Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Erebids (Erebidae) part 2: Ermines, Tigers and Footmen

EREBIDS (EREBIDAE) (continued)


Buff Ermine Spilosoma lutea - Totals of 105 caught in the garden between 1st June and 2nd August 2019 and 72 between 20th May and 28th July 2020, by far my worst years here.  I caught 247 here in my previous worst year.  Elsewhere caught next door (7th August), at the meadows (3 dates), Bintree Wood (2), Hellesdon (5), Hllls and Holes, Weybourne (2) and on Mull (2).  Also a caterpillar at the meadows on 4th October 2019.

Buff Ermine, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

Buff Ermine caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th October 2019

Buff Ermine, North Elmham, 26th May 2020

Buff Ermine, Bintree Wood, 13th June 2020

White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda - Totals of 28 caught in the garden between 18th May and 23rd June 2019 and 34 between 16th May and 16th June 2020.  As with the previous species these were my worst totals since moving here - my average annual tally is 60.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows, 3 at Bintree Wood, 6 at Hills and Holes and a total of 37 on Mull.  One of the latter was found at an un-manned honesty shop at Lochbuie, during the day and deep inside a basket of cakes - clearly a moth after my own heart.

White Ermine, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

White Ermine, Ceann Chnocain (Mull), 13th June 2019

White Ermine, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

White Ermine, North Elmham, 20th May 2020

Water Ermine Spilosoma urticae - None.  In Norfolk this species is pretty much restricted to the Broads which is where the only one I've ever seen was.  However the other moth-trapper in my road caught one in 1996 and there have been a handful of other more recent records this side of the county, so there must be at least a small chance of me getting one locally.


Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica - Totals of 43 caught in the garden between 1st April and 28th May 2019 and 94 between 12th April and 24th May 2020.  The 2019 total was pretty typical but the 2020 total was a record high (and included a record count of 9 on 3rd May).  It's normally only the males that come to light and I've only caught males here.  I never managed to catch a single one at my last house in Bawdeswell - in fact I've only ever had one male to light anywhere else (I've also seen a couple of females at other sites, both during the day).

Muslin Moth, North Elmham, 17th April 2019

Muslin Moth, North Elmham, 12th April 2020

Muslin Moth, North Elmham, 24th April 2020

Clouded Buff Diacrisia sannio - 4 seen, all on Mull in June 2019: one during the day along the path from Carsaig to Rubha Dubh, singles in torchlight at 2 sites and one to an outside light at our accommodation in Carsaig.  In Norfolk this species is largely restricted to the Brecks, the only area I've seen it before.

Clouded Buff, Allt Molach (Mull), 13th June 2019

Clouded Buff, Carsaig (Mull), 13th June 2019

Ruby Tiger Phragmatobia fuliginosa - At least 34 caught in the garden between 18th May and 10th August 2019, but not counted on 2 nights so perhaps a few more.  That's pretty much average here but the 8 bewteen 14th July and 4th August 2020 was by far my worst year here.  Also a caterpillar here on 26th February 2020.  Elsewhere one next door, 28 at the meadows (on 8 nights) , 4 at Bintree Wood, one at Whitwell Street and one in Hellesdon.

Ruby Tiger, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd September 2019

Ruby Tiger caterpillar, North Elmham, 26th February 2020

Ruby Tiger, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Garden Tiger Arctia caja - One in the garden trap on 20th July 2019.  I've only had this species here twice before (both 2017 when I also caught one next door).  None here in 2020 but one at Brancaster on 2nd July.

Garden Tiger, North Elmham, 20th July 2019

Garden Tiger, Brancaster, 2nd July 2020

Cinnabar Tyria jacobaea - Totals of 14 caught in the garden moth trap between 22nd May and 2nd July 2019 and 17 between 19th May and 26th June 2020, my worst totals since moving here (average annual total is 42).  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows, 3 at Bintree Wood and 9 at various sites on Mull,  comprising a mixture of day time observations and individuals coming to light.  Also at least 30 caterpillars on Ragwort at the meadows on 5th July 2019 and smaller numbers the following year.  At Titchwell on 21st July 12 adults seen during the day and also some caterpillars.

Cinnabar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st June 2019

Cinnabar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Cinnabar caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th July 2019

Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata - At least 172 caught here between 4th July and 7th August 2019 but probably a few more as they weren't counted on 3 nights.  Also an autumn generation example on 30th September.  This is about average here, but 2020 was my worst year so far with just 80 between 25th June and 15th August 2020.  Elsewhere one next door, 8 at the meadows (4 nights), 2 at Bintree Wood and one at Weybourne.

