Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Case-bearers (Coleophoridae) (Part 3)

CASE-BEARERS (COLEOPHORIDAE) continued


Pistol Case-bearer Coleophora anatipennella - None.  I had 2 of these at home in 2018 but may have overlooked others as these are rather difficult to separate even with reference to the genitalia.


White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella - Caught in the garden on 13th and 19th June 2020.  2019 was my first blank year for what is usually my commonest white Coleophora.

male White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella, North Elmham, 19th June 2020

White Oak Case-bearer Coleophora kuehnella - None.  I've not recorded this species locally yet but it's quite widespread so must be a possibility.


Forest Case-bearer Coleophora ibipennella - An occupied case at the meadows on an Oak leaf on 6th June 2019.  I took this home and the adult emerged from it on 27th June.  Also 1-2 trapped at home, one on 17th July 2019 that I'm not going to record (I'd pretty confidently reached the ID but in trying to get the genitalia to lie flat I ended up damaging it such that I couldn't quite be 100% sure) and one on 24th July.  I've only recorded this species here once before (2016).  None in 2020.

occupied case of Forest Case-bearer Coleophora ibipennella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June 2019

male Forest Case-bearer Coleophora ibipennella, 27th June 2019, emerged from case collected from North Elmham Cathedral Meadows on 6th June 2019

White Birch Case-bearer Coleophora betulella - One caught at home on 10th July 2019.  I first recorded this species here in 2018, and after failing to record albidella in 2019 I started to wonder if I may have misidentified this species as albidella in the past.  However with this in mind I took extra care in 2020 and only recorded albidella (and no betulella) then, so perhaps my fears were unfounded.  The differences in genitalia between some of these white Coleophora are pretty subtle to say the least.

male White Birch Case-bearer Coleophora betulella, North Elmham, 10th July 2019

Knapweed Case-bearer Coleophora conspicuella - None.  I've never caught this species, which isn't surprising as it had never been recorded in Norfolk until 2020.  Dave Norgate caught a large and distinctive Coleophora in his garden in Toftwood on 5th July and asked me to have a look at it.  I didn't recognise it at all but eventually figured out it was either vibicigerella, conspicuella or vibicella, none of which had been recorded in Norfolk before.  With a 21mm wingspan the size was within range for vibicella but far too big for the other two (max 17.5mm and 14mm according to the literature), however I wasn't convinced it was vibicella so agreed to gen det it.  It proved to be a female conspicuella, a species that was recorded in Suffolk for the first time in 2019 (as a larva, with an adult caught at the same location in 2020).  An absolute BEAST!

female Knapweed Case-bearer Coleophora conspicuella, caught by Dave Norgate at Toftwood (Dereham) on 5th July 2020

Downland Case-bearer Coleophora lixella - None.  I've caught this species here once, in 2015.


Gorse Case-bearer Coleophora albicosta - One in the garden trap on 25th May 2019 was a new moth for the garden, but followed by 2 more in 2020 (on 17th and 21st May).  Also on 21st May 2020, one caught at Hills and Holes.

female Gorse Case-bearer Coleophora albicosta, North Elmham, 25th May 2019

Gorse Case-bearer Coleophora albicosta, North Elmham, 17th May 2020

female Gorse Case-bearer Coleophora albicosta, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Larch Case-bearer Coleophora laricella - None in 2019 but one caught in the garden on 12th June 2020 and another at Bintree Wood the following night.  I've caught this species here 3 times previously, in 2015 and 2017.

male Larch Case-bearer Coleophora laricella, North Elmham, 12th June 2020

male Larch Case-bearer Coleophora laricella, Bintree Wood, 13th June 2020

Next page: more Coleophora

Holt Country Park mothing

July kicked off with the Currant Clearwing lure followed by the Yellow-legged Clearwing lure both attracting their respective targets.  The latter also attracted a Syrphus hoverfly but it escaped before I could tell if it was torvus or vitripennis.  I also found a Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana in the house.

