DERSINGHAM BOG

Grid ref: TF682293.

Upto four 125wMV traps two 6w and a 15w actinic trap were placed over a wide area of the bog on four separate dates in May, June, July and August, usually covering the bog myrtle/heather communities and the birch/pine habitats. A further daytime search was made in October for leaf mines. The UK status is common unless stated, although some of the micro-moths (especially the leaf mines, Nepticulidae & Gracillariidae) usually comes under the ‘unknown’ category as very little is known and studied with this neglected group. All larval food plants are in brackets. The numbers on the left hand side are the Bradley & Fletcher numbers.

HEPIALIDAE

14 Ghost Moth (roots of grasses & herbaceous plants)

16 Gold Swift (roots of bracken & herbaceous plants) (local)

17 Common Swift (roots of grasses & herbaceous plants)

NEPTICULIDAE

34 Ecteodemia occultella (birch)

36 Ecteodemia quinquella (oak)

38 Ectoedemia subbimaculella (oak)

50 Stigmella aurella (bramble)

70 Stigmella obliquella (salix)

83 Stigmella atricapitella (oak)

84 Stigmella ruficapitella (oak)

88 Stigmella samiatella (oak & sweet chestnut)

92 Stigmella anomalella (rose)

108 Stigmella crataegella (hawthorn)

110 Stigmella betulicola (birch)

112 Stigmella luteella (birch)

COSSIDAE

161 Leopard Moth (trees & shrubs)

LYONETIIDAE

263 Lyonetia clerkella (on rosaceous trees & bushes)

BUCCULATRICIDAE

276 Bucculatrix demaryella (birch)

GRACILLARIIDAE

305 Parornix scoticella (rowan)

317 Phyllonorycter heegeriella (oak)

320 Phyllonorycter quercifoliella (oak)

321 Phyllonorycter messaniella (oak, sweet chestnut)

323 Phyllonorycter oxycanthae (hawthorn)

325 Phyllonorycter mespilella (rowan)

329 Phyllonorycter spinicolella (blackthorn)

333 Phyllonorycter viminiella (salix)

334 Phyllonorycter viminetorum (salix)

347 Phyllonorycter anderidae (on birch seedlings) (local)

353 Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella (birch)

