Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Grass moths (Crambidae) - Part 5: Grass-veneers II (Catoptria to Platytes)

GRASS MOTHS (CRAMBIDAE) (continued)


Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella - Both years beat the previous records at home with 44 counted on 19 nights between 9th July and 7th August 2019 and two nights in the peak period when they weren't counted.  Then 53 between 17th June and 22nd August 2020.  28 was my previous best annual total.  Elsewhere recorded next door, at the meadows (just one) and at Weybourne.

Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Pearl-band Grass-veneer Catoptria margaritella - Probably my moth of the year, indeed one of the best moths I have ever caught, was one trapped in my garden on 13th July 2019.  This species is common in parts of northern and western England but does not appear to be common anywhere closer than Yorkshire.  I'm not sure of its exact status in the counties between there and here but I can't find anything to suggest that it normally occurs anywhere near Norfolk (less than 10 records in Lincolnshire apparently).  There 3 records of coastal migrants in Norfolk and Suffolk including 2 from Eccles in 2001 and 2015 (the only previous Norfolk records) and one from Felixstowe in 2003.  My garden is terrible for migrants and, with no other coastal records that I'm aware of in 2019 it seems to me to be a bit of a stretch to think this was an immigrant.  It was, however, a bumper year for this species in its normal range with, for example, at least 3,100 one night at one site in Yorkshire.  I suspect my record was a wanderer from a British population rather than an immigrant.

Pearl-band Grass-veneer Catoptria margaritella, North Elmham, 13th July 2019

Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella - Totals of 18 here between 11th July and 3rd September 2019 and 14 between 1st and 15th August 2020.  Numbers here vary considerably with 11 in 2017 and 50 in 2015 but these were below average.  Elsewhere one next door and 3 at the meadows.

Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Powdered Grass-veneer Thisanotia chrysonuchella - None.  I've only seen this species in the Brecks and it's pretty rare elsewhere in Norfolk.  However there are a scattering of records around the county so it's plausible I might turn one up here sometime.


Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella - 3 in the garden and one at the meadows all between 25th July and 1st August 2019.  I thought this was a staggering total for a moth that I recorded in my garden for the first time in 2018 (and only twice elsewhere before this), but then 2020 happened!  I caught 14 here between 16th July and 5th August, 3 at the meadows (18th July and 7th August), one at Bintree Wood and one at Brancaster (2nd July). This recent surge of records was reflected by other recorders across the county and at the moment it looks more like an upward trend than simply a couple of good years.  Although the head-down posture is distinctive I think it would be easy to confuse this species with Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella.

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham, 26th July 2019

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella - Sinlges in the garden trap on 24th June 2019 and 22nd June 2020.  This species isn't quite annual here although I have averaged one a year.  It is much commoner in the Brecks.

Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella, North Elmham, 22nd June 2020

Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella - One in the garden trap on 25th July 2019, only my third record here and first since 2015.  Although I've had a couple of other records locally this species is much easier to find at the coast.  None in 2020.

Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, North Elmham, 25th July 2019

Next page: more Crambidae

A new ant, a new fly and a new barklouse

On 19th August I did some moth-trapping at the meadows.  There was a nice selection of moths, though nothing earth-shattering.  The highlight was probably Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, a species I had at home twice in 2015 but not since.

Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August

The other moths were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, Brown Rowan Argent Argyresthia semifusca, Dark Ash-bud Moth Prays ruficeps, 2 Wainscot Smudges Ypsolopha scabrella, White-shouldered Smudge Ypsolopha parenthesella, 6 Clover Case-bearers Coleophora alcyonipennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Mouse-ear Groundling Caryocolum fraternella, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 20 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Common Carpets, Green Carpet, Tawny Speckled Pug, 2 Brimstone Moths, Turnip Moth, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 15 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Six-striped Rustic, Square-spot Rustic, Nutmeg, 2 Common Wainscots, Centre-barred Sallow, Dun-bar, 3 Vine's Rustics, 2 Silver Ys and Straw Dot.

White-shouldered Smudge Ypsolopha parenthesella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August

Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August

This Dark Bush-cricket spent the evening on the sheet that the trap was sitting on.

Dark Bush-cricket, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August

2 Dichochrysa prasina were the only lacewings I noted and there was a Common Earwig.  I didn't check all the caddisflies, but of the ones I did there was a nice selection: Ithytrichia lamellaris, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Small Silver Sedges Lepidostoma hirtum, Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus sparsus, Molanna angustata, Athripsodes albifrons and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis.

Bugs included Common Green Capsid Lygocorus pabulinus, Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis (I confirmed one but there were lots of similar bugs), Macrosteles sexnotatus and 4 water boatmen.  I retained one of the latter for checking, making sure, or so I thought, that I had retained a male.  At home I discovered it was in fact a female, so not identifiable.

