Review of 2019 and 2020 - Green Lacewings (Chrysopidae) part 1: Chrysopa to Nineta

GREEN LACEWINGS (CHRYSOPIDAE)


Chrysopa commata - 8 in my garden moth trap between 29th May and 4th August 2019 but just one here in 2020, 14th August.  The species has been annual over the last 5 years and I recorded 8 in 2018 too.  Also one at the meadows on 3rd June 2020.

Chrysopa commata, North Elmham, 29th May 2019

Chrysopa commata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd June 2020

Chrysopa pallens - None.  I've not yet encountered this species but although its not commonly recorded there are enough records in Norfolk to think it feasible that one might turn up here.


Chrysopa perla - Found at the meadows on 27th May and 3rd and 20th June 2020.  None in 2019 and none in the garden where I have only recorded one before, in 2018.  I'd had 2 at the meadows in 2018 too - this species seems to avoid gardens, or possibly it's just that it doesn't come to light (and that's the main way I find things in my garden) - I don't think any of these 3 records were coming to light.

Chrysopa perla, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th May 2020

Chrysopa perla, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd June 2020

Chrysopa perla, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June 2020

Chrysoperla carnea - I check every male for Chrysoperla pallida, a very similar species that has not yet been recorded in Norfolk, but females of the two species cannot be separated.  The following records include both confirmed males and aggregate females on the basis that in the absence of any male pallida (here or anywhere in Norfolk), the number of any female pallida that might have crept in must be so small as to not skew the data.  I recorded a total of 74 here in 2019 and 98 in 2020, the vast majority of which were in my garden moth trap, with records in every month apart from January in 2019, but only April and June to November in 2020.  Peak counts of 7 on 25th July 2019 and 11 on 4th July 2020.  These compare to totals of 112 in 2018 with a peak count of 28 (in October) and 84 in 2017 (peak 13).  Elsewhere I recorded 17 at the meadows and one at Swanton Great Wood.

male Chrysoperla carnea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st April 2019

male Chrysoperla carnea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st May 2019

female Chrysoperla carnea agg. larva, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th June 2020 (bred through)

male Chrysoperla carnea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

2 male Chrysoperla carnea, North Elmham, 24th June 2020

The following chart shows the distribution of my records of this species here in North Elmham between 2016 and 2020:

Chrysoperla lucasina - One in the garden moth trap on 23rd May 2020, my first since 2017 when I caught 3 here.  I sometimes worry that I might be overlooking this species among carnea as it's meant to be pretty common, but I do look out for them.  I have a few times picked out examples that appeared to be candidates for this species and then decided that they weren't in the end, which also made me wonder whether I'd identified the 2017 records correctly but looking back at my photos I think they're clear enough - clearer in fact than this one from 2020.

Chrysoperla lucasina, North Elmham, 23rd May 2020

Chrysopidia ciliata - None at home in 2019 or 2020 despite having had one in the garden trap in each of the previous 3 years (and 1-2 elsewhere each year).  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 26th June 2020 and one at Bintree Wood on 24th July 2020.

Chrysopidia ciliata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th June 2020

Chrysopidia ciliata, Bintree Wood, 24th July 2020

Cunctochrysa albolineata - A fantastic year followed by a rubbish year!  A stark difference between my totals of 110 caught in my garden moth trap between 23rd June and 22nd August 2019 (making it my commonest lacewing in 2019) and just 7 here between 26th June and 22nd September 2020 (the last being the latest date I've recorded this species).  Peak counts in 2019 were 31 on 23rd July and 34 on 25th July but the species was recorded on 23 nights.  2019 was exceptional, with 21 being my previous best total (in 2017) but 2020 was worse than usual.  Elsewhere one next door and 5 at the meadows (plus a possible larva, see below).

