Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Smudges (Ypsolophidae)

SMUDGES (YPOSOLOPHIDAE)


Spindle Smudge Ypsolopha mucronella - None.  I caught 2 here in 2015 but they're starting to become a distant memory.  At the time they were the first vice-county records although there have been quite a few since.


Hooked Smudge Ypsolopha nemorella - One trapped in my garden on 16th July 2019 was my first here, and only my second anywhere.

Hooked Smudge Yposolopha nemorella, North Elmham, 16th July 2019

Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella - One trapped in my garden on 8th August 2019 and then an exceptional 8 caught between 16th July and 16th August 2020.  I've recorded this species at home every year since 2014 apart from 2015, but before 2018 (when there were 3), never more than one a year.  Elsewhere one at Foxley Wood on 10th July 2020.

Honeysuckle Moth Yposolopha dentella, North Elmham, 8th August 2019

Honeysuckle Moth Yposolopha dentella, Foxley Wood, 10th July 2020

Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella - Totals of 8 caught here between 16th July and 30th August 2019 and 4 between 18th July and 21st August 2020.  I'd caught 8 here in 2018 but only 2 in each of the years 2014-2017.  Also one next door in 2019 and 2 at the meadows in each year.

Wainscot Smudge Yposolopha scabrella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th August 2019

Dark Smudge Ypsolopha horridella - None.  I've caught this species here twice, in 2017 and 2018.


Barred Smudge Ypsolopha alpella - 2 at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019, my second record of this species following one at home in 2016.

Barred Smudge Yposolopha alpella, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Wood Smudge Ypsolopha sylvella - None.  I'm yet to see this species but there have been quite a few recent records from widespread locations so I should be in with a chance of finding it round here sooner or later.


White-shouldered Smudge Ypsolopha parentheslla - One in the garden on 5th September 2020.  I've now caught 7 here since 2014 but all of them in even years.  Elsewhere about 20 at Swanton Great Wood and one at Row Heath (West Runton) in late August 2019, the Swanton Great Wood total being far and away the most I've ever seen in a single night.

male White-shouldered Smudge Yposolopha parenthesella, North Elmham, 5th September 2020

Variable Smudge Ypsolopha ustella - None.  I've only ever caught one here, in 2015.  I recorded it more often at Bawdeswell (3-4 2011-2013).


Pied Smudge Ypsolopha sequella - One in the garden on 10th August 2020, my third here following individuals in 2016 and 2018.  Elsewhere one in my next door neighbour's garden on 10th August 2019 and one at Whitwell Street on 3rd September 2020.

Pied Smudge Yposolopha sequella, North Elmham, 10th August 2020

Elm Smudge Yposolopha vittella - None.  I'm still waiting for my first.


Feathered Stem-moth Ochsenheimeria taurella - None.  I've never found any of the Ochsenheimeria species myself but Rob Yaxley brought me one to determine.  He found this species at two locations using his suction trap, not a method often deployed by moth-ers!

male Feathered Stem-moth Ochstenheimeria taurella from Hempton Marshes, 17th July 2020 (caught by Rob Yaxley)

Next page: Plutellidae

3 lifers in 3 nights and frogs after my moths

My last post covered 5th September, a good night by September standards for numbers, variety and scarcity.  Well 6th September was a similar story, except instead of two 'seconds' there were two 'firsts' - new moths for me.  The first was immediately recognised as Barred Smudge Ypsolopha alpella, one I'd been keeping an eye out for.  Not hugely scarce, though having said that there is only one record showing on Norfolk Moths for 2014-2016 so far.  The second resembled certain Epinotia species and it took slightly longer for the penny to drop that it was in fact Brindled Shoot Gypsonoma minutana.  There are only 10 Norfolk records, mostly recent and half from one individual, so a decent one to find at home.

Brindled Shoot Gypsonoma minutana (female), North Elmham, 6th September

Barred Smudge Ypsolopha alpella, North Elmham, 6th September

Common Alder Midget Phyllonorycter rajella was new for the year and a species I don't see all that often.

Common Alder Midget Phyllonrycter rajella, North Elmham, 6th September

Other micros were New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Orchard/Apple/Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta sp., 4 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, 10 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 6 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 2 Marsh Greys Eudonia pallida, 9 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, North Elmham, 6th September

The macros included 2 Pinion-streaked Snouts, bringing my total for the year to 7 (5 at home) - suggesting they've had a good year given that I'd only seen 2 in Norfolk previously.

