Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Case-bearers (Coleophoridae) (Part 2)

 CASE-BEARERS (COLEOPHORIDAE)


Grey Alder Case-bearer Coleophora binderella - One in the garden moth trap on 16th July 2020.  I've recorded this species here twice before, in 2016 and 2018.

female Grey Alder Case-bearer Coleophora binderella, North Elmham, 16th July 2020

White-legged Case-bearer Coleophora albitarsella - One in the garden trap on 8th August 2019.  This was my fourth, all since 2016.  Although the tarsi have sometimes been detectably paler than the rest of the legs I don't think I've caught one that has really obvious white tarsi yet.  They're quite overlookable when a bit worn and I resort to gen detting in the absence of clear white scales on the tarsi.  Also an occupied larval case on Ground Ivy at the meadows on 25th October 2020 and feeding signs where one had been on another date.

female White-legged Case-bearer Coleophora albitarsella, North Elmham, 8th August 2019

feeding signs and larval case of White-legged Case-bearer Coleophora albitarsella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th October 2020

Large Clover Case-bearer Coleophora trifolii - None.  I've only ever found one of these, which I caught in my next-door neighbour's garden in 2016.  At least I know they're nearby - surely one will turn up in my own garden before too long?


Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella - One trapped here on 25th May 2019 followed by another 8 between 17th July and 30th August, then in 2020 15 between 31st July and 15th August.  I've had worse years but sometimes this species is sometimes much commoner (e.g. 39 trapped here in 2018).  Also trapped next door, at the meadows and at Whitwell Street (the latter being my latest in these years, 3rd September 2020).  This species is now listed as grade 2, i.e. it can be recorded without gen detting, and in theory antennal structure should give away deauratella, however the deauratella I caught (confirmed by gen det) didn't show this feature very obviously, and if you want to prove the presence of frischella in Norfolk I'm not sure you'll have much chance if you simply record alcyonipennella-like moths as that without dissecting them to check.  I also think it would be quite possible to mix these up with some of the other dark Coleophora that aren't usually listed as confusion species, like Dark Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora paripennella for example.  Nevertheless, when I have a big backlog of moths requiring gen detting it's going to be tempting now to let some go without confirming, and indeed some of the later ones I recorded in 2019 were not checked.

male Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

male Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, North Elmham, 17th July 2019

male Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, North Elmham, 6th August 2019

male Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, North Elmham, 1st August 2020

female Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Whitwell Street, 3rd September 2020

Spikenard Case-bearer Coleophora conyzae - One trapped at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.  Although there are only a dozen records of this species in Norfolk I've trapped a couple at Weybourne before (need to look into why those records aren't showing - I thought someone else had submitted them) and also a couple here in North Elmham (2016 and 2018).

female Spikenard Case-bearer Coleophora conyzae, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea - A total of 28 trapped here between 16th June and 30th August 2019 and 13 between 12th July and 18th August 2020.  2019 was my best ever year for this species, which was previously averaging at about 15 per year.  Despite being one of my commonest Coleophora here, since moving here in 2014 I've hadn't recorded it anywhere else, even at the meadows where 2 of its foodplants grow, but in 2020 I had one at Bintree Wood too (where I'd also caught it back in 2012).

male Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, North Elmham, 17th June 2019

female Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Bintree Wood, 24th July 2020

Black-stigma Case-bearer Coleophora hemerobiella - My first and second records of this species fell in 2020, in my garden trap on 21st and 30th July.  It's meant to be readily identifiable on the strength of the dark spot on its forewings but some caution is required as other species can show dark spots in a similar position due to wear, and clypeiferella seems to show this most of the time.  However in reality hemerobiella really is quite distinctive, more so than I had expected, not so much because of the dark spot but the overall appearance being quite whitish on the background (so not really confusable with clypeiferella) and with a generous dusting of dark speckling covering the wings.  

male Black-stigma Case-bearer Coleophora hemerobiella, North Elmham, 21st July 2020

Black-stigma Case-bearer Coleophora hemerobiella, North Elmham, 30th July 2020

Lotus Case-bearer Coleophora discordella - None.  A frequently-recorded Coleophora that I haven't found yet.


Red-clover Case-bearer Coleophora deauratella - None.  I've not recorded this species locally yet but with plenty of Red Clover growing at the meadows I'd have throught I must be in with a chance.


Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella - 3 in the garden between 28th June and 5th July 2019 and 6 between 15th June and 6th August 2020.  3 here in a year is below average (6-7 is average) but it wasn't quite the worst year (one in 2016).  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows, one at Hellsedon and 2 at Weybourne, all between 25th May and 14th July 2019.  With its white-ringed antennae this species is readily separated from other bronzy-green Coleophora.

Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, North Elmham, 19th June 2020

Next page: more Coleophora

Chestnut Pigmy and Oak Eggar

After a poor night on 13th July things got back on track on 14th with 93 species of moth.  One of these was a new one for me, Chestnut Pigmy Stigmella samiatella.

