Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Grass moths (Crambidae) - Part 2: Pearls II (Udea to Evergestis)

GRASS MOTHS (CRAMBIDAE)


Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis - One in my garden on 4th July 2019 was my earliest ever by over a month and was followed by 10 more between 4th August and 13th September.  An even earlier one turned up in 2020, on 15th June, and was followed by 7 more between 12th September and 28th November.  As is expected for a migrant species this moth varies in numbers here from year to year - 2014 and 2016 were better years but I only trapped 0-2 in 2015, 2017 and 2018.  Elsewhere 11 in Cornwall in the first week of October 2020.

Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, North Elmham, 4th July 2019

Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, North Elmham, 15th June 2020

Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutelais - 7 trapped in the garden between 22nd July and 22nd August 2019: a much poorer showing than before - I've had as many as 61 in a year here (average 37).  2020 was better but still unimpressive, with 19 between 21st July and 20th August.  Singles recorded at the meadows on 6 dates - it's often easier to find in the day time here than coming to light.

Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th July 2019

Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis - 5 caught in the garden between 8th July and 1st August 2019 and 4 between 30th June and 17th July 2020.  I average about 10 a year here and these were (just) my worst years to date.  Also one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019.

Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, North Elmham, 30th June 2020

Olive Pearl Udea olivalis - One at Weybourne on 5th July was my only record in 2019 and none in 2020.  Although this species is quite common in parts of Norfolk and occurs pretty much everywhere, I've yet to find one here in North Elmham.  I only ever caught one when I was living at Bawdeswell too, so they do seem to be quite scarce locally.


Mother of Pearl Patania ruralis - Caught at home on 45 nights between 5th July and 9th September 2019.  I can't give a meaningful total as I didn't count them on 18 of these nights, but there were 100 either side of this busy period (including 18 on 23rd July).  The number of nights was slightly lower than in any of the previous 4 years.  They were counted every night in 2020 but there were only 146 over 34 nights between 1st July and 23rd August, far and away my worst showing here (I averaged 365/year in 2015-18).  Also recorded next door, at the village allotments and at the meadows where there were at least 200 feeding on Rosebay Willowherb along the railway on 4th August 2019.  Further afield, recorded at Bintree Wood, Hellesdon, Swanton Great Wood and Row Heath (West Runton).

Mother of Pearls Patania ruralis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Madder Pearl Mecyna asinalis - In the UK this species is restricted to SW coasts and I've never seen it here, but I did have one come to LED lights in NW Spain in February 2020.

Madder Pearl Mecyna asinalis, near Sant Vicenc (Catalonia, Spain), 23rd February 2020

Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis - One in the garden on 16th October 2020 was the first one I've ever caught this scarce migrant in Norfolk, and very welcome it was too!  It didn't go into the trap but was found resting on the lawn round the outside.  Previously I'd only ever seen one in Cornwall (plus one that Dave caught in Toftwood, but I don't count that as I didn't catch it).

Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis, North Elmham, 16th October 2020

Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella - None.  My first blank years for this migrant species since moving in in 2014 though most years I've only had 1-2 (13 in 2016).


Box-tree Moth Cydalima perspectalis - None.  I still haven't connected with this adventive species despite it now getting quite common in Norwich and increasing number of records from other parts of the county.  I should imagine that any local Box growers are rather less keen than I am to see it arrive, as surely it will do before long...


Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis - An average year in 2019 with at least 47 here between 19th May and 4th September 2019 (not counted on a couple of nights), and just about my best ever year in 2020 with 77 between 7th May and 8th September.  Elsewhere 6 at the meadows.

Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, North Elmham, 19th May 2019

Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st May 2019

Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2020

Marbled Yellow Pearl Evergestis extrimalis - None.  I've never seen this species but although it's mainly recorded from the Brecks or round the coast there are a scattering of records elsewhere so it's feasible that one might crop up round here sometime.

Chequered Pearl Evergestis pallidata - 5 caught in the garden between 17th July and 5th August 2019 and 5 between 3rd July and 6th August 2020 - my worst years for this species here so far (averages 9 a year).  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows and one at Bintree Wood.

