Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 10: Pine Beauty and Orthosias to Grey Arches

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE) (continued)


Pine Beauty Panolis flammea - One at the meadows on 20th March 2019 and one at Cranwich Heath on 14th March 2020.  None in my garden where I've only ever caught 2 in the 6 years I've trapped here (2015 and 2018).

Pine Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Pine Beauty, Cranwich Heath, 14th March 2020

Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta - 101 in the garden between 26th February and 1st May 2019 and 50 between 24th February and 20th April 2020.  2019 was the first time the total has edged into triple figures though 2020 was well under the average of 63.  Elsewhere 10 at the meadows (9 on one night), one at Sculthorpe Moor and 4 in the Brecks.

Clouded Drab, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Clouded Drab, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

female Clouded Drab, North Elmham, 11th April 2020

Blossom Underwing Orthosia miniosa - None.  Many Norfolk records of this species are migrants but a relatively high proportion of inland records may suggest that there is still a small resident population, perhaps.  Either way with one record just down the road there's some hope that I might get my first before too long.  Having said that, as I write 2021 is shaping up to be an unusually good year for this species and I haven't had a sniff of one yet.


Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi - A similar story to Clouded Drab above - 109 in the garden between 1st March and 26th April 2019 was the first time I've recorded over 100 (the average annual tally is 61) but 38 between 14th February and 22nd April 2020 was decidedly under par.  Elsewhere 19 at the meadows (3 nights) plus a caterpillar there on 25th May 2020, and 2 at Cranwich Heath.

Common Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Common Quaker caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2020

Small Quaker Orthosia cruda - 2019 was my best year for this Orthosia too, with 133 trapped in the garden between 1st March and 26th April.  Unlike the previous species 2020 was above average too with 98 between 1st March and 13th April.  Around 73 a year is average here.  Elsewhere 14 at the meadows, 4 in the Brecks and 2 at Keswick.

Small Quaker, North Elmham, 1st March 2019

Small Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Small Quakers, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th March 2020

Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti - None.  I had caught these here on 3 occasions previously (2015 and 2017) (and so far 2021 is proving to be a good year for this species with 3 here so far plus one at the meadows).


Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis - This species is never common here but like the commoner Orthosias 2019 was my best year for them with 8 between 24th March and 29th April (the latter being my latest ever).  2020 was equally good with 8 between 13th and 27th April.  I'd only caught 9 here in the previous 4 years, with a completely blank year in 2018.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows and one at Sculthorpe Moor.

Powdered Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Powdered Quakers, North Elmham, 13th April 2020

Northern Drab Orthosia opima - None.  I've never caught this species locally.  The inland form is pretty rare in Norfolk so it's a bit of a long-shot to hope for one, but there have been a handful of records in mid Norfolk so not without a chance.


Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica - Unlike the other common Orthosias 2019 was not my best year for this species - in fact it was my equal worst year, with a total of 243 between 25th February and 25th May.  2020 was even worse with 190 between 28th February and 20th May.  The average is around 256 a year.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows and 10 in the Lake District.

Hebrew Character, North Elmham, 26th February 2019

Twin-spotted Quaker Anorthoa munda - 2019 was my best year for this species at home with 20 between 2nd March (my earliest ever) and 30th March but 2020 was my worst year with just 3 between 19th and 30th March.  The average annual tally here is 8.  Also one at the meadows and 6 in the Brecks.

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham, 2nd March 2019

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Hedge Rustic Tholera cespitis - One in my garden trap on 2nd September 2019 was a nice surprise, my first here and only my second ever anywhere.  It was followed by another one here on 30th August 2020.

Hedge Rustic, North Elmham, 2nd September 2019

Hedge Rustic, North Elmham, 30th August 2020

Feathered Gothic Tholera decimalis - None in the garden in 2019 but a record 6 between 29th August and 6th September 2020.  I had 7 of these in my garden between 2015 and 2017 but none in 2014, 2018 or now 2019.  Elsewhere one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and one at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019.  All 14 Feathered Gothics that I've ever seen have been within just a 13-day period, 25th August to 6th September.

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 29th August 2020

Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis - Singles in the garden moth trap on 17th August 2019 and 8th August 2020.  Numbers here have varied from 1-7 in a year.  Also one next door on 9th August 2019 and at the meadows on 18th July 2020.

