Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Grass moths (Crambidae) - Part 4: Grass-veneers I (Chilo to Agriphila)

GRASS MOTHS (CRAMBIDAE) (continued)


Reed Veneer Chilo phragmitella - None in 2019; one at the meadows on 18th June 2020 and one at Bintree Wood on 24th July 2020.  I've only caught this species at home once, in 2016.

Reed Veneer Chilo phragmitella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June 2020

Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella - Totals of 6 at home between 21st July and 25th August 2019 and 7 between 24th July and 15th August 2020, which are more than I'd ever recorded here before (2 in 2016 and 3 in 2018, none 2015 or 2017).  Singles also at the meadows on 3 dates in 2019.

Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella - Trapped in the garden from 7th June 2019.  By 24th July I'd recorded over 1000.  I continued to trap the species nightly until 10th August but stopped counting them so don't have an overall total.  Even without full counts this was easily my best year here with 685 my previous best total for the year (in 2015).  Another good year in 2020 with 919 between 26th May and 20th August.  Elsewhere counts of up to 60 recorded at the meadows, and found next door, at Bintree Wood, Foxley Wood, Hindolveston, Hellesdon, Brancaster and Weybourne.  A couple of weakly-marked individuals shown here:

Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, North Elmham, 1st July 2019

Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella - At least 73 caught at home on 30 nights between 18th June and 26th July 2019 (not counted on last 2 nights).  This was above average but 2020 was by far my best year so far with 136 between 15th June and 12th August.  Elsewhere only a couple at the meadows, one at Weybourne, half a dozen at Hellesdon and one at Brancaster.

Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th July 2020

Marsh Grass-veneer Crambus uliginosellus - None.  I've not yet recorded this species locally - there are records from the Dereham area so it wouldn't surprise me greatly to find it round here but it favours boggier sites than the ones I cover usually.


Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus - 37 recorded at home between 25th May and 5th July 2019 and 37 again between 17th May and 29th June 2020.  These was below the yearly average of 42.  There were good numbers at the meadows though , especially in 2019 when there were 60 on 6th June.  A few also found at Bintree Wood, Hills and Holes and Frost's Common.

Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th July 2020

Dark Grass-veneer Crambus hamella - None.  I've not yet recorded this species any closer than Marsham Heath and indeed there aren't any records much closer than that to here.  Presumably it's quite loyal to heathland habitat so maybe only a relatively small chance of catching one locally?


Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella - At least 14 caught here between 19th June and 25th July 2019 (not counted on the last date) and 12 between 22nd June and 5th August 2020.  That's well short of the 25 in 2018 but about average overall.  Elsewhere 1-3 recorded on 9 dates at the meadows, 6 at Weybourne, one at Brancaster and singles at 3 sites on Mull.

Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella - Recorded at home on 53 nights between 29th June and 9th September 2019.  The highest recorded count was 39 on 21st August but I didn't count them at all in late July/early August which was during their peak flight period.  As such it's difficult to compare numbers with previous years but it had been averaging at 674 per year form 2015-2018 and was probably in at least this ballpark if not more.  Indeed it was recorded on significantly more nights that 2020 when I recorded my highest numbers ever, 1,185 over 43 nights between 9th July and 31st August (peaking at 118 on 15th August).  Elsewhere recorded next door, at the meadows (max. 35), Foxley Wood and Swanton Great Wood.

Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, North Elmham, 25th July 2019

Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, North Elmham, 9th August 2020

Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, North Elmham, 12th August 2020

Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, North Elmham, 16th August 2020

I'm not quite sure about the identity of this caterpillar found on (but not clearly eating) Greater Mullein at the meadows, but it compares well with images of this species.  If anyone can firm up the identification of this then please do get in touch with me.

possible Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th September 2020

Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella - An unprecedented couple of years for this species at home where previously I had recorded one in 2015, 2 in 2018 and none at all in the intervening years.  At least 12 between 26th June and 4th August 2019 and then 52 (!) between 16th July and 25th August 2020.  Also one at the meadows on 26th July 2019 and 2 there on 7th August 2020.

Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella, North Elmham, 16th July 2020

Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella, North Elmham, 7th August 2020

White-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila latistria - One at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019; none in 2020.  In Norfolk this species occurs mainly close to the coast but there were lots of inland records in 2016 including the only example I've ever caught here.


Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella - Singles recorded at home on 5 nights between 10th July and 2nd August 2019, a fairly typical year - in the previous 4 years I'd always caught between 4 and 8.  2020 was exceptional with 25 between 25th July and 15th August including 4 on 9th August.  Elsewhere one at Foxley Wood on 17th August 2019 and one at the meadows on 7th August 2020.

