Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Poplar and Pine Cosmets (Batrachedridae) and Case-bearers (Coleophoridae) (Part 1)

POPLAR & PINE COSMETS (BATRACHEDRIDAE)


Poplar Cosmet Batrachedra praeangusta - 2 in my garden trap on 23rd July 2019 and one on 29th July 2020.  Also one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.  I had never seen this species until 2018 when I recorded 3 at home and one elsewhere - is this species suddenly increasing, or has it just enjoyed a couple of good years, or is it just coincidence?

Poplar Cosmet Batrachedra praeangusta, North Elmham, 29th July 2020

Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella - One in the garden on 24th June 2020.  This species has seen a massive upsurge in records in recent years starting with one at my old house in 2013, the first county record for 129 years!  I caught them here in North Elmham in 2015, 2016 and 3 times in 2017 but although records across the county continued to increase I then had a couple of blank years in 2018-19.

Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella, North Elmham, 24th June 2020

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CASE-BEARERS (COLEOPHORIDAE)

4 new species for the garden in 2019 (including one that was completely new for me) and another completely new one in 2020 brought my garden Coleophora list up to 43.


Silver-streaked Case-bearer Coleophora limoniella - None in 2019 but 20 swept from a single Sea Lavendar plant at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020.  One at home in 2018 was quite unexpected given that this saltmarsh species hadn't turned up inland in Norfolk prior to that year.  I don't expect a repeat anytime soon.


Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella - 3 in my garden trap between 10th and 22nd July 2019, a slightly below average year for this species, and then 4 between 29th June and 6th August 2020.  Also 3 at the meadows (26th July 2019 and 18th July and 7th August 2020) and one at Bintree Wood.  These are always dissected to confirm ID - I'm yet to find any features that are even indicative of this species rather than the similarly common flavipennella.

male Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, North Elmham, 10th July 2019

male Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, North Elmham, 29th June 2020

female Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, North Elmham, 6th August 2020

Rose Case-bearer Coleophora gryphipennella - None.  I've only had one of these here (and anywhere) so far, in 2018.


Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella - One at the meadows on 7th July 2019 followed by 5 in the garden trap between 8th and 22nd July and then another 5 in 2020, between 16th June and 7th July.  Fairly typical years for this species which seems to be a little bit commoner than lutipennella (from which separation requires gen detting).

male Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella , North Elmham, 20th July 2019

male Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella , North Elmham, 16th June 2020

male Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella , North Elmham, 22nd June 2020

Buff Birch Case-bearer Coleophora milvipennis - None.  I've had just one record of this species here, in 2016.  It's tricky species to identify even with reference to the genitalia - my 2016 record required input from an international expert to confirm.


Pale Elm Case-bearer Coleophora badiipennella - None.  I've only had one of these here too, in 2015.


Dark Elm Case-bearer Coleophora limosipennella - None.  One of the more widespread and well-recorded Coleophora that I've not yet recorded.


Blackthorn Case-bearer Coleophora coracipennella - A female caught here on 23rd July 2019, my second record following one in 2017.  None in 2020.  Described as rare, although there have been a few recent records so I suspect it's more a case of being under-recorded.

female Blackthorn Case-bearer Coleophora coracipennella, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella - Adults trapped at home on 23rd July 2019 and 26th and 31st July 2020.  Cases found at the meadows on Downy Birch on 26th April 2019 and Rough Chervil on 3rd June 2020, the latter causing me an ID challenge as Rough Chervil doesn't have any Coleophora listed as occurring on it, but thanks to Keith and Rob who pointed out that some Coleophora (especially this one) wander from their foodplants in order to pupate.  Although this is supposed to be the commonest of all the Coleophora I didn't find my first until 2018 (when I caught 4, including 3 here).

occupied case of Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th April 2019

female Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

case of Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd June 2020

male Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella, North Elmham, 26th July 2020

female Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella - 4 trapped at home between 12th and 23rd July 2019 and 3 between 3rd and 17th July 2020.  4 is the most I've had here in a year - 2 is more typical.  Also a case that I think was probably this species on Hawthorn at the meadows on 15th May 2019.

probable case of Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th May 2019

female Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, North Elmham, 12th July 2019

female Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, North Elmham, 3rd July 2020

male Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2020

Scarce Thorn Case-bearer Coleophora trigeminella - None.  I had 2 here on one night in 2017, the year I recorded Norfolk's second, third, fourth and fifth records of this species.  There have been others since so a repeat wouldn't be altogether unexpected.


