Review of 2019 - Tubics (Oecophoridae and Chimbachidae) and Long-horned Flat-body (Peleopodidae)

TUBICS (OECOPHORIDAE)


Italian Tubic Metalampra italica - Singles in the garden moth trap on 23rd and 24th July 2019 plus one in my bedroom on 5th August.  Then 5 in 2020 between 8th August and 8th September.  This species was new to Norfolk in 2014 when 3 were recorded (2 by me, one in my old house just before I moved out and one in the new house soon after moving in).  Since then increasing numbers have been recorded each year although after my first ones in 2014 I didn't see it again until 2018.

Italian Tubic Metalampra italica, North Elmham, 5th August 2019

Italian Tubic Metalampra italica, North Elmham, 8th August 2020

White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella - Singles here on 23rd May and 16th June 2019 and then on 8 dates between 1st August and 5th October.  One on 24th April 2020 and 9 more between 27th May and 22nd September.  Both fairly typical showings although in some years the spring/early summer generation is the busier one.  Also one at the Cathedral Meadows and at a handful of other places including Whitwell Street, Norwich, Suffolk, Cornwall and Mull.  A couple were found at wine ropes.

White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, North Elmham, 23rd May 2019

Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella - Totals of 42 here between 1st June and 27th August 2019 and 67 between 20th May and 15th September 2020, a minority of which were found in the house.  Recorded at the meadows on a couple of dates each year and also recorded at a few other sites including Norwich and Mull.

Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, North Elmham, 8th September 2020

Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens - 8 at home between 4th July and 18th August 2019 with a peak of 3 on 25th July.   I average over 15 a year here and this was my worst year in 5.  2020 was better with 21 between 9th July and 12th August.


Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella - 2019 was my best year for these here with at least 36 (not counted on a couple of nights) between 5th July and 10th August.  2020 was a reasonable year with 24 between 26th June and 19th August.  Also 10 at the meadows (including one on an earlier date of 23rd June) and a small number elsewhere.

Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Lesser Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris - Totals of 11 here between 5th and 26th July 2019 and 12 between 26th June and 27th August 2020, my best years yet.


Greater Tawny Tubic Batia lambdella - None.  I'm yet to see this species but it's widespread enough in Norfolk so must be round here somewhere.


Sulphur Tubic Esperia sulphurella - Singles at the Cathedral Meadows on 19th and 30th April and 2nd May 2019 and 15th and 27th May 2020.  None at home although I have recorded the species here 3 times (in 2016 and 2017).

Sulpur Tubic Esperia sulphurella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th April 2019

Sulpur Tubic Esperia sulphurella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th May 2020

Common Tubic Alabonia geoffrella - 2 at the Cathedral Meadows on 22nd May 2019 and then with Thomas Spencer's help we found 8 there on 25th May.  I'd only ever seen 2 before so was pleased with this.  Another 5 at the meadows betewen 25th May and 3rd June 2020.

Common Tubics Alabonia geoffrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd May 2019

Common Tubic Alabonia geoffrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th May 2020

Ruddy Streak Tachystola acroxantha - One flew in through my office window in Norwich on 24th September 2020, a completely new moth for me.  Rob Lee found the first (and second) Norfolk records of this adventive species in 2015 and since then it has clearly become established in parts of Norwich.  My second and third records of this species came soon after, during a trip to Cornwall where I trapped singles overnight on 3rd and 6th October.  I didn't find the species when I stayed at the same cottage in the same week in 2018, so I wonder if it's arrived there in just the last couple of years?

Ruddy Streak Tachystola acroxantha, Norwich, 24th September 2020

Ruddy Streak Tachystola acroxantha, Tresidder (Cornwall), 3rd October 2020

Ruddy Streak Tachystola acroxantha, Tresidder (Cornwall), 6th October 2020

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TUBICS (CHIMABACHIDAE)


March Tubic Diurnea fagella - 6 at home between 17th and 27th March 2019 plus 15 (over 2 nights) at the meadows during this period.  7 at home between 13th and 26th March 2020 and 2 in the Brecks.  This species is annual here but not in big numbers - only 2018 was better than this.

March Tubic Diurnea fagella, North Elmham, 17th March

male and female March Tubics Diurnea fagella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th March 2019

November Tubic Diurnea lipsiella - None.  I still await my first one - I heard several reports in the autumn of 2020 so got hopeful, but no luck.

