Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Slenders and Midgets (Gracillariidae) (part 6: Phyllonorycter III)

SLENDERS and MIDGETS (GRACILLARIIDAE) (continued)


Dark Hornbeam Midget Phyllonorycter esperella - It took me a while to realise that the hedgerow trees by the chapel ruins were Hornbeams but once I figured that out I was able to re-visit and identify the leaf-mine I recorded on them in September 2019.  There were 3 more (at least 2 occupied) in September 2020.

leaf-mine of Dark Hornbeam Midget Phyllonorycter esperella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th September 2019

leaf-mines and larvae of Dark Hornbeam Midgets Phyllonorycter esperella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 16th September 2020

Grey Alder Midget Phyllonorycter strigulatella - None.  I've never seen this species and I think it's quite scarce in Norfolk, but it's been recorded near here (Beetley area) so there must be half a chance of me catching one here.


Common Alder Midget Phyllonorycter rajella - An exception 3 caught in my garden moth trap on 26th June 2020 and one more on 12th August.  I've only ever caught 3 here before, singles in 2014, 2016 and 2017.  At least 4 leaf-mines at Gypsy Lane (Brancaster) on 14th October 2020.

female Common Alder Midgets Phyllonorycter rajella, North Elmham, 26th June 2020

female Common Alder Midget Phyllonorycter rajella, North Elmham, 12th August 2020

Small Birch Midget Phyllonorycter anderidae - None.  A scarce species in Norfolk but a couple of records in central Norfolk and its foodplant grows in my front garden so hopefully I'll find one round here someday.


Fiery Oak Midget Phyllonorycter lautella - None.  I've not found this species locally yet - cracking little moths so look forward to when I do.


Small Elm Midget Phyllonorycter schreberella - One in my garden moth trap on 30th July 2020 was my first ever, and what a sparkling little beauty was! 

 

Update 2025: Beauty it might have been but with that orange tuft on the vertex, schreberella it was not!  I clearly messed this one up, and looking back I think it has to be klemannella. 

NOT Small Elm Midget Phyllonorycter schreberella, North Elmham, 30th July 2020

Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella - 3 in my garden trap between 25th and 31st July 2019 and 4 between 26th July and 5th August 2020.  I had 3-4 in each of 2017 and 2018 too.

male Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, North Elmham, 31st July 2019

female Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, North Elmham, 26th July 2020

male Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, North Elmham, 4th August 2020

male Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

Large Midget Phyllonorycter emberizaepennella - None.  I've never seen this species but although it hasn't been recorded locally it's widespread enough that it ought to be here.


Elm Midget Phyllonorycter tristrigella - One on 5th August 2020.  I've only seen this species twice before, both here in 2018.

female Elm Midget Phyllonorycter tristrigella, North Elmham, 5th August 2020

Small Alder Midget Phyllonorycter stettinensis - 4 mines at Gypsy Lane, Brancaster in October 2020 were my only record.  I have caught this species at home a couple of times but not since 2016.


Broad-barred Midget Phyllonorycter froelichiella - None.  I've not recorded this here yet but it's not far away (I've found it at Beetley Common) so future records could be expected.


Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii - 3 trapped here between 1st and 9th August 2019, the third consecutive year that I've recorded 3 here, and then an unprecedented 10 here between 30th July and 20th August 2020 (including 3 on 10th August).

male Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii, North Elmham, 4th August 2019

male Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii, North Elmham, 9th August 2019

female Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii, North Elmham, 30th July 2020

male Red Hazel Midgets Phyllonorycter nicellii, North Elmham, 10th August 2020

male Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii, North Elmham, 15th August 2020

Dark Alder Midget Phyllonorycter klemannella - None.  I've only caught this one at home once, in 2018.


Honeysuckle Midget Phyllonorycter trifasciella - One in my garden trap on 16th July was new for the garden.  None in 2020.

Honeysuckle Midget Phyllonorycter trifasciella, North Elmham, 16th July 2019

Next page: more Gracillariidae

Phyllonorycter trifasciella and other mid October moths

An evening stroll round the meadows on 17th October was worthwhile.  I caught a couple of Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella at dusk but it got more productive after dark.  One of the better moths was another Phyllonorycter, found resting on a leaf by torchlight - a Honeysuckle Midget Phyllonorycter trifasciella.  This is a species I don't encounter very often.

Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th October

Honeysuckle Midget Phyllonorycter trifasciella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th October

Other moths were 3 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 3 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 November Moths, 2 Green-brindled Crescents and Yellow-line Quaker.

Long-borned Flat-body Carcina quercana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th October

Green-brindled Crescent, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th October

There were two of the darker flower bugs on Oak trunks but as I subsequently identified both confusus and nemoralis along here it isn't safe to name these without a specimen.  An easier bug to identify was Pinalitus cervinus.

Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th October

A new beetle for me was the rove beetle Ocypus brunnipes.  Also a 7-spot Ladybird.

Ocypus brunnipes, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th October

Finally I photographed this harvestman in the hope of working out its ID.  I think I have - Leiobunum rotundum.

Leiobunum rotundum, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th October

Not a great deal in the moth trap at home that night: 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 2 November Moths, 2 Feathered Thorns, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker, Yellow-line Quaker, Beaded Chestnut and Lunar Underwing.

The following night was very poor with Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, November Moth, Green-brindled Crescent, Chestnut and the caddisfly Halesus radiatus. The 19th was even worse with just November Moth, 2 Green-brindled Crescents and Beaded Chestnut.

A fungus foray at Beeston Common on 20th October was extremely interesting, the first I've ever been on.  A Brown Rat was above head height in the hedge by the entrance to the common - I don't ever recall seeing one so high up before.  We also saw an Adder, but of course these delights weren't what we were there for.  Expertly led by Tony Leech I learnt an enormous amout about fungi.  I took a lot of photos but quickly and badly, so they really aren't worth sharing here.  I did it mainly with the intention of helping me learn what I was seeing, recording the names as I did so.

A couple I think are worth mentioning were the Gorse Cramp Ball Daldinia fissa, a species that only occurs on gorse that has been burnt. and the Ergot Claviceps purpurea, which was once a very problematic contaminant of rye used in bread-making.

Gorse Cramp Ball Daldinia fissa, Beeston Common, 20th October

Ergot Claviceps purpurea, Beeston Common, 20th October

I am very grateful to Tony and the others who helped find and identify fungi - a very educational event that will not be my last fungus foray.

Afterwards I went to Beeston Priory for a drink with the Mrs.  There was Common Darter here, and this thing.  It's quite aphid-like but lacks obvious siphuncular cones shown by most aphids.  I think some lack them though, so maybe an aphid, or perhaps a nymph of a bug of some sort.

unidentified bug, Beeston Priory, 20th October

A small selection of moths in the garden trap that night included the first Mottled Umber of the autumn, and Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 8 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 5 November Moths, 7 Feathered Thorns, Sprawler, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, 2 Bricks and Snout.   There were also the caddisflies Limnephilus lunatus and 2 Halesus radiatus, and the beetle Lagria hirta.

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 20th October

Sprawler, North Elmham, 20th October

Brick, North Elmham, 20th October

There was a bigger and better selection of moths the following night: London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Light Brown Apple-moths Epiphyas postvittana, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, 9 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Spruce Carpet, 13 November Moths, 3 Pale November Moths (and 1 other Epirrita sp.), 4 Feathered Thorns, White-point, Sprawler, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, 2 Bricks, Red-line Quaker, 5 Yellow-line Quakers and Vine's Rustic.  Caddisflies were Brown Sedge Anabolia nervosa, 3 Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus lunatus.  There was also one bug, Pinalitus cervinus and the barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi.

Ectopsocus briggsi (male), North Elmham, 21st October

There was much less again the following night with Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Pale November Moth, Feathered Thorn, Red-line Quaker and 4 Yellow-line Quakers.

The following night's selection was 2 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, November Moth, 4 Pale November Moths, 2 Feathered Thorns, Turnip Moth, 2 Sprawlers, 6 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker and 2 Yellow-line Quakers. Caddisflies were Limnephilus auricula, 3 Limnephilus lunatus and Halesus radiatus, and there was a Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis.

Next day a Hornet was the only insect noted at the Cathedral Meadows.  Fungi included this Jelly Ear.

Jelly Ear, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th October

That night the garden moth trap produced Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 3 Pale November Moths, 4 Feathered Thorns, 2 Sprawlers, Red-line Quaker, Yellow-line Quaker and the caddisfly Halesus radiatus.

