Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Gelechiids (Gelechiidae) (Part 2: Crests - subfamilies Dichomeridinae and Apatetrinae)

GELECHIIDS (GELECHIIDAE)


Subfamily DICHOMERIDINAE


Juniper Webber Dichomeris marginella - None.  This marvellous species is sadly lacking from my garden list, in fact the only one I've ever seen was in my old Bawdeswell garden back in 2011.  Time for another methinks...


Lichen Crest Dichomeris alacella - One at the meadows on 7th August 2020.  My only previous record of this species was in the garden in 2016.  This formerly rare species seems to be increasing so hopefully it won't be long before another turns up here.

Lichen Crest Dichomeris alacella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Ash-coloured Crest Acompsia cinerella - 3 between 5th and 12th July 2019 and 4 between 1st July and 1st Augsut 2020, average years for this species that I record here annually.  When I started seeing these they were considered to be quite rare with some records suspected of being mistaken for Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens and requiring dissection to confirm.  Well I guess a worn dull rufescens could just about look something vaguely close to these, but it seems a bit of a stretch to me.  I find cinerella to be quite distinctive (if in a dull sort of way) and I'm glad I'm not required to chop them up to prove the records any more.

Ash-coloured Crest Acompsia cinerella, North Elmham, 5th July 2019

Ash-coloured Crest Acompsia cinerella, North Elmham, 1st July 2020

Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella - Recorded here on 27 nights between 24th June and 1st August.  I can't give you a total as I didn't count them on a couple of nights but at least 71.  In the previous 4 years I've seen between 17 and 24 so this represents a very good performance.  2020 was similarly good with 61 on 30 nights between 16th June and 10th August.  Elsewhere 3 at Weybourne and one in Hellesdon in 2019.

Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, North Elmham, 22nd June 2020

Fen Crest Brachmia inornatella - None.  I had 3 here in 2017-2018 but none before.


Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens - A total of 17 in the garden between 6th July and 6th August 2019.  Also one next door on 8th August and 2 at the meadows.  In the previous 4 years I've recorded between 19 and 31 here so this was my worst year for this species since moving to North Elmham.  2020 was below average too, with 22 between 16th July and 8th August.

Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Subfamily APATETRINAE


Flame Crest Chrysoesthia drurella - One netted in flight at the bottom of the track at the meadows on 15th June 2019 (daytime).  An entirely new moth for me and what a little beauty!

Flame Crest Chrysoesthia drurella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

Six-spot Crest Chrysoesthia sexguttella - None.  I've never seen this species and it's never been recorded near here.  There are records scattered around elsewhere in Norfolk so I imagine it might turn up locally one day.



Subfamily THEOTRICINAE


Eyelet Sober Thiotricha subocellea - None.  I've recorded this species a couple of times but have yet to find it in my garden or very locally.


Next page: more Gelechiidae

Mompha raschkiella and Anarsia spartiella new for the garden

A rather fine Little Cosmet Mompha raschkiella was the highlight on Wednesday 5th July.  It was new for the garden and in fact only my second anywhere, and the first was such a worn specimen that I had to dissect it to work out what it was.  I'd not seen one in all its glory before and they're a lovely little moth even if my photos don't do it justice.

Little Cosmet Mompha raschkiella, North Elmham, 5th July

Other moths that were new for the year here were Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens and Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana.

Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 5th July

Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, North Elmham, 5th July

Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, North Elmham, 5th July

The rest were 3 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 19 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 2 Yellow Satin Veneers Crambus perlella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Chinese Character, Buff Arches, 2 Blood-veins, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, 3 Double-striped Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, Clouded Border, Early Thorn, Privet Hawk-moth, Yellow-tail, Round-winged Muslin, 5 Rosy Footmen, 11 Dingy Footmen, 20 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, Heart and Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, 3 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Brown-line Bright Eye, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, 27 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips and 2 Fan-foots.

Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, North Elmham, 5th July

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 5th July

Rustic, North Elmham, 5th July

A variety of other insects trapped included the mayfly Serratella ignita, the caddisflies Hydropsyche siltalai, Hydropsyche pellucidula, Goera pilosa and Leptocerus tineiformis, 3 more of the leafhopper Iassus lanio and the beetles Brown Chafer and Lagria hirta.  There was also a Common Frog and earlier a Small Tortoiseshell had come into my study.

Next day there was another new moth for the garden: Small Crest Anarsia spartiella.

Small Crest Anarsia spartiella, North Elmham, 6th July

Brown Scallop and Double Lobed were new for the year here and species I don't see here more than once or twice a year usually; Lesser Yellow Underwing was also new for the year.

