Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Pyralids (Pyralidae) - part 3: Pyralis to Endotricha (Tabbies)

PYRALIDS (PYRALIDAE) (continued)


Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis - One in the garden moth trap on 22nd September 2020.  I've recorded this species here just the once before, in 2017.

Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis, North Elmham, 22nd September 2020

Large Tabby Aglossa pinguinalis - None.  Surprisingly I've only had one of these in North Elmham, indoors in 2015.  I used to get them regularly at Bawdeswell before moving here.


Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis - Singles here on 4th and 22nd July 2019 and none here in 2020, a poor showing for this species for which I've averaged 5 a year here and never before had a blank.  Also one at the meadows on 7th July 2019 and my only 2020 record was at Hills and Holes on 21st May.

Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis - 4 at home between 28th June and 26th July 2019, my worst showing (average 7 a year).  Better in 2020 with 8 between 24th June and 22nd September.  Also one at the meadows on 23rd June 2020 and one at Weybourne in 2019.

Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, North Elmham, 24th June 2020

Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, North Elmham, 8th July 2020

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis - 2019 was my best year here with over 100 over 31 between 4th July and 11th August.  There were quite a few nights I didn't count them so the true total was probably quite a bit higher but 12 on 21st July broke a new record (previously 7) and then the record was broken again with 17 on 23rd July.  2020 was even better with 153 over 49 nights between 12th June and 15th August.  Previous annual totals have varied between 39 and 65.  Also 8 at the meadows, 5 at Bintree Wood, a daytime record at Foxley Wood and one at Weybourne.

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Next page: Crambidae

Amazing aberrant Small Copper

Sunday 23rd September saw both Pine Carpet and Grey Pine Carpet added to the garden year list.  Pine isn't very common here but I was surrpised when I realised the Grey Pine was my first this year.  Also new for the year was the wonderful Pink-barred Sallow.

Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 23rd September

Grey Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 23rd September

Pink-barred Sallow, North Elmham, 23rd September

Other moths were Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Double-striped Tabbies Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, 4 Light Emeralds, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 12 Lunar Underwings, 2 Frosted Oranges, Burnished Brass, Straw Dot and 10 Snouts.

Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, North Elmham, 23rd September

Caddisflies consisted of 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, Limnephilus auricula, 7 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus.  Beetles were represented by Nicrophorus investigator and Aphodius rufipes.

The following night Brown-spot Pinion was new for the year.

Brown-spot Pinion, North Elmham, 24th September

Other moths were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Riband Wave, Mallow, 5 Common Marbled Carpets, Willow Beauty, 2 Light Emeralds, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic, Centre-barred Sallow, 12 Lunar Underwings, Pink-barred Sallow, 2 Sallows, Frosted Orange, Silver Y and 4 Snouts.

Two other insects were new for the year and also my second ever: the mayfly Small Dark Olive Baetis scambus and the mirid bug Pantilius tunicatus.  The following caddisflies were also recorded: Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Limnephilus auricula, 7 Limnephilus lunatus, 2 Limnephilus sparsus and Limnephilus affinis.

Small Dark Olive Baetis scambus, North Elmham, 24th September

Pantilius tunicatus, North Elmham, 24th September

Next day I headed up to Burnham Overy where I found this extraordinary Small Copper (flying with an ordinary one).  There are lots of named aberrations of Small Copper but this isn't one of them.  I presume it's a form of leucism with normally dark areas looking pale and whitish.

Small Copper ab. nov., Burnham Overy, 25th September

Also here a very worn Beautiful Groundling Caryocolum marmorea and the caddisfly Limnephilus auricula.  Later on a Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana at Ryburgh.

A good night for moths that night included my second ever Orange Sallow following one in my first autumn here in 2014.

Orange Sallow, North Elmham, 25th September

Also new for the year were 2 Black Rustics.

Black Rustic, North Elmham, 25th September

This Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis was a surprise - as the species is supposed to finish flying in July.  It was reasonably fresh so presumably an unusual second generation.

Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, North Elmham, 25th September

Other moths were Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Small Blood-vein, Garden Carpet, Mallow, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 4 Dusky Thorns, Willow Beauty, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Common Wainscot, Brown-spot Pinion, 10 Lunar Underwings, 2 Sallows, Frosted Orange and 2 Snouts.

There was also a Chrysoperla carnea agg. (green lacewing), the caddisflies Ithytrichia lamellaris, Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Limnephilus auricula, 8 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus marmoratus, the leafhopper Empoasca vitis and the sexton beetle Nicrophorus investigator.

