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

Grapholita lobarzewskii - the second for Norfolk (and first for the vice-county)

The pheronome lures often attract insects that aren't their target and this Syrphus ribesii (a hoverfly) was one such example.

Syrphus ribesii, North Elmham, 21st June

New moths for the year that night were Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis, Clay and Plain Golden Y.

Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, North Elmham, 21st June

Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st June

Plain Golden Y, North Elmham, 21st June

The rest of the moths that unremarkable night were 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Common Emerald, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Treble Brown Spots, Riband Wave, Garden Carpet, 2 Barred Straws, Clouded Border, 2 Willow Beauties, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Light Emerald, Elephant Hawk-moth, Common Footman, 9 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, 2 Heart and Clubs, Heart and Dart, Ingrailed Clay, Common Wainscot, 2 Brown Rustics, 4 Uncertains, and Spectacle.

If that was poor then the following night is probably best described as tragic.  Just 16 moths of 12 species, in the fourth week of June (and no mayflies, lacewings, caddisflies, bugs or beetles).  It may have been cool but this is ridiculous!  They were London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Common Swift, Single-dotted Wave, Common Footman, 3 Buff Ermines, Heart and Club, Heart and Dart, Ingrailed Clay, 2 Brown Rustics and Dark Arches.

Common Swift, North Elmham, 22nd June

Next day a quick visit to the allotments produced Yellow Shell and a Dock Bug.  I put the pheronome lure out again for Grapholita lobarzewskii.  This is a newly-developed lure and Jon Clifton caught Norfolk's first lobarzewskii in his garden when trialling it last year, but it also attracted a number of Grapholita janthinana.  Aware of this it was no great surprise when I found a Grapholita in the lure trap to find that it was 'just' a Pale-bordered Piercer Grapholita janthinana.  But that's only the second time I've had this moth here so not all that bad really.

Pale-bordered Piercer Grapholita janthinana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd June

That night was only a little better than the previous one, with London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 2 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, 5 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 3 Heart and Clubs, 3 Heart and Darts, Double Square-spot, Bright-line Brown-eye, Common Wainscot, 5 Brown Rustics, 3 Uncertains, Burnished Brass, Spectacle and Straw Dot.

The following day got a whole lot better, starting with the contents of the Grapholita lobarzewskii pherenome lure trap.  In it was a moth that looked superficially similar to Grapholita janthinana, but was immediately obviously different from the Grapholita janthinana I'd caught in there the previous day.  For a starter it was substantially larger, but it was also structurally different being noticeably longer and at least proportionately narrower in the wing.  From below the hindwing cilia looked white and when I managed to encourage it to show its hindwings they were really dark.  Surely this was the boy!  I was so sure I was tempted not to dissect it - surely it couldn't not be lobarzewskii!  But this is a significant record and would only be accepted on dissection so I dutifully did the business.  Sure enough, it proved to be a male Kent Fruit Piercer Grapholita lobarzewskii, the second record for Norfolk (and first for this vice county).  A nice fresh one too, which is something I can't say about most of the janthinana I've seen previously!

Kent Fruit Piercer Grapholita lobarzewskii (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th June

Here it is with the Grapholita janthinana from the previous day, for comparison:

Pale-bordered Piercer Grapholita janthinana (left) and Kent Fruit Piercer Grapholita lobarzewskii (right)

Remarkably this wasn't my only new moth that day as the night's moth trap produced a Rose Case-bearer Coleophora gryphipennella.  To be fair I didn't have much inkling about this one until I dissected it quite a long time later.  They say that the antennae being clearly ringed right to the tip is a good indicator for this species, but to my eyes this species is extremely similar to various other Coleophora species, some of which can have antennae ringed to the tip.

Rose Case-bearer Coleophora gryphipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th June

Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Swallow-tailed Moth and Dingy Footman were all new for the year that night.

Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, North Elmham, 24th June

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 24th June

Other moths were Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 8 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Dwarf Cream Wave, 2 Small Dusty Waves, Riband Wave, Garden Carpet, 3 Barred Straws, 3 Barred Yellows, Foxglove Pug, Double-striped Pug, Lilac Beauty, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Common White Wave, 2 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 2 Heart and Clubs, 3 Heart and Darts, 2 Flames, Ingrailed Clay, 4 Double Square-spots, Common Wainscot, 4 Brown Rustics, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Treble Lines, 13 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Straw Dots and Snout. Caddisflies were Hydropsyche pellucidula and 2 Grouse Wings Mystacides longicornis.

Another new garden moth coming to clearwing lure

On Tuesday 20th June I put the Yellow-legged Clearwing lure out again.  No Clearwings but towards the end of the day I caught a Black-edged Marble Endothenia nigricostana in the lure trap.  This was a nice surprise and a new species for the garden.  Actually it was probably the second as I caught a similar-looking moth in identical circumstances the previous week but that one got away before I could confirm the ID.