YPONOMEUTIDAE

411 Argyresthia goedartella (birch & alder catkins)

424 Yponomeuta evonymella (bird cherry) (local)

464 Plutella xylostella (Brassicacae)

465 Plutella porrectella (dame’s violet, Hesperis matronalis)

OECOPHORIDAE

658 Carcina quercana (oak)

697 Agonopterix arenella (umbellifers)

706 Agonopterix nervosa (gorse & broom) (local)

TORTRICIDAE

937 Agepeta hamana (thistle)

966 Cochylis atricapitana (ragwort)

970 Pandemis ceresana (trees & shrubs)

977 Archips podana (trees & shrubs)

989 Aphelia paleana (various grasses)

1002 Lozotaenia forsterana (trees & shrubs esp. ivy) (local)

1020 Cnephasia stephansiana (various herbaceous plants) (dissected)

1021 Cnephasia asseclana (various herbaceous plants) (dissected)

1033 Tortrix viridana (various deciduous trees)

1063 Celypha striana (dandelion)

1079 Olethreutes bifasciana (scots pine)

1083 Hedya nubiferana (trees & shrubs)

1086 Hedya salicella (willow & poplar)

1092 Apotomis turbidana (birch)

1093 Apotomis betuletana (birch)

1108 Lobesia abscisana (creeping thistle)

1111 Bacta lancealana (various rushes )

1118 Ancylis uncella (heather & birch) (local)

1133 Epinotia bilunana (birch)

1138 Epinotia nisella (willow & poplar) (local)

1146 Epinotia rubiginosana (scots pine)

1155 Epinota brunnichana (birch, hazel & willow) (local)

1175 Epiblema uddmanniana (various herbaceous plants)

1197 Eucosma campoliliana (ragwort)

1201 Eucosma cana (thistle)

1205 Spilonota ocellana (trees & shrubs)

1210 Rhyaciona buoliana (scots pine)

1212 Rhyacionia pinivorana (scots pine)

PYRALIDAE

1290 Chilo phragmitella (common reed) (local)

1293 Chrysoteuchia culmella (grasses)

1294 Crambus pascuella (grasses)

1301 Crambus lathoniellus (grasses)

1304 Agriphila straminella (grasses)

1305 Agriphila tristella (grasses)

1309 Agriphila geniculea (grasses)

1313 Catoptria pinella (grasses & sedges esp. tufted hair-grass) (local)

1333 Scoparia pyralella (decaying vegetation and roots)

1334 Scoparia ambigualis (mosses & lichens)

1345 Elophila nymphaeata (Brown China-mark) (submerged aquatic plants)

1348 Paropoynix stratiotata (Ringed China-mark) (submerged aquatic plants)

1405 Pleuroptya ruralis (Mother of Pearl) (common nettle)

1424 Endotricha flammealis (herbaceous plants)

1452 Phycita roborella (oak)

1455 Dioryctria simplicella (scots pine)

1485 Phycitodes maritima (dissected) (yarrow & ragwort) (local)

PTEROPHORIDAE

1493 Buckleria paludum (round-leaved sundew) (local)

LASIOCAMPIDAE

1637 Oak Egger (various trees & shrubs)

1638 Fox Moth (various plants inc. heather)

1640 Drinker (grasses & reeds)

SATURNIIDAE

1643 Emperor (various plants inc. heather)

DREPANIDAE

1645 Scalloped Hook-tip (birch)

1648 Pebble Hook-tip (birch)

1651 Chinese Character (hawthorn & blackthorn)

1652 Peach Blossom (bramble)

1653 Buff Arches (bramble)

GEOMETRIDAE

1666 Large Emerald (birch, alder & hazel)

1669 Common Emerald (various trees)

1692 Lesser Cream Wave (meadowsweet) (local)

1698 Purple-bordered Gold (marsh cinquefoil) (Notable Na)

1702 Small Fan-footed Wave (various herbaceous plants)

1705 Dwarf Cream Wave (bramble & dandelion) (local)

1708 Single-dotted Wave (cow parsley)

1713 Riband Wave (various herbaceous plants)

1715 Plain Wave (various herbaceous plants) (local)

1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet (various herbaceous plants)

1725 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (various herbaceous plants)

1755 Chevron (salix & birch)

1758 Barred Straw (bedstraws)

1768 Grey Pine Carpet (various pines)

1777 July Highflyer (sallow, heather etc)

1778 May Highflyer (alder)

1794 Sharp-angled Carpet (various herbaceous plants) (local)

1803 Small Rivulet (hemp- nettle)

1808 Sandy Carpet (red campion)

1816 Toadflax Pug (toadflax)

1825 Lime-speck Pug (various herbaceous plants)

1834 Common Pug (various herbaceous plants)

1860 Green Pug (prunus)

1876 Small Yellow Wave (maple & alder)

1885 Clouded Magpie (elm) (local)

1887 Clouded Border (sallow, poplar & hazel)

1889 Peacock Moth (birch) (local)

1893 Tawny-barred Angle (scots pine)

1902 Brown Silver-line (bracken)

1906 Brimstone Moth (various trees & shrubs)

1913 Canary-shouldered Thorn (various trees & shrubs)

1917 Early Thorn (trees & shrubs)

1921 Scalloped Oak (various trees & shrubs)

1922 Swallow-tailed Moth (various trees & shrubs)

1931 Peppered Moth (various herbaceous plants)

1937 Willow Beauty (various trees & bushes)

1941 Mottled Beauty (various trees & shrubs)

1944 Pale Oak Beauty (oak & beech)

1947 Engrailed (various trees & shrubs)

1952 Common Heath (heather)

1955 Common White Wave (various trees & shrubs)

1956 Common Wave (sallow & aspen)

1958 Clouded Silver (various trees & shrubs)

1961 Light Emerald (various trees & shrubs)

1962 Barred Red (scots pine)

SPHINGIDAE

1978 Pine Hawk-moth (pine) (local)

1979 Lime Hawk-moth (elm, alder & birch)

1980 Eyed Hawk-moth (willow, poplar & sallow)

1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (poplar, sallow & willow)

