Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Geometers (Geometridae) - part 2: Mochas and Carpets I (Cyclophora to Camptogramma)

GEOMETERS (GEOMETRIDAE)


Birch Mocha Cyclophora albipunctata - None.  I've only recorded this species here once, in 2018.


Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria - 9 recorded here between 22nd April (my earliest ever) and 8th August 2019 - an average total.  Only 4 in 2020, between 17th May and 12th August.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 22nd August 2019 and my highest count ever, 4 at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 22nd April 2019

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 18th May 2020

Maiden's Blush, North Elmham, 12th August 2020

Clay Triple-lines Cyclophora linearia - None at home - I've had 3 here since moving in in August 2014.  Elsewhere one Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and one at Row Heath (West Runton) on 31st August 2019.  None in 2020.

Clay Triple-lines, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Vestal Rhodometra sacraria - None.  I've only ever caught one of these fantastic migrant moths here, or indeed anywhere in Norfolk - in the good Vestal year of 2017.


Oblique Striped Phibalapteryx virgata - None.  In Norfolk this species is mainly known from the Brecks but there are a scattering of records through central Norfolk so it may turn up here someday.


July Belle Scotopteryx luridata - None.  The two we had at the Norfolk Moth Survey event at Hockering Wood in 2012 appear to be the nearest anyone has found this species so perhaps my chances of finding one locally aren't all that high.


Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata - Totals of 13 at home between 18th and 30th July 2019 and 14 between 2nd July and 14th August 2020 - I average considerably more a year (22).  Elsewhere 6 at the meadows and recorded at Weybourne on 5th July 2019 and Foxley Wood on 17th August 2019.

Shaded Broad-bar, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th July 2020

Oblique Carpet Orthonama vittata - None.  In Norfolk this species is mainly known from the Broads but I've recorded it twice here, in 2016 and 2018.


Gem Nycterosea obstipata - None.  I never do well for migrants here but even so, this species is becoming a bit of a bogey-moth for me, having not yet found one anywhere.


Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata - Totals of 24 here between 24th April and 6th September 2019 and 17 between 27th April and 9th November 2020 - I average 25 a year and 2020 was my worst year here so far (but the record on 9th November was my latest ever in Norfolk by 24 days).  Elsewhere 3 at the meadows and one at Whitwell Street.

Garden Carpet, North Elmham, 24th April 2019

Garden Carpet, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

Balsam Carpet Xanthorhoe biriviata - None.  Although there are a handful of records of this mainly Broadland species in or around the Wensum Valley, I'd have to be quite lucky to get one round here.


Red Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe spadicearia - At least 21 here between 2nd May and 8th August 2019.  I didn't count them on 5 nights but I only had singles on the nights around this period where I did count, so the true total probably wasn't much higher than 21.  In any event it was by far my worst year ever for this species which had been averaging at 64 a year over the previous 4 years.  2020 was better but still worse than the previous years, with 41 between 18th May and 14th August.  Elsewhere 1-2 at the meadows on 7 nights, one at Bintree Wood, one at Sculthorpe Moor and 2 at Hills and Holes.  To ensure that I am identifying these and Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets correctly I usually select a small number to dissect, particularly from among those showing at least one character associated with the other species, such as a darker-than-normal bar.  Excepting very worn individuals my provisional ID almost invariably turns out to be correct so I don't think this is as challenging a duo as some sources have suggested in the past.

Red Twin-spot Carpets, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2019 (the top one a confirmed male)

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata - At least 35 here between 25th April and 3rd September 2019.  I didn't count them on 2 nights but I only had 1-2 on the nights around these dates, so the true total won't have been much higher than 35.  This was a fairly typical showing for this species, but it was the first time that numbers of this species exceeded the number of Red Twin-spot Carpets.  Only 14 in 2020, between 8th May and 16th August.  Elsewhere a couple next door, singles at the meadows on 7 nights and 3 at Sculthorpe Moor.  Given that fairly recently this species was thought to be heavily over-recorded and a lot rarer than the number of records suggested (due to confusion with dark-barred examples of Red Twin-spot Carpet) I confirmed nearly all of my records for a number of years.  With a negligible error rate I've stopped doing this now, but still check a small selection to make sure (including all of those shown below).  It's probably not a coincidence that the reddest-barred individuals I've caught and confirmed have been worn specimens.

