Review of 2019 - Lyonetiid Leaf-miners (Lyonetiidae), Ash-bud Moths (Praydidae) and Obscures (Autostichidae)

LYONETIA and LEUCOPTERA BENT-WINGS (LYONETIIDAE)


Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella -12 in the garden between 15th June and 16th August 2019 making it my best year to date.  Also my first ever autumn generation example on 24th October, which was also my first of the dark melanic type.  Judging from photos published on the web it seems that dark types are normal for the second generation and rare in the first main generation.  On this one the vertex was white - on some examples even this is brown.  2020 was even better with 18 between 12th June and 16th August.  Also one netted at the meadows in 2020 and quite a few leaf-mines there in both years on Wild Cherry and also some on Blackthorn and possibly also on Hawthorn.

Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, North Elmham, 15th June 2019

Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, North Elmham, 24th October 2019

Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd August 2020

leaf-mine of Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 10th July 2020

Striped Bent-wing Lyonetia prunifoliella - I found one on a Blackthorn leaf in a hedgerow at the Cathedral Meadows on 30th August 2019.  This was a new moth for me, and only the second Norfolk record and the first for the vice-county VC28.  This species became extinct in the UK in the 19th century and wasn't recorded for over 100 years, but very recently has re-colonised the south of the country.  It appears to be spreading northwards and mine was the first of 3 records in the county in 2019.  I imagine that within a few years it will be a common moth here, but time will tell.

Striped Bent-wing Lyonetia prunifoliella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th August 2019

Laburnum Leaf-miner Leucoptera laburnella - None.  This is a fairly common species that I saw at Bawdeswell but haven't yet found in North Elmham.


Boom Bent-wing Leucoptera spartifoliella - My first ever adult of this species was swept from Broom at the meadows on 13th July 2019.  A possible mine in the same Broom in 2020 but I wasn't certain about the ID.

female Broom Bent-wing Leucoptera spartifoliella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2019

Pear-leaf Blister Moth Leucoptera malifoliella - Leafmines found at the meadows on 30th August and 11th September 2019 but it wasn't until 2020 that I saw my first ever adult, one netted at the meadows on 26th June.

leaf-mine of Pear-leaf Blister Moth Leucoptera malifoliella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th August 2019

Pear-leaf Blister Moth Leucoptera malifoliella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th June 2020

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ASH-BUD MOTHS (PRAYDIDAE)


Ash-bud Moth Prays fraxinella - One in the garden trap on 23rd July 2019, my 4th here (all since 2017).  None in 2020.

Ash-bud Moth Prays fraxinella, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Dark Ash-bud Moth Prays ruficeps - One in the garden trap on 26th July 2019 and singles on 5 nights between 16th July and 15th September 2020.  Prior to the 5 in 2020 I'd had 1-2 here in each of the full years I'd lived here.

Dark Ash-bud Moth Prays ruficeps, North Elmham, 26th July 2019

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BINDWEED BENT-WING (BEDELLIIDAE)


Bindweed Bent-wing Bedellia somnulentella - None.  I've only had one of these here, in 2017.

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HAWTHORN MOTH (SCYTHROPIIDAE)


Hawthorn Moth Scythropia crataegella - None.  I'm yet to record this species locally - I didn't even manage it at Bawdeswell where my house was almost enveloped by an enormous Hawthorn hedge that hadn't been cut for years.  None at the meadows either, where the hedges are full of Hawthorn and Blackthorn.  Presumably this species' requirements involve more than just its foodplants.

