Description


A diary of my mothing activity covering highlights and photos from my moth trapping activities. Mainly Norfolk (UK), occasionally beyond. I may mention other wildlife sightings here, especially insects, but for birds see my birding diary.

Tuesday 16 February 2021

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.


-----------------------------------


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.


-----------------------------------


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



-----------------------------------


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


No comments:

Post a Comment