Mo wttal st Caet @ OOM ot Coie O . ony RO ee a Cer at eet) ee eee Meh al Be Nat Deas teeth eh eA tt MF P bef AR 4 A. Nap ted A Ce a fe hens 0 Mi IGT Me ANN TRIRS S58 ee or] en te Beaty Mes Mash 0 he AA A Att LA at Bohich Pe wee ene Me fet hort te woe ’ Oo Banfe A dins we OP york wbhits ee aoe ak eM ca egg Me in ty Inet Wh adie tha tole Mitade MD AT AES 2 seni ish . ete SL) Aco! Gt hile S elena tonntst 4h ad vgs ony dey ANG ERAT Ry Verna Maa te Ae marvin BO fie eat Poe ad amet DAI SLA ALLE BLE OIA To ag At ehed 9 alt Lent Poll 92) fee 4b ON te ne ee Oe re ee fie Fes ahatat Oo tect aE I aT meth Pa a bn? eo oP ee ney ratte ompR Chote Be ote eh Ne TR et ETERS ha oN mae Pb PO aren att ssaaie ® J Se tee bit et” bet gy? Meta arcerth Pee HORS eh A One resto Mee Pee Cl OLD bial ae ete 0 OE Wat hoe Sari ae Nee Whig, ber Mae Pe yume ay dita Br al ag? See a Qe Ween tet Arneap itn Mae De Seis tN TE vee entoten s yteetts eet het fete wey erent OMe MENS ts dye Melt Deve hae ee CA atte Ra tU AN Tae Matt a an ILM AA ME ylowe owe ? * ek Re Re Rite e's. aoe ke an eke ea ae art “ a owecehe sacha hernia ype ee stew ew a Ry teh Bette tie ee ee Oe ee Ck . ees ™ oe at ihe MM ONAL ot, Oa Se aten tse ekfeti tte th Len Ale BD Wed tet et tetian tema we am style a aawtinte Pe Bae * sm eae) Ce ee senate fate me whe oo car ataaiecnubldveababee tweet ee Mahe rey ee et setae sneha the i ate “eet usculn of : coe M N, oe lO, 1% 1869 THE LIBRARY _Entomologist’s Record AND JOURNAL OF VARIATION EDITED BY J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT, F.R.E.S. Vol. 94 1982 Adscita. Colour Changes in the Genus M. Hadley, 201 Adonis? What Ails A. C. Morton, 67 Agonopteryx astrantiae Heinemann in Hampshire J. R. Langmaid, 182 Agonopteryx astrantiae (Heinemann) in North Wales. H. N. Michaelis, 37 Agrion virgo (Linn.) (Odonata; Agrioni- dae) in Central London. A Sighting of A. P. Foster, 246 Alophora S. S. hemiptera (Fab.) (Dipt-.: Tachinidae) in V. C. 69. N. L. Birkett , 133 Anarta myrtilli L. Beautiful Yellow Underwing (Lep.: Noctuidae) and an Adult Boreus hyemalis (Neuropt.: Boreiidae) on Winter Snow in the Scottish Highlands A. D. Liston, 157 | Anthocharis cardamines L. (Orange-Tip) in Dumfriesshire. Apparent Excess in Numbers of Female R. H. Miller, 162 Anthocharis. The Pupation of D. G. Sevastopulo, 17 Aphantopus hyperantus L. in Scotland. Flight Time of P. K. Kinnear, 236 Apion cerdo Gerst, (Col.) in S.E. England. The Recent Spread of A. A. Allen, 158 Aporia crataegi L. in Scotland. Further Notes * an introduced “Colony” of the Black Veined White R. Elliott, 245 Argynnis adippe D. & S. in S. Cumbria. The High Brown Fritillary M. J. Y. Foley, 238 Argyresthia trifasciata Staudinger 1871 (Lep.: Yponomeutidae) in Britain A. M. Emmet, 180 Arhopalus rusticus L. (Col.: Ceramby- cidae). A Second Monmouthshire Record of G. A. N. Horton, 24 Autographa bractea D. & S.: Gold Spangle in Kent J. Platts, 200 Barcaldine, Argyll in 1980 and 1981. Some of the Less Common Species of Lepidoptera Taken at J. C. A. Craik, 243 Barypeithes sulcifrons (Bohman) (Col.: Curculionidae) from West Cumbria R. W. J. Read, 184 Bisigna procerella D. & S. (Lep.: Oeco- phoridae) in Britain. The Re- occurrence of J. M. Chalmers- Hunt, 204 Bomolocha fontis Thunb. The Beautiful Snout R. G. Warren, 44 es talk Five J. M. Chalmers-Hunt, iii CONTENTS 1982 Brachyopa scutellaris (Desvoidy) (Dipt.: Syrphidae) A Feeding Habit of N. L. Birkett, 206 British Butterflies in 1981. A Review of C. J. Luckens, 125 British Macrolepidoptera for 1981. A Review of the Indigenous P. Sokoloff, 185 British Moth? What is a Truly C. J. Rutherford, 195 Bucculatrix cidarella Zeller (Lep.: Lyonetidae) on Myvica gale. H. N. Michaelis , 102 Bucculatrix cidarella Zeller on Myrica gale in England A. M. Emmet, 238 Bucculatrix thoracella Thunb. Con- firmed for Vice County 11 EF. H. Wild, 206 Butterfly Poster. An Italian P. Hawker, Cacoecimorpha pronubana Hbn. (Lep.: Tortricidae): Larval Foodplants including Damage to Skimmia japonica Thunb.* B. K. West, 38 Cacoecimorpha pronubana Hbn. (Lep.: Tortricidae) Successfully Reared on Artificial Diet, with a Note on its Diapause Requirements B. O. C. Gardiner , 122 Callophrys rubi L. and Pyrgus malvae L. in Worcestershire J. E. Green, 163 Camptogramma bilineata L. Another Foodplant of the Yellow Shell R. P. Knill-Jones , 77 Camptogramma bilineata L. Yellow Shell, feeding on Cruciferae. Larvae of D. F. Owen, 52 Canary Islands 1981. Two Weeks in the H. G. Allcard, A. Valletta, 111 Canna in 1982. Lepidoptera at J. A. Campbell, 174 Carpophilus marginellus Motsch, (Col.: Nitidulinae) out-of-doors in Suffolk D. R. Nash, 228 Carpophilus sexpustulatus (Fabr.) (Col.: Nitidulidae) in Surrey, with a Note on its Habits in Britain D. Prance, 59 Carterocephalus palaemon Pallas’ in England 1976. The Chequered Skipper R. Archer-Lock, 123 Catocala fraxini L. and Other Lepi- dopera at Highcliffe in 1982. The Clifden Nonpareil FE. H. Wild, 204 Catocala fraxini L. in 1981. The Blue Underwing A. Harmer, 40 Celerio livornica Esper. The Striped Hawkmoth R. G. Chatelain 204 iv Charaxes gallaghert van Son 1961 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Its Habitats and Early Stages. A Consolidated History of the Dis- covery of J. C. O. Chitty, 147 Chrysolina polita (Linnaeus) (Col.: Chry- somelidae). On the Hostplant of R. W. J. Read, 199 Clonopsis gallica (Charpentier) on the Quiberon Peninsular, Brittany. Ob- servations on the Phasmid E£. C. M. Haes, 39 Coccinellidae. Fluctuations in Abun- dance of D. F. Owen, 225 Coleophora binderella Kollar A New Foodplant NV. F. Heal, 129 Coleophora hemerobiella (Scopoli). Two by Life Cycle of A. M. Emmet, 39 Coleophora machinella_ Bradley: its Rediscovery in England, and Description J. R. Langmaid, 109 Coleophora paripennella Zeller — A New Foodplant JN. F. Heal, 59 Coleophora potentillae Elisha (Lep.: Coleophoridae) — Some Obser- vations J. R. Langmaid, 66 Coleophora salicorniae Wocke identi- fied as Salicornia fragilis P. W. Ball and Tutin. Foodplant of N. F. Heal, 103 Coleophora trigeminella Fuchs and C. coracipennella Hbn. in South York- shire. H. E. Beaumont, 108 Colias croceus (Geoffroy) in June 1982. The Clouded Yellow 7. Newnham, 162 Conistra rubiginea D. & S. (Lep.: Noc- tuidae). The Dotted Chestnut F. C. L. Simson, 45 Convolvulus Hawkmoth and Clouded Yellow in South Devon dH. L. O’Heffernan, 237 Cornwall, with Observations on Other Notable Macrolepidoptera in the County. A New County Record for M. Hadley, 65 Corrections. D. G. Sevastopulo, 69 Curculio Spp. (Col.). Notes on Some British A. A. Allen, 78 Cynthia virginiensis (Drury). Artificial Transportation of a Nymphalid, R. S. Wilkinson, 38 D’Abrera’s Butterflies of the Afro- Tropical Region. E. W. Classey, 15 Danaus chrysippus L. in Tunisia. J. F. Burton, 208 Danaus plexippus L. in the Algarve, Portugal 1981 C. I. Rutherford, 76 Danaus plexippus L.: The Monarch ir Wales and Cumberland in 1981 D. W. Kydd, 37 Death’s Head Hawkmoth and Con. volvulus Hawkmoth in Kent in 1981. The R. F. Buddle, 110 | —E Defoliation in Northern Great Wood, Hertfordshire. R. Lovell-Pank,162 © Dermaptera from the Gunong Mulu National Park, Borneo. A Correc-. ae and an Addition A. Brindle, 01 Descoloria blomeri Curtis at Weston-. super-Mare, Blomer’s Rivulet C. S. 7 H. Blathwayt,154 Dioryctria schuetzeella Fuchs, 1899: A Pyralid Moth New to Britain’ J. M. Chalmers-Hunt, M. W. F.' Tweedie, 1 | Dioryctria schuetzeella Fuchs. in June 1982. M. W. F. Tweedie, 220 Diptera (Calyptratae) of the Sandwell | Valley, West Bromwich. The M. G. © Bloxham, 60 Diptera from Windsor Forest. Further Notable A. A. Allen, 229 Dodona sp. (Lepidoptera: Nemeobiidae) | in Hong Kong. Some assistance - with Regard to W. J. Tennent, 9 Dorytomus salicinus (Gyllenhal) (Col.: | Curculionidae) from Cumbria. A Further Record of R. W. J. Read, 36 Dytiscus (Col.: Dytiscidae). A February E. C. Pelham-Clinton, 123 Eastern Switzerland 1980, with a note © on Erebia pluto de Prunn. Butter- flies in C. J. Luckens, 173 ; Editorial. 155 Eggs Laid by a Decapitated Moth B. A. Kneller, 221 Endromis versicolora (L.) at Rannoch. The Kentish Glory, EF. C. Pelham- Clinton, 215 | Entomological Pictures. A. H. Haworth’s © R. S. Wilkinson, 224 | Epermenia aequidentellus Hofmann; daucellus Peyerimhoff (Lep.: Eper- meniidae) in Kent J. M. Chalmers- | Hunt, 202 Epierus comptus (Erichson) (Col.: His- teridae) New to Britain D. R. Nash, 165 Erannis defoliaria Clerck:Mottled Um- ber. An Early Appearance of J. N. Greatorex-Davies, 218 Erynnis tages L. ab. radiata Brown, A Correction R. D. G. Barrington, 103 Erynnis tages L. ab. radiata Brown in © Dorset. The Dingy Skipper: R. G. D. Barrington, 69 jtainia decentella (Herrich-Schaffer 1855). (Lepidoptera Nepticulidae) A Possible Discovery of the First Generation Larva of P. J. Johnson, 245 Euchromius ocellea (Haworth) (Lep.: Pyralidae) in Britain. The History of B. Skinner, 139 Sucosma metzneriana_ Treitschke in Hampshire J. R. Langmaid , 202 Feeding at Bluebells (Endymion nonscriptus) B. K. West, 79 .Buphydryas aurinia Rott. and Other Local Butterflies in Durfold Woods, Surrey/Sussex Border in 1982. The Marsh Fritillary M. S. Harvey, | 203 Eupithecia phoeniceata Rambur: Cypress | Pug, in Essex. C. C. Penney, 8 Eupithecia phoeniceata Rambur in the Eastbourne Area. The Rise of the | Cyprus Pug: M. Parsons,77 \Eupithecia pimpinellata Hbn. in War- wickshire. The Pimpinel Pug: R. J. Thomas , 216 Euphydryas aurinea Rott. in Cumbria. The Marsh Fritillary: M. J. Y. Foley, 240 Eurois occulta L.: Great Brocade, in Suffolk C. Penney, 202 Exhibition. A Very Fine P. C. Hawker, 74 Flying Crooked J. S. Phillpotts , 183 Gonepteryx rhamni L. Apparently Im- bibing at Hydrangea Flowers. The Brimstone: B. K. West, 172 Greece: July-August 1980. Butterflies in Northern J. V. Dacie, M. K. V. Dacie, P. Grammaticos, J. Coutsis, 18 Hamearis lucina L.: Duke of Burgundy. An Unusual Aberration of R. D. Sutton, 200 Hamearis lucina L. The Decline of the i. of Burgundy M. R. Oates, 40 Heodes ottomanus Lefebvre and Cleo- patra: Gonepteryx CleopatraL. in Yugoslavia. The Grecian Copper: J. E. Green, L. G. Higgins, 201 Hesperia comma L. A New Locality near Eastbourne. The Silver-spotted Skipper: M. Parsons , 235 Hummingtird Hawk Moth in London. The T. Lumley, 200 Hypera fuscocinerea Marsh. Etc. (Col.: Curculionidae) In S. E. London A. A. Allen, 35 Hypera rumicis (Linnaeus) (Col.: Cur- culionidae) Swimming Behaviour of R. W. J. Read, 160 Immigration of Lepidoptera to the British Isles in 1980: A Supplemen- tary Note. The R. F. Bretherton, J. M. Chalmers-Hunt, 47 Immigration of Lepidoptera to the British Isles in 1981, including that of the Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus L. R. F. Bretherton, J. M. Chalmers-Hunt, 81 Indigenous Macrolepidoptera of Abbot’s Wood, East Sussex. The Decline of the M. Hadley, 92 Iphiclides_ podalirius (L.) in Britain. The Scarce Swallow-tail, R. S. Wilkinson, 168 John Abbot’s Drawings and Notes for a Proposed Supplement to Smith and Abbot ‘The Natural History of the Rarer Lepidopterous Insects PIS all (1797) R. S. Wilkinson, 15 Kirkcudbrightshire, South West Scotland. Macrolepidoptera of an Upland Area inP. D. Hulme, 106 Lasiommata megera (L.) (Lepidoptera: Satyridae). Wait or Seek? Mate Location Strategies in the Wall Brown Butterfly, R. L. H. Dennis 209 Lepidoptera in Ireland. D. J. Agassiz 130 > > Leptidia sinapis L. in South Devon. The Wood White P. J. Baker, 103 Leucopis Meigen (Diptera: Chamae- myiidae) New to Britain. Three Species of J. F. G. McLean,70 Letter to the Editor. C. L. Nissen, 88 Limenitis reducta Staudinger (Lep.: Nymphalidae) in Yorkshire. Sur- vival of R. J. D. Tilley, 216 Lincolnshire Butterflies. M. Townsend, 240 Lobophora halterata Hufn. Seraphim; (Lep.: Geometridae). Melanic Form of B. K. West,218 Logia atripes Muls & Guil. (Col.) in the New Forest etc. A. A. Allen, 157 Low Numbers of Lepidoptera in 1981. J. H. Vine-Hall, 182 Lycaenid Butterflies from the South Western Cape Province. Three New C. G. C. Dickson, 222 Magdalis violacea L. (Col.: Curculionidae). Correction of a Record A. A. Allen, 120 Margaret Fountaine: The Fate of Many of her Books and Some of her Notes. J. M. Chalmers-Hunt , 235 Microlepidoptera: a Review of the Year 1981. D. J. L. Agassiz, 97 Microlepidoptera Notes for 1981. Scot- tish K. P. Bland, 219 Vi Moma alpium Osbeck at Orlestone Forest. The Scarce Merveille-du- Jour M. Enfield, 66 Mompha lacteella Stephens: a Possible Distinguishing Character. R. J. Heckford,116 Mompha nodicolella Fuchs (Lep.: Mom- phidae). Notes on A. M. Emmet, 21 Monochroa_ hornigi (Staud.) Further Records of D. J. L. Agassiz, 77 Mythimna loreyi Duponchel and other Migrants in Cornwall, August 1982. The Cosmopolitan NV. Gill, 203 Mythimna vitellina Hbn. in May. M. W. F. Tweedie, 150 New Host Plant Records for Cionus hortulanus (Geoff.) (Col.: Curculio- midae) and Chrysolina fastuosa (Scop.) (Col.: Chrysomelidae) R. C. Welch, 124 Nineteenth Century Issues of Smith and Abbot, The Natural History of the Rarer Lepidopterous Insects of ee aoe (1797) R. S. Wilkinson, 12 Nola aerugula Hbn.: Scarce Black Arches and Autographa _ bractea D. & S. Gold Spangle in Sheppey F. H. Clouter, 203 Nola confusalis H.-S. and Roeslerstam- mia erxlebella F. on Lime. Larvae “ the Least Arches: J. L. Fenn, 1 Nymphalis antiopa L. at Sea J. G. Coutsis, 241 Nymphalis_ polychloros L. in 1982. The Large Tortoiseshell M. S. Harvey, 203 Observations on Lepidoptera in the Cevennes, Easter 1981. J. S. E. Feltwell, G. N. Burton, 134 Odontosia carmelita Esper Eat? What Does R. Lovell-Pank , 194 Orange-Tip Oddities C. F. Cowan, 202 Orgyia_ thyellina Butler, @. recens Hubner and O. antiqua L. Contrast- ing Results in Assembling Experi- ments using Sir C. Clarke, S. Greenberg and A. H. Wright, 25 Orthoptera in Highland Scotland. E. C. M. Haes, 6 Pachynematus arcticus (Lundqvist) (Hy- menoptera, Tenthredinidae). Note on A. D. Liston, 117 Pagham Harbour, West Sussex. Lepi- doptera at D. Dey, 200 Palpifer sexnotatus Moore (Lep.: Hepia- lidae) in Britain. P. J. Baker, 156 Panolis flammea Hbn. Larval Variation in the Pine Beauty, M. E. Majerus, 150 Papilio machaon L. (Swallowtail) Flour shing in a N. Norfolk Localit 1981.A. A. Allen, 56 . Pararge aegeria L. (Speckled Wooc® Parornix finitimella (Zeller) and J torquillella (Zeller) (Lepidopteri Gracillariidae) A. M. Emmet, 53 Peribatodes secundaria D. & S. in Sussex The Feathered Beauty: R. G Chatelain, 218 Peribatodes secundaria D. & S. Th. Larva of R. G. Chatelain, 190 Phalera bucephala L. Feeding on Sorbu¥ Species (Rosaceae) and Asper’ te of the Buff+tip B. K. Wesi Phoridae (Diptera) from Cocoons oO Cimbicidae (Hymenoptera. Furthe Records of A. D. Liston, 221 Phoridae (Diptera) Reared from Fungi. Records of R. H. L. Disney, R. E Evans, 104 : Phyllonorycter dubitella (H.S.) anc Coleophora limosipennella (Dup in South Yorkshire. AH. E. Beau mont, 190 . Phyllonorycter_ saportella (Duponchel® (hortella Fabricius) in East Norfolk, A. M. Emmet ,119 Phyllonorycter saportella (Duponchel) in East Anglia. Further Notes on A. M. Emmet, 244 Pieris cheiranthi Hbn. in Tenerife R. I.) V. Elliott , 199 Pieris napi L. at Morton Lochs, Fife, Scotland in 1981. The Appearance of a Third Brood in the Green- Veined White: P. K. Kinnear, 194 Plant Chemistry. Restricted Distribu-} tions of Butterflies and D. F.. Owen, 205 ‘‘Pock-mark”’ in Entomology. The Use of the Term J. M. Chalmers-Hunt, 59 ‘‘Pock-mark”’ in Entomology. The Use of | the Term J. R. Langmaid,161 Rae and his Records, and a Note on) Mr. William Reid of Pitcaple. Mr.J. M. R. Young, 75 . Red Admiral. An Early E. H. Wild, 79 Red Admiral on the Wing in December 1981.8. C. S. Brown, 124 | Rhyacia simulans Hufnagel: Dotted — Rustic in Lincolnshire. M. Town- — send, 237 | Rhyacia simulans Hufnagel. Further © Kentish Records of the Dotted — Rustic NV. F. Heal, 163 . ‘yacia simulans (Hufnagel) (Lep.: * Noctuidae). Successful Rearing of the Dotted Rustic: P. Convey, 207 Itatoria of the Bristol Area and North Somerset. A Survey of the J. F. Burton, 11 muel Dale’s “1704” Catalogue of English Butterflies. R. S. Wilkinson, 36 w wflies from Whitelaw Moss Nature Reserve, Southern Scotland, with a Species New to Britain (Hym.: Symphyta). Some A. D. Liston, £75 suttle Fly (Diptera, Phoridae) that Appears to be a Parasitoid of a Snail (Stylommatophora zoni- tidae) and Itself Parasitised by a Braconid (Hymenoptera) R. H. L. Disney, 151 tenia lunaria D. & S. in East Sussex. The Lunar Thorn: M. Parsons, 238 2nta flammea (Curtis) (The Flame Wainscot) at Wye, Kent M. A. Enfield, 161 outh African Butterflies. Four New C. G. C. Dickson, 32, 41 phinx ligustri L. (Privet Hawkmoth) Disappearance from N. W. Kent B. K. West, 242 tandfussiana lucernea (Linn.) (Lepido- ptera:Noctuidae) in Lancashire. The Northern Rustic E. G. Hancock, 233 | trange Case of Larval Depravity. A M. Hadley, 119 triped Hawkmoth in Devon in 1980. #7. C. A. Craik , 187 'trymonidia w-album Knoch., The White- Letter Hairstreak: A. Archer-Lock, 16 tyncopacma larseniella (Gozmany), a Hitherto Underrecorded Species. R. J. Heckford , 132 syntomid in Cambridge. A South American B. O. C. Gardiner, 75 jyntarucus pirithous L. A New Food- plant for J. G. Coutsis , 235 Tephritidae (Dipt.) on a South East London Common. Two Interesting A.A. Allen, 10 Trachyphloeus spp. (Col.: Curculionidae). A Note on Two A. A. Allen, 129 Treasurer’s Notice. P. J. Johnson, 236 Trichoplusia ni Hbn. in Hampshire. The Ni Moth J. R. Langmaid, 204 Trichoplusia ni Hbn. in Warwickshire. The First Recording of D. C. G. Brown, 239 Vii Tropidia scita (Harris) (Diptera: ioe in VC. 69 N. L. Birkett, “Types” of Maniola jurtina splendida White (Lep.: Satyridae). The G. Thomson, 89 Udea decrepitalis H.-S. (Lep.: Pyralidae) in Wales P. J. Jewess, 121 Unusual Indigenous Macrolepidoptera at Ninfield East Sussex in July 1982. Some M. Parsons, 205 Vanessa indica (Herbst) in Warwickshire: New to Britain K, Turner, 217 What’s in a Name? A. A. Allen, 4 What’s in a Name? A.Suggestion A. J. Showler, 124 Wildlife and Country Act, 1981. The A, E. Stubbs, 57 Windsor Forest. Further Notable Diptera From A. A. Allen, 191 Wye, Kent in 1981. Interesting Moths at M. V. Light at or Near M. Enfield, 76 Yorkshire. Additions to the Macrolepi- doptera of S. M. Jackson, 99 Yponomeuta evonymella (Linnaeus) in Southern England. A. M. Emmet, 241 Zygaena loti scotica Rowland Brown on Mull. J. H. Vine-Hall, 131 Current Literature: 20, 27, 40, 80, 88, 100, 155, 163, :b64,. 196,. 197, 247. Obituary: Collinson W. E. 73 Dixon, C. H. 156 Gane, J. V. 74 Goodban, B.S. 73 Largen, R. 247 Sutton, G. R, 179 Agassiz, D.J.L. 77,97, 130 Alicard, H.G. 111 Allen, A. A. 4, 10, 35,56, 78, 120,129, [37 156, 191,229 Archer-Lock, A. 16, 123 Baker, P. J..103,156 Birkett, N. L. 133, 162, 206 Barrington, R. D. G. 69, 103 Beaumont, H. E. 108, 190 Bland, K. P. 219 Blathwayt, C.S.H. 154 Bloxham, M. G. 28, 60 Bretherton, R. F. 47, 81,141, 218 Brindle, A. 101 Brown, D.C. G. 239 Brown, S.C. S.124 Buddle, R. F. 110 Burton, G. N. 134 Burton, J. F. 11, 208 Campbell, J. A. 174 Chalmers-Hunt, J. M. 1, 47, 59, 81, 121, 141, 179, 202, 204, 335. Chatelain, R. G. 190, 204, 218 Chitty, J.C. O. 147 Clarke, Sir C. 25 Classey, E. W. 15 Clouter, F. H. 203 Convey, P. 207 Coutsis, J.G. 18,235, 241 Craik, J.C. A. 187, 243 Dacie, J. V. 18 Dacie, M. K. V. 18 Dennis, R. L. H. 209 Dey, D. 200 Dickson, C. G. C. 32, 41, 222 Disney, R. H. L. 104, 15i Elliott, R. I. V. 199, 245 Emmet, A. M. 21, 53, 119, 180, 238, 239, 241, 244 Enfield, M. 66, 76, 161 Evans, R. E. 104 Feltwell, J.S. E. 134 Fenn, J. L. 31 Foley, M. J. Y. 238, 240 Foster, A. P. 246 Gardiner, B.O.C. 75, 122 Gill, N. 203 Goater, B. 188 Grammaticos, P. 18 Greatorex-Davies, J. N. 218 Green, J. E. 163, 201 Greenberg, S. 25 Hadley, M.65,92,119, 201 Haes, E. C. M. 6, 39 Hancock, E. G. 233 Harmer, A. 40 Harvey, M.S. 203 Hawker, P. C. 74,237 Heal, N. F. 59, 103, 129, 163 Heckford, R. J. 116,132 Higgins, L. G. 201 Horton, G. A. N. 24 Hume, P. D. 106 Jackson, S. M. 99 Jewess, P. J. 121 Johnson, P. J. 236, 245 Kinnear, P. K. 194 Kneller, B. A. 221, 236 Knill-Jones, R. P. 77 Kydd, D. W. 37 Langmaid, J. R. 66, 109, 161, 202, 204 a Liston, A. D. 117, 157,175, 221 Lovell-Pank, R. 162, 194 Luckens, C. J. 125,173 Lumley, T. 200 Majerus, M. E. N. 150 McLean, I. G. F. 70 Michaelis, H. N. 37,102 Miller, R. H. 162 Morton, A. C. 67 Nash, D. R. 165,228 Newnham, T. 162 Nissen, C. L. 88 Oates, M. R. 240 O’Heffernan, H. L. 237 Owen, D. F. 52, 205,225 Parsons, M. 77, 205, 235, 238 Pelham-Clinton, E. C. 123,215 Penney, C. C. 8, 202 Philipott, J. S. 183 Platts, J. 200 Prance.D. 59 Read, R. W. J. 36, 160, 184, 199 Rutherford, C. I. 76, 195 Sevastopulo, D. G. 17, 69 Showler, A. J. 124 Simson, E. C. L. 45 Skinner, B. 139 Sokoloff, P. 88, 100, 185 Stubbs, A, E. 57 Sutton, R. D. 200 Tennent, W. J.9 Thomas, R. J. 216 Thomson, G. 89 Tilley, R. J.D. 216 Townsend, M. 237, 240 Turner, K. 217 Tweedie, M. W. F. 1, 150, 220 Valletta, A. 111 Vine-Hall, J. H. 131,182 Warren, R. G. 44 Welch, R.C. 124 West, B. K. 38, 79, 172, 198, 2: 238, 242 Wild, E. H. 79, 204, 206 Wilkinson, R. S. 36, 38, 224 Wright, A. H., 25 Young, M. R. 75 DIORYCTRIA SCHUETZEELLA FUCHS, 1899: A PYRALID MOTH NEW TO BRITAIN By J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT! and M. W. F. TWEEDIE2 Among a number of microlepidoptera collected at m.v. light by J. M. C. -H. at Orlestone Forest, Kent on the night of the 23rd July 1980, was a small, brightly marked Dioryctria that at first sight seemed referable to D. mutatella Fuchs. However, comparison with the latter subsequently showed it to be distinct. Revisiting the locality on the Ist August 1981, J. M. C.-H. again took this Diory- ctria, and on submitting the specimens to Dr. J. D. Bradley they were determined as D. schuetzeella Fuchs. On the 20th and 21st July 1981, M. W. F. T. took from his Robinson trap at Playden near Rye, East Sussex, three examples of a Dioryctria that at first puzzled him, but later seemed to be small strongly marked D. abie- tella D. & S. On taking the moths off the boards, however, M. W. F. T. saw they were quite distinct and took them to Mr. M. Shaffer, who identified them as D. schuetzeella. Although J. M. C.-H. may be credited as being the first to take schuetzeella in this country, it was in fact M. W. F. T. who first had the species identified and so established it as new to Britain. Specimens were exhibited at the Annual Exhibitions of the A.E.S. and B.E.N.H.S. in October 1981. Figs. 1-6. — Dioryctria species. 1, schuetzeella 2 , Orlestone, i.viii.81; 2, schuetzeella o& , Orlestone, 23.vii.80; 3-4 mutatella, Hampshire; 5-6, abietella, Kent. (Photograph by D. E. Wilson). All natural size. D. schuetzeella was originally described from Germany in 1899, since when it has been found to have a wide distribution on the Continent. It has occurred severally in Belgium since 1906, in which year one was bred by Lambillion from Jambes (Province de Namur) on Pinus on 2nd July (teste W. De Prins in litt.). Lhaomme (1923-63) does not mention the species, but Leraut (1980) confirms its occurrence in France, he himself having seen specimens taken 1, Hardcourts Close, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9LG. 2Barn House, Rye, Sussex, TN31 7PJ. 2 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD at Buré. Meurth-et-Moselle. According to Kuchlein, Leffef & Klein- paste (1980), the species was first discovered in Holland in 1905, but only during the past 25 years has it been found there in other loca- lities, and these widely separated at that, though it has sometimes occurred in large numbers. Elsewhere, schuetzeella has been recor- ded from Silesia, Austria, Finland and Rumania (Zocchi, 1961). Fig 7. — D. schuetzeella, Playden, 20.vii.81 (Photograph by M. W. F. Tweedie). The species is at once recognisable from both D. abietella (figs 5, 6) and D. mutatella (fig 3, 4) by the presence of a pale mark in the outer area of the upperside of the hindwing. The markings on the forewing in schuetzeella are darker and the ground paler than in abietella or mutatella, giving schuetzeella a brighter appearance; moreover, schuetzeella is appreciably smaller than abietella, though it tends to be only slightly smaller than mutatella whose general colouration is decidedly greyer than either of the foregoing. Genitalically, the main characters in schuetzeella are to be found in the male, and readers are referred to Petersen & Gaedike (1980), Mutuura & Munroe (1973), Albers (1958) for illustrations of the genital organs of this and related species. Fuchs (1899) gives a detailed description of the larva of schuet- zeella, of which there is an English translation in Mutuura & Munroe (1973), who state that “the species was described from three syn- types reared at Rachlau, Germany by K. J. Schfitze, from larvae found in mid-June between the young needles of fir [spruce] Picea excelsa”. In the series of schuetzeella in the British Museum (Natural History), are four topotypes labelled “Rachlau 6.8.07 e. 1. Picea excelsa Schutze”’. A PYRALID MOTH NEW TO BRITAIN 3 In the vicinity of the place where the moth was taken at Orle- stone, there are stands of Picea excelsa (Norway Spruce), and in the property adjoining the locality at Playden there is a plantation of conifers including a number of trees of P. excelsa. At Orlestone, the moth appeared in numbers in two consecutive seasons, and neither there nor at Playden, was there any indication of migration of other species during the period when schuetzeella occurred. We therefore have reason to believe that schuetzeella is established as a breeding species at both places, and hope to make a combined search for the larva in 1982. Acknowledgements We do especially think Mr. M. Shaffer (British Museum (Natural History)) and Dr. J. D. Bradley (Commonwealth Institute of Ento- mology), for determining our material, as well as for their valued advice in the preparation of this paper. We also thank Dr. K. Sattler (British Museum (Natural History)), for drawing our attention to the G. Alber article. Mr. W. De Prins located for us the Kuchlein et al. work, trans- lated the relevant part and confirmed the determinations of the Belgian schuetzeella, and to him we offer our thanks. Finally, we are most grateful to Mr. D. E. Wilson for the excel- lent photograph of the set examples of Dioryctria (figs 1-6). References Albers, G., 1958. Dioryctria schuetzeella Fuchs. Bombus, 2: 36-37. Fuchs, A., 1899. Zwei neue Kleinschmetterlinge. Stett. ent. Zt., 60: 180-184. Kuchlein, J. H., Leffef, F. & Kleinpaste, R. H., 1980. Tabellen en verspreidingsatlas van de Nederlandse Microlepidoptera, \. Pyralidae (Eerste Gedeelte), Wageningen. Leraut, P., 1980. Liste systematique et synonymique des Lepi- dopteres de France Belgique et Corse, Paris. Lhomme, L., 1923-63. Catalogue des Lepidopteres de France et de Belgique. Le Carriol. Mutuura, A. & Munroe, E., 1973. American species of Dioryctria (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), IV. The schuetzeella group and the taxonomic status of the spruce cone moth. Can. Ent, 105: 653-668. Petersen, G. & Gaedike, R., 1980. Zur taxonomie der einheumischen Dioryctria — arten (Lep., Phycitidae). Ent Berich., 1980(1): 21-35. Shaffer, M., 1966. Some changes in the nomenclature of British Lepidoptera, Pt. 2, Pyraloidea. Ent. Gaz., 17: 19-26. Zocchi, R., 1961. Contributi alla conoscenza degli insetti dele piante forestali, V. II gen. Dioryctria Zell. (Lepidoptera: Pyrali- dae) in Italia. Redia, 46: 9-143. WHAT’S IN A NAME? By A. A. ALLEN* Often while waiting for a train or bus, with only my thoughts to pass the time, I fall to musing on certain of the names bestowed upon our Lepidoptera or other insects. I refer here not to the English names, a splendid colourful pageant indeed, but which, with few exceptions, display their intentions openly for all to see. I mean the scientific names — to many, I fear, little better than a multitude of often near-meaningless labels having to be painfully mastered and attached in the mind each to its accredited bearer. Whilst it is true that the latter task is unavoidable, for others more fortunate or better equipped linguistically it is lightened or compen- sated by finding that these names are full of interest of various kinds, and indeed in that respect little if at all inferior to their counterparts in the vernacular. On the one hand, the broad spectrum of inventive resources attested by them is itself cause for admiration. On the other, much of their charm resides in the host of subtle associations they conjure up, their flights of fancy, their imagery, quaint caprices and conceits, and sometimes too! the sheer poetry and music of their sound which chimes with the beauty of the creatures themselves (and often of their natural surroundings) to give a totality of aesthetic satisfaction. As, for instance, Euphrosyne, one of the three Graces whose name means cheerfulness — as har- monious to the sensitive ear and receptive imagination as its winged bearer is ethereal. Often a name may evoke memories of the delights of the chase, and of days when men seemed less hell-bent on the mindless destruction of nature than at present. (That is, in those of us old enough to remember some of them.) There are also, of course, more pedestrian and prosaic appel- lations marking a characteristic such as foodplant or a special habit; straightforwardly descriptive ones; and eponyms or dedicatory names; together these are very numerous. This is as it should be: plain, serviceable, matter-of-fact, down-to-earth names are the staple fare, while the more imaginative, highflown, or sonorous are the seasoning. Then too, others are slightly to thoroughly obscure, a few enigmatic, others again arbitrarily formed or meaningless (but not always thereby displeasing), or owing their form to some mis- conception; some are frankly inapt or little suitable, yet others are outright misnomers, and a handful are merely anagrams of other names — a device serving to mark relationship. And last but, alas! not least, is a graceless raggle-taggle assortment of badly formed, atrociously misspelt. | and hopelessly botched and bungled names which the rules of nomenclature as at present framed oblige us to keep in being, though (failing strangulation at birth or radical surgery) they deserve nothing better than decent interment and oblivion — but that is another story. *49 Montcalm Road, Charlton, London SE7 8QG. 1E specially among the butterflies, where the Linnaean custom of giving names from Greek mythology (except where foodplants were known) was widely followed. ; 2Such as Operophtera for Oporoptera “winged creature of autumn” (para- phrasing slightly); and Aspitates probably for Aspilotus “unspotted”’. WHAT’S IN A NAME? 5 I want now to consider what seems on the surface a very odd name, even absurd at first sight, but making sense when regarded in a less direct way. As most people know, the element piil in compo- sition means loving, or delighting in; being Greek, it is often found in generic names, which favour that language for their make-up while the trivial name tends to prefer Latin elements (personal names excepted). Thus we have a lover of the fields (Agriphila), of glades (Alsophila), of evening (Deilephila), of warmth (Thalpo- phila), of moisture (Philudoria — the moth with the bibulous cater- pillar), of wine (Oinophila — a real tippler this, in name at least), of pleasure or sweetness (Philedone — a designation, one would think, more apt for some nectar-quaffing butterfly hedonist than for this lowly little heathland Tortrix); and so on. But Hofmanno- phila — ! What in the world can this mean? It is the genus to which belongs that pariah among insects, the Brown House Moth (A. pseudospretella), whose trivial name expresses the universal con- tempt in which it is held, with the added imputation of falseness or treachery. Are we seriously to understand that this pest was devoted to Dr. Hofmann, as on the face of it the name seems to say? Or to his suits and socks perhaps, but why then should he have suffered from its ravages any more than the rest of us? No — the thing is preposterous. It must mean something else. In fact another interpretation is formally possible. The rela- tions implicit in the name might be reversed, just as for example Theophilus means “beloved of God”. At first glance this will not do either: if pseudospretella was the object of the good Herr Doktor’s affections or friendly feeling, he must have been an epigone of the great St. Francis of Assisi, no less. But if at this point we resort to a little “lateral thinking”, light will begin to dawn. I guess that Spuler, the author of the name, wished to commemorate the noted German microlepidopterist, but could not use the obvious name Hofmannia because Wocke had already done so. He therefore substituted the termination —phila, intending that the name should signify that Dr. H. had been devoted to this moth in the cause of science. This I take to have been the case; perhaps he (Hofmann) wrote a learned treatise upon it in the approved Teutonic style . At all events, that is the interpretation I finally settle for; nothing else satisfies. Why, you may ask, have I made such heavy weather of what should be fairly obvious? Merely as an example of how puzzling a name can be until one begins to ponder on it; or if you like, to illustrate the precept: if a name appears nonsensical at first, try look- ing at it again from another viewpoint. I end with a name which is really puzzling, apparently in the class of misnomers. I put it to readers as a conundrum: what well- known and unmistakable British moth, flying only in autumn, is named after a spring month? (No prizes offered for correct solu- tion!) You will all have the answer instantly, of course. More to the point, why was it so named? — I confess myself at a total loss. Is its life-cycle different on the Continent? Perhaps someone can provide the full answer. 6 ORTHOPTERA IN HIGHLAND SCOTLAND By E. C. M. HAES* The recently published The Butterflies of Scotland by George Thomson demonstrates the need for naturalists of all disciplines to consider Scottish highland natural history as that of a separate island rather than simply the cooler end of Britain. As Thomson makes clear, the Clyde and Forth estuaries almost met about the time of the last post glaciel climatic optimum, when the sea levels of Europe were at their recent maxima, while dense forest covered most of the fertile lowlands. There are too few orthoptera native to Britain to provide such clear evidences of faunistic distinctions as are to be found in Scottish highland Lepidoptera or Hymenoptera: no truly arctic/ alpine grasshoppers, such as Melanoplus frigidus (Boheman) to match say Erebia epiphron, Knoch, Small mountain ringlet butter- fly or the wood ant Formica aquilonia, Yarrow, have been dis- covered. On the other hand it is possible that the few Orthoptera species which occur in the Highland Zone have been isolated for long enough to have formed distinct races — although no work has yet been done to establish this. Sufficient is however known about the distribution of the five species of Orthoptera so far recorded in the Highland Zone to justify some notes and observations. The contemporary Scottish climate is not ideal for orthopterous insects but various species presumably became established quickly during the relatively warm and dry Boreal Period and a handful of the least demanding have held on there until the present day. Perhaps M. frigidus and Tetrix undulata (Sowerby), common ground-hopper, were amongst the first post glacial Orthoptera. The latter is widespread in the Highlands to this day but there is so far no evidence that Melanoplus has certainly occurred in post-glacial Britain. However the Boreal Period with warm dry summers and the fact that Britain was not yet an island make the assumption of its presence quite reasonable. It is also very likely that extensive marshy areas supported colonies of Stetho- phyma grossum (L.) large marsh grasshopper and Chorthippus albomarginatus (De Geer) lesser marsh grasshopper, since both these wetland grasshoppers, together with Tetrix subulata (L.) slender ground-hopper, occur in Ireland and were thus almost certainly early post-glacial arrivals. The spread of forest in the Atlantic Period and subsequent deterioration of summer climate in more recent times doubtless eventually exterminated them in the Highland Zone although it would still be worth careful search for all three species, particularly the last in the many squares which remain unsearched for Orthoptera in Scotland. At least one further orthopteron, Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa (L.) mole-cricket, occurred close to the Highland Zone at the end of the last century, in marshy land near Kilmalcolm, Renfrewshire. It too *45, Grove Road, Worthing, West Sussex. ORTHOPTERA IN HIGHLAND SCOTLAND 7 may well have been more widespread in Scotland earlier on. It also seems that warmth and sun loving Tettigonia viridissima L. great green bush-cricket could have occurred on the east coast in For- farshire early in the last century, as it was noted here by a very famous and competent botanist, George Don, who also reported the mole cricket from the county. Of the five species of Orthoptera now known to exist in High- land Scotland Tetrix undulata shows no special pattern of distri- bution and when recorded in Scotland appears to occur in the same variety of habitat as it does in England; woodland clearings, marshy ground and stabilised coastal sand dunes. The four grasshopper species seem to have rather interesting distribution patterns in the Highland Zone where they are obviously about at the limits of their natural ranges. Three of the four are today virtually absent from the North West Highlands — from around Fort William northwards tothe north coast. Of these three Omocestus viridulus (L.) the common green grasshopper appears to go high into the hills with regularity. In the Breadalbane moun- tains around Meall nan Tarmachan and Ben Lawers it attains over 900m. Through the Central and Eastern Highlands and at lower altitude this familiar grasshopper with its relatively loud ticking stridulation is common in almost every sheltered sun trap, stream bed or lowland pasture. Small, colourful Myrmeleotettix maculatus (Thunberg) the mottled grasshopper has an almost similar outline distribution to that of. the common green in the Highland Zone, but does not seem to occur much over 500 metres and is most numerous on porous heathery ground. It is also the only species of grasshopper at all widespread on coastal sand dunes in the far north and is widespread to the north-eastern tip of Scotland as well as on the machirs of the Outer Hebrides, but apparently quite absent from Skye or the dunes of the north-west mainland. Most local of the four is Chorthippus brunneus (Thunberg) the common field grasshopper with only one or two known colonies inland in the Central and Eastern Highlands and a few scattered colonies on coastal dunes. On the east coast it occurs as far north as Culbin Forest where it is common, but is not known farther north. On the west coast there are very isolated colonies in Kintyre, Mull, Raasay and Scalpay, but it has not so far been found anywhere on Skye nor on the mainland of the north-west. It is almost certainly at its extreme limit of existence in Highland Scotland. On the other hand flightless C. parallelus (Zetterstedt) the meadow grasshopper is the one grasshopper to occur commonly in the North West High- lands, although so far unrecorded from the Outer Hebrides. It is known from one place in the Orkneys and in Central Scotland ascends almost as high as the common green. It is for example locally common by the information kiosk in the Ben Lawers National Trust for Scotland Reserve, some 830 metres up the side of Beinn Ghlas. In the far north-west it seems to be very frequent along the newly widened A838, A894, A837 and other roads in the region. Possibly the widening of these tourist routes has enabled this highly adaptable species to spread from hitherto separated 8 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD river valley or marshland colonies to exploit the grassy road verges — that now cross what was until recently relatively grassless, rainswept moorland. All colour variations including the bright purple femal have been found easily in the region, although the long winged f. explicatus is not yet recorded. One further point of interest worth mentioning is that all four grasshoppers in the Highland Zone appear to mature very early with the same early maturity (mid June onwards) as is more normal in the South of England. Presu- mably the long days of May and June in the Far North encourage this early maturity. It is to be hoped that these notes will stimulate further interest in our highland Orthoptera as this may well be the location for discovering essential details about the species present. Finally, it may be worth speculating whether or not further species could occur in the region. Certainly there are no other common and widespread species. As has been suggested, 7. subulata might be found in marshy ground in warm areas and the nocturnal oak bush-cricket Meconema thalassinum (De Geer) could be worth searching for in the old oak woods of the West Highlands around Loch Lomond or towards the coast where the purple hairstreak butterfly, Quercusia quercus L. occurs. Lepidopterists with light traps are the most likely entomologists to come across this insect in more remote areas. Another faint possibility is the presence of that elusive grasshopper Stenobothrus stigmaticus (Rambur). Any really small but fully winged grasshopper of 12 millemetres length or less is worth closest scrutiny and a voucher specimen to the British Museum Natural History. Acknowledgements The article is based on field records supplied by the following recorders to the National Recording Scheme for Orthoptera: D. Baldock, G. H. Ballantyne, S. N. Cross, R. Cumming, M. Davies, W. A. Ely, Dr. L. S. Garrard, E. C. M. Haes, Mrs. Audrey Kelham, K. W. Muller, J. Paul, Mrs. Linda M. Pitkin, D. G. Rands, Dr. A. J. Rundle, M. J. Skelton, B. C. Townsend, K. R. Watt. References Burr, M., 1936. British Grasshoppers and their Allies. London. Haes, E. C. M. (editor), 1979. Provisional Atlas of the Insects of the British Isles Part 6. Orthoptera. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Huntingdon. Thomson, G., 1980. The Butterflies of Scotland: a Natural History. London. EUPITHECIA PHOENICEATA RAMBUR: CYPRESS PUG IN ESSEX. — On the night of 16th September 1981, I caught a specimen of this moth in my garden at Tilbury. This is the second record of this species for Essex, the first for South Essex. — C. C. PENNEY, 39 Chaucer Close, Tilbury, Essex. oe \ J 4 - yy — 9 , rT] % s y ia PLATE I SOME ASSISTANCE WITH REGARD TO DODONA SP.(LEPIDOPTERA:NEMEOBIIDAE) IN HONG KONG By W. J. TENNENT* Having recently received my copy of ‘This is Hong Kong: Butterflies’ by C. & J. Johnston, I observe on page 129 that Dodona eugenes Bates, is mentioned as having been first caught in Hong Kong by Mr. W. F. Palmer in 1974. I further quote from Hill, Johnston and Bascombe 1978 (page 17): ‘‘. . .Dodona eugenes Bates venox Fruhstorfer Very rare. First taken by Tennent in March and July 1973, and identified at the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) as subspecies formosana Matsumura. Eliot, however, thinks they are ssp. venox Fruhstorfer.. .”’ The truth of the matter is that I took three female butterflies on 14th March, 18th March and 24th July 1973 in the New Territories, Hong Kong, which I took to the BM(NH) on my return to the UK later that year. They were tentatively identified as D.eugenes. The ssp. nearest to my specimens in physical appearance was maculosa Leech from Central China; the National Collection had at that time no specimens of formosana, the only reference available being those illustrated by Shirozu 1960 (Plate 60, Figs 547/548), which are much smaller and darker than my specimens. They were obviously not venox (Eliot had not seen the specimens at that time). Having seen the illustrations of D.eugenes and D.egeon Westwood in Fleming 1974 (The descriptions of D.egeon confluens Corbet and D.deodata anu Corbet in Volume 2 Page 15, should be reversed in reference to the appropriate illustrations on Plate 55) and Corbet & Pendlebury, I sent the specimens to the BM(NH) for more positive determination. _ As aresult, Mr. P. R. Ackery, BM(NH) and Colonel Eliot, are of the opinion that they probably represent a new spp. of D.egeon, although they are in some respects intermediate between this species and D.eugenes. I understood from Mr. W. F. (Bill) Palmer in 1974, that the species had been taken again in Hong Kong that year and I expected to see it illustrated in one of the recent publications. However, this is not so and | therefore illustrate two of my three specimens here. It seems they must await the capture of a male specimen in order that genitalic examination may place the form in its rightful ‘slot’. More specific data on place of capture is deliberately withheld. *1 Middlewood Close, Fylingthorpe, Whitby, N. Yorkshire. Legend to Plate I A. Dodona sp. fw length 24mm. Hong Kong. 24th July 1973. B. Dodona sp. (Underside). fw length 23mm. Hong Kong. 14th March 1973. 10 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD References Ackery P. R., 1979. Pers. Comm. Corbet, A. S. & Pendlebury, H. M., 1956. (3rd edition 1978 Eliot, J. N.). The Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula. Fleming, W. A., 1974. Butterflies of West Malaysia & Singapore. Vol. 2. Hill, D. S., Johnston, G. & Bascombe, M. J., 1978. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society — Annotated Checklist of Hong Kong Butterflies. Johnston, G. & Johnston, J. 1980. This is Hong Kong: Butterflies. Shirozu, T. 1960. Butterflies of Formosa. Two INTERESTING TEPHRITIDAE (DIPT.) ON A S. E. LONDON COMMON. — Of these attractive flies (long known as Trypetidae until lately, when, alas! the perennial craze for name-changing spread to affect also the higher taxa) several local and rather rare species occur in my area, besides all the commoner ones — the former already recorded in scattered notes. During the past and present seasons I was pleased to come across two further species of that class on Woolwich Common close by here. The first, Orellia falcata Scop., one of our larger and more conspicuous species, turned up there on 12.vii.80 — three 2° of which two had a large semicircular ‘bite’ our of the apical margin of each wing. Both sexes occurred there sparingly in late May and early June of the next (present) year. The foodplant, Tragopogon pratensis, grows patchily and sparsely on the common; I have not noticed it else- where in the district. O. falcata is by no means a common insect in suburban Kent. Niblett (1956, The Flies of the London Area, 3: Trypetidae (Lond. Nat. Reprint 101): 84, under Trypeta) lists only three localities there — Abbey Wood Marshes, Eltham, Erith Marshes — as compared with a long series of Surrey ones. The present locality is nearest the second of these. The other species is Dithryca guttularis Mg., for which the above work gives (under the emendation Ditricha) four Surrey localities more or less on the fringe of the Society’s area and none at all in Kent, London, or Middlesex. (I recorded the species from Box Hill, Surrey, in 1962, Ent. Rec., 74: 244.) This apparent rarity clearly has nothing to do with foodplants, since Achillea millefolium, the host of D. guttularis, is general and abundant. I was surprised, therefore, to meet with the fly in some numbers in an extremely restricted spot on the edge of a large patch of yarrow in a corner of the common, on 27.vii.81. Though the entire patch was swept in detail, the Tephritid seemed absent from the dense central mass, occurring only on some half-dozen more thinly- spaced plants at one side of it. All the six taken proved to be males, suggesting that the flies had only just begun to emerge; females can be expected to appear a little later. -— A. A. ALLEN, 49 Montcalm Road, Charlton, London SE3 8QG. 11 A SURVEY OF THE SALTATORIA OF THE BRISTOL AREA AND NORTH SOMERSET By J. F. BURTON, F.R.E.S., F.Z.S.* (Concluded from Vol. 93 page 171) Common Green Grasshopper Omocestus viridulus (L.) In summer and early autumn the loud and prolonged (up to 20 seconds or so) pulsating song of this emerald-green or olive- brown insect can be guaranteed to attract one’s attention in the wide range of open, grassy situations it frequents. In the area under review in this paper it may be heard commonly from the boggy pastures of the Somerset peat moors and the lush riverside meadows to the grassy slopes of the ranges of limestone hills. I have personal records of it from the following localities, unless otherwise stated in parentheses: Batheaston (Blathwayt, 1906); Brown’s Folly, Bathford, 1971; Gordano Valley: Walton Moor 1962 - 79; Weston Moor 1975 - 79 and Walton Common 1975 - 76; Failand Golf Course, near Bristol 1963; Broadfield Farm Combe, near Goblin Combe, 1964; Burrington Combe, 1964; Brean Down, 1972 - 74; Mendip Hills: Crook Peak 1974, Wavering Down 1975, and Velvet Bottom, Charterhouse 1955 (D.K.M. Kevan and J. Cowley) 1964 - 75; Somerset Peat Moors: Street Heath 1945 (J. Cowley, 1949), Ashcott Heath 1963, Meare Heath 1963 - 67, Shapwick Heath 1948 (J. Cowley), 1971 - 76 and Westhay STNC Reserve 1965. At Charterhouse-on-Mendip on 24th July 1955, D.K.M. Kevan and J. Cowley found viridulus parasitized by the fungus Entomo- phthora grylli (det. by W. D. Hincks). Mottled Grasshoper Myrmeleotettix maculatus (Thunb.) Although highly polymorphic, this little grasshopper can easily be identified by its clubbed antennae, a character it shares with only one other British species — the Rufous Grasshopper Gom- phocerippus rufus, which is larger and possesses more distinctly clubbed antennae with white tips. The song of the male Mottled Grasshopper consists of a series of some twenty short chirps delivered quietly at first, but gradually rising to a crescendo within a space of 10 - 15 seconds. Although heather moors and heaths with sufficient’ grass are its favoured haunts, it also occurs on sand dunes, and chalk and limestone hills, especially where the turf is short and the rock is exposed. It is therefore locally common on the Mendip Hills and on the carboniferous limestone hills extending northwards from them towards Bristol. I have records of it from the following localities (my observations unless otherwise stated): Batheaston (Blathwayt, 1906); Brown’s Folly, Bathford 1971; Berrow sand dunes, 1945 - 54 (J. Cowley); Flax Bourton Combe, 1960; *11 Rockside Drive, Henleaze, Bristol BS9 4NW. 12 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Broadfield Farm Combe, near Goblin Combe, 1964; Goblin Combe, 1964; and on the Mendips proper at Crook Peak 1960, 1964, 1972 and 1974; Burrington Combe 1964; Charterhouse 1955 (D.K.M. Kevan and J. Cowley), and Velvet Bottom, near Charterhouse 1964. Rufous Grasshopper Gomphocerippus rufus (L.) Although readily identified by its white-tipped, strongly club- bed (less so in the female) antennae, this generally brown, largish grasshopper seems to have been much overlooked in the area under review. For more than a decade the only known localities in Somer- set were all on the Polden Hills where J. Cowley (1952) first dis- covered a colony on Walton Hill on Sth September, 1948, and where I found it continuing to flourish on visits made during 1964, 1971, 1974 and 1976. In 1950 J. Cowley also found colonies in “sheltered spots in rough long grass” elsewhere on the Poldens: Socombe Hill, near Edington (still there in 1953), Cock Hill and in a railway cutting at Cossington. Recently R. S. Cropper shas discovered rufus on Portishead Down (1977) and reported it from the Mendips. I have searched for it on the carboniferous limestone hills around Clevedon, Ticken- ham, Wraxall and Failand without success. Lesser Marsh Grasshopper Chorthippus albomarginatus (DeG.) This variable grasshopper is locally common on the coastal dunes and marshes along the entire coastline of the area under review, and is also to be found well inland over a wide area of the Central Somerset Levels. I have records of its occurrence (those uncredited are my own) from the following localities: Edington Moor 1945 and 1947 (J. Cowley, 1949); Catcott Heath (wet peat pastures) 1947 (J. Cowley 1949) and 1950 (J. Cowley, D. G. Brown and J. H. P. Sankey); Oxenpill, Westhay1964 (with D. R. Ragge); Berrow sand dune slacks 1950 and 1954 (J. Cowley); Brean to Lympsham 1960; Clevedon Pill and seawall 1967 - 1976. Common Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus (Thunb.) Much more variable in colour and markings than the last species; indeed, this grasshopper is the most highly polymorphic of all the British species with the possible exception of the Mottled Grass- hopper. It is also one of the commonest, and is found abundantly, even in urban areas, throughout the region covered by this paper, except that its preference for dryish habitat means that it is more local in the extensive fens and marshes where much of the grass- land is too damp and lush. I have specific records of it from the following localities: Bristol: Clifton and Durdham Downs, 1960 - 79; King’s Weston Down, 1970; Shirehampton, 1977; Henleaze, 1977 - 79; Mangots- field, 1979; Hambrook and Whiteshill, 1978; Ashton Park, 1963 - 77; Leigh Woods, 1962 - 79. North Somerset: Pill, 1961 - 77; Easton-in- Gordano, 1964; Weston-in-Gordano and Walton Common, 1967 - 76; Portishead, 1960 - 78: Failand Golf-course, 1963 - 78; Cadbury THE SALTATORIA OF THE BRISTOLAREAANDN.SOMERSET 13 Camp, near Tickenham and Tickenham Hill, 1964 - 65; Clevedon (Church Hill, Wain’s Hill, Court Hill, Walton Castle Hill, the seawall and Clevedon Town F.C. ground), 1967 -79; Flax Bourton 1960; Brockley Combe, 1971; Broadfield Farm Combe, near Goblin Combe, 1964; Mendips: Blagdon, 1950 (J. Cowley); Uphill, 1951 (J. Cowley); Brean Down, 1972 - 74; Bleadon Hill, 1960; Crook Peak, 1960 - 74; Burrington Combe, 1953 (J. Cowley) 1964; Westbury and Ebbor, 1964; Charterhouse, 1955 (D. K. M. Kevan); Velvet Bottom, near Charterhouse, 1964 and Priddy, 1964; Batheas- ton (Blathwayt 1906); Brown’s Folly, Bathford, 1971; Central Peat Moors: Ashcott Heath, 1965 - 67; Meare Heath, 1963 - 79; Shapwick (Walton, 1944); Shapwick Heath, 1950 (J. Cowley), 1976; Langport, 1961 and Muchelney, 1961; Berrow sand dunes 1945 and 1950 (J. Cowley), Bridgwater, 1952 (J. Cowley); Polden Hills: Edington, 1947 (J. Cowley, 1949) and 1950 (J. Cowley); Socombe Hill and Cock Hill, 1950 (J. Cowley); Cossington, 1950 (J. Cowley) and Walton Hill, 1964 - 76. In hot weather brunneus is capable of prodigious leaps and glides: one I watched at Clevedon on 11th August, 1967 lept to an estimated height of almost two metres and glided some seven metres over level ground, assisted only by a light breeze. Meadow Grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus (Zett.) Another abundant Chorthippus grasshopper in the Bristol area and North Somerset easily distinguished from the other species in this genus by its vestigial wings (especially in the female) which render it quite unable to fly. However, very occasionally a form with fully developed wings occurs, though I have yet to encounter it in this district. The chattering stridulation of the males, once learnt, is also unmistakable. It tends to shun urban areas and dry grassland, otherwise is pretty ubiquitous. The following is a list of localities known to me; my records unless otherwise stated: Bristol: Clifton and Durdham Downs 1978 - 79; King’s Weston Down, 1970; Ashton Park, 1963 - 74; Leigh Woods 1962 - 79; Hambrook and Whiteshill 1978. North Somerset: Abbots Leigh, 1964; Pill, 1960 - 66; Easton- in-Gordano, 1964; Weston Moor, Weston-in-Gordano, 1964 - 79; Walton Common, Walton-in-Gordano, 1975 - 76; Walton Moor, Walton-in-Gordano 1962 - 79; Clevedon (Church Hill, Wain’s Hill, Court Hill, Walton Castle Hill, Clevedon Pill and seawall), 1964 - 79; Failand Golf-course, 1963 - 78; Cadbury Camp, 1964 - 65; Ticken- ham Hill, 1964; Flax Bourton, 1960; Brockley Combe, 1971; Broadfield Farm Combe, near Goblin Combe, 1964; Chew Valley Lake, 1962; Brown’s Folly, Bathford, 1971; Batheaston (Blathwayt 1906); Mendips; Brean Down 1972 - 74; Bleadon Hill, 1960; Crook Peak, 1960 - 74; Wavering Down, 1975; Burrington Combe, 1964; Cheddar Gorge, 1960; Westbury and Ebbor, 1964; Charterhouse, 1955 (D.K.M. Kevan) and Velvet Bottom, near Charterhouse, 1964 - 75; Central Somerset Levels: between Brean and Lympsham, 1960; Westhay Moor, 1954 (J. Cowley), 1964 - 65; Meare Heath, 1963 - 79; Shapwick Heath, 1952 (J. Cowley). 1963 - 76; Catcott 14 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Heath, 1947 and 1950 (J. Cowley); Edington Moor 1947 (J. Cowley); Street Heath, 1945 and 1947 (J. Cowley); Aller Wood, Othery, 1971; Polden Hills: Edington, 1947 (J. Cowley); Socombe Hill, 1950 (J. Cowley): Walton Hill, 1964 - 74 and Great Breach Wood, 1971 - 74. GROUND-HOPPERS (Family Tetrigidae) Slender Ground-hopper Tetrix subulata (L.) Being small, dark-coloured and generally inconspicuous the ground-hoppers are easily overlooked and this has undoubtedly happened in the area covered by this paper. I am conscious that my own searches have been far from systematic: when I have made an effort I have experienced little difficulty in finding either this or the next species in suitable localities. The form bifasciata, in which the pronotum and hind-wings are considerably shortened, is not uncommon. I have found it in the Gordano Valley and on Meare and Westhay Moors in the Somerset Peat Moors. The damp-loving Slender Ground-hopper seems to be locally common in the peat moors and levels of the Bristol district and North Somerset, but I only know of positive records from the following places (my records unless otherwise stated): Combe Dingle, Bristol 1950 (J. Cowley); Walton Moor, 1964 and Weston Moor, 1972 - 75; Blagdon Reservoir, 1950 (J. Cowley), Ebbor Wood, Mendip, 1952 (J. Cowley); Central Peat Moors: Ashcott, 1941 (Blair, 1941); Meare Heath, 1963 - 79; Oxenpill, Westhay, 1964; Catcott Heath, 1945 and 1950 (J. Cowley); Shapwick Heath, 1953 (J. Cowley) and Street Heath, 1949 - 53 (J. Cowley); Loxley Wood, Shapwick, 1947 (J. Cowley); Edington, 1945 - 46; 1950 - 52 (J. Cowley); dune slacks at Berrow, 1951 (J. Cowley) and Lollover Hill, Compton Dundon, 1958 (J. Cowley). Common Ground-hopper Tetrix undulata (Sow.) By far the most widespread of the three British ground-hoppers, undulata is smaller and stouter than subulata with much shorter hindwings; and although it overlaps with the latter’s choice of habitats, it occupies a wider range, including quite dry conditions such as those pertaining on heaths and sand dunes. It has almost certainly been much overlooked in the area reviewed by this paper and is probably more or less generally distributed in suitable places. Records known to me are as follows: Walton Moor, Gordano Valley, 1971 (J.F.B.); Goblin Combe, 1952 (J. Cowley); Asham Wood, Downhead and Vallis Vale, Selwood, 1953 (J. Cowley); Shepton Mallet (Brown, 1939) Street Heath, 1950 and 1952 (J. Cowley); Shapwick Heath, 1951 (J. Cowley); Westhay Moor, 1954 (J. Cowley); oray near Westhay, 1964 (J.F.B.); and Meare Heath, 1964 - 69 J.F.B.). References Blair, K. G., 1941. Tetrix ceperoi I. Bolivar in Britain (Orth.). J. Soc. Brit. Ent. 2: 116 - 117. THE SALTATORIA OF THE BRISTOLAREA ANDN. SOMERSET 15 Blathwayt, L., 1906. Orthoptera. Vict. Cty. Hist. Somerset 1: 76. Brown, E. S., 1939. Some new county records for ‘Orthoptera. Ent. Rec. 51: 143. Burton, J. F., 1961. Notes on Orthoptera in Southern England in 1960. Ent. Rec. 73: 64 - 66. Burton, J. F., 1963. Orthoptera Notes, 1961 - 62 with some casual observations on Lepidoptera. Ent. Rec. 75: 142 - 147. Burton, J. F., 1964. Orthoptera Notes from S. W. Britain, 1963. Ent. Rec. 76: 136 - 139. Burton, J. F., 1965. Notes on British Orthoptera in 1964, with some new Vice-county Records. Ent. Rec. 77: 71 - 78. Burton, John, 1972. The Conservation of Somerset Grasshoppers and their Allies. Part I. Somerset Trust for Nature Conservation Newsletter No. 22: 3 - 4. Burton, John, 1973. The Conservation of Somerset Grasshoppers and their Allies. Part Il. Somerset Trust for Nature Conservation Newsletter No. 23:3 - 5. Cowley, J., 1949. Orthoptera from Somerset. J. Soc. Brit. Ent. 3: 46 - 47. Haes, E. C. M., 1979. Provisional Atlas of the Insects of the British Isles Part 6 Orthoptera: Grasshoppers and Crickets 2nd edn. Biological Records Centre, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Huntingdon. Kevan, D. K. McE., 1961. A Revised Summary of the known Distri- bution of British Orthopteroids. Trans. Soc. Brit. Ent. 14: 187 - 205. Miller, K. W., in Best, G. et al., 1979. Entomological Notes, Bristol District, 1977. Proc. Bristol Nat. Soc. 37: 73 - 83. Parsons, A. J., 1978. Notes on Some Invertebrates on Steep Holm. Proc. Bristol Nat. Soc. 36: 93 - 111. Payne, R. M., 1958. The Distribution of Grasshoppers and Allied Insects in the London Area. Lond. Nat. for 1957. 37: 102-115. Ragge, D. R., 1965. Grasshoppers, Crickets and Cockroaches of the British Isles. London and New York. Ragge, D. R., 1973. The British Orthoptera: a Supplement. Ent. Gazette 24: 227-245. - Turner, A. H., Wilson, W. A. and Cowley, J., 1952. Some Recent Records of Somerset Insects. Proc. Somerset archaeol. nat. Hist. Soc. 1951. 96: 212 - 223. Walton, G. A., 1944. Mecostethus grossus (L.) and Chorthippus bicolor (Charp.) (Orthop.) in Somerset. J. Soc. Brit. Ent. 2: 185. D’ABRERA’S BUTTERFLIES OF THE AFRO-TROPICAL REGION. — I must make a correction to a factual statement made by a reviewer (C.G.C.D.) in Ent. Record, 93: 195. In the last paragraph it is stated that the author Mr. D’Abrera intends to bring out a second edition of this book. I do not know where this information came from but it is, to my certain knowledge, not true. — The question of a sup- plement may be in Mr. D’Abrera’s mind but of this again I know not.— E. W. CLASSEY (Sole Agent for Butterflies of the Afro- Tropical Region), P. O. Box 93, Faringdon, Oxon. SN7 7DR. THE WHITE-LETTER HAIRSTREAK: STRYMONIDIA W-ALBUM KNOCH By A. ARCHER-LOCK* Further to my brief article (Vol. 92, No. 10, page 254), I received quite a number of most valuable comments which are summarised as follows: — Current Situation. The North of England would seem to hold much the strongest position. Mr. S. M. Jackson considers the butterfly still to be widespread in Yorkshire except for the North West of that County, and believes that a spread may have occurred. Mr. J. Briggs knows of a strong colony in North Lancashire, commenting that this could be a recent development. Moving further South, Mr. John Payne found that the species was still hanging on in Northampton- shire even in elm-disease ravaged areas, while Mr. Jack Green knew of a good colony in Worcestershire where he considers that the butterfly can still quite readily be found. In Breconshire, Mr. J. P. Sankey-Barker has continuing records of one flourishing colony based apparently upon surviving elm saplings. Several correspondents from the Bath area, once renowned for this hairstreak, commented on a catastrophic almost total decline, including Mr. Bryan Moore, the recorder of lepidoptera for the Bath Natural History Society. Mr. Matthew Oates, who wrote a particularly entertaining and detailed letter, considers that Sussex has suffered very severely as early as 1976, and in Hampshire, twenty colonies of which he knew, are reduced to two. Practically all the many letters refer to an abundance of Stry- monidia w-album in 1976. New Colonisation. There is a tenuous suggestion of a drift north- wards: possibly a retreat before the advancing elm disease? Several correspondents confirm that the species wanders. Mr. Oates found two in separate pub bars in Sussex — perhaps here lies the true explanation of decline. Mr. Sankey-Barker has records of ten new sites discovered in the last five years although pointing out that they may have existed before, whilst Mr. Jackson similarly has further localities in North Yorkshire. Elm Disease. Opinion is certainly divided as to whether this is the over-riding factor for decline. Mr. Green can find no other explana- tion, but there are several reports of the butterfly carrying on through the advent of elm suckers springing up. The well known seasonal fluctuation is frequently confirmed, Mr. Sankey-Barker pointing out the series of indifferent middle summers since 1976. The Cornish locality to which I originally referred has suffered no further visible elm decline, and yet two long watches at the ‘master’ wych elm yielded not a single sighting compared with many in 1980. *4 Glenwood Road, Mannamead, Plymouth. THE WHITE-LETTER HAIRSTREAK 17 However, I did see two widely separated specimens at the tops of elms over a stretch of half a mile in this valley. Common Elm (Ulmus procera). There is no doubt that this butter- fly will breed quite readily on this tree. Mr. Green has found larvae there, and so has Mr. Payne, even on very diseased trees, whilst Dr. D. F. Owen found them on the species within the City of Oxford. Blossom Feeding. Most correspondents confirm frequent visits to privet, bramble, thistles, and less often to hemp agrimony, rag- wort, hogweed, knapweed, and even garden flowers including bud- dleia, which suggests that butterflies in the South West do behave differently — perhaps due to a greater abundance of honey-dew. In 1976, Dr. Owen saw hundreds on bramble flowers in Berkshire. A seasonal shortage of honey-dew may well explain these occur- rences which are reported occasionally. The conclusion to draw must be that the White-letter Hair- streak will survive, even if one has misgivings when the Morning Telegraph (7/8/81) reports that Dutch Elm Disease has hit the Barns- ley area hard in 1981 with more than 1,000 trees affected, and a sudden upsurge was also reported in the Edinburgh green belt (Guardian 25/8/81). The National loss is now put at twelve million trees. May I thank all those who have written to me, taking such considerable trouble, and also those who have spoken to me on this subject. Obviously, I have failed to do justice to any of them, but mentioned or not, I am most grateful for their help towards a brief summary record of the current state of this often elusive butterfly. THE PUPATION OF ANTHOCHARIS. — The beak on the pupa of Anthocharis cardamines, to which Lt. Col. C. A. Cowan draws attention in his paper under the above title (1981, Ent. Rec., 93: 97-99), is by no means unique in the family. A rather less pro- nounced beak is present in the pupa of Leptidea sinapis, and there are many examples among the tropical and semi-tropical Pieridae. Plate 2 in Talbot’s Fauna of British India, i (2nd edit.), figures three species Colotis eucharis F. (wrongly captioned as danae), Ixias marianne Cr. and Valeria ceylanica Feld., whilst my photo- graphs of East African early stages, now in the British Museum (Natural History) include a number of other species. I do not think that Lt. Col. Cowan’s suggestion of the purpose of the beak can be the correct one, as most of the Indian and African species that possess it are generally not more than a fortnight in the pupal state. Generally speaking, it would appear that those pupae that are supported by a comparatively long girdle “ae a beak, whilst those that are appressed against their substrate O not. The distorted beak in Lt. Col. Cowan’s fig. 9 is almost certainly the result of injury when the pupa was newly formed and soft. — 4 G. SEVASTOPULO, F.R.E.S., P.O.Box 95617, Mombasa (Nyali), enya. 18 BUTTERFLIES IN NORTHERN GREECE: JULY-AUGUST 1980 By J. V. DactE!, MARGARET K. V. DACIE, P. GRAMMATICOS? -and J. COUTSIS? In late July and early August 1980 we were able to revisit some of the areas in Northern Greece where we had collected on previous occasions earlier in the year (Dacie et al., 1979). Based at Kallikratia, near Thessaloniki, we travelled first via the Mount Olympos area to Kastoria in N. W. Greece where we collected in the mountains near-by on the 23rd July. On the 29th July we collec- ted in the hills north of Alexandroupolis; on the 30th July we set out for Drama, travelling by way of Komotini, Xanthi, Stavroupolis and Paranestion, undertaking some wayside collecting en route. On the 31st July and Ist August we collected in two mountainous areas north of Drama. We revisited the Kastoria area on the Sth and 6th August and the mountains near Florina on the 7th August and finally collected en route-from Florina to Thessaloniki on the 8th August. In all we noted 123 species. The following were of the greatest interest to us. Papilionidae Parnassius apollo L. A few specimens were seen near Kastoria. Pieridae Pontia chloridice Hubner. A few worn specimens were seen in the dry scrub-covered hills north of Alexandroupolis on the 29th July, where we had found the species to be quite common in fresh condition on the 30th June 1978. Colias libanotica heldreichii Staudinger. Worn specimens were not uncommon, flying in association with Pseudochazara cingo- vskii Gross (see below), in a steep rocky area near Kastoria at about 1000 m. We noted the presence of its foodplant Astra- galus parnassi Boiss. Colias balcanica Rebel. A few worn specimens were captured in an open sub-alpine meadow near Florina at about 1700 m. Iie John and Lady Dacie, 10 Alan Road, Wimbledon, London, SW19 7PT. 2Dr. Philip Grammaticos, 51 Hermou Street, Thessaloniki, Greece. 3John Coutsis, 4 Glykonos Street, Athens 139, Greece. BUTTERFLIES IN NORTHERN GREECE: JULY-AUGUST 1980 19 Lycaenidae Agrodiaetus damon D. and S. A large colony in fresh condition was found in an open sub-alpine rocky terrain in the mountains near Kastoria at about 1400 m. Lysandra coridon Poda. This species was found to be common and widely distributed and was noted from Mt. Olympos, near Xanthi, north of Drama, near Kastoria and near Florina. Males were in fresh condition and only a few females were seen; one was blue (? syngrapha Kefestein). Nymphalidae Apatura ilia D. and S. A few specimens were seen in two localities near Kastoria. One female f clytie was netted. Neptis sappho Pallas. One specimen was netted north of Drama where two specimens had been seen on the 30th June 1976. Two further specimens were caught between Xanthi and Paranestion at about 250 m. This species clearly is established in Northern Greece. Satyridae Melanargia russiae japygia Cyrillo. A colony of this species, mostly rather worn, was found in a sub-alpine flowery meadow in an open mountainous area near Florina at about 1700 m, flying with many other species, including Boloria graeca Staudinger, Colias balcanica Rebel and Erebia ottomana Herrich-Schaffer. Neohippparchia statilinus Hufnagel. This species was identified in only one locality — a dry stony upland area between Florina and Edessa where H. delattini Kudrna had been caught in early July 1976. Neohipparchia fatua Freyer seems to be much more widely distributed. We identified colonies of the species near Thessaloniki, Alexandroupolis, Drama and Kastoria. Pseudochazara cingovskii Gross. This species was found in fair to fine condition to be not uncommon flying over relatively open steep rocky slopes of scrub and scree in a localized area in the mountains near Kastoria at about 1000 m. The insects appear to be identical with those caught by Brown further south on Mount Smolikas and named ssp. tisiphone (Brown, 1980). Erebia euryale Esper. We found a colony of this species in fresh condition in a clearing in a mainly coniferous forest in a moun- tainous locality north of Drama at about 1450 m. 20 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Erebia aethiops Esper. A colony of this species was found on a more open mountainous grassy terrain at a slightly lower al- titude a few km. from the colony of E. euryale Esper. We caught £.oeme Hubner in late June 1978 in the same area. Erebia ottomana Herrich-Schdffer. A large colony of this species was found in an open sub-alpine meadow in a mountainous area near Florina at about 1700 m. Almost all the specimens netted were found to be worn. Hesperiidae Pyrgus cinerae Rambur. This fine species in fairly fresh condition was found to be widely distributed and not uncommon in the Kastoria area; it was also identified near Kirotos, en route between Mt. Olympos and Kastoria. Pyrgus armoricanus Oberthur. This was the commonest Pyrgus species; we identified it almost everywhere we collected be- tween Alexandroupolis and Kastoria. Hesperia comma L. This species appears to be widely distributed but only scattered specimens were seen. We noted it on Mt. Olympos, north of Drama and near Kastoria. References Brown, J., 1980. On the status of a little known Satyrid butterfly from Greece. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 92: 280-281. Dacie, J. V., Dacie, M. K.V., Grammaticos, P., Higgins; L. G., & Higgins, N., 1979. Butterflies in Northern Greece: June — July, 1978. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 91: 311-314. Rearing and Studying the Praying Mantids by G. L. Heath. Cover and 1l5pp. (including 7 black and white plates). Amateur Entomologists’ Society Leaflet No. 36, 1980. Obtainable from A. E. S. Publications, 4 Steep Close, Green Street Green, Or- pington, Kent BR6 6DS. Price £1.50 plus 20p post. According to the author there are many different species of mantis, and that breeding them presents a continual challenge, because what suits one species may not suit another. For this reason he suggests that breeders should keep precise records of the results of their breeding experiences as the information on the subject is limited. The author describes in this pamphlet methods for species that he has successfully bred, and treats of the subject under the headings of General Description, The Ootheca, Sources (of mantis material), Care of Oothecae, Nymphs, Adults and Types of mantis likely to be encountered. | NOTES ON MOMPHA NODICOLELLA FUCHS ”’ (LEP.: MOMPHIDAE) By A.M. EMMET * This species was placed on the British list on the evidence of three specimens captured by Buxton at Westerham, Kent on the 24th of June, 1915 (Wakely, 194445). One of these was presented to the British Museum (Natural History) and was later found to be mis- identified Mompha subbistrigella (Haworth) ([Cockayne], 1951). The other two are lost and without evidence to the contrary they must be considered to have been likewise M. subbistrigella. The first authentic record was made by the late S. Wakely in 1950. On the 2nd of September he found a number of galls in stems of rosebay willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium) at Oxshott, Surrey. One of these was still tenanted and produced an adult on the 5th of October (Wakely, 1951a). During the next few years, Wakely and L. T. Ford found more galls at Oxshott and also on Ockham Common and Mickleham Down; they reared moths from these and also caught adults at Horsley in late April. All these localities are in Surrey. Larvae were found from late May onwards just into Septem- ber and they concluded that the species had a single brood extend- ing throughout the whole summer (Wakely, 1951b; 1953; 1954; 1957; 1958). Ford (1958) described it as univoltine and Emmet ({1978] ) followed his opinion. The record of this species in an East London churchyard (Plant, 1980) offered a convenient locality for further study and I was also desirous of checking the determination for which I had been re- sponsible, since this had been challenged on the grounds that the situation was improbable. Accordingly, my wife and I visited the churchyard on the 3rd of July, 1981. We had thought from Colin Plant’s account that the moth might be common but we certainly had not expected the profusion which we found. There are large stands of rosebay and a high proportion of the stems (possibly as many as one in three) were attacked. Some stems held as many as six galls and we later found that about a quarter of the galls har- boured more than one larva. We should have made our visit a week earlier, since most of the larvae had already gone. We gathered 12 stems, holding about 30 galls. Eight larvae emerged from these in the next 24 hours, all of which produced adults from the 18th- 20th of July; there were no parasites. A remarkable feature of the larval feeding is that it appears to have no adverse effect on the plant, which grows to full size and flowers normally however many galls are present. Stem-feeding larvae frequently cause drooping and the closely related Mompha divisella Herrich-Schaffer causes branching above the gall (Ford, 1949). The gall of M. nodicolella when opened reveals a surprisingly small excavation in relation to the size of the larva. The gall is caused by the plant’s replacement of the tissues eaten by the larva and it appears that the plant keeps just ahead by producing more * Labrey Cottage, Victoria Gardens, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3AF. Za ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD new tissue than the larva can eat. Wakely (1951b) recorded the galls mostly on small, low plants which had not flowered; in East London they were on full-sized plants at heights ranging from 14 feet from the ground. The stems redden with age and the presence of a gall causes this to happen prematurely at that point, a character which renders it very conspicuous. When the larva is full-fed, it chews out a neat hole in the side of the gall and emerges through it prior to pupating externally. A num- ber of galls were found in which there was already a hole, but this had been covered with a thin film of silk under which a larva was visible. At first it was supposed that this was to protect the larva during a period of rest between eating out the hole and quitting the gall, but later, after aborted galls had been dissected and some found to contain two dead larvae, it was realised that the seal was made by a second larva for protection until it too was ready to leave. It has been stated above that the excavation is small. The working in galls occupied by two larvae was noticeably larger but even then the protective strategy adopted by the plant seems to work effectively. Bradley (1951) describes the imago and Meyrick (1928) gives an excellent brief description of the wing pattern, though I do not agree with his statement that the adbomen beneath is whitish towards the apex only. I cannot recognise the species in Mr S. N. A. Jacobs’ coloured figure (Wakely, 1944-45, Pl. 5, fig. 5; [Agassiz] , 1978, Pl. 12, fig. 5). His drawing was made from a continental specimen and I suspect that it is not the species we have in Britain. I would never accuse Jacobs of inaccurate draughtmanship. There are gaps in our literature in the account of the life history. The egg is presumably laid on the stem of the foodplant, but I could not find it; possibly it is placed in the axil of a flower or a leaf. One would expect to see traces of a gallery leading inwards to the centre of the stem, but I failed to find this in about 30 dis- sections; the new tissue which swells the stem possibly envelopes this working. The larva, on leaving the gall, is bright crimson-red, paler between segments; head, divided prothoracic plate and small anal plate brown. The pupa is pale yellowish brown. Ford (1957) describes the cocoon as thick; “thick” is a relative term, but since the pupa is clearly visible within I would regard it as an overstate- ment. Wakely (1953) says that “the white spun silk cocoon is of a sticky nature and inclined to adhere to one’s fingers”’; this tallies with my own observations. In captivity the cocoon is spun in tissue; the site in the wild is probably leaf-litter. Although M. nodicolella has always been described as univol- tine, the evidence suggested that it has two generations. A second visit to the churchyard with the Revd. D. J. L. Agassiz on the 21st of August gave an opportunity to check this hypothesis. We observed adults gyrating on tombstones in the manner described by Colin Plant; the purpose seems to be to test the sub- strate before settling down to roost. David Agassiz also found as many as seven larvae crawling on the tombstones, indicating that they were plentiful. Yet, surprisingly, we found hardly any fresh galls. The few we observed were near the tips of the small branches NOTES ON MOMPHA NODICOLELLA FUCHS (LEP.: MOMPHIDAE) 23 which sometimes occur high up amongst the flowers. Then David noticed small holes in the seedpods, and these pods when opened were found to contain larvae corresponding to those of M. nodicolella. Apart from the hole, there was no indication that a pod was tenanted. These pod-feeding larvae were present in great profusion. At first we thought that this different method of feeding indicated a different species, but more mature reflection suggested otherwise. It was improbable that two species of Mompha would occur so abundantly in the same urban locality. Moreover the larvae were not eating the seeds but the internal stem to which they were attached; this pabulum probably differs little from the tissues of the main stem. One speaks loosely of the larva making a gall, but it is, of course, the plant which makes it. It probably cannot make one in a seedpod. It can only do so in the stem during the active vege- tative period, and the reason why new galls were confined to the slender branches of the flower-head was that it was only in that part of the plant that growth was still taking place. It is even possible that other larvae were feeding unobserved in the stems without any gall being produced, but this is conjecture. What is certain is that in August the preferred situation for feeding is in the pods, for the adults, which began to emerge in mid-September, proved that both the gall- and pod-feeders alike were M. nodicolella. It is interesting that the larvae feeding in pods were heavily parasitised, whereas those in galls appeared to be immune. The entry for species no. 851 in The Field Guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera needs to be rewritten as follows:— O. On Epilobium angustifolium. L. 5-6; 7-8. First generation in the stem, making a gall or swelling, usually in the flowering part of the stem; second genera- tion in a gall high up or, more commonly, in a seedpod where its presence is betrayed by a small hole. P.7;8-9. In a viscous silken cocoon spun amongst detritus on the ground. [.7-8;9-5. The generations tend to overlap; the second overwinters. With regard to distribution, Wakely’s Surrey localities have al- ready been mentioned. He also found it in Camberwell, south- east London (Wakely, 1970). He took me to the site which was the derelict garden of a house due for demolition, and I reared six moths from the galls we found. The habitat much resembled that at East Ham. Ford found galls in Broadwater Forest, Sussex and H. J. Burkill said he saw them “once in Yorkshire some years ago” (Wakely, 1951b). This last record is too indeterminate to be accep- ted. J. M. Chalmers-Hunt (1970) and A. A. Allen (1975) recorded M. nodicolella from west Kent. I have further Essex records from Wanstead Park, Grays Chalk Pit, Writtle and Saffron Waldon, and have also found galls at Freckenham, west Suffolk. The species is therefore confirmed in vice-counties 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 26. It has probably been taken more widely but I do not think the records have been published. The galls are easy to find and records can be made from them even if they are vacated. 24 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Though local, this species can be abundant where found. About ten flower-heads collected at East Ham on the 21st August produced approximately 46 moths and 20 parasites; the galls taken on the same day yielded only four moths. References [ Agassiz, D. J. L.], 1978. Illustrated papers on British Microlepi- doptera, iv, 170pp., 12 col. pls. London. Allen, A. A., 1975. Three notable microlepidoptera at Blackheath, N. W. Kent. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 87: 27-28. Bradley, J. D., 1951. A comparative study of four European species, including one new species from Britain, belonging to the genus Mompha Huebner (Lepidoptera; Lavernidae). Entomologist’s Gaz 2: 173-178, 1 pl., 12 figs. Chalmers-Hunt, J. M., 1970, Mompha nodicolella Fuchs (Lep.: Tineina) in Kent. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 81: 301. [Cockayne, E. A.], 1951. Notes and Observations —Mompha nodi- colella Fuchs in Surrey. /bid. 63: 81-82. Emmet, A. M., [1978]. A field guide to the smaller British Lepi- doptera, 271 pp. London. Ford, L. T., 1949. A guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera, 230 pp. London. nennnnenennnneneeee , 1958. Supplement to a guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera, 15 pp. London. Meyrick, E., 1928, A revised handbook of British Lepidoptera, 914 pp. London. Plant, C. W., 1980. Unusual behaviour of Mompha_ nodicolella Fuchs. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 92: 255-256. Wakely, S., 194445. Notes on the genus Mompha. Proc. Trans. S. Lon. ent. nat. Hist. Soc. 194445: 81-84. : wannneanennennennee , 1951a. Occurrence of Mompha nodicolella Fuchs in Surrey. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 63: 49-50. soneneennnneenenne- , 1951b. Some observations on Mompha nodicolella Fuchs. Ibid. 63: 274-275. neneneennnenennenn , 1953. Further notes on Mompha nodicolella Fuchs. Ibid. 65: 6. wenn nnnennnnnnnnnn= , 1954. Notes on collecting in 1953. /bid. 66: 107-110. sonneeeeeneenennne= , 1957. 