Antler Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Nutmeg Anarta trifolii - At least 10 caught in my garden trap between 8th July and 21st August 2019 (not counted on one night) and then after one on 26th May 2020, 7 between 6th July and 9th September.  These were quite poor totals (average is around 15 a year).  Also recorded at the meadows, Whitwell Street, Weybourne (2) and Brancaster.

Nutmeg, North Elmham, 26th May 2020

Beautiful Yellow Underwing Anarta myrtilli - One to light at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019 - only the second I've ever seen.  I've not found this species locally and given its heath-specific habits I'm not particularly expecting to.  None in 2020.

Beautiful Yellow Underwing, Row Heath (West Runton), 31st August 2019

Grey Arches Polia nebulosa - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 was only the third I've ever seen.  I've never found it locally but it has been caught in my street.  None in 2020.

Grey Arches, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Next page: more Noctuidae

Dark Spectacle and Feathered Gothic

A few moths on the patch at Bittering on Wednesday 23rd August were Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis.

That night New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella and Dark Spectacle were new for the year.

New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd August

Dark Spectacle, North Elmham, 23rd August

The other moths were Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 4 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 24 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 8 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 4 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Chinese Character, 3 Blood-veins, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Common Carpets, 2 Yellow Shells, 3 Green Carpets, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 5 Brimstone Moths, 2 Canary-shouldered Thorns, Dusky Thorn, Engrailed, Common Wave, 4 Light Emeralds, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 4 Common Wainscots, 10 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic, 6 Straw Dots and Snout.

Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, North Elmham, 23rd August

Other insects included the mayflies Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum and Pale Evening Dun Procloeon bifidum and the caddisflies Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus sparsus. There were 2 Birch Shieldbugs and a Forest Bug and but it was the beetles that got me a lifer, the water beetle Rhantus frontalis (along with another Trechus quadristriatus, following my first two nights previous, and Aphodius rufipes).

Rhantus frontalis, North Elmham, 23rd August

Trechus quadristriatus, North Elmham, 23rd August

The following night was quieter with nothing of real note: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 10 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 5 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Orange Swift, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Green Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Common Wave, Light Emerald, Swallow Prominent, 3 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, Mouse Moth, Straw Underwing, 6 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, Burnished Brass and Straw Dot. Also the caddisfly Lype phaeopa.

There were fewer species the next night but a couple of more interesting ones.  A Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella was only my second ever following one here in 2015 and a Feathered Gothic was a nice addition to the year list.

Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 25th August

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 25th August

Other moths were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 5 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 6 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Shaded Broad-bar, 4 Brimstone Moths, 3 Light Emeralds, 4 Flame Shoulders, 8 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, 4 Square-spot Rustics, 4 Common Wainscots, 8 Flounced Rustics, 3 Vine's Rustics and Straw Dot. Other insects included the caddisflies Hydropsyche siltalai, 4 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus lunatus, the leafhopper Empoasca vitis and 3 of the dung beetles Aphodius rufipes.

Pale Eggar and Sycamore-seed Pigmy

Three new macros for the garden year list on 28th August including my second ever Pale Eggar.  The other two were Frosted Orange and Pinion-streaked Snout.

Pale Eggar, North Elmham, 28th August

Frosted Orange, North Elmham, 28th August

Pinion-streaked Snout, North Elmham, 28th August

Two of the 3 Silver Ys were the tiny variant f. gammina, while other migrants included Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella and Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis.

Silver Ys (typical individual above, f. gammina below), North Elmham, 28th August

The rest were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Black-headed Conches Cochylis atricapitana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 12 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 3 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Orange Swift, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Carpet, Purple Bar, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 5 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, 16 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, Willow Beauty, Common Wave, Poplar Hawkmoth, 11 Flame Shoulders, 19 Large Yellow Underwings, 10 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, 14 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 10 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Knot Grass, Copper Underwing, 11 Flounced Rustics, 4 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 9 Straw Dots and 8 Snouts.

Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 28th August

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, North Elmham, 28th August

Other wildlife included Common Frog, the Brown Lacewing Hemerobius lutescens, Forest Bug and a Common Carder Bee.

