ppiesare toe S _ are nave Se irl ea eae fe : sa aa — LIBRARY OF THE CAN My ae FOR THE SS PEOPLE ya FOR S EDVCATION 2 &} Boe 0.05). DISCUSSION The effect of food quality on the population dynamics of this aphid is dramatic. The increasing leaf toughness probably renders the leaf cuticle more difficult to penetrate, and the reduced levels of soluble nitrogen in the underlying tissues, which is important for protein production, slows aphid growth and reproduction. Individuals hatching later in the year, when most leaves are mature, are faced with an increasingly difficult task of accessing ever diminishing resources, and consequently have very little chance of attaining maturity. It is easy to see how selection acts to maintain hatching in the early spring. Although adult Euceraphis are large and may be able to feed on mature leaves and twigs (Gange, 1989; Stroyan, 1977), the ability of first-generation nymphs to feed on mature leaves appears to be limited. However, nymphs of later generations must feed successfully on mature leaves in order to allow the species to survive until the autumn. It is not clear how these later hatching nymphs overcome the difficulties of feeding on nutritionally poor substrates. There may be some physiological or morphological variation between generations, for example, in stylet length. The aggregation of 18 BR. J. ENT, NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Euceraphis in midsummer onto leaves of better quality (Wratten, 1974), combined with the natural variation in leaf and tree quality will certainly serve to reduce some of the difficulties. The slightly greater success of second-generation aphids in feeding on mature leaves, suggests that some adaptive mechanism may indeed be in place, hence allowing nymphs of later generations to feed successfully. If such an adaptation existed, it could well be traded off against increased fecundity in the first generation. Ovariole number is known to vary between aphid generations. In Euceraphis the first generation possess ten ovarioles, and subsequent generations eight (Leather ef a/., 1988). This alone will lead to differences in fecundity between generations. However, the difference in fecundity between first- and second-generation nymphs on young leaves seems too great to be explained totally by differences in ovariole numbers. The observed differences are probably due to a combination of reduced ovariole number, and the fact that second-generation aphids fed on a poorer diet than those in the first generation. Dixon (1976) reports that nymphs of the sycamore aphid (Drepanosiphum platanoidis Schr.) feeding on newly burst buds were heavier and more fecund than those feeding on foliage which had burst their buds only 7 days earlier. This serves to demonstrate the importance of small changes in food quality to aphid populations. REFERENCES Ayres, M. P. & Maclean, S. F. 1987. Development of birch leaves and the growth energetics of Epirrita autumnata (Geometridae). Ecology 68: 558-568. Blackman, R. L. 1977. The existence of two species of Euceraphis (Homoptera: Aphididae) on birch in Western Europe, and a key to European and North American species of the genus. Syst. Ent. 2: 1-8. Dixon, A. F. G. 1963. Reproductive activity of the sycamore aphid, Drepanosiphum platanoidis (Schr.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). J. Animal Ecol. 32: 33-48. Dixon, A. F. G. 1966. The effect of population density and nutritive status of the host on the summer reproductive activity of the sycamore aphid Drepanosiphum platanoidis (Schr.). J. Animal Ecol. 35: 105-112. Dixon, A. F. G. 1969. Quality and availability of food for a sycamore aphid population. In: Animal populations in relation to their food resources. Ed. A. Watson, Symposium No. 10. British Ecological Society, pp. 271-287, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford. Dixon, A. F. G. 1971. The role of intra-specific mechanisms and predation in regulating the numbers of the lime aphid, Eucallipterus tiliae (L.). Oecologia Berl 8: 179-193. Dixon, A. F. G. 1976. Timing of egg hatch and viability of the sycamore aphid, Drepanosiphum plata- noidis (Schr.), at bud burst of sycamore, Acer pseudoplatanus L. J. Animal Ecol. 45: 593-603. van Emden, H. F. & Bashford, M. 1969. A comparison of the reproduction of Brevicoryne brassicae and Myzus persicae in relation to soluble nitrogen concentration and leaf age (leaf position) in the Brussels sprout plant. Entomologia, Experimentalis et Applicata 12: 351-364. Feeny, P. 1970. Seasonal changes in oak leaf tannins and nutrients as a cause of spring feeding by winter moth caterpillars. Ecology 51: 565-581. Gange, A. C. G. 1985 Overwintering in the birch aphid, Euceraphis punctipennis. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 2: 181-183. Leather, S. R., ef a/. 1988. Variation in ovariole number within the Aphidoidea. J. Nat. Hist. 22: 381-393. Mittler, T. 1958. Studies on the feeding and nutrition of Tuberolachnus salignus Gmelin (Homoptera: Aphididae). II. The nitrogen and sugar composition of ingested phloem sap and exuded honeydew. J. Exp. Biol. 35: 74-84. Stroyan, H. L. G. 1977. Homoptera Aphidoidea Chaitophoridae and Callaphididae. Handbk Ident. Insects 2 (4a). London, Royal Entomological Society. Wratten, S. D. 1974. Aggregation in the birch aphid Euceraphis punctipennis (Zett) in relation to food quality. J. Animal Ecol. 43: 191-198. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 19 1990 ANNUAL EXHIBITION Imperial College, London SW7—27 October 1990 The following account of exhibits has been compiled by R. D. G. Barrington (British butterflies), B. K. West (British Macrolepidoptera), J. M. Chalmers-Hunt (British Microlepidoptera), N. Hall (Foreign Lepidoptera), P. J. Chandler (Diptera), R. A. Jones (Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera and other orders) and E. S. Bradford (illustrations). BRITISH BUTTERFLIES BARRINGTON, R. D. G.—Aberrations captured and bred in 1990, mostly from North Dorset. (a) Two generations of Maniola jurtina L. bred from a captured female transitional to ab. postmultifidus Lipscomb on the underside and extreme ab. antiaurolancea Leeds on the upper. The F, (June 1989) contained 18 aberrations (variable postmultifidus and antiaurolancea) and 14 type. The F, was made up of 32 aberrations (including extreme postmultifidus with all hindwing veins dusted with dark scaling, some so thickly as to exclude the paler ground colour between some veins, and extreme female antiaurolancea with virtually no forewing upperside fulvous) and 18 type. Postmultifidus/antiaurolancea is a dominant, but weakening form. (b) Two female Aphantopus hyperantus L. ab. cuneata Gillmer with most spots extended, bred in the F, from a transitional parent (the brood of 49 insects was a graded series from type to the exhibited specimens). (c) Polyommatus icarus Rott., a female specimen of ab. discoelongata B.&L. + arcuata Courv. also showing a black streak at the anal angle of the hindwings, bred in an F, of 25 insects (graded from type to this specimen) from a similar parent. (d) Captured aberrations of jurtina; mint male examples of abs subtus-albida Silb., atrescens Leeds and post-transformis Leeds and a strong female ab. addenda Leeds. A female aberration with no median band on the underside of the hindwing leaving them an almost uniform dark brown with some central dark smudging. Two examples of this unnamed form exist in the RCK collection, BM (NH). A captured female Eurodryas aurinia Rott. ab. sebaldus Schulz with the forewing pale markings streaked, but reduced on the hindwings, and all fulvous darkened to deep red. The underside showed white suffusion over the outer half of the hindwings with the basal area obsolete. A bred female with enlarged pale areas. Celastrina argiolus L., a female ab. /ilicana-lata Tutt with heavy black markings, a female with pale upperside hindwing lunules resembling Lysandra coridon Poda ab. postfowleri South and a female ab. paucipuncta Courv., all from wild larvae. Cupido minimus Fuessly, a male with heavy upperside blue scaling and a female ab. obsoleta B. & L., Lysandra coridon Poda female ab. striata B. & L. and four aberrations of Lycaena phlaeas L.—female ab. magnipuncta Tutt, female ab. discojuncta Leeds, a male ab. obliterata Tutt and a male ab. antiradiata Derenne on the underside and ab. bipunctata Tutt on the upperside with the hindwing copper band broken up. BUTTON, S.—A range of aberrations of Lysandra coridon Poda from Dorset and Wiltshire in recent years. Various ab. obsoleta B. & L., ab. i-nigrum B. & L. and ab. basijuncta B. & L. and two rarer forms: a female underside approaching ab. alba B. & L. and a male ab. striata B. & L. Polyommatus icarus Rott. abs arcuata Courv., obsoleta B. & L. and transiens B. & L. A striking Argynnis paphia L. ab. confluens 20 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Spuler, female from Wiltshire, 1977 and a perfect female example of the very rare ‘grey albino’ of Maniola jurtina L., ab. grisea-argentacea Ober (Plate I, Figure 1), one of three taken in the same locality in Wiltshire in 1990. It is of interest that the last time this aberration was captured in the same area, by H. G. Phelps in the mid-1970s, three examples again were taken in the same season. A good Eurodryas aurinia Rott. male with the forewings centrally blackened on the upperside, a female Boloria selene L. ab. pallida Spuler, Cumbria 1990 (almost, if not all, recorded specimens of this aberration have been taken in this area despite the species being well worked to the south), Coenonympha tullia L. ab. lanceolata Arkle, Lancashire 1990 and Aricia artaxerxes L. with orange flushes across the upperside of the forewings, Scotland 1990. CALLOW, M.—A bred (F;) aberration of Melitaea cinxia L., similar to that exhibited by P. A. Standing but less extreme. Two aberrations of Hamearis lucina L. bred from wild ova in Sussex. One (12.v.88) had extended underside white markings at the base of the hindwing costa. The second (9.v.89) had a similar underside and considerably reduced dark markings in the centre of the forewings of the upperside with the hindwings pale rayed. See Plate I, Figure 6. CHALMERS-HUNT, J. M.—A perfect female example of Maniola jurtina L. ab. postmultifidus Lipscomb from Cranwich, Norfolk, July 1990—a new county record for this attractive variety. CLARKE, DR. J.—Two very fine underside aberrations of Thecla betulae L. bred from ova collected in Oxon, 1990. One resembled ab. a/bovirgata Tutt of Satyrium w-album Knoch having a white suffusion spreading distally from the median white band, itself very hazy. The other had very reduced white markings on the forewings and, like the first example, the remaining white bands were hazy. These two aberrations bore certain similarities and were likely to have originated from the same parent. See Plate I, Figure 9. CRONIN, A. R.—A male Argynnis paphia L. ab. confluens Spuler. DENNIS, R. C.—A most interesting selection of aberrations of Pyronia tithonus L. from three fields near Ringmer, Sussex in 1990 where the species was observed in large numbers on fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica (L.). Specimens included a good female ab. postobscura Leeds, a male ab. antiparvipuncta Leeds, a female ab. anticrassipuncta Leeds and three bleached ab. transformis Leeds. Two pale forms were shown, a male ab. subalbida Vty (yellowish) and a female ab. a/bidus Ckll. (with reference to the note under A. M. Jones’ exhibit, the two are probably under the same genetic control). Most noteworthy were three examples (of five taken) of a very rare form with the forewing apical spot reduced and lacking the white pupil, and with all spotting absent from both surfaces of the hindwings (Plate I, Figure 2). ELSTON, MAJ. H. J.—Argynnis paphia L. f. valezina Esp., two specimens from a Hampshire wood. Six were seen in the space of 20 minutes around 17.00 hours on 14.vii.90, all in perfect condition, but no type females could be found. The males were abundant. This is a most unusual sighting as va/ezina usually occupies a low percentage of a population and is not recorded as tending to emerge before the type female. A male Lysandra coridon Poda ab. obsoleta B. & L. and a good male ab. parallela B.& L., both from West Sussex, 22.vii.90. GARDINER, B. O. C.—A striking display of aberrations of Pieris brassicae L. bred over a number of years from continuously brooded and inbred stock. The variation included female specimens of ab. fasciata Tutt with heavier markings than the type form of the very strongly marked ssp. chieranthi, through normal specimens of fasciata with the forewing spots joined, to abs g/aseri Muller and reducta Fritsch with the forewing markings so reduced as to resemble the type male. A series BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 21 showing teratological abnormalities of wing shape, a halved gynandromorph, a mixed gynandromorph of ssp. chieranthi and a sexual mosaic, being a female with overall speckling of male colouration. A male underside showing homoeosis, with streaks of forewing colour in the centre of both hindwings. HARMER, A. S.—(a) A pair of Argynnis aglaja L. ab. suffusa Tutt with a blackened central fascia on the forewings. The male was a good example of the form. An extreme Boloria selene L. ab. mediolugens Cab. with heavy central suffusion on the upperside of all wings and a female B. euphrosyne L. ab. albinea Lamb., an insect with white ground-colour. Lysandra coridon Poda a dark female ab. atrescens B. & L. +impar Cockayne and a female ab. ultraalbocrenata B.&L. An _ unusual Coenonympha pamphilus L. male underside tending towards ab. unico/or Tutt on the hindwings with the white area reduced, but also having a black line extending from the costal to the inner margin of the hindwings, and Pyrgus malvae L. ab. intermedia Schilde. (b) Three good Lycaena phlaeas L. approaching ab. obsoleta Tutt bred in the F, and F, generations (a recessive form) from a parent ab. partimauroradiata Leeds, and a specimen of ab. subradiata Tutt + ab. cupreopuncta Tutt. JONES, A. M.—(a) Three generations from a captured Lycaena phlaeas L. ab. schmidtii Gerhart. Nine F, ova gave a type F, of eight males and one female. An F, of 62 adults contained 48 type and 14 ab. cuprinus Peyer (22.5%) and pairings between cuprinus adults resulted in the expected F,; of 100% cuprinus. In no examples of the cuprinus bred, even when very worn, was there any gradation towards the white schmidtii (unlike the yellow recessive ab. subalbida Vty. of Pyronia tithonus L. bred and exhibited a few years ago by R. C. Revels and R. S. Tubbs, in which the freshly emerged yellow insect soon faded to white when the specimens were left to pair and lay). Cuprinus is clearly a recessive form and maybe schmidtii is one expression of it but further, large, broods would be required to determine this. (b) Further results in the breeding of a new aberration of Parage aegeria L. with the pale markings between veins 2 & 3 and 3 & 4 of the forewings running together and streaking to the centre of the wings on both surfaces. This first appeared in a strain of ab. parviocellata Lempke in 1989. To determine its inheritance a female aberration was paired with a wild, typical male. The F, of 39 insects was 100% type. Of the 81 F, butterflies, 61 were type and 20 of the aberrant form (25%). An F,; from aberrant parents gave 100% aberrations. A very valuable experiment which shows the new form to be a simple recessive. (c) A striking, captured Lycaena phlaeas L. ab. antico-radiata Derenne with the underside forewing spotting strongly streaked outwards (Plate I, Figure 5). Two Quercusia quercus L. bred from ova collected off fallen oak branches after the winter storms of 1989. A female ab. obsoleta Tutt was lacking the upperside purple, while the second specimen was possibly the most extreme gynandromorph recorded for this species with three wings affected. The left forewing was female with a few male streaks in the cell and at the apex, the left hindwing a mixture of male and female, the right forewing male with a female streak through the cell and the right hindwing type male. It was recognized in the breeding cage from the similarly mixed underside. A strong example of Polygonia c-album L. ab. obscura Closs with heavily blackened hindwings, captured from bramble. KNILL-JONES, S. A.—Butterflies from the Isle of Wight showing the effects of the long summer of 1990. Two third brood examples of Polyommatus icarus Rott., Freshwater, 15.ix and 1.x. Two early specimens of Cupido minimus Fuessly, Compton Down, 29.iv. Early Hamearis lucina L., Tennyson Down, 28.iv., a small third brood 22 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 male of Pieris brassicae L. (wingspan 48 mm), Freshwater, 18.x and a third brood Lasiommata megera L., Middleton, 1.x. LEES, E.—A selection of butterflies taken or bred in Dorset, Wilts., E. Sussex and Kent in 1989 and 1990. Jnachis io L. from a web of 250-350 larvae with a parasitic wasp that left the dying larva as a grub. A dwarf male Anthocharis cardamines L. (many cases of dwarfism are due to illness, incorrect or insufficient foodplant, but dwarfs of cardamines have been shown to have a genetic basis). A range of other species included Cel/astrina argiolus L. (showing a 3rd brood in both 1989 and 1990), Eumenis semele L., Gonepteryx rhamni L., Pieris rapae L., P. napi L., Polyommatus icarus Rott., Lysandra coridon Poda, Aphantopus hyperantus L. and Melanargia galathea L. Moore, D. A.—A good example of Anthocharis cardamines L. ab. reducta, a male having white intervenational streaks through the apical orange, itself a little paler than type. Captured at Cholsey, Oxon, May 1990. NASH, S.—A small example of Vanessa atalanta L. from Fernham, Berks, 20.x.90. PATEMAN, J. E.—Hamearis lucina L., a pair with underside pale markings joined at the base of the hindwing costa. A perfect pair of Lysandra coridon Poda ab. cinnameus Tutt, (Plate I, Figure 7) Erebia aethiops Vty, a male with reduced spotting, Pyrgus malvae L. with a chocolate-black ground colour to the underside (bred), a male Maniola jurtina L. ab. postaurolancea Leeds captured in Scotland (this form was previously known only from one locality in Surrey and one in Wiltshire), a good example of Polygonia c-album L. ab. c-extinctum Gillmer, Aglais urticae L. ab. lutea Raynor and a bred pair of Parage aegeria L. ab. cockaynei Goodson, one upperside and one underside (Plate I, Figure 8). (Cockaynei has been shown to have an environmental rather than a genetic basis and may occur when winter larvae from late summer adults undergo rapid development to produce early adults. This was discovered by Dr E. A. Cockayne in the warmth of his London flat, and subsequently R. M. Craske and Maj.-Gen. C. G. Lipscomb were able to breed fine series (all in RCK collection, BM (NH)). PAYNE, J. H.—A bred Aglais urticae L. with virtually no forewing scaling and a series of extreme aberrations of Jnachis io L. from temperature experiments including abs prochnovi Pronin and belisaria Ober. STANDING, P. A.—Two aberrations of Melitaea cinxia L. bred in 1990 from inbred stock that has produced variation over a number of years (Plate I, Figure 4). One, a particularly good insect, was ab. corycinxia with reduced upperside forewing black markings except for a thick black central band, and hindwings were much darker than type. The underside showed strong black forewing streaks such as occur on Mellicta athalia Rott. ab. cymothoe Bertolini but which is very rare indeed in cinxia. The second example was strong ab. wifttei Geest. Two Eumenis semele L. ab. monocellata Lempke, Dorset, July 1990, one approaching ab. holonops Brouwer and a captured mixed gynandromorph of Anthocharis cardamines L., left side male, right side basically female with strong streaks of male ground colour and apical orange: Newbury, Bucks., May 1990. STOKES, D.—A selection of hairstreak varieties. A female Thecla betulae L. with the pale dashes on the forewings reduced but extended on the hindwings. Female Quercusia quercus L. with the black anal spot absent and a female Satyrium w-album Knoch with the orange band of the underside reduced to a yellow tone, and the whole ground colour seemed to lack the red content. TREBILCOCK, G. D.—A series of Coenonympha pamphilus L. illustrating a range of variation including abs crassipuncta Leeds, obliquajuncta Leeds and postobsoletissima Leeds. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 23 YOUNG, L. D.—Three gynandromorphs of Anthocharis cardamines L. bred, remarkably, from wild ova all collected in the same area near Fleet, Hants in 1989. Two were very good examples, almost mirror images, one side being female, the other a mixture of both sexes. The third example was primarily female with a dash of orange on the right forewing (Plate I, Figure 3). Such specimens occur due to faulty separation of the sex chromosomes during cellular division. The resulting cell (one dies) will have a different composition of sex-chromosomes from the parent cell and it, and all cells to which it subsequently gives rise, will be of the opposite sex, so producing a patch of one sex on an insect of the other. This inability of the chromosomes to divide correctly can be inherited as a tendency in a strain (rather than as a simple recessive or dominant trait) so that a variable proportion of offspring from a parent with this tendency may be gynandrous. (L. W. Newman maintained a strain of the hawkmoth Laéthoe populi L. (poplar hawkmoth) which gave rise to approximately 1% gynandromorphs in each brood). YOUNG, L. D. AND POTTER, DR N. B.—Continued results from inbreeding of Polyommatus icarus Rott. ab. discoelongata B. & L. and ab. basielongata B. & L. As usual the strain has progressed since the last exhibition, some examples now being clearly ab. anti-radiata B. & L. (as opposed to strong discoelongata), of which some fine specimens were shown. A fair number of specimens were also ab. limbojuncta Courv. and some showed a black streak at the anal angle of the hindwings. Some difficulties have been encountered in the last year with inbreeding weakness, as illustrated by the specimens shown with reduced venation, ab. decrescens B. & L. (leading to spots and lunules joining vertically) or increased venation, ab. increscens B. & L. (causing the production of extra spots and lunules), forms associated with strain weakness. The stock is still being maintained and it is a tribute to the exhibitors’ skill that this is the case after so many generations. BRITISH MACROLEPIDOPTERA AGASSIZ, D.—A specimen of Polyphaenis sericata Esp. from Guernsey, where it is a scarce species. BAKER, P. J.—Migrants taken at Branscombe, Devon, 29.ix. to 1.x.1990 including Rhodometra sacraria L., Utetheisa pulchella L., Agrius convolvuli L., Heliothis armigera D. &S. and Mythimna vitellina Hibn. BLAND, K. P.—Epirrhoé galiata D. & S. from the Scorrie, Glen Clova, Angus 17/18.vii.1990, new to SE Scotland, and Acasis viretata Hiibn. from beside the R. Shin, Sutherland, a very northerly record. CLANCY, S. P.—From Dungeness in 1990 Cryphia raptricula D. & S., Catocala fraxini L., Trichoplusia ni Hiibn., Idaea vulpinaria H.-S., Pelosia muscerda Hufn., Photedes fluxa Hiibn. and Agrius convolvuli L.; some bred Hyloicus pinastri L. from a female taken there in’ 1989, and also from Dungeness two Orthosia gothica ab. circumsignata Hasebroek. CLARKE, DR J.—The exhibit included series of Bembecia scopigera Scop. and Polia bombycina Hufn. from Tilshead, Wilts., Scopula nigropunctata Hufn. from Folkestone, Thera cupressata Geyer from Swanage and Zygaena lonicerae ab. citrina Spey. From Coverack, Cornwall, Heliothis armigera Hiibn. and Utetheisa pulchella L., and finally a specimen of what has subsequently been determined as Spodoptera cilium Guen. a species new to the British Isles, taken at Coverack, 29/30.ix.1990. CLASSEY, E. W.—An extraordinary aberration of Eilema lurideola Zinck., 18.vii.1990 (Plate II, Figure 6) and an extreme melanic specimen of Crocallis elinguaria L., 15.vii.1990, both from Uffington, Oxon. 24 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 COLLINS, G. A.—A melanistic Autographa gamma L. from Croydon, Surrey, 27.viii.1990 and an Ennomos alniaria L. lacking the normal transverse lines, from Banstead, Surrey, 31.vii.1990. CORLEY, M. F.—Specimens shown included an aberration of Orthosia stabilis D. & S. and a dark form of Rusina ferruginea Esp. from W. Inverness. 9.vi.1990. Cox, W. AND SUMMERS, J.—Included were Lithosia quadra L. from Clonbrock, Co. Galway, 14.vii.1983 where the sex ratio was five males to one female, also Afo/mis rubricollis L. and Alcis jubata Thunb. from near Fishguard. DAVEY, P.—Hippotion celerio L. from Durston, 29.ix.1990. DosBson, A.—From Winchester a female Hepialus humuli ab. dannenburgi Stephan (no markings), 12.vi.1989 and Heliothis viriplaca Hufn., 20.vii.1989. Bred specimens of H. maritima Gras. swept as larvae, Chobham, Surrey, 16.ix.1988; Agrius convolvuli L., taken 19.ix.1990 and Cucullia lychnitis Ramb., both from Winchester. A bred series of Heliothis armigera Hiibn. from larvae found on market chrysanthemums at Basingstoke in April 1990 and bred specimens of Hypena obsitalis Hiibn. from S. Devon. GILL, N.—From the Orkney Islands a series of Diarsia mendica orkneyensis Bytinski-Salz and Chloroclysta citrata pythonissata Milliére. GOobDEY, B.—Dwarf specimens of several species taken in Essex in 1989 and 1990 and Xanthorrhoé fluctuata L., an aberration with the dark band almost obsolete, from High Woods, Essex, 13.ix.1990; Philudoria potatoria L., a very pale male from Fingringhoe, Essex, 26.vi.1990, and from the same locality Mythimna favicolor Barr., 13.viii. 1990. HARMER, A. S.—A crimson form of Rhodometra sacraria L. and Cosymbia punctaria L. with heavily marked borders. HART, C.—From Falmouth, Cornwall: Rhodometra sacraria L., 29.ix., 30.ix.(2) and i.x.1990(2); Orthonama obstipata F., 29.ix.1990, Utetheisa pulchella L., i.x.1990(2); Mythimna vitellina Hiibn., 28.ix.(2) and i.x.1990(2); M. unipuncta Haw., 28.ix.(2), i.x.(2) and 4.x.1990; Spodoptera exigua Hiibn., 29.ix.1990; Heliothis armigera Hiibn., i.x.1990 and H. peltigera D. &S., 29.ix.1990. From Buckland, Surrey: U. pulchella L., 5.x.1990 and Mimas tiliae ab. brunnea Bartel. HALL, N.—From Holt Forest, Dorset a bred series of Euphyia biangulata Haw. and a specimen of Cyclophora pendularia Clerck, 21/22.vii.1990; Orthosia opima Hubn. bred from a larva found on Genista tinctoria L., dyer’s greenweed, at Ashford Hill, Hants; Scotopteryx mucronata Scop. from Gidleigh, Devon, 27.v.1990 and S. luridata Hufn. from Holt Forest, 21-22.vii.1990. From Reading Lithophane leautieri Boisd. and L. ornitopus Hufn. which is a rare species in Berkshire. HECKFORD, R. J.—Xanthorrhoé fluctuata L. from Plympton, Devon 24. viii. 1990 having a smoky ground colour and blurred markings. HENWOOD, DR B.—Photographs of the early stages of Hypena obsitalis Hiibn. and a series of imagines bred from a female obtained in S. Devon, 8.viii. 1990. Also exhibited was a review article from Clinical and Experimental Dermatology (1983) by Henwood and MacDonald, illustrating caterpillar dermatitis. HicGs, G.—lInsects taken in Guernsey 1.ix. to 15.ix.1990 which included: Jdaea straminata Borkh., I. degeneraria Hiibn., Scotopteryx peribolata Hiibn., Eupithecia phoeniceata Ramb., Hylaea fasciaria ab. grisearia Fuchs, Eilema caniola Hibn., Leuchochlaena oditis Hiibn. and a specimen determined at the exhibition as Crocallis dardoinaria perhaps new to the Channel Islands (Plate II, Figure 3). KNILL-JONES, S. A.—Numerous species including from Freshwater, Isle of Wight Mythimna unipuncta Haw., 11, 12 and 15.x.1990; Heliothis armigera Hiibn., 18.x.1990; Trigonophora flammea Esp., 18.x.(2) and 20.x.1990; M. loreyi Dup., BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 25 21.xi.1989 and 9.111.1990; M. albipuncta D. & S., ix.1990; M. vitellina Hiibn., 26.vi.(2) and 6.x.1990; Lithophane ornitopus Hufn., 18.x.1990; L. socia Hufn., 30.iii.1990; Pheosia gnoma F., 31.iii.1990; Abrostola trigemina Werneb.; Leucochlaena oditis Hiibn. and Spilosoma luteum Hufn.—a late date, 8.ix.1990. and Scopula marginepunctata Goeze, presumably a third brood specimen, 18.x.1990. LANGMAID, DR J. R.—From Guernsey Thera cupressata Gey., 16.vi.1990; Polyphaenis sericata Esp., 16.vi.1990, and another 7. cupressata from Southsea, Hants, 13.x.1990. McCormick, R. F. AND PENNEY, C. C.—An exhibit including Malacosoma neustria L., aberrations with dark and narrow banding North Cheam, Surrey; Tethea fluctuosa Hiibn. from Argyll and Kent; a grey form of Timandra griseata Peters from Horning, Norfolk; a dark grey Jdaea aversata L. from Ashstead, Surrey; Perizoma affinitatum Steph. illustrating variation in the white band from Hog Wood, Lincs. and a specimen from the Isle of Mull; P. albulata D. & S. from Banstead Downs, Surrey, with a dark, narrow band on forewing (Plate II, Figure 12); banded Pachycnema hippocastanaria Hibn. from Teignmouth; Opisthograptis luteolata L., a clouded form resembling ab. nebulosa West from North Cheam, Surrey; a heavily striated specimen of Spilosoma lubricipeda L. from Scotland (Plate II, Figure 7); Plusia putnami gracilis Lempke with confluent spotting from Horsey Dunes, Norfolk and Orthosia munda ab. immaculata Staud. from Friday Street, Surrey. Moore, D. A.—Two specimens of Thalpophila matura Hufn. lacking hindwing border, Xanthorrhoé montanata D. & S. lacking dark band from St Albans, Herts., 6.vili.1987 and Chryodeixis acuta Walk. from Cholsey, Oxon. NASH, S.—From Fernham, Berks. probable immigrants including Mythimna loreyi Dup. 20.x.1990 (thought to be a new record for VC22); two M. albipuncta D. &S., 17.x.1990; M. unipuncta Haw., 20.x.1990; Agrius convolvuli L., 28.ix.1990; Spodoptera exigua Hiibn., 14.viii.1990; Rhodometra sacraria L., 17.x. and 20.x.1990; also Anticollix sparsata Treits. from Siddlings Copse, Oxon. (new record for VC23); Adscita globulariae Hiibn. from S. Tidworth, Hants; A. statices L. from N. Tidworth, Wilts. 26/27.v.1990; A. geryon Hiibn. from Warleigh Woods, Wilts., 31.v.1990; Parasemia plantaginis L. from S. Tidworth, 25.v.1990, and Photedes fluxa Hiibn. from Cothill, Berks., 11.vii.1990. PARSONS, M.—Immigrants from Eastbourne comprising Mythimna loreyi Dup., 30.x. and 31.x.1989; M. albipuncta D. & S., 26.ix.1989; from Ninfield, E. Sussex M. unipuncta Haw., 31.x.1989, and Heliothis armigera Hiibn., 23.ix.1989; and Schrankia taenialis Hiibn. from Worthing, W. Sussex, 13.vii.1990. PEET, T. N.—Probable migrants to Guernsey included Cyclophora pupillaria Hiibn., Dendrolinus pini L., 11.vii.1989, Cryphia algae F., 24.viii.1990, Lymantria dispar L., and Trisateles emortualis D. &S. PHILLIPS, J. W.—The exhibit included bred specimens of Sesia bembeciformis Hiibn. from Gosport, Hants; Synanthedon spheciformis D. & S. from Reading; S. anthraciniformis Esp. from Winchester and Cryphia muralis F. from Havant, Hants, all from 1989 to 1990. PICKLES, A. J. AND C. T.—Among the species shown were bred specimens of Thalera fimbrialis Scop. from Dungeness, Scopula nigropunctata Hufn. netted at dusk at Folkestone, Jdaea dilutaria Hiibn. bred from eggs from the Great Orme, Caern., Gortyna borelii lunata Freyer also bred from eggs, from Essex, melanic Archanara dissoluta Treits. from Lymington, Hants and for comparison series of Acronycta euphorbiae myricae Guen. from Newtonmore, Inv. and Co. Clare. PLANT, C.—A specimen of Epirrhoé alternata Mill. with forewing median band 26 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 obsolete and with a dark outer third of forewing, from Sawbridgeworth, Herts., 27.vii.1990. SIMPSON, DR A. N.—Orthonama obstipata F. from Leigh, Worcs., 29.ix.1990. SIMMONS, M. J.—The second Grammodes stolida F. to be taken in Britain, from Crowborough, E. Sussex, 30.ix.1990 (Plate II, Figure 1), and Agrius convolvuli L., 18.ix.1990 also from Crowborough. SIMSON, BRIG. E. C.—Very closely related pairs of species or subspecies about which there has been, and in some cases there still is, controversy; Aporophyla lutulenta D. &S. and A. luneburgensis Freyer; Eilema complana L. and E. sericea Gregs.; Hadena lepida Esp. and H. capsophila Dup.; Leucania pallens L. and L. favicolor Barr.; Eupithecia denotata Hiibn. and E. jasionata Crewe; E. absinthiata Clerk and E. goossensiata Mab. Also Spodoptera littoralis Boisd. reared from a larva found on the leaves of Hypoestes in Oxfordshire, 9.vii.1990. SKINNER, B.—The exhibit included Hadena caesia D. & S. from Counties Cork, Kerry and Wexford illustrating geographical variation; bred A thetis pallustris Hiibn. from Theddlethorpe, Lincs. from larvae obtained in September 1989; a bred series of Eupithecia intricata hibernica Mere from Co. Clare; bred Hadena perplexa D. &S. from Derbyshire, Hants and Yorks., bred Diaphora mendica Clerck from Co. Cork, varying from nearly white to greyish brown and Gnophos obfuscatus D. & S. from Co. Galway. Also shown were Horisma vitalbata D. & S., a specimen with a widened central band, Snodland, Kent, 21.vii.1990; a melanic /daea aversata L. from Ham Street, Kent, 21.vi.1990 (Plate II, Figure 5); a melanic Eupithecia nanata Hiibn. taken 24.vii.1990 at Blackheath, Surrey and two aberrations of Spargania luctuata D. &S. from Ham Street (Plate II, Figure 2). SOKOLOFF, P.—Agrotis clavis ab. obsoleta Md.-Wald taken at Orpington, Kent, 25.vi.1990 (Plate II, Figure 4). STATHAN, B. L.—A number of species including Apatele menyanthidis ab. suffusa Tutt, Beeley Moor, Derbyshire, 28.v.1990; Agrius convolvuli L., 1.x.1990 and Utetheisa pulchella L., 2.x.1990, both from Durlston, Dorset, and a series of Jdaea subsericeata Haw. from Coombs Dale, Derbyshire, 26.v.1990. STERLING, COL. D. H.—A specimen of Papestra biren Goeze from East Stratton, Hants which is outside its known geographical range in Britain. WARING, P.—Aydraecia petasitis Doubl. from Ebchester, Co. Durham, 29.viii.1990, caught flying over foodplant although actinic lights failed to attract them. WEDD, D.—From Bude, Cornwall Mythimna litoralis Curt. obtained over a long period from early May until October; Eumichtis lichenea Hibn. approaching ssp. scillonea Richardson; Rhodometra sacraria L., a bred series from Bude, and from the same locality Utetheisa pulchella L. and Heliothis armigera Hibn. taken 29/30.ix.1990; a specimen of Luperina nickerlii Freyer from Bude caught 6. viii. 1990 together with specimens from Bradwell, Essex; Scopula nigropunctata Hufn., bred series from three generations in one year; from Folkestone: feral second brood specimens of Eupithecia intricata arceuthata Freyer from Marlow, Bucks. WINTER, P. Q.—A number of species, the most noteworthy being Chilodes maritimus Tausch., Mythimna obsoleta Hiibn. and Triphosa dubitata L., all from SE Yorkshire. WOOLDRIDGE, D. B.—A specimen of Thera cupressata Gey. from Niton, Isle of Wight, 12.x.1990. YOUNG, D.—Hyles lineata livornica Esp. taken at Studland, Dorset, 1.ix.1990; several bred Thalera fimbrialis Scop. from Dungeness; Scopula nigropunctata Hufn. taken while dusking at Folkestone 17.vii.1990; Tyta /uctuosa D. & S. from Portland, BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 27 Dorset, 4.viii.1990 and a selection of moths typical of the Aviemore/Newtonmore district of Inverness-shire. BRITISH MICROLEPIDOPTERA AGASSIZ, REV. D.—(1) A series of Blastobasis phycidella (Zell.) from Guernsey in June 1990, where the species was found to be resident (Plate II, Figures 9 & 10). The only previous record from which this species stands on the British list is of six specimens found on a wall of a warehouse in Southampton docks by W. Fassnidge. (2) Specimens of Argolamprotes micella (D.&S.), Langford Heathfield, LNR, Somerset, 13.vii.90. (3) Mompha divisella (Dougl.), Guernsey, bred series (1990). BAKER, P. J.—The following noted at Branscombe, South Devon, 29.ix. to 1.x.90. Nomophila noctuella (D. & S.), Palpita unionalis (Hiibn.), Udea ferrugalis (Hiibn.), Hellula undalis (F.). BEAUMONT H. E.