Review of 2019 and 2020 - Leafhoppers part 6: subfamily Typhlocybinae II

LEAFHOPPERS (CICADELLIDAE) continued


SUBFAMILY TYPHLOCYBINAE (continued)


Eupteryx atropunctata - One in my garden moth trap on 4th August 2020 was a new species for me.

Eupteryx atropunctata, North Elmham, 4th August 2020

Eupteryx decemnotata - None.  I caught one here in 2017.


Eupteryx florida - One in my garden moth trap on 31st July 2019 was my second here.  None here in 2020 but 4 at the meadows between 8th and 24th April, mostly on White Dead Nettle.

Eupteryx florida, North Elmham, 31st July 2019

Eupteryx florida, North Elmham, 24th April 2020

Eupteryx melissae - One in my garden moth trap on 9th July 2019 was my second record here.

Eupteryx melissae, North Elmham, 9th July 2019

Eupteryx urticae - Found on nettles at the meadows on 19th August and 5th September 2020.  None in the garden but I have recorded this species here before (in 2017).

Eupteryx urticae, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August 2020

Eupteryx urticae, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th September 2020

Ribautiana cruciata - 2 to light in Cornwall on 7th October 2020.  I've seen this species in Norfolk before but not locally.

female (top) and male Ribautiana cruciata, Tresidder (Cornwall), 7th October 2020 - showing different orientations of the male's aedeagus

Ribautiana debilis - A new leafhopper for me, netted off cherry at the meadows on 3rd June 2020.

male Ribautiana debilis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd June 2020 - showing different orientations of its rather fancy aedeagus

Ribautiana scalaris - A new leafhopper for me, to light at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

Ribautiana scalaris, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Ribautiana tenerrima - Found at the Cathedral Meadows on at least 4 dates between 5th September and 2nd October 2020, mostly on Bramble and largely thanks to a tip from David (@AmblingMan) on Twitter about gently turning over Bramble leaves that show pale speckling (feeding signs).  1-2 others were not recorded as they got away before I could confirm them, but were probably also this species.  Also 2 to light in Cornwall on 6th October 2020.

Ribautiana tenerrima, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th September 2020

Ribautiana tenerrima, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd October 2020

Ribautiana tenerrima, Tresidder (Cornwall), 6th October 2020

Eupterycyba jucunda - None.  I found this species indoors here in 2018.


Lindbergina aurovittata - Caught in my garden moth trap on 23rd June and 16th August 2019 and 14th November 2020.  Also beaten from Oak at the meadows on 8th September 2019 (probably - this one escaped before I could confirm it) and 19th August 2020; also to light at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

Lindbergina aurovittata, North Elmham, 23rd June 2019

Lindbergina aurovittata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August 2020

Lindbergina aurovittata, North Elmham, 14th November 2020

Next page: more Leafhoppers

Scarce Bordered Straw and a host of bugs

It was a good year for Scarce Bordered Straw but it took me until late October before I added this species to my largely migrant-free garden list.  24th October wasn't a particularly remarkable night for moths in general but this scarce migrant more than made up for that.  Very pleased to finally get one here.

Scarce Bordered Straw, North Elmham, 24th October

Other moths were Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 7 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana, Common Marbled Carpet, 6 November Moths, 2 Pale November Moths, 4 Feathered Thorns, Light Emerald, Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Sprawler, 3 Black Rustics, 4 Green-brindled Crescents, Merveille du Jour, 7 Yellow-line Quakers, 2 Beaded Chestnuts and 2 Straw Dots.

It was actually a better night for bugs (including leafhoppers) than for moths.  Heteropteran bugs consisted of a Parent Bug, the first time I've recorded that here, a Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae and a noteworthy 3 Tarnished Plant Bugs Lygus rugulipennis.  I've not been doing the trickier-to-ID bugs like this for long but I have been checking them for the whole of this year and I'd only seen a single up to now so 3 in a night must be pretty good for here.