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LYPUSID TUBICS (LYPUSIDAE)

No representatives of this family are particularly likely here, though I guess there's a small chance of getting either of the rare Agnoea species at some point.

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LONG-HORNED FLAT-BODY (PELEOPODIDAE)


Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana - Recorded on 19 nights here between 1st July and 16th August 2019.  Total numbers uncertain as wasn't counted every night but at least 24.  Recorded on 26-30 nights in each of the previous 3 years so not a good year for this species.  2020 was more typical with 45 on 31 nights between 29th June and 27th August plus one on 28th October (this new second generation has produced a crop of records in the last few years except 2019).  Elsewhere recorded from next door, the meadows and from Swanton Novers in August 2019, Bintree Wood in July 2020 and the Cathedral Meadows in August 2020.

Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, North Elmham, 29th June 2020

Next page: Depressariidae

Early April - moths starting to appear

No April fools on 1st April but an Early Grey was new for the year.  Not many other moths: Small Quaker, Clouded Drab and 9 Hebrew Characters.

Early Grey, North Elmham, 1st April

Next day this Varied Carpet Beetle Anthrenus verbasci appeared in the house (as usual, in a room without carpets).  This one was my first this year.

Varied Carpet Beetle Anthrenus verbasci, North Elmham, 2nd April

That night Twin-spotted Quaker made it on to the year list.Others moths were 2 Shoulder Stripes, Oak Beauty, Common Quaker, 6 Clouded Drabs, 11 Hebrew Characters and 2 Chestnuts.

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham, 2nd April

It missed its own month but a March Tubic Diurnea fagella was new for the year on 3rd April.  Other moths that night were 3 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, 3 Oak Beauties, Red Chestnut, 2 Small Quakers, 5 Common Quakers, 7 Clouded Drabs, Twin-spotted Quaker and 9 Hebrew Characters.

March Tubic Diurnea fagella, North Elmham, 3rd April

A single new moth for the year for the fourth consecutive night on 4th, this time Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.  Also that night: Oak Beauty, Dotted Border, 3 Small Quakers, Common Quaker, 3 Clouded Drabs, 5 Hebrew Characters and Black Sexton Beetle.

Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, North Elmham, 4th April

The following night's moths were March Moth, 3 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, 2 Twin-spotted Quakers and 10 Hebrew Characters. The only new species for the year in the trap was this Buff-tailed Bumblebee (I guess the tick it was carrying would have been too had I been able to identify it).

Buff-tailed Bumblebee, North Elmham, 5th April

The following night produced March Moth, 2 Small Quakers, Common Quaker, 8 Clouded Drabs, 10 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

On Saturday 7th I took a birding group round Minsmere in Suffolk.  As I was tucking into a slice of Chocolate Challenge at the cafe after we'd finished I felt a sharp nip to the back of my hand.  The culrpit turned out to be this Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum.

Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum, Minsmere, 7th April

A good variety of moths at home that night, though an Engrailed was the only one that was new for the year.  The others were 6 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Shoulder Stripe, Red Chestnut, 10 Small Quakers, 7 Common Quakers, 7 Clouded Drabs, Twin-spotted Quaker, 11 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and Chestnut.

Engrailed, North Elmham, 7th April

There were a few other insects caught too, including my first green lacewing of the year, a male Chrysoperla carnea, and my first leafhopper of the year, Empoasca vitis.  Having recently joined the Dipterists Forum I thought I'd try my hand at identifying a fly, but failed.  I think it belonged to the family Simuliidae but I couldn't get any further than that.

Chrysoperla carnea (male), North Elmham, 7th April

Epoasca vitis, North Elmham, 7th April

Simuliid fly sp., North Elmham, 7th April

The following night was quieter with just 4 Small Quakers, 3 Common Quakers, Twin-spotted Quaker, 17 Hebrew Characters and Black Sexton Beetle. Next day was even worse with Varied Carpet Beetle inside, 3 Small Quakers and 7 Hebrew Characters.

