Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Geometers (Geometridae) - part 10: Thorns and March Moth (Apeira to Alosphila)

GEOMETERS (GEOMETRIDAE) (continued)


Lilac Beauty Apeira syringaria - 4 caught here between 23rd June and 10th July 2019.  I've had between 4 and 7 each year I've lived here until 2020 when I didn't catch any here.  Of the 37 Lilac Beauties I've ever seen only 2 have been away from one or other of my homes and one of those was my only Lilac Beauty in 2020, at Bintree Wood on 26th June.


Large Thorn Ennomos autumnaria - None.  This species (which I've never seen) appears to be reasonably common in some parts of the far west of the county but pretty scarce elsewhere.  There are a few records in mid Norfolk though, so I'd like to think I might catch one locally some day.


August Thorn Ennomos quercinaria - None.  This must be one of the commonest moths that I've not seen yet and although they're not as common round here as they are in parts of Norwich there are quite a few records from nearby - including one in my neighbouring tetrad in 2019 (this side of Brisley I think).


Canary-shouldered Thorn Ennomos alniaria - Totals of 8 here between 9th August and 9th September 2019 and 17 between 19th July and 13th September 2020.  2019 was my worst year so far but 2020 was pretty average.  Elsewhere just one at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019.

Canary-shouldered Thorn, North Elmham, 26th July 2020

Dusky Thorn Ennomos fuscantaria - Totals of 23 here between 28th July and 22nd September 2019 and 55 between 23rd July and 18th September 2020.  Average here is about 41 a year.  Elsewhere 3 next door, 8 at the meadows and 5 at Whitwell Street.

Dusky Thorn, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th September 2019

September Thorn Ennomos erosaria - None. I've never seen this species but there are a few records in mid Norfolk so it may turn up here sometime.  Much less chance of this than August Thorn though, and I can't even manage to catch one of them.


Early Thorn Selenia dentaria - In the spring generation totals of 8 between 21st March and 23rd April 2019 and 13 between 14th March and 18th April 2020. In summer at least 58 (but not counted on 3 dates) between 5th July and 1st August 2019 and 20 between 25th June and 30th July 2020.  2020's total of 33 was my lowest in 6 years and around half the average.  Elsewhere just one at the meadows on 18th March 2019 and on in Hellesdon.

Early Thorn, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th March 2019

Purple Thorn Selenia tetralunaria - Only 2 at home in 2019, on 24th and 26th July, fewer than I've caught in the past (3 for the last couple of years, 8 in each of the previous 2 years).  A more typical 5 here between 5th and 27th July 2020.  Elsewhere spring generation singles at the meadows and Sculthorpe Moor on 22nd and 26th April 2019.

Purple Thorn, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Purple Thorn, North Elmham, 10th July 2020

Purple Thorn, North Elmham, 27th July 2020

Scalloped Hazel Odontopera bidentata - Totals of 9 caught here between 17th and 30th May 2019 and 5 betweeen 3rd and 26th May 2020.  These were my joint highest and my lowest annual totals in the 6 years I've been here.  Elsewhere one at the meadows and one at Hills and Holes and then caterpillars in October 2020 which I believe to be this species - one at Penberth in Cornwall on 7th and one at the meadows on 30th, both on Ivy.

Scalloped Hazel, North Elmham, 17th May 2019

Scalloped Hazel, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

Scalloped Hazel, North Elmham, 26th May 2020

Scalloped Hazel caterpillar, Penberth, 7th October 2020

Scalloped Hazel caterpillar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th October 2020

Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria - At least 35 trapped in the garden between 7th July and 11th August 2019; even allowing for a couple of nights when they weren't counted this was probably my worst total here and certainly below the average of 47 a year.  2020 made up for it with 65 between 30th June and 5th August.  Elsewehere one at the meadows and 6 at Brancaster.

Scalloped Oak, North Elmham, 30th June 2020

Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria - Singles caught at home on 7 dates between 24th June and 17th July 2019, making it my worst year here so far (I average 19 a year), and 10 between 13th June and 5th July 2020 plus a late second generation individual on 20th October (my second October record following one in 2014).  A few elsewhere: 2 at the meadows, 2 at Hellesdon and one at Weybourne.

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 13th June 2020

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Swallow-tailed Moth, North Elmham, 20th October 2020

Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria - 30 in my garden between 19th October and 24th November 2019 and 35 between 10th October and 13th November 2020.  These weren't quite my worst annual totals but were well below the average of 45.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows.

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 21st October 2019

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th November 2020

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 9th November 2020

March Moth Alsophila aescularia - 17 between 7th February and 1st April 2019 and 12 between 14th February and 25th March 2020.  These were my worst 2 years in 6 but so far 2021 has been one of my best.  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows on 20th March 2019, another in 2020 and one at Lynford.

