Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 10: Pine Beauty and Orthosias to Grey Arches

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE) (continued)


Pine Beauty Panolis flammea - One at the meadows on 20th March 2019 and one at Cranwich Heath on 14th March 2020.  None in my garden where I've only ever caught 2 in the 6 years I've trapped here (2015 and 2018).

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

Pine Beauty, Cranwich Heath, 14th March 2020

Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta - 101 in the garden between 26th February and 1st May 2019 and 50 between 24th February and 20th April 2020.  2019 was the first time the total has edged into triple figures though 2020 was well under the average of 63.  Elsewhere 10 at the meadows (9 on one night), one at Sculthorpe Moor and 4 in the Brecks.

Clouded Drab, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Clouded Drab, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

female Clouded Drab, North Elmham, 11th April 2020

Blossom Underwing Orthosia miniosa - None.  Many Norfolk records of this species are migrants but a relatively high proportion of inland records may suggest that there is still a small resident population, perhaps.  Either way with one record just down the road there's some hope that I might get my first before too long.  Having said that, as I write 2021 is shaping up to be an unusually good year for this species and I haven't had a sniff of one yet.


Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi - A similar story to Clouded Drab above - 109 in the garden between 1st March and 26th April 2019 was the first time I've recorded over 100 (the average annual tally is 61) but 38 between 14th February and 22nd April 2020 was decidedly under par.  Elsewhere 19 at the meadows (3 nights) plus a caterpillar there on 25th May 2020, and 2 at Cranwich Heath.

Common Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Common Quaker caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2020

Small Quaker Orthosia cruda - 2019 was my best year for this Orthosia too, with 133 trapped in the garden between 1st March and 26th April.  Unlike the previous species 2020 was above average too with 98 between 1st March and 13th April.  Around 73 a year is average here.  Elsewhere 14 at the meadows, 4 in the Brecks and 2 at Keswick.

Small Quaker, North Elmham, 1st March 2019

Small Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Small Quakers, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th March 2020

Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti - None.  I had caught these here on 3 occasions previously (2015 and 2017) (and so far 2021 is proving to be a good year for this species with 3 here so far plus one at the meadows).


Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis - This species is never common here but like the commoner Orthosias 2019 was my best year for them with 8 between 24th March and 29th April (the latter being my latest ever).  2020 was equally good with 8 between 13th and 27th April.  I'd only caught 9 here in the previous 4 years, with a completely blank year in 2018.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows and one at Sculthorpe Moor.

Powdered Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Powdered Quakers, North Elmham, 13th April 2020

Northern Drab Orthosia opima - None.  I've never caught this species locally.  The inland form is pretty rare in Norfolk so it's a bit of a long-shot to hope for one, but there have been a handful of records in mid Norfolk so not without a chance.


Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica - Unlike the other common Orthosias 2019 was not my best year for this species - in fact it was my equal worst year, with a total of 243 between 25th February and 25th May.  2020 was even worse with 190 between 28th February and 20th May.  The average is around 256 a year.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows and 10 in the Lake District.

Hebrew Character, North Elmham, 26th February 2019

Twin-spotted Quaker Anorthoa munda - 2019 was my best year for this species at home with 20 between 2nd March (my earliest ever) and 30th March but 2020 was my worst year with just 3 between 19th and 30th March.  The average annual tally here is 8.  Also one at the meadows and 6 in the Brecks.

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham, 2nd March 2019

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Hedge Rustic Tholera cespitis - One in my garden trap on 2nd September 2019 was a nice surprise, my first here and only my second ever anywhere.  It was followed by another one here on 30th August 2020.

Hedge Rustic, North Elmham, 2nd September 2019

Hedge Rustic, North Elmham, 30th August 2020

Feathered Gothic Tholera decimalis - None in the garden in 2019 but a record 6 between 29th August and 6th September 2020.  I had 7 of these in my garden between 2015 and 2017 but none in 2014, 2018 or now 2019.  Elsewhere one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and one at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019.  All 14 Feathered Gothics that I've ever seen have been within just a 13-day period, 25th August to 6th September.

