Review of 2019 and 2020 - Leafhoppers part 4: subfamily Deltocephalinae II

LEAFHOPPERS (CICADELLIDAE) continued


SUBFAMILY DELTOCEPHALINAE (continued)


Allygus mixtus - One on Oak at the meadows on 3rd August and one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.  Added to my garden list in 2020 when I found one indoors on 12th August and one in the moth trap on 18th August.

Allygus mixtus, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Allygus mixtus, North Elmham, 12th August 2020

Allygus mixtus, North Elmham, 19th August 2020

Euscelis incisus - Singles found at the meadows on 4 dates between 24th March and 6th May 2019 then another 2 on 22nd August.  A probable nymph there on 25th March 2020 and an adult on 8th May.

Euscelis incisus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th March 2019

probable Euscelis incisus nymph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th March 2020

Euscelis incisus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th May 2020

Euscelis lineatus - A leafhopper found at the meadows on 20th July 2020 looked like this species but I lost it after taking photos.  I'd have preferred to have been able to examine it properly and am not sure if the ID is safe based on the photos alone so unless/until someone tells me otherwise I won't be formally recording it.  New to me if it is one.

probable Euscelis lineatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th July 2020

Mocydiopsis attenuata - One came to light at the meadows on 22nd April 2019.

Mocydiopsis attenuata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Thamnotettix dilutor - Found at the meadows on 13th July 2019 and 19th August 2020.  New for my garden in 2019 when one in my moth trap on 31st July.

Thamnotettix dilutior, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2019

Thamnotettix dilutior, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August 2020

Lamprotettix nitidulus - Totals of 6 in my garden moth trap between 31st July and 14th October 2019 and 10 between 24th July and 29th October 2020 (including 3 on 31st July).

Lamprotettix nitidulus, North Elmham, 31st July 2019

Lamprotettix nitidulus, North Elmham, 23rd September 2019 (with a close-up of its 'Honey Monster' scutellum)

Cicadula frontalis - One in my garden moth trap on 7th August 2020 was my second record following one in 2018.

Cicadula frontalis, North Elmham, 7th August 2020

Cicadula persimilis/quadrinotata - None.  A female of one or other of these species was found at the meadows in 2018.


Opsius stactogalus - None.  I'm not sure where my nearest Tamarisk is but I caught one of these in my garden in 2018.


Grypotes puncticollis - None.  Another one I caught here in 2018.


Macrosteles sexnotatus - Confirmed males in the garden moth trap on 30th and 31st July 2019 and another at the meadows on 3rd September.  Also a likely female at the meadows on 7th July but apparently identification is not safe without reference to the male genitalia/sternal apodemes.  Three in the garden moth trap between 30th July and 11th August 2020 were all unconfirmed females as was one at the meadows (on Imperforate St John's Wort in case that makes a difference) on 30th August.  A confirmed male to light at Whitwell Street on 3rd September.

male Macrosteles sexnotatus, North Elmham, 30th July 2019

male Macrosteles sexnotatus, Whitwell Street, 3rd September 2020

Balclutha punctata - Totals of 5 in the garden moth trap between 24th July and 30th August 2019 and 3 between 5th and 21st August 2020.  Also 2 to light at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 6th August 2019

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 30th August 2019

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

Next page: more leafoppers

Orange Sallow heads up another good night

An Orange Sallow was the headliner in the garden trap on 13th October, only the third adult I've ever seen.

Orange Sallow, North Elmham, 13th October

A Brown Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria simplicella was also new for the year, and only my second in the garden.  A Common Thorn Midget Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae was also my second here.

Brown Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria simplicella, North Elmham, 13th October

A count of 17 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella smashed my previous record for this species (7).

In total there were 37 species of moth which is a pretty respectable total for this time of year.  The others were 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 3 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 4 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Ashy Buttons Acleris sparsana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, 2 Double-striped Tabbies Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Single-dotted Wave, Treble Brown Spot, Riband Wave, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 November Moths, Turnip Moth, 9 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, White-point, Black Rustic, 8 Green-brindled Crescents, Brick, 2 Red-line Quakers, Yellow-line Quaker, 2 Brown-spot Pinions, 3 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing, 7 Barred Sallows, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow, Large Wainscot and Silver Y.

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 13th October

Brick, North Elmham, 13th October

In addition to the moths there was another 28 Chrysoperla carnea (green lacewings, 12 confirmed males and 16 presumed females).  Caddisflies consisted of 2 Brown Sedges Anabolia nervosa, Limnephilus affinis, 6 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus decipiens, Limnephilus flavicornis, 9 Limnephilus lunatus and Halesus radiatus.   The true (heteropteran) bugs were 4 Birch Catkin Bugs Kleidocerys resedae, Black-kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus, 2 Tarnished Plant Bugs Lygus rugulipennis and Pinalitus cervinus.

If there were a lot of leafhoppers the previous night, this night was crazy.  There were so many small green and  yellow leafhoppers I couldn't possibly check them all.  I checked 8 Kybos spp., but again they were all females so not resolvable anyway.  The yellow ones were mostly female Edwrdsiana spp. which again cannot be fully identified.  There were a couple of male Fagocyba cruenta there too.  The rest of the leafhoppers I did check more carefully - they were Balclutha punctata, Empoasca decipiens, 7 Empoasca vitis and Lindbergina aurovittata.