Osier Case-bearer Coleophora lusciniaepennella - One caught at home on 23rd June 2019 and one at Weybourne on 5th July.  None in 2020.  I've had 3 previous records here (2015 and 2017).

female Osier Case-bearer Coleophora lusciniaepennella, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Violet Case-bearer Coleophora violacea - None.  Although there aren't large numbers of records of this species it must be fairly high up on the list of next most likely candidates to be added to my Coleophora list.


Shaded Case-bearer Coleophora potentillae - None.  Another one that I haven't seen yet but must have a good chance of cropping up here.  So far the nearest I've got is seeing its feeding signs.


Next page: more Coleophora

Another day, another lifer

14th July was another good night with 461 moths of 111 species.  Among them was a Thyme Marble Celypha cespitana, a new moth for me.

Thyme Marble Celypha cespitana, North Elmham, 14th July

I included mention of Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella in my previous post covering 13th July.  Wondered why I couldn't find any photos in my folder for 13th July - turns out I entered the date incorrectly in my databse, it was actually on 14th July.  So here it is...

Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella, North Elmham, 14th July

Again several species were new for the year, at least for the garden: 2 Purple Argents Argyresthia albistria, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrices Pandemis heparana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 2 Gold Triangles Hypsopygia costalis, Drinker, Lesser Cream Wave, Brown Scallop, 2 Small Rivulets, Turnip Moth, Miller, Marbled Beauty and Ear Moth.

Purple Argents Argyresthia albistria, North Elmham, 14th July

Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, North Elmham, 14th July

Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, North Elmham, 14th July

Drinker, North Elmham, 14th July

Lesser Cream Wave, North Elmham, 14th July

Brown Scallop, North Elmham, 14th July

Turnip Moth, North Elmham, 14th July

Marbled Beauty, North Elmham, 14th July

Ear Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

The other macros were Leopard Moth, Pebble Hook-tip, Buff Arches, Small Blood-vein, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, Small Dusty Wave, 6 Single-dotted Waves, 15 Riband Waves, 3 Large Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Shaded Broad-bars, Common Carpet, 3 Barred Straws, 2 July Highflyers, 4 Green Pugs, Double-striped Pug, Clouded Border, 2 Brimstone Moths, 4 Early Thorns, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, Peppered Moth, 2 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Common Wave, 6 Clouded Silvers, 4 Elephant Hawkmoths, 3 Yellow-tails, 5 Round-winged Muslins, 6 Rosy Footmen, 6 Dingy Footmen, 6 Scarce Footmen, 35 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, 4 Heart and Darts, 7 Flames, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Double Square-spots, Shears, 4 Dot Moths, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 2 Clays, 3 Smoky Wainscots, Grey Dagger, Brown Rustic, Dun-bar, 3 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 2 Common Rustics, 19 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, 3 Burnished Brasses, 2 Spectacles, Beautiful Hook-tip, 16 Snouts, 4 Fan-foots and Dotted Fan-foot. 

 Leopard Moth, North Elmham, 14th July

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham, 14th July

July Highflyers, North Elmham, 14th July

Round-winged Muslin, North Elmham, 14th July

Grey Dagger (male, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

The other micros were Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, 19 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, 4 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrices Lozotaenia forsterana, 4 Grey Tortrices Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 8 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 63 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 14 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 7 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 17 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 6 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 5 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula stagnata, Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata, 5 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 11 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 7 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella and 5 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, North Elmham, 14th July

Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, North Elmham, 14th July

Not sure if I would have identified this correctly without dissecting it.  The pale infilled crosses look more lacustrata to me, altjough other features point towards mercurella.

Small Grey Eudonia mercurella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

This Brown Chafer was my first at North Elmham:

Brown Chafer, North Elmham, 14th July