Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Geometers (Geometridae) - part 10: Thorns and March Moth (Apeira to Alosphila)

GEOMETERS (GEOMETRIDAE) (continued)


Lilac Beauty Apeira syringaria - 4 caught here between 23rd June and 10th July 2019.  I've had between 4 and 7 each year I've lived here until 2020 when I didn't catch any here.  Of the 37 Lilac Beauties I've ever seen only 2 have been away from one or other of my homes and one of those was my only Lilac Beauty in 2020, at Bintree Wood on 26th June.


Large Thorn Ennomos autumnaria - None.  This species (which I've never seen) appears to be reasonably common in some parts of the far west of the county but pretty scarce elsewhere.  There are a few records in mid Norfolk though, so I'd like to think I might catch one locally some day.


August Thorn Ennomos quercinaria - None.  This must be one of the commonest moths that I've not seen yet and although they're not as common round here as they are in parts of Norwich there are quite a few records from nearby - including one in my neighbouring tetrad in 2019 (this side of Brisley I think).


Canary-shouldered Thorn Ennomos alniaria - Totals of 8 here between 9th August and 9th September 2019 and 17 between 19th July and 13th September 2020.  2019 was my worst year so far but 2020 was pretty average.  Elsewhere just one at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019.

Canary-shouldered Thorn, North Elmham, 26th July 2020

Dusky Thorn Ennomos fuscantaria - Totals of 23 here between 28th July and 22nd September 2019 and 55 between 23rd July and 18th September 2020.  Average here is about 41 a year.  Elsewhere 3 next door, 8 at the meadows and 5 at Whitwell Street.

Dusky Thorn, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th September 2019

September Thorn Ennomos erosaria - None. I've never seen this species but there are a few records in mid Norfolk so it may turn up here sometime.  Much less chance of this than August Thorn though, and I can't even manage to catch one of them.


Early Thorn Selenia dentaria - In the spring generation totals of 8 between 21st March and 23rd April 2019 and 13 between 14th March and 18th April 2020. In summer at least 58 (but not counted on 3 dates) between 5th July and 1st August 2019 and 20 between 25th June and 30th July 2020.  2020's total of 33 was my lowest in 6 years and around half the average.  Elsewhere just one at the meadows on 18th March 2019 and on in Hellesdon.

Early Thorn, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th March 2019

Purple Thorn Selenia tetralunaria - Only 2 at home in 2019, on 24th and 26th July, fewer than I've caught in the past (3 for the last couple of years, 8 in each of the previous 2 years).  A more typical 5 here between 5th and 27th July 2020.  Elsewhere spring generation singles at the meadows and Sculthorpe Moor on 22nd and 26th April 2019.

Purple Thorn, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Purple Thorn, North Elmham, 10th July 2020

Purple Thorn, North Elmham, 27th July 2020

Scalloped Hazel Odontopera bidentata - Totals of 9 caught here between 17th and 30th May 2019 and 5 betweeen 3rd and 26th May 2020.  These were my joint highest and my lowest annual totals in the 6 years I've been here.  Elsewhere one at the meadows and one at Hills and Holes and then caterpillars in October 2020 which I believe to be this species - one at Penberth in Cornwall on 7th and one at the meadows on 30th, both on Ivy.

Scalloped Hazel, North Elmham, 17th May 2019

Scalloped Hazel, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

Scalloped Hazel, North Elmham, 26th May 2020

Scalloped Hazel caterpillar, Penberth, 7th October 2020

Scalloped Hazel caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th October 2020

Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria - At least 35 trapped in the garden between 7th July and 11th August 2019; even allowing for a couple of nights when they weren't counted this was probably my worst total here and certainly below the average of 47 a year.  2020 made up for it with 65 between 30th June and 5th August.  Elsewehere one at the meadows and 6 at Brancaster.

Scalloped Oak, North Elmham, 30th June 2020

Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria - Singles caught at home on 7 dates between 24th June and 17th July 2019, making it my worst year here so far (I average 19 a year), and 10 between 13th June and 5th July 2020 plus a late second generation individual on 20th October (my second October record following one in 2014).  A few elsewhere: 2 at the meadows, 2 at Hellesdon and one at Weybourne.

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 13th June 2020

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 20th October 2020

Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria - 30 in my garden between 19th October and 24th November 2019 and 35 between 10th October and 13th November 2020.  These weren't quite my worst annual totals but were well below the average of 45.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows.