Brown Scallop, North Elmham, 6th July

Double Lobed, North Elmham, 6th July

Lesser Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 6th July

Another Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana was of note.

Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 6th July

Other moths that night were Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, 3 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, 4 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 3 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 15 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 4 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 2 Ermine Knot-horns Phycitodes binaevella, 3 White Plumes Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Chinese Character, Blood-vein, Least Carpet, 5 Small Fan-footed Waves, 7 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Shaded Broad-bar, Small Rivulet, 2 Clouded Borders, Scorched Carpet, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, Willow Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Coxcomb Prominent, Round-winged Muslin, 5 Rosy Footmen, 6 Dingy Footmen, 12 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Double Square-spots, Nutmeg, Clay, 4 Smoky Wainscots, Slender Brindle, Common Rustic, 15 Uncertains, Rustic, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3 Fan-foots and Small Fan-foot.

Another or the same Common Frog was looking on and other insects included the green lacewings Cucnctochrysa albolineata and Dichochrysa flavifrons, the caddisflies Ecnomus tenellus and Athripsodes aterrimus and the beetle Lagria hirta.

Next day another Small Tortoiseshell appeared in the house, there was a Meadow Brown, Common Wasp and, new for the garden apparently (though surely not really), Red-tailed Bumblebee.

Small Tortoiseshell, North Elmham, 7th July

Small Dotted Buff and Gothic

22nd July wasn't such a good night with just Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana new for the year.

Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, North Elmham, 22nd July

 
Other stuff was 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 6 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata, Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Drinker, Chinese Character, Buff Arches, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 7 Single-dotted Waves, Barred Straw, 4 Peppered Moths, 2 Willow Beauties, Common White Wave, Privet Hawkmoth, Pine Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Pebble Prominent, 2 Buff-tips, Yellow-tail, Dingy Footman, Scarce Footman, 31 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, 3 Heart and Darts, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, 5 Double Square-spots, Dot Moth, 6 Clays, Smoky Wainscot, 3 Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, 22 Uncertains, 8 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, Spectacle and 3 Snouts.

23rd July was much better.  363 moths of 94 species including a macro lifer, albeit a fairly common species that I ought to have seen already: Small Dotted Buff.

Small Dotted Buff, North Elmham, 23rd July

A Gothic was only my second ever:

Gothic, North Elmham, 23rd July

New for the year were 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana, Large Tabby Aglossa pinguinalis (in my study), Tawny Speckled Pug and Dusky Sallow.

Dusky Sallow, North Elmham, 23rd July

Tawny Speckled Pug, North Elmham, 23rd July

Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana, North Elmham, 23rd July

Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, North Elmham, 23rd July - a typically marked one and a plainer then usual example

With 5 Least Carpets it's hard to imagine that until recently they were quite rare and until last year I had never seen one.

Other macros were 3 Pebble Hook-tips, 3 Chinese Characters, Lesser Cream Wave, 8 Small Fan-footed Waves, 10 Single-dotted Waves, 10 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, V-Pug, Double-striped Pug, 5 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, 3 Early Thorns, 3 Scalloped Oaks, 4 Peppered Moths, 3 Willow Beauties, 2 Common Waves, Clouded Silver, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, 2 Lesser Swallow Prominents, Swallow Prominent, Marbled Brown, 8 Yellow-tails, 6 Rosy Footmen, 8 Dingy Footmen, 4 Scarce Footmen, 49 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, 2 Ruby Tigers, Heart and Dart, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Nutmegs, 3 Dot Moths, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Brown-line Bright-eye, 3 Clays, Smoky Wainscot, Sycamore, Brown Rustic, Dingy Shears, 3 Dun-bars, Lunar-spotted Pinion, 7 Dark Arches, Rufous Minor, 7 Common Rustics, 27 Uncertains, 4 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, Burnished Brass, Beautiful Hook-tip and 4 Snouts.

Lesser Cream Wave, North Elmham, 23rd July

Lunar-spotted Pinion, North Elmham, 23rd July

Brown-line Bright-eye, North Elmham, 23rd July

Other micros were 15 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 3 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 2 Flax Tortrices Cnephasia asseclana, Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana, 12 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 52 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula stagnata, 2 Small Magpies Eurrhypara hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 6 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, North Elmham, 23rd July

Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, North Elmham, 23rd July

Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 23rd July

The night of 24th July was wet and windy so no surprise that there were few moths: Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 5 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Large Emerald, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Scalloped Oak, Swallow-tailed Moth, Yellow-tail, Dingy Footman, Scarce Footman, 3 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, Large Yellow Underwing, Double Square-spot, Smoky Wainscot, 6 Uncertains and Rustic. 

Large Emerald, North Elmham, 24th July