Currant Clearwing, North Elmham, 1st July

Yellow-legged Clearwing, North Elmham, 1st July

That evening it was the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Holt Country Park and it was a great success.  I don't know what number the final tally for the evening came to but counting just the moths I saw myself we reached a very impressive 170 species.  I suppose the best of those was Norfolk's second Orange-headed Tubic Agnoea josephinae.

Orange-headed Tubic Agnoea josephinae (male, gen det), Holt, 1st July

The only other totally new moth for me was a macro, albeit one that could be overlooked as a micro.  We didn't, but we did almost overlook it as a Pinion-streaked Snout.  I did raise the possibility of it being worn Marsh Oblique-barred but someone thought we were out of range for that species known mainly from the Broads in Norfolk.  Well fortunately I retained it to check and lo and behold it was a Marsh Oblique-barred.  Not quite restricted to the Broads as there are a handful of records from west Norfolk and a very few from north Norfolk though none very recently - including one from Holt Lowes area in 1973.

Marsh Oblique-barred (male, gen det), Holt, 1st July

Other highlights included at least 7 Grass Emeralds, a species I'd only seen one of previously.

Grass Emeralds, Holt, 1st July

The other macros that I considered to be most worthy were July Belle, 2 Pretty Chalk Carpets, Dingy Shell, 2 Kent Black Arches, True Lover's Knot, Purple Clay, Grey Arches, Miller, Small Dotted Buff and Oak Nycteoline.  Although we tentatively identified the Purple Clay in the field we weren't sure so I retained it to check - in daylight the next day it seemed much more straightforward.

Purple Clay, Holt, 1st July

Pretty Chalk Carpet, Holt, 1st July

Among the micros there were quite a few Small Crests Anarsia spartiella (I put down 8 but suspect a careful count would have come up with a much higher number) - a good showing for a moth I'd only seen once before.

I didn't recall having seen Heather Neb Aristotelia ericinella before but it turns out I had done, albeit back in 2011.  Still, a very smart moth and one of the highlights of the evening for me.  My photos don't really do it justice - imagine the whitish bars being bright and sparkling and you'll be nearer the mark.

Heather Neb Aristotelia ericinella, Holt, 1st July

Another one that I thought was a lifer but had forgotten I'd seen it once before was the Golden Pearl Anania verbascalis.

Golden Pearl Anania verbascalis, Holt, 1st July

I managed to mess up the ID of at least two Nemapogon, although to be fair to myself I wasn't sure about either, hence taking them home to check.  The first looked very dark on the night prompting me to think that it might be a worn koenigi but it didn't look so impressive when I got it home and was in fact just a Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella.  Although it was darker than most Cork Moths I should have noticed the big white spot in the discal area which have been much smaller on koenigi  The second I did think was probably Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella but in fact it turned out to be better, Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella.  Although I had found the last Norfolk record of this species in 2013 it had slipped off my radar, although I must have realised there was something funny about it or else I wouldn't have brought it home to check.

Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella (female, gen det), Holt, 1st July

Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella (male, gen det), Holt, 1st July

The other micros I saw were (and as always the numbers are lower than reality - just as many I could be sure I could remember seeing when I got home): Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Large Clothes Moth Morophaga choragella, another Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, a Parornix sp. which I stuffed up the dissection for, Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Netted Argent Argyresthia retinella, 15 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Forest Case-bearer Coleophora ibipennella, 3 Grey Rush Case-bearers Coleophora glaucicolella, 4 New Tawny Tubics Batia lunaris, 4 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Crescent Groundling Teleiodes luculella, Birch Sober Anacampsis blattariella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 2 London Dowds Blastobasis lacticolella, 4 Pine Cosmets Batrachedra pinicolella, Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, 3 Hawthorn Cosmets Blastodacna hellerella, 4 Water-mint Conches Phalonidia manniana, 2 Knapweed Conches Agapeta zoegana, 3 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 2 Orange Pine Tortrixes Lozotaeniodes formosana, Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, 2 Red-barred Tortrixes Ditula angustiorana, 2 White-barred Tortrixes Olindia schumacherana, 4 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 4 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, Rusty Birch Button Acleris notana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 2 Pine Marbles Piniphila bifasciana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, White-shouldered Marble Apotomis turbidana, 2 Bramble Shoot Moths Notocelia uddmanniana, White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 2 Orange-spotted Shoots Rhyacionia pinicolana, Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana, Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, 20 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 2 Marsh Grass-veneers Crambus uliginosellus, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, 3 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 7 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Long-winged Pearl Anania lancealis, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, 3 Olive Pearls Udea olivalis, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 8 Heather Knot-horns Pempelia palumbella, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, 2 Twin-barred Knot-horns Homoeosoma sinuella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Forest Case-bearer Coleophora ibipennella (male, gen det), Holt, 1st July

