Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Plumes (Pterophoridae) (part 2), Lance-wings (Epermeniidae) and Metal-marks (Choreutidae)

PLUME MOTHS (PTEROPHORIDAE) (continued)


Citron Plume Hellinsia carphodactyla - One at Bintree Wood on 13th June 2020.  This is the first one I've caught away from the Brecks and gives me hope that I might get one here or at the meadows sometime.  Also shown below is one I confirmed for Geoff Turner at Weybourne in 2019.

Citron Plume Hellinsia carphodactyla, caught by Geoff Turner at Weybourne between 30th June and 4th July 2019

Citron Plume Hellinsia carphodactyla, Bintree Wood, 13th June 2020

Mugwort Plume Hellinsia lienigianus - One at the meadows on 30th June 2019.  I've recorded this species in the garden on 2 occasions, both in 2017.

Mugwort Plume Hellinsia lienigianus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla - None.  I've only recorded this species at home once, in 2015.


Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla - At least 123 at home between 5th March and 12th October 2019, but not counted on 4 nights so perhaps more.  That's my best year here so far, with numbers increasing (if only slightly) each year since I arrived - until 2020 when there were only 91 between 5th April and 22nd October.  Also recorded next door, at the allotment, at the meadows, at Lyng Easthaugh, Whitwell Street, Hellesdon and in Cornwall.

Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, North Elmham, 10th August 2019

Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, North Elmham, 11th August 2019

Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th October 2019

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FALSE-FEATHERS (SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE)


Bramble False-feather Schreckensteinia festaliella - None.  I've never recorded this unique species locally (only at Frost's Common in 2017) but I see no reason why it shouldn't be present round here.

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LANCE-WINGS (EPERMENIIDAE)


Yellow-spotted Lance-wing Phaulernis fulviguttella - None.  I've only recorded this twice, both at West Raynham in the daytime in 2013.  It's a scarce species but it may well occur locally.  Probably more chance of finding this one at the meadows than in my garden.


Scale-tooth Lance-wing Phaulernis dentella - On 21st June 2019 I netted a small worn moth along the track at the meadows in identical circumstances and in almost exactly the same place as I netted my first and only confirmed dentella on 6th June 2018.  The shape of the moth put me in mind of the 2018 record but the distinctive markings of dentella could not be discerned, either because it was too worn or because they weren't there in the first place.  I imagined gen detting would resolve it, and in time it may yet, but the problem for now is that I cannot find any reference material to compare it to.  It was a female and there are no images of female genitalia of Phaulernis dentella on the Dissection Group website, nor on any of the other websites that often have such things, nor in any of my books.  I've asked around but can't find anyone who has any such images.  Part of the problem is that it's a nationally scarce moth that is quite rare outside of Norfolk (although it doesn't seem to be restricted to particularly unusual habitats within Norfolk).  The genitalia do look very similar to female Phaulernis fulviguttella, but not identical to the Dissection Group image of that species, leading me to conclude that it may well be dentella.  However, some of the Epermenia species have similar genitalia too (indeed the non-Norfolk Epermenia insecurella is arguably a closer match than Phaulernis fulviguttella) so I'm not sure.  I think most of the Epermenia have longer narrower wings so I feel it is most likely Phaulernis dentella, but although I hope one day to resolve this, for now I've hit a dead end.

possible female Scale-tooth Lance-wing Phaulernis dentella or possibly Epermenia sp., North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st June - showing genitalia in lower images

Garden Lance-wing Epermenia chaerophylllella - One in the garden trap on 4th July 2019.  None in 2020.  I record 1-2 most years but 2020 wasn't my first blank; it's one of the few species I used to see more often at Bawdeswell than I do here.

Garden Lance-wing Epermenia chaerophyllella, North Elmham, 4th July 2019

Large Lance-wing Epermenia falciformis - 2 in the garden and one at the meadows between 17th and 27th August 2019 but none in 2020.  I had 2 here in 2018 but prior to that I'd only one here since arriving in August 2014.

Large Lance-wing Epermenia falciformis, North Elmham, 17th August 2019

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METAL-MARKS (CHOREUTIDAE)


Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana - None at home in 2019 or 2020, my first full years living here witout finding any in my garden.  2019 seemed to be a poor year for this sometimes-abundant species - I only recorded singles at the meadows on 4 dates between 20th April and 21st June and then 2 on 11th September (also one at Swanton Novers on 15th August).  2020 wasn't a great deal better with 9 at the meadows between 9th May and 20th June and singles on 11th and 16th September.  More in Cornwall in early October including 20 at Higher Bosistow.

male Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th September 2020

Apple-leaf Skeletonizer Choreutis pariana - None.  I am yet to see this species but it's fairly widespread and not all that rare, so I'd have thought I would have a reasonable chance of finding one  locally someday.  I am also yet to come across any of the rarer Prochoreutis Metal-marks.