1956: collecting notes and observations. Ibid. 69: 153-157. wasneeneneennnne ne , 1958. Notes on the Tineina. /bid. 70: 192-195. os , 1970. Mompha nodicolella Fuchs, etc., at Camberwell. Ibid. 81: 88. A SECOND MONMOUTHSHIRE RECORD OF ARHOPALUS RUSTI- CUS L. (COL: CERAMBYCIDAE). — Mr.A.A. Allen’s recent note on the southward extension of this longicorn’s distribution in Britain (Ent. Rec. 93: 166) prompts me to record the occurrence of a second example of this species on Aug. 27th 1980 at Usk. This insect, as did the one a year previously, came to my garden m.v. trap. The lengths of these specimens were respectively 25 mm. and 22.5 mm. — Dr. G. A. NEIL HORTON, Plas Newydd, Usk, Gwent. CONTRASTING RESULTS IN ASSEMBLING 5 EXPERIMENTS USING ORGYIA THYELLINA BUTLER, O. RECENS HUBNER AND O. ANTIQUA L. By SUSANNAH GREENBERG!, ALBERT H. WRIGHT? and SIR CYRIL CLARKE, K.B.E., F.R.S.3 In a previous paper (Clarke, 1979) it was reported that females of the Japanese Vapourer moth Orgyia thyellina readily assembled males of O. antiqua in this country. Matings took place and eggs were laid but none hatched, though fertile offspring from this mating are reported in the literature. On the other hand we found that the reciprocal cross, female O. antiqua X male thyellina, was fertile, and hybrid insects were obtained. The next step was to find out whether there was similar phero- mone activity between O. thyellina females and O. recens males and whether species hybrids could be obtained. Here the difficulty was that O. recens has become rare in UK and at first no definite reports of it could be obtained during the past few years in its usual localities in north-east England. However, in June 1981 one of us (A.W.) contacted C. A. C. telling him that he and a colleague had found a few larvae of O. recens near Doncaster, and this meant that a locality had been identified where assembling tests could be carried out. The third member of the team (S.G.), who was found (through the Institute of Biology) to be interested in the genus Orgyia, collected from C. A. C., at his home near Liverpool, many: virgin females of O. thyellina, together with cocoons and large larvae, and took them to Doncaster so that detailed experiments could be made. A.W. and S.G.suspended the virgin females in two hanging cages in the hedgerows of a field near the sites on which the O. recens larvae had been found. Virgin O. recens females derived from the larvae mentioned earlier were also exposed and the table gives the details of the tests carried out over 44 days. It will be seen that O. recens females assembled O. recens males, some matings took place and fertile eggs were subsequently laid. Conversely, O. thyellina females by themselves never assembled O. recens males, though the concentration of the pheromone must have been high since there were always 20 or more virgin females in the assembling cages. Also matings between thyellina females and recens males were not obtained when the moths were put to- gether in a cage, even though the females were seen to “call”. The non-assembling of O. recens by thyellina might appear to be at variance with the work of Priesner (Priesner, 1975) who found full reciprocity of pheromone activity in the genus Orgyia, using the electro-antennogram technique. However, there is no 174 North End Road, London NW11 7SY 24 Elmwood Avenue, Woodlands, Doncaster DM6 7TP *Department of Genetics, University of Liverpool L69 3BX \o N ONYSAIOA °S ul pnbyup 103} a}ep Ajiwa AoA Spel ie E AMpRoo] OF poaow 6S puljadyy O} jusoe[pe punois uO xXOq SUuadad ‘EC ‘poreoddesip 1oy}0 oy} pue Ae] JOU pIp ojeulss sug ‘UOT}PAIOSGO JopUuN JOU UdYM soyeul SUdIAA ‘EC. P2TQuasse A]JUSPIAD pey Ady], “S8s9 IIo} ple] OM} soyeWos p 94} JO ‘sexoqg-]id usodo ul | A}TRIOT FB PosOdxo 919M (9BAIL] PTIM WOIJ poallop) 6 6 suarad ‘CE. UIBITA InOJ poliod [e}uUsWTIod xo oY} Suling SyIPUIdYy poyquiasse ,o onbijup | pa qurasse JIN poy quiasse [IN poy quiasse suavad ‘OC P | po] quiosse TIN poy quiosse IIN poy quiosse IIN poyquiasse P p SuaIad ()' p poy] quiasse TIN poyquiasse TIN poyquiasse TIN poy quiosse TIN s}[nsoy ae ee ae “ce ee ae é 9Z901q YS] “wae ‘Auuns ce "ule op} i] B ‘uns 97341] eB ‘APUIM ‘[OO) SUOI}IPUoD IOY}CI A veces aa ee 00°9T-00°ET i VO 8 Tl OOLI-ST ET a TO 8 It oA hie) ee — VO 8'P OF LE st 6140 ~ 8'T 00°9T-0¢'ET > vO 81 OO'LI-00'rI & 87 4O vO LOE SVElIsreL 66¢.70 vO LOE OO'LT-00'¢€ I 6140 va L’67 Oe SI-00'ET 6140 vO L'Le Sl OTC Ft 6 140 om" L'S¢ é 6 140 7 L ‘ve OF LIDE ST 6 140 al 35 3 0€-07 "SOU OBIR] ul SABMIP (40 =) (1'0 =) Soult} ‘Jad 'O ‘AYy1 ‘O 1861 ‘xolddy juasoid soyeuloy UISITA so1eq a Ae ee i tt tit titted Jequinu AypRooT CONTRASTING RESULTS 27 evidence that O. recens assembles antiqua, or vice versa, and it would be highly disadvantageous to both species if this were to happen. Natural selection therefore is likely to have evolved much more sensitive differences than those detected by the antennogram, and it is not therefore unexpected that O. recens behaves differently from antiqua. Furthermore, although antiqua and recens super- ficially resemble each other closely, yet they have different chromo- some numbers (Robinson, 1971), the haploid number in thyellina being 11 and in recens 30 (in antique it is 14). Our findings are only tentative since O. recens remains a scarce insect even in the Doncaster region, but our results strongly suggest that O. thyellina behaves quite differently with respect to assembling O. recens from what we and others have found when the males are antiqua. It would be most interesting to carry out electro-antennogram studies on the three species. Since large stocks of O. recens larvae have been obtained from the Doncaster pairings and we also have many thyellina larvae it should be possible to repeat the experiments on a bigger scale in 1982. Acknowledgments We thank Dr. J. R. G. Turner, PhD, and Mr. G. Hyde for their help in various aspects of the work. References Clarke, Sir Cyril, 1979. Some observations on Orgyia thyellina Butler and Orgyia antiqua (L.) Ent. Rec., 91: 315-316. Priesner, E. 1975. Electroantennogram responses to female sex pheromones in five genera of Lymantriidae (Lepidoptera). Z. Natur- forsch. 30, c. 676-679. Robinson, Roy, 1971, Lepidoptera Genetics, Pergamon Press, Oxford, p. 687. A Label List of Butterflies — North, Western and Southern Europe by P. W. Cribb. Cover and 20 leaves. Amateur Entomologists’ Society Pamphlet No. 11. Revised 1981. Obtainable from A. E. S. Publications, 4 Steep Close, Green Street Green, Orping- ton, Kent BR6 6DS. Price £1.50 plus 20p. post. This checklist covers those species in the latest (1980) edition of Higgins and Riley, A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe, apart from North African species. Some sub-species and forms have been included, but many others omitted including a number of British sub-species. English names are given, mainly in accordance with those in Higgins and Riley, and the years of original descriptions have been included after the authors’ names for genera, some species and some sub-species. The list appears remarkabley free from misprints, the only one noticed being on page 9 where Kudrna has been misspelt Kurdna. Printed on one side of a page only so that it may be cut up, the list has been designed mainly for cabinet use. 28 THE DIPTERA (CALYPTRATAE) OF THE SANDWELL VALLEY, WEST BROMWICH By M. G. BLOXHAM* (Continued from Vol. 93 page 188) Family MUSCIDAE Subfamily ACHANTHIPTERINAE Achanthiptera rohrelliformis (R.-D.) Several specimens 6, 7. Subfamily MUSCINAE Tribe MUSCINI Polietes albolineata (Fall.) Frequent 8. P. lardaria (Fabr.) Common 6 - 9. Mesembrina meridiana (L.) Common 6-9. Dasyphora cyanella (Mg.) Common 4-8. Orthellia viridis (Wied.) Common 6-9. Morellia aenescens (R.-D.) Com™ on 7, 8. M. hortorum ({Fall.) Common 5, 6. M. simplex (Loew) Common 8. Musca(ss) domestica (L.) Common 7-10. Musca (Enumusca) autumnalis (Deg.) Common 7-9. Tribe HYDROTAEINI Azelia cilipes (Hal.) 30-9-79. A. macquarti (Staeg) Common 5, 6. A. zetterstedti (Rond.) 8-7-80. Alloeostylus diaphanus (Wied.) Frequent 7-10. A. simplex (Wied.) Several specimens 9. A, sudeticus (Schnabl) Frequent 7-9. Trichopticoides decolor (Fall.) Common 5-7. Drymeia hamata (Fall.) Common 8. Dendrophaonia querceti (Bouche) Several specimens 8-10. Ophyra leucostoma (Wied.) Frequent 6-8. Hydrotaea armipes (Fall.) 29-5-80. H. bimaculata (Mg.) Frequent 6-9. H. dentipes (Fabr.) Common 4-8. H. irritans (Fall.) Common 7, 8. H. occulta (Mg.) Frequent 5. H. parva (Meade) 12-8-79. H. similis (Meade) Several specimens 9. Muscina assimilis (Fall.) Very common 6-9. M. pabulorum (Fall.) Common 6-9. M. stabulans (Fall.) Common 6-9. Subfamily PHAONIINAE | Lophosceles cinereiventris (Zett.) Frequent 5-10. L. mutatus (Fall.) 1-5-80. Phaonia basalis (Zett.) Common 7, 8. P. errans (Mg.) Common 5, 6. *1 St. Johns Close, Sandwell Valley, West Bromwich, W. Midlands DIPTERA (CALYPTRATAE) OF THE SANDWELL VALLEY Subfamily Subfamily Subfamily P. fuscata (Fall.) 16-7-79. P. gobertii (Mik) Common 6-9. P. halterata (Stein) Common 5-8. P. incana (Wied.) Common 5-9. P. pallida (Fabr.) Frequent 6-8. P. palpata (Stein) Frequent 8-10. P. perdita (Mg.) Several specimens 5-7. P. populi (Mg.) Several specimens 9. P. rufipalpis (Macq.) Several specimens 8. P. serva (Mg.) several specimens 6. P. signata (Mg.) Common 6-10. P. trimaculata (Bouche) Several specimens 6, 7. P. varaegata (Mg.) Very common 4-9. P. viarum (R.-D.) Common 6-8. P. vittifera (Zett.) Several specimens 8. Helina atripes (Meade) Common 5-9. H. depuncta (Fall.) Common 7, 8. H. duplicata (Mg.) Common 5-10. H. impuncta (Fall.) Common 7-9. H. laetifica (R.-D.) Common 3-10. H. lasiophthalma (Macq.) Several specimens 7. H. obscurata (Mg.) 15-6-80. H. pertusa (Mg.) 30-8-79. H. quadrum (Fabr.) Several specimens 8, 9. H. setiventris (Ringd.) Common 7-9. Gymnodia humilis (Zett.) Several specimens 6. MYDAEINAE Hebecnema affinis (Malloch) Common 5-9. H. nigricolor (Fall.) 11-9-77. H. umbratica (Mg.) 29-5-80. H. vespertina (Fall.) Several specimens 4. Mydaea ancilla (Mg.) Frequent 7-10. M. electa (Zett.) 29-5-80. M. scutellaris (R.-D.) Common 7-10. M. tincta (Zett.) Several specimens 8. M. urbana (Mg.) Several specimens 9. Myospila meditabunda (Fabr.) Common 5-7. Graphomya maculata (Scop.) Common 7, 8. G. picta (Zett.) Several specimens 7, 8. LIMNOPHORINAE Spilogona denigrata (Mg.) Several specimens 7, 8. S. vana (Zett.) Several specimens 6-10. Calliophrys riparia (Fall.) Frequent 6-8. Limnophora maculosa (Mg.) Common 6-10. Pseudolimnophora triangula (Fall.) Common 6-9. Lispe tentaculata (Deg.) Several specimens 8. COENOSIINAE Lispocephala alma (Mg.) Several specimens 4, 5. L. erythrocera (R.-D.) Several specimens 4. Macrorchis meditata (Fall.) Several specimens 7. Allognota agromyzina (Fall.) Common 7-10. Zs 30 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Coenosia intermedia (Fall.) Frequent 7. C. lineatipes (Zett.) Several specimens 9, 10. C. tigrina (Fabr.) Common 6-10. C. tricolor (Zett.) Common 6, 7. Discussion Tachinidae The locality seems to be attractive to tachinid flies and fur- — nishes some interesting records. The fauna in general may be said to conform to expected patterns with regard to distribution data — at present available, a good range of species, with a few northern | and southern elements being present, examples of these being © Ernestia truncata, a fly more common on northern moorlands and Servillia ursina which, together with Medina luctuosa, is ap- proaching the northern limits of its range here. Certain species are to be found in considerable numbers in most years, Pelatachina tibialis and Lypha dubia being usually common on hawthorn in May, while Platymya fimbriata and Phryxe nemea are normally plentiful throughout June, July and August. In the damp areas where Tipula species abound, Siphona species are often fairly numerous but accurate identification of these will necessitate the use of more recent literature than that employed here. Other tachinids catching the eye are Eriothrix : rufomaculata. dimano, which is abundant during August and September of most years and Ernestia consobrina, the latter species being probably the predominant representative of the tribe here, its congeners having been recorded somewhat less frequently. Probably Van Emden (1954) was not aware of the existence of the record for E. consobrina published in the Transactions of the North Staffs Field Club. (op. cit.), for he named southern and northern localities for the fly, but none for the north and central midlands. The record cited (Cannock, Staffs), together with the present one, suggest a more continuous distribution for this insect. Of the less common tachinids found, the most notable are Allophorocera ferruginea and Wagneria gagatea, the last named having been previously recorded from four localities only. Morphologically, the tachinids discovered seem to vary little from normal, an exception being the earwig parasite Digonochaeta spinipennis, of which a specimen has been discovered with the greater part of the apical cross vein absent. Interestingly enough, this is also a characteristic feature of Ocytata pallipes, another fly with the same host. Rhinophoridae __ The small family Rhinophoridae contains flies having most interesting life histories, several being parasitic on woodlice. Three of these confirmed woolouse parasites, Phyto discrepans, Rhinophora DIPTERA (CALYPTRATAE) OF THE SANDWELL VALLEY 31 lepida and Paykullia maculata have been recently discovered in the valley and it is possible that careful observation of the numbers of these insects may in future yield useful information on the size of woodlouse populations which, given the ravages of Dutch Elm disease during the past 20 years, with the consequential presence of large amounts of dead timber, could well be expected to increase, with a proportional rise in the number of associated parasites. It is significant that Sutton (1972) notes that Beding found P. maculata to be the most common parasits of woodlice and this would lead one to expect it to be the species most frequently en- countered in the field. Apparently this is not so, for Van Emden (op. cit.) records it as one of the rarer flies in this particular group, a contradiction that merits further investigation. In general, the flies are not particularly conspicuous or active in the field and an instance of interesting behaviour has been noticed when males of Phyto discrepans have been found on wooden fencing rails, for unlike the majority of other Diptera, they do not at once fly up- wards into a tube placed over them, but tend to flatten themselves against the surface of the wood, which they leave with some reluc- tance. Sarcophagidae The subfamilies Miltogramminae and Macronychiinae with genera often having hymenopterous associations, have several representatives in the valley, some being conspicuous, while others are unlikely to be noticed without careful searching. Into the first category come Metopia argyrocephala with twinkling white orbits, Miltogramma punctatum, which is sometimes numerous in sandy places, occasionally in company with Leucophora cinerea (An- thomyiidae), while Brachicoma devia, in spite of close superficial resemblance to common sarcophagids, usually occurs in large enough numbers to find its way into the net on several occasions during a year. The second category includes Macronychia ungulans, which seems to be confined to woodlands glades and paths where it is elusive and scarce; Ptychoneura cylindrica, a small fly taken once on a fallen birch trunk and Amobia signata, which has been captured once on fallen timber and once on a woodland path. Certain sarconhagine species, notably S. carnaria and S. incisilobata are amongst the most frequently encountered flies in the locality, while S. crassimargo, S. dissimilis and S. haemorrhoa occur in some numbers on more marshy sites. (To be continued) LARVAE OF THE LEAST ARCHES: NOLA CONFUSALIS H.-S. AND ROESLERSTAMMIA ERXLEBELLA F. ON LIME. —It may be of interest to record that while beating flowers of Tilia sp. for Eupi- thecia egenaria H.-S. at Lynford, Norfolk on the 19th July 1981, in addition to egenaria larvae, I beat out from the blossoms about a dozen larvae of Nola confusalis and a number of larvae of Roesler- stammia erxlebella. The latter in due course produced moths, and the confusalis are at present in their characteristic boat-shaped cocoons. — J. L. FENN, 4 Pearces Close, Hochwald, Thetford, Norfolk. 32 FOUR NEW SOUTH AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES ; By C.G.C. DICKSON, M.Sc.* (Continued from Vol. 93 page 221) LYCAENIDAE A new Lepidochrysops Hedicke from the Hantam’s Berg, C. P. The first specimen of this insect, a female, was secured by Mr. C. W. Wykeham on a small peak of the Hantam’s Berg, N. of Calvinia, on 14th October, 1976, during an outing with the present writer. After a careful examination of the specimen it was concluded that it probably represented a new species (or subspecies) and Mr. Wykeham succeeded in obtaining two males and a further female when returning to the locality on 24th October, 1977, specially for this purpose. All the foregoing examples were, however, imperfect, and it was not until October, 1978, that the discoverer of this butterfly finally caught entirely fresh specimens. A description follows hereunder. Lepidochrysops jamesi claassensi subsp. nov. (In the absence of full proof, to date, of a specific difference, this butterfly is being treated in the meantime as a subspecies of L. jamesi Swanepoel (1971).) Male (Upperside) General colour golden-brown, the wing-surface having a decided sheen in certain lights. Basally, narrowly blackish. There is an indistinct discocellular marking in forewing, darker than its back- ground. Some submarginal marking more or less discernible in hindwing, with usually a definite dark spot in area 2; and this marking as a whole sometimes faintly encircled by lightish scaling (very dull orange in the case of the spot mentioned), which may be more apparent outwardly. (In one paratype all such marking is Virtually absent, apart from a small indistinct spot in area 2; and is very faint in the female allotype). A fine blackish marginal line present, wider in hindwing. Cilia white, with spaces of dark brown at ends of veins, which vary in their length, especially in hindwing, and may partly or largely obscure the white spaces, while the latter themselves may, in places, be terminally dark, or may have an in- termediate dark line. Underside ; = ; € Ground-colour of all wings rather greyish-brown (but very considerably overlaid with white scaling and other white marking, in hindwing); and there is a little white scaling, discally, in the fore- wing. *“Blencathra”, Cambridge Avenue, St. Michael’s Estate, Cape Town. FOUR NEW SOUTH AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES 33 Forewing. All the marking of the dark and light type of the Lepidochrysops methymna (L.) group is reduced in size and distinct- ness. Discocellular, rather lunular mark, with its white edging, relatively small in itself. Postdiscal series evenly curved from areas 2 to 6, the first (or lowest) component of the series in 1b decidedly more outwardly placed than the marking above it in 2. This series more than half-way between discocellular mark and the submarginal series, which is outwardly edged by blunt, not very well defined, white chevrons and inwardly by partly concave white scaling. Very narrow, pointedly-elongate (or principally so) dark marking beyond the last-named series edged inwardly with white scaling which con- tinues, between this marking, to the white portions of the cilia itself. Cilia basically as on upperside, but with short incisions of the white portions entering the dark spaces, next to the wing-margin, and some dark edging outwardly. Hindwing. Much suffusion of white scaling present in inner half of the wing between the basic marking of the general methymna type in this wing. The wing-surface is, however, virtually devoid of such suffusion below the costa and above vein 8. A very small blackish, outwardly white-edged marking present basally. The usual (for the methymna group) three sub-basal blackish spots occur in area la, the cell and area 7, the first small and the second elongated; while there is a relatively large black spot in area 1b and another in 7, and with the discocellular blackish marking of somewhat lunulate form. The six transverse discal spots, in areas 1b to 6 blackish to dark brown, and varying in size and shape; that in 2 well basad of the others, the smallest in 3 and the one in 4 markedly elongated in the holotype itself, while that in 6 is considerably more basad than the adjoining one. The dark brown submarginal marking from arears 2 to 7 bounded inwardly by largely well-formed, white sagit- tate markings, with the apices of some of them touching or nearly touching the outer white edging of some of the discal spotting. In area lc the component representing part of the submarginal series is reduced in size and is not of a clearcut shape, though “doubled”. There is a greater space between the submarginal series and the Wing-margin, than in the forewing, with white-surrounded spaces occurring here (the white, pronounced outwardly); and a black spot in area 2 with a thin, approximate crescent or semi-circle of light metallic-bluish scaling, with the break in the semi-circle occurring inwardly; but in some areas there is only “haphazard” scaling here. Some similar scaling occurs on a minute black spot in area lc. The elongated dark markings in contact with the wing-margin are at least partly joined by very fine dark lines. Cilia with the white spaces less pronounced than in forewing, owing to more encroachment of the dark portions. Though at first sight appearing to be largely dark- edged, close examination reveals an at least partial fine white edging to the cilia, with a dark line removed a little from the extreme edge — this applying in part also to the cilia of the forewing. Length of forewing: 15.0 — 16.75 mm. (the former measure- ment, in holotype). 34 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Female. The forewing is less acute apically than in the male. Upperside. Similar to male; but the female allotype, anyway, is lighter and more golden in colouring than the male holotype. The allotype also shows only the barest trace of a dark spot in area 2 (without any bluish scaling), and which is not much more apparent than the indications of other submarginal spots in this wing. Underside. Like that of male. In the allotype, in all wings, the main spot- ting is smaller than in the male holotype (the two lowest spots in forewing, vestigial), but this feature is variable, individually. Length of forewing: 15.25 — 17.75 mm. (the former measure- ment in holotype). In both sexes the thorax is black above, with brown to fawn- coloured hair and, beneath, bearing greyish hair. Abdomen above blackish to rather dark golden-brown, which tone continues down the sides to the mainly whitish to light grey ventral area, and with the segmental divisions laterally white or whitish. Legs mainly greyish-white, with a silvery metallic sheen; the tarsi finely ringed with black, except in the case of the forelegs of the male. Head black or blackish frontally and with dark hair above. Eyes black, almost encircled with shining white scales. Palpi blackish, with greyish-white spinous scaling on sides and beneath. Antennae black, ringed with white, with the white accentuated along lower portion of shaft; the club with a white or whitish streak outwardly, which curves round the upper outer portion just before the tip, and the club deep rufous-coloured on its under-side. @ Holotype, WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE: Hantam’s Berg, Calvinia, 9.X.1978 (C. W. Wykeham); British Museum Reg. No. Rh. 18697. ? Allotype, W. CAPE PROVINCE: data as for holotype; British Museum Reg. No. Rh. 18698. Paratypes in Coll. C.W. Wykeham: data as for holotype, 14.X.1976, one 2 (C. W. Wykeham); 24.X.1977, two #¢@ , one 2 (C.W.W)). Paratype in Pringle Collection: data as for holotype, 14.X1.1978, one 2 (V.£.and E. L. Pringle). This insect is allied to L. mcgregori Pennington (Ann. Natal Mus. 20(2): 377-379, figs. 3, 5; 1 pl. in colour (1970) and, as already indicated, to L. jamesi Swanepoel (Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 83(3): 97-99 ( 1971), but is clearly more closely related to the latter insect. In the description of the latter the colour of the upperside is stated to be dark brown with a coppery sheen, and if this is correct, the sheen must be different from the golden or brassy sheen of the present insect. On the basis of the Original description and half-tone figures of the second insect mentioned in this paragraph, the present butterfly lacks, on the upperside, the well- developed orange ring of the dark submarginal spot in area 2 of the hindwing; and there are virtually no “internervular dark markings along distal margins”, as mentioned for the female of the other FOUR NEW SOUTH AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES 35 insect. On the underside there appears to be considerably less prominent development of the white marking in general, in both sexes and in all wings, than in the other insect, this being especially noticeable as regards certain individual components of this marking, as is apparent in a comparison with the figures concerned. From the available material, the present insect seems to be decidedly smaller than the other one, the average expanse being 30.83 mm. for males and 31.75 mm. for the females, as against 35 mm. for both the holotype and allotype of the latter (no other measurements being given with the description). A comparison of the male genitalia of the two insects has not been possible up to the time of writing. This butterfly was discovered at one of the highest points of the Hantam’s Berg, at an elevation of up to 5,447 ft. above sea-level, and flying round a rocky eminence. The flight-period appears to be short, although its full extent is not known. Perfectly fresh speci- mens were caught on 9th October and by the 24th of the month most if not all examples secured had clearly been out for some time; yet the Pringles have encountered, mostly worn, specimens as late as 14th November. Most specimens soon became damaged by the strong winds of this mountainous terrain. This butterfly has been named after Dr. A. J. M. Claassens as a small token of appreciation of his meticulous and most important work on the myrmecophilous life-histories of several species of Lepidochrysops in the Cape Peninsula. Most grateful thanks are due to Mr. Wykeham for his provision and even presentation of specimens for the present study. HYPERA FUSCOCINEREA MARSH., ETC. (COL.: CURCULIO- NIDAE) IN S. E. LONDON. — This species (probably more familiar to many as H., or Phytonomus, murina F.) is one of the less com- mon of the genus and seems very local; up to this year (1981) I had encountered it only in the Thames Estuary area many years ago, and then very sparingly. I was surprised, therefore, to sweep a few examples on Woolwich Common at the end of May, and two more about mid-June. The latter certainly came off tufted vetch (Vicia cracca L.), which may well be the principal foodplant. A curious point is that the most frequent member of the genus here previously, viz. H. postica Gyll., failed to turn up at all — seeming to have been replaced on the common by its close ally H. fuscocinerea; but as I noted it there in the year or two preceding, its apparent eclipse is probably only temporary. H. nigrirostris F. (cf. Ent. Rec. 91: 77) has been less infrequent there this season, though still always occurring singly — including a few of the brown form; whilst a fine specimen of the large H. punctata F., seldom seen here, was swept on the common on 25 August. I should perhaps also mention the occurrence for the first time here of the plantain weevil Mecinus pyraster Hbst. (4 earlier and 2 later in the summer), in the same locality. Even outside the London area I find it to be far from general, despite what the books State; whereas Gymnetron pascuorum Gyll. and Ceuthorhynchidius troglodytes F., living on the same plant, are common here as, I believe, almost everywhere. — A. A. ALLEN. 36 Notes and Observations A FURTHER RECORD OF DORYTOMUS SALICINUS (GYLLEN- HAL) (COL.: CURCULIONIDAE) FROM CUMBRIA. — Since record- ing Dorytomus salicinus (Gyllenhal) for the first time from Cumbria and vice county 70 Cumberland (1979, Entomologist’s Record, 91: 27-28), I have recently discovered this rare and very local weevil in a second locality in the county. While collecting phytophagous coleoptera on Braithwaite Moss, 10km square NY22 at the North east end of Bassenthwaite Lake, Cumbria on April 4th 1981, I beat four specimens of D. salicinus from two somewhat isolated trees of Salix atrocinerea Brot. growing in an open area of marshy ground and near to the edge of a small conifer wood. The Salix trees contained many catkins and a good number of developing leaf shoots were also present, and it is possible that the weevils were feeding on these structures and perhaps oviposition was also taking place at this time in the flowers. I also took by beating from the above trees of sallow a few specimens of the rather common Dorytomus taeniatus (Fabricius), and I observed that while the two species were in the net that D. salicinus became more active only after a very brief feining period, while D. taeniatus remained motionless and quiescent for a comparatively longer period and it was generally observed to walk slower. Among other beetles collected at this site were two specimens of Dorytomus melanophthalmus (Paykull) also beaten from sallow, and one Anthonomus bituberculatus Thomson, C. G. I also took the somewhat local chrysomelid Aphthona nonstriata (Goeze) on yellow iris. — R. W. J. READ, 43 Holly Terrace, Hensingham, Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 8RF. SAMUEL DALE’s “1704” CATALOGUE OF ENGLISH BUTTER- FLIES. — John Ray and James Petiver have at least partially received their due as founders of the scientific study of insects, especially Lepidoptera, in England. Their colleague Samuel Dale (ca. 1659- 1739), a Braintree, Essex apothecary and close friend and neigh- bour of Ray, has had relatively little notice. Dale did not attain the status of Ray or Petiver, but he contributed to both of their collections as an assiduous field entomologist, and was one of the several instigators of the eventual publication of Ray’s great post- humous work, Historia Insectorum (London, 1710). _ _In the library of the Royal Entomological Society of London is Dale’s copy of Martin Lister’s extremely rare English edition of Johannes Godartius, Of Insects (York, 1682: Lisney 45; only 150 copies were printed), also ex libris James Francis Stephens. Bound before the printed work is a manuscript in Dale’s hand, A Cataloge _[sic] of English Butterflies Reduced to Mr. Rays Method 1704,” but containing later additions. The butterflies are described in short Latin sentences with references to published sources. The manuscript includes Dale’s entries concerning other insects, and one note is dated as late as 1728. Numerous Rhopalo- NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 37 cera are recognisable from Dale’s descriptions, and other characteri- sations are now being studied so that an analysis of the manuscript can be included in a forthcoming contribution on the role of Samuel Dale in the history of British entomology. — R. S. WILKINSON, The American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York 10024. AGONOPTERIX ASTRANTIAE (HEINEMANN) IN NORTH WALES IN 1981 — Further to my paper on Oecophoridae (Ent. Rec.,93:60) and that of Heckford and Langmaid. (Ent. Rec. 93, 100), I found three larvae on Sanicula on 22nd June in mixed deciduous woods on carboniferous limestone near Llandudno (VC 49). Two were almost full fed and spun up in the tissue paper provided within five days; the third larva also well grown produced a parasite. All larvae were in the spun edge of a leaf rolled upwards as described by Heckford and Langmaid and there were signs of spinning and feeding on nearby leaves on the same or adjacent plants. In the breeding box, while the larvae remained in their original folds in daytime, other leaves were eaten and frass scattered in the box; this suggests feeding at night. Many vacated leaf folds were examined over a wide area on 22nd June suggesting that an earlier search might be more productive. As most larval spinnings were widely spaced, egg-laying may be a travelling chore in contrast to such Agonopterix as heracliana (L.), subpropinquella (Stainton) and alstroemeriana (Clerck) where a number of larvae may be found on one plant. The moths emerged on 21st and 23rd July, and using a bee smoker on 8th August when the leaves on Sanicula were hidden by a strong growth of Dog’s Mercury (Mercurialis) and Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circaea), two faded moths were disturbed; a search with a hand lamp in another wood a week later was unsuccessful. Clearly this species has been long established in North Wales and all records from VC 49/50 and the single record from Yorkshire have come from mixed woods on limestone, for Sanicula europaea is mainly a calcareous plant. Of the three Tortricid pupae found in similar folds in the leaves, two were Tortrix viridana (L.) from oak and one was Olindia schumacherana (F.) which probably came from adjacent Mercurialis and Circaea; while uncertain of the Olindia, clearly the Tortrix has a labour saving purpose in using a ready made puparium. — H. N. MICHAELIS, 5 Glan y Mor, Glan Conwy, Colwyn Bay LL28 STA. DANAUS PLEXIPPUS L.: THE MONARCH IN WALES AND CUM- BERLAND IN 1981. — A single specimen was seen and caught on 25th September on the West Cumbrian coast a few hundred yards north of Sellafield railway station. This appears to be the first record of the species for Cumberland. The insect, a female, is now in the possession of Mr. R. Savory, of Millom, but was caught by Mr. F. Downton, of Egremont. On October 4th, my friend Dr. P. I. Clark was on holiday at Penmaenpool, near Dollgellau, Merioneth, and saw a single specimen flying round the garden for several minutes. — D. W. KYDD, “Gilgar- ran’, 6 Yewbarrow Road, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 9JS. 38 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD CACOECIMORPHA PRONUBANA HBN. (LEP.: TORTRICIDAE): LARVAL FOODPLANTS INCLUDING DAMAGE TO SKIMMIA JAPONICA THUNB. — At Dartford, Kent, on May 15, 1981, I noticed that two Skimmia bushes had many of their terminal shoots containing the female flowers damaged, thus preventing being formed the full complement of red berries, one of the main aesthetic attributes of the plant. The cause of the damage was found to be Tortricid larvae, and collected larvae and pupae later produced imagines of C. pronu- bana. Search was made of other Skimmia bushes in the neighbour- hood, and of a total of eleven, eight were found to display similar damage. Other plant species were examined for presence of C. pronubana larvae, especially those recorded as commonly favoured by this insect, e.g. Euonymus japonica, Cupressus, lavender and bay, but larvae were located on only three plant species other than Skimmia — ivy (Hedera helix) commonly, from which collected larvae produced rather more C. pronubana than the expected Lozo- taenia forsterana Fab., and appeared widespread in contrast to the latter species; Sedum spectabile, one location containing several plants where almost every terminal shoot was damaged; and several bushes of small-leaved evergreen Hebe, the popular New Zealand shrub of which a multitude of varieties abound, although the com- moner large-leaved kinds were untouched. Many bushes of Euonymus japonica in this district were exa- mined, but appeared quite free from lepidopterous larvae, although about this time I noticed that at Ilford, Essex, C. pronubana larvae were abundant in the terminal shoots of this shrub. : Second brood larvae in July appeared less common, although the moths from these were as usual more in evidence here flying by day than those of the first generation. Larvae were again found on the same Skimmia bushes, but their presence was less evident as they were on older foliage positioned lower down the stems; the same Sedum plants were affected, mainly older leaves nearer the base being attacked, although larvae were also within the flower panicles. Second brood larvae were also found on Hebe and ivy. C. pronubana has been described as polyphagous, and certainly a vast range of larval foodplants has been recorded, although I can- not find previous reference to Skimmia japonica. However the above observations indicate that distinct preference is shown, and that this may vary locally. — B. K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. ARTIFICIAL TRANSPORTATION OF A NYMPHALID, CYNTHIA VIRGINIENSIS (DRURY). — On 3 July 1981 I was motoring north- ward through Union and Lycoming counties in central Pennsylvania, U.S.A., in the company of Ellen B. Wells of the Smithsonian In- stitution. Our automobile was a new Datsun with a highly polished finish. As we re-entered the car after a halt, a very common nym- phalid, C. virginiensis (a close relative of the cosmopolitan cardui) descended upon the bonnet at a point a few inches forward from the base of the windscreen, and rested with its axis at 90° to that of the car. I expected that the butterfly would quickly leave us as we began to accelerate, but it did not. Its wings were gradually NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 39 blown over sidewards until they touched each other and were flat against the bonnet. At 60 mph I called Miss Wells’ attention to the situation, as she was driving, and we were able to have a clear run of almost 15 miles without slowing the vehicle below 30 mph. When we were finally required to halt, the butterfly righted itself and immediately flew away. How did the insect retain its position on a glossy surface for so long a time at such pressure? As I knew of no anatomical explana- tion I wrote to several more knowledgeable colleagues. No one had encountered or read about a similar situation. Miss Wells has suggested that the answer might involve aerodynamics, considering the short distance of the butterfly from the sharply diverging wind- screen. When studying the distribution of insects, we must pay attention to the artificial and sometimes curious means by which individuals may reach their destinations. Can readers of the Record solve the mystery of the tenacious virginiensis? — Dr. R. S. WILKINSON, 228 Ninth Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002, U.S.A. OBSERVATIONS ON THE PHASMID CLONOPSIS GALLICA (CHAR- PENTIER) ON THE QUIBERON PENINSULAR, BRITTANY. — Whilst camping at the excellent Park-er-Lann site at Beg Rohu on the east side of the Quiberon peninsular (September 8th and 9th, 1981) I located the phasmid Clonopsis gallica (Charpentier). Only adults were located and initially they were found quite by accident. My tent was pitched by an old west facing dry stone, granite wall backed by a tall rough hedge, which ran along the edge of the camp site. At the foot of the wall coarse grass, mainly cocksfoot, Dactylis glomerata L. with bramble and sloe, Prunus spinosa L. suckers formed a coarse herbage. This I considered would be worth probing for bush-crickets and native cockroaches. I proceeded to search at one end of the wall, but at the first clump of sloe — barely taller than the adjacent clumps of grass, I came to an abrupt halt and stared unbelievingly as a slim green phasmid lumbered up the side of the wall. My first impression was that some phasmid enthusiast must have camped here recently and lost a trophy collected nearer the Mediterranean, but on checking the specimen against details in my battered copy of Chopard, it was clear I had located C. gallica. The species is known from several places in Northern France — and indeed must be one of the most northerly ranging of all stick insects. Further investigation along the wall in question and around the base of sloe thickets across the road, revealed many more speci- mens, in about equal numbers of greens and browns. A torchlight search the following night revealed that the insect feeds on leaves of younger sloe shoots at the edge of the thickets or along the base of the stone walls. I found no specimens in the upper canopies of old thickets. No nymphs were seen; so presumably this is a species with an annual cycle, eggs hatching in spring and adults laying and dying off in autumn. I found no specimens feeding on bramble or hawthorn, nor on grasses, so sloe is probably the usual ° ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD pabulum. However, Mrs. Judith Marshall has found that live speci- mens which I sent to the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) from Qui- beron feed readily on bramble in captivity. Reference: Chopard, |. 1951. Faune de France 56: Orthopteroides, Lecharalier, Paris, 359pp. — E. C. M. HAES, 45, Grove Road, Worthing, W. Sussex BN14 9DQ. THE BLUE UNDERWING: CATOCALA FRAXINI L. IN 1981. — On the morning of 2nd October, I was delighted to find a female C. fraxini here in my m.v. trap. As she was in worn condition, she was set up to lay and accordingly obliged with 36 eggs on the 7th and about 20 the following evening. Altogether, she has laid a total of 102 fertile eggs before dying on the 22nd October. A. HARMER, | Covertside, Sway Road, Lymington, Hants. Current Literature A Revised List of the Lepidoptera of the Isles of Scilly by the Rev. D. Agassiz. Decorated cover and 20pp. Isles of Scilly Museum Association, 1981. Available from the Author, The Vicarage, High View Avenue, Grays, Essex RM17 6RU. Price 5Op postage extra. This definitive list covers the whole Order and includes a total of 503 species, though the author says “that there must be many more species in Scilly which remain to be discovered, especially among the microlepidoptera”. The list has been compiled from all available sources, but the observations with each species are mainly based on the work of Richardson and Mere (1958) and Supplements, and that of Blair (1925), and the whole is augmented from much additional unpublished data. The Introduction notices the chief sources of the unpublished data, and a list of 22 published references. It is remarkable that in the Scilly Isles, Oinophila v-flava Haw. is a common species “especially in hedgerows’, and Coenonympha pamphilus L. has only been recorded thrice. The record that in 1970 the larvae of Utetheisa pulchella L. (Crimson Speckled Foot- man) were common, was never confirmed. A number of species cited in the list require confirmation by a recognised authority from an examination of the specimens (since there is no mention that this has been done), notably those species recorded by Miss Lena Hawkridge as well as those merely referred to as “Record submitted to B.R.C.” Among interesting Scilly specialities may be mentioned Nothris congrassariella Bruand (apparently unknown elsewhere in Britain), Pararge aegeria L. ssp. insula Howarth, Maniola jurtina L. ssp. cassiteridum Graves, Agrotis. puta Hbn. ssp. insula Rich. and the striking Eumichtis lichenea Hbn. ssp. scillonea Rich. No one interested in entomology who is resident in or visiting sig ay ais should be without this modestly priced booklet. ILY Id FOUR NEW SOUTH AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES ~ By C.G.C. DICKSON, M.Sc.* (Concluded from Volume 94, page 35) A new race of Poecilmitis nigricans (Aurivillius). The first example of this exquisite little butterfly was secured by William Burchell at Genadendal, in the Cape Colony, in 1815 (i.e., in one of its races); and the specimen is still preserved in the University Museum, Oxford. It was known to Trimen as a “variety” of Poecilmitis [Zeritis| thysbe (L.), but only from very few speci- mens. Aurivillius described it himself as a “variety” of thysbe in Seitz’ Macrolep. of World, 13: 430 (1924), under the present name; the type-locality being the Muizenberg Mountains in the Cape Peninsula. The writer has realised since first capturing specimens of nigricans on the Fransch Hoek Mountains in November, 1945, that the males, at least, from there too, differed from the nominate insect, especially with regard to the wider black band in the hind- wing upperside. This feature is very obvious also in males from the Klein and Groot Zwartbergen and examples from these localities have been used for the description given hereunder. Poecilmitis nigricans zwartbergae subsp. nov. Male. The forewings tend to be somwhat less pointed than in nomi- nate P. nigricans. Upperside. In comparison with nominate nigricans the black band of hindwing is normally much broadened; at its greatest width, its inner edge being 3.5-4.5 mm. from the wing-margin (the width varying somewhat in different specimens and at least in one male *“Blencathra”, Cambridge Avenue, St. Michael’s Estate, Cape Town. LEGEND TO PLATE II Pseudonympha camdeboo spec. nov.: fig. 1. Oo” holotype (upperside); fig. 2: ¢ allotype (upperside); fig. 3:o* holotype (underside); fig. 4 9 ailotype (underside). ___ Lepidochrysops jamesi claassensi subsp. nov.: fig. 5. c* holotype (upper- side); fig.6. 