Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Leaf-cutters (Incurvariidae), Carls (Tischeriidae) and Bagworms (Psychidae)

LEAF-CUTTERS (INCURVARIIDAE)


Pale Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria pectinea - None.  I'm yet to encounter this species but its fairly widespread, if not especially common, in Norfolk so I should bump into it sometime.  Plenty of its foodplants locally.


Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria masculella - After failing to catch a likely-looking candidate 2-3 years ago I finally added this species to the garden list when I netted one on 25th April 2020.  One at the meadows on 2nd May was the only one I found in 2019 but 3 there between 24th April and 15th May 2020 plus larval feeding signs on 2nd October.

Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria masculella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd May 2019

Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria masculella, North Elmham, 25th April 2020

larval feeding signs of Feathered Leaf-cutter Incurvaria masculella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd October 2020

Common Leaf-cutter Incurvaria oehlmanniella - The common name for this species is rather misleading as it is described as 'rare' in Norfolk, although that seems to be increasingly inaccurate too.  Until 2019 I had only found one of these, in my garden in 2017, but in each of 2019 and 2020 I caught 3 here, on 22nd May, 2nd June and 29th June 2019 and 19th, 21st and 27th May 2020.  A couple of good years, or a species that is on the rise?

Common Leaf-cutter Incurvaria oehlmanniella, North Elmham, 22nd May 2019

Common Leaf-cutter Incurvaria oehlmanniella, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Common Leaf-cutter Incurvaria oehlmanniella, North Elmham, 27th May 2020

Striped Leaf-cutter Phylloporia bistrigella - None.  Rare but widespread enough and with a foodplant (Birch) that grows in my front garden so hopefully it won't be too long before I find my first example of this species.

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BRIGHTS (PRODOXIDAE)

This entire family (all genus Lampronia) continues to elude me.  None are particularly common but it's about time one of them gave itself up to me.

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CARLS (TISCHERIIDAE)

Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella - 5 in my garden moth trap between 24th June and 23rd July 2019 and 4 between 20th June and 14th August 2020, both very good showings considering I'd only recorded one in each of 2017 and 2018 and none in 2015-16.  Also singles at the meadows on 15th and 30th June 2019 and 17th May and 12th August 2020; also occupied mines there in September 2019.

Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 10th April 2020

Small Carl Tischeria dodonaea - None.  I'm yet to see this species but although it's reasonably scarce it's fairly widespread so may turn up locally.


Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea - 14 in my garden moth trap between 1st June and 27th August 2019 and 26 between 20th May and 20th August 2020, including 4 on 12th August.  Annual totals here since 2015 have been 2, 6, 6, 11, 14 and 26, so we're either in the midst of a run of good years or else the species is increasing (or maybe it's just that I haven't been very good at weeding the garden).  Adults recorded at the meadows in June and August 2019 and July 2020, and mines recorded here too.  Also one at Hills and Holes in May 2020.

Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

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BAGWORMS (PSYCHIDAE)


Dotted-margin Bagworm Diplodoma laichartingella - None.  I've not identified this species yet but although records are sparse it's fairly widespread and may well occur locally.  It might possibly be the identity of this mystery larval case but there are other cases that look similar (including the Dahlica species, neither of which is well-recorded in Norfolk).  It was on a wooden fence post at the meadows on 24th November 2019.  I'd initially put it down, albeit only very tentatively, as Luffia lapidella but looking at it again I'm not sure it's green enough for that?

unidentified larval case, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th November 2019

White-speckled Bagworm Narycia duplicella - None.  I've only found this species once, at Bittering, but it's perfectly feasible round here.


Brown Bagworm Taleporia tubulosa - None.  I haven't found this species locally but no reason why it shouldn't be here.


Grey Bagworm Luffia lapidella - None.  Apparently one of the most common and widespread members of the family in Norfolk but the only serious contender I've ever found turned out to be Narycia duplicella when it emerged. 


Shining Bagworm Bacotia claustrella - One to light at the meadows on 7th July 2019 was my first, and a very decent record.  There are only 7 previous records in Norfolk, 5 in the Brecks and 2 in south-east Norfolk so this was quite unexpected.  Furthermore all the previous records involved larval cases so this appears to be the first one ever trapped as an adult.  Although it is not strictly necessary to gen det these I felt it was prudent to confirm it that way in view of its scarcity and my low levels of inexperience with this whole family.

male Shining Bagworm Bacotia claustrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Common Bagworm Psyche casta - A larval case in Laura's garden in Hellesdon on 14th July was my only record of this species in 2019.  Another larval case at the meadows on 18th June 2020, 2 years to the day from my previous record there.  I've not recorded this species at home yet and I haven't seen an adult anywhere. 

larval case of Common Bagworm Psyche casta, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June 2020

Next page: Tineidae

3 new moths for the garden, including Epinotia tedella, bringing the garden list past 800

Apparently the Common Spruce Bell Epinotia tedella is indeed common in coniferous forests across the UK, but it is rare in Norfolk (can go several years in a row without any records), and there aren't any coniferous forests in my back garden.  So finding one in my trap on 17th June was one of the best, if not the best, find of the summer.  I have to say it wasn't much to look at, being very worn, and although tedella was always a contender I had to gen det it to be sure what it was.

Common Spruce Bell Epinotia tedella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 17th June

This wasn't the only new moth for the garden that night - there was also an Agrimony Case-bearer Coleophora follicularis, a species I'd had at Bawdeswell three times (confirmed by Jon Clifton as I wasn't gen detting back then) but not here at North Elmham despite checking all possible candidates since moving here.

