Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 3: Copper Underwings, Sprawler, Marbled Beauty and their allies

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE) (continued)


Copper Underwing Amphipyra pyramidea - Totals of 11 trapped in the garden between 1st August and 22nd September 2019 and 16 between 26th July and 19th September 2020.  I average about 10 a year here and 16 equalled my best total.  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows, 3 at Whitwell Street and 3 in Cornwall.

Copper Underwing, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

male Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 7th August 2020

male Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 8th August 2020

Svensson's Copper Underwing Amphipyra berbera - One in the garden on 25th July 2019 and 4 between  15th August and 7th September 2020.  I'd only caught 6 here previously and never more than 3 in a year.  Also one next door on 7th August 2019.

Svensson's Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 25th July 2019

male Svensson's Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 15th August 2020

male Svensson's Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 23rd August 2020

male Svensson's Copper Underwing, North Elmham, 7th September 2020

Mouse Moth Amphipyra tragopoginis - Totals of 7 caught here between 24th July and 10th September 2019 and 5 between 14th August and 16th September 2020.  This species is remarkably consistent here, with between 5 and 7 every year since 2014.  Elsewhere one at the meadows and one at Bintree Wood.

Mouse Moth, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx - Totals of 30 trapped in the garden between 20th October and 20th November 2019 and 34 between 16th October and 23rd November 2020, slightly below the average of 36.

Sprawler, North Elmham, 20th October 2019

Sprawler, North Elmham, 6th November 2020

Green-brindled Crescent Allophyes oxyacanthae - Totals of 17 caught in the garden between 24th September and 2nd November 2019 and 38 between 10th and 30th October 2020.  I avereage 43 a year - 2019 was my worst year so far.

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 1st October 2019

Green-brindled Crescents, North Elmham, 10th October 2020

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham, 20th October 2020

Early Grey Xylocampa areola - Totals of 9 caught in the garden between 15th March and 9th May and 16 between 13th March and 26th April 2020.  I've averaged 27 a year here and 2019's total was my worst yet.

Early Grey, North Elmham, 15th March 2019

Early Grey, North Elmham, 13th March 2020

Bordered Sallow Pyrrhia umbra - None.  I'm still waiting for my first example of this species.  Although most records are from the coast and it hasn't been recorded in this 10km square yet I think I've got a realistic chance of catching one someday as there have been a few records elsewhere in mid Norfolk.


Marbled Clover Heliothis viriplaca - None.  Although a red data book species this is widespread in Norfolk and has been recorded just down the road at Worthing, including one in 2020.  I await my first but feel like I missed a good chance in 2020 when there were much larger numbers than usual recorded around the county.


Bordered Straw Heliothis peltigera - None.  Most years this migrant species is very hard to come by but in good years there's a chance I might catch one locally, though I didn't manage in the last good year, 2015.  Indeed I've never found this species in the UK.


Scarce Bordered Straw Heliothis peltigera - None.  Despite the name this species is considerably less scarce than the previous species in Norfolk.  I've recorded it once in my garden, during the 2017 influx.


Tree-lichen Beauty Crypgia algae - This new colonist has only recently colonised Norfolk and records have sky-rocketed in 2018 and 2019.  I caught my first at the meadows on 4th August 2019 followed by another in next door's garden on 8th August, but despite coming so close, I had to wait another year before catching one in my own garden - one on 15th August, the only one I caught in 2020.

Tree-lichen Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Tree-lichen Beauty, North Elmham, 8th August 2019

Tree-lichen Beauty, North Elmham, 15th August 2020

Marbled Beauty Crypgia algae - 3 in the garden trap between 20th and 29th July 2019 and 4 between 23rd July and 8th August 2020 - 3 a year is average here.  I only ever saw 2 of these when I lived in Bawdeswell but prior to that when I lived in Norwich I recorded up to 10 in a night - and that was before I was really into moths and had no special equipment: I just tried to identify what came in to my bedroom through the open window when the light was on.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 26th July 2019, which is the first I've ever caught away from somewhere I live.

Marbled Beauty, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Marbled Green Nyctobrya muralis - None.  I've never caught this species but there have been a few recent records at widespread localities and though none have been particularly close to here they don't seem to be specific to any special habitat, so must be a fair chance of getting one here.


Next page: more Noctuidae

My second Sisyra and another basaltinella

Six species of lacewing on 29th July was a good haul and two of them were new for the year: my second ever Sisyra fuscata and a Nineta vittata.  Other lacewings 2 Chrysoperla carnea, 2 Cunctochrysa albolineata and Dichochrysa ventralis, and 4 of the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus.