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 13th October

Lindbergina aurovittata, North Elmham, 13th October

There were also lots of Ectopsocus barkflies, of which I checked about 3 (all Ectopsocus petersi).  There weren't so many beetles though 4 Lagria hirta was a good count.  The only other beetle was Bradycellus harpalinus, only the second time I've seen this species.

Bradycellus harpalinus, North Elmham, 13th October

The following night was a completely different story with far less.  The moths were 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 November Moths, Turnip Moth, 4 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Black Rustics, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut, 3 Yellow-line Quakers, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, 2 Lunar Underwings, Barred Sallow and Frosted Orange.  Caddisflies were 5 Limnephilus affinis, 9 Limnephilus auricula, 19 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus vittatus.

In stark contrast to the night before there was just a single leafhopper - mind you that was a better one, Fagocyba carri.  There was only a single Ectopsocus too, a female Ectopsocus briggsi.  There was also another barkfly, Valenzuela flavidus.

The following night was pretty so-so too with 17 species of moth and nothing very remarkable among them: Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Blood-vein, Mallow, 4 November Moths, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Satellite, Red-line Quaker, 4 Yellow-line Quakers, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, Sallow and Straw Dot.

There was one green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg. and a few caddis: Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, 11 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 15 Limnephilus lunatus and 2 Halesus radiatus.  Only one leafhopper, Fagocyba cruenta, and one beetle, a Black Sexton Beetle.

Next day Brown-spot Flat-body Agonopterix alstromeriana made it on to the year list. I've managed one every full year I've lived here (i.e. since 2015) but have never had more than 2 in a year.

Brown-spot Flat-body Agonopterix alstromeriana, North Elmham, 16th October

A Notch-wing Button Acleris emargana was equally unusual for the garden, though not new for the year.  A Pale November Moth was new for the year though.

Pale November Moth (male, 8th sternite det), North Elmham, 16th October

A Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis was unexpected being my first ever October record.  My previous latest was 29th August so this being a fresh individual was presumably part of a new second generation.

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flannneakus, North Elmham, 16th October

Other moths that night were Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 3 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, 13 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 13 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, White-point, Black Rustic, 12 Green-brindled Crescents, Brick, 3 Yellow-line Quakers, 4 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing, Sallow and Straw Dot.

Caddisflies were Limnephilus affinis, 9 Limnephilus lunatus and Halesus radiatus. The only other things I noted were 1-2 Ectopsocus petersi.

Pale Eggar and Sycamore-seed Pigmy

Three new macros for the garden year list on 28th August including my second ever Pale Eggar.  The other two were Frosted Orange and Pinion-streaked Snout.

Pale Eggar, North Elmham, 28th August

Frosted Orange, North Elmham, 28th August

Pinion-streaked Snout, North Elmham, 28th August

Two of the 3 Silver Ys were the tiny variant f. gammina, while other migrants included Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella and Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis.

Silver Ys (typical individual above, f. gammina below), North Elmham, 28th August

The rest were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Black-headed Conches Cochylis atricapitana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 12 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 3 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Orange Swift, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Carpet, Purple Bar, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 5 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, 16 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, Willow Beauty, Common Wave, Poplar Hawkmoth, 11 Flame Shoulders, 19 Large Yellow Underwings, 10 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, 14 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 10 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Knot Grass, Copper Underwing, 11 Flounced Rustics, 4 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 9 Straw Dots and 8 Snouts.

Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 28th August

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, North Elmham, 28th August

Other wildlife included Common Frog, the Brown Lacewing Hemerobius lutescens, Forest Bug and a Common Carder Bee.

Common Carder Bee, North Elmham, 28th August

There were far fewer moths on 29th - just these: Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Orange Swift, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Garden Carpets, 2 Common Carpets, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, 7 Flame Shoulders, 12 Large Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Small Square-spots, 7 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 10 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Mouse Moth, 5 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, 4 Burnished Brasses and Snout.

The day after was better again, the highlight being a new moth for me, Sycamore-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia decentella.

Sycamore-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia decentella, North Elmham, 28th August

A Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella was, perhaps surprisingly, new for the house.

Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 28th August

This Feathered Gothic was also new for the year.

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 28th August

The rest were Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, 3 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 3 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Common Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 7 Green Carpets, Lime-speck Pug, Triple-spotted Pug, 2 Currant Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Treble-bars, 2 Yellow-barred Brindles, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Willow Beauty, 7 Light Emeralds, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Dingy Footman, 5 Flame Shoulders, 19 Large Yellow Underwings, 13 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 4 Small Square-spots, 13 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, Six-striped Rustic, 7 Square-spot Rustics, White-point, 2 Common Wainscots, Straw Underwing, 5 Flounced Rustics, Burnished Brass, Silver Y, Spectacle, 8 Straw Dots and 10 Snouts.

Bugs included Lygus pratensis, new for the house, Birch Shieldbug, Forest Bug and the leafhopper Balclutha punctata.  Lacewings were represented by Hemerobius humulinus.

Lygus pratensis, North Elmham, 28th August

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 28th August