Review of 2019 and 2020 - Caddisflies: part 2 of Limnephilidae

Family LIMNEPHILIDAE (continued)


Limnephilus affinis - A total of 21 caught in the garden between 12th September and 23rd October 2019 and 12 between 12th September and 11th November 2020 (none seen in either year in the April to June generation when they are always thinner on the ground).  Elsewhere one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

female Limnephilus affinis, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Limnephilus affinis, North Elmham, 12th September 2019

female Limnephilus affinis, North Elmham, 29th September 2019

female Limnephilus affinis, North Elmham, 20th October 2019

male Limnephilus affinis, North Elmham, 12th September 2020

female Limnephilus affinis, North Elmham, 9th November 2020

Limnephilus incisus - None.  I've not seen this species but it does occur in Norfolk with small numbers of widespread records.


Limnephilus rhombicus - 5 singles caught in the garden between 15th July and 2nd September 2019 and 7 between 19th July and 20th August 2020.  Apparently much commoner next door as I caught 5 there on the only 4 nights I trapped there (7th to 10th August 2019).  Also 4 at the meadows and one at Hellesdon.

Limnephilus rhombicus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Limnephilus rhombicus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

male Limnephilus rhombicus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

male Limnephilus rhombicus, North Elmham, 19th July 2020

Limnephilus flavicornis - 42 trapped in the garden between 7th June and 11th October 2019 and 37 between 3rd June and 24th October 2020, these totals being slightly less that I caught here in 2018.  Elsewhere 10 at the meadows, one at Whitwell Street and one at Hellesdon.  There are always considerably more in the autumn period (peaking mid August to mid October, especially September) than in the early summer period (peaking June to mid July).

female Limnephilus flavicornis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

male Limnephilus flavicornis, North Elmham, 4th July 2019

Limnephilus flavicornis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

female Limnephilus flavicornis, North Elmham, 22nd September 2019

male Limnephilus flavicornis, North Elmham, 26th September 2019

female Limnephilus flavicornis, North Elmham, 14th June 2020

male Limnephilus flavicornis, North Elmham, 24th September 2020

Limnephilus flavicornis, North Elmham, 26th September 2020

male Limnephilus flavicornis, North Elmham, 16th October 2020

Limnephilus lunatus - This is easily the commonest caddisfly here and I caught a total of 595 in the garden trap between 4th June and 19th December 2019 and 624 between 30th May and 21st December 2020 (the last being my latest ever).  Maximum counts in each year were 47 on 23rd September 2019 and 34 on 22nd September 2020.  Elsewhere 3 next door, 104 at the meadows including 25 to LED lights on 15th September 2019 and 20 on 8th September 2020, and 1-2 at Swanton Great Wood, Whitwell Street, Hellesdon, Weybourne and Row Heath (West Runton).  Also singles on 6 out of 7 nights trapping at Tresidder in Cornwall in early October 2020.

female Limnephilus lunatus, North Elmham, 21st June 2019

Limnephilus lunatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Limnephilus lunatus, North Elmham, 1st November 2019

Limnephilus lunatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th November 2019

Limnephilus lunatus, North Elmham, 30th May 2020

Limnephilus marmoratus - a total of 11 trapped here between 5th June and 22nd September 2019 and 13 between 7th June and 2nd October 2020 - both considerably lower totals than in 2017 abnd 2018.  Elsewhere singles next door, at the meadows, Bintree Wood, Whitwell Street and Hellesdon.

female Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 5th June 2019

Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 6th August 2019

male Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 7th September 2019

male Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 6th June 2020

female Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 4th August 2020

male Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 22nd September 2020

male Limnephilus marmoratus, North Elmham, 27th September 2020

Limnephilus politus - None.  I'm yet to find this species but there are a scattering of records in Norfolk so it might crop up here at some point.


Limnephilus binotatus - One in the garden trap on 16th May 2019 was only my second here following one in 2016.  Elsewhere caught at the meadows on 22nd April and 25th and 31st May 2019.  None recorded in 2020.

female Limnephilus binotatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

male Limnephilus binotatus, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

male Limnephilus binotatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

Limnephilus decipiens - One caught in the garden on 7th October 2019 but none in 2020.  I had 2 here in 2018 and one the year before.

male Limnephilus decipiens, North Elmham, 7th October 2019

Limnephilus bipunctatus - None.  I'm yet to record this species but it occurs in Norfolk, albeit thinly spread, so it's one to look out for.


Limnephilus elegans - one to light at Teanga Brideig on Mull on 13th June 2019.  This species is rather rare in the east of England but I had one in the garden here in 2018 which was apparently only the second or third record in Norfolk.

male Limnephilus elegans, Teanga Brideig (Mull), 13th June

Limnephilus griseus - None.  I found this species at 2 locations in the Brecks/Fens in 2016 when I first started looking at caddisflies seriously, so got the impression it was commoner than it is - I haven't seen any since.  Looking at the NBN Atlas it looks like it may not have been recorded in the Wensum Valley, so I may have to be lucky to find one locally.


Limnephilus luridus - None.  Another one that has a scattering of records from Norfolk but which I've not come across yet.


