Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 3: Copper Underwings, Sprawler, Marbled Beauty and their allies

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE) (continued)


Copper Underwing Amphipyra pyramidea - Totals of 11 trapped in the garden between 1st August and 22nd September 2019 and 16 between 26th July and 19th September 2020.  I average about 10 a year here and 16 equalled my best total.  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows, 3 at Whitwell Street and 3 in Cornwall.

Copper Underwing, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

male Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 7th August 2020

male Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 8th August 2020

Svensson's Copper Underwing Amphipyra berbera - One in the garden on 25th July 2019 and 4 between  15th August and 7th September 2020.  I'd only caught 6 here previously and never more than 3 in a year.  Also one next door on 7th August 2019.

Svensson's Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 25th July 2019

male Svensson's Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 15th August 2020

male Svensson's Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 23rd August 2020

male Svensson's Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 7th September 2020

Mouse Moth Amphipyra tragopoginis - Totals of 7 caught here between 24th July and 10th September 2019 and 5 between 14th August and 16th September 2020.  This species is remarkably consistent here, with between 5 and 7 every year since 2014.  Elsewhere one at the meadows and one at Bintree Wood.

Mouse Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx - Totals of 30 trapped in the garden between 20th October and 20th November 2019 and 34 between 16th October and 23rd November 2020, slightly below the average of 36.

Sprawler, North Elmham, 20th October 2019

Sprawler, North Elmham, 6th November 2020

Green-brindled Crescent Allophyes oxyacanthae - Totals of 17 caught in the garden between 24th September and 2nd November 2019 and 38 between 10th and 30th October 2020.  I avereage 43 a year - 2019 was my worst year so far.

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 1st October 2019

Green-brindled Crescents, North Elmham, 10th October 2020

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 20th October 2020

Early Grey Xylocampa areola - Totals of 9 caught in the garden between 15th March and 9th May and 16 between 13th March and 26th April 2020.  I've averaged 27 a year here and 2019's total was my worst yet.

Early Grey, North Elmham, 15th March 2019

Early Grey, North Elmham, 13th March 2020

Bordered Sallow Pyrrhia umbra - None.  I'm still waiting for my first example of this species.  Although most records are from the coast and it hasn't been recorded in this 10km square yet I think I've got a realistic chance of catching one someday as there have been a few records elsewhere in mid Norfolk.


Marbled Clover Heliothis viriplaca - None.  Although a red data book species this is widespread in Norfolk and has been recorded just down the road at Worthing, including one in 2020.  I await my first but feel like I missed a good chance in 2020 when there were much larger numbers than usual recorded around the county.


Bordered Straw Heliothis peltigera - None.  Most years this migrant species is very hard to come by but in good years there's a chance I might catch one locally, though I didn't manage in the last good year, 2015.  Indeed I've never found this species in the UK.


Scarce Bordered Straw Heliothis peltigera - None.  Despite the name this species is considerably less scarce than the previous species in Norfolk.  I've recorded it once in my garden, during the 2017 influx.


Tree-lichen Beauty Crypgia algae - This new colonist has only recently colonised Norfolk and records have sky-rocketed in 2018 and 2019.  I caught my first at the meadows on 4th August 2019 followed by another in next door's garden on 8th August, but despite coming so close, I had to wait another year before catching one in my own garden - one on 15th August, the only one I caught in 2020.

Tree-lichen Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Tree-lichen Beauty, North Elmham, 8th August 2019

Tree-lichen Beauty, North Elmham, 15th August 2020

Marbled Beauty Crypgia algae - 3 in the garden trap between 20th and 29th July 2019 and 4 between 23rd July and 8th August 2020 - 3 a year is average here.  I only ever saw 2 of these when I lived in Bawdeswell but prior to that when I lived in Norwich I recorded up to 10 in a night - and that was before I was really into moths and had no special equipment: I just tried to identify what came in to my bedroom through the open window when the light was on.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 26th July 2019, which is the first I've ever caught away from somewhere I live.

