Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Geometers (Geometridae) - part 12: Underwhelming Beauties and other Ennomins (Peribatodes to Campaea)

GEOMETERS (GEOMETRIDAE) (continued)

I call Willow Beauty and its related species the Underwhelming Beauties because to me the name Beauty is quite wrongly applied to this group.  OK, a fresh Mottled Beauty has some subtle elegance that could, at a stretch, be described as beautiful in a niche sort of way, but compared with the Pine Beauty, Bordered Beauty, Marbled Beauty and even the Brindled Beauties, this group really don't deserve the accolade of Beauty.  Whoever first called these Beauties was either having a laugh, or they had never actually seen a Willow Beauty...


Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria - Recorded in the garden on 42 dates between 31st May and 26th August 2019.  At least 57 individuals were involved but as they weren't counted on 10 dates the true total may have been higher.  Even so it was undoubtely a poor year - over the previous 4 years I had averaged 110 per year.  In contrast I caught a record 213 here between 30th May and 21st September 2020.  Elsewhere recorded from next door, 5 at the meadows and one at Bintree Wood.

Willow Beauty, North Elmham, 30th May 2020

Willow Beauty, North Elmham, 4th September 2020

Satin Beauty Deileptenia ribeata - None.  I've not seen this species since 2014 and I've never seen it anywhere closer than Hockering.  In fact it hasn't ever been recorded any closer, so probably not much chance of finding it here.  Away from the Brecks it's found at several scattered woodland locations so there's a chance it might be lurking in a wood near...


Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata - 19 caught here between 4th June and 17th September 2019 and 22 between 17th June and 2nd August 2020, my worst years here so far - my average tally for a year is 32.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows (4 dates), 8 at Bintree Wood (2 dates), 4 at Weybourne and one on Mull.

Mottled Beauty, Carsaig (Mull), 13th June 2019

Mottled Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

Mottled Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th June 2019

Mottled Beauty, Bintree Wood, 13th June 2020

Mottled Beauty, Bintree Wood, 24th July 2020

Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecis punctinalis - 9 at home between 20th May and 25th June 2019 and 6 between 19th May and 15th June 2020.  9 was my equal highest total (with 2018) and I've never had less than 3.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 31st May 2019 and 3 at Bintree Wood on 13th July 2020.

Pale Oak Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Pale Oak Beauty, North Elmham, 19th May 2020

Engrailed Ectropis crepescularia - Totals of 18 trapped in the garden between 9th March and 21st September 2019 and 7 between 7th July and 22nd August 2020.  18 is average but 7 was my worst annual total to date.  Elsewhere 3 at the meadows, one at Bintree Wood, one at Bodney and one at Weybourne.

Engrailed, North Elmham, 9th March 2019

Engrailed, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Brindled White-spot Parectropis similaria - None.  I've never had one of these at home - indeed there are no records from my 10km square - however there are plenty of records only a short distance to the east of here (for example I caught 4 at Bawdeswell Heath one night in 2014).


Grey Birch Aethalura punctulata - One at Sculthorpe Moor on 26th April and 2 at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020.  I'd only ever seen this species twice before and I've never seen one very locally, but the other guy who traps in my road has caught one so hopefully I'll get one here sometime.

Grey Birch, Sculthorpe Moor, 26th April 2019

Grey Birch, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Common Heath Ematurga atomaria - None.  I've not seen this species any closer than Buxton Heath and there aren't many local records.  Not sure how often this predominantly day-flying species turns up in traps so the odds of getting one here might be quite low.


Bordered White Bupalus piniaria - One caught in the garden on 24th June 2019, my 4th record here and first since 2016.  I also caught one at the meadows the previous night and one on Mull on 13th June 2019.  None at home in 2020 but one at Bintree Wood on 13th June.

