Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 15: Other Clays and Rustics

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE) (continued)


Dotted Clay Xestia baja - None.  I've not recorded this species locally but it has been found nearby so hopefully I'll catch one here someday.


Square-spotted Clay Xestia stigmatica - Totals of 10 in the garden between 4th August and 1st September 2019 and 6 between 2nd August and 9th September 2020, the last being my latest ever.  I had 21 in 2015 and have averaged 11 a year - 2020's paltry 6 was my lowest annual total.  Elsewhere one next door and 3 at the meadows.

Square-spotted Clay, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Square-spotted Clay, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Heath Rustic Xestia agathina - One at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019 was my first ever, making what would otherwise have been a pretty disappointing field trip seem worthwhile.  Now I just need to find one locally...  None in 2020.

Heath Rustic, Row Heath (West Runton), 31st August 2019

Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa - Totals of 159 caught here between 17th August and 26th September 2019 and 177 between 4th August and 22nd September 2020, more than my average of 128 a year.  A count of 18 on 28th August 2019 was my highest ever here.  Elsewhere 59 at the meadows, mostly over 3 nights, 25 at Whitwell Street, 8 at Swanton Great Wood, one at Row Heath (West Runton) and 57 in Cornwall.  One at Weybourne on 5th July was far and away my earliest ever (my first July record).

Square-spot Rustic, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Square-spot Rustic, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd September 2019 - doing its best to look like a Heath Rustic

Square-spot Rustic, North Elmham, 29th August 2020

Six-striped Rustic Xestia sexstrigata - Totals of 24 here between 10th and 29th August 2019 and 17 between 6th and 24th August 2020.  I average 31 a year here.  Elsewhere one next door.


Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum - Totals of 19 caught in the garden between 20th May and 7th July 2019, at least 178 between 31st July and 10th October 2019, 16 between 18th May and 13th June 2020 and 190 between 31st July and 2nd October 2020.  Since 2015 numbers have varied between 152 and the 206 in 2020 with 8% in the late spring generation and the other 92% in the autumn generation.  Elsewhere recorded next door on all 4 nights, 39 at the meadows over 15 nights (including a later one on 1st November 2019), 4 at Whitwell Street, 3 at Swanton Great Wood, one at Weybourne, 3 at Row Heath (West Runton) and 22 in Cornwall.

Setaceous Hebrew Character, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th September 2019

Triple-spotted Clay Xestia ditrapezium - None.  Disregarding some of my early records when I was misinterpreting a slightly misleading description in the books I have never recorded this species in Norfolk.  Taken at face value, the spread and quantity of records in Norfolk suggest that I ought to be finding this species here regularly enough.  However several highly experienced and long-term moth recorders I know haven't found it in the county either, so I suspect that a lot of the records are misidentified.  It's plausible that I have overlooked the odd one - I'm not confident I would pick one out from its forewing features - but I do check the majority of Double Square-spots pretty carefully including getting at least a glimpse of the hindwing in most cases.


Double Square-spot Xestia triangulum - At least 150 in the garden between 23rd June and 26th July 2019 but probably a few more as I didn't count them on the last couple of nights (the peak count, a record 31, was only 2 nights before that, 23rd July).  In any case, well above the average of 120.  In contrast, 2020 was my worst year here so far with just 59 between 13th June and 31st July.  Elsewhere 5 over 3 nights at the meadows and 7 at Weybourne.

Double Square-spot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Autumnal Rustic Eugnorisma glareosa - 10 at Tresidder in Cornwall between 7th and 9th October 2020.  I've seen lots of these in Cornwall but still haven't managed to find one in Norfolk.  They're not especially rare here so I should get my first county record before too long and maybe even a local one.

Autumnal Rustic, Tresidder (Cornwall), 9th October 2020

Gothic Naenia typica - None.  I've only ever caught 2 of these, one here in 2015 and one at my last house in Bawdeswell in 2013.


Next page: Nolidae

Lots of moths and a rare spider

Getting behind again as the peak moth season leaves me with far more to process than I have time to process.  I'm sure I'll catch up eventually, but I have a study full of material waiting to be examined and it isn't going to be quick!

Next up is 23rd June - over 200 moths of 72 species isn't bad I suppose, but not fantastic for this time of year. Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella was new for the house while Broad-blotch Drill Dichrorampha alpinana, Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, Privet Hawkmoth and Rosy Footman were new for the year here.

Rosy Footman, North Elmham, 23rd June

Broad-blotch Drill Dichrorampha alpinana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd June

Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, North Elmham, 23rd June

The others were 2 Cypress Tip Moths Argyresthia cupressella, 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella, 3 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 2 Light Grey Torrixes Cnephasia incertana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 13 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 5 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 7 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, Common Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, 3 Treble Brown Spots, 3 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Sandy Carpet, Foxglove Pug, 4 Common Pugs, 4 Clouded Borders, 3 Scorched Wings, 2 Peppered Moths, 5 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, Pale Oak Beauty, 2 Common White Waves, 2 Common Waves, 4 Clouded Silvers, 2 Light Emeralds, Elephant Hawkmoth, Pale Prominent, 2 Buff-tips, 3 Common Footmen, 5 White Ermines, 10 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Flame, 2 Ingrailed Clays, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Common Wainscot, Poplar Grey, 8 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, Dusky Brocade, 6 Middle-barred Minors, 2 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 10 Burnished Brasses, 2 Spectacles, Beautiful Hook-tip, 33 Straw Dots, 3 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Dusky Brocade, North Elmham, 23rd June

Other insects included the Mayfly Cloeon Dipterum, the Caddisfly Hydropsyche pellucidula (3 in fact) and a Cockchafer.

Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 23rd June

Next day was poorer with far fewer moths and only 47 species.  Among those Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Double Square-spot and Clay were new for the year.

Clay, North Elmham, 24th June

Double Square-spot, North Elmham, 24th June

Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th June

There was a good count of 22 Buff Ermines, but that's still a little way off my peak count last year.  The others were Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 11 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 5 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Common Swift, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, 3 Common Pugs, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, 2 Common White Waves, Clouded Silver, Light Emerald, Privet Hawkmoth, Eyed Hawkmoth, Common Footman, 5 White Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Common Wainscot, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 5 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, 2 Marbled Minors, Middle-barred Minor, Uncertain, 2 Mottled Rustics, 2 Burnished Brasses, Silver Y, 2 Spectacles, 8 Straw Dots, Snout and Small Fan-foot.

Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, North Elmham, 24th June

Marbled Minor (female, gen det), North Elmham, 24th June

Privet Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 24th June

The only caddisflies identified were Hydropsyche pellucidula and Phryganea grandis.

Phryganea grandis, North Elmham, 24th June

Andy B likes his spiders and a little while ago after showing some to me at Burnham Overy he texted to say he'd found a really rare one.  Well on 25th June I returned to Burnham Overy and found Andy standing with another chap who was lying flat on his belly in the saltmarsh photographing something.  I wandered over and Andy showed me the rare spider he'd found - this one being an egg-sac carrying female: Yellow-striped Bear Spider Arctosa flavolineata.

Yellow-striped Bear Spider Arctosa flavolineata, Burnham Overy, 25th June

A Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella and 4 Cinnabars were the only moths seen but a Bee turned out to be a Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee, which from the range map in the new Bees book looks like is restricted to the NW coast in Norfolk, although the NBN Gateway shows it as being recorded fare more widespreadly in the county.  Not sure the reason for the discrepancy.

Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris, Burnham Overy, 25th June

A single Pyramidal Orchid as nice to see.

Carpatolechia fugitivella - first modern county record

On Thursday 25th June I caught 82 species of moth at home.  I've only just finished sorting out those that needed dissections and among these was a Gelechiid I didn't recognise.  I eventually narrowed it down to the genus Carpatolechia and found two species that can share the general appearance.  I came across a similar fugitivella first and the description in MOGBI checked out perfectly.  In particular its closest confusion species (notalella) was easily eliminated because notalella lacks the scale tufts that were evident on mine.  But fugitivella hasn't been recorded in Norfolk since the 1800s so I needed to check other species more carefully.  In doing so I came across a picture of decorella which looked extremely similar.  The references seem to think this species is easily identified by a dark bar on the costa near the base.  Well mine had a small oblong dark mark along the costa near the base, but it didn't look quite as long as supposed to be shown by decorella - and fuitivella also shows a dark spot here, so I wasn't quite sure.  The detailed description of decorella in MOGBI seemed to have some anomalies, like mine didn't show furrows on segment 2 of the labial palpus when viewed through the microscope.  Fortunately the genitalia diagrams here and on the Dissection Group looked significantly different, at least in one respect (very long processes reaching the tip of the uncus in fugitivella) and on dissection mine matched Elm Groundling Carpatolechia fugitivella perfectly, the first Norfolk record for 116 years!  Shame this insect had been too active to let me photograph it out of the pot - here's the best I could manage while it was alive...

Elm Groundling Carpatolechia fugitivella, North Elmham, 25th June

And for those who do dissections, here are its bits.  You can see one of the long processes left of the uncus but the other one broke off during preparation.

Elm Groundling Carpatolechia fugitivella (male genitalia), North Elmham, 25th June

Nothing else terribly exciting among the rest of the catch, though several new for the year for the house: White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella (gen det), Black-headed Dwarf Elachista atricomella, 2 Flax Tortrices Cnephasia asseclana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Yellow Shell, 3 Double Square-spots, Poplar Grey and 2 Small Fan-foots.

 White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella (male gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

Black-headed Dwarf Elachista atricomella, North Elmham, 25th June

Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 25th June

Double Square-spot, North Elmham, 25th June

Poplar Grey, North Elmham, 25th June

Small Fan-foot, North Elmham, 25th June

Plenty more to keep me busy!  The other macros were Common Swift, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 3 Treble Brown Spots, 2 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, Sharp-angled Carpet, Sandy Carpet, 2 Mottled Pugs, 3 Common Pugs, Grey Pug, Green Pug, Clouded Border, 2 Scorched Wings, 6 Brimstone Moths, Peppered Moth, 8 Willow Beauties, Common White Wave, Clouded Silver, 3 Light Emeralds, Elephant Hawkmoth, Coxcomb Prominent, Marbled Brown, Buff-tip, Orange Footman, 9 Common Footmen, White Ermine, 6 Buff Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, Heart and Club, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Bright-line Brown-eye, Lychnis, Clay, 3 Common Wainscots, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, 7 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, Marbled Minor (gen det), 8 Middle-barred Minors, 4 Treble Lines, 4 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, 10 Straw Dots and 2 Snouts. 

Coxcomb Prominent, North Elmham, 25th June

And the other micros were 2 Cypress Tip Moths Argyresthia cupressella, Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella (gen det), Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella (gen det), Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Plum Tortrices Hedya pruniana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrices Hedya nubiferana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 6 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 4 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata and 3 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella.

Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June