Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Geometers (Geometridae) - part 11: Brindled Beaties and Umbers (Apocheima to Menophra)

GEOMETERS (GEOMETRIDAE) (continued)


Small Brindled Beauty Apocheima hispidaria - None in 2019 but I finally added this species to my garden list when I caught one in the trap on 17th February 2020, the first one I'd caught anywhere since 2014.  Previously I'd recorded it twice at my last house in Bawdeswell.  (I caught another at home in 2021).

Small Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 17th February 2020

Pale Brindled Beauty Phigalia pilosaria - 2019 was my best year so far for this species with 26 between 26th January and 23rd February and then my first ever December record on 19th.  18 up to 14th February 2020 was more typical and then at the end of the year there were further December records on 14th and 16th.  Also 2 at the meadows in January 2020.

Pale Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 26th January 2019

Pale Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 19th December 2019

Pale Brindled Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th January 2020

Pale Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 16th December 2020

Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria - 7 in the garden between 30th March (my earliest ever) and 2nd May.  At the time this was my median year but much closer to my 2 worse years (6 each) than my 2 better years (17 and 24).  2020 smashed the records with 51 between 12th and 26th April including peak counts of 10 on 22nd and 12 on 23rd - I'd never caught more than 5 in a night before.  This species seems to be quite local - I never caught a single one at Bawdeswell and have only ever found one other elsewhere in the UK.  In Spain on 23rd February 2020 I caught 3 moths that I was convinced would turn out to be some European species of Brindled Beauty that I'd never seen or heard of before but in the end, despite their pale grey appearance (completely lacking any olive tones) and early flight period, it seems that these were Brindled Beauties too.  The pattern more-or-less matches British examples and I can't find any reference to any other species that occurs in Spain and looks anything like this, so presumably this is the local form of Brindled Beauty.

Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 30th March 2019

Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 24th April 2019

Brindled Beauties, between Sant Vicenc and Torrelles de Llobregat (Spain), 23rd February 2020

Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 12th April 2020

Oak Beauty Biston strataria - 12 in the garden here in 2019 including both my earliest ever (10th January) and my latest ever (25th April).  11 here between 14th February and 23rd March 2020.  These were pretty average years.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows.  Such hideously fabulous moths!

Oak Beauty, North Elmham, 9th February 2019

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

Oak Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Oak Beauty, North Elmham, 19th March 2020

Peppered Moth Biston betularia - Totals of 8 in the garden between 24th May and 24th July 2019 and 10 between 13th June and 11th August 2020.  2019 was my worst total but numbers have been consistently low since 2017, at least compared to 2015-16 when I trapped 113 over the 2 years.  Elsewhere 2 at Bintree Wood, 3 at Weybourne (including a melanic individual) and one on Mull.

Peppered Moth, North Elmham, 27th May 2019

Peppered Moth, Ceann Chnocain (Mull), 13th June 2019

Peppered Moth, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Spring Usher Agriopis leucophaearia - One trapped in the garden on 15th January 2019 and then a record 3 caught on 6th February; in 2020 just singles on 17th and 28th January.  I usually get 3-4 a year but 2018 was a blank year (2021 has been my best year so far).  Elsewhere 4 by torchlight at the meadows on 9th February 2019 and one in January 2020.

Spring Usher, North Elmham, 15th January 2019

Spring Usher, North Elmham, 17th January 2020

Spring Usher, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th January 2020

Scarce Umber Agriopis aurantiaria - A total of 10 between 17th and 27th November 2019 making it my best year yet for this species.  A more typical 3 between 7th and 17th November 2020.  Previous year totals have ranged from zero to 8 and a count of 4 on 26th November 2019 was my highest ever number trapped on a single night.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 13th November 2020.

Scarce Umber, North Elmham, 17th November 2019

Scarce Umber, North Elmham, 7th November 2020

Scarce Umber, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th November 2020

Dotted Border Agriopis marginaria - Totals of 20 in the garden between 9th February and 18th March 2019 and 14 between 16th January and 26th March 2020, above and below average respectively.  Elsewhere 7 at the meadows on 4 nights.  At home this species is often at the house windows rather than in the trap and at the meadows it is invariably found by torchlight rather than coming in to light (even when lights are set nearby).

Dotted Border, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st March 2019

Dotted Border, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th March 2020

Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria - at the start of the year one in the garden on 3rd January and then, equalling my record count here, 5 on 6th January.  In the second winter period, a total of 17 starting from 31st October.  These continued into 2020 with 7 up to 9th January, then there were 26 between 23rd October and 26th December 2020 (with none continuing in to 2021).  The 2019 numbers were pretty typical but 2020 was my best year here so far.  None anywhere else - surprisingly I still haven't found this species at the meadows.  The photos below have been selected to show some of the variation found within this species.

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 24th November 2019

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 23rd October 2020

Mottled Umbers, North Elmham, 9th November 2020

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 10th November 2020

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 18th November 2020

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 20th November 2020

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 11th December 2020

Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria - 8 at home between 24th April and 31st May 2019 and 11 between 23rd April and 21st May 2020.  2019 was my worst year here so far - 12 a year is average.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows, one at Sculthorpe Moor, one at Hills and Holes and one in Spain.

Waved Umber, North Elmham, 23rd April 2019

Waved Umber, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Waved Umber, between Sant Vicenc and Torrelles de Llobregat (Spain), 23rd February 2020

Waved Umber, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

Next page: more Geometridae

Acorn Piercer

Just 3 new for the year on 28th July: Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella and Scalloped Hook-tip.