Beetles included 2 Violet Ground Beetles Carabus violaceus, 4 Strawberry Seed Beetles Harpalus rufipes, Bradycellus verbasci, Hydrobius fuscipes, Orange Ladybird, 2 Harlequin Ladybirds and Acorn Weevil.

Violet Ground Beetle Carabus violaceus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August

Hydrobius fuscipes, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August

The only lifers I had this night were a flying ant which I keyed out to Lasius umbratus and a fly which I would normally ignore but it was such a beauty I had to see if I could identify it.  Turns out it was a Green Gem Microchrysa flavocornis - the vernacular name is very appropriate.  My photos don't do it justice.

Lasius umbratus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August

Green Gem Microchrysa flavocornis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August

I had previously reported that last time I moth trapped down here I got stung by a German Wasp.  Well I'm sorry, I got mixed up.  It was actually this night that I got stung, not back then, and although I never discovered the true identity of the actual wasp that stung me, the only wasp I did identify this night was a Common Wasp.

Spiders included at least one Nuctenea umbratica.

At home that night a migrant species, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella was the only new moth for the year.

Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, North Elmham, 20th August

Other moths were New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, 2 Blackthorn Slenders Parornix torquillella, Phyllonorycter sp. (escaped before identification), Large Lance-wing Epermenia falciformis, House Neb Bryotropha domestica, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Blotched Marbles Endothenia quadrimaculana, Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, 23 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 6 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 4 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 3 Orange Swifts, Blood-vein, Small Blood-vein, Garden Carpet, Tawny Speckled Pug, 4 Double-striped Pugs, 5 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, Rosy Footman, Turnip Moth, 4 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, Antler Moth, Common Wainscot, 7 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, Spectacle and 3 Straw Dots.

Mayflies, lacewings and caddisflies consisted of 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum, Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita, 2 Chrysopa commata, Chrysoperla carnea, 3 Hemerobius lutescens, Micromus variegatus, Polycentropus irroratus, Hydropsyche pellucidula and Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus.

The barkfly (or barklouse) Ectopsocus petersi was a new species for me, or at least the first time I had identified one.

Ectopsocus petersi, North Elmham, 19th August

Most of my Kybos leafhoppers are unidentifiable females so it was nice to get a male Kybos betulicola, the first I've had this year.  Arguably the Alebra albostriella was a better looking insect.

Kybos betulicola (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th August

Alebra albostriella, North Elmham, 19th August

Other bugs were Birch Shieldbug, 2 Forest Bugs and Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis.  Beetles were Amara apricaria, 7 Bradycellus verbasci and Aphodius rufipes.

A couple of new micros and an Old Lady

I mentioned the Small Mottled Willow (and Rush Veneer) already, but 21st July was excellent even without them.

When I got home from work in the afternoon a large dark buttefly flew up the driveway towards me.  Flying right at me it looked big and dark, Peacock I presumed at first but I could see no sign of colour on the upperwing and something didn't look right.  A hint of a pale border to the wing made Camberwell Beauty cross my mind but surely I'd have seen more than just a vaguest hint of a pale border had that been the (unlikely) solution?  To my surprise if flew right past be and into the house through the front door!  I followed it in seeing it fly into the living room, but following it in there I was surprised to find no sign of it anywhere.  Surely a buttefly trapped in the house would be flying around the windows trying to get out?  I searched high and low and couldn't find it anywhere.  At this point the possibility that it was a moth crossed my mind and I wondered if it could have been an Old Lady.  Had I remembered then that Old Ladies have a pale border wings I might have been more confident from the off, but as it was it took several days before the riddle was solved.  Eventually it appeared at a window five days later - it was an Old Lady.

Old Lady, North Elmham, 26th July having been in hiding since its arrival on 21st July

The total count for 21st July was 540 moths of 123 species including 3 lifers.  The Small Mottled Willow was one, the other two were Dark Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora paripennella and Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella, both of which had to be confirmed by gen detting.

Buff-marked Neb Monochroa lucidella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Dark Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora paripennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Some good macros too including some that I haven't seen very often before: Juniper Pug, Slender Brindle and Fen Wainscot.

Juniper Pug (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Fen Wainscot, North Elmham, 21st July

Slender Brindle, North Elmham, 21st July

Also new for the year were Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella and Plain Golden Y.

Plain Golden Y, North Elmham, 21st July

Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, North Elmham, 21st July

Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella, 2 Cereal Tortrices Cnephasia pumicana, Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella and Rufous Minor were noteworthy too.

 Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, North Elmham, 21st July

Dull Red Groundling Bryotrophra senectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Other macros were 3 Chinese Characters, Peach Blossom, Buff Arches, Blood-vein, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 18 Single-dotted Waves, 17 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Yellow Shells, Barred Straw, V-Pug, 3 Green Pugs, 5 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, 3 Brimstone Moths, 4 Early Thorns, 4 Scalloped Oaks, Swallow-tailed Moth, 5 Peppered Moths, 4 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Common White Wave, 3 Clouded Silvers, Privet Hawkmoth, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Pebble Prominent, 2 Buff-tips, Brown-tail, 4 Yellow-tails, Round-winged Muslin, 17 Rosy Footmen, 6 Dingy Footmen, 8 Scarce Footmen, Buff Footman, 42 Common Footmen, 11 Buff Ermines, Ruby Tiger, 5 Heart and Darts, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flames, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 16 Double Square-spots, 4 Nutmegs, 3 Dot Moths, Bright-line Brown-eye, Lychnis, Brown-line Bright-eye, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, Brown Rustic, 3 Dun-bars, 15 Dark Arches, 2 Tawny Marbled Minors, 14 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, 38 Uncertains, 5 Rustics, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, Beautiful Hook-tip, Straw Dot, 11 Snouts and 2 Fan-foots.

Privet Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 21st July

Peach Blossom, North Elmham, 21st July

Lesser Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Common Rustics (males, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

The rest were Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 38 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, 2 Woundwort Case-bearers Coleophora lineolea, 2 Grey Rush Case-bearers Coleophora glaucicolella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 7 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 3 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrices Pandemis heparana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 24 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 38 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 8 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula stagnata, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 2 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, 3 Dusky Pearls Udea prunalis, 15 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla. 

Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, North Elmham, 21st July

Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 21st July

A couple or nice bugs too, including Britain's largest leaf-hopper, Ledra aurita, and Iassus lanio.

Ledra aurita, North Elmham, 21st July

Iassus lanio, North Elmham, 21st July

Over-run with Garden Grass-veneers and Uncertains

Seems I forgot to post this pic of the Archer's Dart in yesterday's post about our Winterton trip.  A decent enough moth to be worth rectifying that oversight.

Archer's Dart, Winterton, 11th July

Winterton didn't have the monopoly of good moths that evening - at home I recorded a monster 580 moths of 117 species.  Lots were new for the year for the garden, including several species we had recorded at Winterton during the evening: Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella, Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Brown-tail and Dingy Shears.

 Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Platytes alpinella, North Elmham, 11th July

Dusky Groundling Aroga velocella, North Elmham, 11th July

Dingy Sheers, North Elmham, 11th July

Other new moths for the year were White-backed Marble Hedya salicella, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, 3 Leopard Moths, July Highflyer, Wormwood Pug, Pine Hawkmoth, Buff Footman, Sycamore, Dun-bar and Blackneck.

Blackneck, North Elmham, 11th July

Leopard Moths, North Elmham, 11th July

Pine Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 11th July

Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, North Elmham, 11th July

The numbers were swelled by 120 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteucha culmella.  The other micros were 7 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella, 2 Grey Rush Case-bearers Coleophora glaucicolella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 2 Burdock Nebs Metzneria lappella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, 3 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 13 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 4 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla. 

Elder Pearl Anania coronata, North Elmham, 11th July

Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, North Elmham, 11th July

White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th July

Some good lookers among the macros, like 2 Buff Arches, Large Emerald, Phoenix, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, 3 Peppered Moths, Poplar Hawkmoth, an impressive 11 Elephant Hawkmoths, 3 Lesser Swallow Prominents, 5 Buff-tips, 13 Rosy Footmen, 6 Dot Moths, Cream-bordered Green Pea and 6 Burnished Brasses.

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 11th July

Phoenix, North Elmham, 11th July

With the macros it was 65 Uncertains that boosted the numbers.  Gen detting got me all three of the Marbled Minor aggs: 3 Marbled Minors, Rufous Minor and Tawny Marbled Minor, as well as Grey Dagger and Common Rustic.

Rufous Minor (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th July

The rest of the macros were 3 Common Emeralds, 10 Small Fan-footed Waves, 4 Dwarf Cream Waves, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 13 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Shaded Broad-bars, Common Carpet, 7 Barred Straws, 8 Green Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, 4 Clouded Borders, 3 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 4 Willow Beauties, 4 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, 3 Common White Waves, 9 Clouded Silvers, 3 Yellow-tails, 3 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 27 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, Short-cloaked Moth, Heart and Club, 4 Heart and Darts, 10 Flames, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Ingrailed Clays, 24 Double Square-spots, 8 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 6 Clays, 9 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Brown Rustics, 10 Dark Arches, Light Arches, 3 Rustics, 4 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, 4 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot, 8 Snouts and 2 Fan-foots.

It was getting dark by the time I finished sorting through the trap and with an overwhelming number of moths in pots awaiting attention I decided to give it a break the following night.  Hate to think what I missed as the weather was still good, but there just aren't enough hours in the day and night to do everything!