Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Grass moths (Crambidae) - Part 1: Pearls I (Pyrausta to Anania)

GRASS MOTHS (CRAMBIDAE)


Silver-barred Sable Pyrausta cingulata - 3 along the track running west from Tiroran on Mull on 10th June 2019.  This is a non-Norfolk species and it was a new one for me.

Silver-barred Sables Pyrausta cingulata, west of Tiroran (Mull), 10th June 2019

Straw-barred Pearl Pyrausta despicata - New for the garden in 2020 when not one but 10 (!) over 8 nights between 28th June and 3rd September.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 22nd August 2019, 6 at Brancaster in July 2020 and 2 on Mull in June 2020.  Although I had this species at my last house in Bawdeswell it took me 6 years to get it here - made up for that now though.

Staw-barred Pearl Pyrausta despicata, Glen More, 9th June 2019

Staw-barred Pearl Pyrausta despicata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Staw-barred Pearl Pyrausta despicata, North Elmham, 28th June 2020

Staw-barred Pearl Pyrausta despicata, North Elmham, 21st August 2020

Small Purple & Gold Pyrausta aurata - A total of 15 in the garden between 23rd July and 14th September 2019 was a record year but somewhat eclipsed by 44 between 10th April and 25th August 2020.  11 in 2018 was the first time I'd caught more than 3 in a year.  In this case the increase here may be nothing to do with its county-wide population but more to do with the mint we planted in the garden a few years ago getting a bit out of hand.  Records consisted of a mixture of daytime observations and individuals caught in the moth trap and interestingly this species showed a similar pattern to several other species that I see both in daytime (often at the meadows) and at night (here or elsewhere) with the majority of those at the start of the flight period being seen in the day and the majority of those towards the end of the flight period being caught at light.  In this case I'd seen 17 during the day before I caught any at light (first to light on 26th June) and I caught 11 in the trap after I saw the last during the day (on 26th July).

Small Purple & Gold Pyrausta aurata, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Small Purple & Gold Pyrausta aurata, North Elmham, 25th August 2020

Common Purple & Gold Pyrausta purpuralis - This species doesn't live up to the first part of its vernacular name in Norfolk, at least not round here, but I finally added it to my garden list in 2020 when I caught one on 8th August 2020.  Elsewhere one along the track west of Tiroran on Mull on 10th June 2019.

Common Purple & Gold Pyrausta purpuralis, west of Tiroran (Mull), 10th June 2019

Common Purple & Gold Pyrausta purpuralis, North Elmham, 8th August 2020

Orange-rayed Pearl Nascia cilialis - None.  I've only ever seen one of these and that wasn't local, but David Knight caught one at Worthing in 2018 so that gives me hope that I might find one locally.


Sulphur Pearl Sitochroa palealis - None.  I'm yet to find this species anywhere but although there are no records from my 10k square it's fairly widespread so there must be a fair chance of it turning up here.


Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis - An average showing at home with 4 between 3rd June and 23rd July 2019 and 5 between 21st May and 17th June 2020.  Also singles at the meadows both years.

Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, North Elmham, 3rd June 2019

Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Long-winged Pearl Anania lancealis - One in the garden on 24th June 2020, my 4th record here (previous ones all 2016-17).  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 7th July 2019 and one at Hellesdon on 14th July 2019.

Long-winged Pearl Anania lancealis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Long-winged Pearl Anania lancealis, North Elmham, 24th June 2020

Elder Pearl Anania coronata - Totals of 23 at home between 24th June and 23rd July 2019 and 24 between 16th June and 22nd July 2020, the lowest totals I've had since coming here.  I averaged around 30 a year here.  Also a couple at the meadows.  Ever the optimist I always check these for Woundwort Pearl Anania stachydalis but no luck with that one yet!