Scalloped Hook-tip, North Elmham, 28th July

Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana, North Elmham, 28th July

Here it is with a Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana.  Not all fasciana have such a conspicuous dark patch midway along the costa and I think some examples of these two species can look quite alike.

Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana (left) and Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana (right), North Elmham, 28th July

Other micros were Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 4 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 2 Woundwort Case-bearers Coleophora lineolea, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 5 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 10 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

The remaining macros were Ghost Moth, Pebble Hook-tip, Chinese Character, Large Emerald, Blood-vein, Least Carpet, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Single-dotted Wave, 11 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Dark Umber, 3 Clouded Borders, Early Thorn, Purple Thorn, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 2 Peppered Moths, 3 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawkmoth, 3 Swallow Prominents, 2 Pale Prominents, Yellow-tail, 8 Rosy Footmen, 13 Dingy Footmen, 16 Scarce Footmen, 2 Buff Footmen, 50 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, Ruby Tiger, Cinnabar, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, Nutmeg, 2 Dot Moths, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 3 Clays, 2 Poplar Greys, 5 Dark Arches, 32 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, 2 Straw Dots, Snout and 3 Fan-foots.

Dark Umber, North Elmham, 28th July

Peppered Moth, North Elmham, 28th July

Just one Green Lacewing in the trap, a Dichochrysa prasina, which seems to be relatively scarce here compared to some of the other Green Lacewings.  Two more the following night, which I'll post about shortly.

Dichochrysa prasina, North Elmham, 28th July

Coleophora trifolii (Large Clover Case-bearer) next door

At lunch on 6th July I went to Courtyard Farm at Ringstead where highlights were Corn Bunting, Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle, 2 Yellow-spot Tortrixes Pseudargyrotoza conwagana and Painted Lady butterfly.

Nearly 200 moths of 76 species at home that night, the highlight being one of 3 Peppered Moths, a melanic individual of the form carbonaria.  I've seen a few dark examples but rarely one so solidly blackish as this.

Peppered Moth (f. carbonaria), North Elmham, 6th July

A tatty Brown Scallop and 2 Four-dotted Footmen were also good, both species commoner in the Brecks than elsewhere.

Brown Scallop, North Elmham, 6th July

Others new for the year were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata and Brown-line Bright-eye.

Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, North Elmham, 6th July

Other macros were Buff Arches, 3 Common Emeralds, Small Emerald, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, Single-dotted Wave, Treble Brown Spot, 7 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Yellow Shell, 5 Barred Straws, Sandy Carpet, Foxglove Pug, Grey Pug, 3 Green Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, 4 Willow Beauties, 3 Mottled Beauties, 2 Common White Waves, 8 Clouded Silvers, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, Marbled Brown, Buff-tip, 2 Common Footmen, Cinnabar, Turnip Moth, 2 Flames, Flame Shoulder, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 3 Double Square-spots, 2 Dot Moths, 5 Brown Rustics, 3 Dark Arches, Light Arches, 14 Uncertains, Green Silver-lines, 2 Burnished Brasses, Beautiful Golden Y, Beautiful Hook-tip, 7 Snouts and 8 Fan-foots.

My best count yet of False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella (8) headlined the other micros, the rest of which were Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 2 Grey Rush Case-bearers Coleophora glaucicolella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 5 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Light Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia incertana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, 6 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 9 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, 6 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella and Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella.

Caddisflies included my first Goera pilosa, along with Ecnomus tenellus, probable Polycentropus flavomaculatus, 3 Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus flavicornis and 2 Limnephilus lunatus.  Also 4 Summer Chafers and the Mayfly Serratella ignita.

Goera pilosa, North Elmham, 6th July

My next door neighbours have a large garden (which I benefit from as we overlook it) and asked me if I could show their 9 year old grandson some moths.  Rather than have him get up at the crack of dawn to go through my moth trap I set a different trap in their garden and popped round at a more civilised time to have a look through it with them.

The Privet Hawkmoth and Eyed Hawkmoth created the biggest wows but the lad made a friend with a Buff Ermine too, and much amusement was found in the fact that there was a moth called Uncertain.  I didn't keep count of everything in the trap as that wasn't the point but from what I could remember when I got back the following were also trapped: Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Cnephasia sp., 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 6 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Drinker, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Clouded Borders, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, Swallow-tailed Moth, 2 Willow Beauties, 2 Clouded Silvers, White Ermine, Short-cloaked Moth, Heart and Dart, 10 Double Square-spots, Middle-barred Minor, 10 Uncertains, Rustic, 2 Mottled Rustics, 2 Burnished Brasses, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Snouts and Dotted Fan-foot.

Drinker, North Elmham, 6th July

Dotted Fan-foot, North Elmham, 6th July

Short-cloaked Moth, North Elmham, 6th July

The best moth from my perspective was lurking on the side of the trap and at first I thought it was going to be a Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, and took it home with me to check.  It was only after I got home that it dawned on me how big it was.  I measured it - yep, this was no Small anything.  Surely this had to be a Large Clover Case-bearer Coleophora trifolii!  It had to be on size but I dissected it just to make sure and so it proved - an unexpected lifer for me!

Large Clover Case-bearer Coleophora trifolii (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th July

There was one more lifer in the trap for me too - the green Lacewing Dichochrysa ventralis.

Dichochrysa ventralis, North Elmham, 6th July