Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 13: Piercers II (Cydia to Grapholita))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE) (continued)


Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana - At least 38 in the garden between 10th July and 2nd September 2019 (though not counted on several dates so possibly more) and 32 between 8th July and 8th September 2020.  Number-wise this species has been fairly consistent here each year.  Elsewhere seen in next door's garden 3 times and at the meadows on 4 dates between 26th July and 3rd September 2019 and 2 on 7th August 2020.  Also at Bintree Wood, Swanton Great Wood and Row Heath (West Runton).

Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana - Singles at home on 21st and 24th July 2019 but none here in 2020.  2020 wasn't my first blank year but I had 1-2 every year from 2016-19.  Also singles at the meadows on 7th and 26th July 2019 and 3 there on 7th August 2020 plus one at Bintree Wood on 13th June 2020.

Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Vagrant Piercer Cydia amplana - None.  This species has always been regarded as a rare migrant and as such the odds of me getting one here would be very small.  But in very recent years there have been so many records at inland Norfolk sites it must surely have become established.  Some of these aren't all that far away, like one at Sparham and a ludicrous 20+ that Dave Norgate has had at Toftwood, so I now have high hopes of finding my first before too long.


Scarce Maple Piercer Cydia inquinatana - Having been at the event where Norfolk's first (and Britain's 4th) record of this species was taken, but having not seen it as I didn't hear about it on the night, it was nice to catch one in my own garden on 11th July 2020.  Of course there have been quite a few in Norfolk since that first one in 2011 - I think mine is the 16th.

female Scarce Maple Piercer Cydia inquinatana, North Elmham, 11th July 2020

Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana - 6 between 23rd July and 21st August 2019 and 15 between 21st May and 17th August 2020.  Numbers don't fluctuate all that much here and these were my worst and best years respectively.  Also 2 next door, one at the meadows and one at Bintree Wood.

female Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Triple-stripe Piercer Grapholita compositella - One netted at the meadows on 20th July 2020 was only my second record of this species although it was one I was half-expecting there as there's an abundance of clover.  Not sure how often this species comes to light so my chances of catching one at home are perhaps not so high?

Triple-stripe Piercer Grapholita compositella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th July 2020

Dark Gorse Piercer Grapholita internana - None.  I've not had this species very locally, though I always look for it around the gorse at the meadows.


Crescent Piercer Grapholita orobana - None.  This seems to be quite a scarce species in Norfolk but there's no reason I can see why it shouldn't occur locally.  I've not seen it yet though, anywhere.


Vetch Piercer Grapholita jungiella - 6 at the meadows over the 2 years between 22nd April and 12th May.  I haven't recorded this species at home yet but I usually see it in the day-time.

Vetch Piercer Grapholita jungiella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May 2019

Vetch Piercer Grapholita jungiella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2020

Kent Fruit Piercer Grapholita lobarzewskii - following Norfolk's second record in my garden in 2018 I had another 5 in 2019!  The first turned up to the lobarzewskii pheremone lure on 29th June and I imagine the next two were attracted to it to, but they actually turned up in the moth trap that night.  Then there were 2 more to lure on 12th July.  One more in 2020 on 11th July.

male Kent Fruit Piercers Grapholita lobarzewskii, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

male Kent Fruit Piercers Grapholita lobarzewskii, North Elmham, 12th July 2019

male Kent Fruit Piercer Grapholita lobarzewskii, North Elmham, 11th July 2020

Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.  None at home where this species has been very irregular - none most years but 6 in 2016 and one in 2018.  None in 2020.

male Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Deep-brown Piercer Grapholita tenebrosana - None.  I've never seen this species but apparently it comes to the pheremone lure for Grapholita funebrana so I'm hoping to attract one soon.


Pale-bordered Piercer Grapholita janthinana - One here on 27th July 2019 was only my second here to MV light (first in 2015).  2 came to the pheremone lure for Grapholita lobarzewskii on 11th July 2020 (the second time I've caught them here using this method).  Also one to light at Weybourne on 5th July 2019. 

male Pale-bordered Piercers Grapholita janthinana, North Elmham, 10th July 2020

Next page: more Tortricidae

Lolly Longhorn

Meadow Long-horn is one of those moths that has been on my radar for a while but which I'd not managed to find.  Photos on Twitter by Mark Clements of one on Cuckoo Flowers near Sheringham made me think.  Lolly Moor has Cuckoo Flower - I bet they're there.  So on Sunday afternoon a brief spell of brightness was enough to get me down to Lolly Moor with Dave.  First observation, apart from the mass of Grass Rivulets (50+) was that there wasn't so much Cuckoo Flower there as I'd thought.  There was a bit, and I checked it but to no avail.

A few other moths were flying.  It wasn't long before we'd seen the first of at least 14 Cinereous Pearls Anania fuscalis.  One in the Attleborough square in 1996 was the first post-Victorian record in Norfolk and there were no more until Dave found some here at Lolly Moor last year.  Great to see they're still thriving this year and shows the importance of what is quite a poorly-known and very small NWT reserve.

Cinereous Pearl Anania fuscalis, Lolly Moor, 22nd May

A couple of weeks ago we'd found Knapweed Conches Epiblema cirsiana here and today at least 6 were seen again.  I took one home to check it and that proved quite interesting.  The best feature for males is the colour of the hindwing - very dark in cirsiana and paler in scutulana (it's dark on both species for females).  This wasn't very dark so by rights should have been scutulana, but I don't think it was.  It was a small moth - way smaller than the bottom end of the quoted size range of scutulana, and it lacked the extensive white at the rear dorsal corner of the wings that is apparent in most (not all) photos of scutulana and apparently not in cirsiana.  The male genitalia are extremely similar (I can't see any difference in photos) so that doesn't help but in view of the size, overall appearance and the fact that there are definitely cirsiana there makes me think it was cirsiana, and the reason for its not-too-dark hindwing being wear - it was quite a worn individual.

presumed Knapweed Bell Epiblema cirsiana, Lolly Moor, 22nd May

Many of the Buttercups scattered around the fen supported a few Plain Golds Micropterix calthella - I rough-counted 180 of them altogether.  Interestingly the dense stand of buttercups near the entrance didn't have a single moth on them.  Different species of Buttercup perhaps - I didn't check.  Quite a few (at least 8) Common Marbles Celypha lacunana were seen - my first this year.

Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Lolly Moor, 22nd May

Other moths included Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella, Green Carpet and Scorched Carpet, and then we found a tiny Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla.

Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla (male, gen det), Lolly Moor, 22nd May

We were nearly done when I checked one last Cuckoo Flower and there on it was the moth I went there looking for, my first ever Meadow Long-horn Cauchas rufimitrella.

Meadow Long-horn Cauchas rufimitrella, Lolly Moor, 22nd May

Around the same time I netted a small moth that turned out to be another new moth for me, Triple-striped Piercer Grapholita compositella.

Triple-striped Piercer Grapholita compositella, Lolly Moor, 22nd May

This Drinker caterpillar was by the path on the way out.

Drinker, Lolly Moor, 22nd May

Not bad for an hour or so's work at a small reserve 10 minutes from home.