Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Slenders and Midgets (Gracillariidae) (part 1: Caloptilia and Gracillaria)

SLENDERS and MIDGETS (GRACILLARIIDAE)


Clouded Slender Caloptilia populetorum - One caught in my garden on 10th August 2020 was only my second ever following one here in 2018.  This is possibly also the ID of a leaf-roll in Downy Birch at the meadows in 2019.  Comments welcome, but it sounds like these can't be done positively without rearing them through.

female Clouded Slender Caloptilia populetorum, North Elmham, 10th August 2019

possible Clouded Slender Caloptilia populetorum (??) leaf-mine, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 10th May 2019

Pale Red Slender Caloptilia elongella - None.  I've caught this species at home twice, in 2016 and 2018.


Red Birch Slender Caloptilia betulicola - None.  I've not found this species any closer than Alderford Common and Marsham Heath but it's widespread enough so I must have a fair chance of finding it here.


Small Red Slender Caloptilia rufipennella - Singles in the garden moth trap on 23rd and 25th July 2019, doubling the number of this species I've recorded here (singles in 2016 and 2018).  None in 2020.

Small Red Slender Caloptilia rufipennella, North Elmham, 25th July 2019

Yellow-triangle Slender Caloptilia alchimiella - A male in my moth trap on 17th August 2019 and an unprecedented 5 caught here between 8th and 20th August 2020.  My previous best annual tally was 3 and I didn't catch any in 2018.  Also one at Bintree Wood on 26th June 2020.

male Yellow-triangle Slender Caloptilia alchimiella, North Elmham, 17th August 2019

female Yellow-triangle Slender Caloptilia alchimiella, North Elmham, 10th August 2020

New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella - Singles in my garden trap on 24th July and 27th August 2019 and 4 between 31st July and 16th August 2020.  Also one at Swanton Great Wood in August 2019 and one at the meadows on 17th May 2020.  I've recorded this species every full year I've lived here with an average of over 3 per year.

male New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, North Elmham, 24th July 2019

male New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

male New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

male New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, North Elmham, 31st  July 2020

White-triangle Slender Caloptilia stigmatella - One caught in my garden moth trap on 11th August 2020, my 5th here in 6 years.  Also one at Weybourne no 5th July 2019.

female White-triangle Slender Caloptilia stigmatella, North Elmham, 11th August 2020

Scarce Alder Slender Caloptilia falconipennella - One caught in my garden moth trap on 3rd April 2020.  I'd had them here previously in 2017 and 2018.

male Scarce Alder Slender Caloptilia falconipennella, North Elmham, 3rd April 2020

Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia - 3 in my garden trap between 21st and 25th July 2019, one on 3rd April 2020 and 5 between 30th July and 15th August 2020.  Following singles here in 2014, 2016 and 2017 I had 4 in 2018, suggesting this species is becoming commoner.  Also one at the meadows on 13th July 2020.  The first 5 of this species that I caught (between 2014 and April 2018) were of the autumn/spring hibernating generation that shows a white angled streak on the forewing but 12 of the last 13 I've seen (2018-2020) were of the summer generation that shows a whitish costal blotch, so it seems like it's just the summer generation that is increasing.

Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia, North Elmham, 21st July 2019

Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia, North Elmham, 30th July 2020

Common Slender Gracillaria syringella - Singles in my garden trap on 25th May and 23rd June 2019 but none in 2020.  I'd only caught one of these here before (in 2017) although I've seen a few elsewhere.

Common Slender Gracillaria syringella, North Elmham, 25th May 2019

Next page: more Gracillariidae

An excellent haul of good moths and other insects

Numerically the night of 23rd July wasn't the best this year, though not far behind with 594 moths of 127 species.  For quality though it was fantastic, with potentially 4 totally new moths, a new moth for the garden that is very unexpected inland and a range of other interesting species.  With several additions to the year list it brought my garden year list to 500 (I still need to check I haven't missed any off so it might be more).

