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

Melanic Magpie Moth

Firstly an update on my earlier post for 19th July - I have now amended this to reflect a re-identification of the moth I thought was probably Coleophora badiipennella.  I checked it with Jon Clifton who in turn checked it with Finnish expert Jukka Tabell and the answer is Buff Birch Case-bearer Coleophora milvipennis, a new species for me.

So on to 31st July when nearly 300 moths of 87 species included no species of huge significance.  The most exciting moth was the last one I found, after I had finished emptying the moth trap I found it clinging to the outside of it.  It was an extraordinary-looking thing and despite being quite unlike any I've ever seen it was immediately recognisable as a Magpie Moth, but presumably a melanic aberration.

Magpie Moth (melanic form), North Elmham, 31st July

Only Spruce Bud Moth Zeiraphera ratzeburgiana was new for the year, and that being so worn I would never have confidently identified it without first dissecting it.

Spruce Bud Moth Zeiraphera ratzeburgiana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 31st July

Other micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 2 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, 3 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, 4 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 4 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 44 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, 4 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 3 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Beautiful China-marks Nymphula nitidulata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 6 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis and Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella.

The rest of the macros were Oak Hook-tip, 3 Chinese Characters, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, Small Dusty Wave, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 12 Riband Waves, 4 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Shaded Broad-bars, 2 Common Carpets, Dark Umber, 2 Small Rivulets, Wormwood Pug, Tawny Speckled Pug, 2 Grey Pugs, Yellow-barred Brindle, Clouded Border, 4 Scalloped Oaks, Peppered Moth, 4 Willow Beauties, Engrailed, 2 Clouded Silvers, Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Swallow Prominents, Coxcomb Prominent, 3 Yellow-tails, 2 Rosy Footmen, 17 Dingy Footmen, 8 Scarce Footmen, 44 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 3 Ruby Tigers, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 10 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Nutmeg, Brown-line Bright-eye, 2 Clays, 4 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Grey Daggers, Marbled Beauty, 2 Dun-bars, 3 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 3 Common Rustics, 2 Lesser Common Rustics, Dusky Sallow, 13 Uncertains, 2 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, 2 Straw Dots, 2 Snouts and 2 Fan-foots.

Micromus variegatus was the only other insect I noted.


Next day this Brown Rowan Argent Argyresthia semifusca was the only new moth for the year:

Brown Rowan Argent Argyresthia semifusca, North Elmham, 1st August

Other micros were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 14 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 10 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, 4 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis and Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla.

The macros were 3 Pebble Hook-tips, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 14 Riband Waves, 4 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, 4 Shaded Broad-bars, Small Phoenix, Small Rivulet, Yellow-barred Brindle, 2 Early Thorns, Purple Thorn, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 4 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, 4 Yellow-tails, Black Arches, 4 Dingy Footmen, 3 Scarce Footmen, 11 Common Footmen, Flame Shoulder, 9 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Nutmegs, Dot Moth, 3 Clays, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Dun-bars, 2 Dark Arches, 6 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, Nut-tree Tussock, Beautiful Hook-tip, Straw Dot and 2 Fan-foots.

 Samll Phoenix, North Elmham, 1st August

Black Arches, North Elmham, 1st August

Spruce Bud Moth

2nd August was another good night.  A couple of moths were species I have rarely seen before:  Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella was only my second while the scarce Spruce Bud Moth Zeiraphere ratzeburgiana was my third.

Broad-barred Knot-horn Acrobasis consociella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Spruce Bud Moth Zeiraphera ratzburgiana, North Elmham, 2nd August

2 White-triangle Buttons Acleris holmiana were new for the year.

White-triangle Buttons Acleris holmiana, North Elmham, 2nd August

Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella and Scalloped Hook-tip were also new for the year for home.

 Pale-streak Grass-veneer Agriphila selasella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Scalloped Hook-tip, North Elmham, 2nd August

This Dotted Grey Groundling Athrips mouffetella was suspiciously similar to the one I trapped a couple of nights earlier - I guess it was the same individual.

Dotted Grey Groundling Athrips mouffetella, North Elmham, 2nd August

This Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella wasn't the same as the one I had recently.

Ash-coloured Sober Acompsia cinerella, North Elmham, 2nd August

An excellent selection of micros also included Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, 5 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, 3 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, 4 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 3 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Maple Button Acleris forsskaleana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 2 Holly Tortrices Rhopobota naevana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 46 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 28 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 5 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella and 5 Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella.

 Marbled Cosmet Mompha propinquella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, North Elmham, 2nd August

 Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, North Elmham, 2nd August

Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, North Elmham, 2nd August

The rest of the macros were 2 Chinese Characters, Blood-vein, Least Carpet, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 15 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow Shell, Barred Straw, July Highflyer, Small Rivulet, Slender Pug, Double-striped Pug, 4 Brimstone Moths, Purple Thorn, Willow Beauty, Coxcomb Prominent, Yellow-tail, Black Arches, 3 Rosy Footmen, 9 Dingy Footmen, 3 Scarce Footmen, 12 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Dark Arches, 2 Cloaked Minors, 8 Common Rustics, Dusky Sallow, 8 Uncertains, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks, Spectacle and Snout.

 Slender Pug, North Elmham, 2nd August

I'm still trying to sort out how to identify Agonopterix ciliella.  I thought this one was a good candidate being large and dark, though it lacked much in the way of pinkish tones underneath (just a bit on the legs).

 Agonopterix sp., North Elmham, 2nd August

The hindwing showed a very strong pink flush to the cilia around the apex and five fusous bars through the cilia.  Not as distinct as some ciliella can be and so still not a firm ID, but at this point it's looking hopeful.

 Agonopterix sp., North Elmham, 2nd August

The genitalia are very similar to the very much commoner heracliana, but there are supposed to be differences.  To me this one's bits look exactly the same as every other male Agonopterix heracliana I've examined.  So either it was heracliana, or the genitalia of ciliella are harder to separate than various texts suggest.  I await a clear and undisputable ciliella to compare, but in the meantime am increasingly suspicious about how accurately a lot of records of ciliella have been identified.

 Agonopterix sp., North Elmham, 2nd August

One curious thing if this was just a Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana is that of all the ones I've examined (scores now) the large dark ones have also been the ones with the best looking hindwings.  But I'm yet to find one with 5-6 really obvious dark fuscous bars on the cilia... maybe when I do I'll be able to spot the differences in the genitalia.