Parent Bug, North Elmham, 24th October

At least 6 species of leafhopper in the moth trap can't be bad either, and they included one species I'd not recorded before: Eupteryx decemnotata (though this had to be identified from photos as it escaped - I think it's a safe ID but please shout if you disagree).  In the same genus Eupteryx urticae was also new for the garden.  The others were 2 Empoasca vitis, 3 Kybos sp. (all females so not fully identifiable - most probably betulicola but possibly smaragdula), 2 Fagocyba cruenta and an Edwardsiana sp. (female so not fully identifiable).

Eupteryx decemnotata, North Elmham, 24th October

Eupteryx urticae, North Elmham, 24th October

Other inects included 4 Chrysoperla carnea (2 confirmed males), the water beetle Rhantus suturalis and the barkfly Valenzuela flavidus.

A Common Carder Bee next day was the first I'd positively identified in my garden this year, though I'm pretty sure there have been lots that I haven't nailed (I tend to only look hard at the ones that come inside or get caught in the moth trap).

Moths trapped on 25th were 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Rusty Oak Button Acleris ferrugana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 November Moths, 3 Feathered Thorns, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Black Rustic, Merveille du Jour, 5 Yellow-line Quakers, Barred Sallow, Pale Mottled Willow and Snout.

Having failed to convince myself about a likely Empoasca decipiens a few days earlier it was good to get another chance.  No doubt about this one, a new addition to the garden leafhopper list.

Empoasca decipiens, North Elmham, 25th October

There wasn't much else - the caddisflies Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus lunatus were all I recorded.

Perhaps the biggest surprise the following night was a Common Quaker - a common species in spring but one I'd not seen in autumn before.

Common Quaker, North Elmham, 26th October

Although that was unexpected the best moth of the night was a Bindweed Bent-wing Bedellia somnulentella, a new species for the garden.  It also appears to be the first adult to be recorded in the vice-county (there are mine and larval records).  It wasn't my first - one at my previous house was the first adult to be recorded in the whole county.

Bindweed Bent-wing Bedellia somnulentella, North Elmham, 26th October

Other moths that night were Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 November Moths, Pale November Moth (plus a female November Moth agg.), 2 Feathered Thorns, Large Yellow Underwing, Black Rustic, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Green-brindled Crescent, 2 Merveille du Jours, Satellite, 4 Yellow-line Quakers, Beaded Chestnut, Large Wainscot and Straw Dot. Caddisflies were Limnephilus affinis and Limnephilus lunatus.

The moth trap was very poor on my birthday night: just Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, November Moth, Black Rustic, Blair's Shoulder-knot, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and Beaded Chestnut.

The following night wasn't much better for moths (though Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis was a migrant and only my second this year) but it picked up a few other interesting things.  The other moths were Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, November Moth agg., 2 Feathered Thorns, Black Rustic, Brick, 2 Yellow-line Quakers, Straw Dot and Snout.  Caddisflies consisted of 4 Limnephilus lunatus and Halesus radiatus and there was a Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae.  The barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi was new for the year.

Ectopscocus briggsi (male), North Elmham, 28th October

Leafhoppers consisted of a Fagocyba cruenta and 2 of a new species for me (although they looked familiar so I think I've seen them before without identifying them) - Lindbergina aurovittata.

Lindbergina aurovittata, North Elmham, 28th October

The following night produced only Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Sprawler, 2 Bricks, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and the barkfly Valenzuela flavidus.

Frost's Common Take 2

A Mouse Moth was the only new moth for the year on Monday 21st August but there was a reasonable variety of moths: possible Skin Moth Monopis laevigella (lost before confirmed), Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, 2 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, Nut Leaf Blister Moth Phyllonorycter coryli, probable Red Hazel midget Phyllonorycter nicellii (lost before confirmed), 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, an exceptionally small Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 5 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 18 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 4 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Pebble Hook-tip, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, 3 Green Carpets, Sharp-angled Carpet, 3 Currant Pugs, 3 Double-striped Pugs, 11 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, Common Wave, 4 Light Emeralds, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 3 Six-striped Rustics, Square-spot Rustic, 8 Common Wainscots, Common Rustic, 5 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, 2 Straw Dots and 3 Snouts.