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OBSCURES (AUTOSTICHIDAE)


Four-spotted Obsucre Oegoconia quadripuncta - Totals of 12 between 16th July and 6th August 2019 and 20 between 25th June and 11th August 2020.  The 20 in 2020 was my best year so far and they peaked with 6 on 1st August.  Although the breadth of the pale bands is a good indicator, this species and the next are not supposed to be possible to definitively identify without checking their genitalia.  I suspect that in reality it might be possible to reliably assign some individuals to species without dissection but there is certainly overlap and some I've dissected have turned out not to be the species I had suspected.  Out of the 32, 30 were males.  Worth bearing in mind that Oegoconia caradjai may occur in Norfolk although there haven't been any records yet - some individuals could very easily be overlooked among quadripuncta.

male Four-spotted Obscure Prays Oegoconia quadripuncta, North Elmham, 16th July 2019

male Four-spotted Obscure Prays Oegoconia quadripuncta, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

male Four-spotted Obscure Prays Oegoconia quadripuncta, North Elmham, 29th July 2019

male Four-spotted Obscure Prays Oegoconia quadripuncta, North Elmham, 2nd August 2019

male Four-spotted Obscure Prays Oegoconia quadripuncta, North Elmham, 29th July 2020

male Four-spotted Obscure Prays Oegoconia quadripuncta, North Elmham, 1st August 2020

Scarce Obsucre Oegoconia deauratella - Single males on 10th and 17th July 2019 plus a probable on 29th July which escaped before I could check it.  This species is annual here, averaging 2-3 per year but 2020 was my best year so far with 6 between 18th June and 30th July.  All were males.

male Scarce Obscure Prays Oegoconia deauratella, North Elmham, 10th July 2019

male Scarce Obscure Prays Oegoconia deauratella, North Elmham, 17th July 2019

male Scarce Obscure Prays Oegoconia deauratella, North Elmham, 18th June 2020

male Scarce Obscure Prays Oegoconia deauratella, North Elmham, 17th July 2020

Next page: Oecophoridae plus

Purple Hairstreaks

One of the highlights of a productive visit to the Cathedral Meadows on 2nd July was finding at least 30 Purple Hairstreak butterflies.  Judging from various reports on social media it seemed to be a good year for them so I'd been keeping an eye out for them.  After a couple of failed efforts I finally found them where I most expected them, in the oaks running along the  bottom of the meadows alongside the disused railway.  They were keeping high up so my photographic efforts leave something to be desired...

Purple Hairstreaks, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

Other butterflies included over 100 Ringlets and my first Gatekeeper of the year.  The former seem to be having a good year, although I don't have any previous years' data from this site to compare with, but I ended up seeing very few Gatekeepers indeed this year.

Moths included White Oak Midget Phyllonorycter harrisella, 6 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, 15 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 2 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 5 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Blood-veins, Small Fan-footed Wave and thousands of mines of Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella.

Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July - dark and pale forms

One of at least 3 waxflies was retained for checking and proved to be Conwentzia psociformis,a species I'd only identified once before.

Conwentzia psociformis (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

I only checked 3 of them but if all the soldier beetles were the same species there were at least 40 Rhagonycha fulva.  Other insects included 2 Emperor dragonflies, 8 Meadow Grasshoppers, the mirid bug Stenotus binotatus, a Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius and an Ichneumon wasp that I tried and failed to identify, but a member of the genus Tryphon apparently.

Rhagonycha fulva, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

Stenotus binotatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

Tryphon sp., North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

That night new for the year (for the garden) were Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Drinker, July Highflyer and Buff Footman, but better than any of them was another Wood Carpet.

Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, North Elmham, 2nd July

Drinker, North Elmham, 2nd July

Buff Footman, North Elmham, 2nd July

Other moths were Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 5 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Many-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 9 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 3 Buff Arches, 3 Small Emeralds, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 8 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Riband Waves, 7 Barred Straws, 2 Sandy Carpets, Grey Pug, V-Pug, 2 Green Pugs, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Early Thorns, 2 Willow Beauties, 3 Mottled Beauties, 2 Engraileds, Privet Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, 3 Rosy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 39 Common Footmen, 12 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Clubs, 2 Heart and Darts, Large Yellow Underwing, Double Square-spot, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 5 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Brown Rustics, Dark Arches, Rufous Minor, Common Rustic (and 1 agg.), 13 Uncertains, Rustic, 5 Mottled Rustics, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot and Snout.

There was also a Common Earwing and Caddisflies included Medium Sedge Goera pilosa (new for the year) and Limnephilus lunatus.

Next day Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana and Mere Wainscot were new for the year.

Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd July

Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, North Elmham, 3rd July

Mere Wainscot, North Elmham, 3rd July

Other moths (there were only 33 species, a low number in July) were 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, 3 Barred Straws, Sandy Carpet, Clouded Border, Swallow-tailed Moth, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Coxcomb Prominent, 24 Common Footmen, 18 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 3 Heart and Darts, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Smoky Wainscot, Common Rustic, 14 Uncertains, 3 Mottled Rustics, Burnished Brass and Snout.

Stigmella incognitella

The night of Friday 7th July was one of the best this summer with getting on for 400 moths of 118 species.  The smallest of them was the best - my first Grey Apple Pigmy Stigmella incognitella.

Grey Apple Pigmy Stigmella incognitella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Pearl Dwarf Elachista apicipunctella was new for the garden - the first I've seen anywhere for a while.  It's hard to capture in photos but the white fascia and spots are highly shining making this a very attractive little moth.

Pearl Dwarf Elachista apicipunctata (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Then there was a long list of other moths that were new for the year here: Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella, Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella, Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana, Smoky-barred Marble Lobesia abscisana, Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Dark Umber, Cloaked Minor, Dusky Sallow and Blackneck.

Dull Red Groundling Bryotropha senectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Cereal Tortrix Cnephasia pumicana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Smoky Marble Lobesia abscisana, North Elmham, 7th July

Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Dark Umber, North Elmham, 7th July

Cloaked Minor, North Elmham, 7th July

Dusky Sallow, North Elmham, 7th July

It was good to get both Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella and Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella together - obviella I'd only seen for the first time in June whereas crocicapitella is supposed to be rarer.  I don't think the size difference between these species is usually so extreme but in this case the crocicapitella was literally twice the size of the obviella.  I couldn't persuade them to sit side by side for a photo so had to shoot them in their pots to show the size difference.

Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella (left) and Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella (right), North Elmham, 7th July

I had my largest count of any species of moth so far this year - 61 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteucha culmella.  Other micros consisted of Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 7 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, White-headed Ermel Paraswammerdamia albicapitella, Speckled Case-bearer Coleophora sternipennella, 3 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella, New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, 2 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, 6 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, 4 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 3 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 5 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, 2 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, 4 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, Pale Water-veneer Donacaula forficella, 2 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 3 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 14 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 2 Ermine Knot-horns Phycitodes binaevella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, North Elmham, 7th July

The rest of the macros were 2 Drinkers, 3 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Lesser Cream Wave, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 9 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Riband Waves, 3 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, 3 Yellow Shells, July Highflyer, Haworth's Pug, Lime-speck Pug, 6 V-Pugs, Green Pug, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 4 Clouded Borders, 4 Brimstone Moths, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, Swallow-tailed Moth, Willow Beauty, 3 Engraileds, Common White Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Pale Prominent, Buff-tip, 2 Yellow-tails, 6 Rosy Footmen, 22 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 27 Common Footmen, 2 Heart and Darts, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 10 Double Square-spots, 2 Nutmegs, Bright-line Brown-eye, 4 Clays, 6 Smoky Wainscots, Tawny Marbled Minor, 2 Common Rustics, Mere Wainscot, 38 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, Mottled Rustic, Marbled White Spot, 6 Nut-tree Tussocks, Beautiful Hook-tip, Straw Dot, Snout and 5 Fan-foots.

Lacewings were represented by Micromus variegatus, a brown lacewing that was new for the year.  There was a new caddisfly for the year too: Agrypnia pagetana; also an Oxyethira flavicornis.

Micromus variegatus, North Elmham, 7th July

Agrypnia pagetana, North Elmham, 7th July

A Hair-trap Ground Beetle Loricera pilicornis was my first, or at least the first time I'd identified one.  A Nut Weevil Curculio nucum was new for the year - one I've seen here before but some accounts on the internet suggest it can be quite a difficult species to find.  Other beetles were Brown Chafer and Lagira hirta.

Hair-trap Ground Beetle Loricera pilicornis, North Elmham, 7th July

Nut Weevil Curculio nucum, North Elmham, 7th July