2 allotype (upperside); fig. 7. o' holotype (underside); fig. 8.9 allo- type (underside). __ Poecilmitis nigricans zwartbergae subsp. nov.: fig. 9.0” holotype (upper- side); fig. 10 2 allotype (upperside); tig. 11. ¢* holotype (underside); fig. 12.9 allotype (underside). ___ Poecilmitis palmus margueritae subsp. nov.: fig. 13. & holotype (upper- _ side); fig. 14. ° allotype (upperside); fig. 15.0” holotype (underside); fig. 16. Q allotype (underside). ____ All figures natural size. Note: The bronzy-brown coloration of the upper- side of L. j. claassensi is not represented correctly in figs. 5 & 6, in which the tone is much more reddish than in nature. All the other figures in the plate show the true colour satisfactorily. (Colour reproduction by Unifoto (Pty.), Ltd., Cape Town). 42 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD seen, not specially broadened). Veining across the submarginal orange-red portion of the wing more conspicuously black-scaled than in nominate race. Underside. Dark streak of forewing parallel with the distal-margin, usually so broadened as to coalesce with, or at least touch, the black spots in areas 2 and 4 (one exception in this respect, has been seen). Hindwing with deeper and more prominent brown or rufous-brown colouring, as a “zone”, beyond the middle of the wing, in nearly all specimens, than in nominate nigricans, and this darkening also apply- ing in general to the wing near the base; while in the least darkly marked examples there is, anyway, more contrast between the dark and light areas. Length of forewing: 12.75 - 15.0 mm. (13.5 mm. in holotype). Female. Forewings more rounded distally than in the female of nomi- nate nigricans. Upperside. Blue from bases of all wings rather deeper and duller than in the female of nominate nigricans, and the dark marginal border broader, that of the hindwings more noticeably so, in comparison with the latter taxon. Dark costal border of forewing also tends to be broader and is in some cases much more prominent. Underside. The dark streak parallel with the distal-margin of the forewings has not been markedly broadened in all of the females concerned, though broadened in a number, including the allotype. Length of forewing: 13.25 — 16.5 mm. (the former measure- ment, in allotype). o& Holotype, WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE: Zwartberg Pass, 7.X1I.1973 (no collector’s name); British Museum Reg. No. Rh. 18699. ? Allotype, W. CAPE PROVINCE: data as for holotype 21.11.1977 (Dr. J. B. Ball); British Museum Reg. No. Rh 18700 Paratype in author’s collection: data as for holotype (at approx. 5,000 ft.), 29.X1.1969,, one & (C.G.C.D.). Paratypes in Coll. Dr. J. B. Ball: as holotype, 21.11.1977, one o (Dr. J. B. Ball); 2.X1.1968, one o 3.X.1968, three oo" (Dr. J. Kaplan); 7.XII.1973, one o (no collector’s name). Paratypes in Coll. C. W. Wykeham: as holotype, 27.XII.1969, two do (C. W. Wykeham); Seven Weeks Poort (Klein Zwartberg), 1.X11.1962, twodo, one ? (C. W.W.). Paratypes in Coll. Transvaal Museum: as holotype, 9.XI.1946, twoddone ¢ (K. M. Pennington); 29.X.1963, three 6329.X.1963, two 29 4.11965, one 2? 4.X.1965,two 29 20.X.1966, one ¢ (R. Badham). Seven Weeks Poort (Klein Zwartbergen), 30.X.1941, three ocd two 22 (Dr. G. van Son); 29.XI.1957, one o& ,one 9 (K. M. Pennington). The larger examples, of both sexes, of zwartbergae, attain a larger size than the largest ones of P. n. nigricans. FOUR NEW SOUTH AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES 43 Specimens of this group from the Fransch Hoek Mountains (and the adjoining Middenkrantzberg) are larger on the whole than the nominate race and both sexes are normally devoid of orange in the cilia, on the upper- side of the forewing, with white spaces only, between the black portions. The black hindwing bands of the males are decidedly wider in most specimens, than in nominate nigricans, but with the width varying noticeably in some individual specimens. On the underside, the dark streak parallel with the distal-margin of the forewing tends to be wider than in the nominate race but the hindwing underside is more like that of the latter race, than of zwartber- gae. This insect can be regarded as representing another race in itself. Male examples from the Hermanus Mountains seem to be more similar to nominate nigricans: i.e., from the few seen by the present writer. Grateful thanks are due to Dr. J. B. Ball for furnishing a high proportion of the specimens employed in the study of P. n. zwartbergae; and to Dr. L. Vari, of the Transvaal Museum. A new race of Poecilmitis palmus (Cramer). The striking features of this race of Poecilmitis palmus (Cramer) were first appreciated after a male specimen in good condition had been caught by Mrs. K. M. Wykeham, when accompanied by her husband the late K. M. Wykeham, 6 miles to the east of Knysna, in the South Western Cape Province, on 24th January, 1964. In March of the following year the locality was revisited by the writer with Mr. Wykeham and a useful series of further speci- mens of both sexes, in perfect condition, was secured. The main characters of this race are described below. Poecilmitis palmus margueritae subsp. nov. Male (upperside). Dark basal scaling more extensive than in the nominate race, especially in the hindwing, and of a noticeably darker, bluish-black, colour; the inner- marginal concavity also darker. Black spotting over the orange-red ground- colour of the wings tends to be more prominent than in the nominate race and the distal-margin of the forewings broader; while in the hindwing there is always a continuous black marginal border, which is almost consistently relatively prominent, extending down to at least vein 6. There is less orange ir: the cilia of the forewing and less encroachment of this on to the actual wing- surface, than in the nominate race: this applying, certainly, to all specimens that have been seen from the type-locality itself. Underside. Continuous dark streak parallel with distal-margin of forewing broader and darker than is normally the case in the nominate race and the darkened zones (more or less reddish-brown) of the hindwing, darker and more richly coloured than in the nominate race. Some darkening of the abdomen is also apparent. Length of forewing: 12.75 — 14.75 mm. (the latter measurement, in holotype). Female (Upperside). All characters as in the male, but the black spotting of the wings is inclined to be even more pronounced, while the black border of the hindwing is also more pronounced and extensive, and contrasts in these respects quite markedly with that of the nominate race. 44 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Underside. ’ j Characters in general much as in the male, but the dark line parallel wit the distal-margin of the forewing has not, in the females seen, been widene as much as in the males. . Length of forewing: 14.5 — 16.0 mm. (the latter measurement, i allotype ). | - Holotype, WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE: 6 miles E. of Knysna 13.11.1965 (C. G. C. Dickson); British Museum Reg. No. Rh. 18701 2 Allotype, W. CAPE PROVINCE: data as for holotype; British Museur Reg. Rh. 18702 Paratypes in author’s collection: data as for holotype, 24.1.1964, one & (Mrs. K. M. Wykeham); 13.11.1965, two oo’ , one ¢ (C.G.C.D.). Paratypes in Coll. Dr. J. B. Ball, W. CAPE PROVINCE: Keurboom) River Forest Reserve, nr. Nature’s Valley (30 miles E.of Knysna), 18.XII.19 five o’o. [It may be mentioned that Dr. Ball has discovered other localitie for this butterfly in the district as a whole. Some of the specimens concerner have been less extreme than others in the development of the dark marking]. Paratypes in Coll. Transvaal Museum: data as for holotype, one &” Co C.D.). | The writer possesses two male specimens of P. palmus from the Witte klip Mountain, 23 miles W. of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province captured by Mr. L. Hersalek on 10/12/67 and 15/1/68; and these exampl bear a resemblance on the upperside to Knysna ones. Mr. V. L. Pringle ha’ subsequently caught other specimens there and, as he has pointed out, th undersides of this population are not always specially darkened. | The habitat near Knysna is in a slight, sloping depression, somewha damp and with grass, Bracken and other plants present. One of the chie’ food-plants of P. palmus, the yellow-flowered shrub Chrysanthemoi monilifera T. Norl. (Compositae) occurs abundantly there. This parti race of this brilliantly coloured Lycaenid is named with much pleasur after Mrs. K. M. Wykenham — with respect to her second Christian name’ The original specimen concerned is figured in colour in Pennington’s Butter flies of Southern Africa, Pl. 125, fig. 426 III (1978). THE BEAUTIFUL SNOUT: BOMOLOCHA FONTIS THUNB. — I was _ interested in the reference (Ent. Rec. 93: 241) to the occurrence of B. fontis in Kent in places where bilberry was absent. In July 1979 | saw several examples of this species in the Gower peninsula, South Wales in a wood where so far as I could see there was no bilberry. In Staffordshire, B. fontis was at one time common in several oak woods with a dense undergrowth of bilberry. From some of — these woods it has disappeared following clear felling; although the — bilberry remains the insect evidently needs the woodland cover, and it is notable that it does not occur on bilberry on open heath- — land. More recently, however, there has been evidence that the — species is on the increase and it has appeared in several woods from which it was not previously recorded. Both in Staffordshire and in South Wales there have been single occurrences in moth traps in places where there was no bilberry. — R. G. WARREN, Wood Rindings, 32 Whitmore Road, Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 6 AP. : 45 THE DOTTED CHESTNUT: CONISTRA RUBIGINEA D. & S. (LEP.: NOCTUIDAE) By BRIG. E. C. L. SIMSON* On 9th April ’81 I went with a friend to try the heaths round Chobham (Surrey) for C. rubiginea. We arrived at the spot marked with a X on my friend’s map. It was just coming on dusk, but light enough for us to see that we were facing considerable opposition, because three men were engaged in extracting generators, mercury vapour lamps and stands, sheets, bags, nets and all the dread appara- tus of the expert moth-snatcher, from the boot of a car parked exactly on our X! But now it was our X no more, and we were considering going off to search the heaths for a spot we might call Y, when my friend recognised one of the three entomologists as a person he had pre- viously met in a Hampshire wood, when both were after Tricho- pteryx polycommata D. & S. Credentials thus established, we made a plan by which the five of us would make a large circle out on the heath, among the scattered birch trees. My nearest neighbour was about 100 yards from me and had a set-up similar to my own. It was a warm night and soon moths began appearing on my sheet; nothing very wonderful came and I suppose a couple of Scarce Prominents, Odontosia carmelita Esp. were the most interesting. After about an hour my neighbour of 100 yards away put out his light and soon I saw him coming towards me with all his gear. As he got level he _ put down his generator and came across to me. He looked really _ happy and the reason lay in a box, which he held under my nose. There sat a beautiful rubiginea, which had been beastly enough to select his sheet instead of mine. M. V. light makes one look a bit green at normal times; now I must have looked emerald bright. _ The lucky captor said that he had a bad leg and that was his lot for the night. So off he went hobbling, but humming, into the darkness towards the cars. I redoubled my efforts to turn, by magic, the wretched incerta, which visited me, into beautiful orange-hued moths with black spots. To no avail, and about mid-night, the air having turned cold, I packed up and returned to the cars. Shortly afterwards my friend and the remaining two turned up and I found that my friend had been no more successful than I, but that the others had got two rubiginea; one at sugar and another to light. So between five of us three rubiginea had been caught. I stared, wistfully, out over the black heath. And now a very pleasant thing occurred for me. The three, to me, strangers, came up, held out a box in which sat a rubiginea, and told me to take it. They said they understood that this was my fourth unsuccessful visit to the locality over the years and that they had a certain female (the one taken at sugar). They were not | sure, but felt the one they had given me was also a female, and wished me to have it. It was the one taken 100 yards from my light. } *“Pine Corner”, 4 Durnford Close, Chilbolton, Stockbridge, Hants. SO206 AP. 46 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD It was a charming gesture, and I was thrilled to accept. Thrilled as anyone would be who has sat on those “blasted heaths” round Chobham, spring after cold spring, hoping to box this elegant moth. - So, with many expressions of gratitude, we said goodbye, and I drove home with my friend. I dropped him off at his house and he invited me in so that we could properly examine our trophy. My — friend had taken quite a few male rubiginea in the past, but had — never obtained a female from which to breed a series. Now it is not easy to determine the sex of a live rubiginea, especially as a male, which has just had a good gorge at sugar, sallow, etc, can be very fat bodied. Equally, a female which has not eaten — for some time, can be slim bodied. To me the antennae of the sexes — appear indistinguishable. So you must imagine the two of us peering — through magnifying glasses at our moth and not getting very far, especially as a bright light made it rather skittish. So we gave ita | whiff of chloroform and probed even more deeply into the matter. My friend once thought he saw an ovipositer, but I said “wishful thinking”. So, as the moth came to, I put it back in the box and set | off home, with my friend’s pleas not to kill it, at any cost, ringing in my ears. It was a new species for me and in pretty good nick. Doubtless he felt that if it grew restless and started to damage itself, my self control might vanish. To prevent this he had even promised me a specimen rubiginea from his own short series. As soon as I was home I put the moth in a plastic box lined with tissues, and went to bed. Next morning I opened the box very care- fully and saw the moth asleep on the side tissue. I made up a solu- tion of honey and brown sugar in water, soaked up as much as a piece of cotton wool could hold, put it in a bottle-top as a container, and placed it in with the moth, which still slept. I looked in the box every morning and was pleased to see that the moth had not in any way injured itself by flying round and that it had been sucking at the honey, as shown by the fluid which it had passed onto the tissues. So the days passed and twice I caught the moth with its proboscis in the bottle top. If one can tame an insect, this was certainly tamed. It showed no fear at my opening the box; it never attempted to fly and on the tenth day I saw a few pure white eggs on the edge of a tissue. I rang my friend, who came over at once and, after careful search, found 14 eggs which he took home with him to hatch. I went on giving the moth fresh honey every other day and by the 19th day of her captivity she had laid 62 eggs, though she did not lay every day. She laid no more after and, on the 21st day, she died peacefully, still clinging to the tissues. As far as I know she never flew in the box and she remained a perfect specimen, fit for any collection, except for being rather pale — but then she had lived for 6 months. My friend took all the eggs for hatching, because we Were going to feed the young larvae on apple, of which he had a plentifull supply in his garden. 52 larvae hatched by 6 May and my friend brought me 26, being my share; from these I obtained 24 perfect imagos. Bred rubiginea has to be seen to be believed: beautiful indeed. I remain truly grateful to the three generous entomologists I met that April night. 47 THE IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERA TO THE BRITISH ISLES IN 1980: A SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE By R. F. BRETHERTON ! and J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT 2 The following corrections and additions should be made to part I of the main report (in Ent. Rec. 93: 47-54): Corrections to Annexe II D. RAMBURIALIS: S. HANTS: this record should be dated 19.8 and initalled (RLH). R. SACRARIA: SUSSEX. Worthing should be dated 29.9. O. OBSTIPATA: for BERKS, substitute OXON (v.c.23) A. CONVOLVULI: for WEXFORD, substitute W. CORK. U. PULCHELLA: W. SUSSEX: delete (ASE) substitute (RTR) N. AERUGULA: for (1), substitute (2) H. PELTIGERA: for BERKS, substitute OXON (v.c.23) Additions to Annexe I — Recorders and localities It should be noted that in some cases insects have been reported by two or more recorders. In Annexe II the initials given are those of the recorder from whom the record was received first; but as far as possible the names of all have been included in Annexe I. It has not been generally possible to name the authors of all the records which have been received through intermediaries. Bellorby, Mr and Mrs C., West- morland Blokland, T. J., co. Cork, Ireland *Burton, J. F., Bristol Clouter, F., Isle of Sheppey, E. Kent *Dey, D., Sussex and Kent Seunn, T. C., co. Durham, in Vasculum 65: 61 *Ellis, E.A., mainly Norfolk *Gent, C. J., Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Bull. am. ent. Soc. 40:84) *Harewood, N. W., Cleveland, N.E. Yorks v.c.62 (Bull. am. ent. Soc. 40: 126 & pers. comm.) *Haynes, R. FE & Hillis, Dr. J. P., Ireland (Urish. Nat. J. 20: 296-298) Howell, Mrs S. J., Hagley Wood, Sussex Jago, E. M. R., E. Kent *Kydd, D. W., Cumbria *McRitchie, B., Harlow, Essex *Page, B. W., Warwicks. (Bull. am. ent. Soc., 40:84) *Payne, K., Merseyside (Ent. Gaz. 32:64) *Pons, M. A. S., S. Lancs. Price, L., Stroud, Glos. *Read, R.W. J., W. Cumbria *Scott, R. E., wardens’ records from 42 R.S.P.B. reserves in the United Kingdom Walley, P. F., Beachy Head, Sussex *Welch, R. C., Isles of Mull, Coll, Skye 1 Folly Hill, Birtley Green, Bramley, Guildford, Surrey GUS OLE 1 Hardcourts Close, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9LG 48 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD ; . q *Hobbs, R. N., Sussex; E. Kent *White, M. C., mainly Worksop Hall, N. M., Portland, Dorset; district, Notts. ) Scilly Howell, A. D., St Margarets Bay, E. Kent Additions to Annexe II — Scarce Immigrant Species DANAUS PLEXIPPUS L. WESTMORLAND (v.c.69). Grange-over- Sands, 12.10, One seen flying in a garden (CB per DWK). N. POLYCHLOROS. E. KENT. St Margaret’s Bay, 28.8., male (ADH). R. SACRARIA. E. KENT. Dungeness, 7.8. (DCB). O. OBSTIPATA. MID CORK. Ballymaloe, 8.8; Ballyhooley, 24.8. W. CORK. Castletown, 24.8. (RFH & JFH). DORSET. Portland, 28.9 (NMH). ORKNEY. Orphir, 27.8 (RIL). A. CONVOLVULI. LOUTH. Dundalk, 6.10 (RFH & JPH). MON- MOUTH. Usk, 3.10 (GANH). M. UNIPUNCTA. SCILLY IS. 17-24.9, with P. saucia, becoming common at sugar and ivy towards the end of the week (NMH). H. ARMIGERA. E. KENT. Minster-in-Sheppey, 16.8, one at light (FC). . PELTIGERA. DORSET. Portland Bill, 6/7.6, two (NMH). N. GLOS. Kingscourt, Stroud, 13/14.6, one (LP). — — Of these additions the record of D. plexippus in Westmorland is the only one of the year, and probably the first for that vice- county; and the specimen of N. polychloros caught in Kent appears to be the first reported there since 1977. Among the commoner species, most of the supplementary British records of V. atalanta reflect either its initial association on arrival with C. cardui or its unusually poor performance thereafter, though in Cumbria it had achieved rough equality in numbers with that species by September (DWK). There is also an interesting note of twelve seen flying south or south west at Hastings. E. Sussex, on September 20 (RNH). In Ireland, however, ¥. ‘atalanta clearly enjoyed a very good year, with a total of 1,422 reported. Although arrivals in June were, as in Britain, fewer than those of C. cardui, it seems to have bred more successfully, being described as very abundant in August and September. It was also noted in very large numbers at Cape Clear Island, W. Cork on several dates in October (RFH & JPH). These may have represented south westerly move- ment of [rish bred butterflies, or further immigration which was not paralelled in Britain. For C. crocea we have one additional record in June, at Hagley : Wood, Sussex (SJH) and over a dozen for the late August and — early September immigrants, ranging from Dorset and Anglesey to © Cumbria, which raise the British total to about 80. In Ireland, where the June immigration was much stronger and extended as far north as Ulster, where there was probably some local breeding, the late August invasion was mainly to the south east and agreed THE IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERATO THE B. ISLES IN 1980: 49 in date with the arrivals in Cornwall and movement up the west coast of Britain. In Ireland the recorded total, also about 80, was the highest since 1975. For M. stellatarum there are two additional records, from Bristol, June 15 (JFB) and Kendal (DWK) to add to what was in England a fairly good year; but the Irish total of six, between late May and early September 30, was not distinguished. Several supplementary records of U. ferrugalis emphasised its abundance and ubiquity here, as in Ireland; but P. xylostella seems to have been much less common there. Corrections to Annexe III — Cynthia cardui LANCASHIRE, N. Leighton Moss 31.8: for corrected dates and numbers, see below. Additions to Annexe ITI BEDFORDSHIRE. Sandy, 7/13.6, one present; 3.8/4.9, seen on 13 days, maximum 5 on 10.8; 8.10 (1); Sutton Fen, 5/8/4.9, seen on 5 days, one or two. (RES). BERKSHIRE (v.c.22), Kennington, 7.9, one (JFB). CAMBRIDGESHIRE (v.c. 29), Great Evenden, 7.6, one (EAE); Fowlmere, early 8, numerous; Ouse Washes, in first three weeks 8 (RES). CHESHIRE. Gayton Sands, 8/13.6, July one, 14.8/4.9; Wirral, 13.8, many worn (MASP). CUMBERLAND. St. Bees Head, large numbers arrived in June (RES); Corkickle and elsewhere 7.6 (4); Kirkland, 2.7, one on flowers of Hypocheris radicata; near Egremont, 9 and 10.8 (2); Nethertown and elsewhere 16/31.8 (14); Walbarrow Crag, 19.10, one (RWJR); Kendal, 1.6 (1), Solway Marshes 4.6., c.40/50 (DWK). DERBYSHIRE. Buxton, 26.6, one (EAE). DEVON S. Aylesbeare Common, 4.6/5.7 (3), 11/31.8, with maxi- mum of 8. (RES). DORSET. St. Albans Head, 16.7 (2); Studland, 17.7 (1) (MCW). DURHAM. Butterknowle, 28.6, one; Sunderland, 31.7, c.20 along a garden hedge, 1.8, dozens on cliffs; Quebec, 12.7, one; Chester- le-Street, 29.7.(2), 31.7 (1), 1/3.8 (20/40); 14.8, many; 8.9 (1): Waldridge Fell, 17.8 (1). ESSEX S. Harlow, first seen 29.6, in late July and August many reports of singles and occasionally of two or three (BMcR). GLOUCESTERSHIRE S. Nagshead, 12.6., 13.6, 18.6, 12.8, all singles (RES). HAMPSHIRE S. Langstone Harbour, 13.6 (1), 23.8(2) (RES). KENT E. Clowes Wood and elsewhere 10/23.8 (8); Rainham, 3/7.9 (3), Folkestone, 7.9 (1) (D.D.); Folkestone, 5/16.8 (7), 20/25.8 (22), 24.8, common, 25.8 (12), 1/8.9, still common, especially on knapweed; 3.10, one (EMW). ISLE OF WIGHT. St. Catherine’s Point, 4.6., one off the sea LANCASHIRE N. Leighton Moss, June, small influx (peak 3), very large influx from late July, with peaks 14.8 (58), 16.8 (138), then falling quickly in poor weather (RES). LANCASHIRE S. Ainsdale N. N. R., June, second week, large in- flux; in July larvae on isolated plants of Cirsium vulgare, but not on the dense patches of C. arvense; fresh adults appeared August, first week, and remained until mid-September; no larvae then seen, but a number of fresh adults in October, second week. (KP). LINCOLNSHIRE N. Tetley Marsh, large numbers (RES). NORFOLK W. Wells-on-Sea, 7.6.(1); Swaffham, 8.6 (1); Totting- stone, 7.6 (1) (EAE). NORFOLK E. Beeston, near Sheringham and five other places, 10/16.6, all singly; Hoveton, 12.7, one; Hickling, 2.8, several (EAE). NORTHUMBERLAND N. Black Law, c.1,000ft, near Wooler, 29.7, sudden appearance, groups of 3 to 5 flying south all day and through 30.7, 31.7, 1.8, after which thunderstorms checked observation, and later the butterflies had dispersed; Kyloe, 1.8, dozens seen (TCD) NORTHUMBERLAND S. Coquet Is., 24.6 (1); 29.7, large influx (more than 30), decreasing until a few still present in mid 8. (RES); West Gosforth, 1.8 (1), 2.8 (10 on buddleia) (CJG/TCD). NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. Worksop district, 6.6 (2), 8.6 (2); 30.7 (1), 1.8 (1), 10/16.8 (43), 19.9 (2) (MCW). SOMERSET N. Failand, near Bristol, 11.6, one at hedgerow flowers (JFB). SUFFOLK E. Halvergate Island, 2.6 (1), 28.6 (1), July (2), August first week, very abundant; Minsmere, 12.7/18 (5) (RES), 16.8 (2 fresh) (JFB); Wolves Wood, 1.8 (1), 2.8 (1); Felixstowe, 8.6 (1) (EAE). SUFFOLK W. Lakenheath, 8.6 (12) (EAE). SUSSEX E. Fore Wood, mid-June, on two days, mid August, one (RES); Hastings, 20.9 (1) (RNH). are W. Rogate, numerous mid September, especially 14.9 ). WARWICKSHIRE. Charlecote, 28.9, 4 larvae in separate tents on nettle — emerged 23/24.10 (BWP). YORKSHIRE N. E. (v.c. 62). Cleveland. Saltburn and Redcar dunes, 3.6, later widespread inland and through industrial Teeside; mid 7, a few worn. later in large numbers (? emerging) to mid 8, then vanished, late 9, a few on Sedum. Larvae from newly hatched to fully fed from early 7 to 2.8, with 200 on dunes in three days; all those collected pupated by 10.8. Early 9 / early 10, c.600/700 larvae found and most collected, some producing adults while others were still feeding, and butterflies still emerg- ing in captivity 11.11. No Larvae were parasitized (NWH). YORKSHIRE S. E. (v.c. 61), Bempton Cliffs, 7.6 first, odd singles in July, maximum 16.8 (10); Hornsea Mere, 24.6/21.9, maximum 30.7: largest immigration for many years; Blacktoft Sands, first late 7, 1/21.8 c.10 daily (RES). YORKSHIRE MID. (v.c. 64). Bishopthorpe, 25.9 (MCW); Fairburn, 3.7. (1), 31.7/3.9 in good numbers (RES). 50 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD THE IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERATO THE B. ISLES IN 1980: a1 Ireland ANTRIM. Rathlin Island, 5.6 (58), 15.6 (70), regularly later; Shanes Castle, 8.6 (1); 24.9 (2) (RES). CORK. Lemara, 7.8 (1), 10.8 (1) (TJB). For other Irish records, total 1,751, see RFH and JPH, /rish Nat Jnl., 20: 296-298 Scotland ABERDEENSHIRE N. Loch of Strathbeg, 5.6/8.9, maximum 31.7 (6). (RES). ANGUS. Loch of Kinnordy. 11.6, 23.6, 7.7, singles; 31.7/2.8, up to 4 present; recorded in 8 at 3,200ft. (RES). INNER HEBRIDES (v.c. 104), Skye, Glen Brittle, 14.6, Dunvegan Castle, on Armeria, Claigan Beach (2), Loch Bharcasaig, 17.6 (REW). INVERNESS SHIRE E. Loch Garten, 12.6 (1), up to 2 on four days 8; Insh Marshes, 9/22.6, singles, 12/22.8, singles, 17.8 (3) (RES). MULL and COLL (v.c. 103). Salen, Mull, 9.6 (1) (RCW). PERTHSIRE W. Killiekrankie, influx from 6.6 on. (RES). RENFREWSHIRE. Loch Winnoch, from 8.6, with up to 8 regularly in late 6,7, 8 (RES). SHETLAND. Loch of Spiggie, 22.6, 6.7, 31.7, 1.8, all singles; 2.8. (6), regularly until 16.8 (RES). Wales ANGLESEY. South Stack, 3.6/4.7, and again 7.8/11.10 (RES). BRECONSHIRE. Gorse Bank, 26.6, with maximum 20.9 (6); other localities 26.6 onwards, at least 77 specimens, last Maescelyn, Brecon, 26.10 (PS-B). DENBIGHSHIRE. Llanduno and Llandrillo, 3.8 (3) (MCW). GLAMORGAN. Ynys-hir, first 3.6, up to 6 until 3.7; 10.8 (1); 4.9/15.10, again in numbers (RES). MONTGOMERYSHIRE. Lake Vyrnwy, common in latter half of the summer (RES). MONMOUTHSHIRE. Beaufort, 4.10, at 1,200ft (PS-B). Our appeal for more information about C. cardui in 1980 pro- duced a wide response: a great many records came from collective recorders who have passed on information from several hundred observers whose names are too numerous to mention here. We are especially indebted to Mr. R. E. Scott for collecting and submitting notes from the wardens of some 40 reserves of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. We have also made use of the valuable analysis of C. cardui records in Ireland which was provided by Mr. R. F. Haynes and Dr. P. Hillis and later published in the Jrish Naturalist’s Journal, but is not reproduced in detail here. For infor- -Mation about larvae we are very grateful for the accounts of findings in Cleveland by Mr. N. W. Harewood and Mr. K. Payne, which have also been published elsewhere. These additional records include some from 20 vice-counties not mentioned in our main report, but for the most part these $2 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD confirm the impression that the spread of C. cardui was thin and limited in extent far inland and away from the main coastal arrival points, though spread from these along the coasts was fairly wide- spread. The strength and timing of the main invasions of the west coast of England in the first week of June, and of the north east coast of both England and Scotland in the last days of July, are abundantly confirmed; but the additional records also show that there were relatively weak influxes to East Anglia and further north at the same time, slightly in advance of the mass invasion of Fife and Aberdeen on June 5 and 6. These were apparently not linked by arrivals on the south English coast between south Devon and east Kent, and they may have had a separate continental origin. The extent, the timing, and indeed the existence of a third large invasion to the west of England in late August or early September, which we previously thought likely, remains uncertain. Further accounts of the finding of large numbers of larvae in the open again mention the presence of widely differing instars at the same times and places. This surely implies, where the larvae and pupae survived, the emer- gence of adults over a long period, and it is possible that even the large numbers of butterflies seen in various places from mid August onwards resulted from this rather than from fresh immigration. The few examples reported from the Isle of Sheppey and now from Folkestone in October may well have been grandchildren of the original June immigrants. In Ireland the pattern was interestingly different. The whole eastern coast from Wexford to Antrim clearly shared in the swarms which visited western Britain in June: more than one third of the Irish annual total was recorded there then, but records in south western Ireland were very few. As might be expected, Ireland felt little or no effect from the eastern invasion of Britain of C. cardui at the end of July; the numerous records in the eastern Irish counties are attributed to successful local breeding from the June immi- grants. In October, however, Waterford scored 72, Cape Clear Island, Co. Cork 527, and Galway 54, thus equalling the total for June. This must surely represent a further major immigration from the south west, which was apparently not experienced at all in Britain. LARVAE OF CAMPTOGRAMMA BILINEATA L.: YELLOW SHELL FEEDING ON CRUCIFERAE. — With reference to B. K. West’s note (Ent. Rec., 93: 198) on Camptogramma bilineata feeding on Car- damine flexuosa, | can add three more species of Cruciferae as ~ larval foodplants. In the winter of 1979-80 I found a larva on Arabis caucasica, a common rock-garden plant, introduced from south-east Europe, and in the spring of 1980 one was found feeding on Aubretia deltoidea, another rock-garden plant, introduced from Greece. Both records are from my garden at Leicester, where a larva has also been found on Origanum majorana (Labiatae). The third record is of a larva found feeding on wild cabbage, Brassica oleracea, growing on the cliff-tops at Lighthouse Down, Dover, in the spring of 1981. All three larvae eventually produced moths. — DENIS F. OWEN, 6 Scraptoft Lane, Leicester. THE EARLY STAGES OF PARORNIX FINITIMELLA 53 (ZELLER) AND P. TORQUILLELLA (ZELLER) (LEPIDOPTERA:GRACILLARIIDAE) By A.M. EMMET* Parornix torquillella was placed on the British list in the same year as that in which it received its name in Germany (Stainton, 1850). Later Stainton (1864) gave a full and accurate account of its early stages. He described it as bivoltine flying in May and August, but with reservations, since he had taken the adult in July and adults from July larvae had not emerged until the following year. Morris (1872), Meyrick (1928) and Ford (1949) all treated the moth as bivoltine, ignoring Stainton’s uncertainty. Parornix finitimella was named and described in the same paper as P. torquillella (Zeller, 1850). Although Stainton (1850; 1864) made reference to it, he did not include it as a British species. How- ever, he stated that he had reared an Ornix [Parornix| from sloe which was not P. torquillella (1864: 296). He tentatively deter- mined these moths as the Crataegus-feeding P. anglicella (Stainton), but added that they should possibly be referred to P. finitimella, a supposition we can now tell to have been correct. Neither he nor any other contemporary British entomologist followed up this hint and more than half a century was to pass before this common species was confirmed as occurring in this country. When this happened, its recognition by Pierce (1917) was only a chance by-product of his work on the genitalia of the Geometridae. In this study he was helped by the Revd. C. R. N. Burrows who was vicar of Mucking, an Essex hamlet on the Thames estuary. Pierce used to stay with Burrows and the two entomologists were struck by the number of interesting microlepidoptera in the area. Burrows, however, was only a macrolepidopterist and could not determine them. Accordingly, Pierce suggested that Burrows should make a collection and send the moths to him for identification (Pierce, 1918). It was amongst this material that he found P. finitimella after dissection of the genitalia. The discovery did not arouse much interest because concern with the microlepidoptera had to a large extent lapsed in Britain. Few collectors checked their specimens and Meyrick (1928) was able to give only the counties of Essex and Durham for the occurrence of P. finitimella. No attempt was made to look at the early stages to see if there were any differences and for another fifty years no further thought was given to the sub- ject. This was the situation I inherited in 1979 when A Field Guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera was written. My attempt to add useful information was disastrous, for I got it the wrong way round. I had recognised that there were two mine patterns, one of which seemed the more common. Understandably, in view of the history *Labrey Cottage, Victoria Gardens, Saffron Walden, Essex. 54 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD of the two species in Britain, I ascribed the commoner mine to P. torquillella. It was not until 1980 that I began to make a serious study of the early stages of these moths for Volume 2 of The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. 1 wrote the draft text of the Gracillariinae in the winter of that year and devoted my field work in 1981 to checking and embellishing what I had written. Consequently the information which follows has been well digested. As the result of my research, I found that the species were readily distinguishable in their early stages and that these differed in their timing. Dr. M. R. Shaw had written to me in 1979 suggesting that P. torquillella was univoltine and this was confirmed by my observations in 1980-1981. It appears to have a long emergence period extending from the end of May until July. Larvae do not appear until mid July and continue through August and September. The resulting adults do not emerge until the following year (cf. Stainton’s observations quoted above). It would be possible for the earliest moths to produce a generation which completes its cycle in the summer months but I have no evidence that this ever happens. The larva of P. torquillella has two cloudy dark marks on its head, which are sometimes obsolete. Its body is pale yellowish green without contrasting pinacula, its prothoracic plate has the four black spots characteristic of the genus and the thoracic legs are concolorous with the body. P. finitimella, on the other hand, is definitely bivoltine. Moths of the first generation fly in late April and May. Larvae are then found in June and July which produce a second generation of adults in July and August. Larvae occur again in September and October and give rise to the overwintering pupae. The larva of P. finitimella is very different. It has four well- defined black marks on its head as well as the prothoracic plate. Its body is grey with conspicuous paler pinacula which are obso- lescent on the abdominal segments; it becomes much paler when full-grown, but still retains a hint of its grey colour. The thoracic legs are ringed black, appearing wholly black except under magnifi- cation. There are no detectable differences in the mines in the sap- feeding phase (the first two instars). There are, however, distinctions in the third instar mine, when tissue-feeding begins after the change in mouth-parts and a spinneret has been developed. P. finitimella spins the lower cuticle more extensively, causing it to contract in a number of creases and draw the lower edges of the mine together; the lower cuticle becomes greenish grey, flecked darker. The mine is relatively long and narrow. P. torquillella, on the other hand, spins the lower cuticle lightly; the mine is only slightly arched and the cuticle has a single central crease and is white, at any rate in tenanted and newly vacated mines. The mine is relatively shorter and broader and is transparent when held up to the light. Because of the lighter spinning, the mine splits open more easily, and the old ruptured mines which are so much in evidence on blackthorn bushes in autumn are generally of this species. In my experience, fresh EARLY STAGES OF P. FINITIMELLA AND P.TORQUILLELLA 55 mines are easily told apart, but the marks of distinction tend to become blurred with the passage of time and it may then be neces- sary to study the characters of a number of mines before being sure of the species. A complication is that in southern England both are abundant and mixed mines will almost always be found on the same bush. With regard to distribution, P. torquillella has the wider range, extending to Scotland and Ireland. P. finitimella becomes scarce in northern England and Meyrick’s record from Co. Durham is still the most northerly; it has not been. reported from Scotland or Ireland. In the south one gets the impression that P. finitimella is the more plentiful, but this is probably because in autumn one sees two generations of its vacated mines as opposed to one of P. tor- quillella. When I was making records for Essex (Emmet, 1981), I had not mastered the differences and, as I admitted, I might have recorded P. finitimella as P. torquillella in some instances. I then recorded P. torquillella from 56 of the 57 10X10 km squares in the county but P. finitimella from only 9. In 1981 I have increased the number of squares for P. finitimella to 52 and confirmed P. tor- quillella in all of these. There is hardly a stand of blackthorn in the county in which I have not found both species, if I have had the chance to search at the right time of year. What is true for Essex probably holds for all other southern counties. With the knowledge I now have, I would rewrite species 281 and 282 in the Field Guide as follows. 281 (1102) P. finitimella (Zell.) 0. 5-6; 8-9. On the under surface of a leaf of Prunus spinosa or P. domestica. L. 6-7; 9-10. When young, in a gallery in the lower epidermis which leads into a small, Phyllonorycter-type blotch in which the lower cuticle turns greenish grey and is strongly contracted by internal spinning. Later feeds under the downwards-folded tip or edge of a leaf, making successively two or three such folds. Larva grey with paler pinacula; head with four black spots; thoracic legs ringed black. P. 7-8;9-4. In an orange-yellow cocoon spun under a narrowly folded leaf-edge or in leaf-litter. I. 4-5; 7-8. Comes to light. 282 (1103) P. torquillella (Zell.) 0. 6-8. On the under surface of a leaf of Prunus spinosa or P. domestica. L. 7-9. Mine differs from that of P. finitimella in being only slightly contracted by internal spinning and having the lower cuticle white. Larva pale yellow-green with- out conspicuous pinacula; head with two darkish spots; legs yellow-green. P. 9-5. Similar to P. torquillella. I. 5-7. Has a long emergence period. Possessors of the Field Guide who do not have the interleaved edition may prefer to make less extensive changes. I suggest that the 56 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD first priority is to alter the last word of the second line of the ”L” paragraph under P. finitimella from “less” to “more”, and the second to amend the timing of the stages of P. torquillella. References Emmet, A. M. (ed.), 1979. A field guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera, 271 pp. London. Emmet, A. M., 1981. The smaller moths of Essex, 158 pp. London. Ford, L. T., 1949. A guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera, 230 pp. London. Meyrick, E., 1928. A revised handbook of the British Lepidoptera, 914 pp. London. Morris, F. O., 1872. A natural history of British moths, 14. London. Pierce, F. N., 1917. Occurrence in England of Parornix finitimella Z., a species of Gracilariadae new to the British list. Ento- mologist’s mon. Mag. 53: 9-10. Pierce, F. N., 1918. The Lepidoptera of an Essex garden. Entomolo- gist’s Record. J. Var. 30: 81-86. Stainton, H. T., 1850. On Ornix meleagripennella and its allies; a group of Lepidoptera, family Tineidae. Trans. ent. Soc. Lond. (2) 1: 86-96. Stainton, H. T. et al, 1864. The natural history of the Tineina, 8, vii, 315 pp., 8 col. pls. London. Zeller, P. C., 1850. Verzeichniss der von Herrn Jos. Mann beobach- teten Toscanischen Microlepidoptera (Section 7). Stettin. ent. Ztg. 11:139-162. PAPILIO MACHAON L. (SWALLOWTAIL) FLOURISHING IN A N. NORFOLK LOCALITY, 1981. — The present year having been a poorer one for butterflies (at least in my district, S. E. London) than I have experienced for very long, it is some small consolation to be able to report that one of our threatened species, P. machaon, Was quite common in a small area of a privately-owned fen in North Norfolk. On a very warm afternoon, 22 June, these splendid crea- tures — apparently at the height of their season, being in mint condition — were disporting themselves in the open flowery fen, often swooping and perching on various blossoms (mostly purple composites), their wings maintained in tremulous motion whilst feeding in the manner peculiar to their kind, and presenting an unforgettable spectacle. It was possible to have 6, if not 7, in view at a time, their territory seeming to be concentrated by the apparent restriction of the foodplant, hogs’ fennel, to one spot in that part of the fen which we visited. The butterflies were not shy; in fact, one seemed bent upon trying to enter my net as I was stalking a fly, and had to be ‘shooed’ away! We learnt from the landowner that, so far as he knew, machaon has never been ‘put down’ there, but had been present from early times. — A. A. ALLEN. THE WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE ACT, 1981 By ALAN E. STUBBS* After false starts and a stormy passage through Parliament, new legislation affecting a wide range of countryside issues has been passed. An item of particular concern to entomologists is the list of protected species. At earlier steps in the evolution of the new legis- lation there was consultation with the Entomological Societies, and in particular through the Joint Committee for the Conservation of British Insects. However, the scope and nature of the draft legis- lation became greatly modified in its passage through Parliament. There are two major reasons for the changes in the list. Firstly, as an all embracing act there were no concessions to entomologists — thus, area listing and other conditions were swept aside to suit those interested in vertebrates. Secondly, it proved virtually impos- sible to influence events when neither of the Houses of Parliament has anyone with a knowledge of insects (the system depends on the right questions being asked). There are now 19 species of invertebrates on the protected list. Discussion here will concentrate on the Lepidoptera since this will be the main concern of readers. Large Blue (Maculinea arion). This was already protected under the Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975. In September 1979 the Nature Conservancy Council issued a press notice saying that the butterfly was probably extinct in Great Britain. No sighting accepted as authentic has been received since that date, despite checking out various reports. Heath Fritillary (Mellicta athalia). With some reservations, the Societies had earlier accepted the inclusion of this species. It has been undergoing steady decline in the South-West where it is now down to two sites. There are real fears that it could die out in this area. However, in January 1982 the Dutchy of Cornwall agreed to the removal of young confiers from its main site and NCC hopes to finance a study starting this summer. In Kent, the population level is erratic depending on the state of the coppice areas. Whilst num- bers can be large in a good year, colonies could easily be collected out during population lows. Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon) was last seen in England in 1975 and was intended for protection in England only. With the various delays in the legislation it is now questionable whether it will be refound. However, the Act gives national listing though its status in Scotland is not critical. Swallowtail (Papilio machaon). This was sneaked on as a com- plete surprise, apparently because it is pretty and MP’s have heard of it. NCC had 20 minutes to reply at a time when no-one with a knowledge of the insect was available. The advice that would have *Nature Conservancy Council, 19-20 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PY. 58 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD been given was that this butterfly, though local, is largely holding its own in Norfolk and is in no imminent danger. It is not the sort of species which would easily be collected out (the prospect of a Yare barrage is a far greater threat). Some people hold the view that now this species is on the Act, it should stay there as a flag waver for gaining public interest in insect conservation. (On a similar short notice occasion NCC successfully advised against the Purple Em- peror being put on the Act.) There are five moths on the Act. The Essex Emerald (Thetidia smaragdaria F.) was added to the 1975 Act in 1979 (see Ent. Rec., 91: 258-60) since it was down to a very small colony; there are rumours of a second colony but its status remains critical. The Bar- berry Carpet. (Pareulype berberata D. & S.) has only one small native site, as has the New Forest Burnet (Zygaena viciae D & S.) and the Reddish Buff (Acosmetia caliginosa Hbn.). The Black- veined moth (Siona lineata Scopoli) has few localities. The protected species among other invertebrates are one dragon- fly (Aeshna isosceles), three Orthoptera (Decticus verrucivorous, Gryllus campestris and Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa), one leaf beetle (Chrysolina cerealis), two spiders (Eresus niger and Dolomedes plantarius ) and three snails (Monacha cartusiana, Myxas glutinosa and Catinella arenaria ). All the above species are protected in England, Scotland and Wales, with provision for fines of up to £1000 per specimen taken or possessed illegally. It is illegal to disturb these species so netting a swallowtail to look at is against the law. Should anyone accidental- ly take a protected species, for instance a Reddish Buff moth in a light trap, then it should be released; if not recognised as such until dead and set, then it is best to inform NCC of the circumstances. Specimens obtained before 1982 are in the clear. It is however, illegal to trade or barter (or to advertise to do so) in these species or to receive specimens under these circumstances. It is possible to give away prior breeding stock or old specimens providing this is genuine- ly free rather than barter. The Nature Conservancy Council does not wish to see long lists of species on this sort of Act anymore than entomologists do. Apart from the administrative implications, there is no point invoking the cumbersome arm of the law against collecting unless there is a real concern that collecting will endanger the survival of a species. In future it will be NCC who has prime responsibility for the listing on species. Such legislation emanating from Parliament is not directed at tripping up the responsible entomologist, it is there as a long stop against people who behave selfishly and irresponsibly towards en- dangered species. __ Entomologists will share the view that conservation of habitats is the most important measure required. Here the Act has very sub- stantially increased the safeguard for Sites of Special Scientific Interest, indeed NCC is now in a position to have a substantial say in how sites should be managed and, specifically, how they should not be managed. It is now imperative that the important entomological sites are given proper protection and that the most THE WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE ACT, 1981 59 damaging types of management are avoided. The Invertebrate Site Register organised by NCC is timely in these respects and it is hoped that entomologists will take full opportunity to see that their interests are taken into account. THE USE OF THE TERM ‘POCK-MARK’ IN ENTOMOLOGY. — Coleophorid leaf-mining larvae make a small entrance hole in the cuticle, the case being fixed at its orifice to the edge of the hole, so that the larva can fully extend itself to feed on the parenchyma without having entirely to quit the safety of its case. The larva then detaches its case and moves elsewhere, leaving behind a con- spicuous blanched portion of leaf where it has fed and the tell-tale circular hole so familiar to microlepidopterists. In appearance, this hole resembles in miniature a pit or scar left by a pock, and so ‘pock-mark’ is suggested as a suitable term for this characteristic and well-known feature among the Coleophoridae. — CHALMERS-HUNT. COLEOPHORA PARIPENNELLA ZELLER — A NEW FOODPLANT. — A single larval case of what appeared to be Coleophora paripennella was found on 9th June 1981 feeding on Cirsium arvense on a wide verge adjacent to the A 299 Thanet Way at Whitstable, Kent. The larva fed for about a week on Cirsium and the moth emerged on 14th. July 1981, which Dr. J. D. Bradley very kindly confirmed as C. paripennella. Other micro-lepidopterists are believed to have recorded this species from Cirsium but I can find no published reference. — N. F. HEAL, Fosters, Detling Hill, Nr. Maidstone, Kent. CARPOPHILUS SEXPUSTULATUS (FABR.) (COL.: NITIDULIDAE ) IN SURREY WITH A NOTE ON ITS HABITS IN BRITAIN. — Amongst beetles revealed by removing the loose bark of a large oak log on 17.iii.1981 in Richmond Park (TQ 1871) was a single example of this species. This would appear to be a new record for the vice- county of Surrey. In a report for the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology entitled “A Bibliograph of the occurrence of Certain Woodland Coleoptera” by Paul T. Harding (1978), Carpophilus sexpustulatus is referred to grade 3 (“indicator of Old Forest in certain circumstances’’). This is borne out by the present finding, seeing as Richmond Park has existed for some considerable time. Occasionally found in stored products, the beetle is found in normal circumstances under the bark of logs — usually those of oak, but also beech, hornbeam, spruce, pine etc. However it seems that the adult will visit carrion (vide Ent. Mo. Mag. xviii. 1907, p.82). Most captures stem from the period January to June. The pub- lished records of which I am aware give rise to the following list of vice-counties — all in England: 8, 15, 16, 25, 31, 56, 63, 64. I thank Messrs A. A. Allen, P. M. Hammond and P. T. Ham- mond and P. T. Harding for their comments. — D. PRANCE, 23 Brunswick Road, Kingston Hill, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. 60 THE DIPTERA (CALYPTRATAE) OF THE SANDWELL VALLEY, WEST BROMWICH. By M. G. BLOXHAM* (Concluded from Volume 94, page 31) Calliphoridae The Calliphoridae provide interesting records, three species of limited distribution occuring, these being Bellardia unxia, the least common representative of an otherwise abundant genus, Pollenia varia, of which only a single specimen has been taken, and Cal- liphora subalpina which occurs in some numbers in most woodland in the valley. The latter species is not only considered an uncommon insect but also an unlikely capture in this area according to present knowledge of its distribution (Van Emden 1954). Of the other species, Cvnomyia mortuorum has been recorded during most sum- mer months on one particular site but it has never been numerous, Phormia terraenovae also falling into this category. The remaining flies of this family are usually abundant throughout the year. Scathophagidae Although certain flies of this family are very numerous, the number of species occurring is not great. The four flies of the genus Scathophaga are all common on most sites, several other diptera including the bluebottle Calliphora vicina and the crane fly Limonia tripunctata having been recorded as the prey of S. stercoraria. Norellisoma spinimanum is often abundant in gardens and at margins of streams. Of the other genera, Nanna fasciata is common in many damp places during spring and early summer, Juncus species often being very good indicators of likely sites for this fly, while Carex beds at the margins of the larger pools house good populations of Cordilura impudica and C. pudica. Cleigastra apicalis is distributed even more widely in similar situations, on one occasion a specimen being taken with the tipulid Erioptera griseipennis as prey. Anthomyiidae At present there is no R.E.S. handbook for identification of Anthomyiidae and anyone undertaking this task has to rely to a fairly large extent on continental works, as English papers deal with a few genera only. It is therefore probable that the family is still unfamiliar to many dipterists and for this reason, a certain amount of general information on most of the species recorded is included here. One of the features that makes the family a difficult one to — study is that species, even in different genera, are so very similar in the field. This usually means that it is necessary to make ex- © *1 St. Johns Close, Sandwell Valley, West Bromwich, W. Midlands. THE DIPTERA OF THE SANDWELL VALLEY, W. BROMWICH 61 tensive captures and carry out a microscopic examination of every insect to ensure that species are not overlooked. An additional complication is encountered in that females are often difficult, if not impossible, to identify with certainty and in most cases only careful examination of the genitalia of the males enables the flies to be identified correctly. The species list given for the valley is, therefore, with two exceptions (Leucophora grisella and Eustalomyia festiva) based on the examination of males. Of the genus Chirosia, three species have been recorded: C. albitarsis and C. parvicornis having been taken on bracken, the larvae mining the leaf of that plant accoring to Collin (1955). His observations suggesting the probability of a flight period limited to May and June for parvicornis also seem to be corroborated, as the fly was not seen in the locality after the first week in June. The final species recorded, C. flavipennis, also occured in the vicinity of bracken, although no direct association with the plant seemed evident. Many Pegohylemyia species do not seem to be confined to a particular habitat, P. fugax being one of the most abundant and widely distributed flies in the locality. The same comments apply to flies of the genus Lasiomma, the two species recorded often being found basking on fences during spring and early summer. The five species of Hydrophoria have all been taken in wood- land, H. annulata and H. caudata having been discovered in very shaded situations, the others in open glades or at the margin. Of the very common anthomyid species, Craspedochoeta pullula and Anthomyia imbrida are good examples. Both are found in nearly every situation although C. pullula does not seem to favour shade as much as A. imbrida. Also encountered in numbers during spring and early summer are Phorbia securis and sepia, which may often be seen basking on fences. The genus Leucophora, like Sarcophagidae associated with Hymenoptera, is well represented and four species are recorded. The closely similar L. obtusa and L. personata are abroad fairly early in the year in the vicinity of bare ground such as paths and stone heaps, often being present in some numbers. L. cinerea and L. grisella occur rather later and are apparently more selective in their chosen sites, isoliated specimens have so far been discovered only in the vicinity of natural sand pits occurring as a consequence of the weathering of breccias. On the sites mentioned, hymenop- terous activity was usually evident, but no attempt was made to determine species present or study any possible associations between the wasps and flies. Smith (1971) gives information on the occurrence and distribu- tion of Eustalomyia species associated with solitary wasps nesting in dead wood and Chandler (1976) also comments on the occurrence of these flies. There seems to be agreement that the species are uncommon in Britain except in certain localities. Observations of E. festiva and E. histrio in the valley indicate a distinct preference for ancient woodlands, as the insects are only found in one such 62 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD area of about 20 acres, being particularly associated with ash trees, on which both species have been taken while basking. Wooden posts and rails nearby were also popular for this purpose. Although the flies have a long flight period in the valley, they never occur in numbers and it is interesting to note that while males of E. histrio have been taken, no male of E. festiva has yet been captured, an experience also recorded by Chandler (op.cit. ). Of the Delia species, four seem to be abundant, but D. lamel- liseta has been taken only once on open meadow land and the solitary D. criniventris specimen was netted at the border of a marshy pond in woodland. Of the genus Hylemya, all three species seem common in woodland and scrub areas throughout the valley, H. strenua also occurring in gardens. Some flies of certain calypterate genera notably Melanomya (Rhinophoridae), Hebecnema and Spilogona (Muscidae), are con- spicuous in the field by virtue of their strongly blackened wings and males of the anthomyid genus Heterostylodes also exhibit this feature. H. pratensis was taken at the margin of a wood where it was nearly overlooked owing to its similarity to flies of the other genera mentioned. While Paregle radicum can stake a good claim to be the most abundant and widely distributed Anthomyid in the locality, P. cinerella has been recorded only once, a specimen being discovered on a paddock fence post. The well know association of certain flies of the genus Egle with Salix species is confirmed, the three species all having been taken in early spring on Salix caprea catkins, E. muscaria having also been captures in a number of other situa- tions. Nupedia infirma apparently has a very long flight period and has been found on wooden railings during most of the summer months. It has been recorded as the prey of Dioctria baumhaueri on two occasions. In early and late summer, Pseudonupedia inter- secta often occurs in numbers in such places. The same cannot be said of Emmesomyia villica which seems not only to have a limited flight period, but also to be a scarce species. Two males were cap- tured on hawthorn on consecutive dates, but visits to the same area on a number of other days throughout the year failed to reveal any more specimens and none were found elsewhere. Among the larger anthomyids found in the woodlands is Pego- myza praepotens, which is to be seen on tree trunks and low vege- tation during June and July. According to Chandler (personal eee et this species is probably one of the rarer flies of the amily. In concluding, it is surprising that more species of the genus Pegomya have not yet been found. Of the two species so far found, P. nigritarsis is by far the most common. Fanniidae Fanniidae discovered include species that are often extremely numerous in the valley. Fannia canicularis, F. scalaris, F. monilis, F. postica and F. coracina have been regularly found in my garden, the latter species having also been bred out, together with F. vesparia THE DIPTERA OF THE SANDWELL VALLEY, W.BROMWICH = 63 from a nest of Vespula vulgaris (L) found locally. Many of the other species seem to be extremely common at the margins of woodland whole F. hamata is often found in more shaded localities where it is one of the most accomplished ‘hoverers’. The rarer species of the genus Fannia have not so far occurred during the survey, the only exception being F. aequilineata, which was bred out from detritus found in the hollowed stump of a horse chestnut. Fonseca (1968) recommends breeding experiments as a method most likely to provide the rarer species of the genus and this record would appear to bear this out. Muscidae Perhaps the most notable feature of the muscid records is the presence of so many common species. Very few unusual ones occur and, save for Alloeostylus sudeticus, a predominantly northern fly with a single southern record (Somerset — Hinton Charterhouse), they do not appear to have any special distributional significance. Of the less frequently encountered species, Achanthiptera rohrel- liformis has been bred out from a nest of Vespula vulgaris, but has only twice been discovered in the field. Phaonia vittifera and Lop- hosceles mutatus, flies with a scattered distribution over the British Isles also occur, while Hydrotaea parva has been found on Carex species at the margin of a pond. Of the genus Mydaea, five species are found in woodland, the scarce M. ancilla being not infrequent. A Staffordshire record for the uncommon Graphomyia picta (Madeley), is given in the transactions of the North Staffordshire Field Club (op. cit.). The fly is not infrequent on Carex species in marshy areas of the valley. Conclusions. In general, is seems probable that the Sandwell Valley, West Bromwich, houses a rich fauna of Diptera Calyptratae and that the list given is by no means complete. As yet, no species belonging to the families Oestridae and Gasterophilidae has been found. This may well be a consequence of the gradual loss of farmland, for although horses for recreational purposes are present in some num- bers, the varied livestock that might have supported several species of these specialised flies in the past has almost disappeared. No records exist for Hippoboscidae or Nycteribiidae, but the simple traditional collecting techniques used here were hardly designed to make such captures and co-operation with specialists in other orders will probably yield specimens of these flies in due course. The Diptera collected possess a wide range of different life histories and generally confirm much of the present distribution data as given in the R.E.S. handbooks. Explanations as to why certain sub- families are so poorly represented will have to wait until the re- maining fauna and flora of the area have been more fully investi- gated when the overall picture of insect interrelationships in the district may be more complete. 64 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Acknowledgements I should like to thank Mr. P. Chandler for his assistance during preparation of the manuscript and for help in identification of various specimens. Thanks are also due to Mr. E.C.M. D’Assis- Fonseca for much valuable information and advice on An- thomyiidae References Ackland, D. M. 1969. Notes on the Palaearctic species of Egle R-D (Dipt-Anthomyiidae) with Descriptions of Two New Species. Ent. Mon. Mag. 105, P. 185-192. Brindle, A. et al. The Insects of the Malham Tarn Area. Proc. Leeds Phil. & Lit. Soc. Vol. TX (2) p. 76-90. Britten, H. 1952. Diptera of Staffordshire. Part 2. Edited by J. Edwards. Transactions of the North Staffs Field Club p. 44-58. Brown, E. 1863. The Natural History of Tutbury. p.210-23. Chandler, P. J. 1976. Notes on some Uncommon Calypterate Flies (Diptera) Observed During Recent Years. Ent. Rec. 88: 14-19. Collin, J. E. 1920. A Contribution Towards the Knowledge of the Anthomyid Genera Hammomyia and Hylephila of Rondani (Diptera). Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1920: 305-26. Collin, J. E. 1955. Genera and species of Anthomyiidae allied to Chirosia. Proc. Roy. Ent. Soc. Lond. series B23 (5-6): 95-102. Collin, J. E. 1958. AShort Synopsis of the British Scathophagidae (Diptera). Trans. Soc. Brit. Ent. 13 (3) 37-56. Day, C. D. 1948. British Tachinid Flies. Arbroath 150pp. Emden, F. I. van 1954. Tachinidae & Calliphoridae in Handbook Ident. Br. Insects 10(4a) : 133. Fonseca, E. C. M. D’Assis. 1956. A Review of the British Sub- families and Genera of the Family Muscidae (Diptera). Trans.. Soc. Brit. Ent. 12: 113-128. Fonseca, E. C. M. D’Assis. 1968. Muscidae in Handbook Ident. Br. Insects, Vol. X 4(6): 1-119. Hennig, W. 1976. In LINDNER ‘Die Fliegen der Palaearktischen Region’. 63a — ‘Anthomyiidae’ p. 1-707. Kloet, G. S. & Hincks, W. D. 1976. A Check List of British Insects. second edition (completely revised). Part 5. Diptera and Sip- _ honaptera. Royal Ent. Soc. Lond. 139pp. Ringdahl, O. 1952. A Survey of the Swedish species of Hydrophoria _and Acroptena. J. Soc. Brit. Ent. 4(4): 75-83. Smith, K. G. V. 1971. Eustalomyia hilaris Fallen (Dipt. Anthomyi- idae) Confirmed as British with Notes on other species of the Genus. Ent. Gaz. 22 : 55-60. Stubbs, A.E. et al. 1977. The British Insect Fauna in ‘Antenna’, (Bull. Royal Ent. Soc. Lond.). 1 (1) : 23 - 27. Sutton, S. 1972. Woodlice. Ginn & Company. p 58-60. A NEW COUNTY RECORD FOR CORNWALL, % WITH OBSERVATIONS ON OTHER NOTABLE MACROLEPIDOPTERA IN THE COUNTY By M. HADLEY * I was fortunate enough, in the company of Mr Mark Parsons to spend two weeks (24 August — 5 September 1981) on vacation in Cornwall. We enjoyed the best of the summer of 1981 with a spell of fine uninterrupted weather which brought to light some species of note to the county. Ipimorpha retusa Linn., a new county record. This species was found by M. Parsons and J. Gregory at Breney Heath near Bodmin on the 26th August, a single specimen being captured. A follow up visit to the site on the 29th produced another five specimens though most were released due to damage. I would think it likely that this species could be found at other similar sites in the county where Salix carr has invaded old mine-workings. Tholera cespitis D. & S., stated by the Victoria County History to be scarce and local. T. cespitis has been recorded from only the following localities, Falmouth (1905), Tresco on Scilly (1925), Redruth district (1943-58), Perranporth (recently), Coverack (1976), St. Agnes (1969) and Mullion Cove (1977). Bearing in mind the paucity of records for this species we add the following localities: — Polruan (1) 28.8.81, Porkellis Moor, Wendron (several) 27.8.81 and Breney Heath, Bodmin (1) 29.8.81. Lithosia quadra Linn. There exists a general body of opinion that this species is now resident on the coast, the VCH recording quadra as ‘widely distributed but local’. E. H. Wild et al. (1973, Ent. Rec. 85: 275-9) records the species from Menabilly as very common, with a nightly average of forty individuals, the best total recorded being seventy-two in one night. I was not therefore sur- prised to record five quadra at light at Polruan, just a few miles from Menabilly, four on the 28 August and one taken on the 1 September. Pterapherapteryx sexalata Retzius seems from its recorded history to be a very elusive insect in the county with only three localities cited by R. Heckford. The VCH states a specimen was taken in 1905 close to Liskeard, F. Smith records the species from Perranporth (1962 and 1967), and John Gregory from Par (1978). oy species was recordéd from Breney Heath on 26.8.81 and 8.81. Other species of note observed during the holiday were Anarta myrtilli Linn., recorded from Porkellis Moor, the larvae being swept from the top of heather on the 27 August, Eupithecia phoeniciata Rambur., taken twice at Polruan and suspected of breeding locally; specimens were taken on 26.8.81 and 2.9.81. The rather rare and local Stilbia anomala Haworth, and Xestia castanea Esp., were also recorded from Breney on 29.8.81. *Nature Conservancy Council, 19-20 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PY. 66 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Acknowledgements I should like to thank Mrs S Turk of the University of Exeter; Cornish Biological Records Centre for access to considerable amounts of data on Cornish Lepidoptera and equal quantities of hospitality. My thanks are also due to Dr F Smith who gave me helpful advice, and to R Heckford who made available written notes on several of the species noted in this article and from which I have freely drawn information. I also take this opportunity of acknowledging the financial support from the Nature Conservancy Council in making these trips possible. THE SCARCE MERVEILLE-DU-JOUR: MOMA ALPIUM OSBECK AT ORLESTONE FOREST. — On 30 June 1981, I visited the Kent Trust Reserve (compartment 11) in Longrope Wood to discuss future management of the reserve with the Conservation Officer and two other members of the Trust. When we stopped in the mid- dle of this block of oak woodland I just happened to look at the trunk of the oak tree next to me, and there, just above eye-height, was a freshly emerged Moma alpium. After admiring it, we made a point of having a good look at the trunk of every oak we passed after that, but found no more moths. I was, however, able to find the original moth again that evening to take some photographs of it; not easy at 6 feet up a tree trunk! No alpina appeared at two mv lights or a couple of dozen sugar patches in the wood that night, not even the one we knew was there, which had dropped like a stone into the undergrowth when I disturbed it, in an attempt to get it into a better position for photographing it. I see from the Forestry Commission permit holders’ records that Messrs. R. F. Eley and R. Fairclough recorded this species at Orlestone in 1979. — M. Sager New Cottage, Warren Farm, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, ent. | COLEOPHORA POTENTILLAE ELISHA (LEP.: COLEOPHORIDAE) — SOME OBSERVATIONS. — Having collected a number of cases of what I had assumed to be Coleophora violacea Strom from birch in Havant Thicket, Hampshire, in the autumn of 1980, I was not a little astonished to find that the moths which emerged in May 1981 were practically all C. potentillae, only one of them being violacea. In October 1981 Col. D. H. Sterling and Mr. P. H. Sterling, collecting in the same locality, noted that cases of potentillae were particularly common on Potentilla erecta, and also feeding on Betula and Salix atrocinerea seedlings growing among the Potentilla. I think this is the first record of potentillae found on a foodplant other than Rosacae. In September 1981 Messrs. E. C. Pelham-Clinton, R. J. Heck- ford and I were collecting near Crackington Haven in Cornwall, and found potentillae to be extremely abundant. The cases were most common on Prunus spinosa, but also found on Crataegus monogyna, Rubus fruticosus and Potentilla erecta. — J. R. LANGMAID, 38, Cumberland Court, Festing Road, Southsea, Hants. 67 WHAT AILS ADONIS? A. C. MORTON* In common with several other species, the Adonis Blue butterfly Lysandra bellargus Rott. has experienced a decline in recent years. Ecological studies which are in progress (Dr. Jeremy Thomas, personal communication) may suggest reasons for this decline and, hopefully, allow effective conservation measures to be taken. As part of a wider conservation effort (Morton, in press Biological Conservation) L. bellargus has also featured in laboratory studies. In 1981, these studies suggested a fascinating aspect of the ecology of L. bellargus which deserves further investigation. Lysandra bellargus and L. coridon Poda are often cited as examples of insects whose distributions are limited by that of their larval foodplant. However, both species may be absent from sites where this plant, Hippocrepis comosa L., is quite abundant. More- over, although some sites support sizeable populations of both species, L. bellargus is frequently absent from sites which are suit- able for L. coridon. Although this may be as a result of competitive exclusion, there are no data with which to support this view. Perhaps a more likely explanation is that L. coridon has ecological require- ments which are more easily met than those of L. bellargus. Both bellargus and coridon may be reared on artificial diets (Morton, 1981). During 1981 a group of bellargus larvae failed on one particular batch of diet, although this same batch was accepted by coridon. It was noted that this batch contained Hippocrepis leaf powder, from plants collected at a site which supports only coridon. Could it be that the diet failed because it contained plant material which was toxic to bellargus? Based on this chance observation, I would like to suggest the following hypothesis, which will be tested experimentally in 1982. Many legumes are cyanogenic and there is direct evidence that cyanogenesis in Lotus corniculatus L. and Trifolium repens L. does have a protective function against herbivores, especially snails and slugs (Jones, 1962; Ellis et al., 1977a, 1977c). The chemistry of cyanogenesis is reasonably well understood (Conn, 1973; Seigler, 1975) and the genetic basis of the character in the two plants men- tioned above has been discussed by Nass (1972) and by Jones (1977). Moreover, phenotypic expression of cyanogenesis may depend on temperature in some individuals (Ellis et al., 1977b). Reduced expression of the cyanoglucoside under cold conditions would not be deleterious since molluscs are notably inactive at low tempera- tures (Crawford-Sidebotham, 1972). However, in the absence of selective grazing the cyanogenic forms are probably at a disadvantage to the acyanogenic plants, due to their increased metabolic demands. Compared to molluscs, lycaenid larvae are probably fairly in- significant herbivores. By fortunate mutation some, such as Polyom- matus icarus Rott., synthesize the enzyme rhodanese (Parsons & * Department of Biology, Building 44, The University, Southampton, SO9 5NH. 68 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Rothschild, 1964) and can detoxify the foodplant. By doing so, they are able to exploit a food resource which is not accessible to animals lacking rhodanese, and thus experience reduced com- etition. . Given the above facts, one only has to assume that (a) Hippo- crepis comosa is like other legumes and is polymorphic for cyano- genesis, (b) coridon larvae possess rhodanese and can detoxify these plants, and (c) bellargus larvae lack this enzyme, to produce a plau- sible hypothesis for bellargus having a more restricted range than coridon. Thus, coridon can exist on sites where the plants are toxic or non-toxic, whereas bellargus would be restricted to the latter. In the absence of experimental tests of this hypothesis, we can only judge its plausibility by testing its predictions against field observations. In addition to the basic differences in distribution, there are some other predictions: 1) Production of rhodanese would be metabolically expensive so coridon should have a longer larval stage than bellargus due to reduced feeding efficiency. 2) coridon adults dispersing from their home sites are likely to have equal reproductive success whether the new sites they reach have toxic or non-toxic plants. For bellargus, however, such new sites may be unsuitable since most plants may be cyanogenic. We would therefore expect cori- don to have higher dispersal rates than bellargus. 3) Maximum expression of cyanogenic phenotype might be expected between April and June, the period of maximum grazing by molluscs. L. bellargus would be able to exploit ‘cyanogenic’ plants by avoiding this time; i.e. feeding before April and after June. However, coridon may have to partly compensate for a longer larval stage by feeding at higher temperatures. While these phenomena may be explained in many other ways, it is at least of some interest that the field observations are not contrary to the independent predictions of the hypothesis. However, even if the basic idea proves sound, the true situation is likely to be more complicated. For example, bellargus may possess rhodanese but a form of the enzyme which is effective only at different tem- peratures from the form which may be found in coridon. Or the effect may be due to an entirely different complex of toxic plant materials. If readers agree that the idea is plausible, they could provide valuable assistance with the experiments this season. Initially, there is a need to screen plants in coridon and bellargus sites for produc- tion of cyanide. If anyone would be prepared to provide samples of plants for analysis, I would be most grateful if they would contact me. References Conn, E. E., 1973. Biosynthesis of cyanogeni i j ; genic glycosides. Biochem. Soc. Symp., 38. 277-302. se WHAT AILS ADONIS? 69 Crawford-Sidebotham, T. J., 1972. The role of slugs and snails in the maintenance of the cyanogenesis polymorphisms of Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium repens. Heredity, 28, 405-411. Ellis, W. M., Keymer, R. J. & Jones, D. A., 1977a. The defensive function of cyanogenesis in natural populations. Experientia, ae, 309-311. Ellis, W. M., Keymer, R. J. & Jones, D. A., 1977b. The effect of temperature on the polymorphism of cyanogenesis in Lotus corniculatus L. Heredity , 38, 339-347. Ellis, W. M., Keymer, R. J. & Jones, D. A., 1977c. On the poly- morphism of cyanogenesis in Lotus corniculatus L. VIII Ecolo- gical studies in Anglesey. Heredity , 39, 45-65. Jones, D. A., 1962. Selective eating of the acyanogenic form of the plant Lotus corniculatus L. by various animals. Nature, 193, 1109-1110. Jones, D. A., 1977. On polymorphism of cyanogenesis in Lotus cornicuatus L. VII The distribution of the cyanogenic form in Western Europe. Heredity , 39, 2744. Morton, A. C., 1981. Rearing butterflies on artificial diets. J. Res. Lep., 18, 221-227. Morton, A. C. (in press) Butterfly conservation — The need for a Captive Breeding Institute. Biol. Conserv. Nass, H. G., 1972. Cyanogenesis: Its inheritance in Sorghum bicolor, Sorghum sudanese, Lotus and Trifolium repens — A review. Crop Science, 12, 503-506. Parsons, J. & Rothschild, M., 1964. Rhodanese in the larva and pupa of the common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus (Rott.)) (Lepidoptera). Ent. Gaz., 15,58 Seigler, D. S., 1975. Isolation and characterization of naturally occurring cyanogenic compounds. Phytochemistry, 14, 9-29. THE DINGY SKIPPER: ERYNNIS TAGES L. AB. RADIATA BROWN IN DORSET. — Onthe 17th June 1979, at my school, Milton Abbey, Dorset, I took a short series of FE. tages, one of which was a variety, although I did not know its name. However, in December 1981, Mr. John Swiner kindly lent me some back issues of the Record to browse through. In the October 1970 issue, plate XV, p.253, there is a photograph and description by A. D. R. Brown of E. tages ab. radiata. | instantly recognised this specimen as being almost identical to my own which is ¢, and although a little worn is still very distinctive. Mr. Brown (loc. cit.) states that he knows of the existance of only two ab. radiata (his own included), so it is pleasing to be able to record a third example. — R. D. G. BARRING- Boe Old College Arms, Stour Row, near Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 F. CORRECTIONS. — In vol. 93, p. 197, line 5 up, for monsticta read monosticta; line 3 up, for discupuncta read discipuncta, for Area read Aroa; line 2 up, for Nemerophanes read Hemerophanes, for NV. enos read H. enos. — D. G. SEVASTOPULO. 70 THREE SPECIES OF LEUCOPIS MEIGEN (DIPTERA: CHAMAEMYIIDAE) NEW TO BRITAIN By Dr. I. F.G. McLEAN* The Chamaemyiidae is a family of acalyptrate Diptera with 25 species recorded from Britain (Kloet and Hinks, 1976), whose known larvae’ are predators of Homoptera. Typically, the adults are small (less than 4 mm long) with distinctive silver-grey dusted bodies, and many species have paired black spots on the abdominal tergites. The adults may be collected by sweeping plants infested with their larval prey, or by rearing from larvae found in association with aphids, adelgids or scale insects (McLean, 1978). Keys to the British species are given by Smith (1963) and Collin (1966). Recent collecting by the author and examination of museum collections has resulted in the discovery of additional species in the genus Leucopis Meigen, three of which are dealt with here. Revised keys are not given at this time pending the addition of further species, but consulting the references cited will enable these three species to be identified with the exception of Leucopis geniculata, for which distinguishing characters are given in the text. Leucopis (Leucopis) argenticollis Zetterstedt. The identity of this species has been established by McAlpine and Tanasijtshuk (1972), who give a detailed description with figures of both sexes. They record the larvae as being predators of Adelgidae (Conifer Woolly Aphids), especially of Pineus species on Pines. MATERIAL EXAMINED: SUFFOLK, Wangford Warren (SN reserve) 20. VIII. 1977, 12 swept from Pinus sylvestris L. leg. I. F. G. McLean (lacks antennae). Leucopis geniculata Zetterstedt. I am indebted to Dr. J. F. McAlpine (Ottawa) for kindly identifying a British pair (from East Wretham) of this species, and for giving me a copy of his notes on the holotype female in the Zetterstedt collection, University Zoological Museum, Lund, Sweden, which he made in April 1966. This species may be separated from other British Leucopis which possess a pair of strong pre-scutellar acrostichals by the broad frons (about half total head width) and usually by the presence of 4-6 outstanding postsutural dorsocentral bristles. Leucopis (Lipoleu- copis) preacox de Meijere also has these characters, but in this species the costa ends at vein Ry 4 5 while in L. geniculata it con- tinues to vein My; 4 9. L. geniculata also lacks a proscutellum (see McAlpine, 1960) and all these similarities, together with simi- larities in the structure of the male genitalia seem to indicate a close relationship to L. praecox. However, the subgeneric position of L. geniculata has not yet been definitely established. It is pro- bably a larval predator of Adelgidae as adults have been swept from foliage of Pinus sylvestris infested with Pineus pini Macquart. *Nature Conservancy Council, 19-20 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PY. THREE SPECIES OF LEUCOPIS MEIGEN NEW TO BRITAIN 71 MATERIAL EXAMINED: ABERDEENSHIRE, Glen Tanar 31.V.1980, 5 2 swept from Pinus sylvestris leg. 1. F. G. McLean; DUMBARTONSHIRE, Bonhill ? date 31.III.1906, 1 @ leg. J. R. Malloch, in RSM; NORFOLK, University of East Anglia, Norwich 1.V1.1977, 3 2 ; Kilverston, Thetford 17.V.1978, 2 @ ; East Wret- ham (NNT reserve) 20.V.1978, 7 @ and 13 2 ; 28.V.1978 4 9, all swept from Pinus sylvestris and leg. I. F. G. McLean; SUFFOLK, Barton Mills 11.V.1938, 1 @ ; 17.V.1938, 1 2 3 15.IV.1961,1¢ ; Worlington 12.V.1944, 1 ¢@ ; 9.1V.1945, 4 & (1 lacks head) and 22; eet]. 