One of the commonest and most widespread macro moths that I'd not previously seen anywhere finally gave itself up.  With a corner of one of its wings missing it won't be the tidiest specimen I'll ever see I hope, but nevertheless great to finally record an Olive.

Olive, North Elmham, 23rd July

A moth that looked like a White-line Dart ended up being a real conundrum, and one that is not yet solved.  I don't see White-line Darts very often and have never had one here before so although I was pretty sure it was a White-line Dart I thought I better keep it back to double check.  If I'd just taken a photo of it and let it go that would be the end of the story, a nice new addition to the garden list and that would be that.  White-line Darts can look very similar to Garden Darts, but as far as I know Garden Dart never shows the broad pale edges to the wings, the clear white lines and the dark spear marks towards the tip of the wing.  A few examples may show one or other of these features perhaps, but I have not seen anything to suggest they could ever show the lot in combination.  To all intents and purposes my moth was a straightforward White-line Dart.

But I didn't have time to look at it straightaway, and as it was dead by the time I did I thought I might as well dissect it - it could be useful to have its genitalia for reference when I get a trickier individual another time, I thought.  There are two features that separate female White-line Dart genitalia from Garden Dart - and this one, very clearly, showed both features of Garden Dart!  White-line Dart would be good, new for the garden, but Garden Dart would be even better - I've never seen one anywhere!  But I could not, and still cannot, reconcile this moth's external appearance with Garden Dart - surely it has to be White-line Dart?  Well, I sent photos of moth and genitalia off for a second opinion and received a response that agreed the genitalia were Garden Dart.  But when I pressed the matter to make sure he thought the external appearance was possible on Garden Dart I was advised not to record it as such but to keep the moth until such time as I can get it DNA-tested.  So for now it remains a mystery and isn't going down as anything apart from an either-or.

Apparently some authorities now think there are several different species of White-line Dart, at least two of which probably occur in Norfolk.  Maybe when this situation is clarified the identification of my individual will become clearer... or maybe not!

White-line Dart or Garden Dart, North Elmham, 23rd July

I probably won't record another new moth I caught that night either, though I'm sufficiently happy with the ID to count it for my own purposes.  I believe it is a Small Birch Pigmy Stigmella sakhalinella. It keyed to this species but keying alone can lead to erros with this group due to the similarities between the species, so I always like to check the genitalia against similar species. In this case the genitalia look fine for sakhalinella, I think they're wrong for the similar betulicola (but I'm not 100% sure as the reference material isn't entirely clear) but I can't find any reference material to compare with the also-similar microtheriella.  It's just about concivable if microtheriella has similar genitalia that it could be that species.  I think I need a little bit more information before I can record this officially, but it's going down on my personal list.

apparent Small Birch Pigmy Stigmella sakhalinella (male), North Elmham, 23rd July

I thought I'd seen this species before but it seems that I hadn't (at least not the adult, and I don't count leafmines on my list at the moment), so it was another lifer: Dark Alder Midget Phyllonorycter klemannella.

Dark Alder Midget Phyllonorycter klemannella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

One moth was more surprising than any of thes.  It feeds on Common Sea-lavendar and is found along the north Norfolk coast (and at Breydon Water in the east).  Until July 2018 there were no records of this species inland at all (in Norfolk that is - I don't know about elsewhere).  By Coleophora standards this is a highly distinctive and recognisable species - Silver-streaked Case-bearer Coleophora limoniella.  There wasn't really any doubt about its ID but given how unusual this record was I did check its genitalia just to remove any question.  An inland record of this species wasn't quite unprecedented though - there were two more during the previous few days, one at Fakenham at one apparently caught at Narborough.  It was a good year for inland records of Saltmarsh Plume Agdistis bennetii - I wonder if this is coincidence or if they are linked in some way?

