Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Noctuids (Noctuidae) part 1: Plusias to Nut-tree Tussock

NOCTUIDS (NOCTUIDAE)


Spectacle Abrostola tripartita - Totals of 17 trapped here between 30th May and 29th August 2019 and 34 between 30th May and 22nd August 2020.  2019 was my worst year here since moving in (average 43 a year).  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows (from 25th May), one at Bintree Wood and 2 at Hellesdon.

Spectacle, North Elmham, 11th July 2020

Spectacle, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Dark Spectacle Abrostola triplasia - One in the garden moth trap on 14th June 2020.  This was my 7th here since moving in in 2014 and 2019 was my first blank year.

Dark Spectacle, North Elmham, 14th June 2020

Dewick's Plusia Macdunnoughia confusa - None.  I've never trapped this species but it's becoming so well established in Norfolk, including in parts of mid Norfolk, that it surely can't be long before it arrives here.


Burnished Brass Diachrysia chrysitis - Totals of 36 caught here between 18th June and 30th September 2019 and 19 between 21st May (my earliest ever) and 20th September 2020. The 2020 total was my worst in 6 years and both years were well below the average annual tally of 60.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows, one at Whitwell Street and one at Hellesdon.

Burnished Brass, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

Burnished Brass, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st May 2020

Silver Y Autographa gamma - Totals of 17 trapped in the garden between 3rd June and 19th September 2019 and 25 between 2nd June and 26th September 2020.  My average annual tally here is 16 and 2020's total was my highest yet.  Elsewhere 5 at the meadows, one at Bintree Wood, one at Row Heath (West Runton), 2 on Mull and 4 in Cornwall.

Silver Y, North Elmham, 3rd June 2019

Silver Y, North Elmham, 6th August 2020

Beautiful Golden Y Autographa pulchrina - 5 caught at Carsaig (Mull) between 9th and 13th June 2019.  This species is quite irregular here - I caught one in 2015, 4 in 2016, none in 2017, one in 2018 and none again in 2019 or 2020.

Beautiful Golden Y, Carsaig (Mull), 9th June 2019

Beautiful Golden Y, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Plain Golden Y Autographa pulchrina - None in 2019 but one in the garden moth trap on 4th July 2020.  I've only caught 3 of these at home before, in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Plain Golden Y, North Elmham, 4th July 2020

Gold Spot Plusia festucae - One to LEDs at the meadows on 31st May 2019.  I've caught this species at home twice, in 2015 and 2016.  I've never seen Lenpke's Gold Spot, though I have seen a couple of individuals that experienced moth recorders assured me were this species (but which I was doubtful about and on dissection they proved to be Gold Spots).

Gold Spot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Marbled White Spot Deltote pygarga - 3 caught in the garden between 24th and 28th June 2019, the 3rd year out of 5 that I've caught 3 here - the other 2 years yielding 11 and 13.  None caught in the garden in 2020, my first blank year here, but singles at the meadows, Bintree Wood and Hills and Holes.

Marbled White Spot, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Marbled White Spot, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Silver Hook Deltote uncula - At least 2 seen by day at different points along the footpath from Carsaig to Rubha Dubh on Mull on 10th June (both in damp grassland immediately up from the beach).  None in 2020 - I've only ever seen one of these in Norfolk and it doesn't occur locally.

Silver Hooks, Carsaig to Rubha Dubh (Mull), 10th June

Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli - In 2019, 5 caught here between 8th and 29th April then at least 22 between 12th July and 5th August (not counted on 4 dates but only singles on surrounding dates).  I averaged 55 per year over the previous 4 years - safe to say this was my worst year so far.  2020 was a bit better with 7 between 6th April and 18th May and 52 between 8th July and 6th August.  Elsewhere one at the meadows, 2 at Bintree Wood and 3 at Sculthorpe Moor.

Nut-tree Tussock, North Elmham, 8th April 2019

Nut-tree Tussock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019

Next page: more Noctuidae

Hawk-moth double act and a new Springtail

I found this Yellow-barred Brindle by the trap as I went to check it on the evening of Tuesday 15th, a new one for the year.

Yellow-barred Brindle, North Elmham, 15th May

There didn't seem to be many other moths in the trap and sure enough when I went through it in the morning there were only a dozen.  But these included my first two hawk-moths for the year, side by side on the same egg tray: Poplar Hawk-moth and Eyed Hawk-moth.  The others were Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Common Pug, Brindled Pug, 2 Brimstone Moths, Waved Umber, Pale Tussock, White Ermine, Early Grey and Nut-tree Tussock (and there was a Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella indoors).

Poplar Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 15th May

Eyed Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 15th May

White Ermine, North Elmham, 15th May

Next day Common Wave and 2 Spectacles were new for the year.  There were also Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Common Pug, 2 Scalloped Hazels, Muslin Moth, Flame Shoulder, Hebrew Character and a Common Earwig.