1991 Elephant Hawk-moth (willowherb & bedstraw and other herbaceous plants)

NOTODONTIDAE

1994 Buff-tip (various trees & shrubs)

1998 Poplar Kitten (aspen, poplar & sallow) (local)

1999 Lobster Moth (oak, hazel, beech & birch)

2000 Iron Prominent (birch, alder, hazel & oak)

2003 Pebble Prominent (willow, poplar & sallow)

2005 Great Prominent (oak) (local)

2006 Lesser Swallow Prominent (birch)

2007 Swallow Prominent (poplar, aspen, willow & sallow)

2008 Coxcomb Prominent (various trees & shrubs)

2009 Maple Prominent (field maple) (local)

2015 Lunar Marbled Brown (oak) (local)

2019 Chocolate-tip (poplar, willow and aspen) (local)

LYMANTRIIDAE

2028 Pale Tussock (various trees & bushes )

2029 Brown-tail (various trees & bushes) (local)

2030 Yellow-tail (various trees & bushes )

2031 White Satin (sallow, p[oplar & willow) (local)

2033 Black Arches (oak) (local)

ARCTIIDAE

2035 Round-winged Muslin (lichens & mosses ) (local)

2037 Rosy Footman (lichens) (local)

2040 Four-dotted Footman (lichens) (local)

2044 Dingy Footman (lichens)

2047 Scarce Footman (lichens) (local)

2049 Buff Footman (lichens) (local)

2050 Common Footman (lichens)

2060 White Ermine (various herbaceous plants)

2061 Buff Ermine (various herbaceous plants)

2064 Ruby Tiger (various herbaceous plants)

NOCTUIDAE

2088 Heart & Club (various plants)

2089 Heart & Dart (various plants)

2091 Dark Sword-grass (various plants)

2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (various plants)

2098 Flame (various plants)

2102 Flame Shoulder (various plants)

2107 Large Yellow Underwing (various plants & grasses)

2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (various trees & plants)

2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (various trees & plants)

2111 Lesser Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing (various trees & plants)

2112 Least Yellow Underwing (various trees & plants)

2118 True Lovers Knot (heathers)

2120 Ingrailed Clay (various plants)

2122 Purple Clay (various trees & plants)

2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (various plants)

2128 Double Square Spot (various trees & plants)

2134 Square-spot Rustic (various trees & plants

2130 Dotted Clay (various trees & plants inc. heather and bog myrtle)

2139 Red Chestnut (various plants)

2145 Nutmeg (goosefoot & orache)

2147 Shears (hawk’s beard, hawkweed, dandelion & chickweed)

2150 Grey Arches (various trees & plants)

2155 Dot Moth (various trees & plants)

2157 Light Brocade (various plants) (local)

2158 Pale-shouldered Brocade (various trees & plants)

2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (various trees & shrubs)

2179 Pine Beauty (pine)

2188 Clouded Drab (various trees & shrubs)

2190 Hebrew Character (various trees & shrubs)

2192 Brown-line Bright Eye (grasses)

2193 Clay (grasses)

2196 Striped Wainscot (common reed & various grasses inc. purple moor-grass) (local)

2197 Southern Wainscot (common reed & canary grasses) (local)

2198 Smoky Wainscot (grasses)

2199 Common Wainscot (grasses)

2205 Shoulder-striped Wainscot (cock’s foot and grasses)

2243 Early Grey (honeysuckle)

2268 Suspected (birch) (local)

2278 Poplar Grey (poplar and occasionally willow)

2283 Dark Dagger (genitalia examined) (various trees & shrubs) (local)

2286 Light Knot Grass (various plants inc. heather and bog myrtle) (local)

2289 Knot Grass (various trees & plants)

2301 Bird’s Wing (various plants) (local)

2303 Straw Underwing (grasses)

2305 Small Angle Shades (various trees & plants inc. bracken and birch)

2306 Angle Shades (various trees & plants)

2312 Olive (poplar & aspen) (local)

2318 Dunbar (various trees & shrubs)

2321 Dark Arches (grasses)

2334 Rustic-shoulder Knot (grasses)

2337 Marbled Minor (dissected) (grasses)

2338 Rufous Minor (dissected) (grasses) (local)

2340 Middle-barred Minor (grasses)

2341 Cloaked Minor (grasses)

2342 Rosy Minor (grasses)

2343 Common Rustic (grasses)

2343a Lesser Common Rustic (dissected) (grasses)