2.9 5; 7.V.1947,22 ; 29.1V.1949, 1 &, all leg. J. E. Collin, in HEC; Tuddenham NNR 17.V.1978, 6 2 swept from Pinus sylvestris leg. 1. F. G. McLean; Lakenheath Warren 25.V.1980, swept from Pinus sylvestris 3 2 leg. I. F. G. McLean and 1 2 leg. P. J. Chandler; SURREY, Oxshott Heath 4.VI.1977, 1 2 swept from Pinus sylvestris leg. 1. F. G. McLean. Leucopis (Neoleucopis) orbiseta McAlpine. This species was described by Dr. McAlpine, in his 1971 world revision of the sub- genus Neoleucopis, from six specimens from Finland, and he has kindly confirmed the identity of two males and one female from Britain (East Wretham). Like the two species discussed above, L. orbiseta would appear to be a larval predator of Adelgidae. It is not clear whether the pair from Cheshire collected by Britten were reared from Pineus strobi Hartig, or if they were collected as adults from trees infested with this woolly aphid (there are no puparia preserved with the specimens). MATERIAL EXAMINED: CHESHIRE, Delamere 28.VIII.1924, 1 2 ; 29.VIII.1924, 1 @ (lacks genitalia) both labelled “on Pineus Strobi” leg. H. Britten, in Verrall-Collin coll. HEC; NORFOLK, East Wretham (NNT reserve) 20.V.1978, 1 2 swept from Pinus sylvestris leg. I. F. G. McLean; 28.V.1978, swept from Pinus sylvestris 23 # and 8 © leg. L. F. G. McLean and 1 2 leg. Miss C. Brown; Holme Dunes (NNT reserve) 8.VII.1978, 12 swept from Pinus nigra var. maritima (Ait.) Melville Jeg. J. W. IImmay; SUFFOLK, Barton Mills 29.VIII.1939, 1-9 ; 25.VII.1941, 14 , both deg. J. E. Collin, in HEC; Wangford Warren (SNT reserve) 20.VIII.1977, 2 2swept from Pinus sylvestris leg. 1. F. G. McLean. ABBREVIATIONS USED: HEC — Hope Entomological Collec- tions, RSM — Royal Scottish Museum NNT — Norfolk Naturalists’, Trust, SNT — Suffolk Naturalists’ Trust. Acknowledgements It is a pleasure to thank Dr. J. F. McAlpine (Ottawa, Canada) for all his help with my studies of Chamaemyiidae. I thank Dr. M. W. R. de V. Graham (HEC, Oxford) and E. C. Pelham-Clinton (RSM, Edinburgh) for allowing me to examine the collections in their charge, the Norfolk Naturalists’ Trust for permission to record insects from their reserves, the Suffolk Naturalists’ Trust for per- mission to record insects at Wangford Warren, and Dr. J. W. Ismay (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea) for collecting Chamemyiidae in Britain and for advice and encouragement in many ways. 72 References Carter, C. L., 1971. Conifer Woolly Aphids (Adelgidae) in Britain. Forestry Commission Bulletin No. 42. HMSO, London. Collin, J. E., 1966. The British Species of Chamaemyia Mg. (Och- thiphila Fin.) (Diptera). Trans. Soc. Brit. Ent. 17(4), 121-128. Kloet. G. S. and Hincks,W.D., 1976. Diptera and Siphonaptera, Check Lists of British Insects, second edition. Handbk. Ident. Br. Insects, 11 (5). McAlpine, J. F., 1960. A new species of Leucopis (Leucopella) from Chile and a key to the World Genera and Subgenera of Chamaemyiidae (Diptera). Can. Ent. 92, 51-58. McAlpine, J. F., 1971. A revision of the subgenus Neoleucopis (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae). Can. Ent. 103, 1851-1874. McAlpine, J. F. and Tanasijtshuk, V. N., 1972. Identity of Leucopis argenticollis and description of a new species (Diptera: Cha- maemyiidae). Can. Ent. 104, 1865-1875. McLean, I. F. G., 1978. Aphids and their allies (Homoptera: Ster- norhyncha). Jn A Dipterists Handbook. Amateur Entomologist 15, 176-183. | Smith, K. G. V., 1963. A short Synopsis of British Chamaemyi- idae (Dipt.). Trans. Soc. Brit. Ent. 15 (6), 103-115. PIERIS RAPAE L. AND CARDARIA DRABA [CRUCIFERAE] AS A LARVAL FOODPLANT. — This plant, commonly known as Thanet Cress, a native of S. and C. Europe and Western Asia, was introduced into Britain in 1809, and is now a common plant of roadsides and waste land in N. Kent, especially near the Thames estuary, forming dense clumps with conspicuous masses of white flowers in May and June. On a number of occasions I have observed females of the vernal brood of P. rapae laying eggs upon this plant, as at Crayford on June 13th, 1981. In 1979 butterflies were reared from such eggs found at Greenhithe, the larvae being given only Thanet Cress. On August 12th, 1981, on some waste land close to Dartford Heath, I watched two female P. rapae flying purposefully over the tall grasses and at intervals disappear amongst them. Investigation showed that they were seeking somewhat deteriorated plants of Thanet Cress, largely hidden from view, upon which to lay eggs. It appears that C. draba, at least in N. W. Kent, is a signifi- cant larval foodplant for both broods of P. rapae, although I can- not find reference to C. draba as a pabulum for this insect in the textbooks and journals. A further observation made at Crayford on June 13th, 1981, was that many male P. brassicae L. were present and appeared to settle frequently amongst the considerable masses of Thanet Cress. However, this was illusory, for close inspection revealed that they were seeking isolated plants, largely hidden, of common vetch, Vicia sativa, upon which to feed. — B. K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. Obituary 73 Bernard Sinclair Goodban Bernard Goodban died suddenly on 18th December 1981 at the age of 80, he having been born on 11th June 1901. His interest in the macrolepidoptera was lifelong and while general in earlier years, he later concentrated entirely on the Geometridae (excepting the “pugs”’). He will be remembered by many as co-discoverer in this country in 1956, of Xanthorhoe birviata Borkhausen (Balsam Carpet). He also took an active part in the investigation into the Lepidoptera of the Ruislip District in the 1950s, which included hundreds of records of the forms of Biston betularia L., which were valued by Dr. Kettlewell in his work on melanism. Always keen on rearing moths, especially varieties, he was involved in the establishment of the genetic basis of ab. brunneata Cockayne of Ennomos autumnaria Werneburg. A modest and kindly man ever willing to help anyone, he will be greatly missed by his many friends. It is understood that his collection of Geometridae will go to the British Entomological and Natural Society. — W. E. MINNION. William Ernest Collinson F.C.1.S., F.R.E.S. Bill Collinson, was born in Mumbles, South Wales on the 21st January 1920, and died at his home in Ringwood, Hants on the 22nd December 1980, after a long illness which he bore with great fortitude. A keen naturalist from an early age, Bill gave many Natural History lectures, and in 1971 appeared on television in a programme on conservation. His real love, however, were the lepidoptera, and main speciality the Northern Eggar: Lasiocampa quercus ssp. callunae Palmer, about which he wrote a paper dealing with its many aberrations. This paper on the “Black Eggar” appeared in the Pro- ceedings of the Yorkshire Naturalist for 1956. He also wrote nu- merous articles in the Bulletin of the Amateur Entomological Society. But, without doubt, his principal contribution to ento- mology is The Buttlerflies and Moths of Halifax and District (1970), an annoted list of 334 macrolepidoptera recorded since 1832 in the old parish and district of Halifax. Bill formed an extensive collection the greater part of which he bequeathed to his son D. P. Collinson of Liss, including a remar- kable aberration of Drymonia ruficornis Hufn. (cf. Proc. Brit. ent nat. Hist. Soc., 1974: 7(1) plt. I, fig. 9); but the cabinet with the butterflies and moths mentioned in his Halifax List has been given to the Halifax Scientific Society and Museum. No words can express the real feeling of personal loss felt by his many friends who knew and loved him, and our sympathy is extended to his widow, to his son and daughter and to his grand- children. — ROBERT AND AMANDA WATSON. 74 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD John Venour Gane John Gane was born in Bridlington, Yorkshire on 19th July 1907, and died on 27th January 1981. His parents had a boys’ preparatory school at Marton Hall, near Bridlington, and it was from them that he drew his broad interest in Natural History as part of his daily instruction, and in 1937 succeeded his father there as head- master. His main interest was in the macrolepidoptera of Norfolk, and in particular those of the Broads. He was also the younger brother of C. W. G. Gane who had a locality in Norfolk for Catocala fraxini L., where it appears to have been resident and was taken in numbers in 1933 and 1934. John was very meticulous in his recording, writing up full lists of species and numbers on every occasion. He corresponded with and met many of the Norfolk people, and it was with their help that between 1970 nad 1980 he compiled a list of the lepidoptera of Norfolk. This list, which was almost completed at the time of his death, was never published and is at present in the hands of the writer as are his Notebooks, Card Index and Collection. Much of his collecting was done with light, but unenamoured with the design of the Robinson Trap, he produced a light trap to his own specification by commissioning a joiner to build a double- walled folding wooden carcass, canvas-lined to give the moths purchase. He redesigned the collar out of solid perspex, lengthened the funnel to eighteen inches, and enclosed the bulb inside a perspex cover. This ambitious construction was situated on the roof of his garage within a stone’s throw of Barton Broad, where among many interesting species he took Orgyia recens Hbn. (bred 25.5.1973 from larvae found on meadowspeet) and Eilema pygmaeola pyg- maeola Dbldy. John was a quiet and thorough collector always willing to share his extensive knowledge, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. — MARK HADLEY. Notes and Observations A VERY FINE EXHIBITION. — I am getting old and can no longer chase Colias croceus in August over clover fields. But in October 1981, I was pursuing certain ecclesiastical quarries, and my wife and I spent ten days in Verona in Northern Italy. What a lucky choice it was, for there in the heart of the City in the Palazzo Gran Guardia was this exhibition of farfalle (butter- flies) of the world. The Catalogue is obtainable from the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale at Verona, and contains some 70 pages with colour pictures and diagrams. We are told on p. 69 that the collection of butterflies together with that of Coleoptera and Hemiptera comprises the most important collection in the Verona Museum. There are over one million in number with some 50000 butterflies. This they say is one of the most important collections in Italy, most of the insects coming from Piemonte and Veneto with some from Kenya and Brazil. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 75 On p.66 it is interesting to read that the tollowing are among the species that have become extinct in the region: Araschnia levana, Euphydryas aurinia and Thecla betulae. I was fascinated by the diagrams of insect flight which record the variety of flight which we old bug hunters know so well; but alas, this does not appear in the Catalogue, for it is something I have not seen recorded before. There is the personal note too, in photographs of Carlo Recchia and Rosetto Gioco at work in their laboratories. But what interested me more than almost anything were the pre-Linnean species on show. I did not know there were any. But there it was — Papilio canaria in a 1750 (?) collection for what we know as Gonepteryx rhamni. A brown, labelled ‘occulata’. A pre- Linnean fritillary labelled ‘aglaia’. And of moths, dear old S. cov1- volvuli. ’m working hard with a dictionary. What happy fortune brought me to Verona. — Rev. Canon P. C. HAWKER, St. Botolph’s Vicarage, 84 Little Bargate Street, Lincoln LNS 8JL. A SOUTH AMERICAN SYNTOMID IN CAMBRIDGE. — In October 1981 my wife was given a ‘nasty black stinging fly’ by our local greengrocer in Chesterton, Cambridge. It had apparently suddenly appeared and alarmed the customers. The specimen, which was in excellent condition, appeared to be freshly emerged and was a male of Ceramides vividis Druce. This is a reasonably common South American syntomid whose larvae are recorded as being a minor pest of banana trees, with whose fruit it was almost certainly im- ported. I have seen many things from our local shops, mostly beetles, but also cockroaches, spiders and once a tree frog. This however is the first Lepidopteran. I hope for others. — B. O. C. GARDINER, University of Cambridge, Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge. MR. J. RAE AND HIS RECORDS, AND A NOTE ON MR. WILLIAM REID OF PITCAPLE. — Whilst recently browsing through Prof. Trail’s 1878 list of the “Lepidoptera of Dee” (Trans. nat. Hist. Soc. Aber- deen, 1878: 28-42), I noted that the extremely puzzling and un- likely record of Argynnis paphia at Muchalls, Kincardineshire was due to Mr J. Rae. Idly moving on to another unlikely record, that of Erebia medea (blandina) (=aethiops) on the coast at Nigg, Kin- cardineshire I again found Mr. Rae’s authority used. Now roused I searched the list and noted all Mr. Rae’s records. They are few but choice! As well as the two noted above he lists Zygaena trifolii between Muchalls and Stonehaven, Liparis auriflua (=Eproctis similis) at Aberdeen and Botys verticalis (=Pleuroptya ruralis) at Shettocksley, Aberdeen. Now the last is still found rarely, scattered throughout lowland Aberdeenshire, but the others are very peculiar. Indeed some authors have had to devote considerable, fruitless time and space to accounting for them in their biogeographical speculation. It seems to me that a strong circumstantial case can be made for regarding Mr. Rae as, shall we just say, unreliable, and my advice would be for people to allow his records to vanish gracefully. Having impugned one reputation may I resurrect another. P. B. M. Allan, whose writing I admire and enjoy greatly, discusses 76 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Eumichtis (=Blepharita) satura in “A Moth Hunter’s Gossip” (1947), — and suggests most amusingly that William Reid from Pitcaple, Aberdeenshire cleverly beat up a lucrative trade in the moth by discussing its larval habits. All very possible, but firstly Reid was not a dealer, as Allan suggests, and secondly all his writings, and es- pecially his learned and comprehensive “List of the Lepidoptera of Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire” (1893) are redolent of integrity. He was a microlepidopterist of real skill, and we are still rediscovering many of the species which he listed and which to us seemed rare and perhaps unlikely. If you read his works I am sure you will conclude, with me, that far from being a canny dealer he was actual- ly a learned and reliable field lepidopterist. I would like him to be revered, not villified! — M. R. YOUNG, Department of Zoology, Aberdeen University, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen. DANAUS PLEXIPPUS L. IN THE ALGARVE, PORTUGAL, 1981. — The reports of this butterfly in South-West England in the first four pages of the November/December 1981 “Record” make my own experience worth recording in a journal primarily concerned with British entomology. We holidayed at the Montechoro Hotel just outside Albufeira in the Algarve from 2nd to 16th October. For the first few days the weather was mixed and worsening with a wind from the South- West which is unusual in this part of Portugal. There were few butterflies about but I was struck by the plentiful supply of Lantana bushes in the hotel and neighbouring gardens and these reminded me of Teneriffe where they are so well patronised by the Monarchs. When the wind changed back to the North we were blessed with settled weather and very warm sunshine and almost immediately D. plexippus appeared gliding round the swimming pool on the 9th, it was seen on most days during the ensuing week, usually on or near the Lantana. Knowing nothing of the events in England and hoping that specimens from the Canaries might be settling in the Algarve I made no attempt to catch it though nothing could have been easier as it rested on the flowers and was obviously in very good condition. I am not aware whether it is possible to distinguish a specimen from the Canary Islands from one from America, but in view of the shorter distance and favourable wind this seems the more likely source for the Algarve specimen and does not seem so unlikely for the Cornish specimens. It would be interesting to know how many more Monarchs were seen along the Western sea-board of Europe at this time. — C. I. RUTHERFORD, Longridge, Macclesfield Road, Alderley Edge, Cheshire, SK9 7BL. INTERESTING MOTHS AT MV LIGHT AT OR NEAR WYE, KENT IN 1981. — This year, I ran Robinson traps continuously at Wye College from May to August, and in my garden on the downs above Boughton Aluph intermittently throughout the year. May and most of June produced very low numbers of both species and individuals, but the situation improved in July and August. The more interesting species trapped were: — | Rhyacia simulans Hufn., at Wye on 29 July, now recorded for | NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 77 the fourth year running in Kent, after its first capture in the county in 1978. The date is interesting, since the adults are supposed to aestivate from mid July to mid August. Diarsia dahlii Hbn. Boughton Aluph, 25 August; the first record for the area for 12 years. Arenos- tola phragmitidis Hbn., one at each site on 7 August; the appearance of two fresh specimens on the same night some distance from any possible breeding ground suggests a possible dispersal flight that night. Hadena confusa Hufn., Boughton Aluph, 2 July, the first record here in five years. Evergestis extimalis Scop., Boughton Aluph, 25 August. — M. ENFIELD, New Cottage, Warren Farm, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. ANOTHER FOODPLANT OF THE YELLOW SHELL: CAMPTO- GRAMMA BILINEATA L. — Publication of the recent note on the larval foodplants of C. bilineata (West, Ent. Rec. J. Var., 93, 198, 1981) happened to coincide with a re-examination of the note- books kept by myself and my brother (S. A. Knill-Jones) between 1955 and 1962. The entry for 17.4.1957 includes a note to the effect that night-searching for larvae at Freshwater, Isle of Wight (OS.SZ. 3387) revealed one stout green larva with a dark dorsal line, whitish lateral line and brown head, on Ranunculus ficaria L. (Ranunculaceae). The resulting imago emerged on 22.6.1957. There is no note that feeding was actually observed, but this would not be expected as the note-books rarely contained such obser- vations unless the originally recorded foodplant was found to be unacceptable. The brief larval description is consistent with that given in Stokoe and Stovin, Caterpillars of British Moths, (F. Warne, London, 1948) and the note makes it highly likely that R.ficaria is a foodplant for the post-hibernation larvae of C. bilineata in the wild. — R. P. KNILL-JONES, 9 Crown Road South, Glasgow, Scotland FURTHER RECORDS OF MONOCHROA HORNIGI (STAUD.) _ I recently had cause to re-examine and dissect some Monochroa spp. This led to the discovery that I had taken M. hornigi at Enfield, Middx., 14.vii.1979 and at Southampton, 17 & 19.vi.1970. The latter specimens had previously been misidentified as M. elongella (Hein.) and are so-recorded in Goater’s list of Hampshire lepidoptera. I did find, however, that I have a specimen of elongella from Braunton Burrows, North Devon, 26.viii.1970, which was correctly identified. This is a scarce and local species whose larva feeds on Potentilla anserina. — D. J. L. AGASSIZ, The Vicarage, 10, High View Avenue, Grays, Essex RM17 6RU. THE RISE OF THE CYPRUS PUG: EUPITHECIA PHOENICEATA RAMBUR IN THE EASTBOURNE AREA. — _ This moth has been spreading along the south coast and was first noted in Eastbourne on 27 August 1978 at light in my old garden. In 1979, two were noted: one by Mr. M. Hadley and one by Mr. S. W. P. Pooles. In 1980, a further eight specimens were captured, including one netted near the cliffs at Holywell by Mr. C. Pratt. In 1981, fewer traps were run in the area; however, the moth was noted in increased numbers with a total of 15, including one interesting record of it from Deep Deane which is some way from a larval foodplant. — M. PARSONS, The Forge, Russells Green, Ninefield, Battle, E. Sussex. 78 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD NOTES ON SOME BRITISH CURCULIO SPP. (COL.). — The occurrence of the rather scarce and pretty little Curculio rubidus Gyll. in the eastern suburbs of London during the present century seems not to be well established up to now. Fowler (1891, Col. Brit. Isl., 5: 386) cites Forest Hill and a statement by Champion that it is “not uncommon in the London district”; but it is clear from what follows that this latter refers to places in Surrey well outside the metropolis, and in any case all these are 19th-century records. Moreover, the species is not included at all in the Victoria County History list of Coleoptera of Kent (Fowler, 1908). There is, however, a record for Shooters Hill and Lee (in this district) by W. West, in ‘Woolwich Surveys’ (1909) — the only one for Kent that I have seen, although C. rubidus is not really rare in the county. In the eastern division I have met with it once or twice singly in Ham Street Woods; in the western, at Darenth Wood likewise — on the last occasion there, 7.ix.63, one each of the present species and C. betulae Steph. were taken off birch in the same sweep of the net. In the year after moving to Charlton (1974) I was pleased to come across a few examples of rubidus by sweeping under trees on two of the grassy slopes in Maryon Wilson Park there, in August; I have seen none since, but have made no special search. One was at a little distance from a birch, while two others were near oak, ash, and black poplar. This is not far from Shooters Hill where West took it long ago, and where I have collected on many occasions but have found, so far, only the more common oak-feeding species C. venosus Grav., glandium Marsh., and pyrrhoceras Marsh. C. betulae, supposedly scarcer than rubidus, seems also to be little known in Kent; the VCH list gives only Plumstead (S. Stevens), but I have taken it two or three times singly at Darenth and Ham Street Woods, and its actual range and incidence in the county ap- pears very similar to that of its close ally. The late Dr. A. M. Massee once told me that betulae could best be found high up on the outer shoots of fairly young birches. The polyphagy attributed to this species is somewhat remar- Kable. As a larval pabulum, the developing fruits or catkins of alder are doubtless not too dissimilar to those of birch, nor are young fruits of sioe to those of cherry; but between these two pairs of development-media the difference is surely considerable. Hansen (1965, Danm. Faun. 69: 318) gives all four as hosts but alder as the principal one in Denmark — birch being exceptional, whereas in Britain it is by far the most usual (as with C. rubidus). And that is not all: Reitter (1916, Faun. Germ., 5: 189) adds Quercus and Salix cinerea (the latter also for rubidus)! His inclusion of sallow is of interest in lending some plausibility to my tentative association of both species at times with Populus (Allen, 1947, Ent. mon. Mag., 83. 127, and see above under C. rubidus); compare further the common little black C. pyrrhoceras which seems to fluctuate in its host-choice between oak and willow, again geographically; e.g. the former in Britain, the latter in Denmark. Possibly, however, con- fusion with the very similar C. salicivorus Payk. may sometimes have occurred. In any case polyphagy is much less surprising with NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 79 these smaller species of the genus (s. Balanobius Jekel) whose larvae develop in leaf-galls as opposed to fruits. In contrast, the larger species of Curculio are virtually mono- phagous; where a secondary host is alleged to exist it is probably based on adult straying, as when oak and hazel, for instance, grow close together. It is noteworthy that a middle-sized oak-feeding species, villosus F., develops in the familiar ‘oak-apple’ galls, and not in acorns like venosus and glandium — a fact not, I think, noticed in British works. Biologically, therefore, it belongs with the Balanobius group, whilst in other respects a typical Curculio s. str. (=Balaninus). I should perhaps mention in passing that. the very distinctive C. (Balanobius) crux F., which lives on Salix, is common on much of the Continent and would be expected to occur in Britain. I cannot agree with Fowler’s estimate (lc.sup. 385) that C. glandium (= turbatus Gyll.) is ‘not common’; I have always found it at least as commonly as C. venosus, if not more so. The two often occur together on the same oaks, and I have had glandium on the tray in plenty off one tree at Windsor, accompanied by a few veno- sus. The former is notable also for its great variation in size, some specimens being but little larger than betulae which they rather resemble. On the other hand nucum L. and venosus, from what I have seen, vary hardly at all in that regard. All three of these larger species are, normally, easy to discriminate in the field, each having its own characteristic facies not readily described. I have taken all eight British species of Curculio at Darenth Wood, W. Kent, which classic locality is now sorely in need of protection. — A. A. ALLEN. EULYPE HASTATA L: ARGENT AND SABLE FEEDING AT BLUE- BELLS (ENDYMION NONSCRIPTUS). — R. Southin his Moths of the British Isles, Vol. II states of this moth — “‘It flies in the after- noon sunshine around and over birch trees, and occasionally alights on the leaves”, and my experience of the insect in Southern England is in accord with this description. However, on May 25th, 1952, at Broadwater Forest, Sussex, later to be despoiled by the Forestry Commission, I saw about a dozen specimens most of which were feeding at bluebells far past their prime. Aphides were not in evi- dence on the flowers, and I suspect the moths were imbibing some product caused by bacterial activity rather than upon nectar. I have not observed F. hastata feeding at flowers on other occasions, nor have I seen any reference to such behaviour. — B. K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. — AN EARLY RED ADMIRAL. —i In warm sunshine this morning, my wife and I watched a Vanessa atalanta L. sunning itself by the roadside in Holmesley Enclosure in the New Forest. In view of the recent very cold spell it seems likely that this was one that managed to hibernate. In spite of there being a light SW wind, the insect had none of the urgency of an immigrant about it. — E. H. WILD, 7, Abbots Close, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, 31.i.1982. ELS. STS 80 Current Literature The Smaller Moths of Essex by A. M. Emmet. 158pp., stiff wrapper. Essex Naturalist No. 6 . The Essex Field Club, c/o Passmore Edwards Museum, Romford Road, London E15 4LZ. 1981. Price £7 (£5 to Members of the British Entomological and Natural History Society). Many years have elapsed since publication of W. H. Harwood’s classic account of the microlepidoptera of Essex in the Victoria County History (1903), so that an up-to-date definitive work on the smaller moths of the county has long been a desideratum. Compiled by one of the foremost British microlepidopterists of this century, the new book adequately fills this need, and is thus a most welcome addition to the county lepidopteras. Among the subjects treated in an introduction replete with interest are: (1) The recording area; (2) The presentation of the records; (3) Types of habitat; (4) The history of recording in Essex; (5) The principal recorders; (6) Recorders, past and present; and (7) Collections. The main part of the work follows with details of the 1052 species so far recorded, to every one of which is ap- pended a trim little thumbnail-sized distribution map. Despite some abbreviation, presentation on the whole is admirably clear and precise with, among other particulars, the names of localities, years of occurrence, authorities, vice-county and 10km square numbers, and a species’ status in the county. The Smaller Moths of Essex also includes foodplants, but interest in these would have been far greater were it made clear upon which of these foodplants species have been known to feed in Essex. A valuable feature is the first and last year of known occurrence or year of recording in the county, though a first record cited here is not always the earliest, as reference to Samouelle, Entomologist’s Useful Compendium (1819) and Wood, Index Entomologicus (1839) will show. Less essential in a specialised work of this nature, are over 400 lines in larger type, mostly of general interest only and not strictly relevant to Essex. Further space is taken up by 50 drawings, mainly of repre- sentatives of families of microlepidoptera, of which though many are well executed (notably those by E. S. Bradford), there are others so poor as to be quite unrecognisable. The book concludes with an important list of 262 bibliographical references, but is regrettably devoid of any index. There are a fair number of printing errors, mostly trivial however, and in the review copy some of these had already been neatly corrected in the hand of the author. The above criticisms are far outweighed by the merits of this fine work. Much of it is the outcome of intensive pioneer explora- tion of the county, undertaken by the author over the past few years, assisted by his wife Katie, and resulting in a remarkably comprehensive and well-researched account. Reasonably priced, especially to B.E.N.H.S. members, we heartily recommend this book to students of the British microlepidoptera and devotees of “local lists”. — J.M.C.-H. 81 THE IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERA TO THE BRITISH ISLES IN 1981, INCLUDING THAT OF THE MONARCH BUTTERELY: DANAUS PLEXIPPUS L. By R. F. BRETHERTON! and J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT? The outstanding invasion of the generally poor season of 1981 was that of Danaus plexippus L., which came with many North American birds mainly to south west Britain. Some 120 sightings have been reported and, although numbering of the butterflies concerned is difficult, the influx was probably the largest yet re- corded. The records are discussed and set out in detail in Annexe III. Apart from this, among the scarce immigrant species (Annexe II) the capture in a last fling during the warm week-end of November 20/22 of the tenth known British specimen of the Noctuid Tathor- hynchus exsiccata Lederer in Cornwall and of an example of the Pyrale Euchromius ocellea Haw. in Kent are especially notable, as is also the recognition on September 29 in Glamorgan of a single Cynthia virginiensis Drury (Ent. Rec. 93: 242), which had presum- ably accompanied the D. plexippus. Other good single records are of a Nymphalis antiopa L. seen in Surrey on August 15 (Ent. Rec. 93. 242), a Diachrysia orichalcea F. in West Sussex on August 8, a Hyles gallii Rott. observed by day in the Isle of Wight on August 3, and of a Catocala fraxini trapped at Lymington, South Hampshire on the night of October 1. In addition, single larvae of H. gallii were found as far apart as Sussex and Yorkshire. Of the two Nymphalis polychloros repor- ted (Ent. Rec. 93: 237) the first, at Catisfield in Sussex on April 4 may either have over-wintered in Britain or come with other im- migrant species about that date; the second, at Whitstable, East Kent, had only slight migratory contempories and was perhaps locally bred, either from immigrant or precariously established native stock. Deltote bankiana Hbn., which was reported in 1980 as a single immigrant, at Kingsdown, East Kent, now appears to be at least temporarily established nearby (Ent. Rec. 93: 204). A single specimen of Scopula rubiginata Hufn. taken at Dungeness on August 5 1981 is assumed to have been an immigrant, like the few previous examples recorded from the Kent Coast. Agrius convolvuli L. alone among the scarcer species did rather better than in 1980. One was seen in Essex in July, one in Lincoln- shire in August, and 19 between September 15 and October 5, widely scattered from south Devon to Orkney; but these were mostly single specimens, and no mass immigration appears to have taken place. Rhodometra sacraria L. appears to have arrived in three distinct batches. 12 were recorded from September 10 to 20; seven from September 26 to October 4, the last being as far north 1 : : Folly Hill, Birtley Green, Bramley; Guildford, Surrey GUS OLE 21 Hardcourts Close, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9LG. 82 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD November 21 and 22 at Rogate, Sussex. This form is usually ob- tained by rearing in warmth in captivity; its presence in the wild, and that of the semi-tropical 7. exsiccata, in late November shows that this migration must have had a very distant origin. Mythimna unipuncta was reported in similar numbers from September 19 to October 5; and one was also present in Cornwall on November 21. These were, however, from four coastal localities only between | west Cornwall and south Essex. M. vitellina was reported twice in | Cornwall in late May. but the numbers noted in September and | October were very small. Less than ten Orthonama obstipata F. were noted, curiously spread at various dates between May 28 and | October 5. Of other scarce immigrants there were only two Spodo- — ptera exigua Hbn., the second being on November 22, and of 77i- | choplusia ni Hbn. and Palpita unionalis Hbn.; and only single records — of Eurois occulta L., Mythimna albipuncta D. & S., Helicoverpa armigera Hbn., Heliothis peltigera D. & S., Diachrysia orichalcea F. A Brimstone butterfly which was observed and captured, but not retained, in a garden at Temple Ewell, Dover on July 28 appears from the careful description to have been an example of Gonepteryx cleopatra L. This south European species is not a known migrant, and its presence outside Dover may have been due to introduction in a car or lorry. There have been at least four previous occurrences in Britain between 1870 and 1957. The total of 23 scarce immigrant species reported in 1981 compares badly with 29 in 1980, itself a poor season; the number of individuals was also very much smaller. . Most of the common immigrants also did badly. Of Vanessa atalanta L. one was found hibernating in a heated room in Orkney in February, and five probable immigrants were reported in March and April; but the usual influx in late May and June was small, and no larvae from it were noted though some were found in late August and September. There were, however, considerable immigrations in August and especially in late September, so that numbers may have approached normal in the autumn. The last was seen at Bradwell-on- Sea on October 23. Of Cynthia cardui L. about 120 were reported, in contrast to the abundance of 1980. The earliest singles reported were as far north as St. Bees Head, Cumbria, and Orkney, on May 14; these were followed by a few others, widely spread later in the month, about a dozen in early June and some singles in July. There were apparently several small invasions in August, with penetration inland as far as Warwickshire and Hertfordshire; a few scattered singles in September; and a last record at Beer, South Devon, on October 11. Two full grown larvae and some vacated webs were noted at Muston, south east Yorkshire, on August 10. Colias crocea Fourc., with some 50 clearly immigrant examples reported, had an interesting year. The first record was not until July 30 at Aylesford Common, South Devon, after which there was a small influx mainly in the south west about the middle of August and in its last days and in early September a larger one, with bigger . | } as Warwickshire, and two, both females of ab. labda Cramer, an | 83 IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERA TO THE BRITISH ISLES IN 1981 numbers seen in Sussex and Kent and a single in Essex. Inland records were of about five, with some C. cardui, at Ashridge, Hert- fordshire and of one at Tidworth, North Wiltshire on August 17 and 19. The last specimens seen were at Slapton, South Devon, Septem- ber 21 and 23. In Warwickshire, however, there was an extraor- dinary occurrence reported by Mr. D. C. G. Brown (Ent. Rec. 93: 241). On August 2, 70 examples were counted, including three f. helice, in and near old gravel workings, and ten later visits by him and others to the same place brought the total count to over 400: the last singles were on September 6 and 13, and the only one seen elsewhere was within a mile of the main site. Even allowing for considerable recounting on successive visits such numbers must surely reflect local breeding from several parents. Later information obtained from Mr. R. G. Payne reveals the presence of from seven to 12 male C. crocea, but no females, during the second week of August in an area south of Duston, 30 miles further east, in Northamp- tonshire, where a few (not previously reported) were seen at the same time in 1980. The origin of these large, isolated, occurren- ces is mysterious. There were no records of C. crocea anywhere in Britain in May or June 1981, which might have provided parents; no Warwickshire records of it in 1980, the most recent being of two singles on August 5, 1979; and no other reports from Northampton- shire in 1980 or 1981. Overwintering in Britain in any stage has never been proved, and seems very unlikely so far north as these counties. Among the common moths Autographa gamma L. showed a somewhat patchy picture. Apart from a single specimen at Beetham, Westmorland on May 6, arrivals only began in the last ten days and remained much below average in June and most of July; many observers commented on its unwonted scarcity, which continued in most inland areas for the rest of the season. In August and Sep- tember, however, sizeable sudden influxes were counted at several coastal light traps. In Sussex at Peacehaven, 63 and 66 on August 6 and 27, a total of 30 for the four nights of September 5 to 8 and at East Dean 100 on August 25; at Bradwell-on-Sea, South Essex, 124, 120, 179 on August 13, 14 and 26, and a total of 71 for September 6 to 9. Other traps near the coast, however, as at Chilling- ton, South Devon and Beetham, Westmorland, reported no con- siderable influxes and “lowest ever” totals for the season. Sudden relative increases in the numbers of A. gamma are often useful in checking the arrival points and dates of immigrant swarms which include other, and scarcer, immigrants. Agrotis ipsilon Hufn. began well with two influxes, widely reported, about March 7 and again in late March and early April; breeding from these may have provided most of the few moths recorded in June and July. Numbers from August to October were clearly lower than usual; but the species put in an appearance during the last immigration of November 20 to 22. No records of it came from places north of Cumbria. Peridroma saucia Hbn., with about 40 reported from 12 places, was also unusually scarce. The first was at Rogate, West Sussex, on 84 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD May 22, followed by two others elsewhere in June, and there were small immigrations, mainly to the south and south east coast from late August into October; eight were trapped at Fountainstown, co. Cork before September 23. The last record was at Hayling Island, South Hampshire on October 21, and the most northerly at Beetham, Westmorland, on October 4. Of the diurnal Macroglossa stellatarum L. only eight were reported, from five places: three at Slapton Sands, South Devon, in late August, with the first in West Cornwall on June 16 and another on July 14; there was one at Leigh, Surrey on September 6, and the last at Bromley, West Kent on October 14. The usual immigrant Microlepidoptera did little better. Nomo- phila noctuella D. & S., despite an early start in late March and April in Essex and elsewhere, was a rarity except after very small influxes in September; but two were noted as far north as Caldarvan, Dum- bartonshire, and the last was seen at Mawnan Smith, West Cornwall, on November 22. Udea ferrugalis Hbn. was reported from few places only in small numbers, but seems to have been least scarce in late August. The first record was on June 6 and the last on November 22, both at Mawnan Smith, West Cornwall. Plutella xylostella L. is often overlooked unless it appears in swarms at light traps or among crops. It was nonetheless reported by some 20 observers from the south coast to Orkney, and it occurred in every month, from the first two at Peacehaven, Sussex on April 2 until the last at Hamp- stead Middlesex, on October 18. Large influxes appeared at Peace- haven in late May and early June and again in late July, and 30 were trapped at Langness, Isle of Man on June 12; from August on- wards it was in smaller numbers but more widespread, probably resulting from local breeding. The species is suspected of being resident as well as immigrant. The Noctuid Phlogophora meticulosa L., is a common species which many recorders may not realise is certainly both immigrant and resident. Earl:’ moths, such as the singles reported at Hamp- stead on April 4 and 24, were probably immigrants, since native larvae, even helped by an unusually mild winter, would not have produced mo ‘xs so early, though they no doubt contributed many if not most of the considerable numbers which were widespread in southern England through June and early July. After a pause num- bers again rose steeply to much higher levels in September and early October. There .s then clear evidence of immigration near the coast: a trap cr 1e cliff edge at Highcliffe, South Hampshire on September 29 scored 56 P. meticulosa along with nine A. ipsilon, and a peak of 71, with very few before or after, was registered from October 2 to 7 at Muston on the Yorkshire coast. The last record of the year, a single at Bramley, Surrey on November 21 was also probably immigrant. But, to judge from the abundance of the species there and elsewhere inland in late August and September, a second home bred generation also played some part. The northern limit of successful over-wintering in Britain is not known, and the interplay of immigration and residence is not fully understood. Six specimens of P. meticulosa trapped in Orkney from September 1 85 IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERA TO THE BRITISH ISLES IN 1981 to 16 may have been primary immigrants to Britain, or immigrants to Orkney of southern native stock. We have received a number of reports of Rhyacia simulans Hufn., especially from Essex, Kent, and Lincolnshire. These sup- port our previous view that such occurrences in recent years have resulted from internal spread of the species rather than from im- migration. At Bradwell-on-Sea 22 were trapped in small nightly numbers over the whole period from July 5 to August 4; and in south east Lincolnshire, where the species was first seen in 1978, it is now well established. Spaelotis ravida D. & S., often said to be an immigrant, has recently shown a similar internal spread. ANNEXE I Records and localities (The names cf recorders who gave information about D. plexippus are starred.) *Alexander, Mrs R., per J C, Skomer. Pembrokeshire * Agassiz, Rev. D. *Archer-Lock, A., S. Devon *Allison, Mr and Mrs, per BG, S. Hants. Baker, B. R., Caversham, Oxon. Barrington, R. D., Lulworth, Dorset Bond, K. G. M., Isle of Man, co. Dublin, co. Cork. *Bovey R., per JC, Dyfi N.N.R., Merioneth Braddock, A., per CRP, Alfreton, Derbyshire Bretherton, R.F., Bramley, Surrey Bretherton, M.F., S. Devon Briggs, J., Westmorland Zw D. C. G., Warwicks. Buckingham, C., Sevenoaks, W. Kent Buddle, R. F., Dover, Folkestone *Burridge, R., per MR, at sea off Ushant Burrows, D. S., S. Hants, N. Devon Burton, J. F., Bristol, Cambs, Dyfed Butcher, A. G. J. B., Rochester, Tenterdan, E. Kent ‘Campbell, J. L., Isle of Canna *Campbell, W. D., Guardian, 21.X.81 Carter, C. I., Tidworth, Wilts Chalmers-Hunt, J. M., Kent, co. Wicklow Chambers, R., Temple Ewell, E. Kent *Church, S., Chiddingfold, Surrey, Plaistow, Worthing, W. Sussex Christie, I. A. C., Dumbartonshire Clouter, F. H., Isle of Wight *Comont, J., Dyfed *Cowell, M., per CRP, E. Sussex Craske, R., per CRP, E. Sussex Cross, G., Bridport, Dorset, per BS. Dewick, A. J. & S. F., Bradwell-on- Sea, S. Essex *Elliott, B., Lizard, W. Cornwell Charlecote, Enfield, M. A., E. Kent Evans, K. A. G., Croydon, Surrey, Lyme Regis, Dorset Eve, H. C., E. Kent Fairclough, R., Leigh, Surrey Feltwell, J., Catisfield, E. Sussex *Foggitt, G. T., Scilly Foster, A. P., Mawnan Smith, W. Cornwall Gascoyne-Pees, M., Ranmore, Surrey *Goater, B., S. Hants and various *Green, Dr. G., Winspit, Dorset Greenwood, J. A. C., Rogate, W. Sussex Gregory, J., per CRP, Par, E. Cornwall Hadley, M., E. Sussex, Polruan, W. Cornwall Hall, N., Portland, Dorset; Scilly, Tilehurst, Berks Harman, T. A., Reculver, E. Kent *Harmer, A., Lymington, S. Hants Hart, C., Betchworth, Surrey; Barton Broad, E. Norfolk *Harvey, Prof., per D. Agassiz *Haynes, R. F., Galway, Eire *Heath, J., various *Hedges, J., Ballakaighan, Isle of Man Hilliard, R. D., Ashridge, Herts. Holdaway, P., Biggin Hill, E. Kent Howarth, T. G., Beer, S. Devon Howell, Mrs S. J., Sussex *Hunt, D. per RDP, Scilly Imber, S., Ewhurst, Surrey Jackson, S. A., Newton Dale, N. Yorkshire. *J. Jamieson, Mrs., per D. Hunt, St. Martin’s Scilly Jewess, P. J., Newington, E. Kent *Kydd, D.W., Sellafield, Cumberland; Dolgellau, Merioneth Largen, R., Wiston, W. Sussex Lipscomb, Major Gen. C. G., Gla- morgan Lloyd, B., per CRP, Lullington Heath, E. Sussex 86 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD *Lorimer, Dr. J. A., Pembrokeshire