—(1) Microlepidoptera records for Yorkshire, 1990: Yponomeuta plumbella (D. & S.), Edlington Wood, 3.viii., three; Coleophora lutipennella (Zell.), Denaby Ings, 20.vii., one; C. caespititiella (Zell.), Hooton Roberts, 15.vi, three; Elachista bisulcella (Dup.), Old Spring Wood, Thorpe Salvin, 17.viii., one, Edlington Wood, 31.viii., three; Agonopterix liturosa (Haw.), Old Spring Wood, Thorpe Salvin, 17.vili., one; Hedya salicella (L.), Elsecar Reservoir, 13.vii., four; Endothenia quadrimaculana (Haw.), Edlington Wood, 3.viii., one, Sprotborough, 25.viii., Lobesia abscisana (Doubl.), Elsecar Reservoir, 13.vii., two, West Melton, 19.vii., two, Edlington Wood, 3.vii., one, Rawmarsh, 24.viii., one; Pammene fasciana (L.), Denaby Ings, 20.vii., one; Agriphila latistria (Haw.), West Melton, 14.viii., two, 23.viii., one; Sprotbrough, 25.viii., one; Udea ferrugalis (Hiibn.), Wath Wood, 20.x., one; Achroia grisella (F.), Edlington Wood, 31.viii., one. (2) Microlepidoptera exhibited: Incurvaria oehlmanniella (Hiibn.), Groby, Leics, late v and early vi.1989, first records for VC55; Coleophora salicorniae Wocke, Spurn, E. Yorks. (VC61), taken 27.vii.1989 by B. R. Spence, first Yorkshire record; Batia lunaris (Haw.), Edlington Wood, S. Yorks (VC63), 3.viii.1990, three; B. unitella (Hiibn.), Edlington Wood, 3.viii.1990, over 30 at light; Teleiodes alburnella (Zell.), Edlington Wood, 3.viii.1990, one; Acrobasis repandana (F.), Canklow Wood, S. Yorks, vii.1990; Scoparia ancipitella (La Harpe), Edlington Wood, 29.vi.1990; Margaritia sticticalis (L.), Spurn, E. Yorks, 9.vii.1989, taken by B. R. Spence. BLAND, DR K. P.—Micropterix mansuetella Zell. (O.S. Grid Ref. NT1820), Craigdilly, Peebleshire, 27.v.1990; Leucoptera malifoliella (Costa) (O.S. Grid Ref. NS4191), Conic Hill, Balmaha, Stirlingshire, reared from mines in a solitary crab apple tree, Malus sylvestris (L.), collected 2.ix.1989, emerged 6.vi.1990; Coleophora trochilella (Dup.) (O.S. Grid Ref. NT9660), Burnmouth, Berwickshire larvae on yarrow, Achillea millefolium L. 13.x.1990; Reuttia subocellea (Steph.), (O.S. Grid Ref. NO1322), Kinnoul Hill, Perthshire, 9.vi.1990, taken about marjoram, Origanum vulgare L.; Cydia tenebrosana (Dup.), Kilmoray Fank (O.S. Grid Ref. NG3600), Isle of Rhum, 26.vi.1990, two; Pammene populana (F.), Caolos an Eilean, Isle of Coll (O.S. Grid Ref. NM2253), 22.viii.1990, several imagines seen about Salix aurita; Ancylis tineana (Hiibn.), Schiehallion (O.S. Grid Ref. NN7157), Perthshire, reared from larva in spun leaves of 6 inches high Betula pubescens Ehrh. collected 10.ix.1989, emerged 4.vi.1990, first time reared in Britain. CHALMERS-HUNT, J. M.—Dichomeris ustalella F., Worcester district, bred from larva found on Tilia cordata Mill. on 5.ix.1989; also, a hymenopterous parasite, awaiting determination. Agrotera nemoralis Scop., Blean Woods, Kent, v.1990. 28 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Platyptilia isodactylus Zell., Redbridge, Hants, bred from larva found on 14.v.90 on Senecio aquatica Hill. CLANCY, S. P.—The few moths included in this exhibit comprised five notable pyralids taken at Dungeness in 1990. Psammotis pulveralis Hiibn., 3.viii.90, and Hymenia recurvalis F., 17.x.90, a probable migrant specimen of Pediasia fascelinella Hiibn., 3.viii.90; and specimens of Ancylosis oblitella Zell. and Calamotropha paludella Hiibn., both of which species were also noted from nearby Greatstone during 1990. COLENUTT, S.—Uresiphita polygonalis D. & S., Chale Green, Isle of Wight, on 2.x.90. CORLEY, M. F. V.—Specimens taken or bred in 1990: Crocidosema plebejana Zell., Savernake Forest, Wilts., 3.viii.90; Alabonia geoffrella L., Goring, Oxon., 13.v.90, new to VC23; Cnephasia genitalana P. & M., Faringdon, Oxon., 9.viii.90; Eudonia pallida Curt., Waterperry Wood, Oxon., 17.vii.90; an aberration of Clepsis spectrana Treits., Faringdon, Oxon., 15.vi.90; Cochylis hybridella Hiibn., Knap Hill, Vale of Pewsey, Wilts., 20.vii.90; Eriopsela quadrana Hiibn., Barrisdale, Knoydart, W. Inverness, 9.vi.90; Aethes piercei Obraztsov, Barrisdale, Knoydart, W. Inverness, 9.vi.90; Nemophora metallica Poda, Chilton, near Didcot, Oxon., 8.vii.90; Diplodoma herminata Geof., Faringdon, Oxon., 12.vi.90, from cases on posts in garden; Scythris crassiuscula H.-S., Goring, Oxon., bred from Helianthemum, 13.v.90; S. picaepennis Haw., Goring, Oxon., 8.vii.90. CRAMP, P. J.—Sitochroa palealis D.&S., Godshill, I. of Wight, at m.v., 29.vii.90. DAVEY, P. A.—Hellula undalis F., Studland, Dorset, 1.x.90. EMMET, A. M.—Mines of an apparently undescribed species of Nepticulidae feeding in fallen leaves of apple (Malus) from North Essex. Three adults of supposed Stigmella mespilicola (Frey) reared 2-20.iv.90 from larvae collected on 9.ix.89 on Sorbus torminalis (L.) at The Doward, Herefordshire. Phyllonorycter ulicicolella (Staint.), adult reared 28.v.80 and its mine on Ulex from Orsett Heath, South Essex. Bryotropha basaltinella (Zell.), adults taken at m.v. light on 22 & 31.vii.90 at Saffron Walden. Dichomeris ustalella (F.), two adults reared 29.iv.90 from larvae found on Tilia cordata Mill. on 10.ix.89 in a wood in Worcestershire. Glyphipterix linneella (Clerck), one of two adults taken at m.v. light at Saffron Walden on 2 & 9.viii.90, new to VC19. Trachysmia sodaliana (Haw.), adult taken at m.v. light on 30.v.90 at Saffron Walden. The only previous record for North Essex (VC19) is from a locality now transferred to Cambridgeshire. Cryptophlebia leucotreta (Mey.), adult taken at m.v. light on 31.vii.90 at Saffron Walden. An adventive species reaching Britain in its early stages in imported foodstuff. New to VC19. Pammene germmana (Hiibn.), adults taken at Danbury, south Essex, 27 & 28. v.90. Rare in Essex. Palpita unionalis (Hiibn.), adult taken at m.v. light on 15.vii.90 at Lewes, Sussex—a migrant species. Ancylosis oblitella (Zell.), adult taken at m.v. light on 22.viii.90 at Saffron Walden. The most north-westernly record from the county. Capperia britanniodactyla (Gregson), four adults reared 7-16.vi.90 from larvae collected on 17.v.90 at Orsett Heath, South Essex. Seldom recorded from Essex. GooDEY, B.—Taken in the Colchester area. Yponomeuta sedella Treits. High Woods, 7.viii.89, fourth Essex record. Coleophora saturatella Staint. Donyland Woods, 12.vii.88. Ethmia terminella Fletch., Fingringhoe, 7.vii.90; new to Essex. Brachmia inornatella Doug]. Alresford Pits, 31.vii.88; new to VC19. Spatalistis bifasciana Hibn., Friday Wood, 27.vi.90, new to VC19. Eucosma pupillana Clerck, High Woods, 28.vii.90; new to VC19. Platytes alpinella Hiibn., fairly common resident BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 29 in the area now, especially on sand and gravel soils; up to 10 specimens per night is not unusual in August; just 10 years ago this species was considered extremely rare in Essex. Nascia cilialis Hiibn., Donyland Woods, 6.v.90, fourth county record; early date suggests possibly a migrant. HALL, N.—Psychiodes filicivora Mey., new to VC22. Attempts to find Psychiodes verhuella Bruand in Berkshire VC22, where it is unrecorded, have been unsuccessful. Only small quantities of the main foodplant—Phyllitis scolopendrium (L.), hart’s- tongue fern—have been found. However, there are a few of these ferns, planted about 20 years ago in a friend’s garden in Reading and one or two unidentified larvae were found on these in 1989 mining/spinning the sporangia. No moths emerged from the material collected. A few more affected fronds were collected in 1990 and this time moths did emerge—Psychiodes filicivora Mey. Subsequently it was found that the male fern, Dryopteris filix-mas F. & S., in the same garden was a far more productive source, and other male fern was found nearer Reading town centre with similarly ‘messed up’ sporangia. The statement in The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 2 (1985) that ‘as the distribution [of filicivora] is confined to maritime counties, it seems that inland it can only maintain a population indoors or under glass’ would appear to be incorrect. Calamotropha paludella Hubn., Dinton Pastures Country Park, Berkshire, 13-14.vii.1990. Extreme colour forms. A dark form with barely visible markings is fairly typical for this locality, but a pale specimen was much paler than any other seen. Commophila aeneana Hiibn. Knowle Hill, Berks., 2.v.90. Second record for VC22. HARPER, DR M. V. Four species of moth found in one day in May 1990 in a locality close to Grannish Moor, Inverness-shire. This unusual dry grassland heath is rich in leguminous plants, including Genista anglica L., the foodplant of Lita solutella (Zell.), as well as other vetches such as Lotus corniculatus L., Lathyrus species, the foodplants of Athrips tetrapunctella (Thunb.) and a possible specimen of Xystophora pulveratella (H.-S.). Also shown is the local Pancalia latreillella Curt. From North Devon was exhibited Elachista trapeziella (Staint.) bred from Luzula sylvatica (Huds.), including a mined leaf. Singletons of both races of Depressaria olerella (Zell.), bred from yarrow, Achillea millefolium L., in Hampshire and Inverness-shire, show small but definite morphological differences. HECKFORD, R. J.—Jnfurcitinea albicomella (H.-S.), Torquay, Devon, 21.vii.90; first British record since 1924. Tinagma balteolella F.v.R., Dungeness, Kent, 26.v.90 (specimen courtesy of J. R. Langmaid). Zelleria hepariella Staint., Botley Wood, Hants, from larva 22.vi.90, forewings mainly ochreous with typical specimens for comparison. Elachista gleichenella (F.), Torquay, Devon, from larva 9-13.v.90, Carex flacca Schreb.; second Devon record. Cosmiotes consortella (Staint.), Torquay, Devon, from larva, 12 & 14.v.90, unidentified grass, possibly Poa sp. Parocystola acroxantha (Mey.), Plympton, Devon, 2.viii.90, at light; East Budleigh, Devon, 26.viii.90, at light. Eulamprotes phaeella Heckford & Langmaid, Kennack Sands, Cornwall, 21.viii.90, at actinic light; third Cornish locality. Blastesthia posticana (Zett.), Hawkerland, Devon, ex 1., 24.iv.90, Pinus sylvestris L.; Woodbury Common, Devon, from larva 25.iv.90, P. sylvestris L.; new to Devon. Pammene germmana (Hiibn.), Stover Park, Devon, 18.v.90, at light; new to Devon. Cydia amplana (Hubn.), Plympton, Devon. 2.viii.90 at light in the exhibitor’s garden; first confirmed British specimen, (Plate II, Figure 8); Calamotropha paludella (Hiibn.), Stover Park, Devon, 30.vil & 3.viii.90; new to Devon. Catoptria falsella (D. &S.), Kennack Sands, Cornwall, 12.viii.90; first Cornish record since the Victoria ‘county history’. Pediasia aridella (Thunb.), West Porlock, Somerset, 11.vii.90. Sitochroa palealis (D. &S.), St. Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, from larva 6.vii.90, Daucus carota L.; new to Isles of Scilly. 30 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Numonia suavella (Zinck.), Torquay, Devon, ex |., 21.v.-17.vi.90, Cotoneaster microphylla Lindl.; reddish markings on forewings replaced by ochreous in some specimens; new to Devon, and foodplant new in British Isles. Pferophorus fuscolimbatus phillipsi Hugguns, Mullion Cove, Cornwall, from larva, 6-10.vii.90, Thymus praecox; fourth Cornish locality. Hoare, R. J. B.—Nemapogon wolffiella K. & N., Ashley, Tiverton, Devon, one found indoors, 19.vii.90. Ochsenheimeria vacculella F.v.R., near Teg Down, Winchester, Hants, VC11, three in company with several others under the bark of a dead larch tree beside an arable field, 17.viii.90. Parornix fagivora (Frey), West Wood, Winchester, VC11, two bred from cocoons in upturned edges of beech leaves collected ix.89; these were over-wintered outside in a flowerpot with some moss, brought indoors in April and sprayed from time to time, both moths emerged on 27.iv.90. Phyllonorycter staintoniella (Nic.) Perranporth, Cornwall, VC1, three advanced mines collected from Genista pilosa L. on the cliffs about 13.vii.89, produced two adults 20 & 29.vii.89. Bryotropha basaltinella (Zell.), Merton College, Oxford, one at lighted window, 11.vi.89. Acleris rufana (D. & S.), Matley, New Forest, Hants., a pupa on Myrica gale L. found ix.89., adult emerged 14.x.89, of the form with ‘forewings uniformly purplish grey’. Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Mill.), larvae on imported pomegranates bought at Sainsbury’s, Badger’s Farm, Winchester VC11, two adults emerged 2 & 10.11.90. Unidentified tortricid bred from a larva found crawling on the outside of a bag of South African apples, bought at Badger’s Farm, Winchester VC11 (Sainsbury’s) in iv.90; female adult emerged 5.v.90; (larva yellow, with green lines). KNILL-JONES, S. A.—AII the following taken at m.v. light at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, unless stated otherwise. Mecyna flavalis D. & S., series from Compton Down, I.o.W., 19 & 21.vii.90. Scoparia pyralella D. & S., Tennyson Cliffs, I.o.W., 12.vi.90. Aethes williana Brahm, Tennyson Cliffs, I.o.W., 12.vi.90. Pyrausta ostrinalis Hubn., 12.ix.90, suspected third brood specimen. Hypsopygia costalis F., 3.x.90. Pyrausta cingulata L., 2.vili.90. Pempelia genistella Dup., Totland Bay, l.o.W., 15.vii.90. Ostrinia nubilalis Hiibn., 2 & 3.viii.90. Evergestis extimalis Scop., 18.vii.90. Aphomia sociella L., pale form, 1.viii.90. Mecyna asinalis Hiibn., 3.x.90. Palpita unionalis Hibn., 13 & 18.x.90 (four). Udea ferrugalis Hiibn., ab. with reduced markings, 3.vili.90. Pleuroptya ruralis Scop., 18.x.90, second generation specimen? Hellula undalis Fabr., 26.x.89, fifth British specimen. LANGMAID, DR J. R.—Stigmella betulicola nanivora Pet., Inverness-shire, four bred from Betula nana, ix.89. Luffia lapidella Goeze, Guernsey, one male and eight of 31 females bred from 32 cases found vi.90. Nemapogon picarella Cl., Killiecrankie, Perthshire, four bred from Trametes sp. ix.89. Oinophila v-flava Haw., Guernsey, two 14.vi.90. Caloptilia rufipennella Hiibn., Southsea, Hants, 16.iv.90; second Hampshire record. Swammerdamia passerella Zett., Inverness-shire, four bred from Betula nana L., ix.89. Yponomeuta rorrella Hiibn., Southsea, Hants, vii.90., two. Epermenia insecurella Staint., Tilshead, Wilts., 3.vi.90. Coleophora alnifoliae Bar., Linton, Herefordshire, one bred from A/nus glutinosa (L.), 29.viii.89 and its case. C. saturatella Staint., Beaulieu, Hants, four bred from Genista tinctoria L., 23.vi.90 plus cases. Schiffermuelleria grandis Desv., Porlock, Somerset, one bred from dead oak twigs collected in viii.89. Nothris congressariella Bru., Herm, Channel Islands, two bred from Scrophularia scorodonia vi.90. Blastobasis phycidella Zell., Guernsey, four taken vi.90. Mompha divisella H.-S., Guernsey, four bred from Epilobium montanum L., vi.90. Glyphipteryx linneella Cl., Southsea, Hants, 11.viii.90. Clavigesta sylvestrana Curt., Southsea, Hants, 11.viii.90. Cydia saltitans Westw. (the Mexican jumping bean moth), Southsea, Hants, 8.ix.90, at m.v.; believed to be the first time BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 31 this species has been taken in the wild in Britain. Pediasia aridella Thunb., Southsea, Hants., 19.vii.90. Sitochroa palealis D. & S., Southsea, Hants., 26.vii.90. Ancylis oblitella Zell., Southsea, Hants., 14.viii.90. Plodia interpunctella Hiibn., Southsea, Hants, 3.v.90. He also showed, on behalf of Mr P. M. Potts, a specimen of Etiella zinckenella Tr. taken at m.v. light at Warsash, Hants, i.x.90; second British record. MACNULTY, DR B. J.—Pyralidae of the Gower Peninsula, taken in 1990. Chrysoteuchia culmella L., Crambus pascuella L., C. pratella L., C. lathoniellus Zinck., C. perlella Scop., Agriphila straminella D. &S., A. tristella D. &S., A. inquinatella D. &S., A. latistria Haw., A. geniculea Haw., Catoptria pinella L., Elophila nymphaeata L., Cataclysta lemnata L., Evergestis forficalis L., Pyrausta ostrinalis Hibn., P. cespitalis D. & S., P. cingulata L., Udea prunalis D. &S., U. olivalis D. &S., U. ferrugalis Hiibn., Hypsopygia costalis F., Pyralis farinalis L., Pyla fusca Haw., Euzophera pinguis Haw. NASH, S.—Palpita unionalis Hiibn., Fernham, Berks, 17.x.90 & 18.x.90; Pyrausta cespitalis D. &S, melanic aberration, Portland, Dorset, l.iv.90; P.purpuralis L., strikingly marked aberration, Fernham, Berks, 27.vii.90; Epischnia bankesiella Rich., Portland, Dorset, 26.viii.90; Microthrix similella Zinck., Fernham, Berks., 16.vi.90; Nephopterix angustella Hiibn., Fernham, Berks., 20.vili.90. Phyllonorycter quinnata Geoffr., Tubney, Berks., bred from Carpinus, 12.vii.90; P. lantanella Schrank, Chilton, Berks., bred from Viburnam, 8.vii.90; P. tristrigella Haw., Fernham, Berks., bred from Ulmus, 8.vii.90; P. platanoidella Joannis, bred from Acer platanoides L., Oxford, 1.vii.90; Nemophora metallica Poda, Chilton, Berks., 8.vii.90; Psychoides verhuella Bruand, Portland, Dorset, bred from the harts-tongue fern, Phyllitis scolopendrium (L.), 1.iv.90; Nemaxera betulinella F., Fernham, Berks., 11.vi.90, several specimens collected from a horse-chestnut stump, Aesculus hippocastanum L.; Yponomeuta rorrella Hiibn., Fernham, Berks., several at m.v., 26—29.vii.90; Ypsolopha horridella Treits. Martin Down, Hants, at m.v. light 24.vii.90; Coleophora frischella L., Fernham, Berks., 13.v.90; C. albicosta Haw., Lyme Regis, Dorset, 5.vili.90, one, probably second generation specimen; Depressaria daucella D. &S., Braunton Burrows, Devon bred from Carum sp. 10.vi.90; D. badiella Hiibn., D. pulcherrimella Staint., Martin Down, Hants, at m.v. light 24.viii.90; A gonopterix purpurea Haw., Martin Down, Hants 24.vili.90; Bryotropha umbrosella Zell. B. desertella Dougl., Braunton Burrows, Devon, 14.vi.90; Scrobipalpa instabilella Dougl., Arne, Dorset, bred from Halimione, 7.1ii.90; S. ocellatella Boyd, Portland, Dorset, bred from Beta maritima (L.), 1.1v.90; Eucosma aspidiscana Hubn., Fernham, Berks., 8.vii.89; thought to be breeding in nearby gardens (second record VC22); E. conterminana H.-S., Didcot, Berks., several amongst Lactuca virosa, 5.viii.90; Pammene fasciana L., Fernham, Berks., four at m.v. 12.vii.90. NASH, D. AND AGASSIZ, D.—Imperial College at Silwood Park. A display featuring the firethorn leafminer project— research on Phyllonorycter leucographella (Zell.) which feeds on Pyracantha. Maps showed the known distribution at October 1990 which covers south Essex, east London, north Kent with pockets in north London and south Hertfordshire. The project will monitor the spread of the species in Britain. Members are asked to send reports of presence or absence of mines to Dr David Nash, Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks. SL5 7PY or to David Agassiz at The Glebe House, Brewers End, Takeley, Bishops Stortford CM22 6QH. PALMER, S. M.—A selection of Microlepidoptera recorded in south Wiltshire (VC8) in 1989/90. The display contained material collected from: my home area of Dinton; a Rothamstead trap (Bentley Wood); and an ongoing survey of Wiltshire Trust for Nature Conservation (WTNC) reserves, from the Salisbury Plain Army 32 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Training Area (SPTA) and RAF Chilmark. My thanks are extended to the various people and authorities who have kindly given their permission to record on their sites. Monopis obviella D. & S. (ferruginella Hiibn.), Bentley Wood, 2.viii.90. Plutella porrectella L., Greenlands Camp, SPTA, bred from Hesperis, emerged 2.viii.90. Orthotelia sparganella Thunb., Dinton, at m.v., 20.vii.90. Epermenia insecurella Staint., near Greenlands Camp, SPTA, smoked from Thesium by J. R. Langmaid; new to VC8 and first in county since one at Granham Hill, Marlborough, 14.viii.1889. Batia lambdella Don., Landford Bog (WTNC), 15.vi.90; new to Wiltshire. Agonopterix ciliella Staint., Broadchalke (WTNC), bred from Angelica sylvestris L., adult emerged 22.vii.90; new to VC8. A. kaekeritziana L. (liturella D. & S.), Chickengrove Bottom (WTNC), bred from Centaurea scabiosa L., adult emerged 24.vii.90. Apoda bifractella Dup., Dinton, 5.viii.90; new to VC8. Teleiopsis diffinis Haw., Dinton (RAF Chilmark), at m.v., 12.ix.90. Mompha propinquella Staint., Dinton, at m.v. 22.vii.90. M. nodicolella Fuchs (det. J. R. Langmaid), Dinton, 18.ix.87, 23.xi.89; new to Wiltshire. Piercea luridana Gregs., Middleton Down (WTNC), 30.vii.89. Aethes piercei Obraztsov, Bentley Wood (Rothamstead Trap), v.90; new to VC8. Cochylidia rupicola Curt., Blackmore Copse (WTNC), 25.vi.90. Endothenia quadrimaculana Haw., Dinton, to m.v. 1, 20.vii.90. Dichrorampha alpinana Treits., RAF Chilmark, 25.vi.90. Ancylosis oblitella Zell., Dinton (RAF Chilmark), to m.v., 15.iv.90; new to VC8. PARSONS, M.—Palpita unionalis Hiibn., Hollywell Cliffs, Eastbourne, E. Sussex, 30.x.89. PEET T. N. D.—Guernsey Microlepidoptera. Evergestis limbata L., (Plate II, Figure 11), at m.v., 18.vii.90, the first British record. Sitochroa palealis D. & S., taken on Sark (1990), so far the only example from the Bailiwick. Uresiphita polygonalis D.&S., one in 1983, the only Guernsey record. Palpita unionalis Hiibn., occurs annually. Ancylosis oblitella Zell., one in 1990, new to Guernsey. Agrotera nemoralis Scop., one in 1982, the sole Guernsey record. SIMPSON, DR A. N. B.—Lita solutella (Zell.), Tulloch Moor, Inverness, v.90. Athrips tetrapunctella (Thunb.), Glen Brerachan, Perthshire, v.90. Syncopacma sangiella (Staint.), Blackhall Rocks, Co., Durham, v.90. Yponomeuta rorrella (Hiibn.), Leigh, Worcestershire, 26.vii.90. Mompha subdivisella Bradley, Powick, Worcestershire, bred Epilobium hirsutum L. Oecophora bractella (L.), Wyre Forest, Worcestershire, bred from larvae in dead wood, iv.90. SKINNER, B.—Agriphila tristella D. & S., a totally melanic aberration Addington, Surrey, 2.viii.90. Elophila nymphaeata L., an ab. having most of the normal wing coloration obscured by orange-brown or dark brown patches, Dungeness, 4.viii.90 (Plate II, Figure 13). STERLING, D. H., M. J. & P. H.—Nemaxera betulinella F., bred from dead wood/fungus collected at Fernham, Oxon. VC22. Atemelia torquatella Zell., taken by day at Granish Moor, Inverness, VC95. Nemophora fasciella F., taken by day at Ramney Marsh, Enfield. Coleophora saturatella Staint. and case, larval cases, (highly parasitized) found on Genista tinctoria L. on North Solent NNR VC11. This is the first Hampshire record of larvae, the species being previously only known in the County from a caught specimen. Coleophora therinella Tengst., feeding marks of larva on a seed of Bilderdykia convolvulus. The larva (now hibernating) from Winchester VC11 is the first larval record from Britain. Ethmia bipunctella F., from Hampshire, VC11, taken at m.v. in Winchester. There are no known breeding localities nearer than Kent. Acleris shepherdana Steph., from larval spinnings in the heads of Filipendula ulmaria (L.) growing in the Hants & I.o.W. Nat. Trust. NR at Winnall Moors, VC12, near the centre of Winchester. Eucosma conterminana Herr.-Schaff., a specimen bred from larvae in Lactuca heads in Herts VC20 and another caught Plate |. ANNUAL EXHIBITION 1990 Plate Il. ANNUAL EXHIBITION 1990 1: Grammodes stolida, Crowborough, Sussex, 30.ix.90,M.Simmons. 2: Sparga- nia luctuata, Hamstreet, Kent, 1.viii.90, B. Skinner. 3: Crocal/lis dardoinaria, \cart, Guernsey, 4.ix.90, G. Higgs. 4: Agrotis clavis ab. obsoleta, Orpington, Kent, 25.vi.90, P. Sokoloff. 5: /daea aversata, Hamstreet, Kent, 21.vi.90, B. Skinner. 6: Eilema lurideola, Uffington, Oxon, 18.vii.90, E. Classey. 7: Spilosoma /ubrici- peda, Kinloch Rannoch, Perthshire, R. McCormick. 8: Cydia amplana, Plympton, Devon, 2.viii.90. R. J. Heckford. 9 & 10: Blastobasis phycidella, Moulin Hust, Guernsey, vii.90, D. Agassiz. 11: Evergestis limbata, Le Chene, Forest, Guernsey, 18.vi.90. T. N. D. Peet. 12: Perizoma albulata, Banstead Downs, Surrey, R. McCormick. 13: E/ophila nymphaeata, Dungeness, Kent, 4.viii.90, B. Skinner. Plate 1. ANNUAL EXHIBITION 1990 1: Maniolajurtina ab. grisea-argentacea, Wilts.,1990,S.Button.2: Pyronia titho- nus ab. caeca, Sussex, 1990, R. C. Dennis. 3: Anthocharis cardamines mixed gynandromorph, bred, 1990, L. D. Young. 4: Melitaea cinxia, bred 22.v.90, P. A. Standing. 5: Lycaena phlaeas ab. antico-radiata, 15.ix.90, A. M. Jones. 6: Hamearis lucina, bred, 1989, M. Callow. 7: Lysandra coridon ab. cinnameus, 1990. J. E. Pateman. 8: Parage aegeria ab. cockaynei, bred, 1990, J. E. Pateman. 9: Thecla betulae, bred, 1990, J. Clarke, 10-13: /ssoria cytheris, Falkland |slands, D.A. Oram. 14: Euriphene sp., Cameroon, 19.ii.90, D. C. Lees. Photo: D. E. Wilson. The cost of reproducing colour plates | and || has been met by a grant from the Hammond and Crow Memorial Fund. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 33 at Didcot, Oxon VC22, a new county record. Pammene agnotana Reb., beaten from an old hawthorn at Fleam Dyke, Cambs. on 28.iv.90. BENHS Field Guide quotes only two other British records. Dichrorampha senectana Guen., bred from Leucanthemum roots collected at Tregantle, Cornwall in October 1989, which produced 11 specimens. This appears to be the first time that this species has been bred in captivity as literature shows Leucanthemum as the ‘presumed’ food-plant. Dichrorampha acuminatana L. & Z., bred from Leucanthemum roots collected at Tregantle and Predannock, Cornwall in October 1989. These produced a number of moths. Sitochroa verticalis L., taken by day at Ramney Marsh, Enfield. WARREN, R. G.—Microlepidoptera from the Churnet Valley, Staffordshire. Lampronia luzella Hiibn., Coombes Valley, 13.vi.80. Nemophora minimella D. & S., Oakamoor, 17.vii.74. Leucoptera wailesella Staint., Wall Grange, 5.viii.81, among Genista tinctoria L., Phyllonorycter roboris Zell., Coombes Valley, 20.v.70. P. jJunoniella Zell. Oakamoor, bred from mines on Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., P. anderidae Fletch., Wall Grange, bred from mines on seedling Betula pubescens Ehrh. on a peat bog, 11.v.70. Argyresthia sorbiella Treits., Coombes Valley, 18.vi.50. Ypsolopha sequella Cl., Oakamoor, 1.viii.65, on a sycamore trunk Acer pseudoplatanus L.; no field maple in the area. Ethmia funerella F., Hazles Wood, 31.v.73. This species occurs in a number of sites in the valley from Consall down to Oakamoor. Symphytum does not grow in any of these sites, but in Hazles Wood I have found the larvae on Myosotis sylvatica Ehrh. and no doubt this is the food plant elsewhere. Exapate congelatella Cl., Oakamoor, 3.xi.76. Olethreutes mygindana D. & S. Oakamoor, bred on Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., 17.v.52. Hedya salicella L., Harston Wood, 27.vii.85. Epinotia maculana F., Coombes Valley, 18.vii.74. Pammene splendidulana Guen., Hazles Wood, 26.v.77. Catoptria margaritella D. & S., Wall Grange, 22.viii.70, on a peat bog. FOREIGN LEPIDOPTERA EDWARDS, P. J.—Moths from Spain, June and early July 1990, from two areas: (1) Teruel Province, (2) Gerona Province. Burnets from both areas. A series of Brithys pancratii Cyrillo, with pupa and a photograph of a larva. Moths from m.v. light in L’Escala, Gerona, including Protoschinia scutosa D. & S. and Parahypopta caestrum Hiibn. HALL, N. M.—(i) Moths from South East France 1990: seven widely differing forms of Agrotis trux Hiibn., Sanilhac, Gard; Xestia ashworthii subsp. candelarum Staud., Esteng, Alpes-Maritimes, wild-caught specimens and a further generation bred from a gravid female; five species of Rhyacia Hiibn.: R. simulans Hufn., Esteng; R. grisescens F., Col du Galibier, Savoie; R. /atens Hiibn., Esteng; R. helvetina Boisd., Esteng & Galibier; R. /ucipeta D. & S., Esteng; six species of Apamea Ochs.: A. furva D. &S., Esteng; A. maillardi Geyer, Esteng & Galibier; A. zeta Treits., Esteng; A. platinea Treits., Esteng; A. illyria Freyer, Esteng; A. alpigena Boisd., St Barnabé, Alpes-Maritimes; Mythimna andereggi Boisd., Galibier; Hadena caesia D. & S., Esteng; Papestra biren Goeze, Esteng; Eurois occulta L., Esteng; Autographa aemula D. & S., Esteng; Lamprosticta culta D. & S., Aucelon, Drome; Aedia funesta Esp., Marais de Chautagne, Savoie; Axia margarita Hiibn., St Barnabé; Dryobotodes monochroma Esp., Sanilhac, Copiphana olivina H.-S., St. Barnabé. (ii) Moths on the British list collected abroad: 17 species treated in the text of Skinner’s Moths of the British Isles but not illustrated: Stegania trimaculata Vill., Harpyia milhauseri F., Gluphisia crenata Esp., Thaumetopoea processionaea L., Laelia coenosa Hibn., Ochropleura flammatra D. & S., Athetis hospes Freyer, Rhyacia lucipeta D. & §S., Laconobia blenna Hiibn., Calophasia platyptera 34 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Esp., Blepharita solieri Boisd., Ochropleura leucogaster Freyer, Synthymia fixa F., Periphanes delphinii L., Acontia lucida Hufn., Clytie illunaris Hibn. Grammodes stolida F. Others included: Minucia lunaris D. & S. bred from larvae on oak, Cournonterral, Hérault, France; Cyclophora puppillaria Hibn. bred from a gravid female, St Augustin, Charente-Maritime, France; Malacasoma castrensis L. bred from a larva found on low plants, Aucelon; Egira conspicillaris bred from a larva on Paliurus spina-christi, St Martin de Londres, Hérault, France; a form of Agrotis puta Hiibn. with unusually red distal forewings, Sanilhac; a form of Lymantria monacha L. with markings on only the forewing costa and fringes, Bazarnes, Yonne, France; a high alpine form of Pheosia tremula Cl. with dark hindwings, Galibier. HARMAN, T. W.—Two drawers of Lepidoptera, the majority Sphingidae, taken during an entomological survey in Nepal, July/August 1990, together with photographs of localities and a map of the Katmandu Valley to show the survey areas. LeES, D. C.—A specimen of a Euriphene sp. collected on the Operation Raleigh expedition to Cameroon in the Korup National Park (Plate I, Figure 14). The female, and probably the species, is unrepresented in the Natural History Museum collection and is potentially new to science. Its nearest relative would be E. duseni Auriv. Also, out of three Euptera specimens collected on the expedition, one has been confirmed as new to science and one is known by only one other specimen. Some 250 species of butterflies were collected on the expedition, a selection of which were exhibited. Cameroon is perhaps the centre of diversity for the Afrotropics: some 1200 species including skippers have recently been collected from a small area south of Yaoundé, an indication that butterfly diversity in West Africa rivals the very richest areas of the Neotropics. MIDDLETON, A. P.—Butterflies of North America. They were captured within 20 miles of each other in an area 20-30 miles north west of New York City around the New Jersey/New York State boundary. Many were from scrub and light woodland at Harriman, New York State on the fringe of the Appalachian Mountains. Identified specimens were: Danaus plexippus, Pterourus troilus, Pterourus glaucus, Speyeria cybele, Vanessa virginiensis, Basilarchia astyanax, Basilarchia archippus, Colias eurythema and Colias philodice. ORAM, D. A.—Insects from the Falkland Islands. (i) Agrius cingulata F., Stanley, East Falkland, second record for the islands; similar to our own Agrius convolvuli L. A photograph of Hyles lineata F., Carcass Island, 1984, identified by I. Kitching of the BM(NH): first record for the islands and the only other type of hawk-moth recorded. (ii) Zssoria cytheris cytheris Drury, Carcass Island, 26-28.i.90. This is known as the queen of the Falklands fritillary and is the only known resident butterfly. It is not common and is mainly found in the West Falklands. It is sexually dimorphic and male and female upper and undersides were shown (Plate I, Figures 10-13). PEET, N. B. & PEET, T. N. D.—Endemic Charaxes species from the islands of Sao Tomé, 100 miles off the coast of West Africa, collected on a University of East Anglia expedition in July and August 1990: C. candiope from Sao Tomé, an island race with the outer margins of the wings a deep black brown, compared with typical candiope from Uganda; C. /emosi from Principé compared with typical C. /ucretius from Uganda—apart from size, the two species appeared identical; C. odysseus from Sao Tomé; C. montieri from SAo Tomé—close to C. smaragdalis from the African mainland. TREMEWAN, W. G.—Species of Zygaena F. from Turkey: Z. olivieri Boisd., Z. sedi (F.), Z. carniolica (Scop.), Z. loti(D. & S.), Z. viciae (D. & S.), Z. filipendulae L., Z. cuvieri Boisd., Z. punctum Ochs., Z. minos (D. & S.). Tuck, K. R.—Clepsis peritana Clemens (Tortricidae), a North American species BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 35 found in Denmark. Last year specimens of Clepsis peritana were found in Copenhagen in commercial greenhouses and flying wild in private gardens. The species is a native of North America, where it is widespread and common. Of particular interest is the fact that the larva will feed not only on a wide variety of living plants but also on nonliving or decaying plant material. As the UK lies at a similar latitude to Denmark, it is conceivable that the species could spread here too, though the exhibitor was not aware of any records. Clepsis peritana could be confused with some colour forms of the British species C. consimilana Hiibn. and Epagoge grotiana F. It may be distinguished from consimilana by its comparatively large, more rounded and well defined pre-apical blotch on the forewing costa; from grotiana by its narrower and more clearly defined transverse medial fascia on the forewing. WAITE, P.—Thysania agrippina Dalman (Noctuidae), taken at light in bright moonlight at 2.30 a.m. at Tuis (pre-montane rainforest 4000 feet), Cartago Province, Costa Rica, 7.iv.1990. It has a wingspan of 252 mm, and together with Attacus atlas, this is the largest moth in the world. WARING, P.—A collection of 153 specimens of blue butterflies, Lycaenidae, taken in southern Sudan between 1981 and 1983. Determinations were checked by the late G. E. Tite of the BM(NH). Most of the specimens were recorded during standard weekly butterfly transect walks through an area of open grassland adjacent to swamps at Maar, 80 km north of Bor, Janglei Province. Species that were common included Hypolycaena philippus F., Lampides boeticus L., Euchrysops osiris Hopff., Anthene amarah Guerin, Zizeeria knysna Trimen, Leptotes (Syntarucus) pirithous L. and an indeterminate Lepidochrysops sp. Species were also recorded in the Imatong mountains on the borders of Sudan and Uganda, and in the woodland at Bangangai, Western Equatoria, on the borders of Sudan and Zaire. Species from the former included Costalius margaritaceus Sharpe, Spalgis lemolea Druce, Cacyreus lingeus Cramer, Cacyreus palemon Stoll., Cacyreus virilis Auriv., Anthene liodes Hewitson, Anthene larydas Cramer, Uranothauma delatorum Heron and Uranothauma nubifer Trimen. Those from Bangangai included Axiocerces harpax F., Oxylides faunus albata Auriv., Anthene lunulata Trimen and Megalopalpus simplex Rober. DIPTERA Eight exhibitors contributed to the display of a total of about 120 species of flies from a wide range of families. The lower total and diversity of exhibits than last year was attributed to various factors, including the unavoidable absence of some regular exhibitors. The periods of drought when fly numbers declined this year may have affected the content of exhibits, but at least in the recorder’s case the prolonged collecting season had the reverse effect, leading to an embarrassment of material to deal with. However, even though the quantity of species new to Britain exhibited last year was not repeated, many interesting species, particularly among the smaller Diptera exhibited, were included. Details are provided of most flies shown. ALEXANDER, K. N. A. & GROVE, S. J.—A selection of flies found during National Trust biological survey fieldwork during 1990, mostly in the south west. Cornwall: Limonia goritiensis (Mik), in sea cave, Lansallos, 14.v; L. unicolor (Hal.) (Tipulidae) also in sea cave, Pentire Head, 21.v.; Dolichopus andalusiacus Strobl (Dolichopodidae), coastal stream. Chapel Porth, 23.v.; Tropidia scita (Harris), coastal flush and Xanthogramma citrofasciatum (Deg.) (Syrphidae), coastal grassland, both Pentire Head, 21.v.; Zodion cinereum (F.) (Conopidae), coastal heathland, Chapel Porth, 23.v. Devon: Limonia lucida (de Meijere), coastal flush, Bolt Tail, 27.vi.; 36 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Oxycera pardalina Meig. (Stratiomyidae), sallow over horsetail swamp on chalk cliff, Lincombe, 18.vii.; Vanoyia tenuicornis (Macq.) (Stratiomyidae), cliff seepage, Weston and springline marsh in pasture, Branscombe, vii.; Atherix marginata (F.) (Rhagionidae), riverside trees, Teign Valley, Holne & Hembury Woods, vi., vii.; Neoitamus cyanurus (Loew) (Asilidae), ancient rough parkland, Whiddon Park, 2.vii.; Phthiria pulicaria (Mikan) (Bombyliidae), sand dunes, Woolacombe Warren, 7.vi.; Dolichopus signifer Hal. (Dolichopodidae), cliff seepage, Baggy Point, 4.vi.; Xanthandrus comtus (Harris) (Syrphidae), sheltered meadow, Heddon Valley, 25.vii.; Chrysotoxum elegans Loew (Syrphidae), sandy sea cliff, Moor Sands, Salcombe, 26.vi.; Thecophora fulvipes R.