Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: smaller Black Arches, Silver-lines, Nycteoline and allies (Nolidae)

SMALLER BLACK ARCHES, SILVER-LINES, NYCTEOLINE and allies (NOLIDAE)


Kent Black Arches Meganola albula - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.  I've not recorded this species locally but that's not very surprising as it's predominantly coastal in Norfolk (although there are widespread inland records so it wouldn't be altogether surprising to catch one here).

Kent Black Arches, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Short-cloaked Moth Nola cucullatella - Totals of 14 caught in my garden between 29th June and 17th July 2019 and 9 between 24th June and 11th July 2020.  2019 was my best year yet (average 9 a year).  4 on 8th July 2019 was my highest count so far and the one on 17th July my latest ever.  Elsewhere one at the meadows, one at Weybourne and 3 at Brancaster.

Short-cloaked Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Least Black Arches Nola confusalis - Singles at home on 21st and 27th May 2020 but none here in 2019.  I don't get many here - 2-3 a year is typical (8 in 2016) but 2019 was my first blank year.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 22nd April 2019, one on Mull on 13th June 2019 and one at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020.

Least Black Arches, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 22nd April 2019

Least Black Arches, North Elmham, 27th May 2020

Scarce Silver-lines Bena bicolorana - None.  I caught 3 of these in my garden in July 2016 but haven't had any others in the 6 summers I've lived here.


Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana - One caught in the garden on 23rd June 2019.  Hard to beat these - if you press me to tell you my favourite moth I may well give you this as my answer.  I don't get many here - none in 2018 or 2020 and only 9 here in 5 years.

Green Silver-lines, North Elmham, 23rd June 2019

Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana - One trapped in the garden on 24th July 2019 was only my 3rd record here.  Also found at the Cathedral Meadows on 22nd April and 26th July 2019 and my only record in 2020 was one at Cranwich Heath on 14th March.

Oak Nycteoline, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 22nd April 2019

Oak Nycteoline, North Elmham, 24th July 2019

Oak Nycteoline, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 26th July 2019

Oak Nycteoline, Cranwich Heath, 14th March 2020

Cream-bordered Green Pea Earias clorana - One in the garden trap on 31st July 2020 but 2019 was my first blank year here (though I never see more than 3 a year here).  Elsewehere one at the meadows on 25th May 2019 and 18th July 2020, one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019, one at Hellesdon on 14th July 2019 and one at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020 (my earliest ever). 

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 25th May 2019

Cream-bordered Green Pea, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham Cathedral Meaodws, 18th July 2020

Spindle Knot-horn

I ran a light in the meadows for a while on the evening of 12th August and caught a few moths.  The most unexpected moth was Spindle Knot-horn Nephopterix angustella, only the second time I have seen this species.  I've not located any Spindle here so not sure where it came from.

Spindle Knot-horn Nephopterix angustella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Other highlights included 2 New Oak Slenders Caloptilia robustella, Hawthorn Midget Phyllonorycter corylifoliella, Large Lance-wing Epermenia falciformis, Wax Moth Galleria mellonella and Cream-bordered Green Pea.

New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Hawthorn Midget Phyllonorcyter corylifoliella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Large Lance-wing Epermenia falciformis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Wax Moth Galleria mellonella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

The other moths were Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, 3 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, Ash-bud Moth Prays fraxinella, Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, 3 Knapweed Conches Agapeta zoegana, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, 3 Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis corylana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 50 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 2 Oak Hook-tips, Blood-vein, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Common Carpets, Purple Bar, Lime-speck Pug, 2 Brimstone Moths, 3 Dusky Thorns, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Poplar Hawk-moth, Swallow Prominent, Black Arches, Dingy Footman, 3 Turnip Moths, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 3 Six-striped Rustics, 3 Common Wainscots, Copper Underwing, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, 2 Cloaked Minors, Rosy Rustic, 2 Vine's Rustics, Silver Y and Straw Dot.