Other macros were Chinese Character, Small Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Grey Pine Carpets, 22 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, 23 Brimstone Moths, 7 Dusky Thorns, 14 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, 3 Flame Shoulders, 14 Large Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 9 Square-spot Rustics, Cabbage Moth, 7 Common Wainscots, Centre-barred Sallow, Copper Underwing agg., Mouse Moth, Flounced Rustic, 3 Frosted Oranges, 2 Burnished Brasses, 7 Straw Dots and 16 Snouts.

Common Marbled Carpet, North Elmham, 6th September

There were 4 species of Lacewing again - 4 Chrysoperla carnea (1 male and 3 presumed females), Cunctochrysa albolineata, 2 Dichochrysa flavifrons and Hemerobius lutescens.  Interestingly one of the Chrysoperla had atypical wing venation.  The genus is normally identified by the position of vein RMCV in relation to cell IMC, but this individual didn't have a cell IMC!  It was the same on both wings.

Chrysoperla carnea agg. (female), North Elmham, 6th September

Bugs consisted of 7 Birch Shieldbugs and 4 Forest Bugs.

Next day the highlight was another Butterbur, amazingly my third this autumn.

Butterbur, North Elmham, 7th September

Otherwise it was quieter than the previous two nights: New Oak Slender Caloptilia robustella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 9 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, 8 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Chinese Character, Common Marbled Carpet, 13 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, 8 Brimstone Moths, 7 Dusky Thorns, 4 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, 2 Flame Shoulders, 9 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 5 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 5 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Mouse Moths, 2 Flounced Rustics, Frosted Orange, 2 Vine's Rustics, 6 Straw Dots and 17 Snouts.

Found this hoverfly in the garden on 8th, Helophilus hybridus.

Helophilus hybridus, North Elmham, 8th September

The best moth that night was inside the house, not in the moth trap: a Common Clothes Moths Tineola bisselliella.  In the days before central heating and when we wore mainly natural-fibre clothes this species was considered a pest.  Now it has declined to such an extent that there was only one record in the Norfolk Moths database prior to 2014.  A mini-spate of recent records is surprising but this still appears to be only the 5th record for the county.

 Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 8th September

Nothing so exciting in the trap... Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 8 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Rusty-dot Pearls Udea ferrugalis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Grey Pine Carpet, 5 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, 14 Brimstone Moths, 5 Dusky Thorns, 7 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, 5 Flame Shoulders, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, 8 Square-spot Rustics, Cabbage Moth, 4 Common Wainscots, Centre-barred Sallow, 6 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, Frosted Orange, 2 Vine's Rustics, 3 Straw Dots and 28 Snouts.

Square-spotted Clay, North Elmham, 8th September

Rosy Rustic, North Elmham, 8th September

There were 2 Common Frogs on the sheet by the moth trap when I inspected it on the evening of 9th September.  I didn't see them eating any moths but got the distinct impression they were there to catch moths and not just passing.  Hope they didn't eat anything rare.

Common Frogs, North Elmham, 9th September

The best moth in the trap was this new-for-the-garden Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella.

Red Birch Midget Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 9th September

 Yet another Marsh Dwarf Elachista alpinella was notable too.

Marsh Dwarf Elachista alpinella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 9th September

Other moths were Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, 4 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 5 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Rusty-dot Pearls Udea ferrugalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Orange Swift, 2 Blood-veins, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Carpet, 5 Common Marbled Carpets, Grey Pine Carpet, Green Carpet, 10 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 2 Dusky Thorns, 5 Light Emeralds, Ruby Tiger, 2 Flame Shoulders, 16 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, 11 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 6 Square-spot Rustics, 5 Common Wainscots, 4 Flounced Rustics, 2 Rosy Rustics, 2 Burnished Brasses, Straw Dot and 37 Snouts.

Here are the Rosy Rustics alongside the Butterbur from a couple of nights previous.

 Butterbur from 7th September flanked by 2 Rosy Rustics, North Elmham, 9th September

Bugs consisted of 2 Birch Shieldbugs, 2 Forest Bugs and a new one for me: Pantilius tunicatus.

Pantilius tunicatus, North Elmham, 9th September