Rosy Footman, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Rosy Footman, North Elmham, 25th June 2020

Muslin Footman Nudaria mundana - None.  I've never seen this scarce species but there are scattered records around the county including a couple not all that far away from here, so I'm hopeful that I'll get one sometime.


Round-winged Muslin Thumatha senex - At least 22 here between 5th July and 4th August 2019, with 2 nights not counted.  That's my best year so far, with an average of 10 a year previously.  In contrast 2020 was my joint worst year with 6 between 8th and 31st July.  Elsewhere one at the meadows and one at Hellesdon in 2019 and 15 at the meadows on 18th July 2020.

Round-winged Muslin, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Round-winged Muslin, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Four-dotted Footman Cybosia mesemella - One at Bintree Wood on 13th June 2020 was my only record in 2019/20.  I caught 8 of these in my garden between 2015 and 2017 but none since.

Four-dotted Footman, Bintree Wood, 13th June 2020

Four-spotted Footman Lithosia quadra - None.  I've only ever caught this migrant species once in east Norfolk and in Cornwall.  David Knight has caught one just down the road at Worthing so no reason why one shouldn't appear in my trap one day.


Red-necked Footman Atolmis rubricollis - None.  I caught 21 of these between 2102 and 2016, some in their Breckland stronghold but also at quite a few different sites away from the Brecks (including once here at home, in 2015).  They were often fresh individuals and not coinciding with arrivals of migrants, so it was concluded that they had spread and colonised more of the county than just the Brecks.  Sadly it all seems to have gone a bit quiet since then.  Hopefully it's just a cyclical dip - it is still being recorded away from the Brecks in smaller numbers which suggests it is hanging on, and that being so perhaps we can expect another peak quite sooon.  I certainly hope so - they're smart moths!


Buff Footman Eilema depressa - 6 in the garden between 22nd and 25th July 2019 and just 2 in 2020, on 16th July and 12th August.  These were my worst totals since moving here - I had been averaging over 15 a year.  Elsewhere 5 at Bintree Wood on 24th July 2020 and my first at the meadows on 7th August 2020.

Buff Footman, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th Augsut 2020

Dingy Footman Eilema griseola - Recorded in the garden on 33 nights between 7th July and 20th August.  I didn't count them on 9 nights starting during their peak flight period (37 on 24th July) so impossible to estimate how many in total (139 on the nights I did count).  However, having averaged well over 300 a year over the previous 4 years, I'm pretty sure this was a poor year.  2020 certainly was - 179 between 28th June and 19th August was my lowest count other than the incomplete 2019 total.  Elsewhere 28 at the meadows, 55 at Bintree Wood on 24th July, 2 in Hellesdon and one at Row Heath (West Runton).


Common Footman Eilema lurideola - Recorded at home from 5th June 2019 with 722 by 24th July (when counts peaked at 73).  Recorded without counts on another 11 nights until 5th August.  Over the previous 4 years I had averaged 785 a year.  2020 was my best year so far with 989 between 10th June and 8th August.  Caterpillars in the moth trap on 1st March, 30th May and 10th and 26th December 2019 - presumably the eggs had been laid in the trap rather than they had crawled into it).  Elsewhere 22 at the meadows (10 nights), 12 at Bintree Wood, 10 at Hellesdon, 5 at Weybourne and one at Brancaster.  Also a caterpillar at the meadows in January 2020.

Common Footman caterpillar, North Elmham, 10th December 2019

Common Footman caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th January 2020

Scarce Footman Eilema complana - Recorded at home between 8th July and 7th August 2019 including a record count of 25 on 24th July.  After that I recorded it every night up to 7th August but apart from one on the last date I didn't count them on the other 13 nights.  I average 92 a year - with so many nights uncounted during their peak flight period it's impossible to know if 2019 was better or worse than that.  2020 was a good year, though not my best, with 131 between 17th June and 9th August.  Elsewhere 33 at the meadows (on 7 nights including 20 on 18th July 2020), 70 at Bintree Wood on 24th July 2020, 2 at Hellesdon, one at Brancaster and one at Weybourne.

Scarce Footman, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

I sometimes come across pale washed-out examples that resemble Hoary Footman.  They're usually just worn but I tend to check them for Hoary just in case and so far they've always proven to be Scarce Footmen as expected.  On these worn examples the hindwings can look paler too, so I'd be wary of confirming a Hoary based on its hindwing colour.  The hindwings might be sufficient on some to confirm they are just Common (and so might a strong contrasting pale edge to the forewing?) but I often check the genitalia to make sure.  Hoary Footman is definitely a species worth looking for in Norfolk - it's spreading and there have been more records in Suffolk recently.  I can't imagine it will be long before we get them in Norfolk though I don't suppose the first ones are likely to turn up round here.

male Scarce Footman, North Elmham, 21st July 2020

Update 5-Apr-21: I originally posted a photo of a caterpillar here, from 23rd March 2019, which I thought might possibly be Scarce Footman.  I couldn't find any better options at the time but felt the orange dots weren't right and the hairs looked like they might be too long.  Finally the has penny dropped - it was in fact a December Moth.