Agrimony Case-bearer Coleophora follicularis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 17th June

Yet another new moth for the garden was a Thistle Conch Aethes cnicana, a species I'd only seen twice before.  I must have had photos of this as my notes about it refer to them but they aren't in the folder where they should be and I can't find them anywhere else either.  It would appear that I have accidentally deleted them, or just maybe incorrectly labelled them and filed them away under something else.  Three new moths for the garden in one night is an increasingly rare occurrence!  They also take my garden moth list through a milestone - past the 800 mark to 801.

There were some more new moths for the garden year list too: Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, Cypress-tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, Purple Bar, Barred Yellow, Bordered Pug, Tawny-barred Angle and Cream-bordered Green Pea.

Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, North Elmham, 17th June

Purple Bar, North Elmham, 17th June

Barred Yellow, North Elmham, 17th June

Bordered Pug, North Elmham, 17th June

Tawny-barred Angle, North Elmham, 17th June

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham, 17th June

Other moths were 2 Blackthorn Slenders Parornix torquillella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Fen Crest Brachmia inornatella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 False Cacao Moths Ephestia woodiella, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 5 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Grey Pine Carpet, 2 Green Carpets, 2 Sandy Carpets, Freyer's Pug, Common Pug, Grey Pug, V-Pug, Double-striped Pug, Treble-bar, Clouded Border, Peppered Moth, 4 Willow Beauties, Pale Oak Beauty, 4 Clouded Silvers, 3 Light Emeralds, Common Footman, Buff Ermine, 3 Heart and Darts, Flame, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Ingrailed Clays, 3 Common Wainscots, 4 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, 3 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 3 Middle-barred Minors, Treble Lines, 4 Uncertains, 3 Burnished Brasses, 25 Straw Dots and 9 Snouts.

The green lacewing Chrysopidia ciliata was new for the year, as was a Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius.  Other things included the bugs Orthotylus tenellus and Psallus varians, the leafhopper Oncopsis flavicollis and the soldier beetle Cantharis cryptica.

Chrysopidia ciliata, North Elmham, 17th June

Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius, North Elmham, 17th June

Next day a Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum was attracted to a Grapholita lobarzewskii pheronome lure, a new bug for the garden.

Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum, North Elmham, 18th June

Scallop Shell and my 44th Coleophora

I see a lot of exciting moths but every now and then I come across something that really heart-stoppingly fantastic, and on the night of Sunday 23rd June I had such a moth.  It's long been high on my wishlist and it's a remarkable-looking moth, if not a hugely rare one.  So when I was nearly finishing emptying the moth trap and turned over the last eggbox to see one sitting there, I had one of those moments - my heart leapt!  Technically I'd seen one before, but on that occasion I just saw a moth fly past which someone else managed to get a better look at to identify it - on my views it could have been anything.  That experience had made me want to see one properly even more - and now I had one, in my own garden.  It was a Scallop Shell.  What a moth!

Scallop Shell, North Elmham, 23rd June

I'd seen 43 species of Case-bearer Coleophora in Norfolk including 36 in my garden, but I had never seen the one that is supposed to be the commonest, Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella.  On the night of 22nd June I found a candidate for this species - its external appearance was a good match - would I at last fill this glaring gap?  Well no, for on dissection it turned out to be the other species that is very similar, only much rarer, Blackthorn Case-bearer Coleophora coracipennella - my 44th Coleophora, but I am still missing the really common one!  This appears to be just the 10th record in Norfolk.

Blackthorn Case-bearer Coleophora coracipennella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd June

Two more moths were new for the house: Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella and the rather scarce Brown Oak Tortrix Archips crataegana (my first for five years).

Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, North Elmham, 23rd June

Brown Oak Tortrix Archips crataegana, North Elmham, 23rd June

Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Scarce Footman, 3 Buff Footmen and Mere Wainscot were all new for the year here.

Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd June

Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, North Elmham, 23rd June

Scarce Footman, North Elmham, 23rd June

Buff Footman, North Elmham, 23rd June

Mere Wainscot, North Elmham, 23rd June

Other moths were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, Garden Cosmet Mompha subbistrigella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 4 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, 2 Black-brindled Bells Epinotia signatana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 16 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 12 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 7 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 10 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Drinker, 2 Buff Arches, Large Emerald, 2 Common Emeralds, Small Emerald, 5 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 9 Single-dotted Waves, 6 Treble Brown Spots, 24 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Common Carpets, 7 Barred Straws, Lime-speck Pug, Common Pug, Green Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, Early Thorn, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, Peppered Moth, 4 Willow Beauties, 5 Mottled Beauties, Pale Oak Beauty, Engrailed, 4 Common White Waves, 8 Clouded Silvers, Poplar Hawk-moth, 4 Elephant Hawk-moths, Coxcomb Prominent, Pale Prominent, 2 Rosy Footmen, 3 Dingy Footmen, 4 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, 2 Short-cloaked Moths, Heart and Club, Heart and Dart, 5 Flames, Ingrailed Clay, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Small Angle Shades, 6 Dark Arches, 15 Uncertains, 3 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, 4 Beautiful Hook-tips, 2 Straw Dots, 6 Snouts, 2 Fan-foots and 2 Small Fan-foots.

Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd June

Heart and Club, North Elmham, 23rd June

The soldier beetle Rhagonycha fulva was the first I've identified at home.

Rhagonycha fulva, North Elmham, 23rd June

Other insects included the brown lacewing Hemerobius humulinus, the caddisfly Hydropsyche pellucidula and three bugs: Phylus coryli which I first identified only a few nights earlier, Stenotus binotatus and Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius which was new for the year.

Phylus coryli, North Elmham, 23rd June