Silver-streaked Case-bearer Coleophora limoniella, North Elmham, 23rd July

A Small Purple Flat-body Agonopterix purpurea was only my second ever and other new moths for the year were Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, Mouse-ear Groundling Caryocolum fraternella, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Cock’s-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana, Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana and Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella.

Small Purple Flat-body Agonopterix purpurea, North Elmham, 23rd July

Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, North Elmham, 23rd July

Mouse-ear Groundling Caryocolum fraternella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, North Elmham, 23rd July

Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana, North Elmham, 23rd July

Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana, North Elmham, 23rd July

Although I've seen a few Maple Slenders Caloptilia semifascia before I'd not seen one looking like this, with its broad rectangular costal spot.  There are plenty of photos of individuals like this online so presumably it's not an especially unusual form but it had me confused for a while.

Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

The other micros were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, 4 Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 14 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 probable Orchard Ermines Yponomeuta padella, 5 Little Ermines Swammerdamia pyrella, Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 4 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, 3 Dark Nebs Bryotropha affinis, Dull Red Neb Bryotropha senectella, 3 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, Ash-coloured Crest Acompsia cinerella, 2 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, 6 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, 5 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 4 Maple Buttons Acleris forsskaleana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 3 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, 3 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, 2 Bright Bells Eucosma hohenwartiana, 3 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Many-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 286 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 7 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Pearl Evergestis pallidata, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 11 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella and Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla.

The rest of the macros were 3 Leopard Moths, Pebble Hook-tip, Chinese Character, 2 Blood-veins, 4 Least Carpets, 8 Small Fan-footed Waves, 10 Single-dotted Waves, 9 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Shaded Broad-bars, July Highflyer, Small Rivulet, Lime-speck Pug, 2 Currant Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Magpie Moths, Scorched Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, 4 Willow Beauties, Common Wave, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 Pale Prominents, 2 Round-winged Muslins, 4 Rosy Footmen, 17 Dingy Footmen, 3 Scarce Footmen, 3 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 8 Ruby Tigers, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 4 Double Square-spots, Nutmeg, 3 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, Knot Grass, Coronet, 2 Dun-bars, Lunar-spotted Pinion, Dark Arches, 2 Cloaked Minors, 2 Common Rustics (and another Common Rustic agg.), 4 Dusky Sallows, Ear Moth, Small Rufous, 12 Uncertains, 5 Rustics, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, Silver Y, 2 Spectacles, 2 Straw Dots and Fan-foot.

Lime-speck Pug, North Elmham, 23rd July

There were plenty of other insects too.  Small Spurwing Centroptilum luteolum was new for the year and other mayflies were Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, Pale Evening Dun Procloeon bifidum, 2 Green Drakes Ephemera danica and 2 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita

Small Spurwing Centroptilium luteolum, North Elmham, 23rd July

Lacewings consisted of Chrysoperla carnea, 2 Dichochrysa flavifrons, Dichochrysa prasina and 4 Micromus variegatus; the caddisflies were 3 Hydropsyche siltalai, Medium Sedge Goera pilosa and 2 Grouse Wings Mystacides longicornis.

The bug Stenodema calcarata was new for the garden while Lygus pratensis and Phytocoris longipennis were new for the year.  Other bugs were 2 Forest Bugs and another Trigonotylus caelestialium.

Stenodema calcarata, North Elmham, 23rd July

Lygus pratensis, North Elmham, 23rd July

Phytocoris longipennis, North Elmham, 23rd July

There were also 3 species of leafhopper that were all new for the year, Eared Leafhopper Ledra aurita, Balclutha punctata and a lifer for me, Eupterycyba jucunda.

Eared Leafhopper Ledra aurita, North Elmham, 23rd July

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 23rd July

Eupterycyba jacunda, North Elmham, 23rd July

Finally there was also some interest among the beetles with Enochrus testaceus being a lifer, Bradycellus verbasci being new for the year, and also 2 Hydrobius fuscipes, Nicrophorus investigator, Lagria hirta and a rove beetle that I haven't managed to identify yet.