Chequered Pebble Evergestis pallidata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Chequered Pebble Evergestis pallidata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Chequered Pebble Evergestis pallidata, North Elmham, 3rd July 2020

Next page: more Crambidae

Cornwall part 1 - mothing at Tresidder

The usual cottage we stay in at Porthgwarra wasn't available for our holiday in Cormwall at the beginning of October, and nor were any of the alternatives that we fancied along this bit of coast.  So we opted for somewhere different, a cottage a bit further inland but in the same area.  Situated in the hamlet of Tresidder at the top of the Penberth valley and looking out across the valley I hoped the moth traps might pull in a few interesting migrant moths.  But of course you need to weather to be right for migrants, and it wasn't ideal.

It was a good six nights though - a decent selection of interesting moths that I don't see at home, whether they were migrants or not.  We stayed six nights, 1st to 6th October, and I ran a Robinson trap every night plus an old Skinner trap whenever there was no real threat of rain (it has no protective cover), which was most nights.

Now, at home I trap every night, release the moths at first light and it seems that hardly any get retrapped the following night.  Here it seemed to be different, and although I let them go at first light some of the moths were hanging around and getting re-caught on subsequent nights.  So the total summed counts for the week below include moths counted on consecutive nights and are higher than the true number of individuals trapped.

Anyway, here are some of the highlights, roughly in order of interest (to me):

• Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis - 1 on 3rd, a migrant and a new moth for me (I don't count one that Dave N brought round to show me once).  Presumably a pregnant female as I found some eggs where it had been sitting, and I'm pretty sure they weren't there before.

Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis, Tresidder, 4th October

• Clancy's Rustic - 1 on 3rd, clearly a migrant (and a pretty tatty worn specimen).  I saw one in a pot on Scillies once but this was the first time I've ever caught one myself.  It turned out to be a good year for this species with Norfolk getting its first ever record later in the month - in fact its first 4 records!

Clancy's Rustic, Tresidder, 3rd October

• Four-spotted Footman - one on 4th.  A migrant, a stunner, and only the second I've ever seen.

Four-spotted Footman, Tresidder, 3rd October

• Vestal -  1 on 3rd and 2 on 5th, presumably all migrants.  I've seen these in Cornwall before, and once at home, but such amazing moths they will always be high up on any list of highlights.

Vestal, Tresidder, 3rd October

Vestals, Tresidder, 5th October

• White-speck - different singles on 3rd, 4th and 5th.  Also migrants I presume and a species I'd only seen twice before.

White-speck, Tresidder, 3rd October

White-speck, Tresidder, 4th October

• Delicate - recorded every night with a total of 106 and a maximum of 33 on 5th.  Although a migrant species I think these must now be breeding locally.  The numbers would have been exceptional if they'd all been migrants, especially during a period when there wasn't an especially strong immigration evidenced by other species.  Anyway, I'd only seen one before so it was great to see so many every night.

Delicates, Tresidder, 1st October

• L-album Wainscot - recorded every night with a total of 19 and a maximum of 6 on 2nd.  Although a migrant species I think these are now breeding locally too.  I'd only ever seen two before.

L-album Wainscots, Tresidder, 1st October

• Scarce Bordered Straw - 1 on 4th.  A migrant species I've only seen on 3 occasions before.

Scarce Bordered Straw, Tresidder, 4th October

• Brindled Ochre - singles on 2nd and 6th.  I've done better for these on past trips when I've stayed at Porthgwarra, but they're always great to see and I've never seen one anywhere else.

Brinlded Ochre, Tresidder, 2nd October

• Flounced Chestnut -  1 on 3rd - only the second I've ever seen though I don't know if they're any commoner down here than they are at home?

Flounced Chestnut, Tresidder, 3rd October

• Feathered Ranunculus - recorded every night with a total of 24 and a maximum of 10 on 6th.  Although this species does occur in Norfolk, mainly along the north coast and in the Norwich area, it's so far eluded me here.  I've seen quite a few in Cornwall on previous trips though, but it's a fabulous moth so always a highlight.

