Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 6: Conches II (Cochylidia to Cochylichroa))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE) (continued)


Hemp-agrimony Conch Cochylidia rupicola - None.  I've not recorded this species in North Elmham yet but it's not far away and there's Hemp-Agrimony growing at the meadows so must be in with a chance.  I had it at my previous house in Bawdeswell once.


Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana - Caught at home on 24th July and 4th August 2019 and 3 between 12th August and 3rd September 2020.  2 a year is about average though I've had blank years.  Also singles at the meadows on 22nd August 2019 and 25th May 2020 and at Whitwell Street on 3rd September 2020.

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, North Elmham, 24th July 2019

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Whitwell Street, 3rd September 2020

Birch Conch Thyraylia nana - 2 worn individuals in my garden trap on 23rd June 2019 were new for the garden.  This was the first time I have recorded this species anywhere since one at Bawdeswell Heath in 2012 but I caught another 2 in 2020, on 21st and 23rd May (including what I think was the first fresh example I've ever seen anywhere).

male and female Birch Conches Thyraylea nana, North Elmham, 23rd June 2019

male Birch Conch Thyraylea nana, North Elmham, 21st May 2020

Rosy Conch Cochylis roseana - None.  I am yet to see this species but there are records in mid Norfolk so it's one to look out for locally.


White-bodied Conch Noecochylis hybridella - One in the garden on 7th September 2020.  I've had this recently-established species in the garden 3 times in 2017-2018 but didn't find one here in 2019.  I did have one elsewhere in 2019, at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August.

White-bodied Concs Neocochylis hybridella, North Elmham, 7th September 2020

Little Conch Neocochylis dubitana - Singles in the garden trap on 26th July and 25th August 2019 doubled the number I'd seen here (in 2016 and 2018) but then in 2020 I caught 11 between 9th and 16th August including 3 together on 11th.  Also 2 at the meadows on 18th July 2020.

male Little Conch Neocochylis dubitana, North Elmham, 26th July 2019

male Little Conch Neocochylis dubitana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Ox-tongue Conch Neocochylis molliculana - One in the garden moth trap on 20th August 2020 and 2 on 22nd August.  I'd only caught this recent colonist here once before, in 2018.  Also one at the meadows on 23rd June 2019.

Ox-tongue Conch Neocochylis molliculana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

Ox-tongue Conch Neocochylis molliculana, North Elmham, 20th Augsut 2020

Black-headed Conch Cochylichroa atricapitana - 7 in the garden trap between 24th July and 25th August 2019 and 13 between 18th May and 13th September 2020.  I'd not had more than 8 here in a year before.  Also recorded at the meadows, Bintree Wood, Weybourne and Hellesdon.

Black-headed Conch Cochylichroa atricapitana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Black-headed Conch Cochylichroa atricapitana, North Elmham, 6th August 2019

Next page: more Tortricidae

Frost's Common Take 2

A Mouse Moth was the only new moth for the year on Monday 21st August but there was a reasonable variety of moths: possible Skin Moth Monopis laevigella (lost before confirmed), Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, 2 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, Nut Leaf Blister Moth Phyllonorycter coryli, probable Red Hazel midget Phyllonorycter nicellii (lost before confirmed), 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, an exceptionally small Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 5 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 18 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 4 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Pebble Hook-tip, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, 3 Green Carpets, Sharp-angled Carpet, 3 Currant Pugs, 3 Double-striped Pugs, 11 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, Common Wave, 4 Light Emeralds, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 3 Six-striped Rustics, Square-spot Rustic, 8 Common Wainscots, Common Rustic, 5 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, 2 Straw Dots and 3 Snouts.

Mouse Moth, North Elmham, 21st August

Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st August

My second ever Small Silver Sedge Lepidostoma hirtum followed one night after my first.  Other caddisflies were Oxyethira flavicornis, 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula and Medium Sedge Goera pilosa.

Beetles included 2 Trechus quadristriatus, a new species for me.

Trechus quadristriatus, North Elmham, 21st August

Other beetles were 5 Bradycellus verbasci and 2 Aphodius rufipes.  Other insects included the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, the green lacewing Nineta vittata, a female Conwentzia sp. Waxfly, the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus and 9 Forest Bugs (aka Red-legged Shieldbugs).

Nest day a quick look round Wells Wood produced a few insects including my first Plagiognathus arbustorum (a mirid bug) feeeding on Fleabane.

Plagiognathus arbustorum, Wells, 22nd August

Moths included Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and Small Fan-footed Wave.