Bordered White, Ceann Chnocain (Mull), 13th June 2019

Bordered White, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Common White Wave Cabera pusarai - My worst years for these at home with 17 between 14th June and 22nd July 2019 and 17 between 27th May and 7th July 2020.  My average annual total is 27.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows, 4 at Bintree Wood and one on Mull.

Common White Wave, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Common White Wave, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June 2020

Common Wave Cabera exanthemata -Totals here of 17 between 17th June and 25th August 2019 and 13 between 14th June and 22nd August 2020 (average here is 16 a year).  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows and one in Hellesdon.

Common Wave, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

Common Wave, North Elmham, 14th June 2020

White-pinion Spotted Lomographa bimaculata - 3 caught in the garden between 25th May and 7th June 2019 and then singles on 21st and 28th May 2020.  There were 7 in 2017 but 1-2 a year is more typical.  Elsewhere one at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020.

White-pinion Spotted, North Elmham, 25th May 2019

White-pinion Spotted, North Elmham, 21st May 2020

Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata - At least 37 here between 3rd June and 4th August 2019, with 3 nights not counted (but with singles either side the full total probably won't have been much higher).  I'd averaged 68 a year over the previous 4 years so this was a poor year but 19 between 17th June and 29th July 2020 made for my worst year here so far.  Elsewhere 8 at the meadows and 1-2 at Bintree Wood, Hills and Holes, Weybourne and on Mull.

Clouded Silver, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Clouded Silver, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Early Moth Theria primaria - Totals of 23 in the garden between 6th January and 1st March 2019 and 13 between 3rd January (my earliest ever) and 15th February 2020.  15-16 is average.  I've only ever caught this species in my garden, either here or previously at Bawdeswell despite searching for it at the meadows where there is plenty of both of its foodplants.

Early Moth, North Elmham, 3rd January 2020

Light Emerald Campaea margaritaria - Totals of 14 between 27th May and 24th June 2019 and 46 between 13th August and 27th September then 20 between 20th May and 5th June 2020 and 77 between 15th August and 22nd September.  60 in all makes it my worst year so far, only one behind 2018 but well short of the average of 88.  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows, 9 at Whitwell Street, 2 at Swanton Great Wood and 2 at Row Heath (West Runton).

Light Emerald, North Elmham, 27th May 2019

Light Emerald, North Elmham, 20th May 2020

Barred Red Hylaea fasciaria - None.  I've not had this species at home yet, but it has been recorded in my road before and I've had it not all that far away at Bintree Wood.


Yellow Belle Aspitates ochrearia - None.  I've not had this species at home yet, but I've seen it at Bittering and there have been a few records even closer at Worthing.  Most of my records have been day-flyers but I have had it come to light before.


Next page: more Geometridae

New centipede and beetle

At Strumpshaw Fen last Saturday some black fungi caught our attention.  It reminded me of Jelly Ear, but black, and I wondered if it might be that species having blackened with age.  Other options were considered but a knowledgable chap at the reception informed us they were indeed Jelly Ear.  Well, thanks to James E for coming to the rescue once again... turns out it's Black Bulgar Bulgaria inquinans.

Black Bulgar, Strumpshaw Fen, 4th March

We also saw at least 3 Chinese Water Deer at Buckenham Marshes.

The only moths in my trap that evening were March Moth, Pale Brindled Beauty and Dotted Border.  Sunday night was no better with just Hebrew Character and Chestnut.

A Stoat and 2 Common Seals were the non-avian highlights of a birding visit to Burnham Overy on Monday and that night the garden trap produced March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, 2 Dotted Borders and 3 Hebrew Characters.

On Tuesday I walked round Haddiscoe Island (a long way!) and encountered at least 25 Chinese Water Deer, very probably more.  Moths at home that night were Oak Beauty, 5 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

On Wednesday evening the good mothing weather promised by the forecast didn't materialise but Dave and I spent an hour or so at Thursford Wood with headtorches to see if we could pick anything up.  We managed to find Pale Red Slender Caloptilia elongella, 9 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, 6+ Dotted Borders, 4 Engraileds (including a mating pair) and 2 Chestnuts.

