Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 11: Lacanobia Brocades to Hadena Coronets

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE) (continued)


Light Brocade Lacanobia w-latinum - None.  I caught 10 here between 2015 and 2017 but that's 3 consecutive years now without catching any here.


Pale-shouldered Brocade Lacanobia thalassina - 2 worn individuals at Carsaig (Mull) on 11th and 13th June 2019 but none at home in either year.  As with the previous species that's now 3 consecutive blank years here, after 5 caught between 2015 and 2017.

Pale-shouldered Brocade, Carsaig (Mull), 11th June 2019

Pale-shouldered Brocade, Carsaig (Mull), 13th June 2019

Dog's Tooth Lacanobia suasa - None.  I've never caught this species locally but there are a few records in mid Norfolk so I may get it round here sometime.


Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea - Totals of 21 in the garden between 16th May and 1st August 2019 and 16 between 3rd June and 23rd July 2020 - my worst years so far (average annual total over 6 years is 39).  Elsewhere one next door, 3 at the meadows, one at Bintree Wood, 4 at Hellesdon and one at Brancaster.

Bright-line Brown-eye, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

Bright-line Brown-eye, North Elmham, 4th June 2020

Dot Moth Melanchra persicariae - Just a single record each year in the garden, on 7th July 2019 and 26th June 2020.  I've never come so close to a nil return before - I only caught 3 in 2017 but in other years I've had between 14 and 28.  Elsewhere one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.

Dot Moth, North Elmham, 26th June 2020

Broom Moth Ceramica pisi - 6 on Mull including 4 from 9th to 12th June 2019 at our accommodation at Carsaig and 2 at other sites on 13th June. That doubled the total number I've ever seen.  In Norfolk this species seems to be commonest in the Brecks and I've not recorded it locally - however there are quite a few records from the other moth-trapper in my road (none very recent) so I hope to get it here eventually.  None in 2020.

Broom Moth, Carsaig (Mull), 9th June 2019

Broom Moth, Carsaig (Mull), 11th June 2019

Shears Hada plebeja - 5 in the garden between 20th May and 7th June 2019 - my worst year here so far (but I was away for a week during their flight period) - and 9 between 20th May and 14th June 2020.  I average 11 a year here.  Elsewhere singles at Carsaig (Mull) on 10th and 11th June 2019.

Shears, North Elmham, 20th May 2019

Shears, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Shears, Carsaig (Mull), 11th June 2019

Shears, North Elmham, 20th May 2020

Cabbage Moth Mamestra brassicae - 4 caught here between 12th August and 3rd September 2019 but none here (or anywhere) in 2020.  4-6 a year here is normal though I had a blank year for them before, in 2017.  Elsewhere in 2019, 2 next door and one at Weybourne on 5th July.


Campion Sideridis rivularis - Singles trapped in the garden on 10th and 23rd August 2019 and 8th and 14th July 2020.  I didn't catch any here in 2014-2016 but have had 1-2 each year since.

Campion, North Elmham, 10th August 2019

Campion, North Elmham, 8th July 2020

Broad-barred White Hecatera bicolorata - One in the garden moth trap on 9th August 2020, the first I've seen since I caught one here in 2015.  They're quite lovely...

Broad-barred White, North Elmham, 9th August 2020

Small Ranunculus Hecatera dysodea - None.  I've never seen this species; it's a recent re-colonist in Norfolk but until the last year or two nearly all the records were from the Norwich area.  A few very recent records from other parts of Norfolk suggest that it might be spreading but so far there haven't been any round here.


Lychnis Hadena bicruris - An unexpected blank year here in 2019 followed by 6 between 21st May and 17th August 2020.  I had never had less than 4 in a year here before and I caught 27 here in 2015, so 2019's nil return came as a surprise.  However they were out locally - I caught one at the meadows and one next door.  Another at the meadows in 2020 and one at Carsaig (Mull) in June 2019.

Lychnis, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Lychnis, North Elmham, 21st May 2020

Lychnis, North Elmham, 11th July 2020

Varied Coronet Hadena compta - None.  After 2 here in 2015 I hoped the species would prove regular here, but I haven't seen one here (or anywhere) since.


Marbled Coronet Hadena confusa - One in the garden on 29th June 2019.  This was my second record here following one in 2016.  This species is generally very scarce in Norfolk away from the north coast.