Sisyra fuscata, North Elmham, 29th July

Nineta vittata, North Elmham, 29th July

Only one moth was new for the year: Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella. The other micros were 2 Chestnut Pigmies Stigmella samiatella, Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, 2 Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, presumed Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella, 4 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Cherry-fruit Moth Argyresthia pruniella, Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, 3 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Common Groundlings Teleiodes vulgella, Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis, 11 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, 31 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana, 4 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, 2 Bright Bells Eucosma hohenwartiana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 63 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 15 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Gold-ribbon Argent Argyresthia brockeella, North Elmham, 29th July

Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, North Elmham, 29th July

Macros consisted of 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Small Scallop, 3 Riband Waves, 6 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Common Carpet, 2 Lime-speck Pugs, Bordered Pug, 2 Magpie Moths, Early Thorn, Willow Beauty, Yellow-tail, 10 Dingy Footmen, Common Footman, 4 Ruby Tigers, 3 Turnip Moths, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 6 Flame Shoulders, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Clays, Copper Underwing, Straw Underwing, 2 Dun-bars, Double Lobed, 3 Common Rustics, Fen Wainscot, 3 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, 9 Straw Dots and Snout.

Two bugs were new for the year: the mirid bug Blepharidopterus angulatus and the leafhopper Alebra albostriella.  Others were 2 Birch Shieldbugs, Macrotylus horvathi, Phytocoris longipennis, Phytocoris varipes, Psallus varians, 3 Trigonotylus caelestialium and another Kybos strigilifer.

Blepharideopterus angulatus, North Elmham, 29th July

Alebra albostriella, North Elmham, 29th July

Other insects included 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum (mayflies), the caddisflies Polycentropus flavomaculatus, Limnephilus auricula and 2 Limnephilus rhombicus, 2 Harlequin Ladybirds and 4 Hornets.

Next day at the Cathedral Meacdows moths included 6 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and Silver Y. There was also a leafmine of Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella in Apple and there were 6 7-spot Ladybirds.

Back at home a moth inside proved to be my seventh - and Norfolk's seventh - Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella.

Thatch Neb Bryotropha basaltinella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 30th July

New moths for the year that night were 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Orange-spotted Shoot Rhyacionia pinicolana and Square-spotted Clay.

Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana (males, gen det), North Elmham, 30th July

Orange-spotted Shoot Rhyacionia pinicolana, North Elmham, 30th July

Other micros were 2 Bird’s-nest Moths Tinea trinotella, Maple Slender Caloptilia semifascia, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermines Swammerdamia pyrella, 4 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Grey-streaked Diamond-back Plutella porrectella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Brindled Flat-bodies Agonopterix arenella, 4 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, 3 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 63 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 21 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 2 Dusky Pearls Udea prunalis, 27 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella and Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis.

The other macros were Chinese Character, Blood-vein, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, 5 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, 3 Common Carpets, 2 Yellow Shells, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, 3 Scalloped Oaks, 4 Willow Beauties, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, Yellow-tail, 10 Dingy Footmen, 3 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 3 Ruby Tigers, 2 Turnip Moths, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 7 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Brown-line Bright Eye, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Common Wainscots, Marbled Beauty, 4 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, (one unchecked Common Rustic agg.), Fen Wainscot, 3 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, 2 Silver Ys and 8 Straw Dots.

Marbled Beauty, North Elmham, 30th July

Other bits and pieces included the mayflies Green Drake Ephemera danica and 7 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus (2), the caddisflies Hydropsyche siltalai and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis, the beetles Aphodius rufipes and 4 Bradycellus verbascis, 2 Hornets and Common Wasp.

Tansy Plume and more

After a good evening at the meadows I had an even better night at home on 5th July.  I caught 418 moths of 108 species and these included a very nice lifer, a Tansy Plume Gillmeria ochrodactyla.  Remarkably, given that there are 30 county records, all 30 were in east Norfolk (if only just over the border in one or two cases) so mine becomes the first record for west Norfolk, vice county VC28.  Even in the east it's pretty scarce - there were no records in 2017 for example.

Tansy Plume Gillmeria ochrodactyla, North Elmham, 5th July

This little Beech Pigmy Stigmella hemargyrella was new for the garden.

Beech Pigmy Stigmella hemargyrella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 5th July

Another potential new moth for the garden escaped before I could determine it but it looked suspiciously like Brown-dotted Clothes Moth Niditinea fuscella.  The much commoner Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, as well as other rarer clothes moths, can look very similar and you really need to gen det them to be sure - this one got away before I'd even taken a photo let alone got it near a microscope.

Perhaps the rarest moth on a county-level was Spikenard Case-bearer Coleophora conyzae - my second here following one in 2016 but just the 10th record for the county.  This one wasn't in great nick with broken antennae and a mite bothering it.

Spikenard Case-bearer Coleophora conyzae (male, gen det), North Elmham, 5th July

Other new moths for the year were Ash-coloured Crest Acompsia cinerella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, Slender Pug and Marbled Beauty.

