Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Slenders and Midgets (Gracillariidae) (part 3: Parornix)

SLENDERS and MIDGETS (GRACILLARIIDAE) (continued)

With the genus Parornix you can sometimes make a pretty good educated guess as to which species is involved but unfortunately they require dissection to prove the ID.  This can be quite rewarding as you can find a good range of species occurring in the same locality.

This isn't going to be a colourful page though...



Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae - Just one at home in 2019, on 25th July.  Having averaged 4.5 a year that was quite a poor showing but I made up for it in 2020 with a record 9 between 18th July and 7th September.  Elsewhere recorded in 2019 at Sculthorpe Moor (26th April) and Swanton Great Wood (27th August).

male Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Sculthorpe Moor, 26th April 2019

male Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 25th July 2019

female Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 18th July 2020

female Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 23rd July 2020

male Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 19th August 2020

female Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 20th August 2020

Beech Slender Parornix fagivora - One found inside the house on 23rd July 2019.  This was a completely new species for me which makes it all the more remarkable that I caught 4 in 2020, on 17th May, 27th July and 5th and 6th August.  My 7th Parornix species here - just the Hornbeam species left now I think (carpinella), but that one's going to be tricky with just one Norfolk record so far.

female Beech Slender Parornix fagivora, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

female Beech Slender Parornix fagivora, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

male Beech Slender Parornix fagivora, North Elmham, 6th August 2020

Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella - 10 here between 22nd April and 31st August 2019, making it my joint best year for them here (level with 2018), but the record was broken in 2020 with 19 between 11th April and 19th August.  Also 5 at the meadows (1 in 2019, 4 in 2020) and singles at Sculthorpe Moor and Weybourne in 2019.

male Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May 2019

male Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th June 2020

male Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, North Elmham, 9th August 2020

male Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, North Elmham, 17th August 2020

Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella - 4 caught at home between 24th April and 16th July 2019, half the number recorded in 2018.  An unprecedented total of 23 caught here between 18th May and 15th August 2020.  None anywhere else.

male Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 24th April 2019

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 20th May 2020

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 1st July 2020

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 26th July 2020

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 1st August 2020

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 10th August 2020

Rowan Slender Parornix scoticella - Singles caught in my garden moth trap on 30th July and 7th August 2020.  Previously I'd only caught this species here twice, in 2014 and 2018.

male Rowan Slender Parornix scoticella, North Elmham, 30th July 2020

male Rowan Slender Parornix scoticella, North Elmham, 7th August 2020

Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella - None.  I've caught 5 of these here in the previous 3 years (3 in 2018).


Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella - One at the meadows on 25th May 2019 then 4 in the garden moth trap up to 27th August.  I had caught 14 here in 2018 but apart from that 2019's showing was fairly typical.  But 2020 saw a new record with 18 between 22nd May and 19th August.

A leaf-fold on Blackthorn at the meadows on 14th October could in theory have been this species or finitimella so I examined the larva to see if its legs had black rings or if they were concolorous with the body.  Well they certainly didn't have black rings (which finitimella should have) though I would argue that they weren't quite concolourous with the body having vaguely greyish rings.  I decided to rear it through but what emerged on 2nd November was a parasitic wasp (which, with the help of Gavin Broad, was a Diadegma sp., probably Diadegma crataegi).

male Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 9th August 2019

larva of Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 14th October 2019

male Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 22nd May 2020

female Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 8th August 2020

male Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 9th August 2020

female Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 10th August 2020

Next page: more Gracillariidae (Phyllonorycters)

Natterjacks, a new weevil and a rainbow halo

A birding trip to Burnham Overy on 1st May didn't produce many moths - just 2 Plain Fanners Glyphipterix fuscoviridella and a Cinnabar, though there was a caterpillar which I haven't yet been able to put a name to (maybe Garden Tiger but it doesn't look quite right to me).  Also Red Admiral, Small Copper and this Natterjack Toad.

Natterjack Toad, Burnham Overy Dunes, 1st May

unidentified caterpillar (possibly Garden Tiger?), Burnham Overy Dunes, 1st May

There was also a Limnephilus auricula (caddisfly) at Holkham.  Not many moths at home again that night but there were two new for the year: Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella and Knot Grass. The others were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Waved Umber, Muslin Moth and 3 Hebrew Characters.

Knot Grass, North Elmham, 1st May

Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 1st May

This weevil was on my front door (inside) in the morning - although I can't find any definitive statement that the dark line down the join of the elytra is a reliable identifier, all the images I've checked of other Strophosoma and similar species seem to lack it whereas it is apparently characteristic of Nut Leaf Weevil Strophosoma melanogrammum - a new species for me.

