Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 8: Marbles II and Rollers etc. (Endothenia to Spilonota))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE) (continued)


Teasel Marble Endothenia gentianaeana - None.  I've only seen one of these, in my garden in 2015. 


Downland Marble Endothenia oblongana - None caught by me though I did confirm 3 that were caught by Geoff Turner at Weybourne during the week before I visited in July 2019 and one caught by Dave at Toftwood (Dereham) in August 2020.  I've not had this in North Elmham yet but there's plenty of Ribwort Plantain and Common Knapweed at the meadows so I must have a really good chance of finding it locally.  I had one at Creaking Gate Lake (Bittering) once so not all that far away.

2 male and 1 female Downland Marbles Endothenia oblongana, caught at Weybourne by Geoff Turner, 30th June-4th July 2019

male Downland Marbles Endothenia oblongana, caught at Toftwood (Dereham) by Dave Norgate, 7th August 2020

Bordered Marble Endothenia marginana - None confirmed.  Another one that could plausibly turn up here but I'm yet to find it anywhere.  However an Endothenia at Brancaster with Will and Sarah on 2nd July wasn't retained for checking and bearing in mind the abundance of this species' foodplant here there's a good chance it was this.


Woundwort Marble Endothenia pullana - None.  I know this occurs locally as I trapped one here in 2016 but that was the second for Norfolk (first post-Victorian) so they clearly aren't common.  There's a lot of Marsh Woundwort growing at the meadows though, so potential to find it there.


Bugle Marble Endothenia ustulana - One trapped in my garden on 23rd July 2019 was a completely new moth for me.

male Bugle Marble Endothenia ustulana, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Black-edged Marble Endothenia nigricostana - One at Hindolveston when I visited Marcus on 6th July 2020 (I think he pointed it out).  I've recorded this here (once, when it came to Yellow-legged Clearwing pheremone lure in 2017), at the meadows and at Rawhall.


Heath Marble Endothenia ericetana - One in the garden on 17th July 2019, my first since 3 here in 2015.

Heath Marble Endothenia ericetana, North Elmham, 17th July 2019

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana - 4 in the garden trap between 29th June and 20th August 2019, a fairly typical year.  Singles on 5th and 31st July 2020 was a bit below par.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 13th June 2020.

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June 2020

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, North Elmham, 5th July 2020

Rush Marble Bactra lancealana - My worst 2 years on record here with just one in 2019, on 30th June, and 4 between 28th July and 10th August 2020.  I had 24 here in 2018 and averaged 17 a year between 2015 and 2018.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 25th May 2019, singles at Bintree Wood and Whitwell Street in 2020 and 6 near Carsaig on Mull in 2019.

female Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana - One at the meadows on 26th July 2019.  None in 2020 and none at home where I'd had 1-2 in each of the previous 3 years.

Mottled Marble Bactra furfurana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Saltern Marble Bactra robustana - None.  Not particularly likely here but there are a few inland records so not out of the question.  I've dissected a number of apparent candidates for this species but they're nearly always something else.


Honeysuckle Bell Eucosmomorpha albersana - None.  I've never seen this species but although it's scarce it's widespread enough to think it might be lurking round here somewhere.


Cherry-bark Moth Enarmonia formosana - None.  I had 3 of these at home in 2015/16 but not since.


Bridge Roller Ancylis uncella - None.  Although there are no records from anywhere very close to here they occur commonly enough in the heaths a little way to the east and to the west, so I should think there's a fair chance once might wander over here.


Dark Roller Ancylis upupana - None.  I've never seen this species and it's not exactly common so perhaps a bit optimistic to hope for one round here, but it's a smart-looking thing so I shall be keeping an eye out for it.  There are patches of Birch woodland round here so maybe more chance of this than one or two of the slightly commoner but habitat-restricted species like Festooned Roller Ancylis geminana?


Common Roller Ancylis badiana - One at Carsaig on Mull on 10th June 2019.  In Norfolk it's not at all common away from the Brecks though I did have one at the meadows in 2018.

Common Roller Ancylis badiana, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana - A total of 36 at home between 24th June and 23rd July 2019, my best year to date (though I've never gone below 21 in a year here).  2020 was good too with 34 between 16th June and 22nd July including a record count of 6 on 26th June.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows and one at Hellesdon in 2019.

Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Red Roller Ancylis mitterbacheriana - None.  This is a pretty widespread species in Norfolk and I've had it as close as Bawdeswell Heath but so far I've not found it in North Elmham.


Lemon Bell Thiodia citrana - None.  Although this is described as being mainly Breckland there are quite a few records from elsewhere in Norfolk (including 2 I had in my last house at Bawdeswell) so I must be in with a decent chance of finding one locally before too long.


Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana - At least 30 in the garden between 4th July and 7th August 2019 (not counted every night), my best total to date though not all that far ahead of other years.  In contrast 15 between 26th June and 7th August 2020 was my worst showing so far.  Also recorded at the meadows, Weybourne and Swanton Great Wood, all in 2019.

Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

male Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, North Elmham, 29th July 2020

Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana - 8 in the garden between 24th June and 16th August 2019 and another 8 between 5th July and 6th August 2020.  I've had between 8 and 12 here every year since 2015.  Elsewhere one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

female Bud Moth Spilonota ocellama, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

male Bud Moth Spilonota ocellama, North Elmham, 5th July 2020

Larch-bud Moth Spilonota laricana - None.  I've only ever caught one of these here, in 2017.


Next page: more Tortricidae

A decent evening at last

Warm, calm and cloudy - a perfect recipe for moths.  For the first time this year all three were in play on Friday night (well, not quite calm, but no more than a light breeze) and we were sure to enjoy the best night of the year so far.  Indeed it proved, though I think I've had better nights at this time of year in better years.

A little bit of dusking on the patch secured Skin Moth Monopis laevigella, Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella and Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus in the Beetley area. 

Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella, Rawhall Wood, 22nd May

Then I set up the light at Creaking Gate Lake where things got off to a slower start than I had anticipated.  Eventually it picked up and a reasonable selection was accrued.

The highlight was a new moth for me, Downland Marble Endothenia oblongana.There are very few inland records of this moth and it's not an easy ID to separate from the slightly more frequently-recorded Teasel Marble Endothenia gentianaeana.  Size was just about within range for a small gentianaeana and I thought at first I could detect the small pale mark beyond the post median fascia that is supposed to be shown by that species.  But it had little grey/violet irrotation in the base, no violet near the tip and the pattern of the apical region seemed better for oblongana - indeed one of the oblongana shown on Lepiforum looked  a very good match for my moth.  They're not the easiest to gen det either, but all internal features I could see seemed to support oblongana.

Downland Marble Endothenia oblongana, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Other highlights included Figure of Eighty, a species I've only seen occasonally, and my first Lime Hawkmoth of the year.

Figure of Eighty, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Lime Hawkmoth, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

The supporting cast were 3 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, 2 Ribwort Slenders Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 Dark-barred Tortrices Syndemis musculana, Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Common Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, 3 + Green Carpets, May Highflyer, Brindled Pug, Treble-bar, Brimstone Moth, Scalloped Hazel, Common White Wave, Iron Prominent, 2 Pebble Prominents, Coxcomb Prominent, 3 Pale Tussocks, Orange Footman, 2 White Ermines, Cinnabar, Least Black Arches, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, Hebrew Character, Angle Shades and Nut-tree Tussock.

Common Swift, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

May Highflyer, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Silver-ground Carpet, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Non-lepidopteran interest was kept up with a bug-lifer, Harpocera thoracica.

 Harpocera thoracica, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Among the beetles were a couple I can't identify and a couple I've tenatively identified - let me know if you can help.  Also Cream-spot Ladybird and, once again, 16 Cockchafers - seems to be a good year for them, unfortunately.

unidentified Beetle, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

unidentified Beetle, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

probable Athous haemorrhoidalis, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

apparent Cantharis nigricans, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Plenty of other insects there too, including the first Bramble Sawfly that I recall seeing.

Bramble Sawfly Arge cyanocrocea, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Birch Shieldbugs, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Chloeon diperum, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Micropterna lateralis (I think), Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

I gave up shortly after midnight and returned home at which point it started drizzling.  The garden was heaving with moths.  I ended up with 68 moths of 41 species - including no less than 16 that were new for the year for the garden.  Those were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Yarrow Conch Aethes smeathmanniana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Water Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, May Highflyer, Sandy Carpet, White-pinion Spotted, 2 Orange Footmen, Shears and Rustic Shoulder-knot.

Shears, North Elmham, 22nd May

Grey Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 22nd May

May Highflyer, North Elmham, 22nd May

Orange Footman, North Elmham, 22nd May

Rustic Shoulder-knot, North Elmham, 22nd May

White-pinion Spotted, North Elmham, 22nd May

Yarrow Conch Aethes smeathmanniana, North Elmham, 22nd May

Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, North Elmham, 22nd May

Bird's-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, North Elmham, 22nd May

Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, North Elmham, 22nd May

Water Carpet, North Elmham, 22nd May

Sandy Carpet, North Elmham, 22nd May

Among the others another Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella was notable, as were Pale Pinion and Herald.

Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella, North Elmham, 22nd May

Pale Pinion, North Elmham, 22nd May

Herald, North Elmham, 22nd May

5 Waved Umbers was my highest count ever of this species.

Waved Umbers, North Elmham, 22nd May

The others were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 2 Chinese Characters, Blood-vein, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Green Carpet, 9 Common Pugs, Treble-bar, 7 Brimstone Moths, 2 Scalloped Hazels, Buff-tip, 2 Pale Tussocks, White Ermine, 2 Cinnabars, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Bright-line Brown-eye, Angle Shades and 3 Treble Lines.

Angle Shades, North Elmham, 22nd May

Cinnabar, North Elmham, 22nd May

Treble-bar, North Elmham, 22nd May

Other insects included a Birch Shieldbug here too:

Birch Shieldbug, North Elmham, 22nd May

This caddisfly is a new one for me, I think - though I'm not 100% sure if the ID is correct or if there are other similar species that should be considered.

probable Ecnomus tenellus, North Elmham, 22nd May