Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 1: Plusias to Nut-tree Tussock

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE)


Spectacle Abrostola tripartita - Totals of 17 trapped here between 30th May and 29th August 2019 and 34 between 30th May and 22nd August 2020.  2019 was my worst year here since moving in (average 43 a year).  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows (from 25th May), one at Bintree Wood and 2 at Hellesdon.

Spectacle, North Elmham, 11th July 2020

Spectacle, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Dark Spectacle Abrostola triplasia - One in the garden moth trap on 14th June 2020.  This was my 7th here since moving in in 2014 and 2019 was my first blank year.

Dark Spectacle, North Elmham, 14th June 2020

Dewick's Plusia Macdunnoughia confusa - None.  I've never trapped this species but it's becoming so well established in Norfolk, including in parts of mid Norfolk, that it surely can't be long before it arrives here.


Burnished Brass Diachrysia chrysitis - Totals of 36 caught here between 18th June and 30th September 2019 and 19 between 21st May (my earliest ever) and 20th September 2020. The 2020 total was my worst in 6 years and both years were well below the average annual tally of 60.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows, one at Whitwell Street and one at Hellesdon.

Burnished Brass, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Burnished Brass, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st May 2020

Silver Y Autographa gamma - Totals of 17 trapped in the garden between 3rd June and 19th September 2019 and 25 between 2nd June and 26th September 2020.  My average annual tally here is 16 and 2020's total was my highest yet.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows, one at Bintree Wood, one at Row Heath (West Runton), 2 on Mull and 4 in Cornwall.

Silver Y, North Elmham, 3rd June 2019

Silver Y, North Elmham, 6th August 2020

Beautiful Golden Y Autographa pulchrina - 5 caught at Carsaig (Mull) between 9th and 13th June 2019.  This species is quite irregular here - I caught one in 2015, 4 in 2016, none in 2017, one in 2018 and none again in 2019 or 2020.

Beautiful Golden Y, Carsaig (Mull), 9th June 2019

Beautiful Golden Y, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Plain Golden Y Autographa pulchrina - None in 2019 but one in the garden moth trap on 4th July 2020.  I've only caught 3 of these at home before, in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Plain Golden Y, North Elmham, 4th July 2020

Gold Spot Plusia festucae - One to LEDs at the meadows on 31st May 2019.  I've caught this species at home twice, in 2015 and 2016.  I've never seen Lenpke's Gold Spot, though I have seen a couple of individuals that experienced moth recorders assured me were this species (but which I was doubtful about and on dissection they proved to be Gold Spots).

Gold Spot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Marbled White Spot Deltote pygarga - 3 caught in the garden between 24th and 28th June 2019, the 3rd year out of 5 that I've caught 3 here - the other 2 years yielding 11 and 13.  None caught in the garden in 2020, my first blank year here, but singles at the meadows, Bintree Wood and Hills and Holes.

Marbled White Spot, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Marbled White Spot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Silver Hook Deltote uncula - At least 2 seen by day at different points along the footpath from Carsaig to Rubha Dubh on Mull on 10th June (both in damp grassland immediately up from the beach).  None in 2020 - I've only ever seen one of these in Norfolk and it doesn't occur locally.

Silver Hooks, Carsaig to Rubha Dubh (Mull), 10th June

Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli - In 2019, 5 caught here between 8th and 29th April then at least 22 between 12th July and 5th August (not counted on 4 dates but only singles on surrounding dates).  I averaged 55 per year over the previous 4 years - safe to say this was my worst year so far.  2020 was a bit better with 7 between 6th April and 18th May and 52 between 8th July and 6th August.  Elsewhere one at the meadows, 2 at Bintree Wood and 3 at Sculthorpe Moor.

Nut-tree Tussock, North Elmham, 8th April 2019

Nut-tree Tussock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Next page: more Noctuidae

Phalonidia manniana, new for the garden, plus a new site for a Red Data Book species

This summer has been mad, and I'm afraid blog posts have fallen by the wayside.  At last I'm ready to pick up where I left off.  It will take me a while to catch up, but now making a start...

The highlight of Thursday night, 31st May, was a new moth for the garden, Water-mint Conch Phalonidia manniana.

Water-mint Conch Phalnidia manniana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 31st May

A few others were new for the year including the marvellous Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, May Highflyer (just in time?), 2 Vine's Rustics and Burnished Brass.

Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, North Elmham, 31st May

Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, North Elmham, 31st May

May Highflyer, North Elmham, 31st May

Vine's Rustic, North Elmham, 31st May

Burnished Brass, North Elmham, 31st May

Other moths were 5 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 4 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Blood-veins, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, 5 Green Carpets, Mottled Pug, 4 Common Pugs, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Pale Oak Beauty, 2 Pale Tussocks, Orange Footman, 4 White Ermines, 2 Buff Ermines, 6 Heart and Darts, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Bright-line Brown-eye, 4 Common Wainscots, Brown Rustic, 8 Treble Lines, Spectacle and Straw Dot.

There was also a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum (mayfly), another Dasytes aeratus following my first ever the previous night and, new for the year, Cantharis decipiens.