Strophosoma melanogrammum, North Elmham, 2nd May

Next day I returned to Burnham Overy where I saw another Natterjack in the dunes, and a Stoat.  Moths included Plain Fanner Glyphipterix fuscoviridella, Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana and 3 Cinnabars. There were 2 Small Coppers and the brown lacewing Hemerobius humulinus.

Natterjack Toad, Burnham Overy Dunes, 2nd May

Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Burnham Overy Dunes, 2nd May

The most impressive natural phenonemon though was this 'glory' - a rainbow halo around my shadow as I walked down the seawall early in the morning.  I think it's also known as Brocken Spectre, though I'm not sure if that's exactly the same thing or not - more often seen in mountains apparently, though I suspect that has something to do with the way the shadow is thrown down a hillside which was sort-of the case here as I was on top of the seawall.

'Glory' or Brocken Spectre, Burnham Overy Dunes, 2nd May

Moths at home that night were Swallow Prominent, White Ermine, Muslin Moth, Clouded Drab and 4 Hebrew Characters, the White Ermine being new for the year.

White Ermine, North Elmham, 2nd May

The following night Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella and Red Twin-spot Carpet were new for the year.  There was also Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Swallow Prominent, Pale Tussock and 4 Hebrew Characters, plus the caddisfly Glyphotaelius pellucidus and a Black Sexton Beetle.

Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, North Elmham, 3rd May

Red Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 3rd May

The following night Scalloped Hazel was new for the year.  Other moths were 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Brindled Pug, Brimstone Moth, Swallow Prominent, Muslin Moth and 4 Hebrew Characters. Also the caddisfly Limnophilus sparsus and another Black Sexton Beetle.

Scalloped Hazel, North Elmham, 4th May

Pale Eggar and Sycamore-seed Pigmy

Three new macros for the garden year list on 28th August including my second ever Pale Eggar.  The other two were Frosted Orange and Pinion-streaked Snout.

Pale Eggar, North Elmham, 28th August

Frosted Orange, North Elmham, 28th August

Pinion-streaked Snout, North Elmham, 28th August

Two of the 3 Silver Ys were the tiny variant f. gammina, while other migrants included Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella and Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis.

Silver Ys (typical individual above, f. gammina below), North Elmham, 28th August

The rest were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Black-headed Conches Cochylis atricapitana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 12 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 3 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Orange Swift, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Carpet, Purple Bar, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 5 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, 16 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, Willow Beauty, Common Wave, Poplar Hawkmoth, 11 Flame Shoulders, 19 Large Yellow Underwings, 10 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, 14 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 10 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Knot Grass, Copper Underwing, 11 Flounced Rustics, 4 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 9 Straw Dots and 8 Snouts.

Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 28th August

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, North Elmham, 28th August

Other wildlife included Common Frog, the Brown Lacewing Hemerobius lutescens, Forest Bug and a Common Carder Bee.

Common Carder Bee, North Elmham, 28th August

There were far fewer moths on 29th - just these: Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Orange Swift, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Garden Carpets, 2 Common Carpets, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, 7 Flame Shoulders, 12 Large Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Small Square-spots, 7 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 10 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Mouse Moth, 5 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, 4 Burnished Brasses and Snout.

The day after was better again, the highlight being a new moth for me, Sycamore-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia decentella.

Sycamore-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia decentella, North Elmham, 28th August

A Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella was, perhaps surprisingly, new for the house.

Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 28th August

This Feathered Gothic was also new for the year.

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 28th August

The rest were Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, 3 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 3 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Common Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 7 Green Carpets, Lime-speck Pug, Triple-spotted Pug, 2 Currant Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Treble-bars, 2 Yellow-barred Brindles, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Willow Beauty, 7 Light Emeralds, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Dingy Footman, 5 Flame Shoulders, 19 Large Yellow Underwings, 13 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 4 Small Square-spots, 13 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, Six-striped Rustic, 7 Square-spot Rustics, White-point, 2 Common Wainscots, Straw Underwing, 5 Flounced Rustics, Burnished Brass, Silver Y, Spectacle, 8 Straw Dots and 10 Snouts.

Bugs included Lygus pratensis, new for the house, Birch Shieldbug, Forest Bug and the leafhopper Balclutha punctata.  Lacewings were represented by Hemerobius humulinus.

Lygus pratensis, North Elmham, 28th August

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 28th August