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!)

Lacewing larvae and other interesting insects

On 18th July I spent the evening at the meadows where I found a few insects worth noting.  Butterflies included 2 Purple Hairstreaks.  Bugs included Hairy Shieldbug, a couple of Potato Capsids Closterotomus norwegicus and my first Field Damsel Bug Nabis ferus.  Also the leafhopper Alebra albostriella.

Hairy Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

Potato Capsid Bugs Clostertomus norwegicus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

Field Damsel Bug Nabis ferus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

Alebra albostriella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

There were a couple more Broom Leaf Beetles on the Broom:

Broom Leaf Beetle, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

I took home a couple of lacewings to check their ID - the green one was Dichrochrysa flavifrons and the brown one was Hemerobius micans.  I didn't get to them straight away and by the time I did the Dichochrysa must have laid egss and these had already hatched, as there were one or two larvae running around in the pot with it.  Interesting to see these without a covering of debris as they would have if they were in the wild.

Dichochrysa flavifrons, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

Dichochrysa flavifrons larva, 30th July (from above adult caught North Elmham Cathedral Meadows on 18th July)

Hemerobius micans, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

I stayed at the meadows until dark fell and looked for moths with my torch around dusk, finding 2 Clover Case-bearers Coleophora alcyonipennella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, White-foot Bell Epiblema foenella, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 40 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 9 Six-spot Burnets, Least Carpet, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Yellow Shells, Dingy Footman and Silver Y. Also a Common Blue butterfly roosting.

Least Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

Six-spot Burnet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

Common Blue, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July

I'd also found a leaf-mine on an Apple that I suspect belonged to Pear-leaf Blister Moth Leucoptera malifoliella.  My photo didn't come out very well though and I'm not entirely sure, and couldn't find it again when I returned later on.  That's a species of moth I've not seen before so I'll have to look out for these again next year.

Quite a few moths at home that night too, with over 400 moths of 98 species, 7 of which were new for the year: Spotted Black Pigmy Ectoedemia subbimaculella*, Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Sloe Midget Phyllonorycter spinicolella, Obscure Neb Bryotropha similis, Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, 2 Ear Moths and Fen Wainscot. 

*I won't formally record the Ectoedemia subbimaculella because heringi and hannoverella can be very similar on external and internal features, so I do not consider the identification to be 100% positive.  Indeed I have recently deleted my three records of Ectoedemia hannoverella from last year which I now consider were more likely to be subbimaculella.  It may be possible to separate these on genitalia but from the images on the Dissection Group website I am not clear which differences, if any, are reliable.

probable Spotted Black Pigmy Ectoedemia subbimaculella, North Elmham, 18th July

Sloe Midget Phyllonorycter spinicollela (female, gen det), North Elmham, 18th July

Obscure Neb Bryotropha similis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th July

Ear Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th July

Fen Wainscot, North Elmham, 18th July

The other moths were 2 Bird’s-nest Moths Tinea trinotella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 10 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Ermine sp. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, Hawthorn Ermine Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, 2 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 3 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta (and another Oegoconia sp. that got away), 2 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 2 Many-plume Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 4 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 202 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, 3 Ash-bark Knot-horns Euzophera pinguis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Chinese Character, 4 Least Carpets, 14 Small Fan-footed Waves, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 7 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, 2 July Highflyers, Small Rivulet, 2 Slender Pugs, Currant Pug, V-Pug, 3 Double-striped Pugs, 6 Clouded Borders, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Early Thorns, 2 Scalloped Oaks, Peppered Moth, 5 Willow Beauties, Elephant Hawk-moth, Coxcomb Prominent, 6 Yellow-tails, 2 Rosy Footmen, 13 Dingy Footmen, 8 Scarce Footmen, 28 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, 2 Ruby Tigers, 6 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, Antler Moth, Clay, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, 2 Knot Grasses, 2 Dun-bars, 6 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 4 Common Rustics, Dusky Sallow, 23 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Snouts and 2 Fan-foots.

Slender Pug, North Elmham, 18th July

A new species of caddisfly is always noteworthy nowadays and there was one in the trap this night: Hydropsyche instabilis.   There were also Hydropsyche pellucidula, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus and Limnephilus marmoratus.

Hydropsyche instabilis (female), North Elmham, 18th July

There was also a new bug for me, Macrotylus horvathi.

Macrotylus horvathi, North Elmham, 18th July

And also a new barkfly, Metylophorus nebulosus, making it an altogether very successful night's trapping.

Metylophorus nebulosus, North Elmham, 18th July

There were also 3 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, and beetles included Nicrophorus investigator and Orange Ladybird.