2352 Dusky Sallow (grasses)

2369 Bulrush Wainscot (bulrush)

2377 Fen Wainscot (common reed) (local)

2379 Small Rufous (jointed & soft rush) (local)

2380 Treble Lines (various plants)

2381 Uncertain (various plants)

2387 Mottled Rustic (various plants)

2389 Pale Mottled Willow (various plants & grasses)

2410 Marbled White Spot (grasses inc. purple-moor grass)

2412 Silver Hook (sedges & grasses inc. tufted-hair grass) (local)

2418 Cream-bordered Green Pea (various willows) (Notable/Nb)

2425 Nut-tree Tussock (various trees)

2441 Silver Y (various plants)

2450 Spectacle (common nettle)

2474 Straw Dot (grasses)

2477 Snout (common nettle)

2484 Pinion-streaked Snout (unknown, but probably inc. heather’s and rushes) (local)

2485 Marsh Oblique-barred (unknown but bog myrtle is almost certainly one) (Notable/Nb)

2493 Dotted Fan-foot (various marsh grasses inc. wood-rush & wood-sedge) (Notable N/b)

 

 

 

If we were to split the food plants into three main categories which are associated with Dersingham Bog, heathland, birch and pines then this gives more of a clue as to what species is using what habitat.

 

HEATHLAND (inc. associated species such as bracken, sundew, bog myrtle etc)

Ancylis uncella (heather & birch) local

Emperor (heather)

Common Heath (heather)

True Lovers Knot (heather)

Light Knot Grass (heather & bog myrtle) local

Dotted Clay (heather & bog myrtle)

Buckleria paludum (round-leaved sundew) local

Purple-bordered Gold (marsh cinqefoil) Notable Na

Agonopterix nervosa (gorse & broom) local

Striped Wainscot (grasses inc. purple-moor grass/common reed) local

Marbled White Spot (grasses inc. purple-moor grass)

Gold Swift (bracken) local

Brown Silver-line (bracken)

Bog myrtle would be widely used by many species under the larval food plant heading of ‘various plants’ (as would heather). This would include the local Pinion-streaked Snout.

Mention must be made of the Light Knot Grass trapped here in May and June. In Norfolk it has been recorded from Roydon Common for some years now and this was the first record away from this site. Its nearest occurrence to Norfolk is the Staffordshire moorlands.

 

BIRCH (usually exclusively)

Ecteodemia occultella

Stigmella betulicola

Stigmella luteella

Bucculatrix demaryella

Phyllonorycter anderidae local

Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella

Apotomis turbidana

Apotomis betuletana

Epinotia bilunana

Epinotia brunnichana local

Scalloped Hook-tip

Pebble Hook-tip

Peacock Moth local

Lesser Swallow Prominent

Suspected local

 

PINE

Olethreutes bifasciana

Epinotia rubiginosana

Rhyaciona buoliana

Rhyaciona pinivorana

Dioryctria simplicella

Tawny-barred Angle

Barred Red

Pine Hawk-moth local

Pine Beauty

Other food plants associated with the wetter areas of Dersingham Bog such as phragmites, juncus etc, deserve special mention too.

Chilo phragmitella (common reed) local

Fen Wainscot (common reed) local

Southern Wainscot (common reed) local

Striped Wainscot (common reed/purple moor-grass) local

Bulrush Wainscot (bulrush)

Marsh Oblique-barred (probably juncus) Notable Nb

Small Rufous (juncus) local

Silver Hook (juncus) local

Bactra lancealana (juncus)

Catoptria pinella (juncus) local

A summary of the above gives over 45 local species associated with the bog, one Notable Na and three Notable Nb.

Notable Na

Purple-bordered Gold (Idaea muricata) Is a brightly-coloured geometer moth that is usually seen more in daylight, lightly flying over the wetter areas of the heathland, it will also come to light. The food plant is marsh cinquefoil (potentilla palustris) which I did not personally note at Dersingham.

Notable Nb

Cream-bordered Green Pea (Earias clorana) Whose larva feed in the terminal shoots of various species of willow especially Salix viminalis. The range is restricted to fens and marshes.

Marsh Oblique-barred (Hypenodes humidalis) Is only a tiny noctuid 15-18 mm long, very easily overlooked and may be mistaken for a microlepidopteron. Upto 100 were noted around the bog myrtle during the July visit, with fewer in the August visit. The larval food plant is not known but Orhant (1977) considers it likely to be juncus spp.

Dotted Fan-foot (Macrochilo cribrumalis) Usually found in reed-beds and fens in East Anglia and the larva feed on sallow and various marsh sedges and grasses. It seems to becoming more widespread over the last few years.

JON CLIFTON