Chestnut Pigmy Stigmella samiatella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

Another was new for the house: Pistol Case-bearer Coleophora anatipennella.

Pistol Case-bearer Coleophora anatipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

A Grey Alder Case-bearer Coleophora binderella was only my second ever, following one here in 2016.

Grey Alder Case-bearer Coleophora binderella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

A Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana was another species I had only previously seen in 2016, though I did catch 6 of them that year.

Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

A White-bodied Conch Cochylis hybridella was also only my second here.

White-bodied Conch Cochylis hybridella, North Elmham, 14th July

A further 5 were new for the year here: Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Oak Eggar and Maple Pug.

Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, North Elmham, 14th July

Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

Oak Eggar, North Elmham, 14th July

Maple Pug (male, gen det), North Elmham, 14th July

A Wood Groundling Parachronistis albiceps was my third here this year, surprisingly for a species I had not seen in my garden until this year.

The rest of the moths were Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, 2 Beech Midgets Phyllonorycter maestingella, 9 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Hawthorn Ermine Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 2 Meadow Case-bearers Coleophora mayrella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, 3 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 3 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, 2 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 2 Red-barred Tortrixes Ditula angustiorana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 5 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 2 Nut-bud Moths Epinotia tenerana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, 3 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 3 Many-plume Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 12 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 48 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 3 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 18 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Buff Arches, 4 Least Carpets, 11 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, 12 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 8 Riband Waves, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, Common Carpet, V-Pug, 2 Double-striped Pugs, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 4 Early Thorns, 2 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Elephant Hawk-moth, 2 Yellow-tails, Round-winged Muslin, Rosy Footman, 16 Dingy Footmen, 19 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Heart and Club, 2 Flame Shoulders, 4 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Clay, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Dun-bars, 2 Dark Arches, Slender Brindle, 2 Common Rustics, 4 Lesser Common Rustics (and another Common Rustic agg.), 3 Dusky Sallows, 18 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, 3 Mottled Rustics, 3 Nut-tree Tussocks, Straw Dot, Snout and Fan-foot.

There was a good range of other insects too.  Mayflies consisted of Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, Green Drake Ephemera danica and 4 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita.  The brown lacewing Hemerobius micans was only my second here and there was a good selection of caddisflies: Oxyethira flavicornis, 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 2 Leptocerus tineiformis and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis. Mirid bugs were Phylus palliceps and Stenotus binotatus, the latter new for the year, and beetles comprised 2 Hydrobius fuscipes, 2 Nicrophorus investigator, Rhagonycha fulva and Lagria hirta.

Monster night: 838 moths, 152 species, 5 lifers, all in one night in one tiny garden

23rd July was a monster.  I mentioned in my account of a couple of nights previous that there was a ring of Water Veneers round the trap in the evening, mostly vanished by first light.  It was the same on 23rd, except there were even more: a writhing mass of 250 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella in a circle round the trap when I went to bed and almost none evident come the morning.  Well that was interesting enough, but it was also a good indication of what a good night it would prove to be.

It was the micros that generated most of the excitement.  Indeed there were more micros - and more species of micro - than macros.  So sorry if you're only interested in macros - they weren't bad either, but you'll have to scroll down to read about them.

My first lifer was a unique yellow-spotted species that I've long wanted to see.  It's pretty local and most records in Norfolk are from the east, so it wasn't one I was particularly expecting at home.  In the end it wasn't quite as peculiar-looking and remarkable as it looks in some of the photos elsewhere, and it never held its forelegs out perpendicularly as they do in their most characteristic pose.  But even so, an exciting find.  It was, of course, Alder Signal Stathmopoda pedella.

Alder Signal Stathmopoda pedella, North Elmham, 23rd July

Second was another relatively straightforward moth to identify (i.e. it didn't need dissecting), though unlike the last this one wasn't on my radar at all.  It was a Juniper Argent Argyresthia dilectella.  There are only 8 previous records of this species in Norfolk and only one in the last 8 years, so quite a scarce moth it would seem.

Juniper Argent Argyresthia dilectella, North Elmham, 23rd July

The third one was the last one that was obvious before getting the microscope out, a Lichen Sober Dichomeris alacella.  This one wasn't recorded in Norfolk between 1889 and 2011 but there have been multiple records every year since then.

Lichen Sober Dichomeris alacella, North Elmham, 23rd July

The last two lifers didn't materialise until I dissected the Coleophora I'd retained and were Spikenard Case-bearer Coleophora conyzae and Grey Alder Case-bearer Coleophora binderella.  The former is known only from the Brecks and Foxley Wood in Norfolk, with just 6 previous records, mostly larvae.  Binderella is a little more frequently recorded, though not much with only 4 previous records listed as relating to adults.

Spikenard Case-bearer Coleophora conyzae (female, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Grey Alder Case-bearer Coleophora binderella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Two other species were new for the house: Marbled Conch Eupoecilia angustana and Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana.

Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, North Elmham, 23rd July

Marbled Conch Eupoecilia angustana, North Elmham, 23rd July

No shortage of other micros that were new for the year here: Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, White-headed Ermel Paraswammerdamia albicapitella, Dark Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora paripennella, New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, Dotted Grey Groundling Athrips mouffetella, Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, 2 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella, Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata and Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis.

White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, North Elmham, 23rd July

Dotted Grey Groundling Athrips mouffetella, North Elmham, 23rd July

New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, North Elmham, 23rd July

Dark Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora paripennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, North Elmham, 23rd July

Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella, North Elmham, 23rd July

Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Other highlights among the micros were 2 Dull Red Groundlings Bryotropha senectella, Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella, Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella, Rose Tortrix Archips rosana, 2 Cereal Tortrixes Cnephasia pumicana, Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana and Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis.

Obscure Slender Oegoconia deauratella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella, North Elmham, 23rd July

Cereal Tortrixes Cnephasia pumicana (males, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

A long list of other micros not so far mentioned: Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella (plus 2 unidentified Phyllonorycter probably the same), 20 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Hawthorn Ermels Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 7 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 4 Common Oak Case-bearers Coleophora lutipennella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, 2 Grey Rush Case-bearers Coleophora glaucicolella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, 3 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 4 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, 4 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, 3 Bulrush Cosmets Limnaecia phragmitella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, 6 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, 3 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 9 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 3 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 6 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 5 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 4 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella, 3 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, 2 Bud Moths Spilonota ocellana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 7 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, 9 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 4 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula nitidulata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 16 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Double-striped Tabbies Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella and False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella.

Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, North Elmham, 23rd July

Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Among the macros just five were new for the year here: Slender Pug, Black Arches, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Fen Wainscot and Small Rufous.

Black Arches, North Elmham, 23rd July

Fen Wainscot, North Elmham, 23rd July

Lesser Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 23rd July

Slender Pug (female, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Small Rufous, North Elmham, 23rd July

There was a particularly good show of Footmen with 31 Rosy Footmen, 43 Dingy Footmen, 14 Scarce Footmen and 49 Common Footmen.

Phoenix and Bordered Pug were probably the best of the rest, the others being Pebble Hook-tip, 3 Chinese Characters, 2 Small Blood-veins, 12 Small Fan-footed Waves, 15 Single-dotted Waves, 23 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Large Twin-spot Carpets, 6 Shaded Broad-bars, 4 Common Carpets, 2 Yellow Shells, July Highflyer, 5 Small Rivulets, Grey Pug, 2 Green Pugs, Double-striped Pug, 2 Small Yellow Waves, 6 Clouded Borders, 4 Brimstone Moths, 5 Early Thorns, 4 Scalloped Oaks, Swallow-tailed Moth, Clouded Silver, Poplar Hawkmoth, 3 Elephant Hawkmoths, Coxcomb Prominent, 6 Yellow-tails, 3 Buff Ermines, 2 Ruby Tigers, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 12 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, Brown-line Bright-eye, 9 Clays, 5 Smoky Wainscots, 4 Dun-bars, 2 Dark Arches, Slender Brindle, Rufous Minor, 3 Cloaked Minors, Common Rustic (plus a Common Rustic agg.), 2 Dusky Sallows, Ear Moth, 35 Uncertains, 5 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, Nut-tree Tussock, Burnished Brass, 2 Spectacles, 3 Straw Dots, 2 Snouts and 7 Fan-foots.

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (female, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Ear Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

Slender Brindle, North Elmham, 23rd July

There were some good things among the other insects too, including some more lifers.  This Dark Bush-cricket was new for the house.

Dark Bush-cricket, North Elmham, 23rd July

The Green Lacewings turned out to consist of 4 species, two of which were new to me: Chrysopa commata, Cunctochrysa albolineata, 2 Dichochrysa flavifrons and Dichochrysa prasina - the albolineata and prasina being the lifers.

Cunctochrysa albolineata, North Elmham, 23rd July

Dichochrysa prasina, North Elmham, 23rd July

One caddisfly was a lifer: Agraylea multipunctata.  It was quite worn and not the prettiest creature I saw that night.  Others were Orthotrichia costalis, Crunoecia irrorata (this was the species which looked like it might be new for the vice county when I had one before, but I've still not checked if that is the case or not), Limnephilus lunatus, 2 Athripsodes aterrimus, Leptocerus tineiformis and 5 Mystacides longicornis.

Agraylea multipunctata, North Elmham, 23rd July

Crunoecia irrorata, North Elmham, 23rd July

Orthotrichia costalis, North Elmham, 23rd July

What a cracking night!  The only downside was that it took me 6 hours to go through the trap, several more hours to photograph what I retained for closer examination and process the photos and countless more hours to dissect all those that needed gen detting.  An awful lot of time invested in one night's mothing, but fantastic results and well worth the effort.  And the next day still to come... expect an even bigger species count!