Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Slenders and Midgets (Gracillariidae) (part 3: Parornix)

SLENDERS and MIDGETS (GRACILLARIIDAE) (continued)

With the genus Parornix you can sometimes make a pretty good educated guess as to which species is involved but unfortunately they require dissection to prove the ID.  This can be quite rewarding as you can find a good range of species occurring in the same locality.

This isn't going to be a colourful page though...



Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae - Just one at home in 2019, on 25th July.  Having averaged 4.5 a year that was quite a poor showing but I made up for it in 2020 with a record 9 between 18th July and 7th September.  Elsewhere recorded in 2019 at Sculthorpe Moor (26th April) and Swanton Great Wood (27th August).

male Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, Sculthorpe Moor, 26th April 2019

male Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 25th July 2019

female Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 18th July 2020

female Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 23rd July 2020

male Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 19th August 2020

female Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, North Elmham, 20th August 2020

Beech Slender Parornix fagivora - One found inside the house on 23rd July 2019.  This was a completely new species for me which makes it all the more remarkable that I caught 4 in 2020, on 17th May, 27th July and 5th and 6th August.  My 7th Parornix species here - just the Hornbeam species left now I think (carpinella), but that one's going to be tricky with just one Norfolk record so far.

female Beech Slender Parornix fagivora, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

female Beech Slender Parornix fagivora, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

male Beech Slender Parornix fagivora, North Elmham, 6th August 2020

Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella - 10 here between 22nd April and 31st August 2019, making it my joint best year for them here (level with 2018), but the record was broken in 2020 with 19 between 11th April and 19th August.  Also 5 at the meadows (1 in 2019, 4 in 2020) and singles at Sculthorpe Moor and Weybourne in 2019.

male Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May 2019

male Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th June 2020

male Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, North Elmham, 9th August 2020

male Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, North Elmham, 17th August 2020

Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella - 4 caught at home between 24th April and 16th July 2019, half the number recorded in 2018.  An unprecedented total of 23 caught here between 18th May and 15th August 2020.  None anywhere else.

male Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 24th April 2019

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 20th May 2020

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 1st July 2020

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 26th July 2020

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 1st August 2020

female Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, North Elmham, 10th August 2020

Rowan Slender Parornix scoticella - Singles caught in my garden moth trap on 30th July and 7th August 2020.  Previously I'd only caught this species here twice, in 2014 and 2018.

male Rowan Slender Parornix scoticella, North Elmham, 30th July 2020

male Rowan Slender Parornix scoticella, North Elmham, 7th August 2020

Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella - None.  I've caught 5 of these here in the previous 3 years (3 in 2018).


Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella - One at the meadows on 25th May 2019 then 4 in the garden moth trap up to 27th August.  I had caught 14 here in 2018 but apart from that 2019's showing was fairly typical.  But 2020 saw a new record with 18 between 22nd May and 19th August.

A leaf-fold on Blackthorn at the meadows on 14th October could in theory have been this species or finitimella so I examined the larva to see if its legs had black rings or if they were concolorous with the body.  Well they certainly didn't have black rings (which finitimella should have) though I would argue that they weren't quite concolourous with the body having vaguely greyish rings.  I decided to rear it through but what emerged on 2nd November was a parasitic wasp (which, with the help of Gavin Broad, was a Diadegma sp., probably Diadegma crataegi).

male Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 9th August 2019

larva of Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 14th October 2019

male Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 22nd May 2020

female Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 8th August 2020

male Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 9th August 2020

female Blackthorn Slender Parornix torquillella, North Elmham, 10th August 2020

Next page: more Gracillariidae (Phyllonorycters)

A few good seconds

Two new moths for the year on 7th August were both second records for the garden: Large Lance-wing Epermenia falciformis and Little Conch Cochylis dubitana.

Large Lance-wing Epermenia falciformis, North Elmham, 7th August

Little Conch Cochylis dubitana, North Elmham, 7th August

The most numerous moths were 76 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella. This was the peak count of the year and a record count for me.

Other moths were 2 Bordered Carls Coptotriche marginea, probable Skin Moth Monopis laevigella (would have been new for the year if it hadn't escaped before I could confirm it), 2 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, 2 Blackthorn Slenders Parornix torquillella, Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Ermine sp. Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella, Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 3 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Dark Neb Bryotropha affinis, 8 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, 2 Knapweed Conches Agapeta zoegana, 3 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, 5 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 2 Blotched Marbles Endothenia quadrimaculana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 23 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 7 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, 3 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Maiden's Blush, Flame Carpet, 4 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Common Carpets, Small Rivulet, Lime-speck Pug, Double-striped Pug, Dusky Thorn, 2 Willow Beauties, Common White Wave, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Pale Prominent, 2 Turnip Moths, 3 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, Lesser Common Rustic, 2 Flounced Rustics and 4 Straw Dots.