Enochrus testaceus, North Elmham, 23rd July

Harvest Mouse in the garden!

After the excitement in the Brecks on Saturday I managed 18 moths of 8 species at home, easily the best night this year so far.  Among them were 4 new for the year here including a Lead-coloured Drab (and a Clouded Drab for comparison), Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla and Early Grey.

The Lead-coloured Drab looked quite reddish-brown at some angles and as such I nearly overlooked it as a Clouded Drab. The rounded wing apex should have given it away but it was only when I noticed its very feathered antennae that the penny dropped.

Lead-coloured Drab, North Elmham, 11th March

Clouded Drab, North Elmham, 11th March

Lead-coloured Drab (left) and Clouded Drab (right), North Elmham, 11th March

Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, North Elmham, 11th March

Early Grey, North Elmham, 11th March

The other moths were 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, 4 Dotted Borders, 6 Hebrew Characters and 2 Chestnuts.

Also that night was a Pea-leaf Weevil Sitona lineatus, my first at home.

Pea-leaf Weevil Sitona lineatus, North Elmham, 11th March

On Sunday afternoon I was looking out of the kitchen window when a movement caught my eye.  It was a mouse, but not just any old mouse, it was a lovely yellowish-buff colour and it was tiny!  Fortunately my camera wasn't far away and I hastily ran off some shots before it scuppered.  The colour prompted thoughts of Harvest Mouse, a species which I never expected to bump into in my garden, but I wasn't sure if the tail was long enough.  The only mouse I've seen here before was Wood Mouse and it clearly wasn't like previous examples of that, being smaller, a different colour, and having nice clearly demarcated border between the yellowish fur on the upperside and the clean white fur beneath.  Some features fitted Yellow-necked Mouse but that's supposed to be even bigger than Wood Mouse and as far as I can tell it's too early in the year for a young one.  Harvest Mouse is supposed to have smaller ears than Wood and Yellow-necked Mice and at first I wondered if they were small enough, but after looking at some photos of all three species (and House Mouse) I decided it had to be Harvest Mouse, my first ever in the wild.  I hadn't been expecting a mammalian lifer in my garden - what a fabulous surprise!

Harvest Mouse, North Elmham, 12th March

In the evening I decided to give Beetley Common by headtorch a go.  It was disappointing for moths with just 2 Water Carpets and a Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana, but it wasn't a complete waste of time.

Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana (male, gen det), Beetley Common, 12th March

Water Carpet, Beetley Common, 12th March

I checked one woodlouse that I thought might be different (from the usual Common Rough Woodlice) and indeed this time it was, Common Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum.

Common Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum, Beetley Common, 12th March

The only two beetles I found by searching tree trunks both proved to be Olibrus corticalis, a new species for me.  I picked one of them up with some moss and an even tinier beetle fell out of the moss.  At first I didn't think I was going to get an ID as I struggled to key it out to family even but eventually I sorted it - it was another new one for me, Cortinicara gibbosa.

Olibrus corticalis, Beetley Common, 12th March

Cortinicara gibbosa, Beetley Common, 12th March

Also my first Lacewing of the year, presumably Chrysoperla carnea but as it was female I can't elminate the highly unlikely pallida.

The trap at home produced 14 moths of 7 species, so not quite as good as Saturday night.  Among them was my first Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia of the year.

Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia, North Elmham, 12th March

The others were Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, 4 Dotted Borders, 5 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

Monday's trap produced 3 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, Oak Beauty, 4 Dotted Borders, Clouded Drab and 4 Hebrew Characters.

My first Peacock butterfly of the year was at Burnham Overy yesterday morning.

Last night there wasn't so much (or else it flew off or got eaten by the birds before I got to it - I was a little after first light this morning) - March Moth, 2 Shoulder Stripes, 2 Dotted Borders and 5 Hebrew Characters.