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 29th August 2020

Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis - Singles in the garden moth trap on 17th August 2019 and 8th August 2020.  Numbers here have varied from 1-7 in a year.  Also one next door on 9th August 2019 and at the meadows on 18th July 2020.

Antler Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Nutmeg Anarta trifolii - At least 10 caught in my garden trap between 8th July and 21st August 2019 (not counted on one night) and then after one on 26th May 2020, 7 between 6th July and 9th September.  These were quite poor totals (average is around 15 a year).  Also recorded at the meadows, Whitwell Street, Weybourne (2) and Brancaster.

Nutmeg, North Elmham, 26th May 2020

Beautiful Yellow Underwing Anarta myrtilli - One to light at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019 - only the second I've ever seen.  I've not found this species locally and given its heath-specific habits I'm not particularly expecting to.  None in 2020.

Beautiful Yellow Underwing, Row Heath (West Runton), 31st August 2019

Grey Arches Polia nebulosa - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 was only the third I've ever seen.  I've never found it locally but it has been caught in my street.  None in 2020.

Grey Arches, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Next page: more Noctuidae

March Moths

I omitted to mention this Orange Ladybird in my last post - I trapped it on 21st February.

Orange Ladybird, North Elmham, 21st February

After a few blank nights while the Beast from the East brought lots of lovely snow things finally thawed on Sunday 4th March when a Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana appeared on the front door.

A trip to Fakenham on 5th produced my first Bee of the year, a Honey Bee I think.  Also Yellow Brain fungus or it's very similar counterpart (thanks again to James for confirming).  There were a couple of Springtails on the base of the fungus.

Honey Bee, Fakenham, 5th March

Yellow Brain (most likely Tremella mesenterica but possibly T aurantia), Fakenham, 5th March

Springtail sp., Fakenham, 5th March

That night Chestnut and Satellite turned up in the trap.

Satellite, North Elmham, 5th March

The following night was quiet with just Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 3 March Moths and 2 Chestnuts.  There was nothing the next night and just a single March Moth on 8th March.  Things picked up again on 9th with 5 Dotted Borders, 3 Hebrew Characters and 2 Chestnuts.

The following day I noticed a fly scuttling across the patio, a behaviour I don't recall seeing in flies before.  I've not done much with flies but thought this might be worth attempting to identify.  Eventually I narrowed it down to a Megaselia sp. but couldn't get any further with it.  It belongs to the family Phoridae, appropriately known as Scuttle Flies.

Scuttle Fly Megaselia sp., North Elmham, 10th March

That night saw a signifiant up-turn in number and variety of moths: 7 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana, 4 March Moths, Pale Brindled Beauty, 2 Dotted Borders, Clouded Drab and Chestnut.  The Clouded Drab was new for the year.

Clouded Drab, North Elmham, 10th March

The following night produced 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Oak Beauty, 3 Dotted Borders and Hebrew Character, and then after a blank night, Common Quaker was new for the year on 13th, with Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

A Winter Shades Tortricodes alternella was new for the year on 14th - a species I don't get many of here (average one a year).  The only other moths that night were 2 Hebrew Characters.

Winter Shades Tortricodes alternella, North Elmham, 14th March

There were Clouded Drab, 2 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut on 15th and then I was away on the night of 16th.  I did leave the trap running though (on timer) and when I returned in the evening there was a Clouded Drab in it. No more moths in the snow that night thouugh, or the next couple of nights.

Things re-started with 2 Hebrew Characters on 19th and another 2 on 20th, the latter alongside an Oak Beauty.  I visited Great Ryburgh on 21st and found a Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana in the hide.  That night a Tufted Button Acleris cristana was new for the year; also Common Quaker, Clouded Drab and 4 Hebrew Characters.

Tufted Button Acleris cristana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st March

The next night was the best night of the year so far with Small Quaker and Grey Shoulder-knot new for the year.  I didn't get the latter species last year and never get many.  The others were 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana, March Moth, Oak Beauty, Dotted Border, 4 Common Quakers, Clouded Drab, 4 Hebrew Characters, Satellite and Chestnut.