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 21st October 2019

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th November 2020

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 9th November 2020

March Moth Alsophila aescularia - 17 between 7th February and 1st April 2019 and 12 between 14th February and 25th March 2020.  These were my worst 2 years in 6 but so far 2021 has been one of my best.  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows on 20th March 2019, another in 2020 and one at Lynford.

March Moth, North Elmham, 7th February 2019

March Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Next page: more Geometridae

Cacao and Corn Moths

After a good night's mothing at Holt Country Park I returned home to find a reasonable selection of moths in the garden trap.  There were no real stand-out highlights but new for the garden year list were Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Yellow Shell, 2 Scalloped Oaks, Pine Hawk-moth and Purple Clay.

Scalloped Oak, North Elmham, 1st July

Purple Clay, North Elmham, 1st July

This Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana was arguably better than any of those, judged by the number of county records, but it seems to be getting commoner with quite a few records in very recent years.  That's certainly my experience with my first ever last year and now three so far this year.  I need to improve my detection of them though as I passed off both of the last two (at least) as Acleris laterana/comariana agg. until I looked at their genitalia.  Some schalleriana can look quite distinctively broad-shouldered to my eyes (recalling sparsana to me) but this one didn't.  Nor were the dark triangles on the costa particularly extensive (they didn't reach the apex as they're supposed to on schalleriana for starters).  Apparently schalleriana has rougher scales along the leading edge of the forewing - I'm not sure about that - I think I could possibly make out this feature when I looked under the microscope but will need to look for this critically on future insects to test it.

Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 1st July

The other moths were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, 3 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 17 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 5 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 White Plumes Pterophorus pentadactyla, Ghost Moth, Drinker, Buff Arches, Large Emerald, Small Emerald, 2 Small Blood-veins, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, 9 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 2 Riband Waves, Common Carpet, 4 Barred Straws, Green Pug, Double-striped Pug, 3 Clouded Borders, 3 Early Thorns, Swallow-tailed Moth, 3 Willow Beauties, 14 Clouded Silvers, 3 Elephant Hawk-moths, Buff-tip, 5 Rosy Footmen, 2 Dingy Footmen, 22 Common Footmen, Cinnabar, 4 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 2 Clays, 7 Smoky Wainscots, Small Angle Shades, 2 Dark Arches, 37 Uncertains, Rustic, 3 Mottled Rustics, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, 2 Straw Dots, 6 Snouts, 6 Fan-foots and 2 Small Fan-foots.

Beetles were represented by Summer Chafer (new for the year) and Brown Chafer.

The following day I put the Yellow-legged Clearwing lure out again, hoping for another Orange-tailed that comes to the same lure rather than more Yellow-legged.  I didn't get either, but it did attract an entirely different moth - and a good one at that - a Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella.  If you read my account of the previous night's event at Holt you'll know we had one there too, only the night before.  Two in two nights at different locations is rather good given there had only been four records in Norfolk since 1874 - and the last of those in 2013 was me too, at my old house.

Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 2nd July

A very mediocre catch in the light trap that night produced just one addition to the garden year list, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata.  Other moths caught were 3 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 6 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Small Blood-vein, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, 15 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Riband Waves, 2 Barred Straws, Wormwood Pug, 3 Clouded Borders, Lilac Beauty, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Elephant Hawk-moth, Pale Prominent, 2 Buff-tips, 2 Rosy Footmen, 4 Dingy Footmen, 26 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Flame, Double Square-spot, Bright-line Brown-eye, 2 Clays, 13 Smoky Wainscots, Dark Arches, 28 Uncertains, 4 Mottled Rustics and Burnished Brass.

The following afternoon and evening I discovered four moths which entered my study through the open window, two of them very interesting.  At least one of them arrived during the afternoon well before dark, my third Corn Moth Nemapogon granella and my second this year - these three being the only records in the county since 2013. Larvae of this species feed indoors on stored grain or other vegetable products and the first of mine was a mystery being found during a cold spell in February last year suggesting it might have hatched indoors.  But I didn't have any stored grain or anything where I could imagine it was likely to have emerged from so I speculated that I might have accidentally transported it home from a recent visit to a farm shop specialising in bird food.  With two subsequent records this year perhaps a more local origin is a better explanation.  There used to be a bakery next door to me - it closed down and was converted to houses several years ago (before I moved in) but I wonder if there may have been a population there that now still survives in the area outside (they can breed outside on fungus, apparently).  It will be interesting to see if records continue.