I had taken the aberrant Small Copper home with me just in case it was necessary to properly document the unusual appearance and the specimen would be required - and also to get decent photos as it hadn't played ball in the field.  I was planning to return to Burnham Overy in the morning so if I didn't need to keep the specimen I would return it.  The feedback I received overnight suggested that there was no need to keep it so I duly released it back where I found it.  This time it settled in the marram grass and in the sunshine allowing a more natural photo than I'd managed yesterday.  I didn't find much else of non-avian interest in the dunes this time.

Small Copper ab. nov., Burnham Overy, 26th September

My wife has recently taken on an allotment in the village and I visited it in the afternoon.  I don't intend to get my hands dirty there but I might have a mooch around looking for insects from time to time!  Not much this time - just a Liocoris tripustulatus (bug) on some nettles and a Common Rough Woodlouse in the compost heap.

Magpie and Canary

Monday 10th July was another poor night with just 35 moth species, none of which were new for the year.  They were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 Blood-veins, Small Fan-footed Wave, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 7 Riband Waves, Shaded Broad-bar, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, Engrailed, Common Wave, 2 Pale Prominents, 2 Yellow-tails, 14 Dingy Footmen, 16 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 2 Double Square-spots, Brown-line Bright Eye, Smoky Wainscot, Dusky Sallow, 16 Uncertains, 4 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock and Fan-foot.

Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, North Elmham, 10th July

Double-striped Tabby Hypospygia glaucinalis, North Elmham, 10th July

Other insects included the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, the caddisfly Hydropsyche pellucidula, the water beetles Ilybius fuliginosus and Rhantus suturalis and a Brown Chafer.

There weren't many more species the following night but two were new for the year: Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana and Magpie Moth.

Magpie Moth, North Elmham, 11th July

The other moths that night were Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 18 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Emerald, Small Blood-vein, 10 Small Fan-footed Waves, 10 Single-dotted Waves, 9 Riband Waves, Shaded Broad-bar, Sharp-angled Carpet, V-Pug, Willow Beauty, Engrailed, Pale Prominent, Yellow-tail, 2 Rosy Footmen, 26 Dingy Footmen, 18 Common Footmen, Large Yellow Underwing, Bright-line Brown-eye, 3 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, Common Rustic, Dusky Sallow, 8 Uncertains, 4 Rustics and 2 Fan-foots.  Other insects were 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum, a Hydropsyche pellucidula and a Brown Chafer.

Next day there was a Comma in the garden and a Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis inside the house.  That evening was very poor for moths with just Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Scalloped Oaks, Willow Beauty, 3 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 3 Uncertains and 3 Rustics.

The following night was a considerable improvement with Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, Yarrow Case-bearer Coleophora argentula, Body-marked Case-bearer Coleophora clypeiferella, Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata and Canary-shouldered Thorn all new for the year.

Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, North Elmham, 13th July

Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th July

Yarrow Case-bearer Coleophora argentula (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th July

Body-marked Case-bearer Coleophora clypeiferella, North Elmham, 13th July

Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, North Elmham, 13th July

Canary-shouldered Thorn, North Elmham, 13th July

Other moths that night were 10 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 3 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 25 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 8 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Chinese Character, Least Carpet, 5 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 9 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, Barred Straw, Small Rivulet, 2 Clouded Borders, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, Willow Beauty, Clouded Silver, 3 Poplar Hawk-moths, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, Pale Prominent, Yellow-tail, 9 Rosy Footmen, 25 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 2 Buff Footmen, 16 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, 2 Double Square-spots, 2 Nutmegs, 2 Brown-line Bright Eyes, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Dun-bar, 2 Slender Brindles, 2 Common Rustics (plus one Common Rustic agg.), 13 Uncertains, 4 Rustics, Marbled White Spot, Nut-tree Tussock and 2 Fan-foots.  Also a Brown Chafer and the leafhopper Iassua lanio.

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham, 13th July

Satyr surprise!

The night of Friday 22nd June was the best so far this year with over 300 moths of 92 species.  That's a good total, but not an especially remarkable total, for this time of year.  Several nice ones among them but I had no clue about the best one until over a week later.

I often keep back pugs if I'm not completely sure about their identify, even if I think they're probably Common Pugs.  That was the case with 2 pugs on this occasion, one proving as expected to be Common Pug but the other, a female, having gentitalia that I did not immediately recognise.  I still didn't recognise it after pawing through the diagrams in the Pugs book and resorted to checking each species one by one in the Dissection Group website.  Eventually I found it - it was a Satyr Pug!  This is a scarcely-recorded species and completely new to me, but there is no way I would have reached this conclusion without dissecting it.  I guess that's part of the reason they aren't recorded very often, though fresher examples are a little bit easier.