March Moth, North Elmham, 7th February 2019

March Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019

Next page: more Geometridae

A rush of new autumnal moths for the year

A relatively good night on 27th September produced no less than four new macro moths for the year: Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, Brick and Red-line Quaker.

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 27th September

Black Rustic, North Elmham, 27th September

Brick, North Elmham, 27th September

Red-line Quaker, North Elmham, 27th September

Other moths that night were London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 22 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Small Dusty Wave, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 3 Riband Waves, Common Marbled Carpet, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 19 Lunar Underwings, Barred Sallow, Pink-barred Sallow and 2 Snouts.

There was a selection of caddisflies: Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, 3 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 3 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus. There was also the barkfly Ectopsocus petersi and 2 beetles Aphodius rufipes.  On the ground by the trap were another two beetles, Nebria brevicollis, and a Common Frog.

Well that little burst of activity was short-lived and it was back to normal the following night with just 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 12 Lunar Underwings and Sallow - oh, and a Common Earwig.

Just a Shuttle-shaped Dart and 18 Lunar Underwings on 29th.

It was a bit better again on 30th with Pine Carpet being the best moth.  It seems like these are getting commoner, or perhaps I was just a bit unlucky with them when I started mothing?  The other moths were Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Red-line Quaker, 3 Beaded Chestnuts, 23 Lunar Underwings and Sallow.

Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 30th September

There was a noteworthy caddisfly too, my first Limnephilus decipiens of the year.  The only other caddis were 3 Limnephilus lunatus.

Limnephilus decipiens, North Elmham, 30th September

Next day I headed down to Cornwall for a few days - more about that shortly...

Garden-first Cochylis hybridella

Just 12 days earlier I had seen my first ever White-bodied Conch Cochylis hyrbidella at Surlingham; now on Thursday 7th September I had one in my garden trap.  It sounds like this species has become much commoner in Norfolk in recent years.

White-bodied Conch Cochylis hybridella, North Elmham, 7th September

A Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana was new for the year.

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 7th September

Other than those it was pretty quiet: Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Flounced Rustics and 4 Snouts.  Also 2 Small Silver Sedges Lepidostoma hirtum, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus (all caddisflies), Lamprotettix nitidulus (leafhopper) and 2 Aphodius rufipes (beetles).

15 moths of 7 species was pretty dire the following night: 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Light Emerald, Square-spot Rustic and 5 Flounced Rustics.

Even fewer moths the following night but they did include my first Frosted Orange of the year.  The others were Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Green Carpet, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Square-spot Rustic, 6 Flounced Rustics and Burnished Brass.

Frosted Orange, North Elmham, 9th September

There wasn't much excitement the following night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Currant Pug, Brimstone Moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow, Flounced Rustic, Frosted Orange, Burnished Brass, 4 Snouts and the beetle Aphodius rufipes.

The highlight on 11th was 2 Purple Bars, the first time I've recorded this species in September and the first time I've had more than one in a night at home.  Other moths were 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Common Wainscot, 6 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic and 8 Snouts.

This Feathered Thorn was new for the year on Tuesday 12th:

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 12th September

Other moths were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 9 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, Flame Shoulder, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Common Wainscot, 2 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic and 3 Snouts.  Also the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, the beetle Aphodius rufipes and caddisflies 5 Limnephilus auricula and 5 Limnephilus lunatus.

A Sallow and 3 Lunar Underwings were new species for the year on the otherwise unremarkable night of Wednesday 13th.  The rest were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Flounced Rustic and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

Sallow, North Elmham, 13th September

Lunar Underwing, North Elmham, 13th September

A slight improvement in numbers the following night, though nothing very remarkable: Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Lunar Underwing, Flounced Rustic, Burnished Brass and 5 Snouts.  Four species of caddisfly were all from the same genus: Limnephilus flavicornis, 4 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus vittatus. There was also the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum and a Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae.

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 14th September

The following night was back to normal with Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lunar Underwing, 3 Flounced Rustics, Snout and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

Convolvulus Hawkmoth!

The biggest surprise on 1st October was Mottled Umber - a very early date for this species, 3.5 weeks earlier than my previous earliest.

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 1st October

Also new for the year was this Yellow-line Quaker.

Yellow-line Quaker, North Elmham, 1st October

Not much else - the season really is coming to a close - just Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Mallows, Common Marbled Carpet, Beaded Chestnut, 6 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow and 2 Rosy Rustics.

I haven't been doing caddisflies lately as I've had such a big backlog with moths, but I retained one from this catch as it was obviously different from any I'd caught here this year.  It proved to be Halesus radiatus, actually one of the few distinctive caddisflies I'd identified from photos prior to owning the caddisfly key (not from here though, so this was new for the house).

