Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Tortrix Moths (Tortricidae) (Part 9: Bells I (Epinotia to Zeiraphera))

TORTRIX MOTHS (TORTRICIDAE) (continued)


Large Birch Bell Epinotia brunnichana - 3 at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019 and one at Bintree Wood on 24th July 2020.  I've had this species at home twice, in 2015 and 2017.

Large Birch Bell Epinotia brunnichana, Swanton Great Wood, 27th August 2019

Large Birch Bell Epinotia brunnichana, Bintree Wood, 24th July 2020

Variable Bell Epinotia solandriana - None.  I've never seen this species but the few Norfolk records are scattered quite widely and there's plenty of its foodplants growing round here.


Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana - One in the garden on 23rd June 2019.  Until 2020 this species occurred here annually but with only 1-2 records each year a blank year was inevitable and it came in 2020.

male Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, North Elmham, 23rd June 2019

Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana - Singles caught in the garden on 24th June and 5th July 2019 and 17th June 2020.  The July 2019 one had a large tick attached to the side of its face.  I've had 9 here now in 6 years but didn't have any in 2018.  Elsewhere one at the meadows on 18th June 2020.

male Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana, North Elmham, 5th July 2019 - with unidentified tick

male Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana, North Elmham, 17th June 2020

male Black-brindled Bell Epinotia signatana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th June 2020

Willow Tortix Epinotia cruciana - None.  I've never caught this species here - my closest record is one I caught at my last house in Bawdeswell in 2013.


Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana - One in my car on the driveway on 7th May 2019 and 3 caught in my garden in 2020 (8th May, 16th August and 8th September).  I average 2 a year here.  Also 5 at Sculthorpe Moor on 26th April 2019 and one at Penberth in Cornwall in October 2020.

Common Birch Bells Epinotia immundana, Sculthorpe Moor, 26th April 2019

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, North Elmham, 8th May 2020

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, North Elmham, 16th August 2020

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, North Elmham, 8th Sepember 2020

Birch Bell Epinotia demarniana - None.  Perhaps surprisingly, I've never caught this species here.  It's not far away - I caught it twice at my last place in Bawdeswell and twice at Bawdeswell Heath.


White Sallow Bell Epinotia subocellana - None.  I've only seen this species once, but not far away - at Bintree Wood in 2012.


Square-barred Bell Epinotia tetraquetrana - None.  I'm yet to record this species but although it's scarce it seems to be pretty widespread so may well be lurking nearby.


Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana - 5 in the garden trap between 25th June and 25th July 2019 and 2 in 2020, on 5th July and 2nd September.  I had 9 in 2018 but none in either 2015 or 2017.

male Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, North Elmham, 16th July 2019

male Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, North Elmham, 5th July 2020

male Nut-bud Moth Epinotia tenerana, North Elmham, 2nd September 2020

Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella - Singles in the garden on 22nd August 2019 and 7th September 2020.  Like the previous species numbers recorded here vary dramatically from one year to the next, with 7-8 in 2014 and 2018 and 0-1 in 2015-2017.  Also 2 at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019.

Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella, North Elmham, 22nd August 2019

Pine Bell Epinotia rubiginosana - Recorded at Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020 and Bintree Wood on 13th June 2020.  Although this species can be easy enough to find in suitable habitat I have yet to record it North Elmham.

Pine Bell Epinotia rubiginosana, Bintree Wood, 13th June 2020

Common Spruce Bell Epinotia tedella - None.  I've recorded this species once at home, in 2018.


Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana - One in the garden moth trap on 28th June 2019 but after averaging 3 a year since 2015 I had my first blank year in 2020.


Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella - 2019 was my first blank year here, although there was one possible that I couldn't resolve - see below after cinereana.  3 in 2020 between 14th August and 22nd September, my equal best year here.  When I trapped in next-door's garden on 7th August 2019 I caught over 10 nisella, which is more than I had trapped in my own garden in 6 years - amazing the difference a couple of hundred yards can make.  Also one at Swanton Great Wood on 27th August 2019, 10 at Whitwell Street on 3rd September 2020 and one in Cornwall in October 2020.

Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella, Whitwell Street, 3rd September 2020

Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella, Tresidder (Cornwall), 6th October 2020

Grey Aspen Bell Epinotia cinereana - One in my garden on 8th July 2020 was my second here but only the 8th record for Norfolk.

male Grey Aspen Bell Epinotia cinereana, North Elmham, 8th July 2020 (showing genitalia and aedeagus - some of the cornuti detached but they can be counted by counting the number of spots on the plate they attach to)

In each year I caught single nisella/cinereana that I have been unable to resolve.  The first in 2019 had gone a bit mouldy when I came to examine it and while that doesn't normally affect the genitalia and prevent determination, when I removed this one's abdomen from the potassium hydroxide (used to soften it before examining the genitalia) the genitalia fell apart.  I don't think it had been in excessively long so not sure if it was down to the mould or what, but although I did find the aedeagus there was absolutely no sign of cornuti or the little plate to which the cornuti attach.  It's not uncommon for the cornuti to be missing (I think they lose them during mating) but you can normally find the plate inside the aedeagus and count the spots where they had been attached.  As the number of cornuti is the best means of separating these two species I'm going to have to leave this one unresolved.

Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella or Grey Aspen Bell Epinotia cinereana, North Elmham, 10th August 2019

A second candidate for cinereana in 2020 was equally problematic, but for different reasons.  In this case although the cornuti were missing, the plate to which they attach was present and undamaged.  The number of cornuti in each species varies and different references quote slightly different ranges, but up to now it's been pretty clear which species has been involved.  The ranges quoted on the British Lepidoptera website are 18-20 for cinereana and 40-50 for nisella, whereas the Moth Dissection UK website shows 15-20 in cinereana and "around 40" in nisella (annotated against an example with only 35).  My record of cinereana from 2015 had 21 so although it was slightly more than the stated range it was obviosuly in the cinereana ball park.  The one from July 2020 had 20, so within range for cinereana, but another candidate from my garden trap on 4th August 2020 had 27, so what am I to make of that?!  I suspect it's another cinereana but until and unless the possible ranges for each species are clarified I don't think I can record it as one or the other.  One or two other genitalic differences have been suggested for these two but I've not been able to make sense of any other character when comparing to images online.

Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella or Grey Aspen Bell Epinotia cinereana, North Elmham, 4th August 2020 - showing aedeagus plate where cornuti attach

Spruce Bell Zeiraphera ratzeburgiana - One in the garden trap on 4th July 2020, my third here and my first anywhere since 2016.

Spruce Bell Zeiraphera raatzeburgiana, North Elmham, 4th July 2020

Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana - 3 in the garden between 24th June and 24th July 2019 and 3 between 23rd July and 8th August 2020, my best showing heres of a species that had previously only averaged one a year.  Also 2 at the meadows in 2019 and one at Bintree Wood in 2020.

male Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

male and female Cock's-head Bells Zeiraphera isertana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th July 2019

female Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana, North Elmham, 23rd July 2020

Southern Bell Crocidosema plebejana - None.  This species seems to be colonising though it isn't common yet.  I had one in the garden in 2017.


Next page: more Tortricidae

First post-Victorian Depressaria sordidatella

The stand-out highlight on 27th July was what some people might pass off as a boring non-descript brown moth, but it was its general lack of features that made me wonder what it might be.  Obviously a Depressaria species but not looking much like any I am very familiar with.  A bit like one or two species I've seen once or twice, but not a convincing match for any of them.  I keyed it out using the key in MOGBI and that came out as Depressaria sordidatella.  That would be great, it being a species that hasn't been recorded in Norfolk since 1874, but keying these things isn't entirely reliable so I dissected it for confirmation.  The male genitalia of Depressaria sordidatella are rather similar to those of pulcherrimella (which also hasn't been seen in Norfolk since the 19th century) and douglasella (which I found the second county record of last year), and this moth's genitalia were clearly of this type - so straight away it had to be something good.  It took me a while to work out what the differences were, as they aren't described in any of my references - I'm left to deduce them from the various images of the genitalia.  In the end I think I worked out what the differences are, and that led me in conjunction with the external characteristics to confirm this one as Chervil Flat-body Depressaria sordidatella, apparently the first modern record in Norfolk.

Chervil Flat-body Depressaria sordidatella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 27th July

Also new for the garden were White-triangle Slender Caloptilia stigmatella and Least Yellow Underwing.

White-triangle Slender Caloptilia stigmatella, North Elmham, 27th July

Least Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 27th July

New for the year here were Yarrow Case-bearer Coleophora argentula, Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana and Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella.

Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella, North Elmham, 27th July

Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana, North Elmham, 27th July

Yarrow Case-bearer Coleophora argentula (male, gen det), North Elmham, 27th July

Other micros were Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 9 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, 2 Little Dwarfs Elachista canapennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 15 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 37 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 4 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula nitidulata, 2 Chequered Straws Evergestis pallidata, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 4 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Chalk Knot-horn Phycitodes maritima and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 27th July

Chalk Knot-horn Phycitodes maritima, North Elmham, 27th July

Other macros were 2 Chinese Characters, Large Emerald, Blood-vein, 2 Least Carpets, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, Single-dotted Wave, 13 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, V-Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, Clouded Border, 2 Early Thorns, 7 Scalloped Oaks, Swallow-tailed Moth, Peppered Moth, 2 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Pebble Prominent, Buff-tip, 5 Yellow-tails, White Satin, Black Arches, 11 Rosy Footmen, 20 Dingy Footmen, 9 Scarce Footmen, 76 Common Footmen, 3 Buff Ermines, Ruby Tiger, 5 Shuttle-shaped Darts, Flame, Flame Shoulder, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Double Square-spot, 2 Dot Moths, 3 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 2 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 3 Grey Daggers, Lunar-spotted Pinion, 5 Dark Arches, 2 Slender Brindles, 2 Common Rustics, 3 Dusky Sallows, 27 Uncertains, Rustic, 3 Nut-tree Tussocks, 2 Spectacles and Straw Dot.

