Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Geometers (Geometridae) - part 2: Mochas and Carpets I (Cyclophora to Camptogramma)

GEOMETERS (GEOMETRIDAE)


Birch Mocha Cyclophora albipunctata - None.  I've only recorded this species here once, in 2018.


Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria - 9 recorded here between 22nd April (my earliest ever) and 8th August 2019 - an average total.  Only 4 in 2020, between 17th May and 12th August.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 22nd August 2019 and my highest count ever, 4 at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 22nd April 2019

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 18th May 2020

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 12th August 2020

Clay Triple-lines Cyclophora linearia - None at home - I've had 3 here since moving in in August 2014.  Elsewhere one Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and one at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019.  None in 2020.

Clay Triple-lines, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Vestal Rhodometra sacraria - None.  I've only ever caught one of these fantastic migrant moths here, or indeed anywhere in Norfolk - in the good Vestal year of 2017.


Oblique Striped Phibalapteryx virgata - None.  In Norfolk this species is mainly known from the Brecks but there are a scattering of records through central Norfolk so it may turn up here someday.


July Belle Scotopteryx luridata - None.  The two we had at the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Hockering Wood in 2012 appear to be the nearest anyone has found this species so perhaps my chances of finding one locally aren't all that high.


Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata - Totals of 13 at home between 18th and 30th July 2019 and 14 between 2nd July and 14th August 2020 - I average considerably more a year (22).  Elsewhere 6 at the meadows and recorded at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 and Foxley Wood on 17th August 2019.

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Oblique Carpet Orthonama vittata - None.  In Norfolk this species is mainly known from the Broads but I've recorded it twice here, in 2016 and 2018.


Gem Nycterosea obstipata - None.  I never do well for migrants here but even so, this species is becoming a bit of a bogey-moth for me, having not yet found one anywhere.


Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata - Totals of 24 here between 24th April and 6th September 2019 and 17 between 27th April and 9th November 2020 - I average 25 a year and 2020 was my worst year here so far (but the record on 9th November was my latest ever in Norfolk by 24 days).  Elsewhere 3 at the meadows and one at Whitwell Street.

Garden Carpet, North Elmham, 24th April 2019

Garden Carpet, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

Balsam Carpet Xanthorhoe biriviata - None.  Although there are a handful of records of this mainly Broadland species in or around the Wensum Valley, I'd have to be quite lucky to get one round here.


Red Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe spadicearia - At least 21 here between 2nd May and 8th August 2019.  I didn't count them on 5 nights but I only had singles on the nights around this period where I did count, so the true total probably wasn't much higher than 21.  In any event it was by far my worst year ever for this species which had been averaging at 64 a year over the previous 4 years.  2020 was better but still worse than the previous years, with 41 between 18th May and 14th August.  Elsewhere 1-2 at the meadows on 7 nights, one at Bintree Wood, one at Sculthorpe Moor and 2 at Hills and Holes.  To ensure that I am identifying these and Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets correctly I usually select a small number to dissect, particularly from among those showing at least one character associated with the other species, such as a darker-than-normal bar.  Excepting very worn individuals my provisional ID almost invariably turns out to be correct so I don't think this is as challenging a duo as some sources have suggested in the past.

Red Twin-spot Carpets, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019 (the top one a confirmed male)

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata - At least 35 here between 25th April and 3rd September 2019.  I didn't count them on 2 nights but I only had 1-2 on the nights around these dates, so the true total won't have been much higher than 35.  This was a fairly typical showing for this species, but it was the first time that numbers of this species exceeded the number of Red Twin-spot Carpets.  Only 14 in 2020, between 8th May and 16th August.  Elsewhere a couple next door, singles at the meadows on 7 nights and 3 at Sculthorpe Moor.  Given that fairly recently this species was thought to be heavily over-recorded and a lot rarer than the number of records suggested (due to confusion with dark-barred examples of Red Twin-spot Carpet) I confirmed nearly all of my records for a number of years.  With a negligible error rate I've stopped doing this now, but still check a small selection to make sure (including all of those shown below).  It's probably not a coincidence that the reddest-barred individuals I've caught and confirmed have been worn specimens.

