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

Two-tick night at home

While I was out mothing at Brancaster my trap was running at home (16th July).  I didn't manage any new moths at Brancaster but made up for it at home with two new moths: Small Rush Case-bearer Coleophora taeniipennella and Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana.

Small Rush Case-bearer Coleophora taeniipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

I was also very pleased to find my second ever European Corn Borer Ostrinia nubilalis.

European Corn Borer Ostrinia nubilalis, North Elmham, 16th July

A record of 4 Bulrush Cosmets Limnaecia phragmitella was interesting, a new species for the house.  At the old house I had 4 one night which were the first I'd seen there in 5 years, and then I went on to record lots more that same year (2014 - 27 in total).  I've only been at North Elmham 2 years, but didn't catch any at all here last year and like at Bawdeswell in 2014 this year kicked off with 4 and was followed by lots more (19 in the space of 2.5 weeks).  Of course all species are prone to fluctuation in numbers but maybe this one more so than others, with lots emerging in a short space of time?

Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, North Elmham, 16th July

A good selection of other new moths for the year: Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, 3 Dull Red Groundlings Bryotropha senectella, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 3 Small Blood-veins, 3 Dingy Footmen, Buff Footman, Cabbage Moth, Dun-bar and 2 Lesser Common Rustics.

Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, North Elmham, 16th July

Woudwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea (female, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

Cabbage Moth, North Elmham, 16th July

Lesser Common Rustics (males, gen det), North Elmham, 16th July

I think this night was the first of 2016 to have reached over 100 species at home - 262 moths of 104 species.  Just over half were macros, the ones not already mentioned being 2 Drinkers, Buff Arches, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 13 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Yellow Shell, Barred Straw, Foxglove Pug, Green Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, Swallow-tailed Moth, Mottled Beauty, 2 Common White Waves, Clouded Silver, Privet Hawkmoth, 3 Poplar Hawkmoths, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, 2 Buff-tips, Brown-tail, 16 Rosy Footmen, 4 Scarce Footmen, 8 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, 2 Flames, Flame Shoulder, 5 Double Square-spots, Brown-line Bright-eye, 3 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 8 Dark Arches, Light Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustics, 24 Uncertains, Marbled White Spot, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, Herald, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Straw Dots, 4 Snouts and 7 Fan-foots.

Herald, North Elmham, 16th July

The micros not yet mentioned were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 4 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi, 2 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Pine Marbles Piniphila bifasciana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 7 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pale Water-veneers Donacaula forficella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 6 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, 2 Ermine Knot-horns Phycitodes binaevella and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Nationally Scarce A in the garden

When I got back from Hilgay Fen it was nearly time to go through my moth trap at home.  This contained an excellent moth, the "Nationally Scarce A" Eastern Case-bearer Coleophora vestianella.  In Norfolk the first record was in the Brecks in 1933 and it wasn't recorded again until 2012 since when there have been 5 records in west Norfolk.  Not yet recorded in VC27 (east Norfolk), the border of which is very close to here.

Eastern Case-bearer Coleophora vestianella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th July

New for the year here were 2 Woundwort Case-bearers Coleophora lineolea, White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, Shaded Broad-bar and 3 Short-cloaked Moths.

Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th July

White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, North Elmham, 4th July

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham, 4th July

Short-cloaked Moth, North Elmham, 4th July

The other macros were Common Emerald, Small Blood-vein, Small Fan-footed Wave, 4 Dwarf Cream Waves, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 23 Riband Waves, Yellow Shell, 7 Barred Straws, 2 Barred Yellows, 2 Sandy Carpets, 3 Common Pugs, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, 4 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, 2 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Elephant Hawkmoth, Small Elephant Hawkmoth, Marbled Brown, 5 Buff-tips, 4 Rosy Footmen, 6 Common Footmen, 19 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, 2 Heart and Clubs, 5 Heart and Darts, 3 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 13 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, 2 Lychnis, 2 Brown-line Bright-eyes, Clay, Common Wainscot, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, 6 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, 2 Middle-barred Minors, Treble Lines, 20 Uncertains, Rustic, 5 Mottled Rustics, 6 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 8 Beautiful Hook-tips, 6 Straw Dots, 3 Snouts and 4 Fan-foots.

Single-dotted Wave, North Elmham, 4th July - a strongly-marked example

Small Elephant Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 4th July

Among the micros another Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia dilutella was notable:

Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia dilutella, North Elmham, 4th July

The rest were Barred White Clothes Moth Nemapogon clematella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 2 Meadow Case-bearers Coleophora mayrella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, 3 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrices Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, 5 Large Ivy Tortrices Lozotaenia forsterana, 2 Red-barred Tortrices Ditula angustiorana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 7 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 4 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 35 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 9 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 8 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 3 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla.

Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, North Elmham, 4th July