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, North Elmham, 2nd August 2019

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, North Elmham, 11th August 2020

Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella - Recorded at home on 40 nights between 4th July and 21st August 2019.  After 67 on 24th July I stopped counting them until numbers had tailed off again so no way of telling how this year compared to previous years (but I should think probably closer to the 2015-2017 average of about 600 a year than the 3,300 or so recorded here in 2018).  2020 was fairly good with 791 between 14th July and 3rd September.  Elsewhere recorded next door, at the meadows, Bintree Wood, Whitwell Street, Swanton Novers and Hellesdon.


Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea - Totals of 176 recorded here between 9th August and 10th September 2019 and 167 between 12th August and 16th September 2020.  I've averaged 120 here since 2014 - 2019 was my best year so far.  Elsewhere recorded next door and at Row Heath (West Runton).  Perhaps surprising in a couple of good years that I didn't get any at the meadows.


Next page: more Crambidae

Frost's Common in the rain and a Small Waved Umber

Saturday 29th July was the date of the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Frost's Common, a site I was very much looking forward to trapping at.  Sadly the forecast was abysmal and it looked like it would be raining for most of the night, but incredibly quite a few people actually bothered to turn up in the wet.  There wasn't any chance of trapping in the weather but we had a wander round with torches hoping to pick up a few interesting moths.  We pretty much failed, or at least none of the moths I saw were very remarkable.  The best was a Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella which I'd only seen once before.  I missed out on the Pale Lettuce Bell Eucosma conterminana which others apparently saw - must have been somewhere else when that was passed round which is a shame as it would have been a lifer for me.  Not too rare though - I'll get one sometime.

Waste Grass-veneer Pediasia contaminella, Frost's Common, 29th August

The other moths I saw were 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 80 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Barred Grass-veneers Agriphila inquinatella, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Blood-vein, 2 Large Twin-spot Carpets, 8 Shaded Broad-bars, Flame Shoulder, Lesser Common Rustic and 10 Straw Dots.

I'm not certain about the identity of this grasshopper - unless I'm missing something it doesn't seem to be any species that is normally so short-winged.  Based on the pattern of the pronotum I'm guessing it's either Mottled Grasshopper or, and I favour this, Field Grasshopper.  Is it a species that sometimes has a short-winged form, or is it not fully mature?  Let me know if you have any ideas...

possible Field Grasshopper, Frost's Common, 29th August

The best of the moths trapped at home that night was a Small Waved Umber - only my second ever and my first here.

Small Waved Umber, North Elmham, 29th August

A Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella was my first at home this year.

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, North Elmham, 29th August

Other moths at home were Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 4 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 34 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 21 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Lesser Cream Wave, Least Carpet, Single-dotted Wave, 8 Riband Waves, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Early Thorn, 3 Willow Beauties, Lesser Swallow Prominent, 4 Dingy Footmen, Common Footman, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Arches, Rustic and 3 Straw Dots.

Other insects I recorded were Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum (mayfly), Chrysoperla carnea (and a Chrysoperla carnea agg.) (green lacewings), 2 Hemerobius humulinus (brown lacewings) and the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus rhombicus, the latter new for the year.

Limnephilus rhombicus (male), North Elmham, 29th August

New for the year the following night were Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella and Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, the former regular here but fairly scarce across the county.

Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella, North Elmham, 30th August

Other moths on what was a busier night than most recent nights were Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 4 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 28 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Least Carpet, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Riband Waves, Flame Carpet, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, 2 Currant Pugs, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 4 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawk-moth, 2 Lesser Swallow Prominents, 2 Pale Prominents, Yellow-tail, Black Arches, 2 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, Buff Footman, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics (plus a Common Rustic agg.), Rustic, Spectacle and 3 Straw Dots.

A Chrysoperla carnea was the only lacewing but there were 4 species of caddisfly: Hydropsyche siltalai, Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus flavicornis.  There was also a Buff-tailed Bumblebee in the grass next to the trap.

Numerically the next night wasn't very far behind the previous night but there were no standout highlights: Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 31 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 4 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 3 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Double-striped Pug, Willow Beauty, Poplar Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, 2 Swallow Prominents, Pale Prominent, Black Arches, Rosy Footman, 2 Dingy Footmen, Buff Ermine, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Dun-bar, Common Rustic and 5 Straw Dots.  Not much in the way of other insects either - the sexton beetle Nicrophorus investigator was the only other thing noted.

Brimstone and Holly Blue were among the butterflies in the garden the following day.

Brimstone, North Elmham, 1st August

That night the only new moth for the year was an Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine sp. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella - a shame that this aggregate species group cannot be identified to species level even with examination of the genitalia (you need to see what foodplant the larvae fed on, and even then it isn't always entirely reliable).

Orchard, Apple or Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, North Elmham, 1st August

Other moths that night were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 57 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 3 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Phoenix, Magpie Moth, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, Early Thorn, 3 Willow Beauties, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 Pale Prominents, Rosy Footman, Dingy Footman, Common Footman, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, Spectacle and 6 Straw Dots.