-D. (Conopidae), riverside meadow, Arlington Court Estate, 2.viii.; Vidalia cornuta (Scop.) (Tephritidae), coastal scrub woodland, Rickham Common, Salcombe, 26.vi.; Achanthiophilus helianthi (Rossi) (Tephritidae), cliff edge grassland, Orcombe Pont, 1.viii.; Pelidnoptera fuscipennis (Meig.) (Sciomyzidae), oak woodland, Woody Bay, 19.vii.; P. nigripennis (F.), oak woodland, Holne Woods, 11l.vii.; Tetanocera phyllophora Melander (Sciomyzidae), oak woodland, Hembury Woods, 14.vi. Wiltshire: Euthycera fumigata (Scop.) (Sciomyzidae), chalk grassland, Cherhill Down, 4.ix. Gloucs: Ctenophora flaveolata (F.) (Tipulidae), mature beech belt in old parkland, Cirencester Park, 6.v.; Stratiomys singularior (Harris) (Stratiomyidae), inland marsh, Badgeworth Nature Reserve, vii., collected by S. Holland, Norfolk: Paroxyna absinthii (F.) (Tephritidae), saltmarsh, Blakeney Freshes, 16.viii. GODFREY, A.—Thirty three species of notable or uncommon Diptera, collected in 1990, except where stated: Geranomyia unicolor (Hal.) (Tipulidae), recess in seawall at Runswick Bay, N. Yorks, 9.vi.; Orimarga virgo (Zett.) (Tipulidae), limestone seepage in disused Niblum Quarry, S. Yorks., 19.vi.; Oxycera pardalina Meig. (Stratiomyidae), Blaiskey Bank Springs, near Helmsley, N. Yorks., 27.vi. (found at several sites in N. Yorks. in 1990); Chersodromia incana Hal. (Hybotidae), on dry sand of foredunes, Ainsdale NNR, Lancs., 21.vii.; C. cursitans (Zett.), frequent on sand and washed up decaying aquatic weed, Loch Leven, 3.viii. (very few British records); C. speculifera Hal., under dry seaweed at Runswick Bay, 9.vi., taken with C. hirta (Walker); Crossopalpus humilis (Frey) (Hybotidae), from Dactylis tussock in field at Hellaby Hall, Maltby, S. Yorks., 4.i.; Platypalpus kirtlingensis Grootaert (Hybotidae), common amongst Phragmites at Patrington, Holderness, 24.vi.; Micromorphus albipes (Zett.) (Dolichopodidae), sand and gravel workings at Patrington, Holderness, 24.vi.; Achalcus flavicollis (Meig.) (Dolichopodidae), Sleightholmdale, N. Yorks., 27.vi. (from several sites in 1990, can be frequent in Carex paniculata L. tussocks along with A. cinereus (Hal.); Thrypticus laetus Verrall (Dolichopodidae), Juncus marsh at Warren Vale, Rotherham, S. Yorks., 5.v.; Dorylomorpha hungarica (Aczél) (Pipunculidae), female from Castle Hills, Doncaster, S. Yorks., 6.v. (easily recognized by the wide ovipositor); Dichetophora obliterata (F.) (Sciomyzidae), quarry floor at Morkery Wood, Lincs., 1.ix.; Psacadina verbekei Rozkosny (Sciomyzidae), damp grassland, Brookhouse Dyke, Thurcroft, S. Yorks., 12.xi.89; Dictya umbrarum (L.) (Sciomyzidae), seepage on exposed peat near Errochty Dam, Perths., 2.viii.90; Colobaea bifasciella (Fall.) (Sciomyzidae), on Phragmites in slack at Ainsdale NNR, Lancs., 21.vii.; Coremacera marginata (F.) (Sciomyzidae), Patrington, Holderness, 24.vi.; Phyllomyza securicornis Fall. (Milichiidae), grassland south of calcareous seepage at Niblum Quarry, S. Yorks., 16.vi.; Acartophthalmus nigrinus (Zett.) (Acartophthalmidae), on Boletus edulis at Danby Park, Castleton, N. Yorks., 12.x.; Tethina illota Hal. (Tethinidae), foredunes at Ainsdale NNR, Lancs., 21.vii.; Axysta cesta (Hal.) (Ephydridae), Juncus in acid bog, Agden Bog, Sheffield, S. Yorks., 31.iii., taken with the more frequent Trimerina madizans (Fall.); Canace BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 37 nasica Hal. (Canacidae), base of seawall/shale cliffs, Runswick Bay, N. Yorks., 9.vi.; Eccoptomera pallescens (Meig.) (Heleomyzidae), both sexes swept from deliquescent fungi, Roche Abbey, S. Yorks., 21.x.89 (although fly normally associated with nests of small mammals); E. ornata Loew, male from Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) tussock in ungrazed marsh in process of drying out, King’s Pond, Rotherham, S. Yorks., 14.x. (a rarely recorded species, also found in pit-fall traps in rodent runs on the site); Anagnota bicolor (Meig.) (Anthomyzidae), Breary Marsh, Leeds, W. Yorks., 15.x. (several sites in 1990, can be frequent in Carex paniculata L. tussocks); Anthomyza sabulosa (Hal.) (Anthomyzidae), several from Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) tussocks, King’s Pond, Rotherham, S. Yorks. 13.vii., etc. (has been reared from Deschampsia; it was associated with several other Anthomyzidae at this site); A. cingulata (Hal.), male from Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) tussock at Ballinluig, Shingle Island, Perthshire, 29.vii. (also Deschampsia at several other sites in 1990, including King’s Pond cited above); Rhopalopterum anthracinum (Meig.) (Chloropidae), on Carex and Eriophorum at Lake Gormire, N. Yorks., 13.x.; Eutropha fulvifrons (Hal.) (Chloropidae), amongst Agropyron and Ammophila on foredunes at Spurn Point, Holderness, 26.xi.89 (common at this site and at Ainsdale NNR, Lancs., 21.vii.90); Oscinisoma gilvipes (Loew) (Chloropidae), on Glyceria beside Chesterfield Canal, Low Spring Wood, Thorpe Salvin, S. Yorks., 13.ii. (few records since described as new in 1976, but abundant in Glyceria marsh at Denaby Ings, Doncaster, S. Yorks., 20.iii. and found at another nearby locality); Elachiptera uniseta Collin (Chloropidae), Collier Brook Marsh, Rotherham, S. Yorks., 19.xi.89 (may be frequent in litter, occasional in tussocks; numerous low down in Glyceria marsh, Denaby Ings, S. Yorks., 20.iii.90); Phasia obesa (F.) (Tachinidae), limestone grassland in Niblum Quarry, S. Yorks., 16.vi. HALSTEAD, A. J.—(1) the results of 12 months collecting of Tephritidae, starting in mid August 1989; 34 species were exhibited, totalling 46 per cent of the British species, the most local being: Urophora cuspidata (Meig.), Therfield Heath, Herts, 30.vi.90 and Icterica westermanni (Meig.), Albury Down, near Guildford, Surrey, 9.vili.90; (2) twelve species of local Diptera including all three British Acroceridae, collected in 1990: Rhamphomyia barbata (Macq.) (Empididae), Hoe Stream, Mayford, Surrey, 20.v.; Atylotus fulvus (Meig.) (Tabanidae), Puttles Bridge, New Forest, Hants, attracted to hot car, 8.vii.; Machimus rusticus (Meig.) (Asilidae). The Sheep Leas, West Horsley, Surrey, 23.vi.; Dioctria cothurnata Meig. (Asilidae), Wood Crates, New Forest, Hants, 8.vii; Acrocera orbicula F. (Acroceridae), Shortheath Common, near Bordon Camp, Hants, 24.vi.; Ogcodes pallipes Lat. and O. gibbosus (L.) (Acroceridae), St. Catherine’s Hill, Winchester, Hants, 12.vii.; Nephrocerus flavicornis Zett. (Pipunculidae), Hoe Stream, Mayford, Surrey, 2.vi.; Neocnemodon vitripennis (Meig.) (Syrphidae), RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey, 1.v.; Microdon mutabilis (L.) (Syrphidae), Horsell Common, Surrey, 9.vi.; Leopoldius signatus (Wiedemann) (Conopidae), Hoe Stream, Mayford, Surrey, 15.ix.; Phasia obesa (F.) (Tachinidae), Bookham Common, Surrey, 22.ix. LEES, C. D.—(1) A puparium of Didea fasciata Macq. (Syrphidae), with an adult voucher specimen and a larva thought to belong to the same species but later determined by Dr G. E. Rotheray as belonging to Dasysyrphus albostriatus (Fall.). The Didea larva was found fully grown (17 mm) on 3.vi.90 on Salix x smithiana at Kew Gardens lake. The Dasysyrphus larva was found on Salix caprea L. at Mitcham Common, Surrey, 16.x.90; both Salix bushes were isolated and the association of Didea fasciata with ancient woodland was questioned. Comments were made on the remarkable appearance of these larvae with lateral protuberances assisting in crypsis, probably while they rest during the day closely appressed to Salix stems like the probable host aphid Tuberolachnus salignus (Gmel.). It was also commented that 38 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 after the larva voided its gut contents as an inky black secretion prior to pupation, it retained patches of dark purplish grey on the dorsal epidermis, suggesting that it may sequester pigments derived from the aphid; (2) some other hoverflies taken at Mitcham Common, including Anasimyia transfuga (L.). ORAM, D. A.—Syrphus octomaculatus (Walker) (Syrphidae) was included in an exhibit of insects from the Falkland Islands. PARSONS, M.—Leopoldius brevirostris (Germ.) (Conopidae), female from Worthing, W. Sussex, 13.vii.90, a new county record. PERRY, I.—A selection of uncommon Diptera found in 1990: Odontomyia argentata (Panz.) (Stratiomyidae), Wicken Fen, Cambs., 12.v., male swept from the edge of a ditch, first record for the Reserve since 1957; Rhamphomyia physoprocta Frey (Empididae), Chippenham Fen, Cambs., 15.vii., female swept from Phragmites; R. trigemina Oldenberg, Kinrara, Inverness, 14.vi., from marshy lakeside vegetation; Clinocera nivalis (Zett.) (Empididae), Cairngorm, Inverness, 15.vi., swept from boggy area by melting snow patches at 1000 m; Rhaphium gravipes Hal. (Dolichopodidae), Aviemore, Inverness, 16.vi., on shingle by edge of river Spey; R. lanceolatum Loew, Loch an Eilein, Inverness, 10.vi., and Craigellachie, Inverness, 13.vi., swept from seepages at both sites; Argyra auricollis (Meig.) (Dolichopodidae), Ceunant Mawr, Gwynedd, 26.vii., found on moss-covered rocks by waterfall; Dorylomorpha albitarsis (Zett.) (Pipunculidae), Craigellachie, Inverness, 13.vi., from five sites in Spey Valley in mid June; Callicera rufa Schummel (Syrphidae), reared from larva in rot hole of ancient Scots Pine at Rothiemurchus, Inverness, 12.vi.; Mallota cimbiciformis (Fall.) (Syrphidae), reared from pupa in beech rot hole at Wandlebury, Cambs., 18.v.; Geomyza hendeli Czerny (Opomyzidae), Wicken Fen, Cambs., 27.v., in Juncus tussock; Gonatherus planiceps (Fall.) (Scathophagidae), Cairngorm, Inverness, 15.vi., swept from boggy area by melting snow patches at 1000 m. PLANT, C. W.—(1) Sphaerophoria bankowskae Goeldlin (Syrphidae), new to Britain from Canfield Hart, Essex, 9.vii.86; this species is close to S. abbreviata sensu Stubbs & Falk, 1983 (=S. fatarum Goeldlin); single examples of eight other British species of Sphaerophoria were exhibited for comparison; (2) two uncommon Conopidae: Leopoldius brevirostris (Germ.), taken in a light trap at Hampstead Heath, Middlesex, 30.vii.90; Conops vesicularis (L.), from Wentwood, Gwent, 26.v.90. COLEOPTERA ALEXANDER, K. N. A. & GROVE, S. J.—A selection of beetles found during National Trust biological survey fieldwork during 1990, mostly in Devon, but with additional material from Cornwall and Buckinghamshire. Devon: Silpha tristis Ill., sea-cliff, Bolt Tail, 27.vi; Prionocyphon serricornis (Muller, P. W. J.), oak woodland, Heddon Valley, 24.vii.; Agrilus angustulus (Ill.), swept from willows by marsh, Killerton Estate, 3.vii; Dirhagus pygmaeus (F.), woodland ride, Burchett’s Wood, Hembury, 11.vi; Cantharis figurata Mann., rush stand in moorland valley, Plym Head, Dartmoor, 19.vi.; C. paludosa Fall., valley mire, Trowlesworthy Warren, Dartmoor, 19.vi, Malthinus frontalis (Marsh.), oak woodland, Castle Drogo Estate, 9.vii; Ma/thodes mysticus Kiesenw., valley oakwoods, Hembury and Holne Woods, vi; Dermestes undulatus Brahm, slumped sea-cliffs, Dunscombe, 18.vii; Cryptarcha strigata (F.), at sap-run on oak, Killerton Park, 5.vii; Halyzia sedecimguttata (L.), alder carr, Killerton Estate, 5.vii, and also seen during the year in Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Cumbria; Opatrum sabulosum (L.), sea- cliff, Prawle Point, 27.vi, and also at Cornwall locality; Prionychus ater (F.), under loose bark on hawthorn, Killerton Park, 3.vii; Strangalia aurulenta (F.), ancient rough BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 39 parkland, Whiddon Park, 2.vii; Clytra quadripunctata (L.), riverside woodland, Dunsford Wood, 16.vii; Cryptocephalus bipunctatus (L.), scrub-invaded heath, Piddledown Common, Castle Drogo, 12.vii; Chrysolina oricalcia (Muller, O. F.), Northam, 30.v.; Calomicrus circumfusus (Mar.), heathland, Hembury, 14.vi., and elsewhere; Cassida murraea L., flushed pasture, Woolacombe, 14.vii., and elsewhere; Larinus planus (F.) and Rhinocyllus conicus (Fr6l.), thistly pasture, Southdown Cliff, 12.vi.; Smicronyx jungermanniae (Reich), coastal heathland, Noss Mayo, 21.vi., and elsewhere; Platypus cylindrus (F.), on cut oak trunk, Killerton Park, 3.vii., and also seen at Nettlecombe Park, Somerset. Cornwall: Thymalus limbatus (F.), under bark on fallen dead oak bough, Ethy Woods, 19.v., new county record; Hyperaspis pseudopustulata Muls., coastal heathland, Godrevy, 17.v., and in Valency Valley, Boscastle; Barypeithes sulcifrons (Boh.), coastal heathland, Portquin, 22.v. Buckinghamshire: Dorcatoma flavicornis (F.), in fallen oak bough with red-rot, Aderus populneus (Creutz.), beaten from oak foliage, Xyleborus dryophagus (Ratz.), under beech bark, all from Stowe Landscape Park, 28.viii. COPESTAKE, D.—Some beetles from Inverness-shire: Bolitobius inclinans (Grav.), Loch Morlich, 17.vii.90; Abdera triguttata (Gyll.), flying, sawmill, Abernethy Forest, 19.vii.90; Lathrobium dilutum Er., under branch on sandy river bed, Glen Feshie, 17.vii.90; Callicerus rigidicornis (Er.), beating pine tops, Nethy Bridge, 8.vii.90; Rabocerus gabrieli Gerh., beating pine tops, Nethy Bridge, 18.vii.90; Geodromicus longipes (Mann.), under stone, mountain top, Cairngorm, 16.vii.90; Anthophagus alpinus (Payk.), under stone, mountain top, Cairngorm, 16.vii.90; Notaris aethiops (F.), evening sweeping, confluence of Rivers Nethy and Spey, 12.vii.90; Amara fulva (Muller, O. F.), bed of River Feshie, 17.vii.90; Catops longulus Kell., evening sweeping, confluence of Rivers Nethy and Spey, 17.vii.90; Asaphidion pallipes (Dufts.), river bed, confluence of Rivers Nethy and Spey, 17.vii.90; Amara quenseli (Schon.), river bank, Dorback Burn, 11.vii.90; Notiophilus aestuans (Mots.), river bank, Dorback Burn, 11.vii.90; Acupalpus dorsalis (F.), river banks, Dorback Burn, 8.vii.90; Xyloterus lineatum (Ol.), in water tub, sawmill, Abernethy Forest, 14.vii.90; Cymindis vaporariorum (L.), under stone, Dorback Burn, 11.vii.90; Magdalis duplicata Germ., beating living pines, Nethy Bridge, 18.vii.90; Ampedus nigrinus (Herbst), beating living pines, Nethy Bridge, 20.vii.90; Anthonomus varians (Payk.), beating living pines, Nethy Bridge, 18.vii.90; Pyropterus nigroruber (Deg.), on cottage door, evening, Nethy Bridge, 17.vii.90; Bolitophagus reticulatus (L.), in hard fungus on birch, Glen Feshie, 17.vii.90. Some beetles from Windsor Great Park: Notolaemus unifasciatus (Lat.), under fallen oak bark, 24.v.90; Aderus oculatus (Payk.), beating oak, 21.vi.90; Mycetochara humeralis (F.), under loose bark of oak log, 24.v.90; Colydium elongatum (F.), under oak bark, 21.vi.90; Agrilus pannonicus (Pill. & Mitt.), sweeping under old oaks, 21.vi.90; Abdera biflexuosa (Curt.), on dead branches of small oak, 7.vi.90. HENDERSON, M. K.—Carabids of Wimbledon Common, found by general collecting and pit-fall trapping over the last 3 years. Three traps were set up in heathland and three in woodland in the south-east of the common (the area around Bluegate Gravel Pit and Hookhamslade Pond). The traps set in heathland caught some species typical of essentially dry sandy situations (Ptferostichus cupreus (L.), Platyderus ruficollis (Mars.), and Harpalus rufipes (Deg.)) and the usually maritime species Polistichus connexus (Fourc.). The woodland catch contained a number of typically woodland species: Abax parallelepipedus (Pill. & Mitt.), Notiophilus rufipes Curt., Pterostichus niger (Gyll.) and Calathus piceus (Mars.). Other species recorded were fairly ubiquitous ones; Carabus nemoralis Muller, O. F., C. problematicus 40 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Herbst, C. violaceus L., Nebria brevicollis (F.), (early and late in the year), Notiophilus biguttatus (F.), Dyschirius globosus (Herbst), Pterostichus minor (Gyll.), P. madidus (F.), (the most abundant species), P. strenuus (Panz.), P. versicolor (Sturm), Calathus fuscipes (Goeze), Agonum fuliginosum (Panz.), Acupalpus dubius Schilsky, and Dromius linearis (Ol.). HopceE, P. J.— Notable Coleoptera from Southern England: Acupalpus flavicollis (Sturm), clay undercliff, Hastings/Fairlight, new to E. Sussex, 17.iv.87; Deronectes latus (Steph.), Marsham Sewer, Pett, E. Sussex, 24.v.90; Agabus labiatus Brahm, East Guldeford Level, new to E. Sussex, 26.vi.90; Tachyusa coarctatus Er., R. Rother, Woolbeding, new to W. Sussex, 8.viii.90; Gyrophaena joyoides Wust., in Polyporus squamosus, Hampstead Heath, new to Middx, 10.ix.90; Oxypoda exoleta Er., in moss, Arundel Park, new to W. Sussex, 2.v.90; Cyphon pubescens (F.), Coldwaltham, new to W. Sussex, 16.vi.90; Byrrhus fasciatus (Forst.), rabbit burrow, Camber Castle, Rye, new to E. Sussex, 26.iv.90; Diasticticus vulnertus (Sturm), rabbit burrows, Cranwich, new to W. Norf., 20.vi.90; Ptinus lichenum Mars., on lichen-covered fence posts, East Guldeford Level, new to E. Sussex, 26.vi.90; Meligethes ochropus Sturm, on Stachys palustris L., Bury, new to W. Sussex, 16.vi.90; M. haemorrhoidalis Forst., on Lamium album L., South Stoke, new to W. Sussex, 28.iv.90; Telmatophilus schoenherri (Gyll.), on Typha angustifolia L., East Guldeford Level, E. Sussex, 17.vi.90; Adonia variegata (Goeze), Dover, E. Kent, 22.viii.90 and Mickleham Downs, Surrey, 28.ix.90; Melandrya barbata (F.), flying, New Forest, Hants., 21.v.90; Donacia sparganii Ahrens, on Sparganium emersum Rehmann, Barcombe Mills, E. Sussex, 18.viii.90; D. crassipes F., on Nymphaea alba L., Ober Water, New Forest, Hants., 10.vii.90; D. dentata Hoppe, on Sagittaria sagittifolia L., Bury, W. Sussex, 25.vii.90; D. cinerea Herbst, on Typha, Pett Level, E. Sussex, 19.vii.90; Longitarsus parvulus (Payk.), beaten from Prunus spinosa L., Dover, E. Kent, 22.viii.90; Chaetocnema arida Foud., swept, Pett, E. Sussex, 24.v.90; Apion gyllenhali Kirby, on Vicia cracca L., Amberly Wild Brooks, W. Sussex, 29.viii.90; A. vicinum Kirby, on Mentha aquatica L., Coldwaltham, new to W. Sussex, 29.viii.90; Ceutorhynchus mixtus Muls. & Rey, on Corydalis claviculata (L.), Midhurst Common, new to W. Sussex, 8.viii.90; C. viduatus (Gyll.), on Stachys palustris L., Bury, new to W. Sussex, 16.vi.90. KNILL-JONES, S. A.—Beetles from Freshwater, I.o.W.: Harpalus rufibarbis (F.), 27.vii.85, 22.vii.89; Rhantus suturalis (Macleay), 25.v.89, 10.vii.89; Oncomera femorata (F.), 22.vii.89; Carabus violaceus L., 5.viii.89; Hydrophilus piceus (L.), 20.ix.61; Arhopalus tristis (F.), 17.viii.83; A. rusticus (L.), 22.vii.89; Dorcus parallelipipedus (L.), 2,13.vii.83, 15.ix.84; Chrysolina banksi (F.), 28.ix., 14.x.83, 10.iii.90; Nicrophorus humator (Gled.), 17.v.84, 28.iii., 20.v.89; N. vespillo (L.), 23.vii.89; Necrodes littoralis (L.), 11.vii.89; Serica brunnea (L.), 26.vii.89, all at m.v. light. Other species included: Pyrochroa serraticornis (Scop.), 21.vi.83; Strangalia maculata (Poda), 8.viii.84; Onthophagus coenobita (Herbst), 28.vi.84; Silpha tristis Ill. and 30.viii.84; Timarcha goettingensis (L.), 9.v., 14.vii.84. McCCLENAGHAN, I.—Some beetles from Donegal, Ireland, August 1990: Bledius germanicus Wagner, B. longulus Er., B. fergussoni Joy, B. erraticus Er., Coccidula rufa (Herbst), Calathus melanocephalus (L.) var. nubigena Hal., Coccinella undecimpunctata L. var confluens and two specimens of Nephus redtenbacheri (Muls.) one of which had dark brown elytra, black head and pronotum. From other areas: a ‘giant’ 24-mm specimen of Creophilus maxillosus (L.), found on bee brood and thought to have developed on bee larvae; Adalia dipunctata (L.) with very rough (mat) elytral surfaces but with smooth and shining head and pronotum, Ryton Wood, War., 25.vi.89; Symbiotes latus Redt., Herongate, Essex, 8.iii.84; Orthoperus BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 41 nigrescens Steph., garden compost, Southam, War., 19.11.89; Magdalis barbicornis (Lat.), pair on old pear tree, Southam, War., 16.vi.90; Coprophilus striatulus (F.), Clutton, Som., 3.v.82; Deleaster dichrous (Grav.), at m.v. light, Southam, War., 7.vili.88. Morris, M. G.—Some interesting orthocerous weevils from Continental Europe (1987 to 1990). Rhynchites bacchus (L.), an extinct British species, last recorded in 1843, abundant on plum (Prunus sp.), Pestani, Macedonia, Jugoslavia. vi.90. Rhynchites auratus (Scop.) (?) Another extinct British species. These specimens, from Almond (Prunus dulcis L.), Pestani, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90., are extremely large and shown with specimens from France and Spain for comparison. Rhynchites hungaricus Herbst, a large and attractive species, feeding on Rosa spp., the larvae in flower buds, Galicica National Park, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Oxystoma) pseudocerdo Dieckmann, recently recognized as distinct, various localities in Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Phrissotrichum) wenckeri Brisout, C., an extremely local species in France, known only from Vernet-les-Bains, Pyrenees-Orientales, and specific to Cistus laurifolius, iv.89. Apion (Perapion) simum Germ., one of the Hypericum-feeding species, which do not occur in Britain. Col des Faisses, Lozere (Cevennes), viii.90. Apion (Ceratapion) scalptum Muls. & Rey, one of several species associated with thistles and related Compositae, near Ohrid, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Ceratapion) armatum Gerst., recorded once in Britain, but in an atypical habitat; probably only casual. This specimen from Galicica National Park, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Ceratapion) penetrans Germ., a common species on the Continent, feeding on species of Centaurea, Reffuveille, Manche, vii.90 and Gorron, Mayenne, France, viii.90. Apion (Ixapion) variegatum Wencker, well-known species which seems to be less common than formerly, feeding on mistletoe (Viscum album L.). Occurred with the mistletoe anthocorid, mirid and psyllid bugs at S. Pierre de Maille, Vienne, France, vii.90. Apion (Lepidapion) argentatum Gerst., common species of a subgenus which does not occur in Britain. Associated with species of Genista, Grospierres, Ardeche, France, viii.90. Apion (Lepidapion) pseudogallaecianum Hof., not known outside France. Probably associated mainly with Ulex minor Roth. Beaten from this plant in numbers at Mezieres-sur-Issoire, Haute-Vienne, France, vii.90. Apion (Exapion) subparallelum Desbr., Mediterranean species, associated with Calycotone spp. Boca di a Testa, Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Exapion) uliciperda Pand., similar in appearance and feeding habits to the common British A.(E.) ulicis (Forst.) on Gorse (Ulex europaeus L.), near Cahors, Lot, France. iv.89. Apion (Exapion) lemovicinum Hof., another Ulex-feeding species not recorded from Britain. Beaten from U. minor in numbers (with A. (L.) pseudogallaecianum) at Mezieres-sur-Issoire, Haute-Vienne. France, vii.90. Apion (Exapion) corniculatum Germ. associated with black broom, Lembotropis nigricans, larvae feeding in the pods, Labunista, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Trichopterapion) holosericeum Gyll., one of the few tree-feeding species; associated with hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.), Trpezica, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Taenapion) rufulum Wencker spp. distinctirostre Desbr., closely related to the British A. (7.) urticarium (Herbst), and also a nettle-feeder, Petreto-Bicchisano, Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Thymapion) origani Planet, a small version of the British A. (T.) vicinum Kirby, but associated with Origanum vulgare L., Col des Faisses, Lozere (Cevennes), vili.90. Apion (Protapion) dentipes Gerst., a sexually dimorphic species, somewhat similar to our A. (P.) difforme Ahrens, Venaco, Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Loborhynchapion) brundini Wagner, an Arctic species, associated with Astragalus frigidus, Abisko, Torne Lappmark, Sweden, vii.87. Apion (Eutrichapion) scabiosum Weise, associated with Calycotone spp., abundant, Boca di a Testa, Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Eutrichapion) scandinavicum Dieckmann, only recently recognized as distinct; associated with Arctic species of Astragalus such as A. frigidus, Abisko, Torne Lappmark, Sweden, vii.87 (with A. (L.) brundini). 42 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 ONSLOW, N.—Aphodius coenosus (Panz.), Hothfield, Kent, 6.v.90, this specimen was found in horse dung, but the population survives in rabbit dung, the Kent Biological Archive has no other record since 1905; A. foetens (F.), horse dung, Gillingham, 1.vii.89 and cow dung, Challock, 21.viii.89, both in Kent; Halyzia sedecimguttata (L.), Ashford, Kent, vii.89, it also came to light at the BENHS field meeting to Ashtead Common, Surrey, 21.vii.90; Tomoxia biguttata (Gyll.), on birch stumps, Hothfield, Kent, 7.vi.87, in 1990 numbers seemed to increase, as they also seem to have in the Ham Street area; Bytiscus betulae (L.), usually found on Betula (birch), but in this case Populus tremula L. (aspen), Ham Street, 6.v.90; Lymexylon navale (L.), a single damaged specimen taken at m.v. light, BENHS field meeting to Ashtead Common, Surrey, 21.vii.90. ORAM, D. A.—Two beetles from the Falkland Islands, the carabid Metius blanda (Dej.), Port Howard, 17.ii.90, and the weevil Mal/vinius compressiventris (Enderlein), Port Howard, 17.11.90. SIMMONS, M. J.—Some beetles taken in Poland: Chalcophora marina (L.), on fallen tree, 4.vii.89; Trypocopris vernalis (L.), in flight, Puszcza Bialowicza, 25.vi.89; Oiceoptoma thoracicum (L.), 6.vii.89; Diaperis boleti (L.), in hollow of tree, Puszeza Solska, 4.vii.89; Anatis ocellata (L.), 30.vi.89; Cicindella hybrida L., on sandy path, Puszcza Solska, 7.vii.89; Strangalia quadrifasciata (L.), on umbellifer, Janow Lubelski, 2.vii.89; Lamprohiza splendidula (L.), found glowing at night, Janow Lubelski, 2.vii.89 and quite common. Some beetles from the Ariege province of France: Prionus coriarius (L.), m.v. light, 18.vii.90; Necrodes littoralis (L.), m.v. light, 21.vii.90; Trichius fasciatus (L.), on umbellifer, 21.vii.90; Hoplia coerulea (Drury), riverbank, Oust, 21.vii.90; and Maz D’ Ail, 25.vii.90; Lucanus cervus, 19.vii.90. WHITTON, P.—Carabidae from Oxfordshire: Carabus monilis F., Hampton Poyle, 18.v.89; Leistus rufomarginatus (Dufts.), Wychwood Forest, 18.vi.88; Notiophilus germinyi Fauv., Oakham Quarry, 15.viii.88; Elaphrus uliginosus F., Weston Fen, 11.vi.89; Dyschirius luedersi Wagner, Weston Fen, 19.v.89; D. politus (Dej.), Horsehays Sandpit, 27.vi.87; Clivina collaris (Herbst), Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 10.v.89; Trechus discus (F.), Spelsbury, 26.vii.87; T. micros (Herbst), Little Coxwell, 24.vi.88; 7. secalis (Payk.), Whitecross Green Wood, 11.vii.87; Bembidion punctulatum Drap., Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 5.x.85; B. varium (Ol.), Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 5.ix.86; B. clarki Daws., Chimney, 20.v.88; B. fumigatum (Dufts.), Clattercote Reservoir, 2.vi.90; B. decorum (Zenk.), Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 5.x.85; B. monticola Sturm, Stanton Harcourt Pit 52, 12.iii.89; Tachys parvulus Dej., Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 7.v.88; Pterostichus anthracinus (Panz.), Chimney, 20.v.88; P. gracilis (Dej.), Otmoor, 7.1.90; P. longicornis (Dufts.), Otmoor, 7.1.90; P. macer (Mars.), Chimney, 21.v.77; P. oblongopunctatus (F.), Shotover Edge, 1.vii.90; Laemostenus terricola (Herbst), near Sydlings Copse, 9.ix.88; Synuchus nivalis (Panz.), Horsehays Sandpit, 27.vi.87; Agonum micans Nico., Otmoor, 13.v.90; A. gracile Sturm, Otmoor, 13.v.90; A. piceum (L.), Otmoor, 2.xii.89; Amara eurynota (Panz.), near Sydlings Copse, 9.ix.88; A. montivaga Sturm, Standlake Gravel Pit, 12.iii.77; A. tibialis (Payk.), Standlake Gravel Pit, 12.iii.77; A. fulva (Muller, O. F.), Cothill, 26.ix.86; A. consularis (Dufts.), Stanton Harcourt, 12.vi.89; A. convexiuscula (Mars.), Ardley, 11.x.86; A. /unicollis Schiod., Noke Wood, Beckley, 6.ii.88; Harpalus azureus (F.), Stratton Audley Quarry, 27.vii.88; H. ardosiacus Luts., Stanton Harcourt, 7.v.88; H. punctulatus (Dufts.), Stanton Harcourt, 12.vi.89; H. schaubergerianus Puel, Enslow Bridge, 12.ix.86; H. puncticeps (Steph.), Cothill, 3.x.86; H. smaragdinus (Dufts.), Cothill, 2.iv.86; H. anxius (Dufts.), Hitchcopse Sandpit, 2.iv.86; Acupalpus consputus (Dufts.), Appleton Lower Common, 20.v.90; Badister unipustulatus Bon., BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 43 Otmoor, 6.v.90; B. meridionalis Puel, Otmoor, 23.ix.90; B. sodalis (Dufts.), Weston Fen, 25.vi.88; Licinus punctulatus (F.), Wood Eaton Quarry, 14.x.86; Oodes helopioides (F.), Chimney, 20.v.88; Chlaenius nigricornis (F.), Otmoor, 5.v.90; C. vestitus (Payk.), Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 5.x.85; Panagaeus bipustulatus (F.), Stanton Harcourt, 17.vi.88; Lebia chlorocephala (Hoffman.), Asham Meads, 2.xii.89; Dromius agilis (F.), Bagley Wood, 26.vi.76; Brachinus crepitans (L.), Stratton Audley Quarry, 27.vii.88. HEMIPTERA There were only three Hemiptera exhibits this year, but this was increased to four by the presence of a large bug on its own in a box on the table set aside for unidentified specimens. It was found in an Oxford house and proved to be the ‘assassin bug’ Reduvius personatus (L.). ALEXANDER, K. N. A. & GROVE, S. J.—A selection of Heteroptera found during National Trust biological survey fieldwork in Devon and Cornwall, Summer 1990. Devon: Sehirus biguttatus (L.), under stone in open oakwood, Heddon Valley, 24.vii., also at Hembury Woods; Corizus hyoscyami (L.) (Rhopalidae), sandy sea- cliffs, Stoke point, Noss Mayo, 21.vi.; Dicranocephalus agilis (Scop.), amongst Portland spurge on sea cliffs, Moor Sand, 26.vi., and elsewhere along Salcombe Coast; D. medius (Muls. & Rey), nymphs from wood spurge at edge of oakwood, Hembury Woods, 14.vi.; Beosus maritimus (Scop.), sandy sea-cliffs, Southdown Cliff, 12.vi.; Rhyparochromus pini (L.), sandy sea-cliffs, Baggy Point, 4.vi.; Capsodes gothicus (L.), scrubby sea-cliff, Wembury, 25.vi.; Saldula arenicola (Scholtz), seepages, Weston and Dunscombe Undercliffs, vii. Cornwall: Sciocoris cursitans (F.), sand dunes, Godrevy, 17.v.; Lasiacantha capucina Germ., swept, coastal heath, Chapel Porth, 23.v., and Physatocheila smreczynskii China, beaten from lichen-covered apple trees, Boconnoc Park (private land), 20.v. HAWKINS, R. D.—Heteroptera from the Pembrokeshire coast, 1990. Corizus hyoscyami (L.), Bosherston, mostly on or under rest-harrow (Ononis repens L.) Arenocoris falleni (Schill.), Bosherston, under clumps of rest-harrow and storksbill (Erodium cicutarium L.). Dicranocephalus agilis (Scop.), Bosherston and Freshwater West. Gampsocoris punctipes (Germ.), Bosherston and Freshwater West, on rest- harrow clumps. Henestaris laticeps (Curt.), Strumble Head, under clumps of buckshorn plantain (Plantago coronopus L.) on the cliff tops. Beosus maritimus (Scop.), Strumble Head, running about between the clumps of buckshorn plantain, English stonecrop (Sedum anglicum L.) and other plants on the cliff tops. Megalonotus chiragra (F.), Freshwater West and Strumble Head. Pionosomus varius (Wolff), Bosherston and Freshwater West. Adelphocoris seticornis (F.), Kilgetty, taken from a clump of greater birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus uliginosus L.) growing among rushes. Polymerus palustris (Reuter), Kilgetty, from a luxuriant mat of flowering plants including marsh bedstraw (Galium palustre L.). HopceE, P. J.—Notable Hemiptera-Heteroptera from southern England: Ischnodemus quadratus Fieb., sweeping long grass, Dover, E. Kent, 22.viii.90; Placochilus seladonicus (Fall.), abundant on patch of Knautia arvensis (L.) beside the main Newhaven road, Beddingham, E. Sussex, 17.vii.90; Capsus wagneri Rem., associated with fields containing large Deschampsia tussocks in three localities in the Arun valley, new to Sussex, Coldwaltham, 16.vi.90, Pulborough, 25.vi.90, Bury, 25.vii.90. This is a major extension to the known range of this species. A specimen was also exhibited from Catfield Fen, E. Norf., 20.vi.90. 44 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 HYMENOPTERA ARCHER, M. E.—Some notable species of solitary wasps and bees taken in the south-west, mainly during July 1985; Colletes marginatus Smith and Megachile leachella Curt., Berrow Dunes, Somerset; Andrena hattorfiana (F.) and Lasioglossum laticeps (Schenck), Axmouth/Lyme Regis undercliffs, Devon; Eumenes coarctata (L.), Pseudopipona herrichii (de Saussure) (correction of locality as recorded in Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 19: 62), Podalonia hirsuta (Scop.) (ix.81) and Dasypoda altercator (Harris), Godlington Heath, Dorset; Andrena bimaculata (Kirby) and Nomada furcata Panz., coastal path, Sidmouth, Devon; Astata pinguis (Dahlbom), Dawlish Warren, Devon; Andrena fulvago (Christ), Rhodborough Common, Glos. Also exhibited were specimens of the social wasp Dolichovespula media (Retz.) from East Grinstead, Sussex (col. R. Edwards) and Dursley, Glos., (col. B. Pawlyszyn) together with a map of south-east England showing how this species has become widely established in Surrey, Sussex and Kent and has spread to Glos., Beds, Essex and Norfolk. HALSTEAD, A. J.—Some local sawflies taken in 1990, by sweeping unless otherwise stated: Abia sericea (L.), Old Winchester Hill, Hants., 11.vii.90 (col. G. Knight); Zaraea fasciata (L.), Old Winchester Hill, Hants., 11.vii.90 (col. G. Knight); Arge ciliaris (L.), Hoe Stream, Mayford near Woking, Surrey, 2.vi.90; Hartigia xanthostoma (Evers.), Hoe Stream, Mayford near Woking, Surrey, 19,20.v.90; Empria candidata (Fall.) Wisley Common, Surrey, 2.iv.90; Rhogogaster chambersi Benson, Therfield Heath near Royston, Herts., 8.v.90; Tenthredo mandibularis F., River Itchen, Martyr’s Worthy, Hants., 14.vii.90; Pseudodineura fuscula (Klug), Hoe Stream, Mayford near Woking, Surrey, 20.v.90; Pristiphora coniceps Lindq., Black Pond, Esher Common, Surrey, 10.vi.90; P. paedida (Konow), Therfield Heath near Royston, Herts., 8.v.90; Nematus nigricornis Lep., Wisley Common, Surrey, 29.vi.90. Also exhibited was an aerial nest of Dolichovespula media (Retz.). This social wasp was first recorded in Britain in Sussex in 1980 (Falk, S. J. 1982, Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc.15: 14-16) but has been widely recorded in south-eastern England since then. It was first noted in the RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey in late July 1987, when workers were seen foraging at sap runs on oak trees. It was not seen at Wisley in subsequent years until 26.vii.90, when this nest was found in a shaded part of the canopy of a crab apple tree. The entrance hole at the base of the nest was about 7 feet above ground level and the nest was attached to thin twiggy shoots. It is likely that the nest, which was about 8 inches in diameter, was fully developed, as Dolichovespula spp. generally make modest nests that reach their ultimate size in mid-summer. Four males taken from the nest were also shown. MCCLENAGHAN, I.—Two species of British ponerine ants: Hypoponera punctatissima Roger, an alate queen, Wilmcote, War., 16.vii.90, the first record for the county for this doubtfully established species; Ponera coarctata Lat., worker from a small nest under a lump of concrete, Berling, Essex, 18.v.86. ORAM, D. A.—Two ichneumon wasps from the Falkland Islands: A/olophion occidentalis (Morley), at m.v. light, 22.iii.90 and Trachysyrphus penai (Porter), 3.ii.90. ORTHOPTERA AND DICTYOPTERA ALEXANDER, K. N. A. & GROVE, S. J.—Two groundhoppers and a cockroach taken during 1990. Tetrix ceperoi (Bolivar), seepages, Weston Undercliff, Devon, 17.vii.90; 7. subulata (L.), sea-cliff stream, Chapel Porth, Cornwall, 23.v.90; Ectobius BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 45 pallidus (Ol.), swept in numbers by KNAA and D. K. Clements from grass tussocks in a marsh at Foxes Bridge Nature Reserve, Forest of Dean, new to Glos., 17.vi.90. ORAM, D. A.—A cricket from Carcass Island, one of the Falkland Islands, Pasudenus falklandicus (Enderslein), found inside a house, 27.i1i1.89. ARACHNIDA ORAM, D. A.—A harvestman spider from the Falkland Islands, Sadocus vallentini (Hogg), being only the second specimen ever found, from among rocks at the top of the beach, above the tide line, Bold Cove, West Falkland, 22.1.90. ILLUSTRATIONS AGASSIZ, Rev. D.—A map of SE England showing the distribution of the firethorn leaf-miner moth Phyllonorycter leucographella Zell. Discovered in 1989, it is now known to be fairly widespread in the south-east. Leaflets on the firethorn leaf-miner project were available to all, requesting information and help in the study of the distribution of this species. ARCHER, E.—Five distribution maps and colour photographs of a variety of bees and wasps, including several revealing the structure and inhabitants of a nest of Dolichovespula media Retz. BARRINGTON, R. D. G.—A water colour painting of Argynis paphia L., (the silver- washed fritillary). A second water colour incorporated the Cape dwarf chameleon and Stugeta bolkeri a South African species of blue butterfly. BRADFORD, E. S.