Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Geometers (Geometridae) - part 2: Mochas and Carpets I (Cyclophora to Camptogramma)

GEOMETERS (GEOMETRIDAE)


Birch Mocha Cyclophora albipunctata - None.  I've only recorded this species here once, in 2018.


Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria - 9 recorded here between 22nd April (my earliest ever) and 8th August 2019 - an average total.  Only 4 in 2020, between 17th May and 12th August.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 22nd August 2019 and my highest count ever, 4 at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 22nd April 2019

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 18th May 2020

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 12th August 2020

Clay Triple-lines Cyclophora linearia - None at home - I've had 3 here since moving in in August 2014.  Elsewhere one Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and one at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019.  None in 2020.

Clay Triple-lines, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Vestal Rhodometra sacraria - None.  I've only ever caught one of these fantastic migrant moths here, or indeed anywhere in Norfolk - in the good Vestal year of 2017.


Oblique Striped Phibalapteryx virgata - None.  In Norfolk this species is mainly known from the Brecks but there are a scattering of records through central Norfolk so it may turn up here someday.


July Belle Scotopteryx luridata - None.  The two we had at the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Hockering Wood in 2012 appear to be the nearest anyone has found this species so perhaps my chances of finding one locally aren't all that high.


Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata - Totals of 13 at home between 18th and 30th July 2019 and 14 between 2nd July and 14th August 2020 - I average considerably more a year (22).  Elsewhere 6 at the meadows and recorded at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 and Foxley Wood on 17th August 2019.

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Oblique Carpet Orthonama vittata - None.  In Norfolk this species is mainly known from the Broads but I've recorded it twice here, in 2016 and 2018.


Gem Nycterosea obstipata - None.  I never do well for migrants here but even so, this species is becoming a bit of a bogey-moth for me, having not yet found one anywhere.


Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata - Totals of 24 here between 24th April and 6th September 2019 and 17 between 27th April and 9th November 2020 - I average 25 a year and 2020 was my worst year here so far (but the record on 9th November was my latest ever in Norfolk by 24 days).  Elsewhere 3 at the meadows and one at Whitwell Street.

Garden Carpet, North Elmham, 24th April 2019

Garden Carpet, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

Balsam Carpet Xanthorhoe biriviata - None.  Although there are a handful of records of this mainly Broadland species in or around the Wensum Valley, I'd have to be quite lucky to get one round here.


Red Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe spadicearia - At least 21 here between 2nd May and 8th August 2019.  I didn't count them on 5 nights but I only had singles on the nights around this period where I did count, so the true total probably wasn't much higher than 21.  In any event it was by far my worst year ever for this species which had been averaging at 64 a year over the previous 4 years.  2020 was better but still worse than the previous years, with 41 between 18th May and 14th August.  Elsewhere 1-2 at the meadows on 7 nights, one at Bintree Wood, one at Sculthorpe Moor and 2 at Hills and Holes.  To ensure that I am identifying these and Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets correctly I usually select a small number to dissect, particularly from among those showing at least one character associated with the other species, such as a darker-than-normal bar.  Excepting very worn individuals my provisional ID almost invariably turns out to be correct so I don't think this is as challenging a duo as some sources have suggested in the past.

Red Twin-spot Carpets, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019 (the top one a confirmed male)

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata - At least 35 here between 25th April and 3rd September 2019.  I didn't count them on 2 nights but I only had 1-2 on the nights around these dates, so the true total won't have been much higher than 35.  This was a fairly typical showing for this species, but it was the first time that numbers of this species exceeded the number of Red Twin-spot Carpets.  Only 14 in 2020, between 8th May and 16th August.  Elsewhere a couple next door, singles at the meadows on 7 nights and 3 at Sculthorpe Moor.  Given that fairly recently this species was thought to be heavily over-recorded and a lot rarer than the number of records suggested (due to confusion with dark-barred examples of Red Twin-spot Carpet) I confirmed nearly all of my records for a number of years.  With a negligible error rate I've stopped doing this now, but still check a small selection to make sure (including all of those shown below).  It's probably not a coincidence that the reddest-barred individuals I've caught and confirmed have been worn specimens.