Row Heath

On Saturday 27th May the Norfolk Moth Survey headed up to Row Heath, on the Sheringham-Cromer ridge south of West Runton.  It's a great area of woodland bordering heathland which hasn't been properly surveyed before so it was a good opportunity to see what was there.  The weather was kind too, so we were in for a good night.

For many people, myself included, the highlight was a Barred Hook-tip, a scarce macro in the county which I'd never seen before.

Barred Hook-tip, Row Heath, 27th May

A tiny dark moth with obvious eye-caps defied identification in the field but eventually it became clear to me that it was one of the Stigmella atricapitella/ruficapitella pair, the males of which can be distinguished by the length of their andriconial hair scales on their hindwings.  Once I'd realised which scales were andriconial I was able to identify this one as Black-headed Pigmy Stigmella atricapitella, another new species for me.

Black-headed Pigmy Stigmella atricapitella, Row Heath, 27th May

There are loads of species in this family and the majority are usually only recorded as leafmines - the adults are fiendishly difficult to identify (even when looking at their genitalia in most cases) and not seen very often either.  We managed to see two this night, but the second I haven't been able to put a name to.  I wondered if it might be the paler-based form of salicella (though I don't recall there being much sallow there) or possibly floslactella?

Pigmy sp. Stigmella sp., Row Heath, 27th May

Another good macro was the highlight for at least one person, and was, or rather were, only my second and third ever: 2 Little Emeralds.

Little Emeralds, Row Heath, 27th May

Though not especially rare a Honeysuckle Midget Phyllonorycter trifasciella was my first in Norfolk having only seen one in Cornwall previously.  There was also a Red Hazel Midget Phyllonorycter nicellii.

Honeywuckle Midget Phyllonorycter trifasciella, Row Heath, 27th May

Other good macros included Grey Birch, Small White Wave and Brindled White-spot - the first two of those were my second records.

Grey Birch, Row Heath, 27th May

Brindled White-spot, Row Heath, 27th May

As always on occasions like this a few moths were quite educational for various reasons.  We saw several Common Tortrixes Capua vulgana (which despite their name are far from common - only about 13 records in Norfolk).  They are supposed to be easily identified by their pale shoulders but although one had clear pale shoulders and another (a male) had less distinct pale shoulders (I suspect they'd have been clearer when it was fresh), two females showed virtually no hint of pale shoulders.

Common Tortrix Capua vulgana, Row Heath, 27th May

Common Tortrix Capua vulgana (male), Row Heath, 27th May

Common Tortrix Capua vulgana (females), Row Heath, 27th May

There were several Small Rivulets and Garry found what he thought might be a Rivulet.  To me it looked too small and some of us felt that it was in fact another Small Rivulet.  There had been a suggestion that it only had a single indentation on the white cross band which would make it Rivulet but on closer inspection It did in fact show two indentations.  These were of unequal size – various references say Small Rivulet usually shows two indentations of equal size while Rivulet usually shows only a single indentation.  In my experience they are more commonly of unequal size in Small Rivulet (and this is supported by photos on reliable websites like Lepiforum) but a similar pattern is sometimes found in Rivulet too.  It seems that most cases where Rivulet has two indentations they are more unequal in size than the majority of Small Rivulets, but with some overlap.  For me the pattern of Garry’s moth was fine for Small Rivulet but did not rule out Rivulet, so to settle it I took it home to measure and if necessary gen det.  The forewing length was 11 mm – inside the upper end of the range for Small Rivulet (9-11 mm) and outside of the bottom end of the range for Rivulet (12-15 mm) – so it seemed it was a Small Rivulet as I’d thought.  As I had the specimen I checked the genitalia just to confirm… and it turns out it was a male Rivulet after all!

Rivulet (small but not Small; male, gen det), Row Heath, 27th May

This V-Pug caught some of us out as it wasn't the usual green colour.  I had a vague recollection of having seen one like this before and indeed it is the case that old examples can wear to this colour.

V-Pug, Row Heath, 27th May

It seems that I'm not the only one who sees some of the conifer tortrix moths rarely enough that I can't remember how to distinguish them without looking them up.  We saw quite a few Spotted Shoot Moths Rhyacionia pinivorana as well as some Pine Bud Moths Pseudococcyx turionella.

