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

Birch Mocha

I had the Yellow-legged Clearwing lure out again on 19th July, more in hope of getting another Orange-tailed Clearwing than Yellow-legged (they come to the same lure), but I was nonetheless impressed with a monster haul of 7 Yellow-legged Clearwings.  I also had the Raspberry Clearwing lure out but only caught a Common Wasp at that one.

Just 201 moths of 55 species that night with two new for the year: Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana and Canary-shouldered Thorn. I always think Canary-shoulderd Thorns signal the start of the end of the season, which was not a welcome sign as this season has barely started to get going.

Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandarna, North Elmham, 19th July

Canary-shouldered Thorn, North Elmham, 19th July

The others were Hawthorn Ermine Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 77 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Thicket Knot-horn Acrobasis suavella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Least Carpets, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 10 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, 4 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Magpie Moth, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 3 Scalloped Oaks, Poplar Hawk-moth, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Swallow Prominent, 3 Yellow-tails, 3 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 13 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, Dun-bar, 5 Dark Arches, Lesser Common Rustic, 16 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, Silver Y and Beautiful Hook-tip.

Other insects included 2 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, the caddisfly Hydropsyche siltalai, the beetle Hydrobius fuscipes and a new species for the garden, 14-spot Ladybird.

14-spot Ladybird, North Elmham, 19th July

The following night was a substantial improvement and I think the best night of the year so far with 741 moths of 145 species.  Mind you, this did include 298 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella! The highlight was a new macro for the garden, and a species I'd only ever seen twice before: Birch Mocha.

Birch Mocha, North Elmham, 20th July

New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella was only my second, following one here in 2015.

New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 20th July

There were 2 Grey Ermines Yponomeuta sedella, another species I'd only previously seen in 2015 (though three times that year).

Grey Ermine Yponomeuta sedella, North Elmham, 20th July

The following were all new for the year: Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Long-streak Midget Phyllonorycter salicicolella, Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, Purple Argent Argyresthia albistria, Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella, House Neb Bryotropha domestica, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, 2 Small Purple & Golds Pyrausta aurata, Small Phoenix, Least Yellow Underwing, Mouse Moth and Dingy Shears.

Long-streak Midget Phyllonorycter salicicolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 20th July

Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 20th July

Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, North Elmham, 20th July

Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, North Elmham, 20th July

Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, North Elmham, 20th July

Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella, North Elmham, 20th July

Small Purple and Gold Pyrausta aurata, North Elmham, 20th July

Small Phoenix, North Elmham, 20th July

Least Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 20th July

Mouse Moth, North Elmham, 20th July

Dingy Shears, North Elmham, 20th July

There were a couple of species that I only had for the first time very recently: Chestnut Pigmy Stigmella samiatella and Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella.

The rest were probable Spotted Black Pigmy Ectoedemia subbimaculella, Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, 4 Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, 13 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Hawthorn Ermines Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 3 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, 2 Clover Case-bearers Coleophora alcyonipennella, Pistol Case-bearer Coleophora anatipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, 4 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 10 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, 5 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, 4 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, 3 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, 2 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Maple Buttons Acleris forsskaleana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Bright Bells Eucosma hohenwartiana, 9 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 298 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 11 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 5 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Base-lined Greys Scoparia basistrigalis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 2 Dusky Pearls Udea prunalis, 29 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 6 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, 2 Pebble Hook-tips, 2 Buff Arches, Least Carpet, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 15 Single-dotted Waves, 8 Riband Waves, 5 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 5 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 4 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Garden Carpet, 2 Shaded Broad-bars, 3 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, 5 Small Rivulets, Sandy Carpet, 2 Slender Pugs, Wormwood Pug, 10 Double-striped Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, 4 Clouded Borders, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, 3 Peppered Moths, 6 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Common Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Elephant Hawk-moth, Pale Prominent, Chocolate-tip, 5 Yellow-tails, 7 Rosy Footmen, 22 Dingy Footmen, 4 Scarce Footmen, 2 Buff Footmen, 13 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, Turnip Moth, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Flames, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 10 Double Square-spots, 2 Nutmegs, Dot Moth, 4 Clays, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 3 Dun-bars, 12 Dark Arches, Light Arches, 3 Cloaked Minors, Common Rustic, 4 Dusky Sallows, 2 Ear Moths, 2 Fen Wainscots, Small Rufous, 20 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, 4 Nut-tree Tussocks, 4 Snouts and 3 Fan-foots.

Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella, North Elmham, 20th July

Mayflies and lacewings consisted of 8 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, Chrysoperla carnea agg., Dichochrysa prasina and 2 Micromus variegatus.

Among the caddisflies Cyrnus flavidus was new for the year and there were 3 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 3 Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus flavicornis, Limnephilus lunatus, Molanna angustata, Athripsodes aterrimus and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis.

Cyrnus flavidus, North Elmham, 20th July

I don't think either of the Macrotylus bugs are particularly common but after getting 3 records of Macrotylus solitarius last year I thought I might get more again this year.  In fact I have now had two records of the other one, Macrotylus horvathi, the second one being tonight.  The only other true bug was Forest Bug (or Red-legged Shieldbug) which was new for the year.  There were also 2 of the leafhopper Iassus lanio.