Cunctochrysa albolineata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

Cunctochrysa albolineata, North Elmham, 22nd September 2020

The following chart shows the distribution of my records of this species to date:

It's hard to find decent references to lacewing larvae and the ones I've seen are quite limited.  I think this larva found at the meadows on 3rd September 2019 is probably this species but I am not 100% certain.

possible Cunctochrysa albolineata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd September 2019

Dichochrysa flavifros - A total of 55 caught in my garden moth trap between 23rd June and 23rd October 2019 making it my best year so far (though only just ahead of 54 in 2017).  As with the last species 2020 wasn't nearly so good with just 10 between 5th July and 22nd August.  Peak counts in 2019 were 10 on 23rd July and 16 on 25th July.  None recorded elsewhere in 2019 but one at the meadows on 18th June 2020.

Dichochrysa flavifrons, North Elmham, 23rd Ocotber 2019

Dichochrysa flavifrons, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June 2020

The following chart shows the distribution of my records of this species to date, a similar shape to the previous species:

Dichochrysa prasina - Totals of 10 caught in my garden moth trap between 29th June and 9th August 2019 and 6 between 3rd July and 10th August 2020.  The peak count of 3 on the 25th July 2019 was on the same day as the peak count of the previous two species but although 2019 was my best year to date for this species the difference between 2019 and other years wasn't so great.

Dichochrysa prasina, North Elmham, 19th July 2019

Dichochrysa prasina, North Elmham, 3rd July 2020

Dichochrysa ventralis - Singles caught in my garden moth trap on 19th and 25th July 2019 and 26th June and 31st July 2020.  I've recorded this species here in each year since 2016 but never more than twice.  Also one at Bintree Wood on 26th June 2020.

Dichochrysa ventralis, North Elmham, 19th July 2019 (the second photo taken through a glass pot in order to show its distinctive underside)

Dichochrysa ventralis, North Elmham, 26th June 2020

Dichochrysa ventralis, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Nineta flava - None.  I think this must be one of the commonest lacewings that I'm yet to find.


Nineta vittata - Singles caught in my garden moth trap on 23rd July 2019 and 21st August 2020.  I've recorded this relatively large species here in each year since 2016 but with a total of only 8.  I'm yet to find any anywhere else.

Nineta vittata, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Nineta vittata, North Elmham, 21st August 2020 (with Chrysoperla carnea on the right in the second photo to show size comparison)

Next page: more Chrysopidae (the best ones!)

The Italians are back

July kicked off with finding an Italian Tubic Metalampra italica (and a Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis) inside the house on 1st.  Then overnight there was a second Metalampra italica in the trap.  I'd had the second and third records for Norfolk in 2014 but although there have been quite a few more records elsewhere in the intervening years these were my first since then.

Italian Tubics Metalampra italica, North Elmham, 1st July

Other moths that were new for the year that night were White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon koenigi, Orchard, Apple or Spindle Ermine agg. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Yellow-tail, Round-winged Muslin, Brown-line Bright Eye and Rufous Minor.

Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, North Elmham, 1st July

Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, North Elmham, 1st July

Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, North Elmham, 1st July

Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, North Elmham, 1st July

Round-winged Muslin, North Elmham, 1st July

Rufous Minor (female, gen det), North Elmham, 1st July

Other highlights included Drab Clothes Moth Haplotinea insectella, Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella and Rose Tortrix Archips rosana.

Other moths were Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 5 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 3 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Notocelia uddmanniana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 4 Many-plume Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 22 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 6 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 2 Satin Grass-veneers Crambus perlella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Ghost Moth, Common Emerald, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Treble Brown Spots, 5 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, 3 Barred Straws, Sandy Carpet, 2 Common Pugs, V-Pug, 3 Green Pugs, Double-striped Pug, Early Thorn, 3 Swallow-tailed Moths, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, 3 Engraileds, 3 Clouded Silvers, 2 Buff-tips, 2 Rosy Footmen, Dingy Footman, 28 Common Footmen, 14 Buff Ermines, 4 Heart and Clubs, Flame Shoulder, 2 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, Lychnis, 2 Common Wainscots, 4 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, 14 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, 6 Mottled Rustics, Beautiful Hook-tip and 5 Fan-foots.

Sandy Carpet, North Elmham, 1st July

Among the other insects a Common Sun Beetle Amara aenea was the first I've ever identified.