Randall. C. J., Whitstable, Thanet, Lorimer, R. I., Totteridge, Herts; E. Kent Orphir, Orkney Radford, J. T., per CRP, Walberton, Luckens, Dr. C. J., Winspit, Dorset W. Sussex McRitchie, B., W. Essex; St. Ives/ Portreath, W. Cornwall Maynard, C., per CRP, E. Sussex *Rayner, E., Pagham, W. Sussex *Rogers, M., per JH, at sea Seaford Nat. Hist. Soc., per CRP, Miles, P. J. S., Cambridge E. Sussex Myers, A. A., Fountainstown, co. *Searle, Col., per SC, Worthing, Cork W. Sussex Newbery, P. E., RSPB wardens’ Sell, M., per RIL, Scilly Skinner B., Wye, Kent and various Smith, B., South Croydon, Surrey *Smith, F. H. N., Nancledra, Penhale, reports O’Heffernan, H. L., Slapton and Chillington, S$. Devon O’Keeffe, per BS, Heathfield, E. Sussex Owen, Prof. D. F., Dungeness, Dymchurch, Dover, E. Kent Owen, R., Bigbury-on-Sea, S. Devon Parsons, M., per CRP, Ninfield, E. Sussex; Polruan, W. Cornwall etc., W. Cornwall Softly, R. A., Hampstead and Fulham, Middx. Sokoloff, P., Bromley, W. Kent Sterling, Col. D. H., Winchester, S. Hants Walters, J. W., Hayling Is., S. Hants Payne, J. H., Wellingborough, Warren, Miss E., Folkestone, Kent Northamptonshire *Wildridge, B., Thame, Oxon. *Penhallurick, R. D., Scilly,Cornwall, *Wills, D., per B. Elliott, W. Cornwall Devon Wilson, D. E., Dungeness, E. Kent Phillips, J. W., Topsham, S. Devon; Purbeck, Dorset Pilcher, R. M., S. Thorsby, Lincs. *Plymouth City Museum, S. Devon Porter, J., Sheffield Park, E. Sussex *Pratt, C. R. P., Peacehaven and widely in Sussex Winter, P. Q., Muston, S. E. Yorks. *Woodman, J., per CRP, Rottingdean, E. Sussex Wykes, Uploders, Dorset. *Zealley, M. J., per RDP, Scilly ANNEXE II Records of scarcer immgrant species in 1981 a OCELLEA Haw. (1) E. Kent: Wye, 22.11, one at light in the fie ‘ PALPITA UNIONALIS Hbn. (2) S. HANTS Hayling Island, 30.9. (JMW). S. ESSEX: Bradwell-on-Sea, 1.10 (AJD). [GONEPTERYX CLEOPATRA L. (1). E. KENT: Temple Ewell, Dover, _n 28.7, in garden (RC).] NYMPHALIS POLYCHLOROS L. (2). E. KENT: Whitstable, 8.7 (CJR, Ent. Rec. 93: 237); E. SUSSEX: Catisfield, 4.4, basking on a wall and apple tree (JF). NYMPHALIS ANTIOPA L. (1) SURREY: South Croydon, in garden (RS, Ent. Rec. 93: 241). DANAUS PLEXIPPUS L. AND CYNTHIA VIRGINIENSIS Drury, see Annexe III yee RUBIGINATA Hufn. (1) E. KENT: Dungeness, 5.8 (DEW teste ). RHODOMETRA SACRARIA L. 21 W. CORNWALL: Mawnan Smith, 16.9, male, 1.10, male (APF), S. ESSEX: Bradwell-on-Sea, 15.9, male, 27.9, male (AJD). S. HANTS: Highcliffe, 14.9 (EPW); Winchester, 20.9 (DCS). E. KENT: Rochester, 10.9; Tenterden 12.9, male, 19.9, 30.9, male (A.J.G.B.); Sandwich, 14.9, male disturbed at 4 p.m. (JMC-H). SURREY: Addiscombe, 10.9, male, 11.9, male, 26.9, female (KAGE). E. SUSSEX; Ninfield, 28.9, 30.9 (MP per CRP). W. SUSSEX: Wiston, 15.9 (RL per CRP); Rogate, 20.9, male; 21.11, male, 22.11, female, both ab. Jabda a WARWICKS. Charlecote, 4.10, by day (DCGB, Ent. Rec. 93 1 i 87 IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERA TO THE BRITISH ISLES IN 1981 ORTHONAMA OBSTIPATA F. (c. 10). S. ESSEX: Bradwell-on-Sea, 8.7, 11.9 (SFD, AJD). S. HANTS: Winchester, 15.9. (DHS); Hayling Is., 15.10, male (JMW). SURREY: Betchworth, 28.5, male (CH). W SUSSEX: Wiston, 29.7, 1.8 (RL per CRP). SCILLY: 13/20.10, several at ivy (NH). AGRIUS CONVOLVULI L. (21) S. DEVON: Bigbury-on-Sea, 12.9, female at rest (R. Owen per DFO); Lyme Regis, 13.9, male at rest on boat in harbour (KAGE). DERBYSHIRE: Ilkeston, 9.9, male (AB per CRP), Alfreton, 30.9, a.m., at rest on a coat (AB per CRP). DORSET: Bridport, 20.9 (GC per TWH). N. ESSEX: Hatfield Broad Oak, 15.7 (per BMcR). E. KENT: Folkestone, 28.9, female, 7.10, male (RFB). N. E. LINCS: South Thoresby, 22.8 (REMP). ORKNEY: Holm, 15.9, ona school wall (RIL). SURREY: Leigh, 26.9, 28.9 (RF); Chiddingfold, 29.9 (SC). E. SUSSEX: Eastbourne town, c.17.9, on a parked car (CM per CRP); Peacehaven, 29.9, female at nicotiana: no ova present (CRP).W.SUSSEX: Plaistow, 22.9 (SC); Walberton, 27.9, 30.9, 4.10 (JTR per CRP); Wiston, 29.9 (RL per CRP). S. E. YORKS: Filey, 5.10, 10 a.m., very battered on ground near cliff top (PQW). ACHERONTIA ATROPOS L. (1 adult, 11 larvae). KENT, E.: Dover, 28.9, female. E. SUSSEX: Heathfield, 14/18.9., eleven almost fully grown larvae on potato plants (DO’K per BS). HYLES GALLII Rott. (1 adult, 2 larvae). ISLE OF WIGHT: Great Combe ae, 2.50 p.m. one at rest (FHC, Ent. Rec. 93: 239). E. SUSSEX, Lullington Heath, 10.9, larva confirmed by photo (B. Lloyd per CRP). N. E. YORKS: Scarborough district, 13.9, fully fed larva, which pupated 17.10, confirmed at Museum (per PQW). [LYMANTRIA DISPAR L. (1) SURREY: Ewhurst, 5.7, worn male at light; later inquiry shows that this probably resulted from local rearing in captivity (SI)]. EUROIS OCCULTA L. (3) E. KENT: Newington, nr. Sittingbourne, 2.9 (PJJ), E. NORFOLK: Irstead, 28.7 (CH). S. E. YORKS: Muston, 7.9 female, infertile ova (PQW). MYTHIMNA ALBIPUNCTA D. & S. (1) DORSET: Milton Abbey, 29.9, male (RDB). MYTHIMNA VITELLINA Hbn. (7) W. CORNWALL; 29.5, worn male (APF). E. CORNWALL: Par, 19.5 (per CRP). MID CORK: Fountainstown, before 23.9 (AAM). S. ESSEX: Bradwell-on-Sea, 2.10 (AJD). S. HANTS: a 31.10 (EPW). W. SUSSEX: Walberton, 11.9, 30.9 (JTR per MYTHIMNA UNIPUNCTA Haw. (17) W. CORNWALL: Mawnan Smith, 16.9, 28.9, 29.9, 30.9 (2), 21.11, all males (AJP). ESSEX: Bradwell- on-Sea, 28.10 (AJD). S. HANTS: Highcliffe, 20.9., 23.9, 26.9, 27.9, 3.10 (EHW); Hayling Island, 27.9, 28.9, 29.9, 3.10, 9.10 (JMW). E. SUSSEX: Beachy Head, 15.9 female at light, lacking ova (CRP). TATHORHYNCHUS EXSICCATA Led. (1) W. CORNWALL: Mawnan Smith, 22.11, male (APF). SPODOPTERA EXIGUA Hbn. (2) E. SUSSEX: Ringmer, 22.11 (CRP). W. SUSSEX: Rogate, 4.6 (JACG). HELICOVERPA ARMIGERA Hbn. (1) W. SUSSEX: Walberton, 7.10 (JTR). HELIOTHIS PELTIGERA D. & S. (1) WARWICKS: Charlecote, 4.10, among clover by day (DCGB). [DELTOTE BANKIANA Hbn. E. KENT: nr. Sandwich, 4.7, a short series and more later (NFH), 4.7, one (TWH, Ent. Rec., 93: 204): apparently now breeding here.] TRICHOPLUSIA NI Hbn. (2) W. CORNWALL: Kynance Cove, 26.8 (BE). DORSET: Portland, 5.9 (NMH). DIACHRYSIA ORICHALCEA F. (1) W. SUSSEX: Walberton, 12.8 (JTR per CRP). CATOCALA FRAXINI L. (1) S. HANTS: Lymington, 1.10, female (AH). (To be continued) 88 Letter to the Editor Dear Sir, On reading the reports of entomological holidays which are published from time to time, one striking feature is that collecting is almost if not entirely confined to daytime activities; may I there- fore put forward a plea through the Record for collectors to include some night work during their holidays? The fact that there is scope for breaking fresh ground in this respect during a Continental holiday was brought home to me when I bought the first two moth volumes of Mariposas de la Peninsula Iberica, a work on Spanish and Portuguese lepidoptera very much on the same lines as Heath’s Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Time and again question marks appear on the distribution maps, and in the chapter on moth collecting, the authors discuss sugaring, adding that little use has been made of this technique in the Iberian Peninsula. And it was thanks to the use of the m.v. lamp that Endromis versicolora L. was first discovered in Spain in 1964. Who knows what other discoveries there still remain to be made? — C. L. NISSEN, Batiment F2, App. 271, Residence Beausejour, ave. Clemenceau, 77100 Meaux, France, 15.iii.82. Current Literature The Oxford Book of Insects by John Burton and others. 213 + viii pp, 96 pp of colour illustration. Oxford University Press, 1981. Pocket edition £2.50. This volume is a reduced format version of the 1979 edition. Measuring 11 x 15 cm it is certainly pocket-sized, although the paper cover would not last long if used in this mode. The work follows the format of other “Oxford” books in this series — after a brief intro- duction to each group there is a concise but informative description of each species considered, with the illustration appearing on the opposite page. The volume concludes with a small section on classifi- cation and structure of insects, notes on the various orders, a brief bibliography (listing a number of works that are virtually unob- tainable) and an index. The standard of illustration is very high for a popular work, and the reviewer was able to recognise most of the Lepidoptera and Coleoptera illustrated! Nearly 800 species are shown, most in ‘natural’ poses against a background of appropriate food plant. The illustrations have suffered a little from reduction — some of the Diptera are rather dark, and some larvae are unrecognisable. The nomenclature, at least for the Lepidoptera, is from the ‘South’ era, and authors are not given for scientific names. The coverage of orders is uneven, with Lepidoptera predominating. Despite these minor criticisms the text and illustrations provide excellent value for money. For the general naturalist this probably ranks amongst the best available popular works on insects. — PAUL SOKOLOFF. THE ‘TYPES’ OF MANIOLA JURTINA SPLENDIDA WHITE (LEPIDOPTERA: SATYRIDAE) By GEORGE THOMSON* Between the years 1871 and 1872 Dr. Francis Buchanan White wrote and published his fine work /nsecta Scotica in serial form in the Scottish Naturalist. Although his travels took him to many parts of Britain and Europe collecting and studying Macro- and Microlepi- doptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera as well as other invertebrates and plants, he never neglected his native Scotland or Perthshire the county town of which was his home for most of his life. His superb collection survives almost intact apart from some specimens of Macrolepidoptera which have mysteriously disappeared, some im- portant Coleoptera which were transferred to the British Museum (Natural History) and his Hemiptera which are said to have been loaned to a museum in the United States in the 1920s and which have never been returned. FIG. 1 FIG. 2 FIG, 3 FIG. 4 __ Maniola jurtina splendida White. Figs. 1 and 2, male syntype upper- side and underside respectively. Figs. 3 and 4, female syntype upperside and underside respectively. All natural size. The Rhopalocera section of /nsecta Scotica lists some thirty- Six species occurring in the country, although this number includes unconfirmed species such as Pyronia tithonus (Linnaeus), Argynnis adippe (Denis and Schiffermuller) and Hamearis lucina (Linnaeus). He discounts Erebia ligea (Linnaeus) and does not include Cartero- *Department of Biology, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA. 90 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD cephalus palaemon (Pallas) which was not found in Scotland until more than thirty years after his death. The only mention of a ‘new’ butterfly in this section of his work is the form of Maniola jurtina (Linnaeus) called splendida which he describes thus: “Var. (and ab.) splendida. — Larger and brighter coloured; the apical spot of the front wing with two white dots.” And he continues: “Found by Mr. A. Davidson in the island of Longa, on the west coast of Ross-shire. Mr. Davidson informs me that it is very plentiful in the island, and that it is the only form occurring there. Oc- casionally in Aberdeenshire (J. W. H. Traill). I have taken this variety in the island of Capri near Naples.” Note that the locality is Longa Island, Ross-shire — not Lunga, Argyllshire as stated in Higgins and Riley (1970, 1973, 1975, 1980). Buchanan White did not designate types as such, but it would be expected that he would have retained examples of this race in his collection. P. P. Graves (1930) in his redescription of splendida said that he had searched for the Buchanan White ‘types’ in the Perth Collection without success: “Buchanan White’s types could not be found in the Perth County Museum. . .” No further search for splendida was made until the White collection was examined for the purposes of the author’s work on Maniola (Thomson, 1969, 1970). My quest was no more suc- cessful than that of Graves some thirty-nine years earlier, although there were specimens of the Capri form to which White referred in his description. There the matter would have rested had it not been for an accidental discovery. While studying the collection of Lepi- doptera for a quite different purpose (Thomson, 1980), I noticed that the contents of box number 15 comprised an odd mixture of families including Noctuidae, Geometridae, Arctiidae, Saturniidae, Lycaenidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae and also a number of Micro- lepidoptera. The most interesting specimens were those in the last row, three jurtina, a set male and female and a pinned but unset female, all being of the form found in the north-west of Scotland which we know as splendida. The three jurtina were unlabelled. Nor had they numbers referring to entries in one of the cabinet books in which White kept note of specimen data. Two volumes of his notes survive, although the first 200 entries in the first book have been lost. It is unlikely that these specimens were added to the col- lection by someone else at a later date. The insect collections in the Perth Museum, until very recently, have been carefully segregated and kept as individual collections rather than being absorbed in a single large collection. There was a separate ‘Perthshire Collection’ and some use of individual specimens has been made from time to time for display purposes. It is more probable that the odd assort- ment of lepidopterous insects in case 15 represents material given to White. All of his main collection was of his own making, suppli- mented by purchased specimens of rarer european species. The comment in his description, “found by Mr. Davidson in Longa”, would suggest that the three jurtina were given to him by Davidson and the two set specimens are those on which he based his description. THE ‘TYPES’ OF MANIOLA JURTINA SPLENDIDA WHITE 91 The ‘types’ themselves are worth close examination as they contrast greatly with Graves’ topotypes illustrated in his plate, particularly in the female underside. Graves’ material had a rather uniform underside to the forewings in the females with a some- what pale underside to the hindwings on which the fulvous streak between the discal and postdiscal areas (Hubner’s line) stands out clearly. It has already been suggested that his series was atypical of the north-western race in this respect (Thomson, 1970). On the other hand, the Buchanan White pair is representative of the wide- spread splendida form, having an extremely well marked medial line between the basal and postdiscal areas of the female underside forewing. Furthermore, this form has a rather dark underside hind- wing which tends to obscure the fulvous Hubner’s line. In all other respects both the male and the female are similar to Graves’ speci- mens having large bipupilled apical eyespots and the extensive fulvous markings in both sexes. The specimens in the Buchanan White collection have been de- signated as types and labelled thus: (a) subspecies splendida White. Syntype male (figs. 1 and 2). North-west Scotland, probably Longa Island, Ross-shire: A. David- son. (b) subspeices splendida White. Syntype female (figs. 3 and 4). North-west Scotland, probably Longa Island, Ross-shire: A. Davidson. The third (unset) specimen found beside the abovementioned types has been labelled: (c)subspecies splendida White. Syntype female. North-west Scotland, probably Longa Island, Ross-shire: A. David- son. All specimens remain in the Perth Museum. Acknowledgements My sincere thanks go to Mr. James Blair, Curator of the Perth Museum and Art Gallery and Mr. Michael Taylor, Keeper of Natural History, for their generous help while I was working in the museum and for allowing me access to the Buchanan White collections. References Graves, P. P., 1930. The British and Irish Maniola jurtina L. (Lep. Satyridae). _ Entomologist 63: 49-52, \rlate 1. Higgins, L. G. and Riley, N. D., 1970. A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe, Collins. 1973, ——____——————___ 2nd edition 1975 ———___———__ 3rd edition 1980 ————_—_——_—___Y—_- th edition revised and reset. Thomson, G., 1969. Maniola (Epinephele) jurtina L. (Lep. Satyridae) and its forms. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 81: 7-14, 51-58, 83-90, 116-117. ————— , 1970. On the nature of Maniola jurtina splendida B. White (Lep. Satyridae). Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 82: 261-268. ————— , 1980. The Butterflies of Scotland: a Natural History. Croom _ Helm, London. White, F. B. W., 1872. Insecta Scotica. Scott. Nat. 1871-72: 162-168, 198-202, 238-241, 273-275. THE DECLINE OF THE INDIGENOUS MACROLEPIDOPTERA OF ABBOT’S WOOD, EAST SUSSEX By M. HADLEY B.Sc., A.R.C.S., F.R.E.S.* Whilst recording the demise of various native Lepidoptera for the Nature Conservancy Council, it was immediately apparent that a significant number of species had been lost from Abbot’s Wood, a favourite haunt of the Victorian collector. The woodland was known to many if not to most of the great Lepidopterists of the past century. So fine were the stands of mature Oaks, and how common were the specialities, that Thomas Salvage ran a Butterfly Farm on its outskirts, trading on the abundant material contained therein. The author having spent most of his entomologically ‘formative’ years collecting in the Eastbourne area, feels compelled therefore to put pen to paper concerning the loss of species that this woodland has suffered. The woodland is approximately 1% miles square in area, and situated just north-west of Polegate. Unlike many modern wood- lands, there has been no overall change in its size, although the surrounding environs have seen much agricultural improvement. However, there have been considerable changes within its borders. These can be examined by consulting the Ordnance Surveys of 1898 and 1925, and through to the present day. The woodland was totally deciduous prior to the turn of the century, consisting mainly of mature trees of great antiquity, until the 1939-45 war when most of the oaks were felled, excepting those of consitituent woodlands on the periphery. The first signs of coniferisation began with a very small plantation on the 1925 O.S. revision in the centre of the wood. Nowadays the whole area, excepting the fringes, stands as a monument to the softwood industry. This paper compares the qualitative and quantitative changes that have happened to the Macrolepidoptera. Only species that are resident have been used in this compilation, with known mi- gratory species excluded from the comparison. !'The Macrolepidoptera are defined here as those species repre- sented in volumes 1 and 2 of South’s Moths of the British Isles Methods of Comparison _ Eastbourne is unusual in many respects, but none less than the fact that it has a detailed entomological history. The history of the Lepidoptera in the Eastbourne area has been covered by four separate publications from 1885 until the present date. | The first list covering the whole of Sussex, Jenner (1885), issued in the Proceedings of the Eastbourne Natural History Society. The present author extracted all records cited for Abbot’s Wood and where species had been noted as common, or abundant throughout “Nature Conservancy Council, 19-20 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PY. 93 DECLINE OF INDIGENOUS MACROLEPIDOPTERA OF ABBOT’S WOOD the county’s woodlands. ‘his paper comprised two lists supplied to J. H. A. Jenner by Messrs. G. T. Porritt and W. H. Tugwell, both of whom collected extensively in the area. The second list of species for the county is that of Goss and Fletcher (1905), in the Victorian County History of Sussex. The species lists in this were largely drawn up by J. H. A. Jenner and W. H. B. Fletcher, although notable contributors were R. Adkin, J. Anderson, C. G. Barrett, W. M. Christy, A. C. Vine and many others. Again, the same technique was applied, of extracting records specifically relating to the area and those species which it was stated were general to the County’s woodlands. The third publication is perhaps the best known upon the area, if not one of the best produced local lists of its kind. Issued in parts between 1928 and 1934, the critical volume dealing with the moths was published in 1930, in the Transactions of the Eastbourne Natural History, Photographic and Literary Society. This dealt with the detailed distribution of all species, and Adkin noted clearly whether species were present at the time of writing. This fine list was accompanied by a long series of half-tone plates of the common species. The last list to cover the wood was that of the present author, Hadley (1980). Records from Abbots Wood were abstracted but noteworthy lists for the woodlands were submitted by Messrs. C. Pratt, S. W. P. Pooles and M. Parsons. This completed a series of publications documenting the history of this woodland from 1885 until the present day. To aid complete- ness of this report, data held at the Biological Records Centre at Monks Wood was abstracted and checked to make sure no note- worthy species had been overlooked. For the purposes of this comparision, the lists of Jenner, Adkin and Hadley were used. The present writer decided against use of the Victoria County History, as all species covered by that list for the area in question are listed by Adkin (1930). Results In a paper of this sort, long species lists have only a limited use, so I decided to omit these from the published account for the sake of brevity, and also because, for the purposes of comparison, ‘species totals’ are of more significance. Table One shows the total number of species which were recorded by each author for the wood. The number of species found to occur in the wood in all three accounts (ie. 1885-1980) was 156. In each list, there were a number of species which did not occur in either of the other two lists, and these may be accounted for by temporary residence, migration (note that well known migrants were excluded from the compilation wherever possible), overlooked species and species that had not been taxonomically Separated. The total number of species in this category for each author was Jenner 44, Adkin 47 and Hadley 24. 94 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Extinctions in the area were treated as species that were noted as being present by a particular author, but not recorded before or after. For example, Jenner recorded Apamea sublustris (Esp.), but the species was not recorded by either Adkin or Hadley, and Apamea crenata (Hufn.) which was noted by Jenner and Adkin, but not by Hadley. Thus, species lost between 1885 and 1930 total- led 44, and those lost between 1930 and 1980 equalled 95. Provision was made for species that were not recorded by Adkin but were noted by the other two authors: these species totalled 19. The total number of species recorded for the whole period 1885-1980 was 423 species. Discussion I do not intend to enter into a lengthy discourse on these results, but shall highlight some of the major factors. A steady decline in the Macrolepidoptera of Abbots Wood is happening now, and has been going on for nearly a century, an acceleration in this trend has occurred since the 1930s. This decline is substantiated by three sets of data. Thus, the total number of species has declined (since 1930), the number of new arrivals has declined, and the number of species becoming extinct has increased from 44 to 95 during the two last recording periods. Three major factors must be considered to have shaped these results: habitat loss, climate and changing collecting techniques. Trapping using Mercury Vapour light is an efficient and highly productive method of sampling a fauna, but it tends to make a lepidopterist slothful and lazy (speaking from experience), and traditional techniques such as sugaring and beating get forgotten so that many species are overlooked this way. For this reason, the writer feels the advantage of light for collecting has been offset by the loss of traditional techniques and has consequently lent only minimal bias to the results. Climate is as unpredictable as the beasts themselves. However, it is believed, and there seems to be a general concensus of opinion of this, that there has been a downturn in the climate this century. Lastly, and perhaps most significantly, the changing environment within the wood cannot be underestimated. The final blow to the woodland species came with the felling of the great stands of oaks just after the 1939-45 war, and latterly, affore- station by the Forestry Commission, resulting in the present day legacy of substantial areas of sterile conifer plantations and regularly mown rides. Table 2 shows the species of Draft Red Data Book status which have occurred in the wood since recording began. It paints a de- pressing picture of loss. Siona lineata (Scop.) probably died out due to natural causes, change of climate or lack of suitable habitat for the larvae. The remainder of the species were recorded again by Adkin, and he tumed up specimens of Catocala promissa (D. & S.) which was probably temporarily established in the area. However, fifty years after Adkin, not a single Draft Red Book species remains, for which habitat loss and climate must be blamed. 95 DECLINE OF INDIGENOUS MACROLEPIDOPTERA OF ABBOT’S WOOD TABLE ONE Histogram to show the total number of species recorded from Abbot's Wood by each author. LZ Hadley Number of species recorded \ \ \\ 100 st 1885 1930-34 1980 Dates of lists compared TABLE TWO Table of draft Red Data Book species of Moths Recorded from Abbot's Wood,East Sussex. Red Data Book Species recorded by:= Category Jenner Adkin Hadley Siona lineata Cucullia gnaphalii Eriogaster lanestris Hemaris fuciformis Hemaris tityus Jodia croceago Momo alpium Catocala promissa Heterogenea asella Cyclophora pendularia + indicates presence of species 96 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD The only recent success was the establishment of a colony of Spargania luctuata (D. & S.) during the 1960’s and early 1970's, in the one remaining area of the woods that remains in a similar condition to when it was first constituted, namely that of the area known as Milton Hide. Encouraging signs have been the opening of the rides by the Forestry Commission and the clearence of some of the large tracts of Gorse that were becoming rampant. One cannot underestimate the negative effect of routine ride maintenance as it reduces floral diversity, upon which adult insects are dependent as well as pruning back severely sources of larval foodplants. A rotational system leaving wide ride margins would be less labour intensive and ecologically preferable. The clearing of many of the other areas together with the planting of young birch and other broadleaves has had beneficial results, with several species reoc- curing after absences of many decades, species such as Acronicta alni (Linn.) and Furcula bicuspis (Borkh.). If this trend is continued the long-term future of the woodland is not so bleak as one might expect. Acknowledgements The writer would like to make due acknowledgement of the re- sources and time of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Bio- logical Records Centre, Monks Wood, in the compilation of this paper. Individually I wish to express my thanks to A. E. Stubbs, J. Heath, C. Pratt, M. Parsons and S. W. P. Pooles for their kind help, advice, and constructive criticism. References Adkin R., 1930. The Moths of Eastbourne Part 1. Trans. Eastbourne Nat. Hist., Photographic and Literary Soc. Vol. X. Adkin R., 1934. The Butterflies and Moths of Eastbourne. 1st Supplement. Additions and corrections. Trans. Eastbourne Nat. Hist. Photographic and Literary Sol. Vol. X. Bradley J. D. & Fletcher D. S., 1979. Recorders Log Book or Label List of British Butterflies and Moths. Curwen Books. Goss, H. & Fletcher, W. H. B., 1905, Lepidoptera in Victoria County History of Sussex. Hadley, M., 1977. The Macrolepidoptera of Eastbourne (Excluding Butter- flies). Ent. Rec. J. Var., 89: 2. Hadley M., 1980. An Annotated list of the Macrolepidoptera of Eastbourne (Excl. Butterflies). Nature Conservancy Council, S. E. Region. Jenner J. H. A., 1885. Macrolepidoptera of East Sussex. Trans. Eastbourne Nat. Hist. Soc. South R., 1961. The Moths of the British Isles. Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd. PYRRHOCORIS APTERUS L. (HEM.: PYRRHOCORIDAE) IN DOR- SET. — In July 1979 I was brought two specimens of Pyrrhocoris apterus which had been taken at Kimmeridge on the Dorset coast. The only known permanent colony for this handsome black and red species is on Oar Stone Rock, a small island off the Devon coast, near Torquay, where it has been present for very many years. — S. C. S. BROWN, 158 Harewood Road, Bournemouth, Dorset. 97 MICROLEPIDOPTERA: A REVIEW OF THE YEAR 1981 By the Rev. DAVID J. L. AGASSIZ* 1981 was not a year many lepidopterists in Britain will re- member with great relish. The Spring was cold and wet and seemed to go on long after it should have been Summer. Even if the moths were enduring the weather there were few opportunities for students to pursue them in those months when so many larvae can be found. It seemed in due course that the insects also had not fared very well, for when better weather came, which it did in July and August, the population of many species seemed to be smaller than usual, as was the case with the larger moths. Books are often set aside in favour of field work during the height of the season, but this year was cheered by the publication in the summer of The Smaller Moths of Essex by A. M. Emmet. Not many counties have a good list of ‘micro’ species and very seldom is such a list produced separately; it is therefore a comment on the prominence of the study of smaller species that a County Field Club should undertake such a work at this time. The list itself is a tribute to the energy and thoroughness of the author, and it is I believe the first attempt at mapping microlepidoptera by 10km grid squares. Excitement is often aroused by species added to the British list, and these also were few. However, it often happens that discoveries of this kind only come to light a year or more later, and this was the position in 1981. Dioryctria schuetzeella Fuchs was taken by several collectors in Kent where it seems to be established as resident and presumed to be feeding on Norway Spruce; it transpired that the first specimen was taken by J. M. Chalmers-Hunt the previous year, but the identity was established, and the species found to be resident in 1981. It will be interesting to see how widespread this species becomes, for so many recent colonists of our Islands are associated with conifers. This is not surprising in view of the addiction of foresters to the growing of these, but despite that one suspects that more species may yet be found if only entomologists were more prepared to endure the monotony of these plantations and work them thoroughly, looking for likely species which are known to Occur on the continent of Europe. Towards the end of the year it became clear that Oegoconia caradjai Popescu-Gorj & Capuge was a resident species which had hitherto been confused with O. quad- ripuncta Haw. This makes for a small number of additions, none first taken in 1981, but already there are indications of one of two others which may come to light in 1982 or thereafter. Species added in recent years continued to be found, as usually happens, for example Scythris inspersella Hubn., Coleophora linosy- ridella Fuchs and Metzneria aprilella H.-S. were bred, the latter in great numbers from Centaurea scabiosa, but in no case was the known distribution significantly extended. * The Vicarage, 10 High View Avenue, Grays, Essex RM17 6RU. 98 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD As for rare species, it was encouraging to hear of a further record of Paramesia gnomana Cl. of which the first authentic speci- mens were taken by Godfray in 1977. A third specimen of Lam- pronia flavimitrella Hb. was taken in Kent by N. F. Heal, but its life history remains to be unravelled. Many searches for Agonopterix astrantieae Hein. in the South of England proved fruitless, but two were bred from North Wales by H. N. Michaelis. His name should have been included in my Review of the Year 1980 among the discoverers of Bucculatrix cidarella Zell. feeding on Myrica gale, a habit which has now been reported from Ireland. Sustained interest in the microlepidoptera has produced a number of interesting records, which demonstrates the value of study in this and other less popular fields. It is remarkable that even in big cities like London, species of considerable interest can still be found. The list of species recorded from Buckingham Palace by Dr. J. Bradley continues to grow, and in recent years has in- cluded Morophaga choragella D. & S., Coleophora tamesis Waters, Aroga velocella Zell., and Teleiodes alburnella Zell.; S. A. Knill- Jones has recorded Nemapogon granella Linn. and Tinea pallescen- tella Stt. from central London, and at Hampstead R. A. Softly has had Microthrix similella Zinck. There now follows a list of some of the more interesting records, inevitably it is incomplete, and another person would select different species for mention; I have tried to include new, or renewed county records which extend the known range of a species and other less common species which seemed worthy of comment. They are arranged in the order of Kloet & Hincks (1972). Micropterix tun- bergella Fabr., Perthshire (K. P. Bland); Stigmella samiatella Zell., N. E. Essex (A. M. Emmet) more than doubling the number of specimens taken in Britain; S. acetosae Stt.; Adela croesella Scop., Dumfries (K. P. Bland); Meesia richardsoni Wals. still resident at Portland (D. J. Sterling); Monopis imella Hb., Co. Cork, Eire (D. J. L. Agassiz); Ypsolopha lucella Fabr. including a o’, Suffolk (A. M. Emmet); Coleophora violacea Str8m. Perthshire (K. P. Bland); C. vibicigerella Zell., Kent (N. F. Heal & R. & A. J. Fairclough); C. machinella Bradley, Surrey (R. & A. J. Fairclough); C. argentula Steph., E. Lothian and C. sylvaticella Wood, Aberdeen (K. P. Bland); Esperia oliviella Fabr., Kent (J. Fenn) and Hants. (D. J. Sterling); Agonopterix bipunctosa Curtis, Anglesey (H. N. Michaelis) and Cardiganshire (A. N. B. Simpson); Eulamprotes wilkella Linn., Essex (A. M. Emmet); Syncopacma larseniella Gozm. from many localities after R. J. Heckford! showed that most records of S. cinctella Cl. refer to this species; Blastodacna atra Haw., Hants. (J. R. Lang- maid); Phalonia minimana Carad. and Aphelia unitana Hb., Selkirk (K. P. Bland); Olethreutes arcuella Cl., Kent (J. Fenn) and lastly a specimen of the rare migrant Euchromius ocellea Haw. was taken in Kent in November by B. F. Skinner. lWe expect publication of a paper by R. J. Heckford on Syncopacma larseniella in the next issue of the Record — Editor. ADDITIONS TO THE MACROLEPIDOPTERA OF YORKSHIRE By S. M. JACKSON* Since publication in 1970 of The Lepidoptera of Yorkshire (Macro-lepidoptera), compiled by members of the Lepidoptera Committee of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union, and edited by C. I. Rutherford, there have been 12 additions to the County list as set out below. Nomenclature accords with that of Kloet & Hincks (1972). Pseudoips prasinana L.: Scarce Silver Lines. This species has long been known to occur in N. Lincs., but the first authentic Yorkshire record is of five larvae being beaten from oak at Potteric Carr Nature Reserve (vc. 63) by R. I. Heppenstall in late May 1978. He later took the moth at light at Rossington, near Doncaster (vc. 63) on 28th July 1978. Meganola albula D. & S.: Kent Black Arches. One taken at m.v. light by P.Q. Winter at Muston near Filey (vc.61) on 16th July 1973. This is the first northern record of a species usually found south of London, especially on the coasts of Kent, Sussex and Hants. Nola aerugula Hbn.: Scarce Black Arches. This species was added to the Yorkshire list when Barry Spence took two at light at Kilnsea (vc. 61), one on 26th and one on 27th July 1980. Simyra albovenosa Goeze: Powdered Wainscot or Reed Dagger. Found for the first time in Yorkshire in 1970 when B. Spence took it near the reed bed at Kilnsea (vc. 61). It is now considered to be extinct there as the habitat has been washed into the sea. Mythimna vitellina Hbn.: Delicate. Was taken for the first time in Yorkshire at Muston near Filey (vc. 61), on 11th October 1978, by P. Q. Winter. Lithacodia pygarga Hufn.: Marbled White Spot. Although there is an old record for Wharncliffe Woods from 1872, this was later considered erroneous. Therefore, when several were seen at light on Skipwith Common (vc. 61) on Ist July 1978 by W. Jagger and S. M. Jackson, this was regarded as constituting a new county record. The species has also been seen there annually up to 1981. Scopula marginepunctata Goeze: Mullein Wave. Recorded for the first time in Yorkshire by S. L. Sutton, who took it at Spurn (vc. 61) on 16th August 1972. Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata Clerck: Large Twin-spot Carpet. After recently extending its range into Notts., this species was first noticed in Yorkshire in 1978, by Ray Hawley at Hornsea Mere (ve. 61), and later, A. S. Ezard noted it at Rudston (vc. 61) on 28th July and 18th August 1980. Eupithecia insigniata Hbn.: Pinion-spotted Pug. First found in Yorkshire when Paul Ingham took two at Snainton (vc. 62) on Sth and 6th June 1977. Also taken at East Ayton (vc. 62) in 1979, and at Muston near Filey (vc. 61) on 7th June 1979. Chloroclystis chloerata Mabille: Sloe Pug. First noticed in Yorkshire by P. Q. Winter who found larvae on sloe at Muston on *22 Armoury Road, Selby, N. Yorkshire YO8 OAY. 100 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD 4th May 1975, then at Settrington near Malton on Sth May 1976 and at Harpham near Driffieldon 1st May 1977 (all in ve. 61). Also found at Wass (vc. 62) by Dr. A. M. R. Heron. Semiothisa notata L.: Peacock Moth. The sole Yorkshire record is of one taken at m.v. light in Staindale near Pickering (vc. 62) on 27th August 1977 by P. Q. Winter and S. M. Jackson. Deileptenia ribeata Clerck: Satin Beauty. This species, long known to occur in N. Lancashire, was not noticed in Yorkshire until August 1974 when S. M. Jackson recognised some worn speci- mens (by their pectinated antennae), which came to m.v. light operated by W. Jagger near Pickering. The species, probably pre- viously confused with Alcis repandata L., is now known to be widespread in north-east Yorkshire, with further records from Wass, Scarborough, Buttercrambe Woods (1980 and 1981) and Pickering (all in vc. 62). Moths of Southern Africa by E. C. G. Pinhey. 273pp. 63 col. pl. + 18 fig. 4to. Cloth. Pub. A. A. Balkema (Rotterdam) 1979. ME 2 To attempt to cover the moths of Southern Africa, estimated as exceeding 10,000 species, in a single volume is a daunting task. This volume describes and illustrates some 1183 species selected from the majority of families as representing the more colourful or interesting species, or those of economic importance. The vast bulk come from the families of larger moths. Introductory chapters cover general characteristics and biology, collecting, rearing and preparing insects and identification and classification. The bulk of the text comprises the systematic section. The general format provides keys to families where appropriate. A des- cription of the family is given and there follows a treatment of selected genera. Each genus has the reference to its original descrip- tion, synonymy and name of type species. Individual species are similarly treated with a description of salient features (usually wing patterns), notes on larvae (where known) and distribution. In a work of this nature, the illustrations are of paramount importance. The plates are made from photographs of set specimens and on the whole are of excellent quality. The specimens are photo- graphed against a variety of coloured backgrounds, predominately white and blue/green. The latter is very effective for light coloured insects but unfortunately many white-winged moths are pictured against white backgrounds making identification impossible. Each specimen is numbered to enable easy reference to the text descrip- tion. The work concludes with a glossary, bibliography and three indices — to pest species, host plants, and a general index. On the whole, the author has produced a readable and useful work, although the juxtaposition of general introduction and detailed references to original descriptions suggests an attempt to cater for too wide a readership. The presentation of the volume is very good and there is an attractive, painted frontispiece. Consider- ing the quality and quantity of the illustrations, the price represents very good value. — PAUL SOKOLOFF. 101 DERMAPTERA FROM THE GUNONG MULU NATIONAL PARK, BORNEO. A CORRECTION AND AN ADDITION By A. BRINDLE* In a previous paper on the earwigs collected in the Gunong Mulu National Park (Brindle 1980), three female earwigs were listed as Parapericomus sp. Philip Chapman, to whom I am indebted for some of the earlier specimens, has now collected three more of this species, of which one is a male, and this shows that the species concerned is Nala ornata Borelli and not Parapericomus. The three latest specimens were taken under damp rocks near the stream by Lubang Payau Air (Deer Water Cave), 22.8.1980. Nala ornata was originally recorded from south of Gunong Mulu in the Baram river area. The entry in Brindle (1980) “4. Parapericomus sp.” thus should be replaced with “4. Nala ornata Borelli’”, and the family is Labiduridae. The family Labiidae begins with “S$. Auchenomus setulosus Burr’”’. A single female of Chelisoches brevipennis Borelli (Cheliso- chidae) was found on guano in a pocket in the flowstone wall of Water Polo Cave (formerly Pinnacles Cave), Gunung Api, 18.12.1980. Although female earwigs are often difficult to name satisfactorily, this species is distinctive in closely resembling the common Oriental and Australasian C. morio (F.), from which it is distinguished by the short elytra and reduced wings. Originally described from Los Banos, Luzon, Philippine Islands (Borelli, 1923), it is identical, according to Borelli (19314) with C. bimammatus Hebard, the latter name being a synonym. Interestingly the latter was described from Batu Cave, Selangor, Malaysia, so there seems to be a correla- tion of habitat. From known habits of C. morio, C. brevipennis is likely to be a predator of smaller animals. The list of earwigs from the Gunong Mulu National Park is thus eight. References Borelli, A., 1923. Dermatteri della Isole Filippine. Boll. Musei Zool. Anat. comp. R. Univ. Torino 21 (No. 13): 1-20. —, 19314. Dermapteres de la Presqu’ile Malaise. Bull. Raffles Mus. 6-9: 80-95. Brindle, A., 1980. Dermaptera from the Gunong Mulu National Park, Borneo. Ent. Rec. 92: 172-175. *Entomology Department, Manchester Museum, University of Manchaster, Manchester M13 9PL. Cass a BUCCULATRIX CIDARELLA ZELLER, (LEP. LYONETIIDAE) ON MYRICA GALE By H. N. MICHAELIS* In the works and published notes consulted, alder is always listed as the sole foodplant of this species. On 8th September 1980, I took E. C. Pelham-Clinton and J. Langmaid to a low lying marsh (100 ft.) near Llanbedrgoch, Anglesey (VC 52). Our object was to look for Agonopterix bipunctosa (Curtis) among the Serratula tinctoria (Saw-wort) and Glyphipterix schoenicolella Boyd; the last was already recorded from the site. There is a fine growth of Myrica gale on which J. L. found empty leaf-mines which prompted a search producing vacated circular white spinnings of the moulting “chambers” of a Bucculatrix species. A few larvae were found of which most fell to the ground, together with a few inhabited moul- ting spinnings. Beating into our nets showed that many larvae were present. Some of these spun up the next day on the lid and sides of the box in a yellowish-grey ribbed shuttle-shaped cocoon. The larvae feed on the underside of the leaf after vacating the mine, and leave the upper cuticle intact to form a window pattern of feeding, which cannot in shape be confused with the typical Coleophorid mine of C. viminetella Zeller, which was also present. As we thought and hoped we had a species new to Britain, I attempted to force an early emergence by means of refrigeration followed by gentle heat. This did not succeed and the remaining cocoons were kept in a cold frame to produce moths from 26th May to 18th June 1981. On 11th September, E.C.P.