Corn Moth Nemapogon granella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd July

The other three moths in the study were found after dark: Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella and another really good one: Cacao Moth Ephestia elutella.  The Cacao Moth was a lifer and like the Corn Moth is a species that feeds indoors on stored vegetable products, in this case mainly nuts and especially cocoa and tobacco, however it is sometimes recorded outside.  There are only six previous county records, so a very pleasing addition to the garden list.  Identification requires examination of the genitalia to be certain but I had a very strong suspicion that this one would prove to be elutella - compared to the much commoner Falso Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella it looked smaller, greyer and smoother - all quite subtle though and I certainly wouldn't have identified it confidently from these photos...

Cacao Moth Ephestia elutella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd July

Moths I caught that night using the more traditional light trap included my first Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana of the year.

Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana, North Elmham, 3rd July

Others were Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 3 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Small Emerald, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 10 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 3 Riband Waves, 2 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, 2 Barred Straws, Currant Pug, 3 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, 6 Early Thorns, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Elephant Hawk-moth, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 Buff-tips, 2 Dingy Footmen, 20 Common Footmen, 7 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Short-cloaked Moth, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Brown-line Bright Eye, 11 Smoky Wainscots, Dark Arches, 36 Uncertains, Rustic, 2 Mottled Rustics, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, Snout and Fan-foot.

I'm pretty sure I've seen these at home before but the beetle Lagria hirta was the first I've actually identified here.  There was also a Brown Chafer.

Lagria hirta, North Elmham, 3rd July

The only caddisfly was a Leptocerus tineiformis.

I recently acquired the new spiders book (Britain's Spiders by Bee, Oxford & Smith) and put it to the test for the first time on 4th July when I found this spider in my house.  Turns out it's one of two species that can't be identified on externally visible features but if I understand it correctly the fact that it was inside my house pretty much rules out one of them leaving Amaurobius similis as the ID without recourse to dissection (which I wouldn't want to do with a spider - I find them horrible enough to look at without a microscope and am certainly not ready to start handling them).

Amaurobius similis, North Elmham, 4th July

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

More Maple Prominents before a lull

Another crop of new-for-the-year on 11th included Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, Drinker, Peach Blossom and Yellow-tail, but 2 Maple Prominents and a Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana were more unexpected than any of those.

Maple Prominent, North Elmham, 11th July

Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, North Elmham, 11th July

Drinker, North Elmham, 11th July

Peach Blossom, North Elmham, 11th July

Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, North Elmham, 11th July

Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, North Elmham, 11th July

Other macros were Buff Arches, Large Emerald, Common Emerald, Small Emerald, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, Yellow Shell, 2 Barred Straws, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 2 Early Thorns, 4 Swallow-tailed Moths, 3 Peppered Moths, 4 Willow Beauties, 4 Mottled Beauties, Clouded Silver, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, 3 Coxcomb Prominents, 2 Rosy Footmen, 7 Common Footmen, 13 Buff Ermines, Short-cloaked Moth, 3 Flames, Flame Shoulder, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, 2 Clays, Poplar Grey, 4 Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, 5 Common Rustics, 11 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, Straw Dot and 6 Fan-foots.

Rustic, North Elmham, 11th July

Other micros were Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Pine Marbles Piniphila bifasciana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 9 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 6 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

The only other invert noted was the bug Stenotus binotatus, again.

The following night a Blackneck was the only moth new for the year here (but always a welcome one to find at home).

Blackneck, North Elmham, 12th July

Other macros were 2 Drinkers, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 10 Riband Waves, Phoenix, 3 Barred Straws, 2 Clouded Borders, Early Thorn, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, 3 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Buff-tips, 6 Rosy Footmen, 13 Common Footmen, 11 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Short-cloaked Moth, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, Bright-line Brown-eye, 3 Clays, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Grey Dagger, Brown Rustic, 5 Dark Arches, Light Arches, 22 Uncertains, 6 Mottled Rustics and Snout.

Relatively few micros: 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata and False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella.

A Waxfly was one of the Conwentzia species but it was a female and apparently these can't be resolved to species level.

Conwentzia sp., North Elmham, 12th July

Caddisflies were Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus lunatus.