The night of 10th April was more promising and hopes were raised when I went to have a quick look round the outside of the trap before I went to bed as the first two moths I saw were both new for the year: Water Carpet (not quite annual here) and Brindled Pug.  It turned out they were the only new for the year but a reasonable variety included March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Red Chestnut, 7 Small Quakers, 4 Common Quakers, 3 Clouded Drabs, 2 Twin-spotted Quakers, 23 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

Brindled Pug, North Elmham, 10th April

Water Carpet, North Elmham, 10th April

Another new moth for the year the following night: Early Thorn.  That was my 30th moth species this year - pretty poor for 11th April (last year I was on 47 by this time despite having spent a week out of the county in early April).  Also March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Red Chestnut, 6 Small Quakers, 4 Common Quakers, Twin-spotted Quaker, 15 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

Early Thorn, North Elmham, 11th April

Two Tubics

I found this lovely Sulphur Tubic Esperia sulphurella in my dining room on Wednesday - my first this year.

Sulphur Tubic Esperia sulphurella, North Elmham, 15th March

That night another new 'Tubic' for the year turned up, a March Tubic Diurnea fagella.

March Tubic Diurnea fagella, North Elmham, 15th March

There was also Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, 2 Clouded Drabs, 3 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

On Thursday night there were 3 Small Quakers, my first here this year. Also March Tubic Diurnea fagella, 2 March Moths, Clouded Drab and 4 Hebrew Characters.

Small Quaker, North Elmham, 16th March

Last night's moths were March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Dotted Border, Small Quaker, 2 Clouded Drabs and 4 Hebrew Characters. There was also the ichneumon Ophion obscuratus.

That flea beetle I mentioned I'd caught in the Brecks last Saturday but hadn't identified it when I posted about that trip... well eventually I did tentatively identify it.  The result was quite interesting though, perhaps a bit too interesting for my first example of this group of beetles, so I got in touch with Martin Collier, county recorder for beetles, for confirmation.  He had doubts about my ID and after getting a second opinion from Steve Lane who is an expert in the genus, confirmed that it was in fact a much more expected species, Longitarsus melanocephalus.  Thanks to both Martin and Steve.  A new one for me, even if not as unusual as what I first keyed it out as.

Longitarsus melanocephalus, Norfolk Brecks, 11th March

First field trip and another new moth

On Wednesday night the conditions seemed as good for mothing as they have been for ages and better than they looked like they would be for another few days.  So Dave and I headed down to Creaking Gate Lake.  There were a few moths, enough to keep us entertained for a while, though things soon dried up and we packed up quite early.  The clear highlight was a whopping 9 Yellow Horned - a fantastic total for a species that I only saw for the second time earlier this week.  Indeed it was our highest count for any species!

Yellow Horned, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

The others were 4 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, 4 Brindled Pugs, Early Thorn, 2 Oak Beauties, 2 Small Quakers, 8 Common Quakers, 2 Hebrew Characters, Satellite and 2 Chestnuts.

mating pair of March Tubics Diurnea fagella, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Brindled Pug, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Chestnut, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Satellite, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Other 'wildlife' included several millipedes which I later identified as White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger, the first time I've managed to put a name to a Millipede!

White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Common Earwig, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

Common Toad, Creaking Gate Lake, 23rd March

When I got home I went upstairs and promptly found a Caloptilia on the landing.  It proved to be Pale Red Slender Caloptilia elongella, a new species for me and, amazingly, my 5th moth lifer at home this year.  I suppose with it being an alder-feeder and there being tonnes of alders at Creaking Gate Lake, there has to be a suspicion that I brought it home with me, but the circumstances of finding it - settled upstairs discovered as soon as I went upstairs for the first time after getting home - make it seem relatively unlilely.

Pale Red Slender Caloptilia elongella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd March

Apart from that mothing at home since my last post has been fairly mediocre at best, except for my second Tufted Button Acleris cristana, also on 23rd.

Tufted Button Acleris cristana, 23rd March

The rest were:

• Monday 21st: 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Small Quaker and Hebrew Character;
• Tuesday 22nd: 2 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, Small Quaker, 6 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut; 
• Wednesday 23rd: 3 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, 2 Small Quakers, Hebrew Character, Early Grey and Chestnut; 
• Thursday 24th: just a single Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana at a window - absolutely nothing in the moth trap

March Tubic Diurnea fagella, North Elmham, 22nd March

2-spot Ladybird, North Elmham, 24th March