Lunar-spotted Pinion, North Elmham, 27th July

 Black Arches, North Elmham, 27th July

Slender Brindle, North Elmham, 27th July

(PS: apologies for anyone who got excited on seeing my previous post titled Thyme Pug... it should of course have read Thyme Plume, and now does).

Gypsy Lane, Brancaster

Dave and I headed up to Gypsy Lane, Brancaster for some moths on the night of 16th July.  We didn't manage to find any new moths for me, although may have come close as we were buzzed by something that may well have been a Lappet.  Frustratingly it didn't stop.  Still a good evening with several noteworthy species seen.  Among the highlights were 2 Saltmarsh Case-bearers Coleophora atriplicis, White-strap Sober Syncopacma larseniella (a species I'd seen for the first time only a week earlier), Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, 2 Hemlock Yellow Conches Aethes beatricella, Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, 3 Acorn Piercers Pammene fasciana, Small Elephant Hawkmoth, Striped Wainscot, 2 Southern Wainscots, Lyme Grass, Fen Wainscot, 2 Cream-bordered Green Peas and Dotted Fan-foot.

Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana, Brancaster, 16th July

 Lyme Grass, Brancaster, 16th July

White-strap Sober Syncopacma larseniella, Brancaster, 16th July

Saltmarsh Case-bearer Coleophora atriplicis, Brancaster, 16th July

Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Brancaster, 16th July

Hemlock Yellow Conch Aethes beatricella, Brancaster, 16th July

Brown Elm Bell Epinotia abbreviana, Brancaster, 16th July

This Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana was living up to its vernacular name more than usual - it lacked the pale shoulders that are normally a determining feature of this species.

 Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana (female, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Other micros were Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, 6 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, 4 Saltern Groundlings Scrobipalpa instabilella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 4 Bulrush Cosmets Limnaecia phragmitella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, 3 Water-mint Conches Phalonidia manniana, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 2 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Pine Marbles Piniphila bifasciana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana, White-backed Marble Hedya salicella, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 4 Cock's-head Bells Zeiraphera isertana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, 2 White-foot Bells Epiblema foenella, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, Pale-bordered Piercer Grapholita janthinana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 3 Wainscot Veneers Chilo phragmitella, 20 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, 2 Base-lined Greys Scoparia basistrigalis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis and 2 Dotted Oak Knot-horns Phycita roborella.

Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis (female, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Brancaster, 16th July

Pale-bordered Piercer Grapholita janthinana, Brancaster, 16th July

Water-mint Conch Phalonidia manniana (female, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Cock's-head Bells Zeiraphera isertana, Brancaster, 16th July

Saltern Groundling Scrobipalpa instabilella (female, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Other macros were Ghost Moth, 5 Drinkers, 5 Buff Arches, Common Emerald, Single-dotted Wave, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, 2 Barred Straws, Barred Yellow, V-Pug, Green Pug, Small Yellow Wave, Clouded Border, Latticed Heath, Brimstone Moth, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 6 Swallow-tailed Moths, 2 Peppered Moths, 2 Mottled Beauties, Light Emerald, Privet Hawkmoth, 2 Poplar Hawkmoths, Elephant Hawkmoth, 40 Brown-tails, 2 Yellow-tails, White Satin, 2 Round-winged Muslins, 2 Rosy Footmen, Dingy Footman, 3 Scarce Footmen, Common Footman, Ruby Tiger, Flame, Flame Shoulder, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Clay, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Poplar Greys, Small Angle Shades, Dun-bar, Dark Arches, Light Arches, Marbled Minor, 2 Rufous Minors, Tawny Marbled Minor, Uncertain, Plain Golden Y, Beautiful Hook-tip and Fan-foot.

Drinker (female), Brancaster, 16th July

Rufous Minors (females, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

Tawny Marbled Minor (male, gen det), Brancaster, 16th July

With no lifers among the moths perhaps the best observation was a hoverfly - my first Volucella inflata (although I've spent a lot less effort recording hoverflies than moths so it's much easier to find lifers among them).  This is a southern species that only extends up as far as Lincolnshire.

Volucella inflata, Brancaster, 16th July

Other non-Lepidopteran interest included a 10-spot Ladybird and both Cockchafer and Summer Chafer (and a Hobby).

10-spot Ladybird, Brancaster, 16th July