Marbled Coronet, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Tawny Shears Hadena perplexa - None.  I've only ever seen one of these and never any locally.  They're much less common round here than they are along the north coast but not so rare that I might not catch one here someday.


Next page: more Noctuidae

Vestal, Yellow-legged Clearwing and metamorphotic mayflies

I checked my lure trap when I got home from Burnham Overy and there was nothing in it.  I happened to look out ten minutes later and saw something in it... and it proved to be my first Yellow-legged Clearwing.  Lurvely!

Yellow-legged Clearwing, North Elmham, 26th June

That night I trapped a Vestal!  A migrant species that I encountered in Cornwall in 2011 but which I have failed to find in Norfolk since, despite there being a good year for them recently.  It's a moth I really wanted to see here, so great to find one at last.

Vestal, North Elmham, 26th June

Apart from that Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella and Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella were new for the year but it wasn't a big haul by any means.

Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, North Elmham, 26th June

Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, North Elmham, 26th June

Other moths caught were Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Rough-winged Conch Phtheochroa rugosana, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, Sallow Button Acleris hastiana, 6 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 11 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 5 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 5 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Ghost Moth, Large Emerald, Least Carpet, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 4 Dwarf Cream Waves, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 5 Riband Waves, 4 Barred Straws, 3 V-Pugs, Green Pug, Double-striped Pug, Small Yellow Wave, 3 Clouded Borders, Scorched Wing, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Common Wave, Buff-tip, 3 Rosy Footmen, 3 Dingy Footmen, 38 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Double Square-spot, Smoky Wainscot, 8 Uncertains, 2 Mottled Rustics, 2 Spectacles, Beautiful Hook-tip and Snout.

Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June

Sallow Button Acleris hastiana, North Elmham, 26th June

Large Emerald, North Elmham, 26th June

Least Carpet, North Elmham, 26th June

The micro-caddisfly Oxyethira flavicornis was new for the year.

Oxyethira flavicornis (male), North Elmham, 26th June

The following night was poor - a Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana was the only moth new for the year.  The others were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Ghost Moth, 9 Small Fan-footed Waves, Single-dotted Wave, Barred Straw, V-Pug, Double-striped Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, Mottled Beauty, 2 Engraileds, Common Wave, Clouded Silver, Coxcomb Prominent, Rosy Footman, Dingy Footman, 10 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Flame, Bright-line Brown-eye, 4 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3 Snouts and Small Fan-foot.

The caddisfly Ceraclea dissimilis was new for the year.

Ceraclea dissimilis (male), North Elmham, 27th June

Things were even slower the following night with just 38 moths of 21 species - a staggeringly poor show for the end of June.  Two of the few were new for the year though: Lesser Cream Wave and Silver Y.

Lesser Cream Wave, North Elmham, 28th June

Silver Y, North Elmham, 28th June

The others were London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Small Fan-footed Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Barred Straw, Double-striped Pug, Clouded Silver, Eyed Hawk-moth, 7 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 2 Uncertains and 2 Snouts.

The 29th wasn't much better with no new moths for the year.  The most interesting moth was a Silver-ground Carpet which was minute.  The forewing length is supposed to be 14-17mm - this one's forewing was just 11mm long!

Silver-ground Carpet, North Elmham, 29th June

The other moths were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Small Emerald, Blood-vein, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Barred Straw, Common Pug, 5 Clouded Borders, Early Thorn, Light Emerald, Poplar Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, 4 Rosy Footmen, Dingy Footman, 15 Common Footmen, 7 Buff Ermines, 3 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Brown-line Bright Eye, 2 Clays, 3 Smoky Wainscots, Brown Rustic, 14 Uncertains, 2 Mottled Rustics, Silver Y and 2 Straw Dots.  There was also a single forewing belonging to a Swallow-tailed Moth which must have been predated by something during the night - maybe a bat?

At Ryburgh on Friday 30th June there was this hoverfly, Baccha elongata.

Baccha elongata, Ryburgh, 30th June

Once I'd realised that the reason it wasn't on rose was it wasn't a Large Rose Sawfly (superficially similar, at a stretch), I twigged that this was in fact a fly.  It looks like Sciara hemerobioides but there are apparently other similar species and I've no idea how to eliminate those.

probable Sciara hemerobioides, Ryburgh, 30th June

Back at home a White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella came into the house.  The mothing got a bit livelier again that night, though still short of what late June can offer in a good year.  Orange Swift, Shaded Broad-bar and Slender Brindle were all new for the year.