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 26th April 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 8th May 2019

female Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 3rd September 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 8th May 2020

Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata - 2019 was my worst year yet with just 2 recorded in my garden, on 25th and 30th May.  Previous annual totals have ranged from 5 to 14 and there were 6 in 2020, between 31st July and 17th September.  Elsewhere one at Sculthorpe Moor and 2 on Mull.

Flame Carpet, Sculthorpe Moor, 26th April 2019

Flame Carpet, North Elmham, 25th May 2019

Flame Carpet, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Flame Carpet, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata - Totals of 49 caught at home between 19th May and 23rd June 2019 and 41 between 17th May and 15th June 2020.  These were my lowest total so far, though not be a long way - I've averaged 60 a year here.  Elsewhere 13 at the meadows, 2 at Hills and Holes, one at Keswick and 7 at various sites on Mull.

Silver-ground Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May 2019

Silver-ground Carpets, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

Large Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata - My worst years for this species too, with 7 at home between 25th June and 24th July 2019 and just 2 in 2020, on 15th July and 2nd August.  I had been averaging around 20 a year.  Elsewhere one at the meadows, singles at Bintree Wood, Hellesdon and Weybourne.

Large Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 25th June 2019

Large Twin-spot Carpet, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Rotal Mantle Catarhoe cuculata - None.  This species is mainly recorded in Norfolk in the Brecks and NW Norfolk but there are a couple of records from the Wensum Valley so maybe I'll get one locally one day.


Ruddy Carpet Catarhoe rubidata - None.  I've never seen this species but there have been a handful of recent records not all that far away from here so I'm optimistic.


Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata - 13 recorded at home between 29th June and 25th August 2019 and 9 between 12th June and 17th August 2020.  I average 13-14 here.  A total of 36 seen at the meadows, often during the day, plus 2 at the allotment and singles at Bintree Wood, Swanton Great Wood, Whitwell Street and on Mull.

Yellow Shell, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th May 2019

Yellow Shell, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 12th June 2020

Next page: more Geometridae

A new beetle (Hallomenus binatatus) and more moths

Quite a few new moths for the year on 19th June again, with Hawthorn Ermine Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 2 Meadow Case-bearers Coleophora mayrella, White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet and 2 Lilac Beauties.

Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, North Elmham, 19th June

White Sallow Case-bearer Coleophora albidella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th June

Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, North Elmham, 19th June

Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, North Elmham, 19th June

Large Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 19th June

Lilac Beauty, North Elmham, 19th June

The rest of the moths were 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Buff Mompha Mompha ochraceella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, 4 Green Oak Tortrixes Tortrix viridana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 10 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 5 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 10 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Common Swift, 5 Common Emeralds, Dwarf Cream Wave, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Treble Brown Spots, 6 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Barred Straw, Barred Yellow, Sandy Carpet, Common Pug, Green Pug, Small Yellow Wave, 3 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Clouded Silver, Elephant Hawk-moth, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 Pale Prominents, Common Footman, 2 White Ermines, 9 Buff Ermines, 5 Heart and Darts, 4 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Ingrailed Clays, 2 Double Square-spots, Shears, Common Wainscot, 7 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, Dark Arches, 3 Middle-barred Minors, 4 Treble Lines, 6 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, Burnished Brass, 39 Straw Dots, 4 Fan-foots and 3 Small Fan-foots.

Barred Straw, North Elmham, 19th June

Green Pug, North Elmham, 19th June

Caddisflies consisted of Ecnomus tenellus, Holocentropus picicornis, Polycentropus flavomaculatus and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis, the first two of which were new for the year.

Holocentropus picicornis, North Elmham, 19th June

A Psallus varians was the only heteropteran bug but leafhoppers included what was probably my first Macrosteles sexnotatus (but a female, and you can't eliminate less likely congeners without a male) and Fagocyba cruenta.

probable Macrosteles sexnotatus (female), North Elmham, 19th June

Beetles included one lifer (Hallomenus binotatus), one new for the year (Summer Chafer), a Hydrophiliid I can't identify at the moment and have retained to look at again another day, and the soldier beetles Cantharis rufa and Cantharis cryptica.