—One original colour plate of species of the Gelechiidae (already published), and 55 water colour drawings of further species of the Gelechiidae for future colour plates, to be published by the Society. CHURCH, S. H., PORTER, J. AND SKINNER, B. F.—Four volumes containing colour photographs of 820 species of British macrolepidoptera. A form was available to members, requesting larvae or photographs of the few remaining species to complete the task of illustrating all the larvae of the British Macrolepidoptera. 750 colour photographs of the adults were also on show. HARLEY, B.—Colour plates by Richard Lewington for the forthcoming Volume 7, part 2 (Lasiocampidae—Thyatiridae) of The moths and butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland due to be published in the next few months. Also shown were proofs of chapter 2 in the same volume, entitled ‘resting postures in the Lepidoptera’ by M. W. F. Tweedie and A. M. Emmet, with colour proofs of the 64 colour photographs by Michael Tweedie. Proofs of the introduction to chapter 3 in the book ‘Chart showing the life history and habits of the British Lepidoptera’, with manuscript copy of the chart itself which will occupy over 100 double-page spreads and includes over 2500 species on the British list. Proofs of pages 1-142 from ‘The scientific names of the British Lepidoptera—their history and meaning’ by A. M. Emmet. HARMAN, T. W.—Thirteen colour photographs taken in Nepal during an expedition to that country in 1990. A map of habitats and collecting localities near Katmandu was also exhibited, as well as two large drawers of Lepidoptera, illustrating the diversity of species taken during the expedition. HENWOOD, B.—Colour photographs of the ova, larva, pupa and cocoon of Hypena obsitalis Hiibn. (bloxworth snout). The photographs, the first of specimens to be bred in this country, were the progeny of a female taken at Torbay, Devon. MENZIES, I. S.—Eleven colour photographs showing the habitats, sites of oviposition, emergence holes and larval borings of the buprestid beetle Agrilis viridis 46 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 L. on Ashstead Common, Surrey. Previously recorded from Surrey at Bookham Common in June 1988, this species was found in some numbers at three different sites during June (24th & 29th) and July (11th, 12th & 15th) this year (1990) on Ashstead Common. ORAM, D. A.—Seven colour photographs taken in the Falkland Islands accompanying the specimens collected in the islands. PARKER, W.—A map and 19 colour photographs of Dinton Pastures Country Park indicating the main areas designated for conservation, wildlife and other land use. PARSONS, M.—Two colour photographs of larvae of Lasiocampa _ trifolii D. & S. the grass eggar ssp. flava (C.-Hunt). They were reared from eggs laid by females collected at Dungeness, Kent in 1988. One was of the typical form, the other of a white form (the only example noted in the broods). Only one other reference to this form had been found in the literature—Buckler, W. 1888. Larvae of British butterflies and moths. Vol. II1, Bombyces. London, Ray Society. SOKOLOFF, P. A.—A series of paintings of Microlepidoptera, previously unpublished, executed by the late S. N. A. Jacobs in the 1930s. The style follows that of H. T. Stainton in his The natural history of the Tineina where the moth (natural size and much enlarged) is depicted together with the larva and the foodplant, showing larval feeding. STERLING, Col. D. H.—A colour poster incorporating scenes and pictures of some of the flora and fauna associated with the Basingstoke Canal. The poster drew attention to the threats posed to the wildlife of the area if power boats and other activities are allowed to expand without some form of control being exercised. WARING, P.—A series of photographs showing this year’s work on the protected British moths, including Zygena viciae argyllensis Tremewan, the New Forest burnet, of which less than 20 individuals were recorded during a WWF project covering the entire flight period in 1990. Most of the single breeding site, in Argyll, has become too heavily grazed for the moth, as shown in a graph comparing sward height where the moths were seen with measurements elsewhere on site. Other photographs showed the larva of Acosmetia caliginosa Hiibn., the reddish buff moth, found in the wild on the Isle of Wight this year; establishment trials for Pareulype berberata D. & S. the barberry carpet and Thetidia smaragdaria maritima Prout the Essex emerald moth and the ongoing studies of Siona lineata Scop. the black-veined moth. No Hadena irregularis Hufn., the viper’s bugloss moth were reported during 1990. AMATEUR ENTOMOLOGISTS’ SOCIETY—A stand containing numerous colour photographs of habitats, for a new publication by the Society Habitat conservation for insects, to be issued in December 1990. BENHS—The Society’s stand, reorganized and updated, including a number of colour plates from British hoverflies, as well as other coloured illustrations from various Society publications. BENHS members were able to display some of their slides, using a projector and small screen provided by Mr Brad Ashby. ASHBY, C. B.—Photographs of moths and their larvae, showing various aspects of their colouring and shape, and the means by which they are camouflaged against their backgrounds. JONES, R. A.—Photographs from the Greek island of Lesvos, including the ‘retreats’ of a spider possibly Zodarion sp., made from tiny pebbles and tiny pieces of burnt olive wood. Also harvester ants dragging seeds back to their nest. LAMBERT, S.—A variety of views, plants, fungi and butterflies from some ancient woodlands. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 47 Murpuy, F. M.—Spiders from Malaysia including Liphistius desultor (photographed by M. W. F. Tweedie) and its tunnel-web nest showing the door open, then shut; L. murphyorum and L. malayanni. NATURE CONSERVANCY COUNCIL—A stand containing numbers of photographs plus text, explaining the problems caused by the break-up of the Nature Conservancy Council. Photographs of Rainham and other Thames marshes were shown, bringing attention to the threats posed by the possible development of the marshland habitats. SHORT COMMUNICATION Trigona-mimicking hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the Amazonian rainforest? — A lot of examples are known of flies mimicking bees (e.g. Grove & Ghosh, 1914; Buchman & Buchman, 1981). However, observations of flies mimicking the large tropical bee genus 7rigona have to my knowledge never been published before. The observations reported here were made in the tropical lowland rainforest on the flooded varzea forest at Affiangu, Rio Napo, Yasuni National Park, Ecuador (00° 32’ S, 76° 26' W) about 300m above sea level, April 1986. The bee fauna of the site has been described in Borchsenius & Olesen (1990), Olesen (1988, 1989) and Olesen & Balslev (1990). Two Syrphidae spp.—a thick shining one, Ornidia obesa (F.), and a black slender one, Baccha sp.—were observed to consume pollen from Piper sp. and Potomorphe peltata (L.) (Piperaceae). These are both shrubs in secondary growth in light gaps in lowland rainforest. The flies visited the flowering inflorescences together with other insect species, beetles, bees and drosophilids. However, pollen-collecting Trigona individuals were very numerous. The thin Baccha sp. looked especially like the trigonas in size, shape, colour and flight behaviour. I suggest that the presence of both Baccha and Trigona on the same food plant indicates Batesian mimicry, i.e. a less frequent harmless species (Baccha) imitates a frequent harmful one (Trigona) thus reducing, for example bird predation. My thanks to Francis Gilbert for information on mimicry and to Ernst Torp who identified the syrphids.—Jens Mogens Olesen, Department of Genetics and Ecology, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade, Building 550, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. REFERENCES Borchsenius, F. & Olesen, J. M. 1990. The Amazonian root holoparasite Lophophytum mirabile (Balanophoraceae) and its insect visitors. J. Trop. Ecol. 6: 501-505. Buchman, S. L. & Buchman, M. D. 1981. Anthecology of Mouriri myrtilloides (Melastomataceae, Memecyleae), an oil flower in Panama. Biotropica 13: 7-24. Grove, A. J. & Ghosh, C. C. 1914. The life history of Psylla isitis. Mem. Dept Agric. India, Ser. Ent. 4: 329-357. Olesen, J. M. 1988. Nest structure of a Euglossa sp. nov. in a fruit of Theobroma subincanum from Ecuadorean Amazonas. Acta Amazonica 18: 327-330. Olesen, J. M. 1989. Behaviour and nest structure of the Amazonian Bombus transversalis in Ecuador. J. Trop. Ecol. 5: 243-246. Olesen, J. M. & Balslev, H. 1990. Flower biology and pollinators of the Amazonian monoecious palm, Geonoma macrostachys: a case of intraspecific Batesian mimicry. Principes 34: 181-190. 48 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 BENHS INDOOR MEETINGS 13 June 1990 The President, Mr C. W. PLANT announced the death of Mr D. B. Furmage. Mr R. A. JONES showed a specimen of the clerid beetle Korynetes caeruleus (Deg.) taken from inside one of the rear bedrooms of Knole House, Sevenoaks, 6.v.90, flying at a window. This beetle preys on the woodworm beetle, Anobium punctatum (Deg.). It may be coincidental, but on a visit to the house in 1988 this particular room was being renovated after discovery of extensive woodworm damage to the wooden wall panels. Mr A. J. HALSTEAD showed a specimen of the rare pipunculid fly, Nephrocerus flavicornis (Zett.) found 1.vi.90 in a moribund state on a window sill in the library at RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey. Another specimen had been netted near the River Wey at the RHS Garden exactly 1 year previously. A third specimen was swept from under oak trees near the Hoe Stream at Mayford, near Woking, Surrey, on 2.vi.90. All three specimens were males. Mr Halstead also showed some larvae of the sawfly Eriocampa ovata (L.) feeding on alder leaves and collected at the RHS Garden, Wisley. These larvae secrete a white waxy substance from their bodies and rest with their heads curved round towards their abdomens. In this state they make a passable imitation of bird droppings. Mr C. W. PLANT showed a hoverfly, believed to be Syrphus vitripennis Meig., which had yellow hind femora. Amongst the known British species of Syrphus, females of S. ribesii and S. vitripennis are traditionally separated in the field by the yellow hind femora of the former, compared with the largely black hind femora of vitripennis. Using the revised key to the genus by Speight in Dipterists’ Digest, this specimen keys to either vitripennis or sexmaculatus Zett. However, it is clearly not the latter species which also has yellow hind femora. Although the specimen exhibited was teneral the tarsi were fully darkened, leading to speculation that the hind femora were truly yellow in the fully dried adult insect. However, Martin Speight had commented that the mechanism of pigment deposition is not properly understood and that it is possible that two processes are involved, the first, including the tarsi, taking place in the pupal stage and the second, including the femora, involving post emergence secretion of pigmentation. Whatever the truth may be, it is clearly unreliable to continue separating S. ribesii and S. vitripennis in the field on the basis of leg colour. The name of Russell John Nevin was read for the second time and he was duly elected as a member. The President announced that subscription rates to the Society were going to be increased. Life membership has been raised to £500 with immediate effect; the other rates apply after Ist January 1991 and are £15 for London members, £10 for ordinary members, £4 for junior members and £15 for corporate members. The President also said he had written to the Director of the BM (NH) to express the concern of the Society over the museum’s new corporate plan which involves redundancies in the entomology department. The museum’s director is to hold a meeting to explain the corporate plan to interested parties and the BENHS would be represented at this meeting by Mr Roger Morris. Mr M. BROWN said that during the weekend of 2-3.vi.90 a number of painted lady butterflies were seen at Wye, Kent. Mr R. TuBBS said that on 2.vi.90 he had seen three red admirals and two painted ladies on a buddleia at RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey. Mr C. W. PLANT referred to the hoverfly Sphaerophoria bankowskae which has recently been added to the British list. Alan Stubbs had taken a specimen in Northamptonshire and so the species should be looked for now. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 49 There then followed a slide evening. Mr C. B. ASHBY showed some slides of a recent BENHS/LNHS field meeting held on Wimbledon Common. He also showed some examples of moths at rest on backgrounds that gave them varying degrees of concealment. A visit to the Angarn marsh in Sweden was illustrated with a series of slides of insects and other wildlife. Mr Ashby closed his set with a slide of the noctuid moth, Autographa mandarinina. This species is spreading from eastern Europe and is now found in Norway. It may move further westwards to Britain, where it could be confused with the silver Y moth, A. gamma. Mrs F. M. Murphy illustrated a recent visit to south-west Spain with slides of spiders, including black widows, a variety of insects, lizards and a toad. Mr M. SIMMONS showed a further selection of slides taken during his visits to the Bialowicza and Solska forests in Poland near the Russian border. 27 June 1990 Mr A. J. HALSTEAD showed a live specimen of Palloptera muliebris (Harris) (Diptera: Pallopteridae) taken by sweeping near the bank of the River Wey at RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey, on 26.vi.90. This acalypterate fly has attractively marked wings which are extended from the body and waved as the fly crawls about. Also shown was a female specimen of Acrocera orbicula (F.) (=globosus) (Diptera: Acroceridae) swept from long grass near the bog at Shortheath Common, near Bordon Camp, Hants, on 24.vi.90. This is a scarce fly which has larvae that develop as internal parasitoids of spiders. | Mr J. DOBSON showed three local insects found at Lightwater Country Park, | Surrey, on 17.vi.90. These were the scarce seven-spot ladybird, Coccinella magnifica | (Redt.), found on a silver birch sapling in birch/bracken woodland near a wood ants’ nest; the dusky cockroach, Ectobius lapponicus (L.), a male resting on a grass stem at about 5 p.m.; Rivellia syngenesiae (F.) (Diptera: Platystomatidae), swept from rushes in a dry area near a path. Mr M. BROWN showed on behalf of Mr A. Harman two larvae of the mullein moth, Cucullia verbasci (L.). These were representatives of a large number found feeding on Verbascum bombycerifereum in a garden at Ongar, Essex. Mr R. D. HAWKINS showed a short series of the asparagus beetle, Crioceris asparagi (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) found on asparagus on an organic smallholding near Reigate, Surrey, on 16.vi.90. Eggs and larvae were also present. Mr R. A. JONES showed some live specimens of Orchesia micans (Panz.) (Coleoptera: Serropalpidae) bred from larvae found in a hard black Fomes-like fungus on an elm tree below Chanctonbury Ring, W. Sussex. These beetles are able to skip when alarmed. Mr C. W. PLANT showed three pyralid moths. Phlyctaenia perlucidalis (Hiibn.) was first noted as British in 1951 from Woodwalton Fen and has until recently been more or less confined to the East Anglian fens. In the last 2 or 3 years, however, it has spread. A male taken on the night of 25/26.vi.1990 at Stocking Wood, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts., is apparently a new record for the county. Nascia cilialis (Hiibn.) is described in Goater’s British pyralid moths (Harley Books, 1986) as being extremely local in the fens of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire with an outlying colony on the Hampshire coast. During a visit to Sawbridgeworth Marsh Nature Reserve on the Hertfordshire/Essex border on 14.vi.1989, however, this was far and away the commonest moth—even outnumbering Noctua pronuba (L.)! During June 1990 the moth was again present in great numbers, with over 300 attracted to a light trap pier ee ae ee 50 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 on a single evening. Unlike the above species, however, N. cilialis does not appear to be spreading; the Sawbridgeworth colony has clearly been present, undetected, for a considerable time and it would seem well worth searching other marshland sites in Hertfordshire, Essex and elsewhere for this species. Catoptria falsella (Denis & Schiff.) is a very common grass moth in late summer in Mr Plant’s garden at Bishop’s Stortford, yet in 5 years of almost nightly trapping in East Ham, only 35 miles to the south, he never saw this species. The larva is said to feed from within a silken tube on moss on walls; it would therefore seem that perhaps pollution may be the reason for the moth’s absence from east London. It would be interesting to see exactly how far south the moth does reach, to see where the ‘‘cut-off point’’ occurs. Mr R. Morris was invited by the President to give an account of the meeting he had attended as the Society’s representative at the Natural History Museum, where the management explained their plans for the future in the museum’s new corporate plan. He had also attended another meeting earlier in the day when the museum staff gave their view of the plan. Mr Morris said that it was clear that the museum was underfunded and, as a consequence, needed to adjust its staffing levels. There had been inept management, with the staff being kept in the dark until the plan was announced, instead of the plan being developed in consultation with the staff. Some cuts have been made in sectors which were already short of staff and money. There has been considerable criticism of the direction in which the museum is moving but the management seems determined to concentrate on an ecological taxonomic approach at the expense of pure taxonomic studies. Dr I. McLean asked whether the Museum staff were still in need of letters of support. Mr Morris thought that this was correct. Mr M. BROWN noted that he had run a light at Sevenoaks, Kent, on a warm night on 26.vi.90 but had caught few moths. The trap was about 200 yards from sodium street lights which might have diminished the effects of his own light. Dr R. C. WELCH then gave an account of a visit to Chile and Argentina during the southern hemisphere spring of 1984. His talk was entitled ‘‘In the footsteps of Darwin’’ as his tour included some places visited by Charles Darwin in his voyages on the Beagle. Dr Welch saw and photographed some of the insects and other animals illustrated in Darwin’s account of his expedition. Dr Welch was particularly interested in the invertebrate fauna associated with southern beech trees, Nothofagus spp. His talk was illustrated with many slides of the caterpillars, beetles, sawflies, eriophyid mites and other animals that feed on this type of plant, together with slides of birds, mammals, wild flowers, scenery and people encountered during his travels. 25 July 1990 Mr E. W. GROVES showed three examples of the horse chestnut scale, Pulvinaria regalis Canard (Hemiptera: Coccidae), taken from a large colony on the trunk of a sycamore tree, Acer pseudoplatanus L., along the River Thames towpath opposite Molesey Lock, Hampton Court, on 21.vii.90. The scales were generally distributed over the trunk but were particularly numerous around the trunk protuberances about 12 feet up. Each scale was perched on the edge of its white waxy egg mass. This insect was also seen on a nearby lime tree. P. regalis was first recorded simultaneously in London and Paris in 1973; its country of origin is unknown but Japan is a possibility. Mr Groves also showed a specimen of the hoverfly, Volucella inanis (L.) taken near the entrance to a nest of the social wasp Vespula vulgaris (L.) in the roof space of a house at Coulsdon, Surrey, on 20.vii.90. This species lays its eggs on the inside wall of wasp nests, and the larvae feed as scavengers on the nest debris. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 51 Mr C. B. ASHBY showed a live specimen of the hoverfly Volucella zonaria (Poda) taken in the roof space of a house in Cheam, Surrey, where there was an active wasp nest. Mr Ashby noted that various books referred to V. zonaria as an immigrant species and asked whether it was now known to breed here. The President confirmed that it does and said that he had recently seen two females near the entrance to a nest of Vespula germanica (L.) under the eaves of an office in East Ham. The Secretary, Dr J. MUGGLETON, said he had five glass-topped display boxes, surplus to MAFF requirements, available to anyone who wanted them. Mr G. PRIOR noted that there were large numbers of Celastrina argiolus (L.), the holly blue, and Anthocharis cardamines (L.), the orange tip, in the Woodstock area this year. Mr Groves said that despite the warm summer, his raspberries had been little affected by raspberry beetle. Mr R. SOFTLY said that when Baron de Worms had reviewed the Lepidoptera of the London area he had found only one record of the least carpet, Jdaea vulpinaria (Lempke), taken at Hampstead Heath in 1890. One hundred years on, Mr Softly had taken this moth there for the first time. Dr J. MUGGLETON gave the lecture, in which he described a visit he had made to the central area of the Pyrenees in June 1989. The talk was entitled ‘The Haute Pyrenees—a botanist’s view’ and was illustrated with slides of wild flowers found in the alpine and sub-alpine zones. 12 September 1990 Joint meeting with the London Natural History Society held at the rooms of the Linnean Society. The President Mr C. W. PLANT showed an aberrant specimen of a male common carpet moth, Epirrhoe alternata Miller, O. F., together with a typical form. The aberration was taken at Sawbridgeworth Marsh Nature Reserve, Herts., on 27.vii.90. The outer and inner thirds of each forewing were suffused blackish all over with scarcely discernible whitish cross lines. The normal black coloration of the median fascia of the forewings was largely absent, being confined to a black reniform stigma and a paler dark streak adjacent to the dorsum, both set against a white ground colour. The hind wings were typical, if somewhat darker than usual, except that the grey terminal shading extended proximally to the median fascia, more or less obscuring the cross lines. The normally chequered fringes of all four wings were grey throughout. The pattern on the undersides of the wings reflected that of the upper surface, as in the typical form. The President announced that he had received 270 replies to the letter he had circulated to the membership concerning the Society’s future arrangements for accommodation. This represents a 40% response and he thanked those who had replied. These letters indicated overwhelming support for the Dinton Pastures Country Park proposal. The matter has been discussed by Council and they have decided to proceed further by investigating the details of a lease and the costs of building. The Society is not yet committed to Dinton Pastures and other options may be looked at. The President said that the 14 November meeting was a members’ slide evening and would provide an opportunity for members to discuss this matter. The President also reported that two of the LNHS’s publications, Flora of the London area and Butterflies of the London area, were on sale at the reduced prices of £12 and £11.50 respectively. Mr C. B. ASHBY reminded BENHS members that while their library was in store they could make use of the LNHS library held at Imperial College. Tickets for the library can be obtained from the BENHS secretary, Dr J. Muggleton. 52 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Mrs F. M. Murpuy made available some leaflets giving details of a proposed new organization called ‘‘Friends of the Natural History Museum, London’’. The impetus to form this organization has arisen out of concern for the Museum’s future following the recently announced corporate plan for the next five years. Mr M. BROwN said that he had run an m.v. light at Snargate, Romney Marsh, on 8.ix.90 to see whether the marsh mallow moth, Hydraecia osseola Mab. was present. Its food plant has declined and only one male was seen. Mr C. W. PLANT said that he had recently had reports of Lampides boeticus (L.) the long-tailed blue butterfly in the London area from three people. This species was seen at Kensal Green Cemetery on 26.viii.90 and subsequently at the Gillespie Nature Park near Arsenal tube station. At the latter site they have been seen laying eggs on bladder senna Colutea arborescens L. As far as is known, these butterflies are not the result of deliberate releases and Mr Plant noted that with hot summers and milder winters it might be possible for migrant species to become permanently established. Mr C. B. ASHBY reported on the continuing LNHS survey of Bookham Common in Surrey. Dr I. Menzies had with the aid of a miniature bat detector recorded both Conocephalus dorsalis (Lat.) the short-winged and C. discolor (Thunb.) the long- winged conehead crickets. The latter is unusual for the area and is possibly a recent arrival. The names of David Greeno, Peter Gerald Silver, Robert John Heape and Alfred George James Butcher were read for the second time and these persons were duly elected as members. The lecture was given by Dr P. MERRITT who gave an account of the biology of the spider, Eresus niger (Petagna), largely based on his own studies at a heathland site in Dorset. This spider occurs throughout much of the Palearctic region but, while common in parts of southern Europe, is rare in northern areas. Up until 1906 it was known in Britain from records of just six males and one female in East Dorset. Many of its former sites have now been lost through building and other developments. In 1979 it was rediscovered when two males were taken in pit-fall traps at a site west of Poole Harbour. Adult males are much more likely to be recorded than females or immatures of either sex. This is partly due to their striking black and red coloration but also because it is only males which move about over the soil and plants when, in bright sunshine in late April-May, they seek mates. The females and immatures live in silk-lined vertical tunnels in the soil. The spider makes a silk hood which incorporates pieces of plant debris over the top of its tunnel, making it very difficult to detect. This hood forms the catching area for prey which is detected as it walks over the web. Young spiders prey mainly on ants; the older spiders and adult females take a wide range of prey including other spiders, beetles, woodlice and occasionally bumblebees. The spiders seize their prey by a leg and inject venom into a joint. The prey is pulled through the silk hood and taken down into the tunnel. The males mature in late summer and apparently overwinter in their burrows, although this has not been observed in Dorset. Mating takes place in the late spring with the males possibly being attracted to the females by pheromones. After mating, the male leaves the female’s tunnel but may return after recharging its sperm ducts. The female lays about 80 eggs in a silk cocoon in late May which is carried up to the top of the tunnel during the day. Towards the end of June the eggs hatch and the female seals her tunnel with silk and no longer feeds herself. She provides food for the young spiders by regurgitation and when she dies it has been observed in Germany that the young spiders will feed on her body. The young spiders overwinter in the maternal tunnel and in the following spring they disperse and make individual tunnels. They do not, however, go far and are mostly within 1-2 m of the maternal tunnel. The spiders take 4-5 years to reach BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 53 maturity and adult females can live for several years, although they can only breed once. Dr Merritt has monitored the E. niger population at his study site for several years. Its flora consists mainly of old heather, lichens and scots pine. In 1981 the heather was badly damaged by heather beetle and in the following year there were fewer prey insects available for spiders due to this loss of heather. The spider is also more vulnerable to predation by young green woodpeckers when the ground cover is sparse. Heather has regrown from seedlings but in 1982 the known population consisted of five females, three males and three immatures. The females were artificially fed and protected by netting. Males were introduced to the females in order to encourage matings. All the females subsequently produced young. In the 1985 season the population had been built up to 12 breeding females. 26 September 1990 Mr M. J. SIMMONS showed two examples of froghoppers with differing nymphal habits. These were Philaenus spumarius (L.), the nymphs of which suck sap from plant stems and cover themselves in a frothy liquid known as cuckoo spit, while those of the other species, Cercopis vulnerata Ill., live underground and feed from plant roots. Mr C. B. ASHBY displayed a catalogue from Wyseby House Books of Silver Birches, Burghclere, Newbury, Berks. RG15 9JS. This lists reprints of articles on entomological and other subjects taken from various journals. Mr E. E. EMMETT showed two beetles taken in his garden at Haslemere, Surrey. A longhorn beetle, Arhopalus rusticus (L.), was taken in a Robinson light trap on 2.viii.90. Although previously a northern species, it is now frequently found throughout Britain. The other specimen was a Strophosomus weevil found eating the leaves of a rhododendron on 19.ix.90. The President Mr C. W. PLANT showed two scarce conopid flies. These were Leopoldius brevirostris (Germ.) and Conops vesicularis L. The former is a nationally rare insect with a Red Data Book 2 rating. Its larvae are probably parasitoids of social wasps and two likely candidates are Vespula rufa (L.) and Dolichovespula sylvestris (Scop.). The specimen, a male, was taken in a light trap at Ken Wood, Hampstead Heath, Middx, by Mr R. Softly on 30.vii.90. It was passed to the exhibitor in whose collection it now rests. Dr D. Clements, national coordinator of the Conopid Recording Scheme, believes this is only the eleventh British record of this fly from ten localities. Another specimen was taken in recent years in the London area by Mr A. Godfrey at Sydenham Hill Wood, South London, also in a light trap in July. The other specimen shown, C. vesicularis, is a nationally notable fly, being recorded in less than 100 of the 10-km squares in the Ordnance Survey’s national grid. Its larvae develop in the bodies of the bumblebee, Bombus muscorum (L.). The specimen was taken in the first sweep of the day at about 9.30a.m. on 26.v.90 in a ride at Little Oak Plantation, Wentwood, Monmouthshire. The same sweep from vegetation in sunshine also yielded the scarce hoverfly Brachypalpus laphriformis (Fall.). Mr C. B. ASHBY made available some leaflets giving details of the opening hours and regulations for use of the London Natural History Society’s library. This is available to BENHS members while our own library is in store by obtaining a ticket from the Secretary. When asked whether this arrangement would be renewed next year Mr Ashby said he would check with the LNHS but he thought it likely that this would be the case. Mr Ashby also announced that he would try to obtain the Sutton Camera Club’s slide display cabinet for our Annual Exhibition and asked members to indicate if they had slides they wished to show. 54 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 The President Mr C. W. PLANT pointed out that there were a number of posts, including Field Meeting Secretary, Indoor Meetings Secretary and Minutes Secretary, that shortly need filling. He also said that the editor would like drawings suitable for printing on the front cover of the Journal. Mr M. J. SIMMONS said that on the morning of 18.ix.90 he had found a convolvulus hawk moth, Agrius convolvuli L., at rest in his garden at Crowborough, East Sussex. He also read an article from a recent edition of the Daily Mirror referring to an invasion of 4 inch wasp spiders at Weymouth, Dorset. Mrs F. M. MuRPHY said they were the spider Argiope bruennichi (Scop.) which had been here for some time but had probably benefitted from the recent hot summers. She said it was also found in parts of Hampshire and Mr Emmett said he had seen it at Rye, Sussex. Mr E. BRADFORD said he had taken Heliothis peltigera D. & S. in his garden a few months ago. Mr D. LEEs said that Lampides boeticus (L.) the long-tailed blue butterfly had been seen at Kew Gardens, Surrey, on the 7 or 9.ix.1990. Mr Plant said that he had been to Arsenal tube station where this butterfly has been seen nearby. He saw about ten, including females laying eggs on bladder senna, Colutea arborescens L., and was also able to collect larvae which were now pupating. It was suggested that this was the first record of this species breeding in this country apart from some earlier doubtful records. [There is some debate on this point. Ed. } Mr Emmett said that he had been shown a photograph of a convolvulus hawk moth, Agrius convolvuli L., in pristine condition taken at Hindhead in the first week of September. The President, Mr Plant, urged members to send records of all migrant species seen to either Mr M. Chalmers-Hunt or Mr R. Bretherton, who each year collate records of migrants. Dr F. GILBERT then gave a lecture ‘‘On the abundance of hoverflies’’. Adult syrphids show little variation in form or habits. This, however, is not the case with the larvae and a study of them has enabled Dr Gilbert to devise a scheme showing the evolutionary relationships between the syrphid genera. The most primitive types are believed to be Eumerus spp. which feed on fungal decay in plants. The phytophagous types, such as Merodon and Cheilosia spp., are one branch of development from the primitive form but the main line of development is through yeast-feeding types living in various habitats such as at sap runs, in rot holes and under bark. Other feeding habits, such as preying on aphids or living in the nests of ants, wasps and bumblebees, have arisen from this yeast-feeding line. The mouthparts of adult hoverflies are adapted for feeding on pollen and nectar from flowers or from leaf surfaces. There is little variation between species or from fossil flies. The abundance of adult flies can vary both during the day and during the summer. Annual fluctuations in numbers are largely accounted for by changes in the numbers of predatory species, some of which are migratory. There does not seem to be any direct relationship between hoverfly numbers and weather or aphid numbers. Those types of hoverflies whose larvae are general feeders are usually more abundant than those with special requirements in terms of prey or habitat. The common species are also more widespread geographically then the specialist feeders. Amongst the predatory syrphids the more advanced types were generally specialist feeders associated with trees and shrubs, while the more primitive types have larvae with generalized feeding habits and are mainly found in the leaf litter. Dr Gilbert noted that some hoverflies are excellent mimics of bees and wasps. If an insect is to gain protection from mimicry, it normally has to be less abundant than the insect it is imitating. Some yellow- and black-striped syrphids, eg Syrphus spp., BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 55 are assumed to be wasp mimics but are very abundant and therefore the resemblance may be no more than coincidental. 