Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Grass moths (Crambidae) - Part 6: China-marks and Water-veneers (Elophila to Donacaula)

GRASS MOTHS (CRAMBIDAE) (continued)


Brown China-mark Elophila nympheata - Singles in the garden trap on 16th July and 4th August 2019, making it my worst year here to date (although numbers have never exceeded 7).  4 in 2020 between 31st July and 3rd September.  Elsewhere one at Hellsedon in 2019 and one at Whitwell Street in 2020.

Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Water Veneer Acentria ephemerlla - Recorded at home on 16 nights between 10th July and 3rd September - at least 35 individuals involved but not counted on 2 nights.  47 over 14 nights between 23rd June and 16th August 2020 including 20 on one night (12th August).  This species is highly erratic in numbers with 650 or so recorded in 2016 but only 13 in 2017.  Elsewhere one next door and up to 20 at the meadows on several dates and a few at Bintree Wood.


Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata - A total of 18 in the garden between 24th June and 26th September 2019 was far and away my best year ever.  Between moving in in August 2014 and the end of 2018 I had only caught 12 here in total so 18 in a year seemed remarkable.  However, this was totally eclipsed in 2020 when I caught 119 between 21st May and 13th September including 10 on one night (18th July).  Elsewhere just one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 and 2 at Whitwell Street on 3rd September 2020.  Surprisingly I'm yet to find this species at the meadows.

Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, North Elmham, 18th June 2020

Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata - At least 23 here between 30th May and 25th August 2019 (possibly slightly higher as they weren't counted on a couple of nights) and 40 between 25th June and 4th September 2020.  The 2020 figure was closer to the average here.  Also recorded next door, 17 at the meadows, and 1-2 at Bintree Wood, Swanton Great Wood and Hellesdon.

Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata - Below-average totals of 12 here between 24th June and 25th July 2019 and 14 between 18th July and 14th August 2020.  Despite the total being on the low side 5 on 24th July 2019 was my joint highest ever count.  Elsewhere one next door, 21 at the meadows (including 8 on 18th July 2020) and 2 at Bintree Wood.

Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th July 2019

Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Giant Water-veneer Schoeobius gigantella - None.  I've recorded this species at home on 3 occasions (all 2016-2017).


Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella - A total of 12 in the garden between 29th June and 12th August 2019, all singles except 3 on 25th July.  Not quite my best year but very nearly - I average 8 a year.  6 here in 2020 between 18th July and 11th August.  Also 6 at the meadows (3 each year).

Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, North Elmham, 13th July 2019

Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, North Elmham, 25th July 2019

Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

male Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, North Elmham, 11th August 2020

Scarce Water-veneer Donacaula mucronella - None.  I've never seen this species but there are a couple of Dereham records and a scattering from elsewhere so I'm hoping to get one locally someday.


Next page: Drepanidae

Late season lull

There were two new moths for the year on 22nd August, the wonderful Notch-wing Button Acleris emargana and the more subtly attractive Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella.

Notch-wing Button Acleris emargana, North Elmham, 22nd August

Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd August

Other noteworthy moths included Pale Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi and Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella.

Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella, North Elmham, 22nd August

The other moths were 3 Bird’s-nest Moths Tinea trinotella, Ermine sp. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 3 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 4 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 13 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 8 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Small Purple & Gold Pyrausta aurata, Orange Swift, 2 Chinese Characters, Blood-vein, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Green Carpet, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 6 Brimstone Moths, 3 Dusky Thorns, Engrailed, Common Wave, 3 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawk-moth, 3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Six-striped Rustic, 5 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, Centre-barred Sallow, 15 Flounced Rustics, Spectacle, 2 Straw Dots and Snout.

Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, North Elmham, 22nd August

Mayflies and lacewings consisted of just Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita, Hemerobius lutescens and Micromus variegatus. There was a rather better crop of caddisflies though: Holocentropus picicornis, 5 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Crunoecia irrorata, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, Limnephilus lunatus and Molanna angustata.

Holocentropus picicornis (female), North Elmham, 22nd August

Leafhoppers included Empoasca vitis, a male (and thus identifiable) Kybos strigilifer, and a female (and thus unidentifiable) Edwardsiana sp.  Other bugs were Birch Shieldbug, 4 Forest Bugs, Black-kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus and Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis.

Black-kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus, North Elmham, 22nd August

Also a Common Frog, and one the following night too.

Black Slug agg. Arion ater agg. (left) and Common Frog (right), North Elmham, 23rd August

It was a quiet night for insects on 23rd - just 45 moths and a third of them were one species: Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Birch Marble Apotomis betuletana, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 4 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 2 Orange Swifts, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Double-striped Pug, Dusky Thorn, Poplar Hawk-moth, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Six-striped Rustic, Square-spot Rustic, White-point, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow and 15 Flounced Rustics.

There was just one mayfly, one lacewing and 2 caddisflies, and no bugs or beetles: Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, Hemerobius lutescens, Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus marmoratus.

But if that was poor the next night was worse: just 9 speices: Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Brimstone Moth, Flame Shoulder, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 7 Flounced Rustics and Frosted Orange.  I did have one new species for the year though, albeit one I'd not looked very hard for: 2 Garden Snails.

It got even worse!  Just Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Orange Swift, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Square-spot Rustics and Flounced Rustic on 25th.  Now it really felt like the end of the summer!

The following day a Common Oak Midget Phyllonorycter quercifoliella was seen at the meadows and that night things it was marginally better.  Moths were Barred Marble Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Yellow Shell, Light Emerald, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Square-spot Rustics and 3 Flounced Rustics.

Mayflies, lacewings and caddisflies were Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, Chrysoperla carnea, 2 Hemerobius lutescens, Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus. 2 Forest Bugs were the only bugs but the barkfly Valenzuela flavidus was new for the year.

Valenzuela flavidus, North Elmham, 26th August

The following night was much better with over 100 moths.  Nothing especially remarkable among them, although 5 Vine's Rustics was the highest count I've had since 2014 and Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana is one that doesn't usually makes its way into my trap.  The rest were Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 13 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 16 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 13 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Orange Swift, Chinese Character, 4 Blood-veins, Single-dotted Wave, Double-striped Pug, 2 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 3 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawk-moth, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Nutmeg, Common Wainscot, 12 Flounced Rustics and 2 Snouts.

A Cunctochrysa albolineata was the only lacewing. Caddisflies were 4 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Hydropsyche siltalai, Small Silver Sedge Lepidostoma hirtum and 2 Limnephilus lunatus. 2 Aphodius rufipes and an Amara apricaria made up the beetles and I think this is probably a nymph of the barkfly Valenzuela flavidus.

probable Valenzuela flavidus nymph, North Elmham, 27th August