Macrotylus horvathi, North Elmham, 20th July

Among the beetles Amara apricaria was new for the garden and Harlequin Ladybird was new for the year excluding those that remained in my study after hibernating at the end of last year.  Other beetles were 2 Strawberry Seed Beetles Harpalus rufipes, Hydrobius fuscipes and 2 Common Red Soldier Beetles Rhagonycha fulva.

Amara apricaria, North Elmham, 20th July

Frost's Common Take 2

A Mouse Moth was the only new moth for the year on Monday 21st August but there was a reasonable variety of moths: possible Skin Moth Monopis laevigella (lost before confirmed), Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, 2 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, Nut Leaf Blister Moth Phyllonorycter coryli, probable Red Hazel midget Phyllonorycter nicellii (lost before confirmed), 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, an exceptionally small Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 5 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 18 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 4 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Pebble Hook-tip, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, 3 Green Carpets, Sharp-angled Carpet, 3 Currant Pugs, 3 Double-striped Pugs, 11 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, Common Wave, 4 Light Emeralds, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 3 Six-striped Rustics, Square-spot Rustic, 8 Common Wainscots, Common Rustic, 5 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, 2 Straw Dots and 3 Snouts.

Mouse Moth, North Elmham, 21st August

Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 21st August

My second ever Small Silver Sedge Lepidostoma hirtum followed one night after my first.  Other caddisflies were Oxyethira flavicornis, 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula and Medium Sedge Goera pilosa.

Beetles included 2 Trechus quadristriatus, a new species for me.

Trechus quadristriatus, North Elmham, 21st August

Other beetles were 5 Bradycellus verbasci and 2 Aphodius rufipes.  Other insects included the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, the green lacewing Nineta vittata, a female Conwentzia sp. Waxfly, the brown lacewing Micromus variegatus and 9 Forest Bugs (aka Red-legged Shieldbugs).

Nest day a quick look round Wells Wood produced a few insects including my first Plagiognathus arbustorum (a mirid bug) feeeding on Fleabane.

Plagiognathus arbustorum, Wells, 22nd August

Moths included Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and Small Fan-footed Wave.

That night Dave and I headed back to Frost's Common, a site we'd been planning to trap at for a long while.  The Norfolk Moth Survey event there was a wash-out so we thought we'd try again on a better night.  Conditions weren't ideal but we managed 47 species including a few mildly interesting ones: Oak Carl Tischeria ekebladella, 3 Brown Birch Slenders Parornix betulae, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella, Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Birch Marbles Apotomis betuletana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella, 6 Ground-moss Greys Eudonia truncicolella, 3 Brown China-marks Elophila nymphaeata, 7 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Small China-marks Cataclysta lemnata, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis (only my second ever), Double-striped Knot-horn Cryptoblabes bistriga, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, 2 Maiden's Blushes, 3 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, 2 Purple Bars, 5 Green Carpets, 5 Double-striped Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, 5 Brimstone Moths, 2 Common Waves, 3 Light Emeralds, Poplar Hawk-moth, Dingy Footman, 2 Buff Footmen, 3 Common Footmen, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Common Wainscots, Svensson's Copper Underwing, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, 10 Straw Dots and 2 Snouts.

Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Double-striped Knot-horn Cryptoblabes bistriga, Frost's Common, 22nd August

The leafhopper Eupteryx urticae was a new species for me.  Other bugs included Birch Shieldbug, 8 Forest Bugs, Lygus pratensis and the leafhopper Allygus mixtus.

Eupteryx urticae, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Allygus mixtus, Frost's Common, 22nd August

Caddisflies included a Molanna angustata and there were 2 Orange Ladybirds.  Other wildlife included 3 Red Deer.

Molanna angustata (male), Frost's Common, 22nd August

We found a newt at each of the lights which I am having some trouble identifying.  They are most likely Smooth Newts - I don't think there are all that many confirmed records of Palmate Newt in Norfolk from what I can glean.  The references I've got and those I've found on the internet seem to focus on adults for identification, some mentioning that immatures require more caution but not elaborating any further. Several references refer to the unspotted throat as a key feature for Palmate Newt but even some of those include photos of Smooth Newts with unspotted throats, so clearly this is not diagnostic!  The upperpart markings appear to be very variable and overlapping between the tweo species as are the spots below and the pattern of orange underneath.  I get the impression, but if someone can confirm that would be great, that the presence or absence of pale tubercles on the bottom of the feet (present on Palmate) is the most reliable feature.  Having had this problem before I recalled that spots on the soles of the feet were relevant and so took photos as I couldn't remember the detail of what to look for.  Sadly my photos aren't perfectly clear (it's quite hard to get a newt to stay still upside down without manhandling it) and there are some pale spots in some images that aren't in others, suggesting that they may be grit or dirt.  At least one of them does seem to have one or two pale spots on the sole in the same place in every photo suggesting it may be a real feature and suggesting that they might be Palmate Newts.  However, I'm not convinced and suspect they are in fact female and/or immature Smooth Newts.  If you are any clearer on these things please do get in touch!

Newts (top two are the same individual, lower two are the other individual), Frost's Common, 22nd August