10 October 1990 The President, Mr C. W. PLANT announced the death of Dr K. C. Greenwood. Mr M. SIMMONS showed three species of Criorhina (Diptera: Syrphidae). These were C. berberina (F.), C. ranunculi (Panz.) and a male and female C. asilica (Fall.). All were taken in or around a wood near Eynesford, Kent, in 1989 and 1990. These flies breed in dead wood and are regarded as scarce and local, being found mainly in southern England. The adults are often taken at hawthorn flowers. Both C. berberina and C. ranunculi occur in two colour forms: those exhibited were the typical form of C. berberina and the white-tailed form of C. ranunculi. Mr Simmons announced that as the rooms at the Royal Entomological Society would not be available to the BENHS on Wednesday evenings in 1991, indoor meetings would be held on Tuesdays in the New Year. Mr Simmons said that on 30.ix.90 he had taken a specimen of the geometrician, Grammodes stolida F., in his garden at Crowborough, E. Sussex. It is believed that this is only the second example of this noctuid moth to be taken in Britain, the previous specimen being taken on 23.ix.1903 near Dartmouth, Devon. Mr R. SOFTLY reported that he had recently been to Skipper’s Island off Walton- on-the-Naze, Essex, in search of Fisher’s estuarine moth, Gortyna borelii Frey. With four colleagues walking line abreast and searching by torchlight, four specimens of the moth were seen at rest below the umbels of hog’s fennel, Peucedanum officinale L. Mr Fisher, who discovered the moth in 1968, still lives in the area and helped arrange the visit to Skipper’s Island. The President drew attention to a letter received from the Orkney Islands Field Club which is appealing for £600 to help set up a biological records centre. He also noted that a number of crimson speckled moths, Utetheisa pulchella L., had been taken along the south coast in recent weeks. Sir Cyril Clarke then spoke on the subject of ‘‘Learning genetics from butterflies and moths’’. He explained that he was a physician rather than a trained geneticist. His introduction to the subject came through hand mating experiments with swallowtail butterflies. By making hybrids between various species he was able to learn about their genetic make-up. The knowledge of polymorphic inheritance gained from insects has applications in human biology. Sir Cyril was able to disprove a supposed link between susceptibility to duodenal ulcers and blood group O. He was also able to discover the relationship of the rhesus factor in blood groupings to the birth of blue- blood babies, and to devise a successful treatment to overcome this problem. Sir Cyril noted that it did not seem to be possible to achieve in-vitro fertilization of moth eggs. There is, however, an account written in 1792 by John Hunter, in which he describes how this was done successfully with silk moth eggs. These eggs still exist in a specimen jar in the Hunterian Museum. Sir Cyril has examined these through the glass jar and queried whether the eggs had really hatched or whether they had collapsed. The scarlet tiger moth, Callimorpha dominula L., occurs in three forms and at the well-studied site at Cothill, Berks., the relative numbers of these forms fluctuate widely from year to year. In 1939 a colony was established at a small site near Liverpool and in 1968 it was found that the typical form and media nigra were present in equal proportions. During the following 20 years the same ratio was maintained. Sir Cyril suggested that the variations noted at Cothill might be due to the greater disturbance 56 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 at that site caused by people capturing and recording the moth. He had noticed a change in the ratio when he began marking and recapturing moths at the Liverpool site. 14 November 1990 Mr R. A. JONES showed three insects from the Greek island of Lesvos, each of which showed some bizarre structural form. What was at first thought to be a beetle (family possibly Nitidulidae), which despite being only 8.5 mm long had long dense hairs over 1 mm long, making it as furry as a bumble bee, was later shown by Mr R. Hawkins to be a shield bug, /rochrotos maculiventris (Germ.)! A froghopper (Hemiptera: Homoptera) had the front of its head produced into a long spine-like process almost as long as its body. A large shield bug (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) with small sharp tooth-like foliations along the sides of its head, pronotum and connexivum, was later determined by Mr Hawkins to be Mustha spinosula (Lefebvre). The names of Messrs I. K. Dawson, D. I. B. Hoare and N. R. Lowe were read for the second time, and these persons were duly elected as members. Mr R. Heap signed the obligations book. The Indoor Meetings Secretary Mr M. SIMMONS solicited suggestions for speakers for the 1991/1992 programme. B. K. WEST reported that on a recent trip to Togo he had been unable to determine from the Embassy in London whether any form of permit was required to collect or export collected insects from that country. However, on arrival in Togo he was astonished at the pleasant and helpful nature of the local customs officials, even when collecting in the ‘‘no man’s land’’ between the border post and the Ghanaian boundary. Apart from a few reserves, the forests were disappearing, with only small areas remaining. He met several local collectors, who seemed to be concentrating their efforts on some of the larger and more showy species such as the swallowtail butterfly Papilio dardanus. There then followed a discussion of the 1990 Annual Exhibition. 185 members and 54 visitors had signed the attendance book, making a total of 239. This was less than last year when 281 people signed, the shortfall appearing to be mainly in the visitors. The dinner was attended by 56 members and visitors. According to the exhibit numbers handed out, there were 119 exhibits, compared with 136 in 1989. There seemed to be generally fewer people present, an indication being that the bar closed at 3 o’clock. Mr R. A. JONES reported that the Coleoptera exhibits were fewer in number than previous years, and put this down to several regular exhibitors not being present this year. Mr P. CHANDLER reported that there were only seven Diptera exhibits. It was suggested that several dipterists were not present because they were attending the wedding of Mr Steven Falk which was taking place on that day. Mr J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT reported that the exhibits of Microlepidoptera were excellent, and included a species new to Britain and possibly a species new to science. Lt. Col. A. M. EMMET said that this species appeared to be new to science because he had been unable to find it in the literature from Britain, north-west Europe, North America, South Africa or Japan. On the day of the exhibition he had also discovered the mines of Phyllonorycter platani in the leaves of plane trees in the grounds of Imperial College, this being a species new to Britain. B. K. WEST reported that there were fewer Macrolepidoptera exhibits than usual, there being particularly fewer aberrations. The colour plates of specimens exhibited could not be filled, only one and a half plates’ worth being photographed. Two very interesting specimens of Orthosia gothica ab. circumsignata Hasebroek were removed from the exhibition by 2 o’clock before it was possible to photograph them. The number of exhibits from the Channel Islands was seen as a welcome trend, these exhibitors often finding species a few years before they arrived on the mainland. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 57 During a discussion on the Society’s possible move to Dinton Pastures, Mr P. CHANDLER showed maps, plans and photographs of the country park, and discussed the Society’s option to build a purpose-built headquarters there. An architect had carried out a feasibility study, and had come up with plans for a building with 1000 square feet for the Society’s needs and 360 square feet for a display area for the Country Park. The local authority are prepared to give the land to the Society free of charge on condition that the Society meets the expense of erecting a building which contained such a display area. At present, the Society was examining the legal requirements of a lease. The length of the lease was expected to be ‘the life of the building’, which the architect estimates to be at least 100 years. Various aspects of the building and the site were discussed, including the need for security. It was envisaged that regular weekend meetings would allow members access to the library and collections, and that workshops could take place. If necessary, the existing meeting room in the park could be hired to accommodate larger numbers of attenders. It was emphasized that evening meetings would continue to be held in London, and the Annual Exhibition and Annual Dinner would continue to be held at Imperial College for the foreseeable future. During the slide evening which followed, Mr N. A. CALLOW showed slides of a variety of subjects from France. These included a chafer beetle being attacked by ants, the bee-beetle Trichius, brightly coloured chrysomelid beetles, mazarine blues ‘puddling’, a mass of fritillaries on dung, the black-veined white, burnets, lackey moth caterpillars, and a tree covered with silken web and numbers of emerging moths—possibly the bird cherry ermine. Mr R. A. JONES showed some slides of the moth Batrachedra praeangusta Haw. on a tree trunk showing its characteristic pose, and various pictures from the Greek island of Lesvos including harvester ants, a bristle- tail and the igloo-like retreat of a species of Zodarion spider constructed from tiny pebbles or pieces of burnt olive wood. 28 November 1990 The President, Mr C. W. PLANT, showed a live specimen of the Tunbridge Wells gem, Chrysodeixis acuta Walk. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)*. It had been bred from eggs obtained from a female taken at an m.v. light at Bradwell on Sea, Essex, on 18.x.90 by Mr B. Goodey. The larvae were reared on Urtica dioica L., the stinging nettle. Mr A. J. HALSTEAD showed two examples of scale insects collected at the RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey. These were Abgrallaspis cyanophylli (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on the cactus Opuntia stenopetala, and Pulvinaria floccifera (Westw.) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on camellia. The latter was present as immature nymphs on the undersides of the leaves which also had some white waxy egg masses. The upper leaf surface of the camellia was coated with sooty mould which grows on sugary excretions produced by the scales. The names of Derek Alan Coleman, Timothy Martin Coleshaw, Alan Leonard Cooper, Tony Davis, Clive Guy Nicholas Faulkner, Stephen Finney, Laurence Herbert Hamblin, William Robert Brough Hynd, Jurgen Lenz, Charles Edward Pearce, Clive Richard Turner and Mark Anthony Yeates were read for the second time and these persons were duly elected as members. Mr M. SIMMONS said he had found some caterpillars of Pieris brassicae L. the large cabbage white butterfly the previous week in his garden at Crowborough, E. Sussex, which were about to pupate. This is about one month later than usual. *See further note in report of meeting of 15 January 1991. 58 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 The President noted that the pyracantha leaf mining moth, Phyllonorycter leucographella (Zell.) had spread from Essex and had arrived in Bishop’s Stortford, Herts. Mr C. BAKER reported that it was also in St Albans, Herts. The President urged members to report sightings to Dr David Nash of Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ascot, SL5 7BS, who is conducting a survey of the spread of this recent addition to the British list. The Lecture was given by Mr C. MALUMPHY who spoke on soft scales which are sap feeding insects of the order Hemiptera and family Coccidae. The speaker opened his talk by giving some general details of scale insects, their structure and biology. Forty-eight species of soft scale have been recorded in Britain, of which 23 are exotic species. Some of these are confined to glasshouses but some, such as Pu/vinaria regalis Canard, have become widely established on outdoor plants. Many soft scales damage their host plants by soiling the foliage with their sugary excretions, called honeydew, which make the leaves sticky and encourage the growth of sooty moulds. The taxonomy of scale insects is based on features of the adult females. Males are short lived, often difficult to find and in some species do not occur at all. Some species can be very variable and the appearance of the shell or scale covering the insect is not a reliable feature. The colouring, size and shape of the shell can be influenced by environmental factors, such as the plant on which the scale is feeding. A polyphagous species, the brown scale, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouche), has 130 synonyms. This is not the only species that has caused taxonomic problems. Mr Malumphy has been investigating the woolly vine scale, Pu/vinaria vitis (L.), which also feeds on various other plants including currants, birch and pyracantha. Five names have been given to scale insects in this group but the speaker believes that it is just a single but very variable species. 12 December 1990 Mr R. D. HAWKINS showed a specimen of the yellow-M bug, Hadrodemus m-flavum (Goeze) (Hemiptera: Miridae) collected 10.v.90 in the Gerona province of north-east Spain. Four specimens have been taken in Britain but none in the present century. Also shown was a specimen of Rhinosimus planirostris (F.) (Coleoptera: Salpingidae) taken on an ash trunk, 21.iv.90, at Smallfield, Surrey. This beetle can be mistaken for a weevil due to the snout-like projection on the head. Mr A. J. HALSTEAD showed two stems of small gorse, Ulex minor L., collected 2.xi1.90 from Lightwater Country Park, Surrey. These stems had spindle-shaped swellings caused by larvae of Apion scutellare Kirby (Coleoptera: Apionidae). He also showed a colour transparency of the scale insect Pulvinaria hydrangeae (Steinw.) (Hemiptera: coccidae). This has become established in Britain, mainly in the Wimbledon SW19 area, since 1988. It primarily infests hydrangea but elsewhere in Europe has been recorded on Tilia platyphyllos Scop., Acer platanoides L., A. negundo, Crataegus, Deutzia, Prunus, Cornus and Viburnum. The names of Margaret Janet Dempsey, Keith Charles Lewis, David Richard Nash, Roger Graham Payne, Peter Malcolm Potts, Mark Andrew Shippey, Douglas John Taylor, Huw Cledwyn Joseph Williams and Peter Raymond Wright were read for the second time and these persons were duly elected as members. Mr. R. A. JONES said that the Society’s publication Larvae of the British Lepidoptera not figured by Buckler sold out in 1989. The Rev. D. Agassiz had found a number of loose colour plates for the book in his attic, although there were insufficient to make any complete sets. However it had been possible to bind up 25 copies of the book by making colour photocopies of two plates. These are now available at a cost of £12 for members, £18 for non-members. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 59 The Secretary, Dr J. MUGGLETON, drew attention to the fact that in the new year indoor meetings at the Royal Entomological Society rooms would be on Tuesday evenings, and that there would be meetings on consecutive Tuesdays on 15th and 22nd January. Dr E. BENTON said that he was starting to map the distribution of bumblebees (Bombus and Psithyrus spp.) in Essex and appealed for records to be sent to him at 13 Priory Street, Colchester CO1 2PY. The data sent in for the 1980 Institute of Terrestrial Ecology mapping scheme cannot be found, so he is interested in receiving records of species, dates and locations submitted to that scheme. He is also prepared to identify specimens collected in Essex provided that they have full data of where and when they were found. Mr S. MILES said that he had the privilege of attending the recent presentation of the NCC’s Annual Report, the last from the organization in its current form. He was not aware that members of this Society had attended before but thought it important that we should be represented at future events of this type. Invertebrate conservation will be helped by lobbying the appropriate government departments, both by individual members and by entomological societies. The stated aim of the new structure of the NCC is to ‘improve the delivery of conservation and countryside services throughout Great Britain’. It is up to us to ensure that insect conservation is not neglected in the process. A copy of the NCC Annual Report and the latest issue of the NCC’S Topical Issues was made available for members to examine. The lecture ‘Dragonfly watching in Essex’ was given by Dr E. BENTON. Dr Benton co-ordinated a dragonfly recording scheme in Essex during 1980-87. Twenty-six species were recorded, of which at least 22 are believed to be breeding in the county. He outlined the history of dragonfly study in Essex which has been well worked by many eminent entomologists, including Henry Doubleday, W. H. Harwood and Cynthia Longfield. There are several important dragonfly sites, such as Epping Forest, flooded gravel pits, the rivers Lea and Roding, Hatfield Forest and coastal grazing marshes. Dr Benton showed slides of the species of dragonfly and damselfly recorded during the survey, showing their distribution, habitats and aspects of their behaviour such as mating and egg laying. The results of the survey have been published by the Essex Field Club as The dragonflies of Essex, price £5.95, and this is available from the Passmore Edwards Museum, 30 Romford Road, Stratford, London, E15 4BZ. 15 January 1991 The President, Mr. C. W. PLANT announced the death of Russell Bretherton, who had been a member since 1947 and was a former President of the Society. Mr. A. J. HALSTEAD showed some specimens of a small parasitic wasp, Euplectrus bicolor (Swederus) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). At the 9.v.90 meeting he had shown a caterpillar believed to be of the lesser yellow underwing, Noctua comes Hibn., found at the RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey. It had a compact cluster of ectoparasitic larvae attached to the side of its thorax. The larvae spun loose silk cocoons on 17.v.90, by which time the caterpillar was dying. Adult parasites emerged on 25.v.90 and were subsequently identified by Dr M. R. Shaw. Euplectrus bicolor is said to be common in southern England and is associated with noctuid larvae. It is unusual in that it is one of the very few chalcidoidea wasps that produce silk cocoons. The silk is produced by the malphigian tubules and issues from the anus, unlike ichneumonid larvae which secrete silk from their labial glands. Mr C. W. PLANT showed a series of three males and six females of a Chrysodeixis species bred from a female captured at Bradwell on Sea, Essex, on 18.x.90, and including the specimen shown two meetings ago as Chrysodeixis acuta Walk. 60 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Three wild-caught female moths taken in north-east Spain in 1988 were also shown and these showed marked differences in colour from the bred specimens. Those from Spain were assumed to be C. chalcites (Esp.), the golden twin spot, and conform with the illustration of C. chalcites in Skinner, B. (1984) Co/our identification guide to moths of the British Isles, plate 41, Fig. 6. The Essex female and those bred from it were thought to be C. acuta, the Tunbridge Wells gem, and fit the photograph at Fig. 7, plate 41, in Skinner (op. cit.). However, examination of the genitalia, especially the aedeagus of the male, shows that all of the exhibited specimens were referable to the same species, probably C. chalcites. This clearly throws doubt on the previous eight British records of C. acuta, as well as on the authenticity of the specimen provided by the BM (NH) for plate 41, Fig. 7, in Skinner’s book. Dr J. HOLLOWAY commented on colour variation in the Chrysodeixis acuta/ chalcites/eriosoma group and noted the excitement that these tropical pest species cause when they turn up in Britain. The name of Harold S. Hemsley-Hall was read for the second time and he was duly elected as a member. The Secretary, Dr J. MUGGLETON, apologized for the late distribution of the list of indoor meetings. This was due to the distribution secretary being away in Brazil over the Christmas period. He also reported that the LNHS had agreed to continue the arrangement by which their library is available to BENHS members. Those members wishing to use the library will need to obtain tickets for the current year from the Secretary. The Librarian, Mr S. MILEs, made available the annual report of the Royal Society for Nature Conservation and a brochure of courses run by the Field Studies Council. The President suggested that the entomologically quiet time of mid-winter would be a good opportunity to do some recording of the snow flea, Boreus hyemalis L. This insect is about 6 mm long and resembles a wingless female scorpion fly. It can be taken in pit-fall traps or may be found hopping on snow-covered ground. Records are needed by Mr Plant for the lacewing recording scheme. The lecture was given by Dr J. HOLLOWAY, who spoke on ‘Moths in the Moluccas’ and described a visit made to the Indonesian island of Seram as part of an ‘Operation Raleigh’ expedition. He and a party of students travelled from the coast along a river up to the highlands in the centre of the island. A number of sites were selected en route where moth trapping with a Robinson trap and a sheet was carried out. All macro-moths that came to the light were counted and collected for identification in order to calculate an alpha value of moth diversity. Representative collections of micro- moths and other insects were also made. The speaker showed slides of some of the moths found in the area. BENHS FIELD MEETINGS Leigh Woods NNR, Bristol, 16 June 1990 Leader: R. J. Barnett. This joint meeting with the Royal Entomological Society (West Region) and the Entomology Section of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society was attended by a small number from each society. The afternoon session took in the National Nature Reserve managed by the NCC, part of the Forestry Commission woodland and the towpath along the River Avon. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 61 Leigh Woods have long been recognized for their immense botanical interest, but the invertebrates have not been as fully explored as one might think. The NCC and Forestry Commission are both re-introducing coppicing and it will be interesting to monitor the effects this may have on the invertebrate fauna. Good numbers of the beetles Sinodendron cylindricum (L.) and Ptilinus pectinicornis (L.) were flying in the afternoon sunshine, but generally insects were rather elusive. Andrew Duff reported Rhizophagus parallelocollis Gyll. which, although not a particularly rare beetle, appears to be the first record for the old county of Somerset (vice counties 5 and 6). The evening light-trapping session brought reinforcements of BENHS members from Wiltshire, Devon and South Wales, running, in all, six lights. Sixty-seven species of macro and fifteen micros were recorded of which the most interesting were Discoloxia blomeri (Curt.), Ectropis extersaria (Hiibn.) and Stauropus fagi (L.), the latter in good numbers. Interestingly there appeared to be a high proportion of ab. conversaria (Hiibn.) in the examples of Alcis repandata (L.) which were seen. There was no sign of Sabra harpagula (Esp.) which has not been recorded here since 1938. Perhaps the best capture of the evening was the beetle Pseudocistela ceramboides (L.) which was picked off one of the light traps. Despite running the traps close to the Gorge edge, thankfully nobody disappeared over the precipitous cliff! Glovers Wood, Surrey, 4 August 1990 Leader: R. D. Hawkins. Three members braved temperatures forecast for the nineties to visit this woodland near Charlwood (TQ 225404). Broad-leaved woodland was perhaps the best place to escape the heat on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year. The trees surrounding a small overgrown pond in the corner of the wood have been cleared by conservation volunteers to improve the habitat for water plants and insects, and here we found the ladybird Halyzia 16-guttata (L.) and the dragonfly Sympetrum sanguineum (Miiller), neither recorded previously from this area. In this part of the wood the trees originate from the abandonment of coppicing and are of much the same age and size. During a long walk through this rather uniform woodland, we beat two specimens of the stilt-legged assassin bug Empicoris vagabundus (L.) from the understorey of hazel and holly. A deep ghyll meandering through the wood has the richest flora and this alone is considered ancient woodland. Here the conservation volunteers have cleared a large area in an attempt to reintroduce the coppice cycle. Beside the dried-up stream we found adults and larvae of the shieldbugs Palomena prasina (L.), Dolycoris baccarum (L.) on thistles, and the sedge-feeding Eurygaster testudinaria (Geoffroy). Purple hairstreaks were numerous and many had come down to seek moisture from the remaining damp patches of the stream bed. One expired at our feet and our attempts at resuscitation proved unsuccessful. Here we met Kent naturalist Clive Stickland who owns two plots in a section of the wood sold off to private owners in small plots of about an acre each. After inviting us to an elegant lunch seated around a rustic table in his plot, Clive took us round the other private areas. He has recorded over 30 species of butterfly for the wood and we admired a fine example of the valesina form of Argynnis paphia L. the silver- washed fritillary. Also in Clive’s plot we found the large mirid bug Oncotylus viridiflavus (Goeze) on knapweed (Centaurea) and the hazel leaf-rolling weevil Apoderus coryli(L.), recorded from here twice previously. By late afternoon the heat had taken its toll and, although the leader wished to continue searching for an elusive 62 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 grasshopper, by a majority vote we decided to call it a day. The major part of the wood is owned by the Woodland Trust, and we offer them our thanks for allowing us to study insects in the wood. Dungeness, Kent, 29 September 1990 Leader: R. Dyke. With a southerly wind blowing and after finding a convolvulus hawk-moth, Agrius convolvuli (L.) on the famous railway sleepers, hopes were high for the coming night’s trapping. Even when it began to pour with rain, anticipation was not dampened. Unfortunately results did not quite come up to expectations although two more Agrius convolvuli at m.v. light were very welcome. All the local moths turned up, therefore most of the 11 members and friends who attended went home fairly happy. The following is a list of species seen at light or sugar: Udea JSerrugalis (Hiibn.), Nomophilia noctuella (D. & S.), Idea seriata (Schr.), Opisthograptis luteolata (L.), Ennomos alniaria (L.), Aspitates ochrearia (Rossi), Agrius convolvuli (L.), Agrotis segetum (D. & S.), A. ipsilon (Hufn.), A. puta ssp. puta (Hibn.) Noctua pronuba (Hufn.), N. comes (Hiibn.), Paradiarsia glareosa ssp. glareosa (Esp.), Xestia c-nigrum (L.), Xestia xanthographa (D. & S.), Mamestra brassicae (L.), Lacanobia oleracea (L.), Aporophyla australis pascuea (Humph. & Westw.), Aporophyla nigra (Haw.), Polymixis flavicincta (D. & S.), Eumichtis lichenea ssp. lichenea (Hiibn.), Agrochola lota (Clerk), Omphaloscelis lunosa (Haw.), Xanthia togata (Esp.), Xanthia icteritia (Hufn.), Phlogophora meticulosa (L.), Luperina testacea (D. & S.), Nonagria typhae (Thunb.), Autographa gamma (L.). Bure Marshes NNR, Norfolk, 6 October 1990 Leader: A. P. Foster. The leader was the sole attendant at this daytime meeting on a very windy, though warm autumn day. Among the species recorded during the morning, on the Woodbastwick Marshes section of the NNR, was an abundance of the flea beetle, Longitarsus rubiginosus (Foud.) on the bindweed Calystegia sepium (L.). SHORT COMMUNICATIONS New records of some Geomyza species (Diptera: Opomyzidae).—I had the unusual experience in June 1990 of finding two species of Geomyza new to me from Britain although I had found one of them previously in France. Although the species of the family Opomyzidae develop in grasses, several are rather poorly known as indicated by Collin (1945) who keyed the British species of the family. Little other than occasional records of some of the less common species have been published in this country since, apart from the addition of Geomyza angustipennis Zett., recognized by having no wing marking other than the apical spot, by Andrewes (1964). The other addition to the British list was made by Vockeroth (1961) who drew attention to the confusion by Collin (1945) of two species under the name combinata (L.) and figured the genitalia of both species from British specimens. The more frequent of them, balachowskyi Mesnil (1934) is included in the British check list (Kloet & Hincks, 1976), which omitted the other species for which Vockeroth had used the name combinata, because the use of the name was dubious as discussed by Cogan & Dear (1975) who reported that Linnaeus’s type of combinata was not a Geomyza. The name combinata has, however, been used in the subsequent European BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 63 literature (e.g. Martinek, 1978; Sods, 1984) and it would be desirable for its usage to be fixed and the name of the second British species to be clarified to avoid further confusion. Both species are apparently widespread in Britain but much material in collections needs to be checked to determine whether their distribution differs. Collin (1945) stated that he had not seen a British specimen of venusta Meigen, although it appeared in the 1976 check list without qualification. Confirmation of its presence here was provided when A. A. Allen collected it on chalk downland at Downe, Kent in 1973 and 1980 (Allen, 1977; 1982). Then Clemons (1984) added another Kentish record from a chalk grassland site near Gillingham. On 16.vi.1990, at Aston Rowant NNR, Bucks., I found the species to be present amongst long grass both on the roadside verge adjacent to the reserve (on the clay with flints capping the area) and in a small enclosed area containing taller vegetation on the lower slopes within this chalk downland reserve; three males and three females were collected. G. venusta is apparently frequent in parts of Europe and I had collected it previously in herb-rich meadows in France (Lot), near Payrac, 14.x.1978 and St Martin en Vers, 24.vi.1980. It resembles ‘‘combinata’’ and balachowskyi in general coloration but differs in the genital structure and the absence of clouding on the r-m cross vein. On 24.vi.1990, during the Society’s field meeting at Slab Common, Hants, I swept a single male of Geomyza which proved to be majuscula Loew, from marginal vegetation by a small pond adjoining carr in a valley subject to much disturbance by military manoeuvres. Collin (1945) recorded this species as new to Britain on females from Chippenham and Burwell Fens, Cambs., and I am unaware of any more recent published British records, although Speight (1979) recorded a female from a lakeside fen in Co. Clare, Ireland. G. majuscula resembles the very common species tripunctata Fall. but is a little larger and may be distinguished by the characters given by Collin (1945). It was described from Austria and occurrence in southern Europe without further detail is indicated by Sods (1984).—P. J. Chandler, Weston Research Laboratories, Vanwall Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 4UF. REFERENCES Allen, A. A. 1977. Geomyza breviseta Cz. and G. venusta Mg. (Dipt., Opomyzidae) in West Kent, the latter confirmed as British. Ent. Rec. J. Var. 89: 221-222. Allen, A. A. 1982. The recurrence in Britain (W. Kent) of Geomyza apicalis (Meig.) and G. venusta (Meig.) (Dipt., Opomyzidae). Ent. Mon. Mag. 118: 46. Andrewes, C. H. 1964. Geomyza angustipennis Zett. (Dipt., Opomyzidae), a species new to Britain. Ent. Mon. Mag. 100: 167. Clemons, L. 1984. Some interesting Diptera records from north Kent in 1982. Ent. Rec. J. Var. 96: 202-206. Cogan, B. H. & Dear, J. 1975. Additions and corrections to the list of British Acalypterate Diptera. Ent. Mon. Mag. 110: 173-181. Collin, J. E. 1945. The British species of Opomyzidae (Diptera). Ent. Rec. J. Var. 57: 13-16. Kloet, G. S. & Hincks, W. D. 1976. A check list of British insects. Second Edition. Handbk Ident. Br. Insects 11(5): 1-139. Martinek, V. 1978. Species of the family Opomyzidae (Diptera) in Czechoslovakia. Dipterologica Bohemoslovaca 1: 155-173. Mesnil, L. P. 1934. A propos de deux diptéres nouveaux de la famille des Opomyzidae. Revue Fr. Ent. 1: 191-207. Sods, A. 1984. Opomyzidae. In Sods et al., Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera. Vol. 10, Clusiidae- Chloropidae. 402 pp. Speight, M. C. D. 1979. Eumerus tuberculatus, Geomyza majuscula and Pteromicra leucopeza: insects new to Ireland, including a key to British Isles Eumerus species. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 397-399. Vockeroth, J. R. 1961. The North American species of the family Opomyzidae (Diptera, Acalypterae). Canad. Ent. 93(7): 503-522. 64 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Ctenophora flaveolata (F .) (Diptera: Tipulidae) new to Gloucestershire.—A single female of the rare ‘old forest’ cranefly Ctenophora flaveolata was found in Cirencester Park Woods, Gloucestershire on 6.v.1990. It was seen flying through an area of the mature beech woodland of Mosses Copse (SO 999022) and was captured when in landed on a trackside. This species is listed as category 1 (endangered) in the British insects Red Data Book (A. E. Stubbs, in Shirt, 1987), which picks out the New Forest as possibly the best area. This recalls the discovery in the same woodland complex of the fungus gnat Neoempheria lineola (Meig.) in 1986—another New Forest speciality (Chandler, 1987)!—Keith N. A. Alexander, 22 Cecily Hill, Cirencester, Glos GL7 2EF. REFERENCES Chandler, P. J. 1987. Notes on British fungus gnats of the smaller families and sub-families (Diptera, Mycetophiloidea). Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 20: 105-118. Shirt, D. B. (ed.) 1987. British red data books: 2. Insects. Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough. Hypena obsitalis (Hiibn.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) temporarily established in Devonshire.— Whilst on holiday at Torbay, I found a small colony of H. obsitalis (the Bloxworth snout) on a cliff path on the evenings of 2 and 3.viii.1990. On the first evening eight specimens were seen, which nearly equalled the total of nine recorded singletons for this rare immigrant to Great Britain and Ireland (Heath & Emmet, 1984; Skinner, 1984). Four specimens of this variable species were kept and the others released. The following night seven specimens were boxed and then released. With one specimen having a torn left forewing not turning up the second night, the total number for the two nights was twelve. With the past history of only singletons occurring, it seems that with such a number in one locality, the species could be temporarily established on the south Devonshire coast. The exact locality is not being revealed. It is hoped that the species can become resident, as has happened in the Channel Islands. The stretch of cliff path, where the specimens were found, was 140 metres in length, though one male was found 50 metres further along the path. Flight time was from dusk until midnight, with a peak at 11 pm. Two specimens were jarred out of sloe bushes before dusk. The moths were startled and attracted by torch light but then flew off. Two were attracted up from the cliff face by the light shining down several metres. The moths all flew low, under a metre in height above the ground, except for two which flew out from higher Clematis vitalba L. blossom. The flight was slow with fore legs well extended in front. One was seen flying low over Parietaria judaica, one of its continental foodplants.