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 26th April 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 8th May 2019

female Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 3rd September 2019

male Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 8th May 2020

Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata - 2019 was my worst year yet with just 2 recorded in my garden, on 25th and 30th May.  Previous annual totals have ranged from 5 to 14 and there were 6 in 2020, between 31st July and 17th September.  Elsewhere one at Sculthorpe Moor and 2 on Mull.

Flame Carpet, Sculthorpe Moor, 26th April 2019

Flame Carpet, North Elmham, 25th May 2019

Flame Carpet, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Flame Carpet, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata - Totals of 49 caught at home between 19th May and 23rd June 2019 and 41 between 17th May and 15th June 2020.  These were my lowest total so far, though not be a long way - I've averaged 60 a year here.  Elsewhere 13 at the meadows, 2 at Hills and Holes, one at Keswick and 7 at various sites on Mull.

Silver-ground Carpet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th May 2019

Silver-ground Carpets, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 17th May 2020

Large Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata - My worst years for this species too, with 7 at home between 25th June and 24th July 2019 and just 2 in 2020, on 15th July and 2nd August.  I had been averaging around 20 a year.  Elsewhere one at the meadows, singles at Bintree Wood, Hellesdon and Weybourne.

Large Twin-spot Carpet, North Elmham, 25th June 2019

Large Twin-spot Carpet, Weybourne, 5th July 2019

Rotal Mantle Catarhoe cuculata - None.  This species is mainly recorded in Norfolk in the Brecks and NW Norfolk but there are a couple of records from the Wensum Valley so maybe I'll get one locally one day.


Ruddy Carpet Catarhoe rubidata - None.  I've never seen this species but there have been a handful of recent records not all that far away from here so I'm optimistic.


Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata - 13 recorded at home between 29th June and 25th August 2019 and 9 between 12th June and 17th August 2020.  I average 13-14 here.  A total of 36 seen at the meadows, often during the day, plus 2 at the allotment and singles at Bintree Wood, Swanton Great Wood, Whitwell Street and on Mull.

Yellow Shell, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th May 2019

Yellow Shell, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 29th June 2019

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 12th June 2020

Next page: more Geometridae

Gold-sheen Clothes Moths and another insectella

My first Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella for the garden came to a pheronomore lure for Yellow-legged Clothes Moth last year.  My second came to the same pheromone lure this year, on 25th June.  Probably it was no coincidence that my third came to my Robinson trap overnight that very same night.  I can only guess that it was attracted to the garden by the pheromone lure, didn't go in the trap so was still in the garden when the light trap switched on and got caught by that instead.  This is still a rarely-recorded species in Norfolk with just 6 post-Victorian records prior to these but half of those were mine (all from different locations) and I can't help thinking that this species is being overlooked because they don't come to light traps very often.

Gold-sheen Clothes Moths Nemapogon ruricolella (males, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

Four new moths for the year in the trap that night were Drab Clothes Moth Haplotinea insectella, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Rosy Footman and Short-cloaked Moth.  The clothes moth seems to be on the increase in Norfolk - I had the first post-Victorian record at Warham Greens in 2014 followed by two more here at home in 2015.  There were three more records elsewhere in the county in 2016-17, but this is still a good record for the time being.

Drab Clothes Moths Haplotinea insectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

Rosy Footman, North Elmham, 25th June

Short-cloaked Moth, North Elmham, 25th June

Other moths were 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Small Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Barred Straws, Willow Beauty, 2 Privet Hawk-moths, Common Footman, 10 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Clubs, 6 Heart and Darts, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Double Square-spot, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Common Wainscots, 3 Brown Rustics, Treble Lines, 6 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Straw Dots and Snout. Also the caddisfly Hydropsyche pellucidula and a Common Frog.

Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, North Elmham, 25th June

The following night saw another wave of new moths for the year, viz. 3 Plain Conches Phtheochroa inopiana, Rose Tortrix Archips rosana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Bramble Shoot Notocelia uddmanniana, Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Buff Arches, Yellow Shell, Haworth's Pug, 2 Wormwood Pugs, Scarce Footman and Rustic.

Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, North Elmham, 26th June

Rose Tortrix Archips rosana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June

Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, North Elmham, 26th June

Bramble Shoot Notocelia uddmanniana, North Elmham, 26th June

Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella, North Elmham, 26th June

Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, North Elmham, 26th June

Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, North Elmham, 26th June

Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June

Beautiful Plume Ambvlyptilia acanthadactyla, North Elmham, 26th June

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 26th June

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 26th June

Haworth's Pug, North Elmham, 26th June

Rustic, North Elmham, 26th June

With the others the species total hit 94, not bad but some way to go to the peak counts possible at this time of year.  The others were 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Buff Mompha Mompha ochraceella, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, 4 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 21 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella, 7 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 8 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 Ghost Moths, 6 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 21 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, 8 Barred Straws, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Barred Yellows, 3 Sandy Carpets, Common Pug, 3 Grey Pugs, V-Pug, 6 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Small Yellow Waves, 3 Clouded Borders, 4 Brimstone Moths, Willow Beauty, 4 Mottled Beauties, 4 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Eyed Hawk-moth, Rosy Footman, 5 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, 2 Short-cloaked Moths, Turnip Moth, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, 2 Flame Shoulders, Ingrailed Clay, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 4 Smoky Wainscots, 4 Common Wainscots, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Brown Rustic, 2 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 4 Uncertains, 3 Mottled Rustics, Burnished Brass, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3 Straw Dots, 6 Snouts and 6 Fan-foots.

Other insects included the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg., the caddisfly Limnephilus sparsus and an Orange Ladybird.

Irish Yellow Slug

Several new moths for the year at home on Sunday 19th, namely Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Woodland Marble Orthotaenia undulana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella, Yellow Shell, Mottled Beauty and White-point.

Woodland Marble Orthotaenia undulana, North Elmham, 19th June

Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, North Elmham, 19th June

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 19th June

White-point, North Elmham, 19th June

Mottled Beauty, North Elmham, 19th June

Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella, North Elmham, 19th June

 

Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteucha culmella, North Elmham, 19th June

Other moths that night were 7 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Buff Rush Case-bearer Coleophora caespititiella, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 2 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Common Swift, Maiden's Blush, Treble Brown Spot, Riband Wave, 3 Silver-ground Carpets, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Green Carpet, Currant Pug, Common Pug, 2 Willow Beauties, Pale Oak Beauty, 2 Clouded Silvers, Elephant Hawkmoth, Coxcomb Prominent, 3 White Ermines, 2 Heart and Darts, 3 Flames, Ingrailed Clay, 5 Brown Rustics, 2 Middle-barred Minors, 4 Treble Lines, 2 Mottled Rustics, Burnished Brass, 5 Straw Dots and 2 Snouts.

I've updated this paragraph since I first posted it.  Paul Cobb recently advised me that Chrysoperla carnea has been split into 2 species, not covered in the excellent FSC key (a third split was already covered in the key).  He sent me some notes on how to separate carnea from the new pallida - which requires looking at the male genitalia (no dissection required).  This was my first carnea agg. since getting this but unfortunately I got the notes mixed up and misidentified it as Chrysoperla pallida.  Completely my fault - the notes were perfectly clear!  Anyway, I mentioned it to Paul and my error was uncovered - apparently pallida would have been the first East Anglian record!  It was, of course, just Chrysoperla carnea!  Still, my first positively identified one!

Chrysoperla carnea, North Elmham, 19th June - lower shot shows the tip of the abdomen

Other insects in the trap included a Cockchafer and the caddisflies Limnephilus flavicornis and Limnephilus marmoratus.

There were another 5 new moths for the year the following night: Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Elder Pearl Anania coronata and Lobster Moth.

Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 20th June

Lobster Moth, North Elmham, 20th June

Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, North Elmham, 20th June

Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, North Elmham, 20th June

The others were Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, 5 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 6 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 8 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Common Swift, Blood-vein, 2 Treble Brown Spots, Silver-ground Carpet, Common Carpet, Sandy Carpet, Common Pug, Clouded Border, 2 Scorched Wings, Scalloped Hazel, 2 Clouded Silvers, 2 Eyed Hawkmoths, Elephant Hawkmoth, Coxcomb Prominent, Pale Prominent, Marbled Brown, 5 Buff-tips, Pale Tussock, 2 White Ermines, 17 Buff Ermines, Heart and Dart, 2 Flames, Large Yellow Underwing, Ingrailed Clay, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 6 Brown Rustics, 2 Middle-barred Minors, 2 Treble Lines, Mottled Rustic, Burnished Brass and 12 Straw Dots.

Eyed Hawkmoth, North Elmham, 20th June

A slug on the side of the moth trap proved to be an Irish Yellow Slug, a new one for me.  Also new was the caddisfly Lype phaeopa.  Other caddis included 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula and Limnephilus lunatus.

Irish Yellow Slug, North Elmham, 20th June

Lype phaeopa, North Elmham, 20th June