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham, 30th June

Slender Brindle, North Elmham, 30th June

Other moths were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 6 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Ghost Moth, Drinker, Large Emerald, Small Blood-vein, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, Riband Wave, 5 Barred Straws, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, 2 Brimstone Moths, Willow Beauty, 5 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, Clouded Silver, Light Emerald, Poplar Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, 4 Rosy Footmen, Dingy Footman, 36 Common Footmen, White Ermine, Buff Ermine, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, 5 Flames, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Dot Moths, Bright-line Brown-eye, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Dark Arches, 24 Uncertains, Rustic, 3 Mottled Rustics and 10 Snouts.

Dot Moth, North Elmham, 30th June

There was clearly an emergence of mayflies that night too, with 8 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum, of which 6 were sub-imago.  It was good to see several of the sub-imago insects shedding their skins and becoming imagos.  Apart from this being interesting in and of itself it gave a good opportunity to get to grips with the identification better than I had done up to now.  Here are two female imagos, one with what I think is a typical appearance and the second with darker body and almost black eyes.

female imago Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 30th June

The next two photos show the same female insect, firstly as a sub-imago and secondly after it had moulted into imago.

female sub-imago then imago Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 30th June

And here is a male before and after.

male sub-imago then imago Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 30th June

Finally here's another male where it didn't quite manage to shed its sub-imago skin.

male sub-imago then imago Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 30th June

A Limnephilus auricula was the only caddisfly, but my first of this common species for a few weeks.  A Brown Chafer was the only beetle and there was only one bug too, but a new one for me, Phytocoris ulmi.

Phytocoris ulmi, North Elmham, 30th June

Another new garden moth coming to clearwing lure

On Tuesday 20th June I put the Yellow-legged Clearwing lure out again.  No Clearwings but towards the end of the day I caught a Black-edged Marble Endothenia nigricostana in the lure trap.  This was a nice surprise and a new species for the garden.  Actually it was probably the second as I caught a similar-looking moth in identical circumstances the previous week but that one got away before I could confirm the ID.

Black-edged Marble Endothenia nigricostana, North Elmham, 20th June

There was a slight fall-off in moth variety that night but Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, Phoenix and Dot Moth were all new for the year (it seems to be a very poor year for Dot Moth - at the time of writing I've seen just 3 here compared to 26 or 27 in the last couple of years).

Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, North Elmham, 20th June

Phoenix, North Elmham, 20th June

Dot Moth, North Elmham, 20th June

Other moths trapped were Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 4 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, 3 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 10 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 14 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 8 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 11 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Buff Arches, Common Emerald, Blood-vein, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 5 Dwarf Cream Waves, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 37 Riband Waves, Common Carpet, 4 Barred Straws, Grey Pug, V-Pug, 2 Green Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, Lilac Beauty, Swallow-tailed Moth, Willow Beauty, 2 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, Common White Wave, 4 Rosy Footmen, 2 Dingy Footmen, 7 Common Footmen, White Ermine, 4 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Short-cloaked Moth, 3 Heart and Clubs, 2 Heart and Darts, Ingrailed Clay, Double Square-spot, Smoky Wainscot, 3 Brown Rustics, Dark Arches, 2 Tawny Marbled Minors, 7 Uncertains, 4 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, Burnished Brass, 8 Beautiful Hook-tips, 5 Straw Dots, 5 Snouts, 2 Fan-foots and Small Fan-foot.

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 20th June

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 20th June

Other insects included Common Green Caspid Lygocoris pabulinus and a Brown Chafer.

Next day at Ryburgh Banded Demoiselle and Black-tailed Skimmer were among the dragonflies and butterflies included Large and Essex Skippers.  Moths were represented by 3 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana and a Yellow Shell.  I can't get any further than Phallus sp. with this bug.

Psallus sp., Ryburgh, 21st June

That afternoon I discovered that some caterpillars were making short work of one of our roses.  I figured they were sawflies rather than moth caterpillars and looked up sawflies on roses.  It seems that there is at least one similar species but I think they were Large Rose Sawflies Arge pagana.

Large Rose Sawflies Arge pagana, North Elmham, 21st June