—A. H. Dobson, 282 Britten Road, Basingstoke, Hants. RG22 4HR. REFERENCES Heath, J. & Emmet, A. M. 1984. The moths and butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Colchester: Harley. Skinner, B. 1984. Colour identification guide to moths of the British Isles. London: Viking. THE PROFESSOR HERING MEMORIAL RESEARCH FUND The British Entomological and Natural History Society announces that awards may be made from this Fund for the promotion of entomological research with particular emphasis on: (a) leaf-miners (b) Diptera, particularly Tephritidae and Agromyzidae (c) Lepidoptera, particularly Microlepidoptera (d) general entomology in the above order of preference having regard to the suitability of candidates and the plan of work proposed. Awards may be made to assist travelling and other expenses necessary to fieldwork, for the study of collections, for attendance at conferences, or, exceptionally, for the costs of publication of finished work. In total they are unlikely to exceed £600 in 1991/92. Applicants should send a statement, if possible in sextuple, of their qualifications, of their plan of work, and of the precise objects and amount for which an award is sought, to Dr M. J. Scoble, Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 6BD, as soon as possible and not later than 30 September 1991. Applications are invited also from persons interested in borrowing the Wild M3 Stereomicroscope and fibre optics illuminator bequeathed to the Fund by the late Edward Pelham-Clinton, 10th Duke of Newcastle. Loan of this equipment will be made for periods of up to 6 months with the possibility of extension. INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS Contributions must be typed double-spaced on one side only on A4 paper with 3-cm margins either side to facilitate marking up. Layout should follow that of the Journal, but apart from underlining scientific names, no marks should be made to define typeface. It is helpful, but not essential to send two copies of typescripts and figures. Line figures and half-tones are accepted. Writing on figures should be neatly added, or listed separately for typesetting, its placing indicated on a duplicate figure. Seek advice before drawing. Reduction may otherwise necessitate redrawing. Colour illustrations may be available, please write to the Editor. Authors of main articles qualify for 25 free offprints taken directly from the Journal. These may contain extraneous matter such as short communications or book reviews used as ‘fillers’. Extra copies must be ordered when proofs are returned; these will be charged to the author at the printers’ cost price. MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY are held regularly and the well-known ANNUAL EXHIBITION and ANNUAL DINNER are planned for Saturday 26 October 1991 at Imperial College, London SW7. Frequent Field Meetings are held at weekends in the summer. Visitors are welcome at all meetings. The current Programme Card can be had on application to the Secretary at 32 Penton Road, Staines, Middlesex TW18 2LD. SUBSCRIPTION RATES London members £15. Ordinary members £10. Junior members (under 21) £4. Corporate members £15. Life membership £500. Membership joining fee (payable by all new members) £1. Send to: Assistant Treasurer, May-y-mar, Minster Drive, Minster-in-Sheppey, Kent ME12 2NG. BRITISH JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY 11 1S 13 47 VOLUME 4, PART 1, APRIL 1991 ARTICLES Monochroa moyses sp.n., a new gelechid moth mining the leaves of Scirpus maritimus L. R. W. J. UFFEN Misidentification of Diaphania hyalinata (L.) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Pyraustinae) in the British Lepidoptera fauna. J. A. CLAVIJO A. AND E. MUNROE Scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) as parasites of earthworms (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae). R. H. L. DISNEY The effect of leaf age on the performance of the birch aphid Euceraphis betulae (Koch). G. EDWARDS-JONES PROCEEDINGS AND TRANSACTIONS 1990 Annual Exhibition, Imperial College, London SW7—27 October 1990 British Butterflies British Macrolepidoptera British Microlepidoptera Foreign Lepidoptera Diptera Coleoptera Hemiptera Hymenoptera Orthoptera and Dictyoptera Arachnida Illustrations BENHS Indoor Meetings, 13 June 1990 to 15 January 1991 BENHS Field Meetings SHORT COMMUNICATIONS Xylophagus cinctus Degeer (Diptera: Xylophagidae) new to Wester Ross. K. N. A. ALEXANDER Polistichus connexus (Fourcroy) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) on Wimbledon Common. M. HENDERSON Diptera in the Epping Forest area. M. W. HANSON Trigona-mimicking hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the Amazonian rainforest? J. M. OLESEN New records of some Geomyza species (Diptera: Opomyzidae). P. J. CHANDLER Ctenophora flaveolata (F.) (Diptera: Tipulidae) new to Gloucestershire. K. N. A. ALEXANDER Hypena obsitalis (Hibn.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) temporarily established in Devonshire. A. H. DOBSON 46 [, BY APRIL 1991 ISSN 0952-7583 Vol. 4, Part 2 LIBRARY cBritish Journal of = JUN 17 1997 ENTOMOLOGY*: “4: N. H, and Natural History, Published by the British Entomological and Natural History Society and incorporating its Proceedings and Transactions Price: £3.00 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT At the end of 1989 the Society vacated its rooms in the Alpine Club. Until the Society moves into new premises, the library and collections will be put into storage. Indoor meetings will be held at the Royal Entomological Society, 41 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The Journal will continue to be published as normal. Without a permanent address, it is important that members have clear and easy communication with the various officers to ensure the continued smooth running of the Society. The following is a list of useful addresses. Subscriptions and changes of address to the Assistant Treasurer: G. N. Burton, Mar- y-Mar, Minster Drive, Minster-in-Sheppey, Kent ME12 2NG. Applications for membership to the Membership Secretary: A. Godfrey, 10 Moorlea Drive, Baildon, Shipley, W. Yorks BD17 6QL. Non-arrival of the Journal, faulty copies or other problems arising from distribution of the Journal or notices to the Distribution Secretary: D. Young, 32 Valley Road, Burghfield Common, Reading, Berks RG7 3NF. Orders for books and back numbers of the Journal and Proceedings to the Sales Secretary: R. D. Hawkins, 30d Meadowcroft Close, Horley, Surrey RH6 9EL. General Enquiries to the Secretary: J. Muggleton, 30 Penton Road, Staines, Middx. TW18 2LD (Tel: 0784-464537). with the assistance of: Editor: R. A. Jones, B.Sc., F.R.E.S., F.L.S. T. R. E. Southwood, K.B., D.Sc., F.R.S. 13 Bellwood Road T. G. Howarth, B.E.M., F.R.E.S. Nunhead M. W. F. Tweedie, M. A., F.Z.S. London SE15 3DE E. S. Bradford (Telephone: 071-732 2440) R. W. J. Uffen, M.Sc., F.R.E.S. British Journal of Entomology and Natural History is published by the British Entomological and Natural History Society at the Editor’s address: BENHS, c/o The Editor, Richard A. Jones, 13 Bellwood Road, Nunhead, London SE15 3DE, UK. The Journal is distributed free to BENHS members. © 1991 British Entomological and Natural History Society Typeset by Dobbie Typesetting Limited, Tavistock Printed in England by Henry Ling Ltd, Dorchester ae ae ee OL eee cee ee ee ee ee ee © Pe ay a BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 65 MATE-GUARDING IN EPHYDRA RIPARIA FALLEN (DIPTERA: EPHYDRIDAE) I. F. G. MCLEAN 109 Miller Way, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambs. PEI8 8TZ. On 5.viii.1989 at the edge of a saltmarsh pool near Aldeburgh, Suffolk (TM 461546) I found a pair of flies belonging to the family Ephydridae with the male mounted on the dorsal surface of the female. I took five close-up photographs of these flies, one of which is reproduced here (Plate III Figure 4). While observing the two flies through the viewfinder of the camera I noticed that the male was not in copula with the female, but rather riding on her dorsal surface in a posture characteristic of mate- guarding behaviour. After spending perhaps 5 or 10 minutes stalking and photographing the flies, they were captured and subsequently determined as Ephydra riparia Fall., using the key by Collin (1963). A variety of mate-guarding strategies are reviewed by Thornhill & Alcock (1983) including some adopted by members of the Diptera. I have not been able to trace any published references to mate-guarding in Ephydridae, though observations of mating behaviour in what are typically small flies are likely to be difficult. Recently, Dyte (1988) published a detailed account of mate-guarding in Hydrophorus oceanus (Macq.) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) another saltmarsh species, where the males are much smaller than the females and possess raptorial forelegs which grasp the thorax of the female. Additionally, a male-biased sex ratio was recorded in H. oceanus, which is in accordance with other insects which adopt mate guarding behaviour. Ephydra riparia does not have any obvious morphological adaptations for mate guarding and the sexes are of a similar size. It would be of interest to investigate the sex ratio in this species and to make more detailed observations of the pre- and post-copulatory behaviour. REFERENCES Collin, J. E. 1963. The British species of Ephydra (Dipt., Ephydridae) Entomologist’s Mon. Mag. 99: 147-152. Dyte, C. E. 1988. Mate guarding and sex ratio in Hydrophorus oceanus (Macquart) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) The Entomologist 107: 122-126. Thornhill, R. & Alcock, J. 1983. The evolution of insect mating systems. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. PLATE Ill. 1-3. Some interesting European spiders. F. M. Murphy. 1991. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 4: 69-76. 1. Macrothele calpeiana. 2. Palpimanus orientalis eating Tegenaria agrestis in the latter’s web. 3. Lycosa tarantula. 4. Mate-guarding in Ephydra riparia Fallen (Diptera: Ephydridae). |. F. G. McLean. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 4: 65. Pentax ME Super, 100mm f4 Takumar macro lens set at f32, total 150mm extension with +3 diopter close-up lens, Olympus T28 twin-head macro flash, Agfa CT100 colour reversal film. 66 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4; 1991 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS A new British species of Neurigona Rondani (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Anglesey.—During the Diptera Recording Scheme’s meeting at Bangor in 1987 I took a female Neurigona at Newborough Warren NNR, Anglesey, which keyed to biflexa Strobl in Parent (1938), and this was later confirmed from a new Palaearctic revision of the genus (Negrobov & Fursov, 1988). I have since compared it with a female from a series of both sexes taken in Portugal by Peter Dyte. The Welsh specimen has lost both third antennal segments, but otherwise agrees with the Portuguese specimen in all respects except that the latter has one or two black bristles among the pale ones at the apex of the front coxae, while the mid-coxal bristles are all black, whereas the Welsh specimen has all pale front coxal bristles and a few pale among the black on the mid-coxae. Peter Dyte tells me that his other Portuguese specimens of both sexes show some variation in this character, but the Welsh specimen is within the range. In both sexes of N. biflexa the head and thorax are dark in ground colour and heavily grey dusted, the abdomen is yellow with black basal bands on tergites 2-4 which are about half the tergite length in males and one-third in females. The antennae and legs are all yellow, except the front tarsi which are black in males only. The wing venation readily distinguishes biflexa from other British species, the 4th vein (m1 + 2) is strongly undulating beyond the posterior cross vein (m-cu) and convergent with the 3rd vein (r4+5) meeting the costa close to the tip of that vein and well before the wing tip. The distance between the tips of the 2nd and 3rd veins is four times that between the 3rd and 4th veins. I swept the Newborough female in an area of scrub in the centre of the Warren well away from any trees, and a more promising area for finding further specimens would seem to be the belt of forest between the dunes and the estuary to the north west. The type locality of biflexa is in southern Spain and it seems not to have been recorded from that region again until Peter Dyte captured his series in May 1989 from the Algarve in southern Portugal. I am grateful to Peter Dyte for the loan of his specimen and permission to quote his record.—Jonathan Cole, 2 Lenton Close, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE18 8TR. REFERENCES Negrobov, O. P. & Fursov, V. N. 1988. Revision of the Palaearctic species of Neurigona Rondani (Diptera Dolichopodidae) 11. Entomologicheskoye Obozreniye 67(2): 405-416. Parent, O. 1938. Diptéres Dolichopodidae. Faune de France 35: 1-720. Xylota xanthocnema Collin (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Kent.—On 8.vii.90 whilst collecting in Knole Park, Sevenoaks, Kent, my eye was caught by a Xy/ota hovering around the slightly buttress-style roots of a large beech tree. It proved to be X. xanthocnema. This species is not recorded in Chandler (1969) and may be new to the county. Stubbs & Falk (1983/1986) record the larva as having been found in the exudate and rot holes of yew trees, but suggest that it probably uses deciduous trees as well. The specimen in Knole Park flew around several knobbly roots and may have been looking for oviposition sites. There were no rot holes or exuding areas on that particular tree, but the surrounding leaf litter was quite thick.—Richard A. Jones, 13 Bellwood Road, Nunhead, London SE15 3DE. REFERENCES Chandler, P. J. 1969. The hoverflies of Kent. Trans. Kent Field Club 3: 139-202. Stubbs, A. E. & Falk, S. J. 1983 (reprinted 1986). British hoverflies: an illustrated identification guide, London, BENHS, p. 226. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 67 THE 1989 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS—PART 1 REPORT F. M. MURPHY 323 Hanworth Road, Hampton, Middlesex TW12 3EJ. A year or so ago when I was inducted into the Presidency and I sat in the chair occupied by so many eminent entomologists in the past I was suddenly, and to me unexpectedly, overcome and failed to thank you all properly for the great honour which you did me. I thank you now, I am duly grateful to the society for all it has done for me. I will start by bidding a sad farewell to the five members who died in the past year. ARTHUR W. GOULD died on the 18 May, 1989. He was born in 1910 and joined the society in 1949. He was a keen coleopterist but had lost much of his collection during the war when it was stored in a garage and suffered from damp. From 1963 onwards his health was poor and his sight deteriorated and he was unable to continue with entomology. EDWARD TRUNDELL died on the 17 July. He was in his 80s having joined the society in 1948. He usually purchased butterflies and gave up collecting some years ago. He was also interested in clocks and was secretary of the Horological Society. T. S. H. WORDSWORTH’s death was reported to us by solicitors. He lived in Lancashire and joined the society in 1986. He gave his interests as Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. He was a member of the dipterist’s recording scheme. I have failed to discover any more about him. STANLEY JACOBS died on the 14 September in his 92nd year. Although he joined the society in 1923 he was not actually the longest standing member (Mr Couchman of Tasmania joined in 1922). Mr Jacobs was a very active member, he was secretary for about 7 years and was president twice. He presented the society with many books, specimens, and so on. He was interested in the Microlepidoptera and produced beautiful illustrations of them as well as writing papers on the subject. He was active and attended meetings till a very short time ago. His familiar stocky figure will be very much missed. Mr BOWMONT WEDDELL died on 22 January, 1990 at the age of 96. He joined the society in 1945 and latterly lived in Trowbridge. He exhibited in the early 1960s (Micro- lepidoptera) and kept his interest in entomology till a week or two before his death. We have already stood in memory of our departed members and I will not ask you to stand again. Now I expect that you would like to hear about our attempts to find new rooms for the Society. After some thought we decided that to buy a house of our own, even if we could afford it would involve us in a great deal of administrative work and leave us vulnerable to vandals. So we tried to find some organization with a meeting room available which would rent a suitable room for the library and collections to us. If it had been possible we would have liked to use the Duke of Newcastle’s legacy to buy a long lease. Truly commercial rents are quite out of our reach but even the rents asked by academic bodies are of the order of £15 000-£20 000 per annum and they would not be likely to fall! So we should have little security as rises in rent would probably force us out before long. We are still negotiating with one such body but on the whole we are thinking that it might be best to move out of London. There we might be able to afford to build spacious, custom-designed premises. There is a possibility of attaching ourselves in this way to Dinton Pastures Country Park a ‘few miles east of Reading. This place has good road and rail connections. In these circumstances we would probably try to have some evening meetings in London, 68 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 here if the Royal Entomological Society continued to put up with us and have weekend meetings at Dinton Pastures. This separation of evening meetings from the collections and library would be a considerable disadvantage but even so this may be our best option. I am grateful to council for their tolerance and helpfulness during the past year and I particularly give thanks, on behalf of the Society as well as myself, to the secretary, John Muggleton for his imperturbable cheerfulness, as well as his hard work negotiating with one of our possible new homes and to the librarian Stephen Miles for his efforts to find us a new place. Though these efforts came, in a sense, to nothing they made clear the nature of our problem. He also arranged and masterminded the move and his meticulous planning overcame many problems. I would also like to thank the curator Peter Chandler for his silent devotion to the Society’s collections, including overseeing their removal into storage and caring for them in store. He is also negotiating for the possible new home in the country. The Society is lucky to have such an energetic and knowledgeable entomologist as a curator. It has given me great pleasure to work with such congenial companions towards our common end. And what is this common end? What is the Society trying to do? The Byelaws tell us that our object is the promotion and advancement of biology, especially entomology, by a variety of means. | think that our special purpose is and should be, to help the serious amateur. It does seem to me, and I think that my successor agrees with me, that this time in the wilderness should be used to give thought to the Society’s future. Do we make the best use of our excellent collections? Could we make more use of our library of books and journals? Should we start a recruiting drive as soon as we are settled in a new home? Finally, I offer our most grateful thanks to the Royal Entomological Society for their kindness and their hospitality. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 69 THE 1989 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS—PART 2 SOME INTERESTING EUROPEAN SPIDERS F. M. MURPHY 323 Hanworth Road, Hampton, Middlesex TW12 3EJ. Since 1992 is nearly upon us I thought it might be useful to discuss some of the interesting spiders which are found in other parts of Europe, mainly in the south since the spiders of northern Europe are much like ours. I will try to give an idea of their behaviour and their appearance in the field. At the moment spiders are divided into two sub-orders. The Mesothelae with one family, namely the Liphistiidae, are found only in the Far East. The Opisthothelae have two infraorders, the Mygalomorphae and the Araneomorphae which are separated by the arrangement of the chelicerae and fangs. In Europe they can also be separated by the numbers of book lungs, four in Mygalomorphae and two or in some cases none, in the Araneomorphae. The second pair of book lungs is found behind the epigastric fold and usually shows up as two pale patches. The Hypochilidae, Austrochilidae and Gradungulidae which combine Araneomorph chelicerae with four book lungs are not, and are not likely to be, found in Europe. In the Araneomorphae the chelicerae open out sideways and so do the fangs. In the Mygalomorphae the chelicerae move up and down and the fangs fold up underneath the chelicerae. The Araneomorphae are generally considered to be more highly developed than the Mygalomorphae. In Britain we only have one Mygalomorph spider, Atypus affinis (Atypidae) which lives in a silk-lined burrow. The silk lining is continued above ground to give a closed sleeve or purse. There are more members of this family in Europe but they are all very similar. One finds the purse web when grubbing in the herbage or when turning stones. Only the males ever leave the burrows. In southern Europe there are five more families of Mygalomorphs. At least that is the state at present: the family structure of spiders is having a grand overhaul and it is quite a job to keep up with the changes. In the far south there is a genus Ischnocolus of small (say 25 mm or so) Theraphosid spiders. These are found (like most of the Mygalomorphs) under stones or in burrows. They are brownish, sometimes with chevrons on the abdomen and with a coat of fine smooth hair. Like all Theraphosidae they have scopulae on the tarsi and metatarsi and claw tufts surround the two claws on the tarsi. The red hairs surrounding the fangs in their resting position are characteristic of Theraphosids. To digress a minute the scopulae of the big arboreal Theraphosids found in the tropics enable them to walk up a vertical sheet of glass, turn round and walk down on the other side! However I would not expect the ground living European species to be able to do this. I have not seen Jschnocolus but Peter Harvey found two in the far south of Spain. I do not have any picture of a European Jschnocolus so I include a picture of a typical Ischnocolus, I. maroccanus from Morocco (Fig. 8). In Gibraltar and nearby Spain there is a Hexathelid, Macrothele calpeiana (Plate I, Figure 1). This spider should be regarded with caution, another member of the family is the Sydney funnel web spider Atrax robustus. The spider lives in a rather vague funnel web among or under stones. It appears quite aggresive and will stand its ground, raising its carapace preparatory to unfolding its fangs ready to bite! There is another species M. cretica in Crete. The spinners of Macrothele species are very long and wrap themselves round the base of the abdomen in a characteristic fashion. 1991 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 70 For caption see page 72. -8 Figs 1 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 71 Figs 9-17. For caption see page 72. 72 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Figs 1-22, pages 70-72. 1 Latrodectus sp. 2 Argyrodes argyrodes. 3 Zoropsis spinimana. 4 Olios argelasius. 5 Cyrtocarenum sp. 6 Trap-door of Cyrtocarenum sp. 7 Nemesia dubia female. 8 Ischnocolus maroccanus (photograph by Peter Kirk). 9 Hersiliola macullulata. 10 Tama edwardsi. 11 Loxosceles rufescens. 12 Uroctea durandi. 13 Web and retreat of Uroctea durandi. 14 Argiope trifasciata, female with male in web above her. 15 Filistata insidiatrix. 16 Web of Filistata insidiatrix. 17 Cyrtophora citricola. 18 Stegodyphus lineatus. 19 Palpimanus gibbulus. 20 Web of Stegodyphus lineatus. 21 Peucetia arabica. 22 Retreat of Zodarion sp. The Nemesiidae, Ctenizidae and Cyrtauchenidae are all trap-door spiders. They dig burrows of greater or lesser complexity and mostly finish the burrows with a trap- door. At night they push the door up a bit and sit just under it waiting for prey. Burrows are sometimes found without doors. I think that this is usually due to the doors having been pecked off by Hoopoes. If brought back home and installed in a pot full of sand or peat with a starter burrow sunk in it the spiders establish themselves in the burrows provided and make a trap door. However Nemesia corsica brought back last year from Corsica has made a sort of curtain or folding door to her burrow. The reason for this difference is not clear to me. Nemesiids which look much the same and are the same size have made trap doors. Nemesiid males have mating hooks on the first pair of legs. These three trap door families used to be classed together as Ctenizidae. The Nemsiidae differ from the Ctenizidae as now defined because they have scopulae and the fovea is recurved. Also they tend, in my experience, to be patterned. The Ctenizidae BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 73 have a procurved fovea and no scopulae. There are also other differences but they are difficult to see in the field. Cyrtocarenum is a typical Ctenizid genus (Figs 5 and 6). I have not seen a European cyrtauchenid and I doubt if they are easily found. The cyrtauchenid that I have from Kenya does not make a trap door but has a permanently open entrance to her burrow. Now I will move on to the Araneomorphae. Some of the Araneomorphs have an extra spinning plate—the cribellum—in front of the other spinners. They also have a comb of stiff hairs—the calmistrum—on the metatarsus of the fourth pair of legs. The silk from the cribellum is combed out by the calmistrum to give a very adhesive, fluffy, blueish silk. It used to be considered that the presence or absence of the cribellum and calamistrum defined entirely different groups of spiders. Nowadays it is considered that many of the e-cribellate spiders are descended from cribellate ancestors and the presence of a cribellum no longer determines a major division. A pity because the cribellum is often easy to see! Hunting spiders are nearly all e-cribellate. The Filistatidae have very long palps rather like those of Theraphosids. They live in holes in banks and trees and lay a calmistrated web of radiating threads against the surface. This catches crawling creatures such as ants, woodlice, etc. Filistata insidiatrix is the common European species (Figs 15 and 16). Loxosceles rufescens (Loxoscelidae) is the common European Loxosceles species (Fig. 11). They are found underneath stones in a vague blueish web which looks calamistrated though it is not. They are six-eyed spiders with their eyes arranged in a characteristic pattern (see Fig. 23). Scytodes species (Scytodidae) also have this eye arrangement but they are heavily patterned and the eyes are not so noticeable. Loxosceles species are considered dangerous and may not be brought into the country alive without special permission. Congeners in the Americas seem to be somewhat carapace synanthropic and have nasty bites which cause long-lasting sores. Palpimanidae is an interesting family. In Europe I have seen Palpimanus gibbulus (Fig. 19) and P. orientalis. These two species can only be told apart under the microscope. They have very heavy front legs with scopulae somewhat on the outside face of the tarsi. These legs they seem to use almost like antennae to feel their way. The spiders are found Fig. 23. Carapace of Loxosclessp. under stones and are slow moving. In captivity after Levi. they proved difficult to feed. Then one day in Corfu we found one in the cell of a male Salticid. To our surprise the Salticid was being eaten and not the Palpimanus. In fact Palpimanus is a specialist spider eater. On Cephalonia the turning of a stone revealed Palpimanus orientalis eating the much larger Tegenaria agrestis (Plate I, Fig. 2). She had somehow entered the Tegenaria’s retreat and killed her. In captivity they prey on most spiders. I have noticed that predatory creatures do seem to be rather unwary and to make easy prey for predators possessed of a suitable strategy. _ Eresidae are cribellate spiders and make webs for prey catching. Eresus niger is found in Britain though it is very rare. However in the south of Europe Eresus species are fairly common. This is a genus that needs sorting out and there are probably 74 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 several different species. The females are a velvety black sometimes with red on the head or the abodmen. The male is much smaller and commonly bright red with four black dots on the abdomen and a black head. Eresus is usually found in a shallow burrow under a stone with a funnel of pinkish cribellate silk. Stegodyphus lineatus (Fig. 18) is another European member of this family. They build a large, more or less vertical meshed sheet web (Fig. 20) between low shrubs or shrublets with a cornucopia shaped retreat nearby. My husband once found a female in one of these retreats with seven males! He asked me if I felt deprived. The genus Stegodyphus has recently been reviewed by Otto and Margaritte Kraus and S. /ineatus was found, in spite of its variable colouring, to be the only European species. Oecobiidae is one of the families that as now defined contains both cribellate and e-cribellate members. The latter were formerly called Urocteidae. Oecobius is a small spider about 3 mm long. She builds on the underside of a stone. The structure is a double sheet web with a number of entrances and the spider lives between the two sheets. Oecobius, though in captivity she will take other food, is an ant specialist. Uroctea is a much larger e-cribellate spider, perhaps 15 mm long, black often with four or five white or golden spots on the abdomen. The web is similar in structure to that of Oecobius only much larger (Fig. 13). A trip thread can be seen stretching for quite a distance. Presumably these spiders feed on ants, woodlice and other insects which crawl over the stone. I have found Uroctea difficult to keep alive in captivity. Hersiliidae is a tropical family. In Kenya we saw them on tree trunks, motionless, waiting for prey. It was a great surprise to find them in Spain on the Costa del Sol. It seems that 5 million or so years ago Europe was joined to Africa at Gibraltar and presumably this explains the residual African fauna and flora in this region. Both Tama edwardsi (Fig. 10) and Hersiliola (Fig. 9) were living and presumably hunting on the underside of stones. Actually we found Hersiliola first and as it has its long spinners hidden by an overhanging abdomen it took us some time to place it. Hersiliola makes a curious retreat, unlike any other that we have seen. The spider attaches small stones (or similar objects) to short (between 5 mm and 10 mm long) silk threads. These hang down all round the spider and presumably signal the arrival of prey or predators. It may also hamper predators. Hersiliids catch their prey by holding their very long spinners above the prey and whizzing rapidly round with the spinners at the centre of motion. The Oecobiids behave in exactly the same way although they have the prey partially held by the web. The Theridiidae are a well known British family and there is nothing particularly interesting about Latrodectus species (Fig. 1) except their dangerous venom. One may not bring Latrodectus species (black widows) back into the country alive without special permission. The spiderlings are rather pretty with their 13 red, white-surrounded dots. The adult females may or may not lose all colour, including the red hour-glass mark on the ventral surface of the abdomen. The genus is one of the (many) spider genera which need sorting out and I suspect that there are several species in Europe though L. tredecimguttatus is the best known. More interesting are the kleptoparasites belonging to the genus Argyrodes (Fig. 2). These are found in the webs of other spiders, often on a few threads that they have attached to the web of the owner. They are frequently silvery and oddly shaped. They share the food caught by the owner of the web or steal unconsidered trifles or even eat the owner. Argiope bruennichi may have half a dozen Argyrodes in her web. Talking of Argiope there are two other species of these large handsome araneids to be found in Europe, namely A. /Jobata and A. trifasciata (Fig. 14). We have seen all three of these spiders on a small scruffy beach just south of Ibiza Town, Ibiza. Argiope is one of the genera which have miniature males. These males may mature much sooner than their sisters. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 75 Another interesting araneid is Cyrtophora citricola (Fig. 17). This spider builds a very different kind of web. The orb web is horizontal and has such a fine pitch that it looks like netting. It is not sticky. The threads of the superstructure pull the centre of the web up into a retreat where the spider rests, often with a leaf for camouflage. In Africa these spiders often build their webs colonially and the structure may be built up to reach the telephone wires but such colonies are not found and presumably are not viable in Europe. The big Lycosids of southern Europe are the other spider group which lives in burrows, they tend to finish these burrows with some sort of parapet and do not make trap doors though they sometimes silk over the burrow entrance. I normally carry a small mirror in the field and I was using this to see into a Lycosid burrow when I noticed that the moving spot of reflected sunlight interested the spider and she came up to the top! The big Lycosa species have striking black and white stripes on the underside of the legs and bright orange and black patterns on the ventral surface of the abdomen. The colour plate (Plate 1, Fig. 3) shows the famous (or infamous) Lycosa tarantula. The dorsal pattern is typical of Lycosidae, being much like that of our A/opecosa accentuata. There is one Oxyopid in Britain but several more in Europe including the beautiful green Peucetia species (Fig. 21). These are hunters of the sit-and-wait variety. They are often found on slightly sticky aromatic plants and appear to feed mainly on caterpillars. The Zodariidae were added to the British list by Peter Harvey who found Zodarion italicum living in a chalk pit at Grays, Essex. These spiders are probably fairly common in Europe but as they normally spend all day in their little ‘igloos’ (Fig. 22) only emerging to feed at dusk on sleepy ants they are not often seen. The Zoropsis species (Fig. 3) used to have their own family, Zoropsidae but now are (rather oddly) placed in the Zoridae. Zoropsis are cribellates but make little, if any, use of silk for prey capture. In captivity they simply grab their prey. They do however use cribellate silk for making egg sacs. Generally the egg sacs are placed between two flat stones in cells which are large enough to house the female who remains on guard. Nevertheless the larva of Mantispa styriaca manages to enter the egg sac, consume the eggs and complete its development in the egg sac. The Heteropodidae are represented in this country by Micrommata virescens but in southern Europe there are Olios argelasius (Fig. 4) and Eusparassus dufouri, both large hunting spiders. They are often found in outsize silk cells under stones. This family has scopulae on the tarsi and metatarsi which enable the spiders to run up and down reeds with great speed and in captivity they can even walk on the underside of the top of a plastic box in which they are kept. I have only been able to mention a few spiders which for some reason struck me as particularly interesting or noticeable. I have even left out my favourite family, the Salticidae, in spite of the numerous and very colourful species in southern Europe. They are easy to recognize from the four large eyes on the front of the carapace. The handsome Philaeus chrysops male with his black carapace and red abdomen with a longitudinal black stripe.is one of the most frequently noticed species in the Mediterranean area. Further reading. As far as I know there are no books which give much information about the spiders of southern Europe. A Guide to Spiders and their Kin by H. W. & L. R. Levi, published by Golden Press, New York is a small inexpensive booklet which gives a remarkably good coverage of spiders and other arachnids, especially those of the northern hemisphere. Die Schonsten Spinnen Europas Nach Farbfotos Erkannt by Jorg Wunderlich, published by J6rg Wunderlich has a number of photographs from southern Europe. The text is in German. The Country Life Guide to Spiders of Britain and Northern Europe by Dick Jones, published by Country Life 76 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Books, includes some spiders which are found in southern Europe and so does the German book Spinnen, beobachten-bestimmen by Heiko Bellman published by Neumann-Neudamm. SHORT COMMUNICATION New records of Asindulum nigrum Latreille (Diptera: Keroplatidae).—The British status of this large (7-8 mm body length) entirely black gnat, which has an elongate proboscis and feeds at flowers on wetlands, was touched on by Chandler (1987) although an old Oxfordshire record by Hamm (1926) was overlooked then. Surprisingly, new records have accrued each year since 1987. A. nigrum has been found at two new sites in Norfolk during the Nature Conservancy Council Survey of wetlands in East Anglia by Andrew Foster and Deborah Proctor, and the 1990 Winchester-based field meeting of the Diptera Recording Schemes disclosed its presence in the Itchen Valley, Hampshire. The Norfolk sites are Mills Marsh, 27.vi.1988, male and female, (A. P. Foster) and 27.vi.