Feathered Ranunculus, Tresidder, 1st October

• Large Ranunculus - 1 on 6th, the only new moth of the trip on the final night - a nice moth and only my fourth although some people in Norfolk get them regularly.

Large Ranunculus (with a Feathered Ranunculus in forst image), Tresidder, 6th October

• Autumnal Rustic - 1 on 2nd then 9 on 5th and 3 on 6th.  Another species that does occur in Norfolk but much less commonly than in the south west.  I'm yet to see one in Norfolk but have seen quite a few in Cornwall before.

Autumnal Rustic, Tresidder, 2nd October

• Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana - 1 on 4th.  Although I've seen a few of these at home (all but one in 2016) I don't think it's a particularly common species and not one I was expecting to see here.  It was a very worn individual though.

• Little Slender Calybites phasianipennella - 1 on 2nd.  A species I don't see very often - only 5 before.

Little Slender Calybites phasianipennella, Tresidder, 2nd October

• Angle Shades - recorded every night except the first with a total of 42 and a maximum of 15 on 4th.  Although a common resident breeder in the UK this species is also a migrant and with these peaking at the same time as other migrants I suspect a lot of these were migrants.  Although common at home I usually only get the occasional single at home so these numbers are good for me.

Angle Shades, Tresidder, 2nd October

• Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis - recorded every night with a total of 66 and a maximum of 29 on 4th.  A common migrant species that sometimes reaches home, but it also breeds locally in SW Cornwall and I'm not sure how many of these were migrants vs. locals.

• Dark Spectacle - singles on 2nd and 3rd.

Dark Spectacle, Tresidder, 2nd October

• Pinion-streaked Snout - recorded every night except the last with a total of 28 and a maximum of 14.  A species I encounter fairly often at home, but never in anything like such numbers.

Other migrants were Diamond-back Plutella xylostella (with singles on 1st and 6th), Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella (1 on 6th), Dark Sword-grass (1 on 6th) and Silver Y (3 on each of the first two nights).  I guess the Turnip Moths (6 over 3 nights) may have been migrants too.

Dark Sword-grass, Tresidder, 6th October

The other micro moths recorded were Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana (1 on 6th), Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella (1 on 2nd), London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella (1 on 6th), Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana (1 on 4th), Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana (1 on 4th), Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana (9 over 4 nights, max 3), Ashy Button Acleris sparsana (singles on 3rd and 5th), Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana (singles on 3rd and 5th), Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida ({1 on 6th), Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea (79 over 5 nights, max 73), Mother of Pearl Patania ruralis (singles on 2nd and 3rd) and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla (1 on 2nd, 2 on 4th).

The other macros were Blood-vein (singles 2nd & 3rd), Small Fan-footed Wave (1 on 3rd), Brimstone Moth (17 over 4 nights, max 7), Garden Carpet (1 on 3rd), Common Marbled Carpet (53 over 6 nights, max 13), Grey Pine Carpet (singles on 4th and 5th), Green Carpet (1 on 4th), Double-striped Pug (10 over 5 nights), Willow Beauty (1 on 3rd), Light Emerald (1 on 4th), Yellow-tail (1 on 3rd), Large Yellow Underwing (259 over 6 nights, max 90), Lesser Yellow Underwing (10 over 5 nights, max 5), Setaceous Hebrew Character (258 over 6 nights, max 81), Square-spot Rustic (267 over 6 nights, max 92), Nutmeg (1 on 3rd), Smoky Wainscot (singles on 3 consecutive nights), Common Wainscot (14 over 5 nights, max 5), Black Rustic (65 over 6 nights, max 22), Green-brindled Crescent (5 over 4 nights), Chestnut (2 on 5th), Beaded Chestnut (203 over 6 nights, max 54), Lunar Underwing (360 over 6 nights, max 136), Pink-barred Sallow (2on 4th and 1 on 5th), Lesser Common Rustic (2 singles plus a Common Rustic agg.), Copper Underwing (2 on 3rd), Rosy Rustic (23 over 6 nights, max 6), Burnished Brass (6 over 3 nights), Spectacle (1 on 2nd), Straw Dot (singles on 3 consecutive nights) and Snout (29 over 5 nights, max 14.