Marbled Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Marbled Green Nyctobrya muralis - None.  I've never caught this species but there have been a few recent records at widespread localities and though none have been particularly close to here they don't seem to be specific to any special habitat, so must be a fair chance of getting one here.


Next page: more Noctuidae

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

Harvest Mouse in the garden!

After the excitement in the Brecks on Saturday I managed 18 moths of 8 species at home, easily the best night this year so far.  Among them were 4 new for the year here including a Lead-coloured Drab (and a Clouded Drab for comparison), Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla and Early Grey.

The Lead-coloured Drab looked quite reddish-brown at some angles and as such I nearly overlooked it as a Clouded Drab. The rounded wing apex should have given it away but it was only when I noticed its very feathered antennae that the penny dropped.

Lead-coloured Drab, North Elmham, 11th March

Clouded Drab, North Elmham, 11th March

Lead-coloured Drab (left) and Clouded Drab (right), North Elmham, 11th March

Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, North Elmham, 11th March

Early Grey, North Elmham, 11th March

The other moths were 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, 4 Dotted Borders, 6 Hebrew Characters and 2 Chestnuts.

Also that night was a Pea-leaf Weevil Sitona lineatus, my first at home.

Pea-leaf Weevil Sitona lineatus, North Elmham, 11th March

On Sunday afternoon I was looking out of the kitchen window when a movement caught my eye.  It was a mouse, but not just any old mouse, it was a lovely yellowish-buff colour and it was tiny!  Fortunately my camera wasn't far away and I hastily ran off some shots before it scuppered.  The colour prompted thoughts of Harvest Mouse, a species which I never expected to bump into in my garden, but I wasn't sure if the tail was long enough.  The only mouse I've seen here before was Wood Mouse and it clearly wasn't like previous examples of that, being smaller, a different colour, and having nice clearly demarcated border between the yellowish fur on the upperside and the clean white fur beneath.  Some features fitted Yellow-necked Mouse but that's supposed to be even bigger than Wood Mouse and as far as I can tell it's too early in the year for a young one.  Harvest Mouse is supposed to have smaller ears than Wood and Yellow-necked Mice and at first I wondered if they were small enough, but after looking at some photos of all three species (and House Mouse) I decided it had to be Harvest Mouse, my first ever in the wild.  I hadn't been expecting a mammalian lifer in my garden - what a fabulous surprise!

Harvest Mouse, North Elmham, 12th March

In the evening I decided to give Beetley Common by headtorch a go.  It was disappointing for moths with just 2 Water Carpets and a Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana, but it wasn't a complete waste of time.

Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana (male, gen det), Beetley Common, 12th March

Water Carpet, Beetley Common, 12th March

I checked one woodlouse that I thought might be different (from the usual Common Rough Woodlice) and indeed this time it was, Common Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum.

Common Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum, Beetley Common, 12th March

The only two beetles I found by searching tree trunks both proved to be Olibrus corticalis, a new species for me.  I picked one of them up with some moss and an even tinier beetle fell out of the moss.  At first I didn't think I was going to get an ID as I struggled to key it out to family even but eventually I sorted it - it was another new one for me, Cortinicara gibbosa.

Olibrus corticalis, Beetley Common, 12th March

Cortinicara gibbosa, Beetley Common, 12th March

Also my first Lacewing of the year, presumably Chrysoperla carnea but as it was female I can't elminate the highly unlikely pallida.

The trap at home produced 14 moths of 7 species, so not quite as good as Saturday night.  Among them was my first Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia of the year.

Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia, North Elmham, 12th March

The others were Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, 4 Dotted Borders, 5 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

Monday's trap produced 3 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, Oak Beauty, 4 Dotted Borders, Clouded Drab and 4 Hebrew Characters.

My first Peacock butterfly of the year was at Burnham Overy yesterday morning.

Last night there wasn't so much (or else it flew off or got eaten by the birds before I got to it - I was a little after first light this morning) - March Moth, 2 Shoulder Stripes, 2 Dotted Borders and 5 Hebrew Characters.