Elmham, 16th October

Other moths that night were Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 3 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, 13 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 13 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, White-point, Black Rustic, 12 Green-brindled Crescents, Brick, 3 Yellow-line Quakers, 4 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing, Sallow and Straw Dot.

Caddisflies were Limnephilus affinis, 9 Limnephilus lunatus and Halesus radiatus. The only other things I noted were 1-2 Ectopsocus petersi.

Amazing aberrant Small Copper

Sunday 23rd September saw both Pine Carpet and Grey Pine Carpet added to the garden year list.  Pine isn't very common here but I was surrpised when I realised the Grey Pine was my first this year.  Also new for the year was the wonderful Pink-barred Sallow.

Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 23rd September

Grey Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 23rd September

Pink-barred Sallow, North Elmham, 23rd September

Other moths were Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Double-striped Tabbies Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, 4 Light Emeralds, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 12 Lunar Underwings, 2 Frosted Oranges, Burnished Brass, Straw Dot and 10 Snouts.

Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, North Elmham, 23rd September

Caddisflies consisted of 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, Limnephilus auricula, 7 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus.  Beetles were represented by Nicrophorus investigator and Aphodius rufipes.

The following night Brown-spot Pinion was new for the year.

Brown-spot Pinion, North Elmham, 24th September

Other moths were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Riband Wave, Mallow, 5 Common Marbled Carpets, Willow Beauty, 2 Light Emeralds, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic, Centre-barred Sallow, 12 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, 2 Sallows, Frosted Orange, Silver Y and 4 Snouts.

Two other insects were new for the year and also my second ever: the mayfly Small Dark Olive Baetis scambus and the mirid bug Pantilius tunicatus.  The following caddisflies were also recorded: Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Limnephilus auricula, 7 Limnephilus lunatus, 2 Limnephilus sparsus and Limnephilus affinis.

Small Dark Olive Baetis scambus, North Elmham, 24th September

Pantilius tunicatus, North Elmham, 24th September

Next day I headed up to Burnham Overy where I found this extraordinary Small Copper (flying with an ordinary one).  There are lots of named aberrations of Small Copper but this isn't one of them.  I presume it's a form of leucism with normally dark areas looking pale and whitish.

Small Copper ab. nov., Burnham Overy, 25th September

Also here a very worn Beautiful Groundling Caryocolum marmorea and the caddisfly Limnephilus auricula.  Later on a Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana at Ryburgh.

A good night for moths that night included my second ever Orange Sallow following one in my first autumn here in 2014.

Orange Sallow, North Elmham, 25th September

Also new for the year were 2 Black Rustics.

Black Rustic, North Elmham, 25th September

This Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis was a surprise - as the species is supposed to finish flying in July.  It was reasonably fresh so presumably an unusual second generation.

Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, North Elmham, 25th September

Other moths were Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Small Blood-vein, Garden Carpet, Mallow, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 4 Dusky Thorns, Willow Beauty, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Common Wainscot, Brown-spot Pinion, 10 Lunar Underwings, 2 Sallows, Frosted Orange and 2 Snouts.

There was also a Chrysoperla carnea agg. (green lacewing), the caddisflies Ithytrichia lamellaris, Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Limnephilus auricula, 8 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus marmoratus, the leafhopper Empoasca vitis and the sexton beetle Nicrophorus investigator.

I had taken the aberrant Small Copper home with me just in case it was necessary to properly document the unusual appearance and the specimen would be required - and also to get decent photos as it hadn't played ball in the field.  I was planning to return to Burnham Overy in the morning so if I didn't need to keep the specimen I would return it.  The feedback I received overnight suggested that there was no need to keep it so I duly released it back where I found it.  This time it settled in the marram grass and in the sunshine allowing a more natural photo than I'd managed yesterday.  I didn't find much else of non-avian interest in the dunes this time.

Small Copper ab. nov., Burnham Overy, 26th September

My wife has recently taken on an allotment in the village and I visited it in the afternoon.  I don't intend to get my hands dirty there but I might have a mooch around looking for insects from time to time!  Not much this time - just a Liocoris tripustulatus (bug) on some nettles and a Common Rough Woodlouse in the compost heap.