Next page: Tortricidae

My first Scale-tooth Lance-wing (Phaulernis dentella)

Just two new moths for the year again on 4th June: Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana and Common Footman.

Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, North Elmham, 4th June

Other moths consisted of Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 2 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Common Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, Blood-vein, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 7 Silver-ground Carpets, 4 Green Carpets, 2 Common Pugs, 2 Grey Pugs, Light Emerald, Orange Footman, White Ermine, 4 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, 6 Heart and Darts, 2 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Bright-line Brown-eye, Common Wainscot, 3 Brown Rustics, Middle-barred Minor, 5 Treble Lines, Vine's Rustic, 2 Mottled Rustics and 8 Straw Dots.

Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, North Elmham, 4th June

Just one caddisfly (Limnephilus lunatus) and one bug, but the latter was new for the house: Psallus perrisi.

Psallus perrisi (male, gen det), North Elmham, 4th June

A poor night on 5th June produced one nice new moth for the year, Brindled Tortrix Ptycholoma lecheana - only my second here and a species I don't see often anywhere.

Bridled Tortrix Ptycholoma lecheana, North Elmham, 5th June

Apart from that there was just White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 6 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 5 Silver-ground Carpets, 5 Common Marbled Carpets, Green Carpet, 2 Common Pugs, Grey Pug, 2 Light Emeralds, Eyed Hawk-moth, 2 Common Footmen, 3 White Ermines, 3 Buff Ermines, 2 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Small Square-spot, Shears, 2 Common Wainscots, Brown Rustic, Middle-barred Minor, 5 Treble Lines, 2 Straw Dots and the caddisfly Limnephilus sparsus.

Next day another wander round the Cathedral Meadows provided a good haul of invertebrates including no less than four lifers.  My visits to the meadows this year have been very rewarding with lots of species I had not previously identified, but most of these come from groups that I haven't studied much.  I've seen some good moths here, but between late April when I started and late November when I'm writing this only two moths have been entirely new for me.  One of these was on 6th June, netted along the track - a Scale-tooth Lance-wing Phaulernis dentella.

Scale-tooth Lnace-wing Phaulernis dentella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

Other moths were 3 Yellow-barred Long-horns Nemophora degeerella, 6 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 2 Pea Moths Cydia nigricana, 4 Hook-streak Grass-veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Yellow Shell and Green Carpet; also the leaf-cone of Common Slender Gracillaria syringella.

Pea Moth Cydia nigricana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

Other bits and pieces included Banded Demoiselle, Dark Bush-cricket nymph, the Scorpion Fly Panorpa communis, Garden Chafer, the soldier beetle Cantharis livida, 7-spot Ladybird, the hoverlfly Volucella bombylans, the sawfly Tenthredo arcuata, Red-tailed Bumblebee, Strawberry Snail and Garden Snail.  Another bee keyed out as Broad-margined Mining Bee Andrena synadelph, a new species for me.

Broad-margined Mining Bee Andrena synadelph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

Volucella bombylans, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

This fly turned out to be a Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius, a species that I've probably seen before but hadn't previously identified.

Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

This rather attractive Cucumber Spider appears to be Twin Cucumber Spider Araniella opisthographa if I'm not mistaken.  I find it pretty hard to see the relevant details that enable identification of these spiders, even under a microscope, but this one seemed to fit oposthographa best I think.

Twin Cucumber Spider Araniella opisthographa, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June

Found another Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella when I got home.  New for the year that night were Barred Marble Celypha striana and Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, and there was also Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 3 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Treble Brown Spot, 5 Silver-ground Carpets, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, Green Carpet, Freyer's Pug, 5 Common Pugs, Brimstone Moth, 3 Light Emeralds, Eyed Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, Orange Footman, Common Footman, 4 White Ermines, 13 Buff Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Ingrailed Clay, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Shears, 4 Common Wainscots, 2 Brown Rustics, Middle-barred Minor, 2 Treble Lines, Silver Y, Spectacle, Straw Dot and the caddisflies Plectrocnemia conspersa and 2 Limnephilus lunatus.