Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Geometers (Geometridae) - part 4: Carpets III (Pennithera to Dysstroma)

GEOMETERS (GEOMETRIDAE) (continued)


Pine Carpet Pennithera firmata - Singles here on 24th September and 5th October 2019 and 1st August and 27th September 2020, making it 4 consecutive years that I've trapped 2 here (before that one in 2016 and none in 2014/15).  Elsewhere singles at Swanton Great Wood and Row Heath (West Runton) on 27th and 31st August 2019 and one at Bintree Wood on 13th June 2020.

Pine Carpet, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 5th October 2019

Spruce Carpet Thera britannica - Singles here on 23rd October and 2nd November 2019, 2 on 27th May and one on 18th October 2020.  That's about average here.  Elsewhere singles at Swanton Great Wood and Row Heath (West Runton) on 27th and 31st August 2019.

Spruce Carpet, North Elmham, 23rd October 2019

Spruce Carpet, North Elmham, 27th May 2020

male Spruce Carpet, North Elmham, 18th October 2020

Grey Pine Carpet Thera obeliscata - Despite having averaged about 7 a year I didn't catch any of these at home in 2019 and only 3 in 2020 (21st May and 14th and 15th August).  A few elsewhere including one at the meadows on 22nd April 2019, one at Bintree Wood, 6 at Hills and Holes, 6 at Row Heath (West Runton), one in Cornwall and singles at 3 sites on Mull.  One or two of the latter (shown below) were types that I find quite tricky to tell apart from Spruce Carpet - fortunately they were males enabling me to check their diagnostic antennae.

male Grey Pine Carpet, Carsaig (Mull), 13th June

male Grey Pine Carpet, Ceann Chnocain (Mull), 13th June - showing the diagnostic antenna

Grey Pine Carpet, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Juniper Carpet Thera juniperata - None.  This is a rare example of a moth that I caught regularly at my last house in Bawdeswell (25 in the bedroom between 2007 and 2013) but which I haven't caught at all since moving to North Elmham in 2014.


Blue-bordered Carpet Plemyria rubiginata - Singles in the garden on 23rd July 2019 (my latest ever record, though only by a day) and 24th June 2020.  I just about record this here annually with a total of 9 since 2015.

Blue-bordered Carpet, North Elmham, 23rd July 2019

Blue-bordered Carpet, North Elmham, 24th June 2020

Barred Yellow Cidaria fulvata - 6 caught in the garden between 24th June and 5th July 2019 and then just 2 in 2020, on 22nd and 26th June.  About 8 is average.  Elsewhere one at the meadows, one at Weybourne and 4 at Brancaster.

Barred Yellow, North Elmham, 27th June 2019

Barred Yellow, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

Barred Yellow, North Elmham, 22nd June 2020

Broken-barred Carpet Electrophaes corylata - None in 2019, my first blank year since moving here, and just 2 in 2020, on 18th and 20th May.  I had caught 3-4 in the garden in each of the previous 4 years.

Broken-barred Carpet, North Elmham, 18th May 2020

Purple Bar Cosmorrhoe ocellata - 3 caught in my garden between 21st and 30th August 2019 and 6 between 30th July and 22nd August 2020.  Also one next door, 2 at Bintree Wood and one at Sculthorpe Moor (26th April 2019).  A fairly typical showing.


Phoenix Eulithis prunata - One in my garden trap on 26th July 2019 but none in 2020.  I recorded 13 here in 2 years (2016-17) but none in 2018 so this species seems to be quite erratic in its occurrence here.  Elsewhere one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019, my latest ever record.

Phoenix, North Elmham, 26th July 2019

Chevron Eulithis testata - None in 2019; one in the garden on 11th August 2020 was a first for the garden.  The only other relatively local example that I've ever caught was one at my old house in Bawdeswell back in 2010.

Chevron, North Elmham, 11th August 2020

Spinach Eulithis mellinata -None.  This was one of the biggest holes in my moth list until 2018 but it remains a gap in my garden list despite there being a record from the other moth-trapper in my street.


Barred Straw Gandaritis pyraliata - Totals of 61 in the garden between 22nd June and 14th July 2019 and 57 between 13th June and 12th July, including a record count of 9 on 5th July 2019.  Despite the record the overall numbers were average.  Elsewhere 9 at the meadows (5 nights), one at Bintree Wood and one at Hellesdon.

Barred Straw, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

Barred Straw, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Barred Straw, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Small Phoenix Ecliptopera silaceata - Totals of 5 trapped at home between 21st July and 7th August 2019 and 3 between 26th May and 11th August 2020.  Although I've recorded up to 8 in a year here, 2 out of 5 years were blank.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 31st May, one in Hellesdon and a total of 10 on Mull.

Small Phoenix, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Small Phoenix, North Elmham, 7th August 2019

Small Phoenix, North Elmham, 26th May 2020

Small Phoenix, North Elmham, 23rd July 2020

Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata - In the spring flight period one in the garden on 23rd May 2019 and one at the meadows a couple of nights later, then singles at home on 20th and 21st May 2020.  In the autumn singles in the garden on 4th October and 26th November 2019 (my latest ever) and one at the meadows on 4th October, then 3 between 20th September and 20th October 2020 and 2 at the meadows on 8th November.  After 13 here in my first autumn (2014) I thought this species was going to be commoner here but it must have been a good year as I've only had a total of 20 in 6 years since then (with none in 2018).

Red-green Carpet, North Elmham, 23rd May 2019

Red-green Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th October 2019

Red-green Carpet, North Elmham, 20th May 2020

Red-green Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th November 2020

Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata - In 2019, 9 in the garden between 1st and 15th June and then 5 between 7th and 28th September.  In 2020, 11 between 21st May and 24th June and 11 between 8th August and 30th September.  These were my worst showings so far - I was averaging 65 a year previously.  Elsewhere 2 at the meadows, 2 at Swanton Great Wood, 2 at Whitwell Street, 2 on Mull and 26 in Cornwall.

Common Marbled Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Common Marbled Carpet, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Dark Marbled Carpet Dysstroma citrataa - None.  I have never seen this species, in fact I'm not convinced it exists in Norfolk...


Next page: more Geometridae

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