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 26th April 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 8th May 2019

female Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 3rd September 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 8th May 2020

Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata - 2019 was my worst year yet with just 2 recorded in my garden, on 25th and 30th May.  Previous annual totals have ranged from 5 to 14 and there were 6 in 2020, between 31st July and 17th September.  Elsewhere one at Sculthorpe Moor and 2 on Mull.

Flame Carpet, Sculthorpe Moor, 26th April 2019

Flame Carpet, North Elmham, 25th May 2019

Flame Carpet, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Flame Carpet, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata - Totals of 49 caught at home between 19th May and 23rd June 2019 and 41 between 17th May and 15th June 2020.  These were my lowest total so far, though not be a long way - I've averaged 60 a year here.  Elsewhere 13 at the meadows, 2 at Hills and Holes, one at Keswick and 7 at various sites on Mull.

Silver-ground Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May 2019

Silver-ground Carpets, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

Large Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata - My worst years for this species too, with 7 at home between 25th June and 24th July 2019 and just 2 in 2020, on 15th July and 2nd August.  I had been averaging around 20 a year.  Elsewhere one at the meadows, singles at Bintree Wood, Hellesdon and Weybourne.

Large Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 25th June 2019

Large Twin-spot Carpet, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Rotal Mantle Catarhoe cuculata - None.  This species is mainly recorded in Norfolk in the Brecks and NW Norfolk but there are a couple of records from the Wensum Valley so maybe I'll get one locally one day.


Ruddy Carpet Catarhoe rubidata - None.  I've never seen this species but there have been a handful of recent records not all that far away from here so I'm optimistic.


Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata - 13 recorded at home between 29th June and 25th August 2019 and 9 between 12th June and 17th August 2020.  I average 13-14 here.  A total of 36 seen at the meadows, often during the day, plus 2 at the allotment and singles at Bintree Wood, Swanton Great Wood, Whitwell Street and on Mull.

Yellow Shell, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th May 2019

Yellow Shell, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 12th June 2020

Next page: more Geometridae

Clay Triple-lines and a new springtail

After a good night at the meadows on 15th June it was a bit disappointing not to catch a great many moths at home.  Of just 35 species Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Straw Grass-veneer (formerly Pearl Veneer) Agriphila straminella and Smoky Wainscot were new for the year.

Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 15th June

Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, North Elmham, 15th June

Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella, North Elmham, 15th June

The other moths were Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 6 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Treble Brown Spots, Silver-ground Carpet, Common Pug, Clouded Border, Clouded Silver, 2 Light Emeralds, Privet Hawk-moth, Pale Prominent, Orange Footman, 5 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, 4 Heart and Darts, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Ingrailed Clay, 3 Brown Rustics, 2 Middle-barred Minors, Treble Lines, Uncertain, 2 Mottled Rustics, 14 Straw Dots and Snout. The caddisflies were Hydroptila sparsa, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus lunatus.

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, North Elmham, 15th June

Next day I had 2 Currant Clearwings come to lure, new for the year.

Currant Clearwing, North Elmham, 16th June

This Clay Triple-lines was a surprise find inside the house, new for the year and only my third here since moving in in 2014.

Clay Triple-lines, North Elmham, 16th June

Not a bad haul of moths overnight with 10 new for the year: Barred White Clothes Moth Nemapogon clematella, White-triangle Slender Caloptilia stigmatella, White-headed Ermine Paraswammerdamia albicapitella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, 2 Sloe Flat-bodies Luquetia lobella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Small Blood-vein and Small Dusty Wave.

Barred White Clothes Moth Nemapogon clematella, North Elmham, 16th June

White-headed Ermine Paraswammerdamia albicapitella, North Elmham, 16th June

Sloe Flat-body Luquetia lobella, North Elmham, 16th June

Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, North Elmham, 16th June

White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, North Elmham, 16th June

Small Dusty Wave, North Elmham, 16th June

Apart from those there were 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, 2 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 4 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Marsh Greys Eudonia pallida, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 7 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 3 False Cacao Moths Ephestia woodiella, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 2 Riband Waves, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, 2 Garden Carpets, 2 Green Carpets, Sharp-angled Carpet, 5 Common Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, Brown Silver-line, 2 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, Common White Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Light Emerald, Eyed Hawk-moth, Poplar Hawk-moth, 2 Elephant Hawk-moths, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 Orange Footmen, Common Footman, White Ermine, 10 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 4 Heart and Darts, 2 Flames, 4 Flame Shoulders, Ingrailed Clay, Bright-line Brown-eye, Smoky Wainscot, Common Wainscot, 2 Brown Rustics, Dark Arches, 6 Middle-barred Minors, 5 Treble Lines, 2 Mottled Rustics, 2 Burnished Brasses, 2 Spectacles, 25 Straw Dots, 8 Snouts and 3 Small Fan-foots.