Satyr Pug (female, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

I'm not sure if the number of new moths for the year was testament to how good the night was or, probably more likely, how bad the year had been before, but a phenonemal 22 species were new for the year for the garden despite trapping every night.  Apart from the Satyr Pug, Purple Clay and Cream-bordered Green Pea were probably the best.

Cream-bordered Green Pea, North Elmham, 22nd June

Purple Clay, North Elmham, 22nd June

The others new for the year were Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Green Oak Tortrixes Tortrix viridana, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, 3 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 2 Meadow Greys Scoparia pyralella, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Ghost Moth, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Green Pugs, Bordered White, Uncertain, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Fan-foots and Small Fan-foot.

Ghost Moth, North Elmham, 22nd June

Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, North Elmham, 22nd June

Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, North Elmham, 22nd June

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, North Elmham, 22nd June

Green Pug, North Elmham, 22nd June

Bordered White, North Elmham, 22nd June

Large Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 22nd June

Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, North Elmham, 22nd June

Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, North Elmham, 22nd June

Pale Water-venner Donacaula forficella, North Elmham, 22nd June

White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, North Elmham, 22nd June

Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucinalis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

Water Venner Accentria ephemerella, North Elmham, 22nd June

Fan-Foot, North Elmham, 22nd June

Uncertain, North Elmham, 22nd June

Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, North Elmham, 22nd June

A staggering total of 48 Straw Dots was interesting and the other macros were 2 Blood-veins, 3 Small Dusty Waves, 11 Treble Brown Spots, 9 Riband Waves, 7 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, 2 Yellow Shells, 3 Sandy Carpets, 2 Foxglove Pugs, Mottled Pug, 3 Common Pugs, Clouded Border, 4 Scorched Wings, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Peppered Moths, 5 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, 2 Common White Waves, 13 Clouded Silvers, 2 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, Pebble Prominent, Orange Footman, Common Footman, 5 White Ermines, 3 Buff Ermines, 4 Cinnabars, Least Black Arches, 3 Heart and Darts, Flame, Large Yellow Underwing, Ingrailed Clay, Pale-shouldered Brocade, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Shoulder-striped Wainscots, Poplar Grey, 7 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, 7 Middle-barred Minors, 4 Treble Lines, 5 Mottled Rustics, 5 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle and 3 Snouts.

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 22nd June

Pale-shouldered Brocade, North Elmham, 22nd June

Poplar Grey, North Elmham, 22nd June

Mottled Beauty, North Elmham, 22nd June

The remaining micros were 2 Cypress Tip Moths Argyresthia cupressella, 14 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella, 5 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Black-headed Conch Cochylis atricapitana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 7 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Plum Tortrixes Hedya pruniana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 2 Red Piercers Lathronympha strigana, 5 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 14 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 4 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 7 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 4 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, North Elmham, 22nd June

According to the books the rings on the antennae of Coleophora caespititiella fade out before the tip of the antennae.  Well they do normally but there is variatioon - some are ringed to the very tip although not normally as clearly so as on this one:

antenna tip of Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

One moth was so worn it didn't really show any fieldmarks.  It looked very pale sandy coloured but I wasn't sure if that was at all reflective of how it would have appeared when it had a full quota of scales.  It's square-ended wings and the way it held them made me think it was one of the larger Agonopterix species, so I took it in to find out which one.  It really was on its last legs and by the time I photographed it it didn't seem able to rest properly with its wings down, hence the awkward posture in the photo.  Anyway, the genitalia revealed that it wasn't an Agonopterix species at all, nor anything else in that family.  I tried using the Kleine Vlinders key to find what family it belongs to but that was hard given the sad state it was in.  It keyed out as a Tortrix but several features were hard to judge and I'm not convinced it was a Tortrix.  The Pyralids (which I think includes Crambids in that key) were close, and I think the genitalia are broadly close to a number of the Pyralids, so I suspect that's the family.  But having been through numerous genitalia images of Pyralids and every other family I could possibly conceive it belonging to, I can't find anything that really matches this thing.  No doubt I've overlooked something obvious, but here is the moth, the genitalia and aedeagus in case any reader recognises it... let me know if you do please!

unidentified moth, North Elmham, 22nd June

Mayflies were represented by a Green Drake Ephemera danica, a new species for the garden.  The Leafhopper Oncopsis subangulata was the second I've seen this year.

Oncopsis subangulata, North Elmham, 22nd June

Caddisflies included Polycentropus flavomaculatus, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, Limnephilus flavicornis, Limnephilus marmoratus and 2 Mystacides longicornis.  Also what I think must be Athripsodes aterrimus but the genitalia didn't look quite right.

probable Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham, 22nd June