Elder Pearl Anania coronoata, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Elder Pearl Anania coronoata, North Elmham, 22nd June 2020

Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis - 11 caught in the garden between 17th June and 23rd July 2019, making it my best year to date here (previously I've caught 5-8) but then just 3 in 2020 between 14th June and 10th July.  Also one at the meadows.

Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th June 2020

Golden-rod Pearl Anania terrealis - I caught my first example of this non-Norfolk species at Carsaig on Mull on 12th June 2019.

male Golden-rod Pearl Anania terrealis, Carsaig (Mull), 12th June 2019

Ochreous Pearl Anania crocealis - One in the garden on 17th July 2019 and 2 on 18th July 2020.  I had only recorded this species here twice before (2017 and 2018).  Elsewhere one at Weybourne on 5th July 2019

Ochreous Pearl Anania crocealis, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Ochreous Pearl Anania crocealis, North Elmham, 18th July 2020

Golden Pearl Anania verbascalis - None.  I am yet to find this species locally but it seems to be cropping up away from the main strongholds more often so it seems worth looking out for.


Small Magpie Anania hortulata - A total of 77 in my garden between 1st June and 4th August 2019, making it my worst year ever for this common species.  2020 wasn't much better with 80 between 18th May and 22nd July.  Prior to this year 112 in 2015 was my lowest total so these were quite a way short.

Small Magpie Anania hortulata, North Elmham, 18th July 2020

European Corn-borer Ostrinia nubilalis - None.  I've only caught this species at home once, in 2016.


Next page: more Crambidae

Birch Mocha

I had the Yellow-legged Clearwing lure out again on 19th July, more in hope of getting another Orange-tailed Clearwing than Yellow-legged (they come to the same lure), but I was nonetheless impressed with a monster haul of 7 Yellow-legged Clearwings.  I also had the Raspberry Clearwing lure out but only caught a Common Wasp at that one.

Just 201 moths of 55 species that night with two new for the year: Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana and Canary-shouldered Thorn. I always think Canary-shoulderd Thorns signal the start of the end of the season, which was not a welcome sign as this season has barely started to get going.

Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandarna, North Elmham, 19th July

Canary-shouldered Thorn, North Elmham, 19th July

The others were Hawthorn Ermine Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, Apple & Plum Case-bearer Coleophora spinella, Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Cinerous Neb Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Bright Bell Eucosma hohenwartiana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 77 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Thicket Knot-horn Acrobasis suavella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Least Carpets, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 10 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, 4 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Magpie Moth, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 3 Scalloped Oaks, Poplar Hawk-moth, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Swallow Prominent, 3 Yellow-tails, 3 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 13 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 5 Smoky Wainscots, Common Wainscot, Dun-bar, 5 Dark Arches, Lesser Common Rustic, 16 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, Silver Y and Beautiful Hook-tip.

Other insects included 2 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, the caddisfly Hydropsyche siltalai, the beetle Hydrobius fuscipes and a new species for the garden, 14-spot Ladybird.

14-spot Ladybird, North Elmham, 19th July

The following night was a substantial improvement and I think the best night of the year so far with 741 moths of 145 species.  Mind you, this did include 298 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella! The highlight was a new macro for the garden, and a species I'd only ever seen twice before: Birch Mocha.

Birch Mocha, North Elmham, 20th July

New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella was only my second, following one here in 2015.

New Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria sylvestrella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 20th July

There were 2 Grey Ermines Yponomeuta sedella, another species I'd only previously seen in 2015 (though three times that year).

Grey Ermine Yponomeuta sedella, North Elmham, 20th July

The following were all new for the year: Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Long-streak Midget Phyllonorycter salicicolella, Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella, Purple Argent Argyresthia albistria, Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella, House Neb Bryotropha domestica, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, 2 Small Purple & Golds Pyrausta aurata, Small Phoenix, Least Yellow Underwing, Mouse Moth and Dingy Shears.