Hallomenus binatatus, North Elmham, 19th June

Summer Chafer, North Elmham, 19th June

Just 4 new moths for the year the following night: Orange Pine Tortrix Lozotaeniodes formosana, Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis and Large Emerald.

Orange Pine Tortrix Lozotaeniodes formosana, North Elmham, 20th June

Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, North Elmham, 20th June

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, North Elmham, 20th June

Large Emerald, North Elmham, 20th June

Others were Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, 2 Tipped Oak Case-bearers Coleophora flavipennella, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 4 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 2 Green Oak Tortrixes Tortrix viridana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 10 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, 4 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia woodiella, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 3 Riband Waves, Silver-ground Carpet, Garden Carpet, Purple Bar, Barred Straw, Common Pug, Small Yellow Wave, 4 Scorched Wings, 6 Willow Beauties, 3 Mottled Beauties, Engrailed, Common Wave, Light Emerald, 2 Poplar Hawk-moths, Coxcomb Prominent, 16 Buff Ermines, 3 Heart and Darts, 2 Flames, 5 Ingrailed Clays, Bright-line Brown-eye, Common Wainscot, 2 Brown Rustics, 3 Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, 3 Uncertains, 2 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, 3 Burnished Brasses, Beautiful Hook-tip, 12 Straw Dots and Snout.

The brown lacewing Hemerobius humulinus was new for the year as was the caddisfly Limnephilus rhombicus.   There was a Giant Cranefly Tipula maxima, the first I've noticed this year though I don't check craneflies carefully and representing the beetles, both Summer Chafer and Brown Chafer, the latter new for the year.

Limnephilus rhombanus, North Elmham, 20th June

Brown Chafer, North Elmham, 20th June

Red-tipped Clearwings and another Corn Moth

After my success with Currant Clearwing in the garden I put a lure out for Red-tipped Clearwing on Thursday 15th June.  When I checked the trap later on I was delighted to find no less than 5 Red-tipped Clearwings in it!  Awesome!

Red-tipped Clearwings, North Elmham, 15th June

I found Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella and the carpet beetle Anthrenus fuscus in the house that day before another moderately good haul in the moth trap.  Fewer species than the previous night and nothing quite as exciting but 10 species were new for the year: Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Small Emerald, Dwarf Cream Wave, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Barred Yellow, Short-cloaked Moth and 2 Double Square-spots.

Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana, North Elmham, 15th June

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, North Elmham, 15th June

Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, North Elmham, 15th June

Small Emerald, North Elmham, 15th June

Dwarf Cream Wave, North Elmham, 15th June

Large Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 15th June

Barred Yellow, North Elmham, 15th June

Short-cloaked Moth, North Elmham, 15th June

Double Square-spot, North Elmham, 15th June

Other moths trapped were Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 7 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 11 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 7 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, 8 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Emerald, Small Dusty Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Treble Brown Spots, Riband Wave, Common Carpet, 3 Barred Straws, Currant Pug, Common Pug, Grey Pug, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Common White Wave, Clouded Silver, Poplar Hawk-moth, 17 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 Flames, 2 Ingrailed Clays, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 3 Shoulder-striped Wainscots, 7 Brown Rustics, 4 Dark Arches, 3 Middle-barred Minors, Treble Lines, Uncertain, 4 Mottled Rustics, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Straw Dots, 2 Snouts and Fan-foot.

Next day I visited Ryburgh where moths included 2 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana and Yellow Shell.  Dragonflies included Banded Demoiselle, Emperor, Broad-bodied Chasers and Black-tailed Skimmers.

Broad-bodied Chaser, Ryburgh, 16th June

Back at home I found Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana and Early Bumblebee in the garden.

Early Bumbleee, North Elmham, 16th June

Inside the house I discovered a moth which at first I thought seemed to be a good candidate for Pale Corn Clothes Moth Nemapogon variatella which would have been a lifer and the fourth for Norfolk.  Sadly closer inspection revealed that it wasn't quite so exciting, being a species I'd found inside the house last year, Corn Moth Nemapogon granella.  Still a good record - it's not been reported anywhere else in the county since 2013.

Corn Moth Nemapogon granella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 16th June