Cantharis decipiens, North Elmham, 31st May

Next morning I went up to Brancaster mainly to look for birds, though of course I can't help looking at invertebrates at the same time.  Moths along Gypsy Lane included Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Silver-ground Carpet and 15 Silver Ys. There were lots of moths on the golf-course too but the most unexpected was a lovely Tawny Wave, a Red Data Book species that is mainly found in the Brecks.  There are very few records indeed from the north Norfolk coast, except for Scolt Head where Neil records them regularly.  Looks like this was a good year for them there.  Not sure if this one hopped across the chanel from Scolt or if they're breeding here too.

Tawny Wave, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

 Other moths here included 8 Plain Fanners Glyphipterix fuscoviridella, 26 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 3 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Yellow Shell, Green Carpet, 15 Cinnabars and 35 Silver Ys. Caterpillars included about 25 Brown-tails and a similar number of Garden Tigers.

Brown-tail caterpillar, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

Garden Tiger caterpillar, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

Among the butterflies Green Hairstreak was the highlight, along with Small Copper, c. 25 Common Blues, Painted Lady and about 25 Small Heaths.

Green Hairstreak, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

I noticed a couple of masses of small dark insects clinging to the trunk of an Elder tree by the huts.  Turns out they were Elder Aphids Aphis sambuci, the first time I've noticed any of these.

Elder Aphids Aphis sambuci, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

There's a really impressive display of Yellow Rattle here too.  This is a species I associate with damp meadows but apparently dry duneland habitat like this is good for it too.

Yellow Rattle, Brancaster golf-course, 1st June

A Diamond without diamonds

The night of 9th June was an odd one.  Not all that many moths but still a good selection of micros.  New for the house was a species I am used to seeing during the day but not coming to light - Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella.

Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella, North Elmham, 9th June

Good counts were 6 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella and 5 Yellow-faced Bells Notocelia cynosbatella while London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella was new for the year.  Other notable micros were Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella and Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella.

London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolelle, North Elmham, 9th June

Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, North Elmham, 9th June

The other micros were 9 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea and Small Magpie Anania hortulata. Interestingly one of the Diamond-backs lacked a pale line down the dorsum or almost any trace of the diamonds.  The only hint was that the sides between the diamonds were darker than the rest of the sides of the wings.  I did dissect it just to make sure...

Dimaond-back Moth Plutella xylostella (female), North Elmham, 9th June

Among the macros only Common Footman was new for the year.  The others were 2 Common Swifts, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, Green Carpet, Mottled Pug, 3 Common Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, Clouded Border, Waved Umber, 2 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, Pale Tussock, 2 White Ermines, 5 Cinnabars, Shears, Light Brocade, 2 Brown Rustics, 9 Treble Lines and 2 Mottled Rustics.

Common Footman, North Elmham, 9th June

Waved Umber, North Elmham, 9th June

Only a couple of caddisflies but these included my first Limnephilus marmoratus (and a Limnephilus lunatus).

Limnephilus marmoratus (female), North Elmham, 9th June

I think this beetle found in the house is Cantharis cryptica.

Cantharis cryptica, North Elmham, 9th June

We're getting our garden done at the moment and in removing our old shed the gardener found a couple of mice.  One was a casualty which he put out of its misery but the other seemed ok so he showed me.  I'm not sure it was ok, as it's not very normal behaviour for a mouse to lie on its side in the open, but as dead as it looked it was definitely breathing.  A Wood Mouse I believe.

Wood Mouse, North Elmham, 10th June

It was a better night for moths with 45 species including Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella, Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Treble Brown Spots, Brown Silver-line, Heart and Club and Burnished Brass all new for the year.

Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, North Elmham, 10th June

Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Barred Marble Celypha striana, North Elmham, 10th June

Heart and Club, North Elmham, 10th June

Burnished Brass, North Elmham, 10th June

Other moths were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 52 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 4 Yellow-faced Bells Notocelia cynosbatella, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 9 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 3 Common Swifts, Blood-vein, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 6 Silver-ground Carpets, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Broken-barred Carpets, Green Carpet, 3 Sandy Carpets, Mottled Pug, 7 Common Pugs, Brimstone Moth, 2 Light Emeralds, White Ermine, Buff Ermine, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Flame Shoulder, Small Square-spot, 2 Shears, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 4 Brown Rustics, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Middle-barred Minor, 12 Treble Lines and Mottled Rustic.

A subimago Procloeon bifidum was a new Mayfly for me (a second invidivual was not positively identified).

Procloeon bifidum, North Elmham, 10th June

Also new was the caddisfly Polycentropus flavomaculatus - only at the time I posted this, and for 2-3 weeks after, I had it down as Polycentropus irroratus.  Females are quite difficult, at least for a novice, as after a few more I eventually concluded that the pointedness of the subgenital plate illustrated in the key is quite hard to determine, and looks rather more pointy in flavomaculatus than it's meant to.  The other caddis were in the genus Limnephilus including lunatus, marmoratus and vittatus.

Polycentropus flavomaculatus (female), North Elmham, 10th June