Birch Sober Anacampsis blattariella (female, gen det), Holt, 1st July

Other macros were 3 Leopard Moths, 4 Drinkers, Pebble Hook-tip, Peach Blossom, 3 Buff Arches, Large Emerald, 2 Common Emeralds, Blood-vein, Lesser Cream Wave, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 3 Riband Waves, 3 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Phoenix, Barred Yellow, 2 Grey Pine Carpets, Broken-barred Carpet, 2 July Highflyers, Sharp-angled Carpet, Small Rivulet, Sandy Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, Wormwood Pug, Currant Pug, 4 Narrow-winged Pugs, 3 V-Pugs, 2 Green Pugs, 3 Double-striped Pugs, 3 Small Yellow Waves, 5 Clouded Borders, 2 Tawny-barred Angles, Scorched Wing, 2 Brimstone Moths, Lilac Beauty, 2 Swallow-tailed Moths, 2 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, 4 Mottled Beauties, 2 Engraileds, 2 Bordered Whites, 4 Common White Waves, 4 Clouded Silvers, 3 Light Emeralds, 6 Barred Reds, Pine Hawk-moth, Lime Hawk-moth, Poplar Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, Pale Prominent, 2 Yellow-tails, 6 Rosy Footmen, Dingy Footman, Scarce Footman, 2 Buff Footmen, 4 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 2 Ruby Tigers, Short-cloaked Moth, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Double Square-spots, 2 Clays, Smoky Wainscot, Poplar Grey, Dark Dagger, Small Angle Shades, Dingy Shears, Dun-bar, 2 Dark Arches, Light Arches, 2 Marbled Minors, Rufous Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, 3 Uncertains, 4 Marbled White Spots, 2 Silver Ys, 3 Plain Golden Ys, Spectacle, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, 2 Straw Dots, 2 Snouts, Fan-foot and Small Fan-foot.

Dark Dagger (female, gen det), Holt, 1st July

Rufous Minor (female, gen det), Holt, 1st July

Of course it wasn't just moths and among the non-lepidopteran highlights was this Great Crested Newt that walked past my sheet.  Sadly it was a bit camera-shy and sloped off into the undergrowth before I could manage a better photo.

Great Crested Newt, Holt, 1st July

I didn't do as much as I would have liked with the lacewings or caddisflies as I wouldn't have been able to keep up with the moths but I couldn't help noticing this lovely beast of a lacewing.  I thought it had to be something new, and in a way it was since I haven't seen one since I've been "doing" lacewings, but it turns out I photographed one a few years ago so it's not quite my first.  Anyway, it was good to see, an uncommon Lacewing that isn't recorded very frequently in Norfolk, the Black Lacewing Nothochrysa capitata.  The whitish lump towards the rear of the abdomen is apparently spermatophore which is passed from the male to the female - you can see this on several photos of this species on the internet.

Black Lacewing Nothochrysa capita, Holt, 1st July

Another beast of an insect was this big Dusky Longhorn Beetle Arhopalus rusticus, a first for me.

Dusky Longhorn Beetle Arhopalus rusticus, Holt, 1st July

According to the Hoverflies book entirely black hairs along the margins of tergites 3 and 4 should have made this hoverfly one of the Eupeodes species, but I couldn't find one like it and it showed the bulge on the head above its antennae that typifies the genus Scaeva.  I believe it is Scaeva selentica, the first time I've identified this species.