-11.vii.88, male and two females, (water traps at same site); Woodbastwick NNR, 14.vii.1989, male, at Oenanthe fistulosa L. flowers (A. P. Foster). Previous flower feeding records have been from Heracleum or Angelica flowers (e. g. Morley, 1920). These sites are, in common with those in Hampshire mentioned below, peaty fenland in the flood plains of calcareous rivers. In Hampshire it was first collected on 10.vii.1990 by John Dobson who found a male and two females by sweeping near the edges of cattle-grazed fields with a good variety of herbaceous vegetation on Winnall Moor, a wetland local nature reserve by the River Itchen just north of Winchester. This site was much frequented during the week because of the abundance of Syneches muscarius (F.) (Hybotidae) but no further examples of A. nigrum could be found. However, on 14.vii.1990, a similar lightly grazed site by the River Itchen near Ovington, where a few S. muscarius were also found, was worked and sweeping fen vegetation produced two males and a female of A. nigrum (A. E. Stubbs and P. J. Chandler). Umbels were not available at these sites (Angelica was present but not yet in flower) although Heracleum was checked in nearby hedges at Winnall Moor. Examination of other flowers of which meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria L.) was dominant, was unsuccessful during my visits. This was attributed to the hot and dry weather conditions. These new discoveries suggest that A. nigrum should be sought more widely in wetland habitats although it has not been found by the extensive recent Nature Conservancy Surveys of such sites in Wales or Oxfordshire, despite the old record from the latter county mentioned above.—P. J. Chandler, Weston Research Laboratories, Vanwall Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 4UF. REFERENCES Chandler, P. J. 1987. Notes on British fungus gnats of the smaller families and sub-families (Diptera, Mycetophiloidea). Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 20: 105-118. Hamm, A. H. 1926. Diptera, pp. 248-279. In: Walker, J. J. (Ed.). The natural history of the Oxford district. 1-336. Oxford University Press. Morley, C. 1920. Collecting fungus gnats. Entomologist 53: 83-84. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 77 NOTES ON THE BUTTERFLIES OF OSTERGOTLAND, SWEDEN IVAN KRUYS Barstad Sédergard, 59202 Borghamn, Sweden. INTRODUCTION AND BRIEF GEOGRAPHY With a human population of eight and a half million, and an area approaching twice that of the UK, Sweden is a comparatively sparsely populated country. This means that even though half of Sweden’s area is forested there is still a good range of habitats supporting a total of 113 species of butterflies (115 if L. camilla and A. iris are included, but iris has been recorded only once, and camilla is now extinct in Sweden, but seems to reappear from time to time in the south west). Osterg6tland, with an area of 10,562 sq. km, is a county about the size of Yorkshire and is situated between Lake Vattern and the Baltic (Fig. 1). The central plains, wi i Fe ARC ) ARETIC cine Fig. 1. Ostergotland, shown by the hatched area. consisting of rich clay soils, are fairly intensively cultivated. The less fertile areas to the north, south and east consist largely of thin soils and granite outcrops. Except for the mountains and tundra regions it can be said that Osterg6tland represents most of the different types of habitat to be found in Sweden; much in the same way as Dorset can be said to represent the English habitats. What makes this county particularly interesting are the limestone areas in the west and the associated basic soils, 78 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 as well as the special habitats offered by the archipelago along the east coast, where the effects of glaciation are especially obvious. Here there are expanses of smooth volcanic rock which make up the thousands of islands, the soil cover is generally thin, the pine trees are more stunted and sparse and the more open areas are rich in Sedum (foodplants of apollo and orion), as well as orchids. The obvious effects of the ice ages in the east is a reminder that the whole of Sweden has been sculptured by glaciation. There are pockets of grit and sand and basic soils may be found some miles from their original limestone source. This may explain the presence of some limestone-associated species like C. minimus and M. cinxia in areas far away from the nearest crop of limestone. Vast tracts of land are strewn with huge boulders carried by glaciers and providing habitats for species such as L. petropolitana. In the final analysis, however, it is Man’s effect on the environment that counts whatever the geological basis may be. Except for a few small isolated areas nothing in Osterg6tland has been left untouched. This means that there are practically no areas of ancient forest. Virtually all the forested areas are planted, cleared, then replanted. The more recent forestry methods have resulted in large areas of dense relatively sterile tracts of spruce, but as in Britain the latest trends are towards mixed or deciduous plantations. Clear felling is also being talked about as damaging because of the increasing problems caused by acid rain. Some of the older pine forests still remain scattered throughout the county, however. These provide the core to the Swedish enjoyment of the countryside. Apart from orienteering and cross-country ski-ing, a favourite pastime is bilberry and mushroom picking, which because of the sparse population, causes negligible damage. Such types of forest are good reserves for woodland butterflies as well as other insects including beetles, especially cerambycids. The county’s climate is interesting from an entomological point of view. Most winters are of the Continental type with average temperatures one or two degrees below freezing. This means that it can sometimes get as cold as — 20 °C. Spring then only lasts a few weeks until the end of May, when a warm Continental type of summer is likely to follow, with temperatures over 20°C until September. Most of the precipitation then occurs during the spring and autumn. Mild Atlantic winters do occur from time to time, the latest being 1988/89 and 1989/90. SYSTEMATIC LIST About 70 species of butterfly are known in Ostergotland. They are listed as follows, together with any comments drawn from my own observations made since I moved to Sweden in 1986. P. machaon (L.) can be seen most years, mostly in the Baltic archipelago, where its foodplant is Angelica archangelica L. I have also come across it flying along roadsides in mixed woodlands. P. apollo (L.) is now very rare and its decline may be associated with the effect of acid rain on its habitat in the Baltic archipelago. Although its foodplant, Sedum maximum, is found both on neutral and acid soils, acidification releases manganese which the larvae cannot tolerate when absorbed by the foodplant. This may explain why it (ssp. linnaei) is still common on Gotland, an island consisting almost entirely of limestone. Its close relative, P. mnemosyne, does not occur in Ostergétland and is found only in two areas in Sweden; to the north west of Stockholm in Uppland and in Blekinge in the extreme south west of Sweden. A. crataegi (L.) is quite common in the older more established mixed woodland areas, where its foodplant is rowan, Sorbus aucuparia L. 1989 was a good year for it. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 79 P. brassicae L., P. rapae L., P. napi L., and A. cardamines L. The status of these common butterflies appears to be about the same as in the UK. C. palaeno (L.) Compared with most of Sweden Ostergétland is not rich in acid bogs, where this butterfly is found. The north of the county is more typical in having more coniferous forest and bogland containing its foodplant, Vaccinium uliginosum L. (bog whortleberry). It can appear as early as the beginning of June when the summers are hot and dry, as in 1989 and 1990. G. rhamni (L.) is one of the most common butterflies in the sunnier patches of mixed and coniferous forests. It is also occasionally found in the more open and cultivated areas. L. sinapis (L.) is a common woodland butterfly, especially in the old and more established pine forests. Two generations are usual in Ostergotland and the most common foodplant seems to be bitter vetchling, Lathyrus montanus (L.). L. populi (L.), is likely to be seen in the less disturbed mixed woodland areas wherever there are good stands of aspen, Populus tremula L., with some young trees. It is not common, and when the occasional one is seen, it is either flying 3-4 m above the ground, or it has come down to suck moisture and minerals along grit roads or on rotting carcasses. It flies only for a short period during mid summer. N. antiopa (L.) appears to have become scarcer in recent years and is more readily seen along the Baltic coast. Several individuals may gather to suck sap oozing from an oak tree. A. urticae (L.) is at least as common as it is in the UK, a succesion of generations during the summers of 1989 and 1990. The increasing nitrogen content of most soils in southern Sweden has encouraged the spread of nettles. P. c-album (L.). Though not as common, it favours similar habitats to L. sinapsis and can appear as early as March, together with G. rhamni, though much more confined to territories. V. cardui L. and V. atalanta (L.). Numbers vary from year to year. Entirely dependent on migration as they cannot overwinter in Sweden. I. io (L.). Though well distributed throughout the county, for some reason it has become quite scarce, which raises several questions about its differences from other nettle-feeding species. A. paphia (L.), M. aglaja (L.) and F. adippe (Schiff.). These woodland butterflies are still common in the older pine and mixed forests (adippe is called ‘the common mother of pearl butterfly’ when its name is translated from the Swedish). Dog violets, Viola riviniana Rchb., are common and except where the older stands of trees have been clear felled and replanted with spruce there is little evidence of a drastic decline so far. Smaller clearings appear, if anything, to encourage them: their foodplants still thrive and good sources of nectar in the form of various composites abound. Traditional forestry methods have ensured that these and other woodland butterflies have thrived in Sweden. Modern methods involving heavy machinery and dense conifer monoculture are unfortunately reducing the numbers of good forest habitat and this may be a threat to the future status of these butterflies. F. niobe (L.) appears to be more common in the drier, more sparsely forested areas to the east of the county. It is not easy to distinguish from adippe. I. lathonia (L.). 1990 was a good summer with successive generations May to September. Its status in Scandinavia is supported by immigrants from the south, though nucleus populations survive most Swedish winters. _ B. ino (Rott.) is a common fritillary wherever there is damp meadow or marsh ' land in woodlands. The Swedes call it ‘the meadowsweet butterfly’, after its foodplant, Filipendula ulmaria (L.). 80 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 P. eunomia (Esp.)—ssp. subargentata and B. aquilonari (Stichel): though both these species are more widespread in northern Sweden, where eunomia is found as ssp. ossianus, in Osterg6tland and the south they are entirely confined to acid bogs, especially the larger ones and those that are less disturbed by ditching. C. euphrosyne (L.), C. selene (Denis & Schiff.), and M. athalia (Rott.) are common throughout most of Ostergétland, sharing the same biotopes as the other woodland fritillaries. Athalia is the most variable, some individuals being quite dark, while others have a varied distribution of markings. Traditional forestry methods involving the creation of clearings with minimal soil disturbance is vital for their survival. M. cinxia (L.) is not uncommon round Omberg, a large granite outcrop by Lake Vattern; also in suitable dry habitats in the Baltic archipelago. M. diamina (L.). Its status in Ostergotland is uncertain, but colonies may still be found in old damp meadows in the wooded areas of the south. There are no reports in recent years. M. britomartis (Assmann) can be found in old drier meadows in the eastern and southern parts of the county. E. aurinia (L.) is very rare or absent in Ostergotland, but was once found in the north east of the county. H. semele (L.) is fairly common in the Baltic archipelago and similar rocky dry biotopes along the shores of the larger lakes. O. jutta (Hiibn.) is rare in the county, but found in some of the acid bogs of the north. It is more common in the north of Sweden. It has a 2-year life cycle and is more likely to be seen in the even years. E. ligea (L.) is quite common and widely distributed in the county in the more established coniferous forests. It is very wary and difficult to photograph, except when settled on field scabious, Knautia arvensis (L.). Like jutta, it has a 2-year life cycle, and though seen every year is more numerous in the odd years; 1985 was especially good. M. jurtina (L.) has declined as it has in Britain, but it is still found throughout the county where there is old meadowland, round the edges of ski-slopes, etc. A. hyperantus (L.) is much more common than jurtina, it is found in most uncultivated moist grassy areas, round the edges of woods, roadsides etc. C. tullia (Miller, 1764) is more readily found in marshy, rather than boggy areas as form tullia with small ocelli (Henriksen & Kreutzer, 1982), but according to Higgins & Riley they are likely to be form demophile. It is interesting to note, however, that there is considerable variation between individuals in one colony. C. pamphilus (L.). Similar biotopes to Britain and common. C. arcania (L.). This butterfly is common in Ostergotland. It is found in the drier and more sheltered grassy areas round the edges of woods and in clearings. Like other members of its genus, it never settles with open wings. P. aegeria (L.). Similar forms and habitat to those found in Britain. It is not common, but widespread throughout the county both in mixed and coniferous forest. L. megera (L.) is rare, but sparsely distributed in the Baltic archipelago. L. maera (L.) is common, and shares the same habitats as the woodland fritillaries, but it requires in addition a rocky and rather dry terrain. Often seen along woodland roads, where it takes up a rather linear territory of about 100 m, resting on the sun- warmed surfaces of rocks and boulders. This behaviour, and its later emergence, helps one to distinguish it from petropolitana. L. petropolitana (F.) is a shy butterfly with a much more confined territory than maera. A boulder-strewn or rocky environment in or surrounded by well-spaced pine trees is a typical habitat. Emerges in May, at about the same time as sinapis and about a month earlier than maera. Not as common as maera. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 81 L. achine (Scop.). Surveys carried out by the Ostergétland Entomological Society have shown that this rare butterfly has its stronghold in only a few sites to the south of Link6éping on the Swedish mainland. (Form rambringi is found on the island of Gotland.) Its behaviour is still being studied, but Carex montana L. appears to be the choice foodplant. In Ostergétland its habitat is confined to mature oak woodland mixed with other deciduous trees and hazel coppice, among which the butterfly is usually found. The habitat is maintained by means of controlled cattle grazing. Unfortunately a reduction of this type of grazing land has led to its decline during the last 20 years and recent dense conifer plantations have acted as barriers in the event of possible expansion. Efforts are being made to provide landowners with financial incentives to preserve and maintain the remaining habitats which are the last strongholds of several rare insects. See Plate IV, Figs 3 and 4. H. lucina (L.). Work is also being carried out to map out the distribution of this fairly rare butterfly. It is found in small colonies in central and western Ostergotland, though its foodplant, the cowslip, Primula veris L. is much more common. T. betulae (L.). In southern Sweden betulae is likely to be found wherever there are good numbers of blackthorn bushes, Prunus spinosa L., especially in the less forested areas. It can be seen during August but is difficult to photograph in hot dry summers when there is a shortage of flowers when it flies. Q. quercus (L.) is well distributed wherever there are oaks. S. w-album (Knoch) is usually seen where U/mus glabra Huds. is well established and is therefore well distributed in the county. C. rubi (L.) is common in non-cultivated areas, as in the rest of Sweden. L. phlaeas (L.) is widespread in central and southern Sweden. H. virgaureae (L.) is common in most non-cultivated areas near forests. Probably southern Sweden’s most common copper. P.hippothoe (L.) is declining, but colonies can still be found in damp, undisturbed clearings in forests in the county where there are plenty of wild flowers. Unfortunately modern forestry and agriculture methods are threatening this type of habitat and may be causing the decline of this species. C. minimus (Fuess.) is quite common along the shores of Lake Vattern where there are dry slopes with kidney vetch. Old disused gravel pits where the foodplant occurs are also typical habitats in Ostergétland. C. argiolus (L.) is not hard to find in most unspoilt mixed forested areas. As holly and ivy are absent in the county, bilberry, buckthorn, and heather are the foodplants. The first generation appears in April and May, then a partial second in July. G. alexis (Poda) is sparsely distributed along the Baltic coast and in the south of the county in suitable dry habitats. M. arion (L.). There are a few colonies in the north east of the county. It is rare in Ostergétland. (Two of its best strongholds in northern Europe are the Swedish islands of Oland and Gotland.) S. orion (Pallas) is very rare, but has recently been found in the Baltic archipelago to the north east. P. argus (L.) is common in drier undisturbed habitats, usually near woodland. L. idas (L.) is fairly common, especially in the east, where there are dry acid soils and wooded heaths. L. argyrognomon (Bergstr.) In Sweden, this rare species is found only in north east Smaland and the adjoining part of Ostergétland, where there are good patches of Astragalus glycyphyllos L. Found in colonies. 82 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 V. optilete (Knoch). Like palaemon, which shares its foodplant, (Vaccinum uliginosum L.) it is found in most acid bogs. Occasionally it strays well away from its habitat. E. eumedon (Esp.). Likely to be found in more open deciduous woodlands, where there are plenty of wild flowers as well as its foodplant, Geranium sylvaticum L., or G. sanguinum L. by Lake Vattern. A. artaxerxes (F.). Widespread on most dry undisturbed open habitats rich in wild flowers, including the most likely foodplant in Ostergétland, Geranium. C. semiargus (Rott.). In most years it is common near cultivated or grazed land where there are damp grassy areas with vetches. P. amanda (Schneid.). This large silvery blue butterfly is usually to be found where there are plenty of wild flowers, including its foodplant Vicia cracca L. Common in southern Sweden, but appears to have declined in 1989 and 1990. In Ostergétland about 30% are ssp. azurea, which are easily distinguished from f. amanda by noting that half of the upper surfaces of female’s wings are blue whereas those of the remaining 70% are dark brown. P. icarus (Rott.). Status and individual variation about the same as in the UK. P. malvae (L.). Common in most of the forested areas of the county where there are plenty of spring wild flowers. P. alveus scandinavicus (Strand). Rare; said to occur in dry habitats on the shore of Lake Vattern and along the Baltic, but there are no recent records. E. tages (L.). Though often seen together with malvae, it is less common and prefers drier habitats. T. lineola (Ochs.). More common in the county than suggested by the distribution map according to Henriksen and Kreutzer (1982). Favours sunny areas round woodlands. O. venatus (Turati). Common and well distributed throughout the county. H. comma (L.) is common in Ostergétland. It is found in the less disturbed forest clearings, especially by paths and roadsides, as well as in the more open habitats, similar to the downs of southern England. SUMMARY AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This survey of the status of the butterflies of Ostergétland is based on notes taken during my residence in Sweden, together with comments from members of the Ostergotland Entomological Society, especially Magnus Wadstein and Kjell Antonsson, to whom I am grateful. Compared with most of the rest of Europe Ostergotland, like Sweden as a whole, is still well endowed with relatively unspoiled habitats. Though forestry methods have greatly reduced the status of many species, there is an awareness that these methods must not be allowed to continue, not only because of what is happening to the rest of Europe, but because the Swedes themselves are proud of their wildlife. REFERENCES Henriksen, H. J. & Kreutzer, I. B. 1982. The butterflies of Scandinavia in nature. Skandinavisk Bogforlag. Imby, L. 1989. Fjarilar i Sverige. Raben & Sjégren. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 83 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS Eubria palustris Germar (Coleoptera: Psephenidae) in Wales.—Between 15.vi and 13.vii.1988, five specimens of EF. palustris were found in pitfall traps set out at Cors Erddreiniog National Nature Reserve, Anglesey. This work was carried out as part of the Nature Conservancy Council’s Welsh Peatland Invertebrate Survey. This would appear to be the first occasion upon which this beetle has been found in Wales. There are records from nine other vice counties in Britain, but of these only two, Dorset and North Hampshire, relate to recent records. There appear to be two major loci of records; firstly from seepages on soft rock coastal cliffs and secondly from wetlands inland. The Cors Erddreiniog records are clearly referable to the second type. The habitat was a wet field, flushed with groundwater from springs derived from underlying carboniferous limestone strata. The characteristic of these waters is that whilst being very rich in calcium, they are poor in other major plant nutrients. This gives rise to a fascinating mixture of calcicole and calcifuge plants, with grass of parnassus, fly orchid, black bog rush and blunt-flowered rush being intimately mixed with Sphagnum mosses, heather Calluna vulgaris (L.), cross-leaved heath Erica tetralix L. and purple moor grass Molinia caerulea (L.) amongst others. It seems likely that shallow runnels are a key requirement for one or more of the early stages of the beetle’s life history. Our thanks are due to Professor John Owen for confirming our identification and to Mark Parsons for much useful information on the distribution of the beetle.—D. C. Boyce, P. R. Holmes & D. K. Reed, Nature Conservancy Council, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, Dyfed SY23 3EE. Epuraea distincta (Grimmer) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in Devon.—Beetles of this species were plentiful on a soft fungus growing on the trunk of a Salix sp. bush growing along a stream at the edge of an area of ash/sycamore woodland near St. Catherine’s Tor (SS 229239) in North Devon, 2.iv.1989. This is a rare species nationally and, so far as I am aware, has not previously been reported from Devon. It is interesting to note that Roger Key (pers. comm.) in the same year took this species in the Chipman Valley on the north Cornwall coast, essentially a similar site.—Keith N. A. Alexander, 22 Cecily Hill, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 2EF. Aderus populneus (Creutzer) (Coleoptera: Aderidae) and other deadwood beetles from Stowe Park, Buckinghamshire.—A biological survey of the recently acquired National Trust land at Stowe Park (SP 675370) on 28.viii.1990 revealed a rich and varied deadwood fauna.:The rarest beetle found was Aderus populneus, a species not to my knowledge found in the county previously. A single specimen was beaten from an old ash tree in the Oxford Avenue. Also of particular interest were: Dorcatoma flavicornis (F.), found in a fallen oak bough in Oxford Avenue, together with Bitoma crenata (F.) and Scolytus intricatus (Ratz.); and Xyleborous dryographus (Ratz.), under bark on a fallen beech to the south of the lakes, together with Dacne bipustulata (Thunb.). Other beetles found amongst dead and decaying timber within the parkland included Litargus connexus (Fourc.), Sinodendron cylindricum (L), Ctesias serra (F.), and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Steph.). Simon Grove also found an elytron of an Ischnomera sp. in dead wood, presumably J. cyanea (F.). 84 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Stowe Park is obviously an important site for beetles in the context of Buckinghamshire. The present landscape garden was developed on the site of a medieval deer park, and the rich beetle fauna demonstrates that there has been good continuity of old trees and deadwood through its long history.—Keith N. A. Alexander, National Trust, Spitalgate Lane, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 2DE. Trachys troglodytes Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Radnorshire.—Of the Welsh counties, so far only Cardigan (A. P. Fowles, pers. comm.) and Anglesey (S. J. Grove, pers. comm.) have been shown to have Trachys troglodytes. | was therefore pleased to spot the tell-tale egg-spot and leaf-mine on a leaf of Succisa pratensis Moench, devils-bit scabious, in a colour slide taken by J. C. E. Turner and shown to me by P. Jackson. The slide was taken in an area of Molinia/Cirsium dissectum (L.) fen meadow at Rhos Dwfnant SSSI in the old county of Radnor (SO 021601) on 14.vi.1988.—Keith N. A. Alexander, 22 Cecily Hill, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 2EF. Some nomenclatural changes to British Tortricidae (Lepidoptera).—Four years ago Razowski (1987) published a catalogue of the genera of Palaearctic Chlidanotinae and Tortricinae (Tortricidae) in which he introduced a number of new synonymies. As a consequence the generic combinations of six species of British Tortricidae were affected, but these changes have not yet been noted in the British literature. The Field guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera (Emmet, 1988), the most recent list of British Microlepidoptera, should be amended as follows. Species transferred from Trachysmia: Species no. 921, Phtheochroa inopiana (Haw.) 922, Phtheochroa schreibersiana (Fr6l.) 923, Phtheochroa sodaliana (Haw.) Species transferred from Croesia: Species no. 1035, Acleris bergmanniana (L.) 1036, Acleris forsskaleana (L.) 1037, Acleris holmiana (L.) K. R. Tuck, Entomology Department, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD. REFERENCES Emmet, A. M. (ed.) 1988. A field guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera (second edn), pp. 1-288. British Entomological & Natural History Society, London. Razowski, J. 1987. The genera of Tortricidae (Lepidoptera). Part I: Palaearctic Chlidanotinae and Tortricinae. Acta Zool. Cracov. 30: 141-355. Pammene suspectana (Zeller) in Huntingdonshire.—At the beginning of 1990 I decided to trap some of the woods in my home county of Huntingdonshire (VC31) for which no previous records of the moth fauna could be found, one of these was errr aa aaa BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 85 a privately owned wood situated near the southern border of the county. The majority of trapping was by the use of a white sheet with a 125-watt mercury vapour lamp placed in the centre approximately two feet six inches above the sheet. While running one of these traps on 6.v.1990, an unknown tortricid was caught. This was later identified by Mr E. F. Hancock as a specimen of Pammene suspectana, the sixth record for Britain. The first record of the species occuring in Britain was in 1975 when a specimen was caught, in Cambridgeshire, in a pheromone trap used in commercial plum orchards to moniter the incidence and flight activity of the male plum fruit moth (Cydia funebrana Treits.), subsequent records were in 1976 again in a Cambridgeshire pheromone trap; 1979 in Worcestershire in a pheromone trap; 1984 in a light trap in Wiltshire and finally in 1986, when one was found resting on foliage in Berkshire. I am most grateful to Mr E. F. Hancock for his assistance with the identification of this moth and for preparing the genitalia slide. —Barry Dickerson, 27 Andrew Road, Eynesbury, St Neots, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE19 2QE. Attraction of Palloptera usta Meigen (Diptera: Pallopteridae) to recently cut conifer wood and other notes on Pallopteridae.— Palloptera usta is a mainly Scottish species in Britain, as noted by J. E. Collin (1951) in his revision of British Pallopteridae. Collin also recorded it from two localities in Norfolk and I found it in Essex in 1989 (recorded in the field meeting report by Plant, 1989). I first found this species at Grantown on Spey, 17.viii.1986, where four females were found around the sapping stumps of recently cut pines. At Thorndon Park, Essex on 30.vii.1989 a male and two females were found around a stack of cut pine logs, from which sap was exuding. Then two females were found at rest on the cut ends of a stack of pine logs at Grantown on Spey again on 22.ix.1989. I also have single examples swept in pine forest at other Scottish localities: a male from Rothiemurchus, by River Luineag, 17.ix.1989; a female at Loch Garten, 17.ix.1989; a male from Rannoch Black Wood, 2.viii.1990. Several individuals were also present around a stack of conifer logs at Vysne Hagy, East Slovakia, Czechoslovakia on 5.1x.1990. No indication of feeding by the adult flies was obtained on any of these occasions. The larvae of P. usta are predatory on the larvae of Scolytidae under the bark of various conifers and also birch (e.g. Morge, 1956; Martinek, 1977; Ceianu, 1989). Ceianu (1989) also swept it from spruce trunks. The larval habit is shared with ustulata (Fall.) (Morge, 1956; Smith, 1957; I have reared it from elm bark attacked by Scolytus) and muliebris (Harris) (Séguy, 1934) and possibly umbellatarum (F.) among British species, while other species develop in herbaceous plants, although Morge (1956) suggested that the larvae of ustulata under maple bark were feeding on fungal mycelium in the absence of beetle larvae while he observed predation by them on other occasions. Collin (1951) cited records of usta and umbellatarum from flower heads of thistles but I suspect that the records are misidentifications of modesta (Meig.) (=parallela Loew of Collin), which is regularly associated with thistles and was frequently confused with umbellatarum by earlier authors. Most identifications have tended to be by wing markings and reared specimens which are likely to be in a teneral condition with markings faintly indicated are easily confused. 86 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Collin gave records of modesta being reared from Carlina species, Parmenter (1951) found it on Cirsium vulgare (Savi) and Ceianu (1989) found it on flower heads of Centaurea scabiosa L. | have found it on the heads of Cirsium eriophorum (L) with Terellia longicauda (Meig.) (Tephritidae) at North Leigh, Oxon, 4.viii.1970 and again in numbers on heads of C. eriophorum at Zdiar, East Slovakia, Czechoslovakia on 4.ix. 1990; T. longicauda has since been reared from flower heads collected on that occasion. I have also found modesta on partly open heads of C. vulgare at Runnymede, Surrey on 12.vii.1970 and have several records from riverside sites in Scotland where Cirsium heterophyllum (L.) was a likely host. It seems possible that the larvae of modesta are predatory on the larvae of Tephritidae within the flower heads, although Ferrar (1987) suggests a commensal relationship. Two other species of British Pallopteridae, sa/tuum (L.) and trimacula Meig., develop in stems of Umbelliferae (Collin, 1951; Stubbs, 1969); I have reared trimacula from Heracleum stems while two others are associated with stem bases of Monocotyledones, quinquemaculata (Macq.) in grasses (Nye, 1958) and scutellata (Macq.) in Juncus (as first suggested by Stubbs, 1969). The larvae of guinquemaculata are apparently phytophagous and this may be true of all species in herbaceous plants, although predation on other dipterous larvae cannot be ruled out until more detailed observations are made. All of these flies are generally found on or around their food plants, although scutellata is often found sheltering amongst denser vegetation in autumn or early spring as females apparently hibernate. The life history of the other less well known British species is unknown. I have found P. ambusta (Meig.) on several occasions, but always single females swept from dense herbaceous or shrubby vegetation in deciduous woodland, sometimes where diffuse sunlight is present. Collin (1951) recorded it only from Hereford while Fonseca (1952) found it regularly at one site in Gloucestershire. My records are: Hants, Selborne Hanger, 4.vii.1970, scrub at foot of steep slope in beech woodland; Isle of Wight, Rowridge Valley, 2.viii.1980, chalk scrub; Cornwall, near Coombe, 7.vii.1986, low vegetation in damp ash woodland; Gwent, Black Cliff, 9.vii.1986, scrub in sunlit clearing in dry ash wood; Oxon, Cothill, 2.vii. 1989, low tree foliage by shaded footpath alongside carr woodland.—P. J. Chandler, Weston Research Laboratories, Vanwall Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 4UF. REFERENCES Ceianu, I. 1989. Contributions to the knowledge of some families of Diptera Acalyptrata in Romania. 1. Trav. Mus. Hist. Nat. «Grigore Antipa» 30: 21-36. Collin, J. E. 1951. The British species of the genus Palloptera Fallén (Diptera). Ent. Rec. J. Var. 63: Supplement No. 5: 1-6. Ferrar, P. 1987. A guide to the breeding habits and immature stages of Diptera Cyclorrhapha. Entomonograph 8(1): 1-748 (pp. 271-273). Fonseca, E. C. M. d’Assis. 1952. A note on Palloptera ambusta Mg. and other species of Pallopteridae. Ent. Rec. J. Var. 64: 91-92. Martinek, J. 1977. Species of the genus Palloptera Fallén, 1820 (Dipt., Pallopteridae) in Czechoslovakia. Stud. Ent. Forest. 2: 203-220. Morge, G. 1956. Uber Morphologie und Lebensweise der bisher unbekannten Larven von Palloptera usta Meigen, Palloptera ustulata Fallén und Stegana coleoptrata Scopoli (Diptera). Beitr. Ent. 6: 124-137. Nye, I. W. B. 1958. The external morphology of some of the dipterous larvae living in the Gramineae of Britain. Trans. R. Ent. Soc. Lond. 110: 411-487. Parmenter, L. 1951. Notes on the distribution of Pallopteridae in Britain. Ent. Rec. J. Var. 63: 304-306. Plant, C. W. 1989. Thorndon Park, Essex, 22 July 1989. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 2: 176. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 87 Séguy, E. 1934. Faune de France: 28 Diptéres (Brachycéres) (Muscidae et Scatophagidae). 1-832. Paris. Smith, K.G.V. 1957. Some miscellaneous records of bred Diptera. Ent. Rec. J. Var. 69: 214-216. Stubbs, A. E. 1969. Observations on Palloptera scutellata Mcq. in Berkshire and Surrey and a discussion on the larval habitats of British Pallopteridae (Dipt.) Ent. Mon. Mag. 104: 157-160. Renocera striata (Meig.) (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) in Norfolk.