Mouse Moth, North Elmham, 21st August

Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st August

My second ever Small Silver Sedge Lepidostoma hirtum followed one night after my first.  Other caddisflies were Oxyethira flavicornis, 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula and Medium Sedge Goera pilosa.

Beetles included 2 Trechus quadristriatus, a new species for me.

Trechus quadristriatus, North Elmham, 21st August

Other beetles were 5 Bradycellus verbasci and 2 Aphodius rufipes.  Other insects included the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, the green lacewing Nineta vittata, a female Conwentzia sp. Waxfly, the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus and 9 Forest Bugs (aka Red-legged Shieldbugs).

Nest day a quick look round Wells Wood produced a few insects including my first Plagiognathus arbustorum (a mirid bug) feeeding on Fleabane.

Plagiognathus arbustorum, Wells, 22nd August

Moths included Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and Small Fan-footed Wave.

That night Dave and I headed back to Frost's Common, a site we'd been planning to trap at for a long while.  The Norfolk Moth Survey event there was a wash-out so we thought we'd try again on a better night.  Conditions weren't ideal but we managed 47 species including a few mildly interesting ones: Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, 3 Brown Birch Slenders Parornix betulae, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Birch Marbles Apotomis betuletana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella, 6 Ground-moss Greys Eudonia truncicolella, 3 Brown China-marks Elophila nymphaeata, 7 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Small China-marks Cataclysta lemnata, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis (only my second ever), Double-striped Knot-horn Cryptoblabes bistriga, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, 2 Maiden's Blushes, 3 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, 2 Purple Bars, 5 Green Carpets, 5 Double-striped Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, 5 Brimstone Moths, 2 Common Waves, 3 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawk-moth, Dingy Footman, 2 Buff Footmen, 3 Common Footmen, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Common Wainscots, Svensson's Copper Underwing, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, 10 Straw Dots and 2 Snouts.

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Double-striped Knot-horn Cryptoblabes bistriga, Frost's Common, 22nd August

The leafhopper Eupteryx urticae was a new species for me.  Other bugs included Birch Shieldbug, 8 Forest Bugs, Lygus pratensis and the leafhopper Allygus mixtus.

Eupteryx urticae, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Allygus mixtus, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Caddisflies included a Molanna angustata and there were 2 Orange Ladybirds.  Other wildlife included 3 Red Deer.

Molanna angustata (male), Frost's Common, 22nd August

We found a newt at each of the lights which I am having some trouble identifying.  They are most likely Smooth Newts - I don't think there are all that many confirmed records of Palmate Newt in Norfolk from what I can glean.  The references I've got and those I've found on the internet seem to focus on adults for identification, some mentioning that immatures require more caution but not elaborating any further. Several references refer to the unspotted throat as a key feature for Palmate Newt but even some of those include photos of Smooth Newts with unspotted throats, so clearly this is not diagnostic!  The upperpart markings appear to be very variable and overlapping between the tweo species as are the spots below and the pattern of orange underneath.  I get the impression, but if someone can confirm that would be great, that the presence or absence of pale tubercles on the bottom of the feet (present on Palmate) is the most reliable feature.  Having had this problem before I recalled that spots on the soles of the feet were relevant and so took photos as I couldn't remember the detail of what to look for.  Sadly my photos aren't perfectly clear (it's quite hard to get a newt to stay still upside down without manhandling it) and there are some pale spots in some images that aren't in others, suggesting that they may be grit or dirt.  At least one of them does seem to have one or two pale spots on the sole in the same place in every photo suggesting it may be a real feature and suggesting that they might be Palmate Newts.  However, I'm not convinced and suspect they are in fact female and/or immature Smooth Newts.  If you are any clearer on these things please do get in touch!

Newts (top two are the same individual, lower two are the other individual), Frost's Common, 22nd August