That night Dave and I headed back to Frost's Common, a site we'd been planning to trap at for a long while.  The Norfolk Moth Survey event there was a wash-out so we thought we'd try again on a better night.  Conditions weren't ideal but we managed 47 species including a few mildly interesting ones: Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, 3 Brown Birch Slenders Parornix betulae, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Birch Marbles Apotomis betuletana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella, 6 Ground-moss Greys Eudonia truncicolella, 3 Brown China-marks Elophila nymphaeata, 7 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Small China-marks Cataclysta lemnata, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis (only my second ever), Double-striped Knot-horn Cryptoblabes bistriga, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, 2 Maiden's Blushes, 3 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, 2 Purple Bars, 5 Green Carpets, 5 Double-striped Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, 5 Brimstone Moths, 2 Common Waves, 3 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawk-moth, Dingy Footman, 2 Buff Footmen, 3 Common Footmen, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Common Wainscots, Svensson's Copper Underwing, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, 10 Straw Dots and 2 Snouts.

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Double-striped Knot-horn Cryptoblabes bistriga, Frost's Common, 22nd August

The leafhopper Eupteryx urticae was a new species for me.  Other bugs included Birch Shieldbug, 8 Forest Bugs, Lygus pratensis and the leafhopper Allygus mixtus.

Eupteryx urticae, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Allygus mixtus, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Caddisflies included a Molanna angustata and there were 2 Orange Ladybirds.  Other wildlife included 3 Red Deer.

Molanna angustata (male), Frost's Common, 22nd August

We found a newt at each of the lights which I am having some trouble identifying.  They are most likely Smooth Newts - I don't think there are all that many confirmed records of Palmate Newt in Norfolk from what I can glean.  The references I've got and those I've found on the internet seem to focus on adults for identification, some mentioning that immatures require more caution but not elaborating any further. Several references refer to the unspotted throat as a key feature for Palmate Newt but even some of those include photos of Smooth Newts with unspotted throats, so clearly this is not diagnostic!  The upperpart markings appear to be very variable and overlapping between the tweo species as are the spots below and the pattern of orange underneath.  I get the impression, but if someone can confirm that would be great, that the presence or absence of pale tubercles on the bottom of the feet (present on Palmate) is the most reliable feature.  Having had this problem before I recalled that spots on the soles of the feet were relevant and so took photos as I couldn't remember the detail of what to look for.  Sadly my photos aren't perfectly clear (it's quite hard to get a newt to stay still upside down without manhandling it) and there are some pale spots in some images that aren't in others, suggesting that they may be grit or dirt.  At least one of them does seem to have one or two pale spots on the sole in the same place in every photo suggesting it may be a real feature and suggesting that they might be Palmate Newts.  However, I'm not convinced and suspect they are in fact female and/or immature Smooth Newts.  If you are any clearer on these things please do get in touch!

Newts (top two are the same individual, lower two are the other individual), Frost's Common, 22nd August

Agriphila latistria, Red Underwings and ANOTHER basaltinella

The night of 25th August was nearly as good as the previous three nights in terms of numbers and variety, if not quite so.  Only one moth was new for the year though, but a fairly decent one that was also new for the house - White-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila latistria.  A lot of people have been reporting this species in places it doesn't normally turn up recently - whether they are migrants or the species is just having a good year locally I'm not sure

White-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila latistria, North Elmham, 25th August

The other micros were Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Rush Marbles Bactra lancealana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 4 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 9 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 5 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 4 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Macros consisted of 2 Orange Swifts, Blood-vein, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, 5 Green Carpets, Sharp-angled Carpet, Maple Pug, Lime-speck Pug, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Treble-bars, 16 Brimstone Moths, 3 Canary-shouldered Thorns, 6 Dusky Thorns, 3 Willow Beauties, Common White Wave, 5 Poplar Hawkmoths, 2 Sallow Kittens, 2 Iron Prominents, Lesser Swallow Prominent, 2 Swallow Prominents, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 17 Flame Shoulders, 19 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 9 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 9 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 13 Square-spot Rustics, Cabbage Moth, 4 Common Wainscots, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, Dark Arches, Common Rustic, 10 Flounced Rustics, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, 37 Straw Dots and 3 Snouts.

Atrhripsodes albifrons, North Elmham, 25th August

Not one but 2 Red Underwings were the highlight of the following night.

Red Underwings, North Elmham, 26th August

It was otherwise much quieter than recent nights with Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 4 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 5 Green Carpets, Currant Pug, Double-striped Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, 2 Dusky Thorns, Poplar Hawkmoth, Iron Prominent, 2 Lesser Swallow Prominents, Coxcomb Prominent, Dingy Footman, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 18 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 11 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 3 Small Square-spots, 10 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, Six-striped Rustic, 9 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, Centre-barred Sallow, 14 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic, Silver Y, Spectacle and 18 Straw Dots.