Rosy Rustic, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Straw Underwing, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

This sub-imago Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum later moulted into its imago stage:

Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August - the same mayfly in both photos taken a day or two apart before and after its moult

Lacewings included Chrysopa commata, Chrysoperla carnea agg. and the waxfly Coniopteryx tineiformis.  A good selection of caddisflies were recorded including Hydroptila sparsa, Ithytrichia lamellaris, Hydropsyche pellucidula, Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus, Limnephilus rhombicus, 3 Molanna angustata, Athripsodes albifrons and Ceraclea albimacula.

Athripsodes albifrons, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Ceraclea albimacula, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Bugs included 2 Hawthorn Shieldbugs, Forest Bug, Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis, Phytocoris varipes and the leafhopper Kybos strigilifer.

Kybos strigilifer (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Beetles included Strawberry Seed Beetle Harpalus rufipes, probably 30 Bradycellus verbascis (2 checked properly, others probably the same), 2 Aphodius rufipes, Lagria hirta and Acorn Weevil Curculio glandium.  Also a Hydrophiliid that has so far defied my best efforts to identify it.

Strawberry Seed Beetle Harpalus rufipes, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Acorn Weevil Curculio glandium, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Other insects inluded Oak Bush-cricket, the hoverfly Eupeodes latifasciatus and 2 German Wasps.  (Edit: I reported before that one of these had stung me.  I got mixed up - it was actually on 19th August I got stung, possibly by a Common Wasp not a German Wasp.  Not the first time something German has been blamed for something that was fairly and squarely the fault of common Brits).

Oak Bush-cricket, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

Eupeodes latifasciatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August

3 new moths for the garden, including Epinotia tedella, bringing the garden list past 800

Apparently the Common Spruce Bell Epinotia tedella is indeed common in coniferous forests across the UK, but it is rare in Norfolk (can go several years in a row without any records), and there aren't any coniferous forests in my back garden.  So finding one in my trap on 17th June was one of the best, if not the best, find of the summer.  I have to say it wasn't much to look at, being very worn, and although tedella was always a contender I had to gen det it to be sure what it was.

Common Spruce Bell Epinotia tedella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 17th June

This wasn't the only new moth for the garden that night - there was also an Agrimony Case-bearer Coleophora follicularis, a species I'd had at Bawdeswell three times (confirmed by Jon Clifton as I wasn't gen detting back then) but not here at North Elmham despite checking all possible candidates since moving here.

Agrimony Case-bearer Coleophora follicularis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 17th June

Yet another new moth for the garden was a Thistle Conch Aethes cnicana, a species I'd only seen twice before.  I must have had photos of this as my notes about it refer to them but they aren't in the folder where they should be and I can't find them anywhere else either.  It would appear that I have accidentally deleted them, or just maybe incorrectly labelled them and filed them away under something else.  Three new moths for the garden in one night is an increasingly rare occurrence!  They also take my garden moth list through a milestone - past the 800 mark to 801.

There were some more new moths for the garden year list too: Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, Cypress-tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, Purple Bar, Barred Yellow, Bordered Pug, Tawny-barred Angle and Cream-bordered Green Pea.

Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, North Elmham, 17th June

Purple Bar, North Elmham, 17th June

Barred Yellow, North Elmham, 17th June

Bordered Pug, North Elmham, 17th June

Tawny-barred Angle, North Elmham, 17th June

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham, 17th June

Other moths were 2 Blackthorn Slenders Parornix torquillella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Fen Crest Brachmia inornatella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 False Cacao Moths Ephestia woodiella, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 5 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Grey Pine Carpet, 2 Green Carpets, 2 Sandy Carpets, Freyer's Pug, Common Pug, Grey Pug, V-Pug, Double-striped Pug, Treble-bar, Clouded Border, Peppered Moth, 4 Willow Beauties, Pale Oak Beauty, 4 Clouded Silvers, 3 Light Emeralds, Common Footman, Buff Ermine, 3 Heart and Darts, Flame, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Ingrailed Clays, 3 Common Wainscots, 4 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, 3 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 3 Middle-barred Minors, Treble Lines, 4 Uncertains, 3 Burnished Brasses, 25 Straw Dots and 9 Snouts.