This springtail proved to be Entomobrya intermedia, a new species for me.

Entomobrya intermedia, North Elmham, 16th June

Other things included caddisflies Polycentropus flavomaculatus (new for the year) and Limnephilus lunatus, leafhoppers 2 Oncopsis flavicollis, Oncopsis subangulata (new for the year) and Fagocyba cruenta and beetles Ptinus sexpunctatus and Dasytes aeratus.

Polycentropus flavomaculatus, North Elmham, 16th June

Oncopsis subangulata, North Elmham, 16th June

Thompson Water mothing

Dave and I headed out to Thompson Water for some mothing again on Tuesday 8th August.  Conditions weren't perfect but we thought it worth a go.  There were a few nice moths but nothing espectially remarkable: Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 20 Birch Marbles Apotomis betuletana, 3 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, 4 Wainscot Veneers Chilo phragmitella, 3 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Ground-moss Grey Eudonia truncicolella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 4 Small China-marks Cataclysta lemnata, 6 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Knot-horn Cryptoblabes bistriga, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Clay Triple-lines, Small Fan-footed Wave, Single-dotted Wave, Small Scallop, 3 Common Carpets, 3 Small Phoenixes, 5 Small Rivulets, Triple-spotted Pug, Currant Pug, Double-striped Pug, Common Wave, Iron Prominent, 15 Black Arches, 6 Dingy Footmen, Flame Shoulder, Antler Moth, 2 Dun-bars, Spectacle, 3 Straw Dots and Snout.

Birch Marble Apotomis betuletana, Thompson Water, 8th August

Ground-moss Grey Eudonia truncicolella, Thompson Water, 8th August

Double-striped Knot-horn Cryptoblabes bistriga, Thompson Water, 8th August

Clay Triple-lines, Thompson Water, 8th August

Triple-spotted Pug, Thompson Water, 8th August

Black Arches, Thompson Water, 8th August - a large female and a small male

We've had Scarce Emerald Damselfly come to light not far away from here before but this time it was the turn of its commoner congener, Emerald Damselfly.

Emerald Damselfly, Thompson Water, 8th August

There were a few beetles and I didn't attempt to identify all of them, though I did retain a few representatives to check which turned out to be 2 Ilybius fuliginosus, Pterostichus niger and Silpha atrata.  Similarly the caddisflies included 2 Agrypnia pagetana and Molanna angustata, the latter only my second and a species I don't get at home.

Molanna angustata, Thompson Water, 8th August

I had less luck identifying leafhoppers - another Kybos sp. was again a female which don't allow full identification but the shape of the projection on the back of the seventh abdominal sternum proved it was a different species to the one I had at home the previous week - this one was either betulicola or smaragdulus.  An Edwardsiana leafhopper was also a species that requires male genitalia to identify it - and this was a female too.

Kybos betulicola or Kybos smaragdulus, Thompson Water, 8th August

Edwardsiana sp., Thompson Water, 8th August

I'm not confident about the ID of this springtail but suspect it's Pogonognathellus longicornis.

probable Pogonognathellus longicornis, Thompson Water, 8th August

At home the hoverfly Eristalis tenax was the first I've noted this year but the moths were quite poor: 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Pale-streak Grass-veneers Agriphila selasella, 12 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 9 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 3 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Brimstone Moth, Pale Prominent, 3 Dingy Footmen, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character and 5 Straw Dots.

Eristalis tenax, North Elmham, 8th August

There are often Frogs around the outside of my moth trap, presumably eating the moths that land round the outside (though I've not seen one successfully catch a moth yet).  Now they're getting smarter and hopping up to the top of the moth trap... next they'll be hopping in.

Common Frog, North Elmham, 8th August