Next page: more Limnephilidae

Or return to Caddisfly index

Some interesting bugs and leafhoppers

I hadn't seen much in the way on non-avian wildlife on a visit to Burnham Overy on Saturday 16th September, but when I entered Holkham Pines I noticed something on my shoulder.  I duly potted it up and identified it as the distinctive bug Pilophorus cinnamopterus, a new one for me.  I contacted Rob Coleman the county recorder for bugs as there were no records in Norfolk showing on the NBN Atlas.  Turns out it's quite an interesting record, first recorded in Norfolk in 2013.  It's only the 5th record in Norfolk and apparently the other four were all from west Norfolk.

Pilophorus cinnamopterus, Holkham, 16th September

I also found a leafhopper at Holkham and this turned out to be Ribautiana cruciata.  Again the NBN Atlas doesn't show any records in Norfolk though it is quite widespread so I don't imagine it is really very unusual here.  Mind you, there aren't any photos on the British Bugs website which is perhaps an indicator of genuine scarcity?  Anyway, I will check with the county recorder for leafhoppers in due course.

Ribautiana cruciata, Holkham, 16th September

I was pretty much expecting that this fungus would turn out to be Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus but from what I could tell looking through my books it seemed to be a better fit for the more unusual Coprinus sterquilinus.  Thanks again to James for confirming that it was indeed Shaggy Inkcap, and for identifying the yellow stuff as Fuligo septica.

Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus, or possibly Coprinus sterquilinus?, Holkham, 16th September

Fuligo septica, Holkham, 16th September

That evening was the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Buckenham Carrs.  It was an exploratory visit really as some of us are hoping to do a bit more here next year.  It certainly seems like an excellent site, although the weather was not really much good on this occasion.  The only moths we found were Flame Carpet, Green Carpet, Dusky Thorn, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 4 Square-spot Rustics, Brindled Green, Angle Shades and Snout.  There were about 4 each of the caddisflies Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus flavicornis (probably more - these were just the ones I identified) and lots (25+) of Hornets.

I also found a leafhopper which on dissection proved to be Edwardsiana flavescens.  Now I know that the datasets on the NBN Atlas are very incomplete so there not being any Norfolk records of this species showing there may not be significant.  The fact that the NBN Atlas shows just two records in the whole of the UK might mean this one really is more significant though, maybe.  Or it might just be a recent arrival to the UK perhaps.  I will be in contact with the county recorder for leafhoppers to check the status of this and the Ribautiana above, but I know Tony is very busy at the moment so it might be a while before I find out.

Edwardsiana flavescens (male, gen det), Buckenham Carrs, 16th September

At home I noticed a distinctive-looking spider so took its photo and attempted to identify it using the new Britain's Spiders book.  It seems to be Araneus marmoreus.

Araneus marmoreus, North Elmham, 16th September

Very little in the moth trap that night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lunar Underwing, 4 Flounced Rustics, 2 Snouts and Limnephilus lunatus.

The following night this Mallow was new for the year.

Mallow, North Elmham, 17th September

Other moths were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Lunar Underwings, 4 Flounced Rustics, Frosted Orange and Snout. An Aphodius rufipes was the only beetle but there was a selection of caddisflies: Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus auricula, 5 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus rhombicus.

Nothing remotely exciting in the following night's haul: Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Lunar Underwing, 7 Flounced Rustics, Frosted Orange, Snout and the caddisflies Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis and 4 Limnephilus lunatus.

Next day while birding in the Stiffkey area I found a Lesser Marsh Grasshopper and a final instar Common Green Shieldbug.

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper, Stiffkey Greens, 19th September

Common Green Shieldbug (final instar), Stiffkey Flood, 19th September

With its attractive peachy colour to its flesh I wondered if this might be Blushing Bracket but having looked it up I wasn't sure.  Thanks once again to James for confirming that it is in fact Chicken of the Woods (Sulphur Polypore).

Chicken of the Woods, Stiffkey Campsite Wood, 19th September

There were very few moths in the trap that night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 7 Lunar Underwings and 4 Flounced Rustics.

The following night was a little better with Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Centre-barred Sallow, 8 Lunar Underwings, 2 Flounced Rustics, 2 Frosted Oranges, Vine's Rustic and 9 Snouts.

There was also a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum (mayfly), an Aphodius rufipes (beetle) and 19 caddisflies: Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Limnephilus affinis, 2 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis and 13 Limnephilus lunatus.  The Limnephilus affinis were new for the house, though I imagine I overlooked them last year when I had to step down my efforts with caddisflies during the second half of the summer.

Limnephilus affinis (female), North Elmham, 20th September

Next day I had another Common Frog in my moth trap but it didn't eat all of the moths!  There was Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, 5 Lunar Underwings, 3 Flounced Rustics, 2 Frosted Oranges, 5 Snouts and the caddisflies Limnephilus auricula, 8 Limnephilus lunatus and Limnephilus sparsus.

The 22nd was particularly rubbish with just Feathered Thorn, Square-spot Rustic, 12 Lunar Underwings, Frosted Orange, Snout, 6 Limnephilus lunatus (caddisflies) and the beetle Aphodius rufipes.