Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 1: Fruit-tree Tortrixes and others (Olinida to Zelotherses))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE)


White-barred Tortrix Olindia schumacherana - Singles in the garden trap on 24th June and 28th September 2019 and 17th July 2020.  I have had an average of one per year here.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 21st June 2019 and one at Whitwell Street on 3rd September 2020.

White-barred Tortrix Olindia schumacherana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st June 2019

White-barred Tortrix Olindia schumacherana, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

White-barred Tortrix Olindia schumacherana, North Elmham, 17th July 2020

Hedge Tortrix Isotrias rectifasciana - Singles in the garden trap on 5th and 26th June 2019 and then 5 between 17th May and 22nd June 2020.  I have recorded this species here every year with an average of 3 per year - 5 in a year is the best yet.

Hedge Tortrix Isotrias rectifasciana, North Elmham, 5th June 2019

Hedge Tortrix Isotrias rectifasciana, North Elmham, 17th May 2020

Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana - 7 at home between 19th June and 22nd July 2019 and 12 between 18th June and 10th August 2020.  In the 5 years I've been here I've had 25-29 in 2 years (2015 and 2018) but only 5-12 in the other 4 years.  Elsewhere 3 at the meadows and 3 at Weybourne.

Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, North Elmham, 18th June 2020

Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana - 3 here between 24th and 29th June 2019 and 4 between 24th June and 26th July 2020.  I record this species here most years but have never had more than 3 in a year before.  Elsewhere just one at Weybourne and one at Bintree Wood.

Brown-barred Tortrix Epagoge grotiana, North Elmham, 24th June 2020

Common Tortrix Capua vulgana - None.  Despite its name this species appears to be far from common in Norfolk and I've only recorded it a couple of times, neither of which were near here.


Pine Tortrix Archips oporana - None.  I've only recorded this species once, in the Brecks, but it seems to be locally at one or two other sites as Dave N has had loads of them in his pine-free garden in Toftwood.  Maybe not too big an ask for one to turn up here...?


Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana - At least 63 here (but not counted on a couple of nights) between 16th June and 31st July 2019 and 60 between 12th June and 5th September 2020 (including 12 on 24th June).  That's a fairly average year, perhaps a little below average.  Elsewhere recorded at the meadows on 4 dates and at Bintree Wood.  Roughly 95% of those caught here are males.

Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, North Elmham, 14th June 2020

Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020

Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, North Elmham, 24th June 2020

Brown Oak Tortrix Archips crataegana - None.  I've only recorded this species at home once (2018).


Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana - 4 here between 24th June and 4th July 2019 and 4 between 16th June and 18th July, slightly above average.  Also 3 at the meadows.

Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th June 2019

Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, North Elmham, 30th June 2020

Rose Tortrix Archips rosana - None.  I've caught 5 here in 6 years but all of them in just 2 years (2016 and 2018).  I recorded a dozen at Bawdeswell in my last 3 years there but it's only very recently that they've started being recorded from lots of different sites in Norfolk.


Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana - Singles here on 26th July 2019 and 10th August 2020, and one next door on 8th August 2019.  Although I had 7 here in 2016, 1-2 a year is normal.  It is one of a handful of species that I used to see more often at my old house in Bawdeswell.


Yellow Larch Tortrix Ptycholomoides aeriferana - None.  I've only recorded this species at home on one occasion (2016).


Brindled Tortrix Ptycholomoides lecheana - None.  I've had these here 3 times (2017 and 2018).


White-faced Tortrix Pandemis cinnamomeana - One at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and 2 at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August.  None in 2020.  This species is conspicuously absent from my current garden list.


Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corlyana - An average year here in 2019 with 4 between 30th July and 30th August and a good year here in 2020 with 8 between 5th and 16th August.  Also one next door and 2 at Swanton Great Wood in 2019 and one at Whitwell Street on 3rd September 2020.  A caterpillar at Foxley Wood was possibly this species but I'm not sure enough to record it as such.  Although photographed on a Hazel leaf it was hanging from a different tree (probably Oak) when found.

possible Chequerered Fruit-tree Tortrix caterpillar Pandemis corylana, Foxley Wood, 17th August 2019

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana - A total of 20 here between 15th June and 7th July 2019, above average.  6 on 24th June was my equal-highest count here and was more than the total number I saw in 2020, 5 between 20th June and 24th July (my worst year here).  Just one elsewhere, at Weybourne.

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, North Elmham, 15th June 2019

Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana - Recorded on 9 nights here between 5th July and 8th August 2019 (not counted every night but involving at least 15 individuals).  My worst year here so far.  20 between 24th June and 19th August 2020.  Elsewhere 5 caught at the meadows.


Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana - 4 recorded here between 25th May and 5th July 2019 which is my equal-best year (I had none here in 2018) and one on 23rd May 2020.  Also one at the meadows.

Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, North Elmham, 25th May 2019

Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana - Totals of 22 between 14th June and 12th July 2019 and 26 between 14th June and 16th July 2020.  These were my worst showings in the 6 years I've lived here.  Apart from one in next door's garden and a small number at my previous house in Bawdeswell I've never recorded this species anywhere else.


Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana - Recorded at home on 20th and 23rd June 2019 and 3 between 20th August and 22nd September 2020.  Neither of the 2019 records were in my trap - the first was found indoors and the second netted during the morning.  The latter is not surprising given how many I've seen flying in day-time at Burnham Overy over the years, but I think all my previous records here (and those in 2020) have been in the moth trap (not quite annual but 1-3 most years).