I can't remember when I last didn't get any new moths for the year - seems like ages ago!  But there weren't any on 13th July, and only 34 species: Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Buff Arches, Small Fan-footed Wave, Dwarf Cream Wave, Single-dotted Wave, 4 Riband Waves, Clouded Border, Scalloped Oak, Peppered Moth, 3 Willow Beauties, Privet Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, Buff-tip, Rosy Footman, 11 Common Footmen, 6 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Dot Moth, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 8 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, 17 Uncertains, Rustic, 3 Burnished Brasses and Snout.

Scalloped Oak, North Elmham, 13th July

A Limnephilus auricula was the only caddisfly noted.

Coleophora solitariella - first modern record of an adult in Norfolk

A stroll round Syderstone Common during my lunch break on 4th July produced 16 Small Heaths, Ringlet and some Meadow Browns.  Several Skippers were too fleeting to identify but one that sat out was a Small Skipper.  The only moths seen were 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis.

It's always exciting to see what you can find among the Coleophora, but if you get anything good you tend not to know it until you have it under a microscope.  Often though you can have a pretty good stab at the ID beforehand and when you get stuck on externals there's a better chance that the internals will reveal something interesting.  That was the case with one of the Coleophora on 4th July.  Not obvious what it might be on externals so I chopped it.  I didn't immediately recognise the genitalia so at this point I went back to the moth and took it through the key in MOGBI.  That often fails - a moth only has to have antennae ringed to the tip when MOGBI thinks it shouldn't and the right answer gets ruled out, for example, but on this occasion it came up trumps.  Once a provisional answer had been arrived at I checked the genitalia against that and yes, that was the boy!  Ochreous Case-bearer Coleophora solitariella.  Not many records in Norfolk and looking at the detail it seems that all the modern ones are of larvae.  There are two records from 1874 that don't say if they're adult or not, but mine seems to be the first adult to be found (and identified) in Norfolk in modern times.

That might suggest that they're rather rare, but I suspect they're not really.  Stewart Wright has found their larvae in several places over the last couple of years so they can't be all that rare.  Various references say the adults are rarely observed, so presumably it just doesn't come to light all that often for some reason.  Plus of course it's a Coleophora - not many people bother with them!

Ochreous Case-bearer Coleophora solitariella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th July

A couple of other micros were new for the house: Little Slender Calybites phasianipennella and Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana.

Little Slender Calybites phasianipennella, North Elmham, 4th July

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, North Elmham, 4th July

Most of the other additions to the garden year list were also micros: Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 3 Variegated Golden Tortrices Archips xylosteana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella and Scalloped Oak.

Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, North Elmham, 4th July

White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, North Elmham, 4th July

Scalloped Oak, North Elmham, 4th July

Vareigated Golden Tortrix Archips xtlosteana, North Elmham, 4th July

Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th July

Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, North Elmham, 4th July

 Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, North Elmham, 4th July

Of the 81 species of moth recorded that night the rest of the micros were 2 Case-bearing Clothes Moths Tinea pellionella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 7 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrices Lozotaenia forsterana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 5 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 12 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 3 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana, 29 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, North Elmham, 4th July

Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, North Elmham, 4th July

The remaining micros were 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Single-dotted Wave, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 7 Riband Waves, 4 Barred Straws, Sandy Carpet, 2 Grey Pugs, Green Pug, Clouded Border, Swallow-tailed Moth, 2 Peppered Moths, 5 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Clouded Silver, 3 Elephant Hawkmoths, Rosy Footman, Common Footman, Buff Ermine, 2 Heart and Darts, 10 Flames, Flame Shoulder, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 7 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, Bright-line Brown-eye, Clay, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, 2 Poplar Greys, 3 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, 9 Dark Arches, Light Arches, Marbled Minor, Rufous Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, 3 Middle-barred Minors, 7 Uncertains, 2 Mottled Rustics, 2 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 3 Straw Dots, 6 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Rufous Minor (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th July

Caddisflies included Polycentropus flavomaculatus, Hydropsyche sp. (probably siltalai), Limnephilus auriculas, Limnephilus lunatus and Leptocerus tineiformis. Also another Summer Chafer.

The following night there were just 4 new for the year: Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella, Common Rustic and Rustic.

The others were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 6 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, Treble Brown Spot, Riband Wave, 3 Barred Straws, Barred Yellow, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, Scalloped Oak, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, 2 Common Footmen, 9 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, 2 Flames, Bright-line Brown-eye, Brown Rustic, 3 Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Middle-barred Minor, 9 Uncertains, 2 Spectacles, Beautiful Hook-tip, Straw Dot, 4 Snouts and Small Fan-foot.