Long-streak Midget Phyllonorycter salicicolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 20th July

Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 20th July

Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, North Elmham, 20th July

Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella, North Elmham, 20th July

Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, North Elmham, 20th July

Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella, North Elmham, 20th July

Small Purple and Gold Pyrausta aurata, North Elmham, 20th July

Small Phoenix, North Elmham, 20th July

Least Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 20th July

Mouse Moth, North Elmham, 20th July

Dingy Shears, North Elmham, 20th July

There were a couple of species that I only had for the first time very recently: Chestnut Pigmy Stigmella samiatella and Common Case-bearer Coleophora serratella.

The rest were probable Spotted Black Pigmy Ectoedemia subbimaculella, Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella, Brown Birch Slender Parornix betulae, 4 Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, 13 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermine Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Hawthorn Ermines Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 3 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, 2 Clover Case-bearers Coleophora alcyonipennella, Pistol Case-bearer Coleophora anatipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, 4 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 10 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, 5 Cinerous Nebs Bryotropha terrella, 4 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, 3 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, 2 Dingy Dowds Blastobasis adustella, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Maple Buttons Acleris forsskaleana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Bright Bells Eucosma hohenwartiana, 9 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 298 Straw Grass-veneers Agriphila straminella, 11 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 5 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Base-lined Greys Scoparia basistrigalis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 2 Dusky Pearls Udea prunalis, 29 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 6 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Knot-horn Rhodophaea formosa, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla, 2 Pebble Hook-tips, 2 Buff Arches, Least Carpet, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 15 Single-dotted Waves, 8 Riband Waves, 5 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 5 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 4 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Garden Carpet, 2 Shaded Broad-bars, 3 Common Carpets, Yellow Shell, 5 Small Rivulets, Sandy Carpet, 2 Slender Pugs, Wormwood Pug, 10 Double-striped Pugs, Small Yellow Wave, 4 Clouded Borders, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, 3 Peppered Moths, 6 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Common Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Elephant Hawk-moth, Pale Prominent, Chocolate-tip, 5 Yellow-tails, 7 Rosy Footmen, 22 Dingy Footmen, 4 Scarce Footmen, 2 Buff Footmen, 13 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, Turnip Moth, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Flames, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 10 Double Square-spots, 2 Nutmegs, Dot Moth, 4 Clays, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 3 Dun-bars, 12 Dark Arches, Light Arches, 3 Cloaked Minors, Common Rustic, 4 Dusky Sallows, 2 Ear Moths, 2 Fen Wainscots, Small Rufous, 20 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, 4 Nut-tree Tussocks, 4 Snouts and 3 Fan-foots.

Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella, North Elmham, 20th July

Mayflies and lacewings consisted of 8 Blue-winged Olives Serratella ignita, Chrysoperla carnea agg., Dichochrysa prasina and 2 Micromus variegatus.

Among the caddisflies Cyrnus flavidus was new for the year and there were 3 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 3 Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus flavicornis, Limnephilus lunatus, Molanna angustata, Athripsodes aterrimus and Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis.

Cyrnus flavidus, North Elmham, 20th July

I don't think either of the Macrotylus bugs are particularly common but after getting 3 records of Macrotylus solitarius last year I thought I might get more again this year.  In fact I have now had two records of the other one, Macrotylus horvathi, the second one being tonight.  The only other true bug was Forest Bug (or Red-legged Shieldbug) which was new for the year.  There were also 2 of the leafhopper Iassus lanio.

Macrotylus horvathi, North Elmham, 20th July

Among the beetles Amara apricaria was new for the garden and Harlequin Ladybird was new for the year excluding those that remained in my study after hibernating at the end of last year.  Other beetles were 2 Strawberry Seed Beetles Harpalus rufipes, Hydrobius fuscipes and 2 Common Red Soldier Beetles Rhagonycha fulva.