Pine Bud Moths Pseudococcyx turionella, Row Heath, 27th May

Spotted Shoot Moths Rhyacionia pinivorana, Row Heath, 27th May

Other micros included 2 Bordered Carls Coptotriche marginea, Feathered Bright Incurvaria masculella, 3 Large Long-horns Nematopogon swammerdamella, Meadow Long-horn Cauchas rufimitrella, Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, Birch Bent-wing Bucculatrix demaryella, 3 New Oak Slenders Caloptilia robustella, 2 Apple Fruit Moths Argyresthia conjugella, 2 Gorse Case-bearers Coleophora albicosta, Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella, Crescent Groundling Teleiodes luculella, Large Groundling Teleiopsis diffinis, 3 Heather Groundlings Neofaculta ericetella, Winter Groundling Scrobipalpa costella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 4 Brassy Tortrixes Eulia ministrana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Oak Marble Lobesia reliquana, 2 Rush Marbles Bactra lancealana, 2 Bridge Rollers Ancylis uncella, Red Roller Ancylis mitterbacheriana, Pine Bell Epinotia rubiginosana, Little Beech Piercer Strophedra weirana, 2 Grey Gorse Piercers Cydia ulicetana, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella and 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis.

Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella (male, gen det), Row Heath, 27th May

Apple Fruit Moth Argyresthia conjugella, Row Heath, 27th May

Bridge Roller Ancylis uncella, Row Heath, 27th May

Oak Marble Lobesia reliquana, Row Heath, 27th May

Little Beech Piercer Strophedra weirana (male, gen det), Row Heath, 27th May

Large Groundling Teleiopsis diffinis, Row Heath, 27th May

Feathered Bright Incurvaria masculella, Row Heath, 27th May

Gorse Case-bearer Coleophora albicosta (male, gen det), Row Heath, 27th May

The other macros were Gold Swift, Common Swift, Scalloped Hook-tip, Pebble Hook-tip, Chinese Character, Peach Blossom, Small Blood-vein, Cream Wave, Flame Carpet, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 5 Silver-ground Carpets, 8 Common Marbled Carpets, 8 Grey Pine Carpets, 2 Green Carpets, 3 Foxglove Pugs, Lime-speck Pug, Common Pug, 2 Ochreous Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, Yellow-barred Brindle, Clouded Border, Tawny-barred Angle, Brown Silver-line, 2 Scorched Wings, 3 Brimstone Moths, Scalloped Hazel, 2 Peppered Moths, 2 Pale Oak Beauties, Common White Wave, 6 White-pinion Spotteds, Clouded Silver, Light Emerald, 2 Lime Hawk-moths, 2 Poplar Hawk-moths, Alder Kitten, Coxcomb Prominent, Maple Prominent, Marbled Brown, Lobster Moth, Great Prominent, Pale Tussock, 3 Orange Footmen, 2 White Ermines, 2 Buff Ermines, 2 Least Black Arches, Flame Shoulder, Early Grey, Alder Moth, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Treble Lines, Nut-tree Tussock, Spectacle, Straw Dot and Small Fan-foot.

Lime Hawk-moth, Row Heath, 27th May

Alder Kitten, Row Heath, 27th May

Maple Prominent, Row Heath, 27th May

There were plenty of other insects too.  Lacewings included Chrysopidia ciliata and Hemerobius lutescens.

Chrysopidia ciliata, Row Heath, 27th May

Caddisflies included this Limnephilus marmoratus.

Limnephilus marmoratus, Row Heath, 27th May

Bugs included my first Oncopsis flavicollis and a Thamnotettix dilutior, both leafhoppers.

Oncopsis flavicollis, Row Heath, 27th May

Thamnotettix dilutior, Row Heath, 27th May

Beetles included Black Clock Beetle Pterostichus madidus, my first Melanotus villosus and Phyllobius argentatus.

Black Clock Beetle Pterostichus madidus, Row Heath, 27th May

Melanotus villosus, Row Heath, 27th May

The most obvious beetle, in fact the most obvious insect of any type, was Cockchafer - there were hundreds!  You can see a liberal scattering of them on my sheet here... (PS: you don't have to be middle-aged male and either bald or bearded to go mothing).

moth-ers, Row Heath, 27th May