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham, 20th June 2019

Timothy Tortrix Zelotherses paleana - One at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 was my only record that year.  I average 3 a year at home and this was my first blank year here.  I didn't have any at home again in 2020 but did find singles at the meadows on 3 dates between 9th June and 13th July and one at Foxley Wood.

Timothy Tortrix Zelotherses paleana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2020

Next page: more Tortricidae

First big push of year-ticks

This Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana flying around the garden was new for the year on Monday 15th May.

Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, North Elmham, 15th May

That night proved the best so far this year with another 14 species new for the year: 2 Common Oak Midgets Phyllonorycter quercifoliella, Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, 2 Fen Flat-bodies Depressaria ultimella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Common Cosmets Mompha epilobiella, Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Small Dusty Wave, Common Carpet, Sandy Carpet, 2 Currant Pugs, White-pinion Spotted, Poplar Hawk-moth and Heart and Dart.

Common Oak Midget Phyllonorycter quercifoliella, North Elmham, 15th May

Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, North Elmham, 15th May

Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 15th May

Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, North Elmham, 15th May

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, North Elmham, 15th May

Small Dusty Wave, North Elmham, 15th May

Common Carpet, North Elmham, 15th May

Sandy Carpet, North Elmham, 15th May

Currant Pug, North Elmham, 15th May

White-pinion Spotted, North Elmham, 15th May

Poplar Hawk-moth, North Elmham, 15th May

Heart and Dart, North Elmham, 15th May

There was also an Ectoedemia sp. which I've not managed to put a name to.  It was too worn to key out positively and the genitalia don't seem to match any of the feasible species with images in the Dissection Group website (but there are a lot of these without images).

Ectoedemia sp. (female), North Elmham, 15th May

Over half the species recorded were new for the year, the remainder being Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Green Carpet, 4 Common Pugs, 4 Brimstone Moths, 2 Scalloped Hazels, Waved Umber, Least Black Arches, 3 Flame Shoulders, 2 Hebrew Characters, Clouded-bordered Brindle and Treble Lines (the last was the same distinctively-worn individual I trapped the previous night).

My first Mayfly of the year was Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum.

Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum, North Elmham, 15th May

Caddisflies included Goera pilosa, new for the year, and Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 2 Limnephilus auricula and Limnephilus sparsus.

Goera pilosa (female), North Elmham, 15th May

Limnephilus sparsus (male), North Elmham, 15th May

Other insects included 2 Green Lacewings Chrysoperla carnea agg., a Black Sexton Beetle and, new for the house, the mirid bug Harpocera thoracica.

Harpocera thoracica, North Elmham, 15th May

I have tried but failed to make any significant progress with identifying this (or another one similar, albeit with an almost-triangular areolet).  I'm beginning to think Ichneumons aren't worth the effort...

unidentified ichneumon wasp (I assume?), North Elmham, 15th May

Six Parornix species here in 2 years

The Parornix moths are a tricky group to identify and really need dissecting to be sure.  There are 8 species in Norfolk and you can expect to pick up a selection of these if you do take the trouble to confirm them.  I've been surprised in the variety here at North Elmham.  When I moved here in August 2014 I retained 3 specimens at random in anticipation that I would be learning to dissect later that autumn - they all proved to be different: scoticella, betulae and torquillella.  So far this year I've had 3 Parornix and I've dissected each one - again they've all been different, but moreover they've been different from 2014's - devoniella, anglicella and now finitimella.  So that's 6 out of the 8 leaving the scarce fagivora (only one record in this vice-county) and carpinella (only one record of a mine in Norfolk, no records in this VC).

The one I've just dissected was a female Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella from Saturday night and was my first ever example of this species.

Pointed Slender Parornix finitimella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 21st May

With 58 moths of 37 species Saturday night was the best so far this year.  One other was new for the house: Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella.

Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella, North Elmham, 21st May

In total there were no less than 12 species that were new for the year here, quite a lot considering I trap every night.  The other 10 were Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, Silver-ground Carpet, Sandy Carpet, Foxglove Pug, 2 Mottled Pugs, Eyed Hawkmoth, Buff Ermine, Flame Shoulder, Lychnis and Spectacle.

Eyed Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 21st May

Mottled Pug, North Elmham, 21st May

Buff Ermine, North Elmham, 21st May

Lychnis, North Elmham, 21st May

Silver-ground Carpet, North Elmham, 21st May

Spectacle, North Elmham, 21st May

The other moths were 3 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Common Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 3 Green Carpets, Currant Pug, 7 Common Pugs, Brimstone Moth, Waved Umber, Common White Wave, 2 Poplar Hawkmoths, 2 Pale Prominents, Chocolate-tip, Pale Tussock, Orange Footman, 3 Muslin Moths, Cinnabar, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Hebrew Character and 2 Treble Lines.

Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana, North Elmham, 21st May

It was the best night so far this year for caddisflies too: another Hydropsyche pellucidula, my first identified Phryganea bipunctata, 3 Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Grammotaulius nigropunctatus (my first here) and 7 Limnephilus auriculas.

Phryganea bipunctata, North Elmham, 21st May

Grammotaulius nigropunctatus, North Elmham, 21st May

The Brown Lacewing Hemerobius humulinus was the first I've confirmed here too.

Hemerobius humulinus, North Elmham, 21st May