Black-edged Marble Endothenia nigricostana, North Elmham, 20th June

There was a slight fall-off in moth variety that night but Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, Phoenix and Dot Moth were all new for the year (it seems to be a very poor year for Dot Moth - at the time of writing I've seen just 3 here compared to 26 or 27 in the last couple of years).

Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, North Elmham, 20th June

Phoenix, North Elmham, 20th June

Dot Moth, North Elmham, 20th June

Other moths trapped were Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 4 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, 3 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 10 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 14 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 8 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 11 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Buff Arches, Common Emerald, Blood-vein, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 5 Dwarf Cream Waves, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 37 Riband Waves, Common Carpet, 4 Barred Straws, Grey Pug, V-Pug, 2 Green Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, Lilac Beauty, Swallow-tailed Moth, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, Common White Wave, 4 Rosy Footmen, 2 Dingy Footmen, 7 Common Footmen, White Ermine, 4 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Short-cloaked Moth, 3 Heart and Clubs, 2 Heart and Darts, Ingrailed Clay, Double Square-spot, Smoky Wainscot, 3 Brown Rustics, Dark Arches, 2 Tawny Marbled Minors, 7 Uncertains, 4 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, Burnished Brass, 8 Beautiful Hook-tips, 5 Straw Dots, 5 Snouts, 2 Fan-foots and Small Fan-foot.

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 20th June

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 20th June

Other insects included Common Green Caspid Lygocoris pabulinus and a Brown Chafer.

Next day at Ryburgh Banded Demoiselle and Black-tailed Skimmer were among the dragonflies and butterflies included Large and Essex Skippers.  Moths were represented by 3 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana and a Yellow Shell.  I can't get any further than Phallus sp. with this bug.

Psallus sp., Ryburgh, 21st June

That afternoon I discovered that some caterpillars were making short work of one of our roses.  I figured they were sawflies rather than moth caterpillars and looked up sawflies on roses.  It seems that there is at least one similar species but I think they were Large Rose Sawflies Arge pagana.

Large Rose Sawflies Arge pagana, North Elmham, 21st June

Best moth got away

Probably the best moth on the night of 3rd July got away, though I'm still hoping to recover it.  It was an Acleris sp. of the comariana/laterana type.  Every such Acleris I've ever checked has been laterana - I'm yet to see a confirmed (or even suspected) comariana.  But this was early (my earliest laterana so far is late July) and comariana starts flying early.  There had to be a good chance this was my first Stawberry Tortrix Acleris comariana.  I took one photo, went to take a better one and it scuttled.  It didn't exaclty fly, just fluttered along the desktop to a pile of papers.  I lifted the edge of the papers expecting to see it, but nothing.  I went through the pile piece by piece checking each one until I got to the bottom, and the moth still hadn't appeared!  I suspect it was on its last legs and may still be in my study somewhere.  Maybe when I have a good spring clean I'll find it...  That might be a while!

Acleris laterana agg., North Elmham, 3rd July - in view of the date perhaps most likely Strawberry Tortrix Acleris comariana, but got away before it could be confirmed

A few other moths were new for the year: 2 Speckled Case-bearers Coleophora sternipennella, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, Barred Yellow, July Highflyer and Swallow-tailed Moth.

Barred Yellow, North Elmham, 3rd July

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 3rd July

July Highflyer, North Elmham, 3rd July

Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, North Elmham, 3rd July

Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, North Elmham, 3rd July

Speckled Case-bearer Colephora sternipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd July

Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, North Elmham, 3rd July

Other micros were Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, 5 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 3 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 8 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 4 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella and Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella.

Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, North Elmham, 3rd July

False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, North Elmham, 3rd July

The other macros were Buff Arches, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, Barred Straw, Green Carpet, Clouded Border, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, Clouded Silver, Light Emerald, Elephant Hawkmoth, 2 Common Footmen, 10 Buff Ermines, 7 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Double Square-spots, 3 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, 2 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, 3 Dark Arches, Dusky Brocade, 2 Marbled Minors, 2 Tawny Marbled Minors, 2 Middle-barred Minors, 4 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Burnished Brasses, 2 Spectacles, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, 3 Straw Dots, 5 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Small Angle Shades, North Elmham, 3rd July

Caddisflies included my first confirmed Agrypnia varia, probably Hydropsyche siltalai and 3 Mystacides longicornis.  On the beetle front Summer Chafer was my first this year.

Agrypnia varia, North Elmham, 3rd July

Summer Chafer, North Elmham, 3rd July