Common Sun Beetle Amara aenea, North Elmham, 1st July

Quite a few other things were new for the year including the green lacewing Cunctochrysa albolineata, the caddisfly Hydropsyche siltalai, the sexton beetle Nicrophorus investigator and the soldier beetle Rhagonycha fulva.

Cunctochrysa albolineata, North Elmham, 1st July

Other inescts included the brown lacewing Hemerobius humulinus, the caddisflies Ecnomus tenellus and Leptocerus tineiformis, the soldier beetle Cantharis cryptica, Orange Ladybird and 2 Lagria hirta.

Leaf mines

It was good to welcome Graham Moates to the Cathedral Meadows on 18th June.  Part of the reason for his visit was to check it out for a small mammal survey which we're still hoping he'll be able to undertake in due course.  But I also appreciated him sharing his knowledge of leaf-mines, particularly those of various fly species which I have paid very little attention to up to now.  A few examples shown below.  I tried to record what Graham said things were but I had to look some up after I got home and I'm not 100% sure I've got all these down right, so any corrections or confirmations would be welcome!

mines on Mugwort, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June - I think these may be Phytomyza artemisivora? (update: Graham tells me these are grade 4 so can't be determined visually)

mine of Phytomyza chaerophylli on Cow Parsley, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

mine of Phytomyza glechomae on Ground Ivy, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

mine of Phytomyza ilicis on Holly, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

mine of Phytomyza leucanthemi on Ox-eye Daisy, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

mine of Phytomyza marginella on Nipplewort, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

mine of Phytomyza pastinacae or Phytomyza spondylii on Hogweed, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

mine on Greater Plantain, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June - I think this one might be Phytomyza plantaginis

mine on Creeping Buttercup, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June - maybe Phytomyza ranunculivora?  Update: Graham suspects this is in fact Phytomoza ranunculi as the frass is not in widely spaced larger spots as would be expected for ranuncilivora

mine on Broad-leaved Dock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June - I neglected to write down what Graham said about this one, but I think it might be Pegomya solennis

mine of Amauromyza flavifrons on Red Campion, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

mine on Ribwort Plantain, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June - the expected fly mine in Ribwort Plantain is Phytomyza plantaginis but I don't think this is right; I suspect it is the leaf beetle Apteropeda orbiculata

mine on Rosebay Willowherb, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June - I don't think we put a name to this at the time but I suspect it is the moth Little Mompha Mompha raschkiella (I've seen an adult not far away earlier in the year)

unidentified mine on grass, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June - I think he grass is either Bromus or Brachypodium)

unidentified mine (?) on Elder, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

unidentified mine on Downy Birch, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

This seems to be the case of a Common Bagworm Psyche casta.

larval case of Common Bagworm Psyche casta, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

Arguably the most interesting moth larvae were in a communal web on Hawthrorn - at least 21 Small Eggar caterpillars.

Small Eggar caterpillars, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

Other moths were 2 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Yellow Shell, Straw Dot and Snout.

Butterflies included Speckled Wood and 10 Ringlets.  There was a Banded Demoiselle, a Field Grasshopper and the green lacewing Cunctochrysa albolineata.

Speckled Wood, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

Field Grasshopper, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

Cunctochrysa albolineata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

Hoverflies included Episyrphus balteatus, Syrphus torvus and Volucella bombylans.

Syrphus torvus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

Volucella bombylans, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

The Broom growing along the railway yielded a couple of lifers for me: the sawfly Rhogogaster genistae and a Broom Leaf Beetle Gonioctena olivacea.

Rhogogaster genistae, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

Broom Leaf Beetle Gonioctena olivacea, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

This Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata was several orders of magnitude bigger and a bit more distinctive too.

Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June

This Turkscap Lily is presumably a garden escape - it's in a little patch with 4-5 species that I imagine have garden origins (though a couple of them could conceivably be wild) so I guess someone's dumped garden rubbish there at some point in the past.  Nice flower anyway!

Turkscap Lily, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June