Orange Footman Eilema sorocula - 2019 was a terrible year for this species - just a single record of one here on 1st June.  I've never had fewer than 8 here in a year before and the average is 13-14.  I had 10 in a single night in 2018!  2020 was better, if a little below par, with 10 between 19th May and 17th June.  Also one at Bintree Wood and 3 at Hills and Holes.

Orange Footman, North Elmham, 19th May 2020

Next page: more Erebidae

Some good mothing at the meadows

A return to poor form on 14th June with just 28 species of moth, though these included a lovely Beautiful Golden Y, new for the year.  The others were Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Treble Brown Spot, Silver-ground Carpet, Scorched Wing, 2 Brimstone Moths, Privet Hawk-moth, 3 White Ermines, 17 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 3 Heart and Darts, Flame, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 3 Common Wainscots, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, 5 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, 3 Treble Lines and 5 Straw Dots.

Beautiful Golden Y, North Elmham, 14th June

With such a small haul of moths in the trap it was barely light by the time I'd finished going through it, so I took the opportunity to get up to the meadows early.  I netted two Treble-spot Flat-bodies Telechrysis tripuncta as I wandered down the trap, a species that is only recorded in Norfolk about twice a year on average.  I'd only ever seen them twice before.

Treble-spot Flat-body Telechrysis tripuncta, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

These were followed by a Meadow Dwarf Elachista triatomea, along with Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, 2 Timothy Tortrixes Aphelia paleana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella and Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus.

 Meadow Dwarf Elachista triatomea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

view across the River Wensum from North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Other wildlife recorded that morning included Green Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus, the hoverfly Melanostoma scalare and a number of Kentish Snails and White-lipped Snails.

I returned to the meadows in the evening for some moth trapping.  It was one of the better night's trapping I've done here (maybe the best?) with 82 species including some nice ones, if nothing enormously unusual: Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, 4 Hedge Case-bearers Coleophora striatipennella, Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Black-headed Dwarfs Elachista atricomella, Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, 6 Light Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia incertana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 35 Green Oak Tortrixes Tortrix viridana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 6 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, 3 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 5 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 2 Red Piercers Lathronympha strigana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Lesser Pearls Sitochroa verticalis, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 2 Fenland Pearls Anania perlucidalis, 2 Ghost Moths, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, Green Carpet, 2 Sharp-angled Carpets, Lime-speck Pug, 4 Clouded Borders, 4 Scorched Wings, Mottled Beauty, Pale Oak Beauty, Common White Wave, Common Wave, Light Emerald, Eyed Hawk-moth, 2 Poplar Hawk-moths, 5 Elephant Hawk-moths, Swallow Prominent, Pale Prominent, 2 Marbled Browns, Lobster Moth, Four-dotted Footman, Common Footman, 4 White Ermines, 4 Buff Ermines, 10 Cinnabars, 5 Heart and Darts, 5 Flames, 4 Flame Shoulders, 4 Ingrailed Clays, Small Square-spot, 10 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, 7 Common Wainscots, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Poplar Grey, Grey Dagger, 6 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, Small Clouded Brindle, Large Nutmeg, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 3 Marbled Minors, 10 Middle-barred Minors, 5 Treble Lines, 3 Uncertains, Vine's Rustic, 2 Mottled Rustics, Green Silver-lines, 2 Burnished Brasses, 8 Straw Dots and 2 Snouts.

Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Black-headed Dwarf Elachista atricomella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Small Magpie Anania hortulata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Ghost Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Sharp-angled Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Eyed Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Poplar Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Elephant Hawk-moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Swallow Prominent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Pale Prominent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Lobster Moth (with Green Oak Tortrix), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Four-dotted Footman, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Cinnabar (with Green Oak Tortrix), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Small Square-spot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Clay, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Grey Dagger (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Small Angle Shades, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Small Clouded Brindle, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Large Nutmeg, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Green Silver-lines, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Snout, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Other inverts recorded included Common Toad, 4 mayflies that I think were probably Caenis horaria, the caddisflies Phryganea grandis, 2 Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus flavicornis, the mirid bugs Phylus palliceps and Stenodema laevigata, a Great Blackclock beetle Pterostichus niger, a luminescing Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca, the sawfly Tenthredo livida and the spider Nuctenea umbratica.

Common Toad, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Phylus palliceps, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Great Blackclock Pterostichus niger, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

luminescences from a Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June

Tenthredo livida, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June