Sallow Quaker, North Elmham, 22nd March

Grey Shoulder-knot, North Elmham, 22nd March

Another new moth for the year appeared the following night: Shoulder Stripe.  The other moths that night were Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 3 March Moths, Oak Beauty, Dotted Border, Small Quaker, 4 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, 9 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

Shoulder Stripe, North Elmham, 23rd March

Another Grey Shoulder-knot was the highlight the following night.  There was also March Moth, Small Quaker, 11 Hebrew Characters, Satellite and 2 Chestnuts.

Sunday 25th was mild and sunny and as I took the scenic route back home from Norwich at lunch-time I thought I'd probably see a few Brimstones.  A glimpsed butterfly at Swanton Morley was probably Small Tortoiseshell, my first butterfly this year.  Eventually I did see a Brimstone, just down the road at Worthing - and then a second Brimstone outside my house when I drew up.

The only micro in the trap that night was a good one, Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana, a species that perhaps surprisingly I hadn't seen until last year.  Other moths that night were 3 March Moths, 2 Oak Beauties, 2 Small Quakers, 12 Hebrew Characters, Grey Shoulder-knot and Chestnut.

Red-letter Flat-body Agonopterix ocellana, North Elmham, 25th March

The following night there was March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, Small Quaker, Common Quaker and 7 Hebrew Characters. No new moths for the year on 27th either though another Winter Shade Tortricodes alternella was noteworthy. The others were March Moth, 3 Small Quakers and 10 Hebrew Characters. A Black Sexton Beetle was my first this year.

Winter Shades Tortricodes alternella, North Elmham, 27th March

Black Sexton Beetle, North Elmham, 27th March

There was only a single Common Quaker on 28th.  This Red Chestnut was new for the year the following night.  Other than that it was still very quiet though: Common Quaker, Clouded Drab and 3 Hebrew Characters.

Red Chestnut, North Elmham, 29th March

The next night was poor again: Small Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab and 2 Hebrew Characters.  The month ended with Small Quaker, Common Quaker and 3 Hebrew Characters on 31st.


I've been working through a number of beetles I retained last year and managing to put names to most, some more easily than others, but the last one proved a real struggle.  Part of the problem was that I failed to correctly identify what family it belonged and after spending several hours on it on 3 occasions I was ready to give up.  Then I came across the beetle families page on the UK Beetle Recording website and this led me to Scirtidae, the Marsh Beetles.  I'd somehow missed this family so after all this time I was glad to finally have a lead.  In the end I still couldn't get a species-level ID as I believe it's a female Elodes sp., a genus in which only the males are identifiable (at least according to the references I've been using).  On the one hand disappointing that I couldn't resolve it fully but on the other hand satisfying that I finally managed to get as far as I think is possible with such a troublesome beast.

Elodes sp., North Elmham, 19th July 2017

Two Tubics

I found this lovely Sulphur Tubic Esperia sulphurella in my dining room on Wednesday - my first this year.

Sulphur Tubic Esperia sulphurella, North Elmham, 15th March

That night another new 'Tubic' for the year turned up, a March Tubic Diurnea fagella.

March Tubic Diurnea fagella, North Elmham, 15th March

There was also Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, 2 Clouded Drabs, 3 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

On Thursday night there were 3 Small Quakers, my first here this year. Also March Tubic Diurnea fagella, 2 March Moths, Clouded Drab and 4 Hebrew Characters.

Small Quaker, North Elmham, 16th March

Last night's moths were March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Dotted Border, Small Quaker, 2 Clouded Drabs and 4 Hebrew Characters. There was also the ichneumon Ophion obscuratus.

That flea beetle I mentioned I'd caught in the Brecks last Saturday but hadn't identified it when I posted about that trip... well eventually I did tentatively identify it.  The result was quite interesting though, perhaps a bit too interesting for my first example of this group of beetles, so I got in touch with Martin Collier, county recorder for beetles, for confirmation.  He had doubts about my ID and after getting a second opinion from Steve Lane who is an expert in the genus, confirmed that it was in fact a much more expected species, Longitarsus melanocephalus.  Thanks to both Martin and Steve.  A new one for me, even if not as unusual as what I first keyed it out as.

Longitarsus melanocephalus, Norfolk Brecks, 11th March