—Single males of Renocera striata (Meig.) were captured at three separate sample locations in the Norfolk Broadland during 1988, using pitfall and water trapping techniques: Sutton Broad Marshes, TG 373234, 9-23.vi.88, pitfall; Rose Fen, Catfield, TG 374204, 5.vii-12.viii.88, pitfall; Catfield Great Fen, TG 365210, 12-24.viii.88, water trap. All three localities are in East Norfolk (VC 27) and situated on the flood-plain of the River Ant. The above records represent a marked south eastern extension to the known range of R. striata in Britain, with the majority of authenticated records being restricted to the Spey valley in Elgin (VC 95) and Easterness (VC 96). Ball & McLean (1986) provide a preliminary distribution map and Falk (in press) reviews the known records for Britain. R. striata has also been found in Ireland, with Chandler (1972) listing the known Irish records. Its biology is unknown, though Knutson (1970) believed that the larvae may attack pea mussels of the family Sphaeriidae. In addition, Stephenson & Knutson (1970) report that Renocera spp. and Ilione (Knutsonia) lineata (Fall.) eat only calcifuge Sphaeriidae. All three of the above trapping stations were located on peat substrates and J. lineata was also present at the two Catfield localities during 1988. These Norfolk records for R. striata have resulted from an extensive invertebrate survey of East Anglian wetlands, carried out by the Nature Conservancy Council. The known localities for R. striata in this region are, currently, confined to the River Ant valley, a site recognized for its outstanding conservation value in supporting one of the largest remaining areas of undeveloped species-rich fen in Britain. Though present at three sample stations, R. striata was not recorded from a further 67 operated in Norfolk and Suffolk during 1988. Moreover, all were investigated during similar time periods and by using the same sampling techniques (a row of five pitfalls plus two water traps), these included many trapping stations located in the other principal valley fen systems of the Norfolk Broadland, outwith the River Ant. We would like to thank Messrs C. Halfhead, D. S. A. and K. A. McDougall, and the Norfolk Naturalists’ Trust, for all their help and permission in allowing the field samples to be taken.—A. P. Foster & D. A. Procter, Nature Conservancy Council, 60 Bracondale, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2BE. REFERENCES Ball, S. G. & McLean, I. F. G. 1986. Sciomyzidae Recording Scheme Newsletter 2: Preliminary atlas. Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough. Chandler, P. J. 1972. The distribution of snail-killing flies (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) in Ireland. Proc. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 5: 1-21. Falk, S. J. (in press). A review of the scarce and threatened flies of Great Britain (part 1). Research and survey in nature conservation. Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough. Knutson, L. V. 1970. Biology of snail-killing flies in Sweden (Dip., Sciomyzidae). Ent. Scand. 1: 307-314. Stephenson, J. W. & Knutson, L. V. 1970. The distribution of snail-killing flies (Dipt., Sciomyzidae) in the British Isles. Ent. Mon. Mag. 106: 16-21. 88 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Presence of Syneches muscarius (Fabricius) (Diptera: Hybotidae) in the Test and Itchen Valleys in Hampshire.—This very distinctive empid with broad strongly maculated wings and bright red holoptic eyes contrasting with the black body in both sexes, was until recently known in the British Isles only from Dorset where it was first found in peaty meadows near Wool (Collin, 1961 and subsequent collectors) and then from Turner’s Puddle Meadows where Alan Stubbs found it to be frequent in a grazed peaty field on 4.vii.1984. More recent experience of the species began at Winnall Moor, a local nature reserve in Hants during a Diptera Recording Scheme field meeting on 25.vi.1989. It was discovered in the cattle-grazed fields at the northern end of this fenland reserve by the River Itchen just outside Wincheseter, by Peter Grainger who brought it to the attention of the others present. It was then found in numbers by Alan Stubbs and myself, mostly concentrated around small water-filled depressions in these meadows but also by general sweeping of the open herbaceous vegetation. This site was investigated intensively during the week long Diptera Recording Schemes meeting at Winchester in July 1990, when S. muscarius was found in very much larger numbers in this same area, providing the opportunity for all those attending the meeting who were interested in empids to observe the species. It was evidently restricted to several adjoining cattle grazed fields but apparently absent from the ungrazed fen areas at the south end of the Reserve. During an evening visit on 12.vii., when I was accompanied by Ken Merrifield who was able to photograph the species, large numbers of Syneches were in flight about 2-4 metres above the ground, forming rather loose aggregations rather than discrete swarms, possibly due to the very great numbers present. Some were observed on vegetation with prey, including Chironomidae and a Geomyza species (Opomyzidae). Investigation of some other sites in the Itchen Valley was repaid on 14.vii., when I swept a few S. muscarius from fen vegetation at the edge of lightly grazed water meadows near Ovington. Then, on 26.vii.1990, I visited Chilbolton Common, another floristically rich cattle grazed area by the River Test and was able to find one male of muscarius, presumably now near the end of its flying season, by sweeping low vegetation. This latter record is of interest both because of the similarity of the site to those in the Itchen Valley and its proximity to the Leckford Estate. The latter area has been extensively surveyed for Diptera, mainly by Alan Stubbs and myself, for over 20 years and Syneches has never been found there. However, grazed water meadows are of limited extent on the estate where ungrazed fen and carr predominate in the valley, although many of these areas have been water meadows in the past and we have not given much attention to the grazed fen areas of the estate during the summer. Further searching of other sites in these and other comparable valleys would be desirable to determine whether S. muscarius has a wider distribution. Its abundance at Winnall Moor should enable future work on its biology to be carried out there as its early stages and precise habitat requirements remain unknown. According to Chvala (1983) it is widespread in central and southern Europe and rather common in wet meadows, but it does not occur in northern Europe so its restricted southern distribution in Britain may be due to it being on the edge of its range here. S. muscarius is the only European species of a large tropical and southern hemisphere genus.—P. J. Chandler, Weston Research Laboratories, Vanwall Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 4UF. REFERENCES Chvala, M. 1983. The Empidoidea (Diptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. II. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica 12: 1-279. Collin, J. E. 1961. British Flies. Vol. VI. Empididae. 1-782. Cambridge University Press. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 89 Leptogaster guttiventris Zett. (Diptera: Asilidae) in Pembrokeshire.—I swept a single Leptogaster guttiventris on the cliffs of Good Hope, just to the east of Strumble Head, Pembs. (SM 918407), on 27.vi.1988. There are no Welsh records currently held by the Larger Brachycera Recording Scheme (M. Drake, pers. comm.), no record has been forthcoming in the 5 years of recording work by the Dyfed Invertebrate Group (1986-1990), and I am unaware of any Welsh records in the literature. My specimen came from rocky cliff slope grassland, apparently ungrazed at the time, but with communities suggestive of grazing within the last 5 years or so. The fly was swept from a patch of rank grassland growing amongst large rock outcrops, and including: Endymion nonscriptus (L.), bluebell; Orchis maculata, common spotted orchid; Lathyrus montanus (L.) bitter vetch, and Vicia cracca L. tufted vetch. Close by were finer areas, herb-rich and flowery, with such typical sea-cliff plants as Anthyllis vulneraria L. kidney vetch; Jasione montana L. sheep’s-bit scabious and plantain. Heathy patches were also present. In fact, a very undistinguished area for this coast.— Keith N. A. Alexander, National Trust, Spitalgate Lane, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 2DE. Urophora spoliata (Haliday) and Cryptaciura rotundiventris (Fallén) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Cornwall.—Two rare fruit flies were taken while sweep-netting at Pentargon Cliff near Boscastle in E. Cornwall (SX 100917), on 12.vii.89: Urophora spoliata, which was plentiful, and Cryptaciura rotundiventris, only one of which was found. The vegetation where the flies were taken is a rather rank herb-rich grassland with scattered bushes of heather and bell-heather. Saw-wort—the larval foodplant of U. spoliata—was locally abundant. White (1988) says that U. spoliata is only known from South Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and (pers. comm.) has further said that it is unknown outside Britain. I understand that it has also been found on the Lizard Peninsula in W. Cornwall (S. Falk, pers. comm.). C. rotundiventris is more widespread, but also very rare, and not previously reported from Cornwall. The Cornish Biological Records Unit have a record just over the county boundary in Devon, for Lydford Gorge, 1892, which is given in Thornley (1936). My thanks to Ian White for confirming my identification of U. spoliata, to Stephen Falk for information from the forthcoming national review of the status of British Diptera, and to Stella Turk for access to the records held in the Cornish Biological Records Unit.—Keith N. A. Alexander, National Trust, Spitalgate Lane, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 2DE. REFERENCE White, I. M. 1988. Tephritid flies. Diptera: Tephritidae. Handbk Ident. Br. Insects 10(5A): 33. Leopoldius signatus (Weidemann) (Diptera: Conopidae) also recorded at m.v. light.— Further to the note by Parsons (1990) reporting Leopoldius brevirostris (Germ.) at m.v. light, I can add the occurrence of L. signatus (Weidemann), the other British representative of the genus, also at m.v. light. Single females of L. signatus were captured in a Robinson 125-watt m.v. light trap operated in a garden at Mawnan Smith, Cornwall (VC 1), on the nights of 13-14.ix.1986 and 14-15.x.1986. Smith (1969) reports L. signatus as occurring at 90 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 ivy blossom and it may be significant that the Robinson trap was situated near to a large hedge of ivy, Hedera helix L. which may have been in flower at the time of these records. It would appear that the females of both British Leopoldius are active at night, however, I have not encountered either during many evenings and nights searching ivy blossom for moths.—A. P. Foster, 58 St Laurence Avenue, Brundall, Norwich NR13 SQN. REFERENCES Parsons, M. 1990. Leopoldius brevirostris (Germar) (Diptera: Conopidae) recorded at MV light. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 3: 142. Smith, K. G. V. 1969. Diptera Conopidae. Handbk Ident. Br. Insects 10(3a) Royal Entomological Society of London. Stratiomys singularior (Harris) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) in Gloucestershire.—A single Stratiomys singularior was found by Mrs S. Holland at Badgeworth Marsh Nature Reserve, E. Glos (SO 910205) in July 1990. It appears to be the first record for the county. The Marsh lies in a small depression on blue lias clay which fills seasonally with rain water and run-off from adjoining fields. It has a notably rich and interesting flora, including lesser spearwort Ranunculus flammula L., water-plantain Alisma plantago-aquatica L., marsh speedwell Veronica scutellata L., fen bedstraw Galium uliginosum L. and reed sweet-grass Giyceria maxima (Hartm.). It lies in the Vale of Gloucester some 7 or 8 km from the River Severn. Stratiomys singularior is most often associated with coastal and brackish marsh, but other inland freshwater sites are known, Fulmer Mere in Buckinghamshire (Gibbs, 1988) and along the River Nene near Peterborough (A. E. Stubbs, pers. comm.), for example. It is perhaps relevant, however, that the area between Badgeworth Reserve and the tidal Severn was the expanse of ‘‘Glocester Marshe’’ in Tudor times. My thanks to Sonia Holland for keeping the specimen and to Alan Stubbs for identifying it.—Keith N. A. Alexander, 22 Cecily Hill, Cirencester, Glos GL7 2EF. REFERENCE Gibbs, D. 1988. Some Diptera of Buckinghamshire wetlands. Dipterist’s Digest, 1: 36-37. ANNOUNCEMENTS Natural Science Collections South-Eastern Research Unit.—The Federation for Natural Science Collection Research (FENSCORE), is concerned with setting up a national database to provide information about the existence, content and location of biological and geological collections. These can be institutional, ie in universities, colleges or museums, or, in private hands. The information will go onto the computer of the Museum Documentation Association, based in Cambridge and this will be in full compliance with the Data Protection Act. To make the collection of data easier this is being organized on a regional basis and the South-Eastern Research Unit covers Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Greater London, Surrey, East & West Sussex, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 91 The information collected is quite basic and includes the name of the collection, its content in broad terms, status in terms of types and figured specimens, size and housing, together with brief biographical details about named collectors. The information is collected on a data record sheet, which has full guidance notes for completion. Much of the information can be supplied by ticking relevant boxes. Owners of collections can complete the sheets themselves, or, if preferred, a qualified curator can do this by mutual agreement. Anyone in possession of a permanent collection is respectfully urged to co-operate with this research, which is aimed at providing scholarly information concerning collection material. In the first instance please contact Jim Bateman, who is co- ordinating the south-eastern research on behalf of the Museums & Galleries Commission, at 5 The Crescent, Wood Green, Witney, Oxon. OX8 6EL. Tel: Witney (0993) 771593. The Pamber Forest/Silchester Common SSSI near Tadley, Basingstoke, North Hampshire comprises a range of habitats consisting of ancient woodland, heathland and unimproved meadows, some 700 acres in extent. Local nature reserve status is currently only afforded to the 500-acre Pamber Forest complex of which Mr. M. Davey is Warden. Traditionally, Pamber was well known to many entomologists though interest waned with the cessation of coppicing in the early 1960s and subsequent decline in many of the invertebrate populations. Since 1980, nature reserve management has been aimed at improving habitat conditions for a range of invertebrate groups coupled with the gradual compilation of species lists and specialist survey work—currently on Diptera, Hymenoptera Aculeata, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Trichoptera. Many of the less well known groups are poorly documented and few old records exist. Major gaps occur in the following groups: Hemiptera Heteroptera, Hymenoptera Parasitica, Neuroptera, Mecoptera and Megaloptera. The management committee would be interested to receive any past records of Pamber Forest from any entomologists who may have worked it in the last few decades. Records for the groups listed above are particularly needed, though records for all insect groups are useful, especially if dated and related to ‘Red Data Book’ status. Contact the Warden, M. Davey, 1 Vicarage Cottages, Church Road, Mortimer West End, Near Reading, Berkshire RG7 2HX. Welsh Harp (Brent Reservoir).—In conjunction with the Welsh Harp Conservation Committee, I am assembling records of all invertebrate groups from the Welsh Harp (TQ28, VC21). If anyone has, or knows of, any old or new records, I would be glad to hear from you.—John Dobson, 46 Elmwood Avenue, Harrow, Middlesex HA3 8AH. National review of the recording and conservation of the rarer British macro- moths.—Entomologists are being invited to assist in the compilation of a national review of the rarer British moths. An information pack is available from the address ~ below. It comprises: a list of biological record centres; county moth recorders, observers and contacts in underworked areas; an introduction to the scheme; notes 92 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 on the preparation of a short-list of nationally scarce species including examples of distribution maps; the short-list itself and a list of other national reviews and invertebrate site reviews. Anyone interested in participating in the review are asked to contact Paul Waring, Terrestrial Invetebrate Zoology Branch, Nature Conservancy Council, Northminster House, Peterborough PEI 1UA. Scottish entomologists’ gathering 1991.—The tenth meeting of the group will be based at the Scottish College of Textiles, Galashiels. The main interest of this area of the Borders lies in the Whitlaw Mosses National Nature reserve and in more than 100 other pockets of rich fen in all stages of the hydroseral succession to natural woodland and raised bog. There are also some of the finest rivers and streams in Britain, with large tracts of exposed gravel bed. The less recorded habitats are for those inclined either to walk (the submontane heaths of the Tweedsmuir/Moffat Hills) or to drive (the coastal cliffs of Berwickshire). There are also hanging valley Woodlands locally that require more entomological work. The local NCC officers are keen to help us, in particular by arranging access to some of the lesser known sites. Accommodation is in individual bedrooms and the cost, inclusive of breakfast, packed lunch and dinner, from Friday evening to Sunday midday, is likely to be around £45. Space will be provided for identification work but you must bring your own equipment. For those without cars, please note that there is only a bus service (no trains) to this part of the Borders. However, you can be sure of a lift in a fellow entomologist’s car once you arrive. If you wish to attend, please contact me at the address below. A deposit of £5 will secure a place.—G. N. Foster, The Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW. Hymenopterist’s meetings forthcoming.—Two meetings of potential interest to hymenopterists are currently in preparation in Sheffield. These are the Second Meeting of the International Society of Hymenopterists to be held during August 1991, and the Third Course on the Biology and Taxonomy of Parasitic Hymenoptera to be held in April 1992. Anyone interested in participating in either of these events should contact D. L. J. Quicke, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, PO Box 601, Alfred Denny Building, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2UQ. Telephone 0742 768555 extension 4628. Fax 0742 760159. Burnham Beeches: a request for records.—I am trying to compile a species list of all groups of invertebrates for Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire. The area is currently threatened by potential gravel digging (planning application number SBD/838/88C) and a public enquiry will be held next April.—Helen J. Read, Towerwood, Park Lane, Burnham Beeches, Bucks., SL1 8PN. Frohawk biography remaindered.—The book F. W. Frohawk—his life and work by June Chatfield was reviewed in this journal in 1988 (Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 1988; 1. 10). The remainder stock has now been bought up by the author from whom copies are available at the reduced price of £8 including postage, compared to the previously published price of £20. Write to June Chatfield, Anglefield, 44 Ashdeil Road, Alton, Hampshire GU34 2TA. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 93 The Professor Hering Memorial Research Fund.—The British Entomological and Natural History Society announces that awards may be made from this Fund for the promotion of entomological research with particular emphasis on: (a) leaf-miners (b) Diptera, particularly Tephritidae and Agromyzidae (c) Lepidoptera, particularly Microlepidoptera (d) general entomology in the above order of preference having regard to the suitability of candidates and the plan of work proposed. Awards may be made to assist travelling and other expenses necessary to fieldwork, for the study of collections, for attendance at conferences, or, exceptionally, for the costs of publication of finished work. In total they are unlikely to exceed £600 in 1991/92. Applicants should send a statement,if possible in sextuple, of their qualifications, of their plan of work, and of the precise objects and amount for which an award is sought, to Dr M. J. Scoble, Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 6BD, as soon as possible and not later than 30 September 1991. Applications are invited also from persons interested in borrowing the Wild M3 Stereomicroscope and fibre optics illuminator bequeathed to the Fund by the late Edward Pelham-Clinton, 10th Duke of Newcastle. Loan of this equipment will be made for periods of up to 6 months with the possibility of extension. BENHS PUBLICATIONS Larvae of the British Lepidoptera not figured by Buckler by G. M. Haggett, 1981, 150 pages, 35 colour plates, casebound. £18 (£12 to members), + P. & P. £2.00 (overseas £2.50). Eleven papers by the author published in the Society’s Proceedings between 1955 and 1980 are brought together in one bound volume. As well as the plates and descriptions of larvae, there is much useful information about the species, their habits and distribution. Most of the 78 species or subspecies treated are recently discovered, rare or migratory. Limited number remaining. This book went out of print in 1988, but some unbound copies and a few loose plates were recently discovered and 25 copies have now been bound up. Unfortunately | or 2 of the original 35 colour plates were not present, but these are included in the books as high-quality photocopies. A field guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera, edited by A. M. Emmet, 2nd edn, revised and enlarged, 1988, 288 pages, paperback £18 (£12 to members), casebound £22.50 (£15 to members), + P. & P. £1.50 (overseas £2.50). This book is packed with information, much of it previously unpublished. It contains life histories of almost all of the 1500 species recorded from the British Isles. There is also an index of foodplants which refers the reader to all species known to feed on each plant; this makes it possible quickly to identify larvae found or to narrow the choice to a small number of species. The second edition follows closely the format of its predecessor. The nomenclature has been brought up to date. Over 35 species added to the list since the first edition (1979) are included. Much more information about the life histories is incorporated. An identification guide to the British pugs, by D. Agassiz, R. Dyke, B. Goater, J. Langmaid, G. Senior and B. Skinner, 44 pages text, 4 colour plates, 12 black and white plates, paperback £6 (£4 to members), casebound £9 (£6 to members), + P. & P. £0.75, (overseas £1.00). Four superb colour plates illustrate the often confused 94 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 moths of the genera Eupithecia, Chloroclystis, Gymnoscelis and Anticollix, together with most of their known forms. There is also a key and brief description of each species, with illustrations of the genitalia and abdominal plates. British hoverflies: an illustrated identification guide, by Alan Stubbs, with colour plates by Steven Falk, 2nd edn, 1986, 270 pages of text, 12 colour plates, casebound £21 (£15 to members), +P. & P. £2.50 (overseas £2.80). This is the most comprehensive book to be published on British hoverflies; all 256 species are described and their identification is made easy by the extensive keys, which incorporate over 540 line illustrations. The 12 superb colour plates show 263 specimens depicting 190 different species. The second edition of this very successful book contains a valuable 16-page supplement which is also available separately at £1.50 (£] to members) +P. & P. £0.30 (overseas £0.40). The new aurelians: a centenary history of the British Entomological and Natural History Society, by M. J. James, 1973, 80 pages text, 4 black and white plates, paperback, £1.50 (£7 to members), +P. & P. £0.30 (overseas £0.80). This comprehensive history documents the formation of the then South London Entomological and Natural History Society in 1872, and the expansion and changes during the next 100 years. Apart from much information on the founder members, all the officers of the society over that period are listed in an appendix. An introduction to the Gelechidae (Teleiodes and Teleiopsis), by P. A. Sokoloff, 1985, 8 pages of text, 1 colour plate, card wrappers. Reprinted from Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 18: 99-106. £2.40 (£1.60 to members), +P. & P. £0.30 (overseas £0.80). A general introduction to the family is followed by descriptions of the British species of the genera Teleoides and Teleiopsis. The colour plate shows 14 figures of 12 species. The British species of Metzneria, Paltodora, Isophrictis, Apodia, Eulamprotes and Argolamprotes (Lepidoptera: Gelechidae), by P. A. Sokoloff and E. S. Bradford, 1990, 6 pages of text, 1 colour plate, card wrappers. Reprinted from Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 3: 23-28. £2.50 (£1.70 to members) + P. & P. £0.30 (overseas £0.80). All 14 species of the genera are described, and illustrated in colour. These publications, together with back issues of the Society’s Proceedings and Journal, are available from the Sales Secretary: R. D. Hawkins, 30d Meadowcroft Close, Horley, Surrey RH6 9EL. BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 95 MYENNIS OCTOPUNCTATA COQ. (DIPTERA: OTITIDAE), A MODERN RECORD R. K. A. MorrRIS The Nature Conservancy Council, Northminster House, Peterborough PEI 1UA. As far as I am aware, Myennis octopunctata appears to have been last recorded in Britain in 1964 (Allen, 1967) from a site in NW Kent. Previously, it had been recorded on two occasions on Mitcham Common, Surrey in 1950 and 1951 (Parmenter 1950, 1952) and is known from older records from Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. It is therefore pleasing to report that this species remains established on Mitcham Common. During the gales in the autumn of 1989, a moribund white poplar on Mitcham Common was blown down. The upper branches were cut up and disposed of in a sunny location some distance from the trunk a few days later. Much of this timber had extensive heart rot but the bark was sound. My interest was first alerted to this deadwood pile by the presence of megachilid bees nesting in large beetle borings and resulted in a series of visits. During a visit on 18 June (1990), I noted a number of tephritid-like flies engaged in wing flapping similar to that of the Tephritidae. A specimen from this initial encounter proved to be M. octopunctata (Plate IV, Figure 1). Further visits revealed the presence of as many as half a dozen individuals at any one time. The fly was observed until 29 July when the last individuals were seen (two females). In addition to this population, I was able to establish that there was a further population on the original trunk and another on a lombardy poplar that had fallen in the gale of 1987. The latter trunk had remained alive for at least a year after its demise and there are now new suckers arising from the broken roots. However, much of the bark has now gone and it must surely be only a matter of time before this trunk is unsuitable for M. octopunctata. Most of the evidence indicates an association with white poplar (Allen, 1967). This argument is supported by my experience although it would appear that a range of poplar species may be involved. Parmenter (1950) comments that in all of the instances that he encountered M. octopunctata, it appeared to be restricted to the lowest 6 feet or so of the trunk. If as one might assume, the specimens that I encountered came from the crown of a tree some 20 feet high, it would appear that the position in the tree is not important. Allen (1967) comments that he never found any specimens at rest and that the species appeared ‘‘out of the blue’’. For some time, I too could not find individuals at rest but eventually found that they secreted themselves in the grooves between ridges in the bark. In this position they were well camouflaged by the banded pattern on their wings. Myennis octopunctata is listed as Red Data Book 2 in Shirt (1987). Given the current known distribution, it would seem that Mitcham Common may be the stronghold for this species. However, poplars are a popular suburban tree and it is surprising that this fly is so little known. I am most grateful to the warden Mr M. Boyle for permission to record invertebrates from this site. REFERENCES Allen, A. A. 1967. Myennis octopunctata Coq. (Dipt., Otitidae) and other notable insects in suburban NW Kent. Ent. Mon. Mag. 103: 34-35. Parmenter, L. 1950. Myennis octopunctata Coq. (Dipt. Otitidae) in Surrey. Ent. Mon. Mag. 86: 256. 6 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 Parmenter, L. 1952. Further records of Doros conopseus F. (Dipt. Syrphidae) and Myennis octopunctata Coq. (Dipt. Otitidae) in Surrey. Ent. Mon. Mag. 88: 13. Shirt, D. B. 1987. British red data books 2. Insects. The Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough. SHORT COMMUNICATION Hunting wasps disputing over female.—On 30.vi.1990, I visited the Navette Valley south of La Chapelle en Valgaudemar in the Parc National des Ecrins in the French Alps. The Navette Valley is a hanging valley with many alpine meadows higher up, but with patches of birch scrub at lower levels where fluvial erosion has revealed the underlying bouldery morainic material. Amongst these I took several photographs of three sand wasps, possibly Ammophila sabulosa (L.), locked together at their heads. In successive exposures, between which the group flew a few feet, the upper wasps, presumably males, were seen to have their abdomens crossed as if in dispute (Plate IV, Figure 2). After half a dozen shots I lost sight of them on the bouldery ground.— N. A. Callow, 25 Cranes Park Avenue, Surbiton, Surrey KTS 8BS. EDITORIAL Over the past few years, several people have suggested how worthwhile it would be to have colour plates illustrated by photographs of living insects rather than set specimens. This has at last proved possible, and the two colour plates in this issue (Plates III and IV) are the result. Together with Plates I and II, which illustrate specimens exhibited at the 1990 Annual Exhibition, the cost has been met by a grant from the Hammond and Crow Memorial Fund. It is envisaged that future volumes of the Journal will continue to contain two colour plates from the Annual Exhibition together with two colour plates from photographs of living insects. Contributors who feel that they have high quality photographs showing particularly interesting aspects of insect behaviour are invited to submit them for publication together with a suitable article or short communication. RICHARD A. JONES PLATE IV. 1. Myennis octopunctata Coq. (Diptera: Otitidae), a modern record. R. K. A. Morris. 1991. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 4: 95. A female Myennis octopunctata performing wing-waving display on poplar bark, 11.vii.90. Photograph by |. F. G. McLean, Pentax MX, 100mm f4 Takumar macro lens set at f32, extension tube and bellows, Olympus T28 twin-head macro flash, Agfa CT100 colour reversal film. 2. Hunting wasps disputing over female. N. A. Callow. 1991. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 4: 96. Two males(?) disputing over female of sand wasp, possibly Ammophila sabulosa (L.). Pentax LX, 50mm macro lens, 32mm extension tubes, Pentax electronic flash. 3-4. Notes on the butterflies of Ostergotland, Sweden. |. Kruys. 1991. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 4: 77-82. L. achine male (3) and female (4). = o ¥ 1B | oa INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS Contributions must be typed double-spaced on one side only on A4 paper with 3-cm margins either side to facilitate marking up. Layout should follow that of the Journal, but apart from underlining scientific names, no marks should be made to define typeface. It is helpful, but not essential to send two copies of typescripts and figures. Line figures and half-tones are accepted. Writing on figures should be neatly added, or listed separately for typesetting, its placing indicated on a duplicate figure. Seek advice before drawing. Reduction may otherwise necessitate redrawing. Colour illustrations may be available, please write to the Editor. Authors of main articles qualify for 25 free offprints taken directly from the Journal. These may contain extraneous matter such as short communications or book reviews used as ‘fillers’. Extra copies must be ordered when proofs are returned; these will be charged to the author at the printers’ cost price. MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY are held regularly and the well-known ANNUAL EXHIBITION and ANNUAL DINNER are planned for Saturday 26 October 1991 at Imperial College, London SW7. Frequent Field Meetings are held at weekends in the summer. Visitors are welcome at all meetings. The current Programme Card can be had on application to the Secretary at 32 Penton Road, Staines, Middlesex TW18 2LD. SUBSCRIPTION RATES London members £15. Ordinary members £10. Junior members (under 21) £4. Corporate members £15. Life membership £500. Membership joining fee (payable by all new members) £1. Send to: Assistant Treasurer, May-y-mar, Minster Drive, Minster-in-Sheppey, Kent ME12 2NG. continued from back cover 89 Leopoldius signatus (Weidemann) (Diptera: Conopidae) also recorded at m.v. light. A. P. FOSTER 90 Stratiomys singularior (Harris) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) in Gloucestershire. K. N. A. ALEXANDER 96 Hunting wasps disputing over female. N. A. CALLOW ANNOUNCEMENTS 90 Natural Science Collections South-Eastern Research Unit 91 The Pamber Forest/Silchester Common SSSI 91 Welsh Harp (Brent Reservoir) 91 National review of the recording and conservation of the rarer British macro-moths 92 Scottish entomologists’ gathering 1991 92 Hymenopterists’ meetings forthcoming 92 Burnham Beeches: a request for records 93 Frohawk biography remaindered 93 The Professor Hering Memorial Research Fund 93 BENHS publications 96 ~— Editorial BRITISH JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY 65 a 95 67 69 66 66 76 83 83 83 84 84 84 85 87 88 89 89 VOLUME 4, PART 2, APRIL 1991 ARTICLES Mate-guarding in Ephydra riparia Fallén (Diptera: Ephydridae). I. F. G. MCCLEAN Notes on the butterflies of Ostergétland, Sweden. I. KRuYs Myennis octopunctata Coq. (Diptera: Otitidae), a modern record. R. K. A. Morris PROCEEDINGS AND TRANSACTIONS The 1989 Presidential Address—Part 1. Report. F. M. MURPHY The 1989 Presidential Address—Part 2. Some interesting European spiders. F. M. MURPHY SHORT COMMUNICATIONS A new British species of Neurigona Rondani (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Anglesey. J. COLE Xylota xanthocnema Collin (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Kent. R. A. JONES New records of Asindulum nigrum Latreille (Diptera: Keroplatidae). P. J. CHANDLER Eubria palustris Germar (Coleoptera: Psephenidae) in Wales. D. C. BOYCE, P. R. HOLMES AND D. K. REED Epuraea distincta (Grimmer) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in Devon. K. N. A. ALEXANDER Aderus populneus (Creutzer) (Coleoptera: Aderidae) and other deadwood beetles from Stowe Park, Buckinghamshire. K. N. A. ALEXANDER Trachys troglodytes Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Radnorshire. K. N. A. ALEXANDER Some nomenclatural changes to British Tortricidae (Lepidoptera). K. R. TUCK Pammene suspectana (Zeller) in Huntingdonshire. B. DICKERSON Attraction of Palloptera usta Meigen (Diptera: Pallopteridae) to recently cut conifer wood and other notes on Pallopteridae. P. J. CHANDLER Renocera striata (Meig.) (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) in Norfolk. A. P. FOSTER AND D. A. PROCTOR Presence of Syneches muscarius (Fabricius) (Diptera: Hybotidae) in the Test and Itchen Valleys in Hampshire. P. J. CHANDLER Leptogaster guttiventris Zett. (Diptera: Asilidae) in Pembrokeshire. K. N. A. ALEXANDER Urophora spoliata (Haliday) and Cryptaciura rotundiventris (Fallén) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Cornwall. K. N. A. ALEXANDER continued inside back cover il 100070954 AMNH LIBRARY id eee eareas Tae af ae aa AEE ead ae ene net = at on i Te meee SNA a ed oe EEN afte Staton ee ae ee en ee ee er rere 8 NE : reas see aes oa) tows pte aU ae ee oe Pee eae rantienieen pene ere ww ete red vor rnar errant er SNES LAPORTE