Common Wave, North Elmham, 16th May

Spectacle, North Elmham, 16th May

Scalloped Hazel, North Elmham, 16th May

The following night Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis and Small Square-spot were added to the garden year list, and there were also Green Carpet, 3 Common Pugs, 2 Scalloped Hazels, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder and Hebrew Character.

Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, North Elmham, 17th May

Small Square-spot, North Elmham, 17th May

There was one other thing in the trap of note, a springtail.  Unlike the springtail I saw at the meadows a few days earlier the third segment of the antennae was of an even width, indicating this was genus Tomocerus.  This one had spines on the dens that I could see clearly (well, clearly once I had gently prised the two prongs of the furcula apart), and they were simple, not tri-dentate, indicating (I think) that it was Tomocerus vulgaris, a new species for me.  Although it was alive and kicking (or rather jumping) when I got it out of the trap, by the time I went to photograph it an hour or two later it had already died, so my only shots are of a dead springtail I'm afraid.  It doesn't show very well in the photo but under the microscope you could clearly see how the irridescent scales formed discrete bands around each segment of the abdomen, which I believe is characteristic of this species.

Tomocerus vulgaris, North Elmham, 17th May

Schreckensteiniella festaliella (or Bramble False-feather)

On Monday 8th May this Yellow-triangle Slender Caloptilia alchimiella was new for the year.  There were also 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Garden Carpet, Streamer, Brindled Pug, Muslin Moth, Cinnabar and Flame Shoulder, and I'd had a Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana in the house earlier. A Common Toad in the garden was also new for the year.

Yellow-triangle Slender Caloptilia alchimiella (male, gen det), North Elmahm, 8th May

The following evening I found this Nut Leaf Blister Moth Phyllonorycter coryli on my front door.   I also found 2 Varied Carpet Beetles in the house but with a frosty night there wasn't a single moth in the moth trap the following morning - really crazy to be getting nil returns at this time of year - come on spring!

Nut Leaf Blister Moth Phyllonorycter coryli (female, gen det), North Elmahm, 9th May

On Wednesday 10th Dave and I headed down to Frost's Common to see what we could find. The highlight was a Bramble False-feather Schreckensteinia festaliella, a new species and a new family for both of us and quite a distinctive looking moth.

Bramble False-feather Schreckensteinia festaliella, Frost's Common, 10th May

Other moths were Large Long-horn Nematopogon swammerdamella, Green Long-horn Adela reaumurella, Oak Satin Lift Heliozela sericiella and 12 Horse Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella but it seemed quieter than expected.  Quite a few butterflies: Large White, 2 Green-veined Whites, 10 Orange-tips, 12 Brimstones, 2 Small Coppers, 4 Holly Blues, 2 Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and 3 Speckled Woods.  Dragonflies were well represented too with perhaps 120 Large Red Damselflies, Hairy Dragonfly and Four-spotted Chaser (plus Dave saw an unspecified blue damselfly).  I'd have liked to have seen the Hairy Dragonfly better - I don't see many of these and haven't had a decent look at one for decades.

I retained two beetles for checking, both proving to be Phyllobius weevils: Phyllobius maculicornis and Phyllobius pyri.

Phyllobius pyri, Frost's Common, 10th May

Phyllobius maculicornis, Frost's Common, 10th May

We then had a quick look at Thompson Water though didn't stay long as the wind was getting up.  Long enough to see over 100 Azure Damselflies that had recently emerged.  Also more Brimstones and Orange-tips.

Azure Damselflies, Thompson Water, 10th May

Dave had to head off but I stopped at Lolly Moor on the way back, expecting it to be more sheltered.  It's a good site for Grass Rivulet and I saw at least 8 (probably a fair few more) including this mating pair.

Grass Rivulets, Lolly Moor, 10th May

It's also the site where I saw my first Meadow Long-horn Cauchas rufimitrella and I saw another one here this time.

Meadow Long-horn Cauchas rufimitrella, Lolly Moor, 10th May

Another species we recorded here last year was Knapweed Bell Epiblema cirsiana, though its a hard one to separate from its congener Thistle Bell Epiblema scutulana.  I saw at least a couple that I thought were Knapweed Bell Epiblema cirsiana and the male I retained for checking did indeed have a dark hindwing (the genitalia only confirm it was one or the other but the hindwing clinches it).  I collected another one from a slightly drier thistly part of the moor and it crossed my mind that it might be scutulana, and sure enough the hindwing was pale - it was a Thistle Bell Epiblema scutulana.  Good to know both species are present on site but it will make recording them harder!  The scutulana was paler overall and had slightly more white towards the tornus than the cirsiana which is typically the case (though probably not reliable except where there's a lot more).  The differences were subtle though perhaps a little more obvious in life than they seem in the photos.