Amara apricaria, North Elmham, 20th July

Water Shrew gobbling up the moths

On the evening of Monday 14th August Dave and I headed off to Potter Heigham for some mothing.  Conditions weren't idea with a little more breeze than we would have liked but we thought it was worth a shot. There were certainly a lot of flies attracted to the light - if not quite so many moths.

My second ever Reed Smudge Orthotelia sparganella was one of the highlights but there were a number of interesting moths like Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla, Chevron and 2 Dotted Footmen. Unsurprisingly in the habitat there was a nice variety of Wainscots and the like including 4 Southern Wainscots, Smoky Wainscot, 5 Reed Daggers, 2 Small Wainscots, 3 Bulrush Wainscots, 2 Twin-spotted Wainscots, 4 Webb's Wainscots, 2 Small Rufous and Silky Wainscot.

Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla (male, gen det), Potter Heigham, 14th August

Chevron, Potter Heigham, 14th August

Dotted Footman, Potter Heigham, 14th August

Silky Wainscot, Potter Heigham, 14th August

Other moths were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Bulrush Cosmet Limnaecia phragmitella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 3 Cyclamen Tortrixes Clepsis spectrana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Blotched Marble Endothenia quadrimaculana, 5 Wainscot Veneers Chilo phragmitella, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Giant Water-veneers Schoenobius gigantella, 4 Marsh Greys Eudonia pallida, 3 Brown China-marks Elophila nymphaeata, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, 2 Drinkers, Blood-vein, 2 Common Carpets, Lime-speck Pug, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, Willow Beauty, Poplar Hawk-moth, Sallow Kitten, Pale Prominent, Yellow-tail, Black Arches, 3 Garden Tigers, Ruby Tiger, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Least Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, Six-striped Rustic, Nutmeg, Cabbage Moth, 2 Dog's Tooths, Antler Moth, 2 Dark Arches, 3 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, 2 Burnished Brasses, 6 Gold Spots and 3 Straw Dots.

Giant Water-veneer Schoenobius gigantella, Potter Heigham, 14th August

One visitor to the sheet beneath one of the MV lights was a very welcome surprise, even if it was gobbling up moths ten to the dozen.  It was this Water Shrew.  Technically a lifer for me though I've seen 2-3 run across the path in front of me that I've been 99% sure about plus one or two dead animals.  Great to see one up close like this.  It sniffed a few flies but largely ignored them in favour of the larger juicier moths.

Water Shrew, Potter Heigham, 14th August

Another lifer was the only caddisfly I retained for checking - Holocentropus picicornis.  The typical form has yellow mottling like many other caddisflies in the Polycentropidae family so I assume this is the form aurata which has unmarked yellowish-brown wings.

Holocentropus picicornis (male), Potter Heigham, 14th August

A reasonable selection of moths at home that night including a Little Cosmet Mompha raschkiella which I'd only added to my garden list in July. A Rush Marble Bactra lancealana was an interesting form - I think moths looking like this are often put down as robustana but the genitalia seem to confirm this one as lancealana.   Bactra furfurana also has a form quite similar to this - I think this genus is harder to identify than some people give it credit for - and gen detting them isn't always easy either.

Rush Marble Bactra lancealana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 14th August

Other moths were Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 6 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, 3 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 12 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Small Purple and Gold (Mint Moth) Pyrausta aurata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Orange Swift, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, 3 Common Carpets, 5 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 3 Willow Beauties, Pale Prominent, Dingy Footman, 4 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 6 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Square-spotted Clays, Burnished Brass, 2 Spectacles, 7 Straw Dots and Pinion-streaked Snout.

Small Purple and Gold (aka Mint Moth) Pyrausta aurata, North Elmham, 14th August

Lacewings and caddisflies consisted of Chrysoperla carnea agg., Cunctochrysa albolineata, Ithytrichia lamellaris, Hydropsyche siltalai and Limnephilus lunatus. There was a Forest Bug and the beetle list was Ilybius ater, 4 Bradycellus verbasci, Nicrophorus investigator and Aphodius rufipes.