Common Marbled Carpet, Tresidder, 1st October

Grey Pine Carpet, Tresidder, 4th October

Double-striped Pug, Tresidder, 4th October

Willow Beauty, Tresidder, 3rd October

Nutmeg, Tresidder, 3rd October

There was also this Knot Grass caterpillar crawling up the wall of the cottage on 2nd.

Knot Grass caterpillar, Tresidder, 2nd October

As you would expect, there was a variety of other insects in the moth traps too, and I'll write about these in a separate post...

Honeysuckle Midget (Phyllonorycter trifasciella) and Bindweed Bent-wing (Bedellia somnulentella)

20th October 2015 is a day that will be etched into my memory for years to come, a day when after years of effort my attempts to find a rare bird finally paid off.  And not just any old rare bird, but a Brown Shrike.  But you can read about that in my birding diary - this diary is about moths.  And there was a moth highlight that day too.  On my way to Porthgwarra (where I found the Shrike) I passed through Nanjizal Valley and caught a moth I'd never seen before.  I didn't see many day-flying moths during my week in Cornwall but as I walked through the bracken on the south side of the valley I glimpsed a moth flying across the path.  I managed to catch and pot it to examine later, and it turned out to be a Honeysuckle Midget Phyllonorycter trifasciella.  It's supposed to be a common moth, common enough even in my home county of Norfolk (where my old garden was rammed full of Honeysuckle), but for whatever reason it's one that had up to now eluded me.  So in terms of my pan-list, more valuable than the Brown Shrike.

Honeysuckle Midget Phyllonorycter trifasciella, Nanjizal, 20th October

The moths caught back at the cottage that night weren't very different from those caught the previous two nights: Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Garden Carpet, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Autumnal Rustics, 10 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Black Rustic, 4 Green-brindled Crescents, 14 Feathered Ranunculus, 7 Red-line Quakers, 9 Beaded Chestnuts, 55 Lunar Underwings and Angle Shades.

Among non-avian wildlife seen the next day this Stoat was the best.

Stoat, Hayle, 21st October

With poor weather overnight the moths caught were fewer than previous nights: 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 5 Feathered Ranunculus, 3 Red-line Quakers, 6 Beaded Chestnuts, 35 Lunar Underwings and Rosy Rustic.

Some bigger numbers on the night of 22nd October: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Large Yellow Underwing, 7 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 4 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, 19 Feathered Ranunculus, 4 Red-line Quakers, Brown-spot Pinion, 13 Beaded Chestnuts, 74 Lunar Underwings, Angle Shades and Snout.

While at Porthgwarra on 23rd I bumped in to the couple staying at the cottage where we usually stay.  They hadn't yet emptied their moth trap and kindly invited me to pop down and have a look.  They'd caught a lot more moths than I had, and also a much greater variety.  Best among them was this Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis.  Thanks Mike!

Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis, Porthgwarra, from 22nd October

A few other bits and pieces there too, including this Feathered Brindle.

Feathered Brindle, Porthgwarra, from 22nd October

Later in the day this Betony was a flower tick.  For some reason this species seems to be much scarcer in Norfolk (and elsewhere in the Fens) than pretty much everywhere else in England.

Betony, Little Henda, 23rd October

Not much overnight at the cottage that day: Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 5 Feathered Ranunculus, 2 Red-line Quakers, Beaded Chestnut, 10 Lunar Underwings and Silver Y.

Not much the following night either, our last night in Cornwall: Autumnal Rustic, Small Square-spot, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Black Rustic, 8 Feathered Ranunculus, Dark Chestnut, 2 Red-line Quakers, 5 Beaded Chestnuts and 22 Lunar Underwings.

Early on our last morning I spent a short while birding at Porthgwarra before heading home.  While there I netted a moth which turned out to be Bindweed Bent-wing Bedellia somnulentella, a species I'd only seen once before.

Bindweed Bent-wing Bedellia somnulentella, Porthgwarra, 25th October