Engrailed, Thursford Wood, 8th March

Among lots of woodlice that looked like they were probably Common Rough Woodlice, the one I encounter by far the most, one was tiny and yellow-blotched.  Hoping it would turn out to be something more interesting I keyed it out only to find it was just a Common Rough Woodlouse too, presumably a young one.  The pale spots looked much yellower in life than they do in the photo.

 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber, Thursford Wood, 8th March

A couple of millipedes turned out to be White-legged Snake-Millipedes I think but a centipede was more interesting, if only because it was my first since owning the key to centipedes allowing a confident identification.  Unsurprisingly it turned out to tbe a very common species, but nevertheless the first time I'd identified Common Lithobius Lithobius forficatus.

Common Lithobius Lithobius forficatus, Thursford Wood, 8th March

White-legged Snake-Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger, Thursford Wood, 8th March

The home trap caught Oak Beauty, Dotted Border, Hebrew Character and Chestnut.

On Thursday night moth numbers started picking up but variety was still very lacking - 5 Dotted Borders, 3 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

Likewise on Friday night there were 2 Shoulder Stripes, 3 Dotted Borders, 5 Hebrew Characters and Chestnut.

On Saturday morning I found the very small beetle Epuraea biguttata in my bathroom, a new species for me.

Epuraea biguttata, North Elmham, 11th March

Wood Mouse and Woodlouse (and a nice beetle and some moths)

The Wood Mouse was running in and out of the shed for ages on Saturday again, in the rain.  Seems to like the rain.

Wood Mouse, North Elmham, 9th April

Not much on Saturday night (3 March Moths, 2 Small Quakers, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab and 2 Hebrew Characters) but Sunday night was better with Red Chestnut new for the year.

Red Chestnut, North Elmham, 10th April

Some better totals of a couple of the commoner species too: March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, 8 Small Quakers, 5 Common Quakers, Clouded Drab, 14 Hebrew Characters, 3 Early Greys and Chestnut.

Early Thorn was new for the year at home on Monday night.  Also 3 March Moths, Shoulder Stripe, Double-striped Pug, Oak Beauty, Red Chestnut, 5 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, 9 Hebrew Characters, 2 Early Greys and Chestnut.

Early Thorn, North Elmham, 11th April

Fewer moths on Tuesday night, though another common moth new for the year at home: Engrailed.  Also March Moth, Red Chestnut, 5 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.  I think the Red Chestnut was the same individual as I trapped on Monday night as it was distinctively worn, but Sunday's looked different.

Engrailed, North Elmham, 12th April

On Wednesday a Cereal Leaf Beetle Oulema melanopus/rufocyanea agg. appeared on my study windowsill.  Lovely beetle!

Cereal Leaf Beetle Oulema melanopus or Oulema rufocyanea, North Elmham, 13th April

Not much in the moth trap last nigtht: Early Thorn, 2 Small Quakers, Twin-spotted Quaker, 5 Hebrew Characters and Early Grey.

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham, 13th April

I had a look round the local patch before work this morning and found 2 Common Oak Purples Dyseriocrania subpurpurella there.  Also this unidentified small larva (sawfly sp.?).

unidentified larva, near Bittering, 14th April

Other things crawling down tree trunks included this Tree Slug.

Tree Slug, near Bittering, 14th April

I'd thought the following Woodlouse might be interesting.  Not when photographing it, but looking it up when I got home.  The information I found on the net suggested that I could rule out the common Porcellio scaber leading me to speculate that it might be either Porcellio spinicornis or Trachelipus rathkei, although neither seemed particularly likely.  Well James has had a look and he advises me that it is in fact Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber after all.  Ah well, I shall have to look a bit harder to find one of the scarcer ones, and buy myself a decent key.

Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber, near Bittering, 14th April