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!)

Thatch Neb and Satyr Pug

The night of 18th June was another good one with 13 new moths for the year including a couple of good ones.  The latter were Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella (all Norfolk records up to this point were from my garden, though I see Dave Jones had one in Stoke Holy Cross in August) and Satyr Pug.

Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 18th June

Satyr Pug (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th June

The other new moths for the year were Buff Mompha Mompha ochraceella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, 3 Common Emeralds, Barred Straw, Small Yellow Wave, Double Square-spot and Beautiful Hook-tip.

Buff Mompha Mompha ochraceella, North Elmham, 18th June

Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, North Elmham, 18th June

Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, North Elmham, 18th June - complete with a tick hanging off the side of its face!

Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, North Elmham, 18th June

Small Yellow Wave, North Elmham, 18th June

Beautiful Hook-tip, North Elmham, 18th June

The rest of the moths brought the total species count to 76 - actually not all that remarkable for the second half of June but probably the best here this year.  The others were Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Sloe Flat-body Luquetia lobella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, 4 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 3 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Brindled Tortrix Ptycholoma lecheana, Hedge Tortrix Isotrias rectifasciana, 8 Green Oak Tortrixes Tortrix viridana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 17 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Treble Brown Spots, 3 Riband Waves, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, Barred Yellow, 2 Green Carpets, Common Pug, Double-striped Pug, Clouded Border, Tawny-barred Angle, 2 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, 9 Clouded Silvers, 3 Light Emeralds, Coxcomb Prominent, 3 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, 5 Flames, Flame Shoulder, 2 Ingrailed Clays, 4 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, Marbled Minor, 2 Tawny Marbled Minors, 6 Middle-barred Minors, Treble Lines, 2 Uncertains, 3 Burnished Brasses, 2 Spectacles, 38 Straw Dots, 2 Snouts and Fan-foot.

It must have been a good night for ticks with the one hanging off the face of the Clepsis spectrana above and this one hanging off the face of a Elachista canapella.  No idea if ticks on moths are host-specific - I guess not but if they are then they're probably quite rare.

Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella and tick, North Elmham, 18th June

The only lacewing was Dichochrysa prasina, new for the year, and there was also just one mayfly, a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum.

Dichochrysa prasina, North Elmham, 18th June

Other insects included the caddisflies Agraylea multipunctata (new for the year), Limnephilus lunatus, Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis, the mirid bugs Orthotylus tenellus (2), Psallus perrisi and Psallus varians, the leafhopper Oncopsis subangulata, the soldier beetles Cantharis cryptica and Cantharis decipiens and a new weevil for the garden, Vine Weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus.

Agraylea multipunctata (female), North Elmham, 18th June

Vine Weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus, North Elmham, 18th June

Acorn Piercer

Just 3 new for the year on 28th July: Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella and Scalloped Hook-tip.

Scalloped Hook-tip, North Elmham, 28th July

Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana, North Elmham, 28th July

Here it is with a Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana.  Not all fasciana have such a conspicuous dark patch midway along the costa and I think some examples of these two species can look quite alike.

Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana (left) and Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana (right), North Elmham, 28th July

Other micros were Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 4 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 2 Woundwort Case-bearers Coleophora lineolea, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 5 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 10 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

The remaining macros were Ghost Moth, Pebble Hook-tip, Chinese Character, Large Emerald, Blood-vein, Least Carpet, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Single-dotted Wave, 11 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Dark Umber, 3 Clouded Borders, Early Thorn, Purple Thorn, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 2 Peppered Moths, 3 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawkmoth, 3 Swallow Prominents, 2 Pale Prominents, Yellow-tail, 8 Rosy Footmen, 13 Dingy Footmen, 16 Scarce Footmen, 2 Buff Footmen, 50 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, Ruby Tiger, Cinnabar, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, Nutmeg, 2 Dot Moths, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 3 Clays, 2 Poplar Greys, 5 Dark Arches, 32 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, 2 Straw Dots, Snout and 3 Fan-foots.

Dark Umber, North Elmham, 28th July

Peppered Moth, North Elmham, 28th July

Just one Green Lacewing in the trap, a Dichochrysa prasina, which seems to be relatively scarce here compared to some of the other Green Lacewings.  Two more the following night, which I'll post about shortly.

Dichochrysa prasina, North Elmham, 28th July