Mayflies, lacewings and caddisflies consisted of 3 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, Cunctochrysa albolineata, Hemerobius humulinus, Hemerobius lutescens, 2 Micromus variegatus, 2 Ithytrichia lamellaris, Hydropsyche pellucidula, 5 Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Limnephilus auricula and Leptocerus tineiformis.

Among the bugs Compsidolon salicellum was only my second.  Others were Birch Shieldbug, Forest Bug, Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis, Trigonotylus caelestialium and the leafhopper Empoasca vitis.  There was also the psyllid Cacopsylla brunneipennis which was technically the first one I identified as this species.  However in the process of identifying it I realised that it was very probably the same species as one I had identified as Cacopsylla pulchra from 27th July.  I'd been a little doubtful about that ID so it was good to get a second chance to nail it.

Compsidolon salicellum, North Elmham, 7th August

Cacopsylla brunneipennis (female), North Elmham, 7th August

Beetles consisted of Amara apricaria, 6 Bradycellus verbasci, Aphodius rufipes and Harlequin Ladybird.  There were also 7 Hornets.

Hornets, North Elmham, 7th August

There were 3 new moths the following night and again they were all second records for the garden.  In fact the first two were my second records anywhere.  They were Rowan Slender Parornix scoticella, Black-tipped Ermine Yponomeuta plumbella and Gorse Groundling Mirificarma mulinella.

Rowan Slender Parornix scoticella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 8th August

Black-tipped Ermine Yponomeuta plumbella, North Elmham, 8th August

Gorse Groundling Mirificarma mulinella, North Elmham, 8th August

Elm Midget Phyllonorycter tristrigella was also my second ever, following my first just six nights earlier.  Poplar Cosmet Batrachedra praeangusta was another species I had seen for the first time this year with two here in the garden and one elsewhere.

Elm Midget Phyllonorycter tristrigella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 8th August

Poplar Cosmet Batrachedra praeangusta, North Elmham, 8th August

The rest of the moths that night were 2 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, Apple Leaf-miner Lyonetia clerkella, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, 2 Blackthorn Slenders Parornix torquillella, Brown Rowan Argent Argyresthia semifusca, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 11 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 68 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 3 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, 2 Orange Swifts, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Common Carpets, Tawny Speckled Pug, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Magpie Moths, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 5 Dusky Thorns, 4 Willow Beauties, Coxcomb Prominent, 3 Turnip Moths, 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 3 Flame Shoulders, 3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 9 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Cabbage Moth, Common Wainscot, Common Rustic, 5 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics and 7 Straw Dots.

Mayflies, lacewings and caddisflies were 3 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, Dichochrysa flavifrons, Dichochrysa prasina, Conwentzia psociformis, Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus lunatus.

Birch Shieldbug was the only bug, Bradycellus verbasci and Aphodius rufipes the only beetles and there were 4 Hornets and a Common Wasp.

Things then took a turn for the worse and the night of 9th August was dire: just 41 moths of 14 species: Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 22 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Willow Beauty, Turnip Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Six-striped Rustic, Straw Underwing, 4 Flounced Rustics and 3 Straw Dots.

The only other insects I noted were Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus lunatus and 2 Hornets.

If that was bad then the following night was even worse - just 9 species of moth!  They were Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 25 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Orange Swifts, Willow Beauty, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Six-striped Rustic, Common Wainscot and 2 Flounced Rustics.

There was also the caddisfly Limnephilus marmoratus, a Hornet and a Common Frog.

Next day I went to Titchwell where the main focus was birds.  But on the way out I stopped at In-focus to pick up my eye-piece that had been in for repairs.  The buddleia in their car park was full of butterflies but among them was something smaller.  Eventually I got a good enough look at it - it was a Gold Spot, and clearly very much at home among the butterflies feeding in the sunshine.

That night there was a slight improvement in numbers of moths though none were new for the year.  There were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii, Brown Rowan Argent Argyresthia semifusca, Dark Ash-bud Moth Prays ruficeps, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, 4 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, Straw Conch Cochylimorpha straminea, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 2 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 56 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 4 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Orange Swifts, Single-dotted Wave, Flame Carpet, 2 Double-striped Pugs, Magpie Moth, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, Buff Ermine, 2 Flame Shoulders, 4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Six-striped Rustics, Straw Underwing, Dun-bar, Vine's Rustic and 6 Straw Dots.

Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th August

Rush Marble Bactra lancealana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 11th August

Lacewings and caddisflies consisted of Hemerobius humulinus, Hemerobius lutescens, 4 Micromus variegatus, Hydropsyche siltalai, 3 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis and 2 Limnephilus lunatus.

There was one new insect for the year among the beetles, a 10-spot Ladybird - in fact only my second here I think.  Other beetles were Amara apricaria and Nicrophorus investigator.

10-spot Ladybird, North Elmham, 11th August

It's been a good year for Hornets and they peaked in the garden this night with a total of 10 in the moth trap.