The green lacewing Chrysopidia ciliata was new for the year, as was a Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius.  Other things included the bugs Orthotylus tenellus and Psallus varians, the leafhopper Oncopsis flavicollis and the soldier beetle Cantharis cryptica.

Chrysopidia ciliata, North Elmham, 17th June

Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius, North Elmham, 17th June

Next day a Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum was attracted to a Grapholita lobarzewskii pheronome lure, a new bug for the garden.

Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum, North Elmham, 18th June

Cherry Midget

Tuesday 4th July was a reasonably good night for moths here with over 400 moths of 98 species.  Last year's peak of 153 and 154 species on consecutive nights seems like a dream compared to this year's paltry performance.  The best of the 98 was a lifer, Cherry Midget Phyllonorycter cerasicolella, although I had seen at least one of the aggregate species pair spinicolella/cerasicolella before.  Interestingly this one didn't seem to have dark tips to the antennae as both spinicolella and cerasicolella are supposed to but unless I've missed something the female genitalia of the two are quite distinctive (compared to other Phyllonorycters - not so distinctive from one another but do-able).

Cherry Midget Phyllonorycter cerasicolella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 4th July

One other moth was new for the garden - Ochreous Pearl Anania crocealis.

Ochreous Pearl Anania crocealis, North Elmham, 4th July

A Small Rush Case-bearer Coleophora taeniipennella was only my second (my first was here last July).

Small Rush Case-bearer Coleophora taeniipennella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 4th July

Also new for the year here were White-headed Ermel Paraswammerdamia albicapitella, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Brown-tail, 2 Yellow-tails, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dun-bar, Clouded Brindle, Common Rustic and Cream-bordered Green Pea.

White-headed Ermel Paraswammerdamia albicapitella, North Elmham, 4th July

Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th July

Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, North Elmham, 4th July

Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, North Elmham, 4th July

Brown-tail, North Elmham, 4th July

Broad-bordered Yellow Umderwing, North Elmham, 4th July

Clouded Brindle, North Elmham, 4th July

Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th July

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham, 4th July

The others were Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, 20 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Eastern Case-bearer Coleophora vestianella, 2 Triple-spot Dwarfs Elachista maculicerusella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Burdock Nebs Metzneria lappella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 12 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, 5 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 3 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 7 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 4 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, 5 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 31 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Long-winged Pearl Anania lancealis, 17 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 2 White Plumes Pterophorus pentadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Chinese Characters, Common Emerald, Blood-vein, Small Blood-vein, 10 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, Small Dusty Wave, 10 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, Yellow Shell, Phoenix, Barred Straw, Blue-bordered Carpet, Small Rivulet, 3 V-Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, 4 Brimstone Moths, 8 Early Thorns, Purple Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 3 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, 3 Clouded Silvers, Light Emerald, Elephant Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, Round-winged Muslin, 8 Rosy Footmen, 8 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 51 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Short-cloaked Moth, Heart and Club, 3 Flames, 5 Double Square-spots, 2 Brown-line Bright Eyes, 9 Clays, 13 Smoky Wainscots, 3 Dark Arches, 52 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, 3 Nut-tree Tussocks, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot and 3 Fan-foots.

Long-winged Pearl Anania lancealis, North Elmham, 4th July

Blue-bordered Carpet, North Elmham, 4th July

As usual when there are a lot of moths, there was a good variety of other insects (and a Common Frog).  Mayflies were represented by Serratella ignita while Lacewings consisted of a female Conwentzia sp. (a waxfly - only male Conwentzia can be identified to species level) and the brown lacewing Hemerobius humulinus.  Caddisflies included Hydropsyche pellucidula and my second Silo pallipes.  Bugs consisted of 2 Stenotus binotatus and 5 Iassus lanio (leafhopper), the latter new for the year.

Iassus lanio, North Elmham, 4th July

Among the beetles I identified Enochrus quadripunctatus for the first time ever, 2 Aphodius rufipes, 2 Brown Chafers, Rhagonycha fulva, Orange Ladybird (new for the year) and 2 Lagria hirta.

Enochrus quadripunctatus, North Elmham, 4th July