Common Carder Bee, North Elmham, 28th August

There were far fewer moths on 29th - just these: Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Orange Swift, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Garden Carpets, 2 Common Carpets, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, 7 Flame Shoulders, 12 Large Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Small Square-spots, 7 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 10 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Mouse Moth, 5 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, 4 Burnished Brasses and Snout.

The day after was better again, the highlight being a new moth for me, Sycamore-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia decentella.

Sycamore-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia decentella, North Elmham, 28th August

A Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella was, perhaps surprisingly, new for the house.

Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 28th August

This Feathered Gothic was also new for the year.

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 28th August

The rest were Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, 3 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 3 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Common Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 7 Green Carpets, Lime-speck Pug, Triple-spotted Pug, 2 Currant Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Treble-bars, 2 Yellow-barred Brindles, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Willow Beauty, 7 Light Emeralds, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Dingy Footman, 5 Flame Shoulders, 19 Large Yellow Underwings, 13 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 4 Small Square-spots, 13 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, Six-striped Rustic, 7 Square-spot Rustics, White-point, 2 Common Wainscots, Straw Underwing, 5 Flounced Rustics, Burnished Brass, Silver Y, Spectacle, 8 Straw Dots and 10 Snouts.

Bugs included Lygus pratensis, new for the house, Birch Shieldbug, Forest Bug and the leafhopper Balclutha punctata.  Lacewings were represented by Hemerobius humulinus.

Lygus pratensis, North Elmham, 28th August

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 28th August

Hornets have a penchant for Orange Swifts

This Feathered Gothic would have been a new moth for me when I checked the trap at home after the night of 29th August, except that I'd been trapping at Cranwich Heath early that evening and caught 4 there (more on that excursion in this post I did nearer the time).

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 29th August

A strange thing happened this night.  I often get the odd Hornet in the moth trap and they often predate some of the moths while they're in there.  This evening I had 5 Hornets (and 2 wasps) and true to form they'd gobbled up some of the moths.  But what was a bit weird was that they appear to have very particular taste.  There were 5 dead moths in the trap, 4 showing clear signs of predation (i.e. wings removed and bodies gone).  Out of 165 moths in the trap they had killed all 5 Orange Swifts (or at least 4 of them) and ignored everything else.  What's so special about Orange Swifts?

A count of 37 Flounced Rustics was my highest ever while other macros in the trap were Green Carpet, Sharp-angled Carpet, Treble-bar, 9 Brimstone Moths, 2 Willow Beauties, Common Wave, Light Emerald, 32 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spotted Clay, Six-striped Rustic, 8 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Svensson's Copper Underwing, 2 Burnished Brasses, Silver Y, Spectacle, 8 Straw Dots and Snout.

Svensson's Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 29th August

Among the micros  2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea were the first of the autumn generation.  The others were Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Sharp-winged Drill Dichrorampha acuminatana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 15 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Small Purple and Gold (Mint Moth) Pyrausta aurata, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis and 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis.

One of the geniculea was interesting, showing more dark than usual between the two cross-lines.  I did check the insides just to make sure it wasn't anything else...

Elbow-striped Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea (male, gen det), North Elmham, 29th August

This caterpillar has evaded certain identification so far.  I found a pic of a Beaded Chestnut that was similar but there seems to be so much variation with this and other related species I'm not confident one of the other Xyleninae tribe isn't the correct ID.  Let me know if you can help!

unidentified caterpillar (probably something in the Xyleninae tribe?), North Elmham, 29th August

On the sheet next to the trap was this frog.  You don't get the impression of size in the photos but I can tell you it was huge!  Biggest frog I've ever seen!

Common Frog, North Elmham, 29th August

30th August was rather uneventful with 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Maiden's Blush, 2 Green Carpets, 3 Brimstone Moths, Light Emerald, 21 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Six-striped Rustic, 5 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, 19 Flounced Rustics and 4 Straw Dots.

The clear highlight on 31st August was my second ever confirmed Yellow-triangle Slender Caloptilia alchimiella. Only ever had robustella confirmed at home before.

 Yellow-triangle Slender Caloptilia alchimiella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 31st August

Not a great deal else that day: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 9 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Maiden's Blush, Riband Wave, 3 Brimstone Moths, Light Emerald, 2 Flame Shoulders, 16 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 5 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, 6 Flounced Rustics and 4 Straw Dots.