House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, North Elmham, 1st August

A Ginger Button Acleris aspersana was new for the year on Wednesday 2nd August.

Ginger Button Acleris aspersana, North Elmham, 2nd August

Other moths that night were 4 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, 7 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 17 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 4 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Magpie Moth, 2 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, 2 Willow Beauties, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Dingy Footman, Scarce Footman, Common Footman, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Arches, Common Rustic, Rustic and 6 Straw Dots.

There was a good number of green lacewings but apart from one Dichochrysa flavifrons all were Chrysoperla sp.  The latter are almost invariably Chrysoperla carnea but only the males can be separated (with a good look at the tips of their abdomen) from pallida, a species relatively recently recognised and which has not yet been recorded in Norfolk.  Of tonight's haul 5 were male carnea and 13 were females.  There was one more male which for a second I thought might be pallida as the abdomen looked interesting, but then I remembered that there is a third species of Chrysoperla which is supposed to be common, although I'd not seen it before.  Chrysoperla lucasina, as this turned out to be, has a slight point on the tip of the wing, distinct from the more rounded wing tip of carnea (and pallida).  It's quite subtle - I overlooked it at first - it was only when I noticed the abdomen tip was wrong for carnea that I looked hard enough at the wing shape to detect the difference.  They can show more brown along the side of the base of the abdomen too, but that was virtually undetectable on this individual.

Chrysoperla lucasina, North Elmham, 2nd August

Other insects included 3 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum, Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus lunatus, Harlequin Ladybird and the following bugs: Liocoris tripustulatus (which was new for the house), Alebra albostriella (a leafhopper which I identified for the first time this July) and Empoasca vitis (a very common tiny green leafhopper).

Liocrois tripustulatus, North Elmham, 2nd August

Alebra albostriella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Spruce Bud Moth

2nd August was another good night.  A couple of moths were species I have rarely seen before:  Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella was only my second while the scarce Spruce Bud Moth Zeiraphere ratzeburgiana was my third.

Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Spruce Bud Moth Zeiraphera ratzburgiana, North Elmham, 2nd August

2 White-triangle Buttons Acleris holmiana were new for the year.

White-triangle Buttons Acleris holmiana, North Elmham, 2nd August

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella and Scalloped Hook-tip were also new for the year for home.

 Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Scalloped Hook-tip, North Elmham, 2nd August

This Dotted Grey Groundling Athrips mouffetella was suspiciously similar to the one I trapped a couple of nights earlier - I guess it was the same individual.

Dotted Grey Groundling Athrips mouffetella, North Elmham, 2nd August

This Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella wasn't the same as the one I had recently.

Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella, North Elmham, 2nd August

An excellent selection of micros also included Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, 3 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, 4 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 3 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Holly Tortrices Rhopobota naevana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 46 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 28 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 5 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella and 5 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella.

 Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, North Elmham, 2nd August

 Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, North Elmham, 2nd August

The rest of the macros were 2 Chinese Characters, Blood-vein, Least Carpet, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 15 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow Shell, Barred Straw, July Highflyer, Small Rivulet, Slender Pug, Double-striped Pug, 4 Brimstone Moths, Purple Thorn, Willow Beauty, Coxcomb Prominent, Yellow-tail, Black Arches, 3 Rosy Footmen, 9 Dingy Footmen, 3 Scarce Footmen, 12 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Dark Arches, 2 Cloaked Minors, 8 Common Rustics, Dusky Sallow, 8 Uncertains, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, Spectacle and Snout.

 Slender Pug, North Elmham, 2nd August

I'm still trying to sort out how to identify Agonopterix ciliella.  I thought this one was a good candidate being large and dark, though it lacked much in the way of pinkish tones underneath (just a bit on the legs).

 Agonopterix sp., North Elmham, 2nd August

The hindwing showed a very strong pink flush to the cilia around the apex and five fusous bars through the cilia.  Not as distinct as some ciliella can be and so still not a firm ID, but at this point it's looking hopeful.

 Agonopterix sp., North Elmham, 2nd August

The genitalia are very similar to the very much commoner heracliana, but there are supposed to be differences.  To me this one's bits look exactly the same as every other male Agonopterix heracliana I've examined.  So either it was heracliana, or the genitalia of ciliella are harder to separate than various texts suggest.  I await a clear and undisputable ciliella to compare, but in the meantime am increasingly suspicious about how accurately a lot of records of ciliella have been identified.

 Agonopterix sp., North Elmham, 2nd August

One curious thing if this was just a Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana is that of all the ones I've examined (scores now) the large dark ones have also been the ones with the best looking hindwings.  But I'm yet to find one with 5-6 really obvious dark fuscous bars on the cilia... maybe when I do I'll be able to spot the differences in the genitalia.