Halesus radiatus, North Elmham, 1st October

Next day we wre down to 11 moths of 7 species, but these included one of my favourites, Green-brindled Crescent new for the year.

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 2nd October

The others were Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, Black Rustic, Beaded Chestnut, 5 Lunar Underwings and Rosy Rustic.

A lunchtime stroll round Thornham produced Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana on 3rd, along with Southern Hawker and Common Darters.  That night's moths were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Grey Pine Carpet, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, 6 Beaded Chestnuts, 5 Lunar Underwings, Rosy Rustic and Snout.

There was a bit more on 4th: 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Fan-footed Wave, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Black Rustics, Yellow-line Quaker, 4 Beaded Chestnuts, 11 Lunar Underwings, 3 Barred Sallows, Pink-barred Sallow, 2 Sallows, 2 Rosy Rustics and Snout.

Sallow, North Elmham, 4th October

Plenty of Red Admirals around when I was out and about around this time...

Red Admirals, Stiffkey, 5th October

That night's moths included the first Chestnut of the autumn and 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 5 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, Brown-spot Pinion, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, 3 Lunar Underwings, 3 Pink-barred Sallows, Sallow and Angle Shades.

It's been a good autumn for Convolvulus Hawkmoth and I've been bombarded with messages and photos of these amazing beasts that people have been seeing.  Some people haven't just had one or two, they've had loads of them.  But I have not.  I have not seen one.  Not one.  Indeed, I have never seen one.  Right up to 6th October.

Then the next morning as I was going through the moth trap I looked in and saw this big grey head peering out from beneath one of the eggboxes...

Surely... gotta be... hasn't it?  I carefully lifted the eggbox out and turned it over... YES!!  At last!  A Convolvulus Hawkmoth!  And not only that but a fresh one!

Convolvulus Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 6th October

I know they're not all that rare - certainly not as rare as a lot of other moths I've recorded this year, but I reckon this was probably my most exciting moth moment this year - such a badly wanted and long-awaited moth and an absolute BEAST.

Nothing else mattered much but Red-line Quaker was new for the year and Beautiful Hook-tip was an unusual second-generation record.   Also 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Yellow-barred Brindle, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Black Rustics, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut, 4 Beaded Chestnuts, 2 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow and Snout.

Red-line Quaker, North Elmham, 6th October

Also 5 Wasps, of which at least 2 were Common Wasps.

Feathered Thorn and Blair's Shoulder-knot were new for the year on 7th.  Other moths were Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Mallow, Common Marbled Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Black Rustics, 2 Merveille du Jours, Chestnut, 7 Beaded Chestnuts, 4 Lunar Underwings, 2 Barred Sallows, Pink-barred Sallow, 3 Sallows and Snout.

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 7th October

Blair's Shoulder-knot, North Elmham, 7th October

Merveille du Jour, North Elmham, 7th October

The following night produced 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Mallow, Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Green-brindled Crescent, Chestnut, 5 Beaded Chestnuts, 7 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow and Sallow.

Not so many moths the next night: 2 Black Rustics, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Green-brindled Crescent, Merveille du Jour and Lunar Underwing. Even fewer on 10th - Green-brindled Crescent, Satellite and Beaded Chestnut.  The 11th wasn't much better with Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Green-brindled Crescents and Lunar Underwing.  Another Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea was at Burnham Overy Dunes on 12th and that night at home produced just 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Lunar Underwing and Barred Sallow.

Things improved a bit on 13th with 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, Red-green Carpet, Feathered Thorn, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Black Rustics, Red-line Quaker, Lunar Underwing, Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow and Angle Shades.

Epirrita season kicked off on 14th with the first new moth for the year in a week: 4 November Moths.  Also Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella, Feathered Thorn, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Black Rustic, 6 Green-brindled Crescents, Satellite, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, Lunar Underwing and Sallow.

November Moth (male, 8th sternite checked), North Elmham, 14th October

No more Epirrita for a few days though,  15th produced 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Feathered Thorn, Large Yellow Underwing, Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Lunar Underwing and 2 Barred Sallows. On 16th 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Red-green Carpet, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker, Yellow-line Quaker, Lunar Underwing and Barred Sallow. Just 4 moths on 17th: Green-brindled Crescent, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and Lunar Underwing; and only slightly better on 18th: Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut and Lunar Underwing. 

Things picked up again on 19th with a return of Epirritas - 6 November Moths.  Also Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Green-brindled Crescents and Pink-barred Sallow. Also 2 Pinalitus cervinus, the first time I recorded this mirid bug this year.