Scaeva selentica, Holt, 1st July

Coleophora therinella

The moths at home on 9th July weren't especially numerous, 160 of 68 species, but they included a few noteworthy ones.  Top among them was a Black-bindweed Case-bearer Coleophora therinella, new for the house and only the 6th record for Norfolk (although my third).

Black-bindweed Case-bearer Coleophora therinella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 9th July

Also new for the house was Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella.  Others new for the garden year list were Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Lesser Cream Wave and Miller.

Miller, North Elmham, 9th July

Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, North Elmham, 9th July

Other micros were 7 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, 2 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 21 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 6 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

Fenland Pearl Chrysopa commata, North Elmham, 9th July

Other macros were Buff Arches, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Small Dusty Waves, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, 2 Barred Straws, Sandy Carpet, 2 Green Pugs, 4 Swallow-tailed Moths, 2 Peppered Moths, 3 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Common White Wave, 4 Clouded Silvers, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, 2 Buff-tips, 3 Rosy Footmen, 5 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, Heart and Club, 5 Flames, Flame Shoulder, Dot Moth, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, Poplar Grey, Brown Rustic, 4 Dark Arches, Light Arches, Marbled Minor, 4 Tawny Marbled Minors, 7 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, Spectacle, 6 Snouts and Small Fan-foot.

Of 2 green lacewings one was a lifer (Chrysopa commata) and the other was new for the house (Chrysopidia ciliata).

Chrysopa commata, North Elmham, 9th July

Chrysopidia ciliata, North Elmham, 9th July

Among the caddis probable Hydropsyche siltalai wasn't noteworthy but Agrypnia pagetana was my first this year and seemingly not well-recorded in VC28.

Agrypnia pagetana, North Elmham, 9th July

Also the bug Stenotus binotatus.

The following night saw another new lacewing, Dichochrysa flavifrons, together with a second Chrysopa commata.

Dichochrysa flavifrons, North Elmham, 10th July

Of 201 moths (79 species) that night the best was Forest Case-bearer Coleophora ibipennella, new for the house and possibly new altogether.  I'd caught one once before that keyed out to ibipennella but the keys aren't all that reliable and I messed up the dissection.  Nice to confirm one at last.

Forest Case-bearer Coleophora ibipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th July

Others new for the year here were Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, Nut Bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Phoenix, Brown-tail and Plain Golden Y.

Plain Golden Y, North Elmham, 10th July

Phoneix, North Elmham, 10th July

Brown-tail, North Elmham, 10th July

Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, North Elmham, 10th July

Nut Bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, North Elmham, 10th July

The other micros were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 2 Speckled Case-bearers Coleophora sternipennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 4 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 16 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Yellow Satin Veneers Crambus perlella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Macros included 2 Buff Arches, 2 Common Emeralds, Small Fan-footed Wave, 8 Single-dotted Waves, 11 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Yellow Shell, 2 Barred Straws, 2 Barred Yellows, Brimstone Moth, 3 Early Thorns, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, 4 Peppered Moths, 2 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, 4 Clouded Silvers, Privet Hawkmoth, 5 Elephant Hawkmoths, Iron Prominent, 2 Rosy Footmen, Orange Footman, 4 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, Heart and Club, 4 Flames, Flame Shoulder, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 8 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Clay, 4 Smoky Wainscots, Poplar Grey, Brown Rustic, Small Angle Shades, 10 Dark Arches, 3 Tawny Marbled Minors, Common Rustic, 5 Uncertains, Rustic, Spectacle, Beautiful Hook-tip, 8 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Caddisflies included Glyphotaelius pellucidus, a common species but one that's not meant to fly in July.  Also 2 probable Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus lunatus and Athripsodes aterrimus.

A hoverfly proved to be my first Parasyrphus punctulatus.

Parasyrphus punctulatus, North Elmham, 10th July