Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Gelechiids (Gelechiidae) (Part 3: Nebs - subfamily Anomologinae I)

GELECHIIDS (GELECHIIDAE) (continued)


Subfamily ANOMOLOGINAE


House Neb Bryotropha domestica - 15 in the garden and one next door between 23rd July and 12th September 2019 and 25 between 17th July and 8th September 2020.  2019 was a fairly typical showing here but 2020 was my best ever (and included a record count of 5 on 5th August).

House Neb Bryotropha domestica, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella - Recorded here on 43 nights between 14th June and 17th August.  I didn't count every night but assuming only one on those nights (it was probably more) the total was 140 (including a count of 15 on 16th July).  In previous years here the total counts have varied from 31 to 62 so this was an exceptional year.  2020 was good again with 119 over 43 nights between 3rd June and 20th August.  Elsewhere recorded next door, at the meadows (19 in total), Bintree Wood, Hellesdon and Weybourne.

male Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

male Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 26th June 2019

female Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 3rd August 2019

male Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 3rd June 2020

female Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 31st July2020

female Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

female Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, North Elmham, 8th August 2020

Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella - 5 in the garden moth trap between 24th July and 3rd September 2019 and 4 between 31st July and 21st August 2020.  These follow 5 in 2018 and a total of 5 between 2014 and 2016 which were the first 5 to be recorded anywhere in Norfolk.  Since 2018 this species has started to be recorded elsewhere (2 sites in 2018, another 2 in 2019 and a 5th in 2020) so I no longer have the monopoly of county records.  Presumably this represents a real increase rather than just better detection?

female Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 24th July 2019

female Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 25th August 2019

male Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 30th August 2019

male Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 3rd September 2019

male Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 20th August 2020

female Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella, North Elmham, 21st August 2020

Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella - 5 in the garden moth trap between 16th and 27th July 2019 and 4 between 14th July and 8th August 2020.  They're fairly average totals for here.  Also one at the meadows on 26th July 2019.  Although this is a grade 2 (dissection not required) I think this can be a trickier species to be sure about than the grading suggests and normally check the genitalia for confidence.  Although my pre-dissection provisional IDs are usually correct I have mistaken these with other Bryotropha, so care is needed if you don't dissect them.

male Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella, North Elmham, 16th July 2019

male Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella, North Elmham, 14th July 2020

male Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella, North Elmham, 18th July 2020

Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis - recorded here on 18 nights between 5th June and 8th September (not counted every night so no total count).  That's the equal highest number of nights since moving here but it hasn't varied a great deal from year to year so far.  31 over 14 nights between 26th June and 15th August 2020, my second highest total.  Also recorded next door and at the meadows in 2019.

male Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis, North Elmham, 16th August 2019

Obscure Neb Bryotropha similis - One in the garden on 29th July 2020.  2019 was the only complete year in 6 where I haven't recorded this species here at all, although with only one most years (2 in 2016) it was bound to happen sooner or later.

male Obscure Neb Bryotropha similis, North Elmham, 29th July 2020

Heather Neb Aristotelia ericinella - None.  I've not found this species locally yet but it has been recorded fairly close so it might pop up one day.

 
White-bordered Neb Isophrictis striatella - One in the garden trap on 1st August 2019, the third consecutive year I have recorded one here.  None in 2020.

White-bordered Neb Isophrictis striatella, North Elmham, 1st August 2019

Next page: more Gelechiidae

Clouded and unclouded Magpies

The macro moths were the highlights on 31st July with my third ever (but second this year) Dark Spinach and a Clouded Magpie which was only my third here in 4 years.  Dusky Thorn was also new for the year.

Dark Spinach, North Elmham, 31st July

Clouded Magpie, North Elmham, 31st July

Other macros were Least Carpet, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Common Carpet, Small Phoenix, Currant Pug, Magpie Moth, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 2 Willow Beauties, Coxcomb Prominent, Black Arches, 10 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, Common Footman, 3 Buff Ermines, 4 Ruby Tigers, 2 Turnip Moths, Heart and Club, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 4 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Common Wainscots, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, 2 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustics, Uncertain, Rustic and 8 Straw Dots.

Magpie Moth, North Elmham, 31st July

The micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 House Nebs Bryotropha domestica, Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, 5 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 37 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 15 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 15 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Thicket Knot-horn Acrobasis suavella and 4 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

House Neb Bryotropha domestica, North Elmham, 31st July

Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, North Elmham, 31st July

Other things included the mayfly Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita, a Common Earwig, the brown lacewings Hemerobius lutescens and 2 Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai and Molanna angustata, the mirid bug Psallus varians, the leafhopper Balclutha punctata and a Hornet.

While setting a bat detector at the Cathedral Meadows at dusk on 1st August I found a Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella and a leafhopper that I didn't immediately recognise. It turned out to be a new species for me, Macropsis scotti.

Macropsis scotti, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st August

That night there were 5 new moths for the year: Winter Groundling Scrobipalpa costella (only my second here), Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, Cabbage Moth and Angle Shades. The rhombana was my earliest ever by 12 days.

Winter Groundling Scrobipalpa costella, North Elmham, 1st August

Marbled Mompha Mompha propinquella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 1st August

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 1st August

Cabbage Moth, North Elmham, 1st August

Angle Shades, North Elmham, 1st August

A record count of  5 Small Purple & Golds Pyrausta aurata was remarkable for here.  I only caught 5 singles across the whole of the previous 3 summers but either it is a good year for them or else they have taken a liking to the mint we planted in the garden a couple of years ago.  Although I eventually recorded 11 in the garden this summer they were only recorded on 5 nights spread over a period of just over a month.

5 Turnip Moths was also a record count, but in this case it was definitely a case of it being a good year for them as I know a lot of other moth-ers recorded exceptional numbers this year (much higher numbers than me in many cases).  I don't usually get many (only two last year and three the year before) but this year I'm looking like I will end up with a total of around 50 (I'm not sure the exact number yet as I have 2-3 slightly equivocal ones in pots waiting to be confirmed).  I know many people get more than that in a normal year and were getting 3-figure counts in a single night this year.

Other moths were Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella, 4 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 41 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 10 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Pebble Hook-tip, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Small Dusty Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, 7 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Purple Bar, Small Rivulet, Currant Pug, Magpie Moth, Scorched Carpet, Bordered Beauty, Scalloped Oak, 3 Willow Beauties, 4 Dingy Footmen, 2 Common Footmen, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 Flames, 7 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Common Wainscots, Copper Underwing, 2 Dun-bars, Cloaked Minor, Common Rustic, Small Rufous, Vine's Rustic, 3 Silver Ys and 5 Straw Dots.

Purple Bar, North Elmham, 1st August

Other things included the mayflies Green Drake Ephemera danica and 6 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg., 2 brown lacewings Micromus variegatus, the caddisflies 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Crunoecia irrorata and Athripsodes aterrimus, Birch Shieldbug, the leafhopper Balclutha punctata again, the beetles Amara apricaria and Aphodius rufipes, Hornet and Common Wasp.

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