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

Marbled Beauty, North Elmham, 5th July

There were 2 Viburnum Buttons Acleris schalleriana.  Although records of this species appear to be increasing, catching two adults together in one night appears to be unprecedented in Norfolk (although some records are listed as 'present' without a count, so these could feasibly have involved multiples).  I caught my first in 2016, four in 2017 and will end up with considerably more than this in 2018 (8 confirmed so far but a few more candidates pending confirmation).   They can look very similar to Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana and I have overlooked some of mine as that species until getting them under the microscope (and at least one has gone the other way, with schalleriana suspected but turned out to be laterana).

Viburnum Buttons Acleris schalleriana (males, gen det), North Elmham, 5th July

There were 97 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, the largest count of any single moth species so far this year, and the peak count for this species.

Other moths were Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, Cypress-tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 4 Hawthorn Ermines Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 3 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 3 Plain Conches Phtheochroa inopiana, 7 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 13 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Red-barred Tortrixes Ditula angustiorana, 3 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 3 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 8 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 12 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 2 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, 2 Bramble Shoots Notocelia uddmanniana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 3 Many-plume Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 4 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 5 Satin Grass-veneers Crambus perlella, 6 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 7 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 11 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 3 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Buff Arches, Common Emerald, Small Blood-vein, 12 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, 8 Single-dotted Waves, 15 Riband Waves, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Carpet, 4 Barred Straws, Common Marbled Carpet, Barred Yellow, Scallop Shell, 2 Sandy Carpets, Wormwood Pug, 3 Common Pugs, 2 V-Pugs, Green Pug, 4 Double-striped Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 2 Early Thorns, Swallow-tailed Moth, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Clouded Silver, 3 Elephant Hawk-moths, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 Yellow-tails, Round-winged Muslin, 10 Rosy Footmen, 5 Dingy Footmen, 2 Scarce Footmen, Buff Footman, 30 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Clubs, 2 Flames, 4 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, Dark Arches, Common Rustic, 9 Uncertains, Rustic, 4 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, Spectacle, 2 Straw Dots, 2 Snouts, Pinion-streaked Snout, 9 Fan-foots and Small Fan-foot.

Scallop Shell, North Elmham, 5th July

Pinion-streaked Snout, North Elmham, 5th July

There was a good range of other insects in the trap too, including a new beetle for me, Ocys quinquestriatus.  Other beetles were Strawberry Seed Beetle Harpalus rufipes (new for the year here), 4 Common Red Soldier Beetles Rhagonycha fulva, Orange Ladybird and Lagria hirta.

Ocys quinquestriatus, North Elmham, 5th July

Strawberry Seed Beetle Harpalus rufipes, North Elmham, 5th July

The mayfly Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita, the green lacewing Dichochrysa flavifrons and the leafhopper Iassus lanio were all new for the year; there was also the brown lacewing Hemerobius humulinus, the caddisflies Limnephilus lunatus and Leptocerus tineiformis and the mirid bug Phylus coryli.

the brown form of Iassus lanio, North Elmham, 5th July

Six new moths for the year

Having seen a probable in flight a few days earlier it was good to confirm a day-flying Magpie Moth at Ryburgh on Thursday 3rd August.  There were 2 Banded Demoiselles and a Black-tailed Skimmer here, along with Green-veined White, Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma.

Small Tortoiseshell and Comma, Ryburgh, 3rd August

That night produced 6 new moths for the garden year list: Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, Hawthorn Midget Phyllonorycter corylifoliella, Least Yellow Underwing, Square-spotted Clay, White-point and Marbled Beauty.

Hawthorn Midget Phyllonorycter corylifoliella, North Elmham, 3rd August

Square-spotted Clay, North Elmham, 3rd August

White-point, North Elmham, 3rd August

Marbled Beauty, North Elmham, 3rd August

The rest of the moths were 2 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, Sloe Midget Phyllonorycter spinicolella, 2 Red Birch Midgets Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Hedge Case-bearer Coleophora striatipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 5 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 3 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 17 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Pebble Hook-tip, Blood-vein, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Flame Carpets, 3 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, 2 Magpie Moths, 2 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, Brown-tail, Yellow-tail, 2 Dingy Footmen, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 6 Flame Shoulders, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 4 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics (and another Common Rustic agg.), Rustic and 11 Straw Dots.

Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, North Elmham, 3rd August

Lacewings consisted of just Chrysoperla carnea (2 confirmed males and 3 aggregate females).  Caddisflies included Cyrnus flavidus and Hydropsyche siltalai.

Cyrnus flavidus (male), North Elmham, 3rd August

Leafhoppers included Empoasca vitis and a Kybos sp.  The last time I recorded a Kybos leafhopper I speculated that it was likely betulicola but this time armed with a bit more information I was able to narrow it down to either virgator, strigilifer or calyculus (females of these three are not identifiable to species level).

Kybos virgator, strigilifer or calcyculus (female), North Elmham, 3rd August

Beetles included my second identified Harpalus rufipes and a Nut Weevil Curculio nucum.

Harpalus rufipes, North Elmham, 3rd August

Nut Weevil Curculio nucum, North Elmham, 3rd August