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, North Elmham, 26th August

The following night I joined the Norfolk Moth Survey at Church Marsh, Surlingham.  I will do a separate post about that shortly, probably tomorrow, but in the meantime here's what I had at home that night.  There were a few more moths than the night before, and more variety, but none were new for the year.  The rarest in Norfolk terms, if not in my garden terms, was another Thatch Groundling Scoparia basaltinella, bringing my garden total, and the entire county total, up to 5.

Thatch Groundling Bryotropha basaltinella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 27th August

Other micros were Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, 4 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Brown-spot Flat-body Agonopterix alstromeriana, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Acleris laterana agg., 7 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 4 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, 6 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Brown-spot Flat-body Agonopterix alstromeriana, North Elmham, 27th August

The macros were 2 Orange Swifts, Maiden's Blush, Single-dotted Wave, Riband Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Common Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, 5 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, 2 Treble-bars, Yellow-barred Brindle, Clouded Border, 20 Brimstone Moths, 3 Dusky Thorns, 2 Common Waves, 2 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Lesser Swallow Prominents, Dingy Footman, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 15 Flame Shoulders, 23 Large Yellow Underwings, 8 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, 13 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 12 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Angle Shades, Dark Arches, 7 Flounced Rustics, 4 Burnished Brasses, 19 Straw Dots and 3 Snouts.

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 27th August

Other bits and pieces included the Green Lacewing Cunctochrysa albolineata, 3 Forest Bugs (Red-legged Shieldbugs), this Harlequin Ladybird and my first Hornet of the year.

Harlequin Ladybird, North Elmham, 27th August

Bordered Beauty and more

After a relatively disappointing evening at Claxton with the Norfolk Moth Survey on 6th August I didn't have particularly high hopes for my own moth trap as I emptied it the following morning.  In fact it turned out to be an excellent night at home with several quality moths.  The impression was one of quality over quantity but actually even the quantity was respectable enough for August: 278 moths of 102 species.  There were several highlights but I suppose the moth of the night had to be this Bordered Beauty.  Technically I had seen one before as I happened to be round Dave's house when he had one in a pot that he'd caught the night before, but I don't normally count moths under those circumstances, and in any case it's far more exciting catching your own.

Bordered Beauty, North Elmham, 6th August

This Straw Flat-body Agonopterix kaekeritziana was perhaps the rarest moth of the night with only two records in Norfolk over the last 12 years (one of which was mine at my old house).  Quite a distinctive and subtly attractive Agonopterix in my opinion.

Straw Flat-body Agonopterix kaekeritziana, North Elmham, 6th August

Another moth that hadn't been recorded in Norfolk for a couple of years was Bog Dwarf Elachista utonella, until I caught one here on 26th July.  That one surprised me as it's a long way from any known sites, so it was interesting to trap another one on 6th August - presumably there must be a poplation not far away. rather than both of them having wandered half way across the county. 

Bog Dwarf Elachista utonella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th August

Not one but 2 Vetch Sobers Aproaerema anthyllidella were a surprise - new for the house and only my second and third ever.  It's another moth with relatively few county records but unlike the last this species seems to be increasing (or at least is being recorded more frequently) - the vast majority of records have been in the last few years.

Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th August

Also new for the house, though not so unexpected, was Sallow Marble Apotomis capreana. Several new for the year here too: 2 Sharp-winged Drills Dichrorampha acuminatana, 2 Orange Swifts, Maple Pug and Dusky Thorn.

Dusky Thorn, North Elmham, 6th August

Orange Swift, North Elmham, 6th August

Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, North Elmham, 6th August

The other macros that night were Drinker, 3 Pebble Hook-tips, Chinese Character, Small Fan-footed Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 8 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, 5 Common Carpets, Lime-speck Pug, Wormwood Pug, 3 Magpie Moths, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, Purple Thorn, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, 2 Pebble Prominents, 2 Swallow Prominents, 2 Pale Prominents, 6 Yellow-tails, 3 Black Arches, 4 Rosy Footmen, 9 Dingy Footmen, 4 Scarce Footmen, Common Footman, 2 Ruby Tigers, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 7 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 9 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, Lychnis, Brown-line Bright-eye, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, Grey Dagger, 2 Straw Underwings, 3 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, Common Rustic, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, Ear Moth, 2 Uncertains, 4 Nut-tree Tussocks, 12 Straw Dots and Fan-foot.

Lesser Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th August

The other micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 3 Ribwort Slenders Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 White Oak Midgets Phyllonorycter harrisella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, 4 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 2 House Groundlings Bryotropha domestica, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, 5 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, 4 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Maple Buttons Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 28 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 17 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 5 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 4 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, 10 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, North Elmham, 6th August

Other insects included the distinctive Brown Lacewing Micromus variegatus, a Lucerne Bug Adelphocoris lineolatus and Forest Bug (Red-legged Shieldbug).

Lucerne Bug Adelphocoris lineolatus, North Elmham, 6th August

Micromus variegatus, North Elmham, 6th August