Knapweed Bell Epiblema cirsiana (male, hindwing checked), Lolly Moor, 10th May

Thistle Bell Epiblema scutulana (male, hindwing checked), Lolly Moor, 10th May

Other moths here were 7 Plain Golds Micropterix calthella, Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, Bittersweet Smudge Acrolepia autumnitella and Common Marble Celypha lacunana.

Bittersweet Smudge Acrolepia autumnitella, Lolly Moor, 10th May

There was Large Red Damselfly here too, and Orange-tip and Comma plus a few Turnip Sawflies Athalia rosae.

Comma, Lolly Moor, 10th May

Orange-tip, Lolly Moor, 10th May

Turnip Sawfly, Lolly Moor, 10th May

Only 3 moths in the trap that night - a new-for-the-year Spectacle and 2 Muslin Moths.  Also 2 Common Earwigs.

Spectacle, North Elmham, 10th May

Scarce Silver-lines and Maple Prominent

Over 200 moths again on 7th July consisting of 86 species.  Ok, but some good quality stuff among them.  Among the best were two striking macros that I've only rarely seen before - Scarce Silver-lines which I'd only ever seen once before, 5 years ago, and Maple Prominent.

Scarce Silver-lines, North Elmham, 7th July

Maple Prominent, North Elmham, 7th July

I do like a nice green moth, and another new addition to the garden year list was this Large Emerald.

Large Emerald, North Elmham, 7th July

Several micros were new for the year too: Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis and Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis.

Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, North Elmham, 7th July

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, North Elmham, 7th July

Other micros recorded were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 6 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 4 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 7 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella and 3 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella.

Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, North Elmham, 7th July

My second Purple Clay of the year was notable and Early Thorn and Engrailed were my first of this generation.

Purple Clay, North Elmham, 7th July

Other macros were Buff Arches, 3 Common Emeralds, Small Fan-footed Wave, Dwarf Cream Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 6 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 5 Barred Straws, Green Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, 6 Brimstone Moths, Lilac Beauty, Scalloped Oak, Swallow-tailed Moth, 5 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, 3 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 6 Clouded Silvers, Eyed Hawkmoth, 2 Marbled Browns, 2 Rosy Footmen, Four-dotted Footman, 5 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 2 Flames, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Dot Moths, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Poplar Grey, Brown Rustic, Small Angle Shades, Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Common Rustic, 11 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 3 Spectacles, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, 7 Straw Dots, Snout and 7 Fan-foots.

 Lilac Beauty, North Elmham, 7th July

Spectacle, North Elmham, 7th July

Common White Wave, North Elmham, 7th July

Small Angle Shades, North Elmham, 7th July

Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

So far all of the caddisflies I've identified this year (the first year I've been doing them) have been common species, but one of them on 7th July appears to be a bit more unusual.  I'm pretty confident about the ID of Crunoecia irrorata (male, genitalia checked) but the NBN Gateway map doesn't show any records in VC28.  I've not done anything about submitting my caddis records yet... I intend to do so and when I get round to it I'll no doubt find out if this is as good as it seems.

Crunoecia irrorata (male), North Elmham, 7th July

Other caddis were Ecnomus tenellus, Limnephilus lunatus and Leptocerus tineiformis. Hoverflies were represented by Marmalade Fly Episyrphus balteatus, the sexton beetle Nicrophorus investigator was new for the year as was the mirid bug Stenotus binotatus.

Stenotus binotatus, North Elmham, 7th July

Nicrophorus investigator, North Elmham, 7th July

The following night was a bit quieter with just 57 species including 3 new for the year: Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, V-Pug and Cloaked Minor.

The rest were Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 4 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Buff Arches, 3 Common Emeralds, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 9 Riband Waves, 4 Barred Straws, Sandy Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, Lilac Beauty, Swallow-tailed Moth, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Elephant Hawkmoth, Buff-tip, 4 Rosy Footmen, 8 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 2 Heart and Darts, 2 Flames, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Poplar Greys, Brown Rustic, Tawny Marbled Minor, 3 Uncertains, Burnished Brass, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot, 4 Snouts and 5 Fan-foots.

Poplar Grey, North Elmham, 8th July

Caddisflies included 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus flavicornis and 3 Leptocerus tineiformis. Also of interest another Fly Bug Reduvius personatus.

Fly Bug Reduvius personatus, North Elmham, 8th July

I set a trap that night in my neighbour's garden and went through it the following morning with their grandson again.  There wasn't quite so much in the way of big showy moths but he still seemed to be suitably fascinated.  Another Maple Prominent was probably the best both this time, followed by Miller.

Again I made no attempt to make complete counts of everything, so the following list is just what I could recall: Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 10 Cnephasia sp., 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 6 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Dwarf Cream Wave, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 4 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Sandy Carpet, Clouded Border, Swallow-tailed Moth, Common White Wave, Rosy Footman, Scarce Footman, 4 Common Footmen, 6 Buff Ermines, 2 Double Square-spots, Cabbage Moth, 2 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Light Arches, Marbled Minor agg., 15 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips and Straw Dot.