-C. and J. L. went to Borth Bog, Cardigan (VC 46) to meet Maitland Emmet and all found larvae plentiful on Myrica. A further visit by H.N.M. to a more western site in Anglesey showed larvae to be equally plentiful. As the shrub is plentiful on high ground in Snowdonia (VC 49), search was made at varying heights up to 1,200 feet in the next two weeks, but no sign of larvae or feeding pattern was seen on the Myrica there, though a few moulting spinnings were seen on alder leaves nearby. Conversely, there is a stand of alder within 100 yards of the Llanbedrgoch Myrica and though beaten and searched in June and August 1981, neither moth nor larva was seen among this alder. The 1980 moths appeared to be cidarella and this was later proved by genitalia preparations made by E.C.P.-C., J.L. and J.D. Bradley. As further confirmation, I am told that Mark Shaw was able to feed Anglesey larvae from Myrica on alder leaves. In October 1980, I searched for an hour for cocoons on bran- ches and stems of Myrica and found only one. Remembering that cocoons of B. maritima Stainton are found on nearby grass leaves rather than on Aster tripolium, I found five cocoons of B. cidarella on grass and sedge leaves; these had weathered to brownish and the cocoons were not easily seen. I visited the same site on the evening of 23rd June 1981 and found moths resting on or flying around Myrica from 1700 hrs. onwards (many were also disturbed by beat- *5 Glan-y-mor, Glan Conwy, Colwyn Bay. LL28 5TA. BUCCULATRIX CIDARELLA ZELLER ON MYRICA GALE 103 ing). Possibly, this was a mating flight though I saw no paired moths. Meyrick says this moth is fairly common among alder, though I have never found it so in north Wales or in north-west England where alder is plentiful and in Lancashire is used for making the soles of clogs. In fact, I usually find it only singly as a mine, larva or moth. What little I have seen of the Myrica feeder suggests that it occurs on low ground, possibly near western coasts. There is a fine growth of Myrica in a similar situation at Witherslack (VC 69) which might be worth searching in August or September. Though the species has a new foodplant on which it seems to congregate in large numbers when compared with alder, there is no suggestion that it should be raised to sub-specific rank. To conclude, on that pleasant September day, E.C.P.-C. and J. L. had Glyphipterix schoenicolella which was new to one or both, and I found one Agonopterix bipunctosa new to me and probably to north Wales. References Eckstein, K. 1933. Die Kleine Schmetterlinge Deutschlands. Hering, E. M. 1951. Biology of the Leaf Miners. Meyrick, E. 1927. A Revised Handbook of British Lepidoptera. Stainton, H. T. 1874. Observations on Tineina, Ent. Ann., 1874: 43 Tutt, J. W. 1905 Practical Hints for the Field Lepidopterist, 3: 89 FOODPLANT OF COLEOPHORA SALICORNIAE WOCKE IDENTI- FIED AS SALICORNIA FRAGILIS P. W. BALL AND TUTIN. — The larval cases of Coleophora salicorniae reputedly being found on one species of Glasswort only, and in the hope of avoiding a repetition of the abortive search of the acres of foodplant that cover the saltmarshes at this time of the year, I took a plant upon which I found two larvae at Stoke Saltings, Kent on 11th October, 1981 to the Maidstone Museum where Mr. Eric Philp kindly named it as S. fragilis which is one of the common species found in the ‘middle’ saltmarsh zone, particularly on the pure mud sides of channels below the fringe of Halimione and often forming pure stands. — N. F. HEAL, Fosters, Detling Hill, Nr. Maidstone, Kent. THE WOOD WHITE: LEPTIDEA SINAPIS L. IN SOUTH DEVON. — On 6th August 1981 a pair of wood whites were seen flying over rough vegetation on the undercliff to the west of Branscombe on the South Devon coast. These insects were observed for some thirty minutes and seemed perfectly at home in an area more akin to their typical habitat in continental Europe than on the English mainland. There are plenty of trees in the area — beech and oak being domi- nant — but no large areas of unbroken woodland similar to that which is the favoured habitat for this insect in Surrey and Sussex. — P. J. BAKER, Mount Vale, The Drive, Virginia Water, Surrey. ERYNNIS TAGES L. AB. RADIATA BROWN: A CORRECTION. — In vol. 94. p. 69, line 5, for Mr. John Swiner read Mr. John Simner. —R.D.G. BARRINGTON. 104 RECORDS OF PHORIDAE (DIPTERA) REARED FROM FUNGI By R. H. L. DISNEY * and R. E. EVANS** One of us (R.E.E.) reared a number of Phoridae from fungi collected at various localities in Norfolk during 1980. The following species were obtained: Megaselia bovista (Gimmerthal) Nine from Lycoperdon (= Calvatia, = Langermannia) giganteum (= L. bovista) in August, from North Tuddenham Common (Grid ref. 63/0311). Gimmerthal (1848) reared this species from L. giganteum. Colyer (1954) reported it from cultivated mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). Megaselia buxtoni Colyer Five from Thelephora terrestris in September and October from Swanton Novers Wood (63/0032). Previously it has been reported from Pleurotus cornucopiae, Polyporus squamosus and Gloeoporus (= Polyporus) fumosus (= Bjerkandera fumosa) (Colyer 1954, Buxton, 1961, Chandler, 1973). Megaselia flava (Fallen) Six from Peziza varia in July and August, from Warren Wood (63/0911); four from Pluteus cervinus in August and September, from Wayland Wood (52/9299); and 42 from Peziza micropus in August, from Wayland Wood. Previously reported from Peziza (= Aleuria) repanda (Colyer, 1954), Russula heterophylla (Schmitz, 1948), R. aeruginea (Eisfelder, 1956), Cortinellus edodes Kiyoke 1968) Amanita and Tricholomopsis (Chandler, 1978). Megaselia flavicans Schmitz Six from Amanita excelsa in June from Mousehold Heath (63/2410); and eight from Russula cyanoxantha in September, from Holkham Woods (53/9045). Previously reared from 15 other nein of fungi (Schmitz, 1948, Eisfelder, 1956, Disney & Evans, 1978). Megaselia impolluta (Schmitz) Eight from Pluteus minutissimus in August, from Warren Wood. Previously reared from Pluteus umbrosus (Colyer, 1954) and a rotten Pleurotus sp. (Disney & Evans, 1979). Megaselia lutea (Meigen) 38 from Russula vesca in June and July, from Honingham Fen (63/0911); and nine from Russula lepida inSeptember and October, from Lenwade Pits (63/1018). Previously reared from 36 species of fungi, including these two (Schmitz, 1948, Eisfelder, 1956, Buxton, 1961, Disney & Evans, 1979). Megaselia nigra (Meigen) 121 from Agaricus campestris in August, from Welborne (53/0609). Previously reared from this species and A. bisporus (Wood, 1914, Schmitz, 1948, Brauns, 1950, Colyer, 1954, Hussey, 1950, Robinson, 1978): from Coprinus comatus (Malloch, 1912) and Boletus (Chandler, 1978). * Malham Tarn Field Centre, Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24 9PU. **Chanterelle, Church Road, Welborne, Near Mattishall, Norfolk, NR20 3LH. RECORDS OF PHORIDAE (DIPTERA) REARED FROM FUNGI 105 Megaselia pygmaeoides (Lundbeck) Five from Russula nigricans in September, from Honingham Fen. Previously reared from this and 17 other species of fungi (Eisfelder, 1956, Buxton, 1961, Disney & Evans 1979). Discussion The rearings from Amanita excelsa, Peziza micropus, P. varia, Pluteus minutissimus and Thelephora terrestris are the first records of named species of scuttle fly breeding in these fungi. Conicera similis (Haliday) is the only named Phorid previously reported from Pluteus cervinus (Schmitz, 1948) and M. flavicans has not previously been reported from Amanita excelsa. Acknowledgement One of us (R.H.L.D.) is grateful to the Shell International Petroleum Co. Ltd. for a grant to further studies of Phoridae. References Brauns, A., 1950.Zur Kenntnis der Schadinsekten and Champignonkulturen. Nachr. Bl. dtsch. Pfl. Sch. Dienst. Braunschweig 2: 153-156 Buxton, P. A., 1961. British Diptera associated with fungi. III. Flies of all families reared from about 150 species of fungi.. Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 96: 61-94. Chandler, P. J., 1973. Some Diptera and other insects associated with decay- ing elms (Ulmus procera Salisbury) at Bromley, Kent, with some ad- ditional observations on these and related species. Entomologist’s Gaz. 24: 329-346 Chandler, P. J., 1978 in Stubbs, A. & Chandler, P. (Eds). A Dipterist’s Hand- book. The Amateur Entomologist’s Society. Colyer, C. N., 1954. A new species of Megaselia (Dipt., Phoridae) from Britain; notes on fungicolous Phoridae. Entomologist’s mon Mag. 89: 108-112. Disney, R. H. L. & Evans, R. E., 1978. Two species of Phoridae (Dipt.) reared from fungi. Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 113: 165 (1977) Disney, R. H. L. & Evans, R. E., 1979. Further records of Phoridae (Dipt.) reared from fungi. Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 114: 166 (1978) Eisfelder, I., 1956. Die haufigsten Pilzbewohner (Fliegen als Pilzverzehrer). Z. Pilzk. 22: 108-117. Gimmerthal, B. A., 1848. Beobachtete Metamorphose einer neuen Fliegen- species und einer bereits bekannten Blattwespe. Arbeiten Naturf. — ver Riga 1: 329-330 Hussey, N. W., 1960. Biology of mushroom phorids. Mushroom Sci. 4: 260- 269 (1959) . Kiyoku, M., 1958. Studies on the insect fauna of the Japanese pine mushroom and the damage due to the insect pests. Sci. Rep. Okayama Univ. Fac. Agr. 11: 49-59. Malloch, J. R., 1912. The insects of the Dipterous family Phoridae in the United States National Museum. Proc. U.S. natn. Mus. 43: 411-529 Robinson, W. H., 1978. Identification of Megaselia agarici (Lintner) and Megaselia halterata (Wood) (Diptera: Phoridae). Plant Pest Rep. 3: 14-16 Schmitz, H., 1948. Zur Kenntnis der fungicolen Buckelfliegen. Natuurh. Maandbl. 37: 37-44. Wood, J. H., 1914. Notes on British Phora (further additions). Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 50: 152-154. 6 m MACROLEPIDOPTERA OF AN UPLAND AREA IN KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE, SOUTH-WEST SCOTLAND By Dr. P. D. HULME* Kirkcudbrightshire forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Region. The lepidoptera in this Region, as in many other areas of Scotland, are under-recorded. There is, therefore, plenty of scope for lepidopterists to work there, especially as the variety of habitat is, perhaps, unrivalled by that of any other area of comparable size ‘north of the border’. The main lepidoptera accounts for the Region list species taken around Almorness, Kirkcudbrightshire (V.C. 73) (Robinson, 1870-71), Gatehouse-of-Fleet, Kirkcudbrightshire (Rus- sell, 1944) and Corsemalzie, Wigtownshire (V.C. 74) (Gordon 1913, Gordon 1919). From October 1970 to July 1973 I worked for a few days each month on the Silver Flowe National Nature Reserve and stayed at Mid Garrary (10 km west of New Galloway, Kirkcud- brightshire) a field station of the Department of Plant Biology, University of Hull. The field station is within Clatteringshaws Forest, and the Silver Flowe N.N.R. lies along the north-west edge of the Forest. Much of my spare time was spent recording macrole- pidoptera within this area. At Mid Garrary I ran a light trap which at first had an ordinary 150w tungsten bulb and from 1971 a mer- cury blended tungsten bulb. : This block of upland country lies above 600ft (183m) O.D. and is composed predominantly of peatland, moorland and Forestry Commission plantation. At the time of the survey there were exten- sive unforested areas grazed by sheep but now most are planted with conifers. However, the deep peat of the Silver Flowe and the steeper slopes of hills remain unforested and sheep are now confined to one small-holding. The plantations contain species of pine (Pinus), larch (Larix) and spruce (Picea). Relatively few scattered broad- leaved trees and large bushes grow in the area. These are mainly birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyne Jacq.) and eared sallow (Salix aurita L.). Around Mid Garrary and the near by Garrary Burn there are a few naturally growing sessile oaks (Quercus petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl.) and several, possibly planted, aspens (Populus tremula L.) and rowans (Sorbus aucuparia L.). Many of the species listed below are tree feeders and some are present as a result of tree planting, for example, Thera obeliscata, Semiothisa liturata and Eupithecia lariciata. On the moorland and drier peatland areas the vegetation is dominated by purple moor- grass (Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench), heather (Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull), cotton-grasses (Eriophorum vaginatum L. and E. angu- stifolium Honck.), deer-grass (Trichophorum cespitosum (L.) Hartm.) and sweet-gale (Myrica gale L.), while on the wetter peat areas bog mosses (Sphagnum spp.) are dominant. *10 Nethermains Road, Muchalls, Stonehaven, Kincardineshire AB3 2RN. MACROLEPIDOPTERA IN KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE 107 The nomenclature and order of this list follows the check list of Kloet and Hinks (1972). I am grateful to R. M. Palmer and Dr. M. R. Young for genitalia dissections of Amphipoea spp. and Eupithecia spp. respectively and for identifying a number of other species, and to my wife for typing the manuscript. References Gordon, R. S.,1913.A list of the Macrolepidoptera of Wigtownshire, Part 1. Trans. J. Proc. Dumfries and Galloway nat. Hist. Antiq. Soc. 1: 168-188. Gordon, J. G. M., 1919. The lepidoptera of Wigtownshire, Part 2. Ibid. 6: 156-167. Kloet, G. S. and Hinks, W. D., 1972. A Check List of British Insects, 2nd Ed. Handbk. Ident. Br. Insects, XI (2). London. Robinson, W. D., 1870-71. Lepidoptera of Kirkcudbrightshire. Ento- mologist 5: 218-220, 230-232. Russell, A. G. B., 1944. Moths taken in the neighbourhood of Gatehouse-of-Fleet, Co., Kirkcudbright, Entomologist 77: 90-92. HEPIALIDAE Hepialus humili (L.), H. fusconebulosa (De Geer). PIERIDAE Pieris napi (L.). NYMPHALIDAE Aglais urticae (L.), Inachis io (L.), Boloria selene (D. & S.). SATY RIDAE Erebia aethiops (Esp.), Coenonympha pamphilus (L.), C. tullia (Mull.). LASIOCAMPIDAE Poecilocampa populi (L.), Lasiocampa quercus callunae (Palm.), Macrothylacia rubi (L.). SATURNIIDAE Saturnia pavonia (L.) GEOMETRIDAE Scopula ternata (Schr.), Xanthorhoe designata (Hufn.), X. munitata (Hubn.), X. montanata (D. & S.), Epirrhoe tristata (L.), Entephria caesiata (D. & S.), Cosmorhoe ocellata (L.), Coenotephria salicata (Hubn.), Eulithis testata (L.), E. pyraliata (D. & S.), Chloroclysta miata (L.), C. citrata (L.), Thera obeliscata (Hubn.), Colostygia multistrigaria (Haw.), C. pectinataria (Knoch), Hydriomena furcata (Thunb.),H. ruberata (Frey.), Rheumaptera hastata (L.), Epirrita autumnata (Borkh.), Operophtera brumata (L.), Perizoma alchemillata (L.), P. didymata (L.), Eupithecia satyrata (Hubn.), E. subfuscata (Haw.), E. nanata (Hubn.), E. lariciata (Frey.), Semiothisa liturata (Clerck), Petrophora chlorosata (Scop.), Opisthograptis luteolata (L.), Selenia dentaria (Fab.), Odontopera bidentata (Clerck), Crocallis elinguaria (L.), Apocheima pilosoria (D. & S.), 108 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Biston betularia (L.), Agriopis aurantiaria (Hubn.), A. marginaria (Fab.), Alcis repandata (L.), Ematurga atomaria (L.), Bupalus piniaria (L.), Cabera exanthemata (Scop.), Hylaea fasciaria (L.). SPHINGIDAE Laothoe populi (L.). NOTODONTIDAE Phalera bucephala (L.), Cerura vinula (L.), Eligmodonta ziczac (L.), Pheosia gnoma (Fab.). LYMANTRIIDAE Orgyia antiqua (L.). ARCTIIDAE Nudaria mundana (L.), Parasemia plantaginis (L.), Diacrisia sannio (L.), Spilosoma lubricipeda (1;.) Phragmatobia fuliginosa (L.). NOCTUIDAE Ochropleura plecta (L.), Noctua pronuba (L.), N. comes (Hubn.), Paradiarsia glareosa (Esp.), Lycophotia porphyrea (D. & S.), Diarsia mendica (Fab.), D. rubi (View.), Xestia baja (D. & S.), X. castanea (Esp.), X. sexstrigata (Haw.), X. xanthographa (D. & S.), Cerastis rubricosa (D. & S.), Lacanobia biren (Goeze), Ceramica pisi (L.), Cerapteryx graminis (L.), Orthosia gracilis (D. & S.), O. incerta (Hufn.), O. gothica (L.), Mythimna impura (Hubn.), Aporophyla nigra (Haw.), Xylena vetusta (Hubn.), Blepharita adusta (Esp.), Antitype chi (L.), Acronicta psi (L.), Euplexia lucipara (L.), Phlogophora meticulosa (L.), Hyppa rectilinea (Esp.), Apamea monoglypha (Hufn.), A. epomidion (Haw), A. remissa (Hubn.), Oligia fasciuncula (Haw.), Mesapamea secalis (L.), Photedes minima (Haw.), P. pymina (Haw.), Amphipoea lucens (Frey.), A. crinanensis (Burr.), A. oculea (L.), Hydraecia micacea (Esp.), Celaena haworthii (Cutt.), Diachrysia chrysitis (L.), Plusia festucae (L.), Autographa gamma(L.), A. pulchrina (Haw.), A. bractea (D. & S.), A. triplasia (L.),, Phytometra viridaria (Clerck), Rivula sericealis (Scop.), Hypena proboscidalis (L.). COLEOPHORA TRIGEMINELLA FUCHS AND C.CORACIPENNELLA HBN. IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE. — On 17th April 1981 while at Denaby Ings, near Mexborough (VC 63), a Yorkshire Naturalists’ Trust nature reserve, I found two cases of C. trigeminella on hawthorn, one of them feeding on the unopened flower buds. From these cases moths emerged on 11th and 22nd June. From cases of the ‘nigricella (Steph.)’ group, besides C. cerasi- vorella Packard I was pleased to rear two specimens of C. coracipen- nella, one from a case on blackthorn collected at Denaby Ings on 12th May 1981, the moth emerging on 18th June and one from a case on hawthorn collected near West Melton on 17th May 1981 which emerged on 25th June. I am grateful to Mr. R. Heckford for con- firming the identity of my slides of coracipennella. Besides providing the first Yorkshire records for these two species these appear to extend considerably the range of what seem to be local or under-recorded moths. — H. E. BEAUMONT, 7 Brampton Road, West Melton, Rotherham, South Yorks., SE3 6AN. COLEOPHORA MACHINELLA BRADLEY: ssi ITS REDISCOVERY IN ENGLAND, AND DESCRIPTION. By JOHN R. LANGMAID* On 15th June 1977 I collected nearly twenty Coleophorid cases from Achillea ptarmica in Botley Wood, Hampshire. The larvae continued to feed for a further two weeks and then pupated. Moths emerged during the latter half of July. One of them was larger than all the others and proved, on examination of the genitalia, to be Coleophora trochilella Duponchel. The others were identified later the same year as C. machinella Bradley by Mr. R. W. J. Uffen after he and Rev. D. J. L. Agassiz has made preparations of the male and female genitalia (figures 1 and 2). The larval case is 8mm long, made of silk, slenderly cylindrical and trivalved, orchreous-brown, paler caudally. The mouth-opening is at 60° to the long axis, and there is a distinct ‘neck’. The larva mines the leaves of the foodplant from underneath, and wanders freely from leaf to leaf. “2a “a | — Fig. 1. Male genitalia of Coleophora machinella Bradley. Fig. 2. Female genitalia of C. machinella. The moth is similar to trochilella, but smaller, with a wingspan of 10-11 mm. Head fuscous, ochreous tinged, paler laterally; antenna white, sharply ringed black; labial palpus whitish above, mixed with ochreous-brown at sides and underneath; thorax and tegula whitish ochreous; legs whitish above, dark fuscous beneath; forewing brownish ochreous, darker toward apex, the male being distinctly darker than the female, a white streak along costa to near apex, veins from cell marked with white streaks toward apex, a * 38 Cumberland Court, Festing Road, Southsea, Hants PO4 0NH 110 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD white streak along fold and another along dorsum to termen, cilia _ greyish ochreous; hindwing dark grey in the male, paler in the — female, cilia grey tinged with ochreous; abdomen dark grey. The species was originally discovered by the late Mr. W. Machin in the early 1880’s bred from larvae feeding on Artemisia maritima from saltings on the Thames Estuary, and was named maritimella. Subsequently it was placed on the Thames Estuary, and was named maritimella. Subsequently it was placed in the synonymy of fro- chilella (Bradley 1966), and then renamed machinella after further examination of the genitalia of Machin’s specimens (Bradley 1971). Since 1977 further cases have been found in Botley Wood, and in West Walk, Wickham, Hampshire, from late May to early July. In late July 1977 two specimens were taken flying among Achillea ptarmica at Ditchling Common, Sussex, by Lt. Col. A. M. Emmet, and in 1981 Mr. R. Fairclough found cases on Ashtead Common, Surrey. In 1980 Mr. Uffen rediscovered the species in North Kent feeding on Artemisia maritima. In 1981 moths were bred from this foodplant, and it is notable tha they are distinctly paler than those bred from Achillea ptarmica. Although the sexual dichroism is also apparent in these, the males are approximately the same colour as the females from Achillea ptarmica, and the females are paler still, the forewing ground colour being pale ochreous yellow. Acknowledgments My thanks are due to Mr. R. W. J. Uffen for identifying the speci- mens, and to Rev. D. J. L. Agassiz for the drawings of the genitalia. References Bradley, J. D., 1966. Some Changes in the Nomenclature of British Lepidoptera. Ent. Gaz., 17: 213-235. Bradley, J. D., 1971. Some Changes in the Nomenclature of British Lepidoptera. Ent. Gaz., 22: 24-25. Machin, W., 1884. Two New Species of the Genus Coleophora. Entomologist, 17: 87. Toll, S., 1953. Eupistidae (Coleophoridae) of Poland. Mater. Fiziogr. Kraju, no. 32:292pp., 28pls. THE DEATH’S-HEAD HAWKMOTH AND CONVOLVULUS HAWK- MOTH IN KENT IN 1981. —-A female Death’s-head Hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos L.) was seem my sister-in-law’s neighbour’s garden in Dover, but the latter was too frightened to go near it. Fortunately, however, my sister-in-law recognised it as a moth and put s container over it and called me. The date was the 28th Sep- tember. On the same date as the above, a female Herse convolvuli L. was brought to my home by a friend who found it alive while working on a building in Folkestone that day. This same friend also brought me another H. convolvuli, a very worn male, which he had found on Ist October on the same site in Folkestone. — R. F. BUDDLE, 72, Alfred Road, Dover, Kent. aa 111 TWO WEEKS IN THE CANARY ISLANDS IN 1981 By H. G. ALLCARD, F.R.E.S.! and ANTHONY VALLETTA, F.R.E.S.2 We met at the new airport, Reina Sofia, in Tenerife on Tuesday, the Ist of September at 1.15 p.m.; though on different flights from different airports, we managed to arrive more or less at the same time at our destination. By 2.30 p.m. we had reached our hotel at Santa Cruz de Fenerife. Whilst enjoying a cup of tea on the patio, we were greeted by the smallest butterfly, Zizeeria knysna Trimen, which was flying in good numbers on the well-trimmed hedges surrounding the lawn. Not much later the largest butterfly Danaus plexippus Linnaeus, appeared and was soon followed by another. They both soared and fell and soared again until, tired, they rested on the bougainvillea for a quick drink. As in previous years, we were looking forward to seeing Catopsilia florella Fabricius in the hotel gardens, but this time it was absent, though the foodplant, Cassia didymobatyra, was still available. Later we noticed that it was also absent from the nearby park where several huge Cassia trees were in full bloom and where, in 1979, we had seen so many pupa cases on their defoliated branches and butterflies on the wing. The only other butterfly we saw that afternoon was Pieris napae Linnaeus. 2nd September. We paid a courtesy visit to the Director of Icona (National Institute for the Conservation of Nature). He told us that there had been little rain-fall that winter and consequently the vegetation had dried up earlier than usual. We then went to Monte de las Mercedes, 19km from Santa Cruz; there we noticed the complete dryness. The Cedronella canariensis, the favourite plant of the butterflies, was in seed and the Rubus ulmifolius was in berries. The only butterflies we saw in that locality were Cyclirius webbianus Brulle and Lampides boeticus Linnaeus. So we drove further on to the road which leads to Las Carboneras; here also we were disappointed. All the Cedronella that grew near the road had been uprooted to make room for a concrete gutter. Two years previously this road, though dusty and somewhat rough, had been a _ paradise for Gonepteryx cleobule Hubner when the Cedronella was available and in bloom. The larval food- plant, Rhamnus glandulosa, was still there but the food for the butterfly had totally disappeared. In fact we did not come across a single butterfly until we reached a country house some 2km away where G. cleobule, Colias crocea Geoffroy, Pararge xiphioides Staudinger, P. rapae and C. webbianus were feeding at garden flowers. 3rd September. We again visited Monte de las Mercedes but as nothing was on the wing we proceeded to Las Yedras. Here, once more, we found that the Cedronella had been cut down, especially those plants by the road. Luckily we noticed a spot below a villa Gainsborough, Park Drive, Hale, Cheshire, MA15 9DH. 2257 Msida Street, B’Kara, Malta. 112 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD where a few plants had been spared. We saw a small butterfly resting on a dry thistle and to our delight it was Thymelicus acteon christi Rebel, the only skipper found on the island. Two C. crocea, very small in size, a single Pontia daplidice Linnaeus and a male and female Maniola jurtina f. fortunata Alpheraky were also seen. All male G. cleobule seen that morning had their wings damaged but the females were in very good condition. 4th September. In the morning we explored another locality on the other side of Las Carboneras, below Monte de las Mercedes and some 600m above sea level. We could not go far as a landslide had blocked the road the night before. This locality was a good one for Lycaenidae and Hymenoptera; in fact, C. webbianus, Lycaena phlaeus Linnaeus Aricia cramera Eschscholtz and L. boeticus were quite common on the Mentha pulegium, Satureja nepeta and Echium plantagineum. Looking down a ravine, we noticed that the Cedro- nella was still in bloom and that several G. cleobule, mostly females, were patronising the flowers. In this locality we found several caterpillars of different sizes on Teline microphylla; they had short hair and were greyish black with a greenish dorsal and a yellow lateral stripe. We took a few that were fully grown and after a few days they formed silken cocoons covered with their own excreta. The moths started emerging on the 7th of October and turned out to be Uresiphita limbalis Denis & Schiffermuller. Sth September. As in former years, we did not want to miss a visit to Puerto de la Cruz, if not for the butterflies at least for the ever-changing panoramic view from the coach all along the 38km journey. After a two-hour drive through hamlets, small towns and many banana groves, we reached our destination. We passed through Taoro Park, or rather what was once a park as now it is a parking site and sports centre. Still, D. plexippus and C. florella were flying in the gardens. We again saw Z. knysna flying over a vetch and on another half-dry leguminous plant two L. phlaeus tried to sip what they could from the remaining flowers. We went to an hotel for a cup of coffee and inthe garden we saw Pieris cheiranthi Hubner resting on the only nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus), a plant which in previous years had covered the whole area; then pupae of this butter- fly had abounded on the nearby walls and the empty cases were still to be seen. We waited briefly until the butterfly left the plant and to our delight found a cluster of newly laid eggs on the under- side of a leaf. C. florella and D. plexippus were in good numbers by the swimming pool. We had a look at the Cassia trees and found two larvae of the former. One, which was quite big, pupated on the 10th and the butterfly emerged on the 19th, a female of the whitish form. The other was much smaller and, after being fed on Cassia taken with us to England, pupated on the 21st; the butterfly emerged on the 4th of October, having taken longer in the pupal stage Owing to the difference in climate. . 6th September. Senor M. Morales Martin and his son drove us in their car to parts of the island we had not visited so far and where small colonies of G. cleobule were still thriving. We visited Las Vueltas de ,Taganana and went down to Culuzodel TWO WEEKS IN THE CANARY ISLANDS IN 1981 113 Tejo at the very northern tip of the island. We returned to Santa Cruz taking the road from El Bailadero to San Andres, an area mostly barren except for several species of Euphorbia, hoping to come across Danaus chrysippus Linnaeus which we had not encoun- tered during our visits in 1977 and 1979. We were very grateful to our friends for, besides providing the enjoyable drive, they pointed out to us places like isolated hamlets and the Dutch village, acces- sible only from the sea, which we would never have located on our own. GOMERA In 1979 we visited the island only for a couple of hours as no accommodation was obtainable. This time, a week later, rooms were available and we were happy to spend two fruitful days on this wonderful island. 7th September. The ferry reached San Sebastian, the port and capital of Gomera, at 11.25 a.m. Luckily we found the same taxi driver whom we had hired two years before and who knew what we were after. We checked in at the hotel and then drove straight to El Cedro where the forest which registers most of the rainfall provides the right habitat for the flora and fauna. We wanted to visit an area further north of La Laguna Grande, where on our last visit we had found a mass of butterflies, especially G. cleobule, feeding on a carpet of Cedronella. To our surprise, all the flowering plants had been uprooted and heather trees planted instead. Thus the ecology of the area had completely changed and, with no flowers at hand, the butterflies and other insects had had to move elsewhere. This being so, we drove down to El Cedro. Here, unlike those in Tenerife, the Cedronella was still in bloom in shady localities. It was not long before G. cleopatra cleobule started flying out of the forest in search of the flowers; females were pre- dominant that morning and most of the males had passed their best. Pandoriana pandora Denis & Schiffermiiller was frequently seen crossing the road at a considerable height and the few that settled were seen to be badly worn. As in Tenerife, C webbianus and L. boeticus were very common and very small. A few battered female M. jurtina f. fortunata were still on the wing and we saw two C. crocea, one P. daplidice and several P. xiphioides. The only moths we came across were Macroglossum stellatarum Linnaeus hovering over the flowers; they seemed quite fresh. 8th September. After a restful night we were ready for another visit to El Cedro. The sky was overcast and the weather discouraging. Two years previously we also experienced this type of weather and it had gradually cleared up; so we decided to go ahead. Fortunately the same thing happened and by 11.30 a.m. the clouds had drifted away and the sun was shining brightly. This time more male than female G. cleopatra cleobule were seen and most of them were quite fresh. This variation in the condition of specimens could arise from there being two broods, but a more likely explanation is that the adult life-span of Gonepteryx species is rather long and, since the females vary in their time of leaving hibernation and egg-laying, the emergence of the butterflies is prolonged. Derry & Derry (1979), who visited Tenerife and Gomera in July, two months ahead of us, also encountered worn and fresh imagines. All the other species seen on the first day were on the wing again with the addition of A. cramera and P. xiphioides. We saw very few other insects as the season was almost over. Bombus terrestris canariensis Perez, Cerceris concinna Brulle and Podalonia tydei Le Guillou were still on the wing, the ‘same species as we had seen in 1979, but in smaller number. In the evening we caught the ferry back to Tenerife and re- turned to our hotel at Santa Cruz. 9th September. We spent a restful day at the hotel evaluating what we had seen and enjoyed most in Gomera. 10th September. We chose a differentlocality on the mountains, Pico del Inglis, but as it was windy we moved to a lower and more sheltered place where some wild plants were still in bloom. We waited and waited for butterflies to appear. The only sign of life, besides the isolated chirping of some birds, was an unusual number of large dragonflies (Anax sp.) parading up and down the smooth road. They came very close to us but not within our reach. Naturally they were after food, but, not being close to water, it was not easy to find any. At last,-as a male G. cleobule flew down from the forest, its golden wings shining in the sun, down dived one of these predators, snatched it with its legs and mouth and tried to fly away to the nearest tree. It was not so easy as in its efforts to escape the butterfly kept flapping its wings and pulling down the unkind snatcher. Both whirling in the air, they soon disappeared among the trees. We moved further on but there were still no butter- flies so we concentrated on smaller fry. Beating the vegetation, we disturbed several micros, Agriphila trabeatellus canariensis Rebel and Endotricha rogenhoferi Rebel, both endemic, Pyrausta amata Scopoli, Psara bipunctalis Fabricius, Pselnophorus albiodactylus Milliere and Crombrugghia laetus Zeller. B. terrestris canariensis, P. tydei and Anthidium manicatum Linnaeus were quite common. LA PALMA 114 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD | | : 11th September. La Palma is the most westerly of the Canary Islands. Its area is 730 sq.km. and it is extremely rugged with the highest peak at 2483m. Laurel forests dominate the more northern slopes. Our flight took 20 minutes: On arrival at Santa Cruz de la Palma, we went straight to San Miguel Hotel which offers a fine view of the city, its harbour and bay, as well as the imposing moun- tains which encircle it. Taking a taxi, we drove north-eastwards to the forestal area of the island where we hoped to see Gonepteryx palmae. Stamm and P. cheiranthi. The journey uphill took just one hour round many awkward and dangerous bends, but as we were in the hands of an expert driver it was en- joyable. This island was the greenest of the three we had so far visited. All sorts of trees and bushes, evergreen and deciduous, TWO WEEKS IN THE CANARY ISLANDS IN 1981 115 decorated the road; Lantana, Nicotiana, Ricinus etc. were every- where; higher up, peach and chestnut trees loaded with still unripe fruit were plentiful, while there were banana plantations at a lower level on the slopes of the ravines. Every cottage on the route provided a colourful garden with the flowers of the season, Hibiscus, Plumeria and morning glory adding further attraction. However, we were too late in the season to see many wild flowers, although a few were still in bloom in the forested area. It was some time before the butterflies started to appear; they were high up in the almost vertical slopes of the wooded mountains and unless the sun shone they would not fly out. It was anexciting moment when the first P. cheiranthi came down from such a height, floating freely with spread wings showing the large black spots on its forewings. G. palmae followed, floating down rather more quickly. P. xiphioides was still on the wing with females predomina- ting. C. webbianus flew from flower to flower and they seemed larger than those from the other islands. We saw one C. crocea, a couple of P. pandora and a single Vanessa indica vulcania Godart. Two battered M. jurtina f. fortunata patrolled a stretch of ground all the time. As in the other islands, P. rapae was the most common butterfly. Other insects seen that day were B. terrestris canariensis, Paravespula germanica F. and the ubiquitous Apis mellifera L. 12th September. We visited the same place again as we assumed it was the best location for the time of year when most of the wild flowers were over; moreover, other areas were inaccessible owing to a lack of roads and tracks. It was not until 1.00 p.m. that we had a sunny period; during that short spell several P. brassicae cheiran thi, mostly worn males, flew down to the flowers together with a single G. palmae. By 3.45 p.m. it was getting cold so we went straight to the airport forthe flight backto Tenerife. We were puzzled by the presence of P. cherianthi as no nasturtium, the principal,/foodplant of the caterpillar, was grow- ing in the thick forest or nearby. This suggests an alternative food- plant. We also noticed that the La Palma butterflies lacked the subcostal black spots on the underside of the forewing characteristic of those in Tenerife. This suggests some biological difference be- tween the stock of the two islands. 13th September. A dull, rainy day kept us indoors after the two energetic days at La Palma. 14th September. Again a dull day. In the afternoon we drove to the fountain, Fuente Joco, at a height of 1900m where on our two previous visits we had seen Pseudotergumia wyssii Christ in good numbers. As this butterfly is active in dull weather and both early morning and late afternoon, we hoped to get a glimpse of it before Our departure. Much to our dismay, not only was the butterfly absent but the fountain too was not in its former state; there had been no water running all the summer and it had been tampered with by an irresponsible person. The bees and wasps which had buzzed round our mouths two years before when we tried to drink had all gone: desolation reigned. So we drove down to Cumbo de Arafo at 1600m. Though already late in the afternoon, A. cramera, 116 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD | | L. phlaeas and C. webbianus were still flying. Turning over some — stones, we found the largest earwig in the island, Annisolatus maxima Brulle, several beetles, mostly Heteger transversus Brulle, and the staphilinid Creophilus maxillosus spp. canariensis Bernhauer. | We also disturbed the common grasshoppers Aiolopus strepens | Latreille, A. thalassinus Fabricius, Calliptamus plebeius Walker, Ariagona margaritae Kr. and a Plalycleis species. 15th September. We returned to England, both satisfied with our enjoyable and fruitful holiday on the three picturesque islands — we had visited. | We would like to record our grateful thanks to Dr. A. Machado | and Senor M. Morales Martin for their warm hospitality and great | help. For a full bibliography see Allcard & Valletta, 1978 and . 1981. : j ' References Allcard, H. G. & Valletta, A., 1978. A week of collecting in Tenerife, Canary Islands, in September 1977. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 90: 91-94, 1981. The Canary Islands revisited in 1979. Ibid. 93: 120-125. ag Rade . “i A. C., 1979. Tenerife and Gomera, July 1978. Ibid. 1: -278. MOMPHA LACTEELLA STEPHENS: A POSSIBLE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTER. — _ I recently dissected a Mompha which I had suspected might be Jacteella and this proved to be the case. I took it on Sth. June 1976 in the late afternoon at Lutton, Devon. It was in good condition, sitting on a leaf of Corylus at the edge of a corn- field. There was no evidence anywhere in the area of Epilobium hirsutum, the foodplant given by Emmet (1979, A field guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera). Lacteella is very similar to propinquella. In his key to the genus Mompha, Meyrick (1928, A revised handbook of the British Lepidoptera) separates the two on the colour of the thorax and basal blotch. He describes this as being ochreous-white in propin- quella and pale ferruginous-ochreous in Jacteella, a distinction which I find hard to interpret. { have bred several propinquella and fresh specimens appear to have the thorax and basal blotch the same colour as Jacteella. However his description of lacteella states “thorax pale ferruginous- ochreous, anteriorly sprinkled dark fuscous.” Mr. S. N. A. Jacobs’ coloured figure (1945, Wakely, Notes on the genus Mompha. Proc. Trans. S. Lon. ent. nat. Hist. Soc. 1944-45: 81-84, plt. V) shows this on the tegulae in his illustration of lacteella. In my specimen the tegulae are very stongly marked anteriorly with the blue-black ground colour of the forewings. None of my propinquella has such markings. As I have only one specimen of Jacteella I do not know whether this is a good character for separating the two species. I would welcome others’ observations. — R. J. HECKFORD. 67, Newnham Road, Plympton, Plymouth. NOTE ON PACHYNEMATUS ARCTICUS (LINDQVIST) (HYMENOPTERA, TENTHREDINIDAE) By ANDREW D. LISTON* An excursion to Ben Heasgarnich (1076m), Perthshire, made by Mr. J. M. Nelson_and the writer on 24.-25.6.1981 yielded only five sawfly specimens, one being of great interest. Collecting com- menced on the evening of the 24th on the high slopes of Heasgarnich (ca. 900m.) in an area of heavily grazed Festuca-Vaccinium grassland. Dolerus aeneus Hartig was the only sawfly encountered here (1 male, 1 female). On the summit, Salix herbacea L. formed large patches amongst the snow-influenced vegetation. Numerous leaves bore young galls of Pontania crassipes Thomson, and one adult female of this species was collected together with a male Pristiphora staudingeri (Ruthe). Both crassipes and staudingeri are arctic-alpine Nematinae, occurring on many of the higher Scottish hills. L 2 V7 Fig. 1. 8th tergite of male Pachynematus arcticus (Lindqvist). _ Fig. 2. European distribution of Pachynematus arcticus (dots), Poten- tilla crantzii (shading) and Potentilla fruticosa (triangles). Early in the morning of the 25th we investigated the fauna of the ungrazed ledge and steep-face herb communities on the south- facing crags of Ben Heasgarnich. The rock is calcareous Dalradian schist and because of this, the dominant plants are montane cal- cicoles such as Dryas octopetala L., Salix reticulata L., Vaccinium uliginosum L. and Potentilla crantzii (Crantz) Beck. Prolonged searching of many patches of Salix reticulata revealed no Pontania galls, but this was no surprise since the only gall-maker occurring on it has not been recorded in Britain. Sweeping was generally *99 Clermiston Road, Edinburgh EH12 6UU. 118 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD difficult, but on a broad ledge with a rich variety of herbs, a single — male of Pachynematus arcticus (Lindqvist) was obtained. P. arcticus is a very slender species only 4-5mm long. Its size | and very dark colouration probably often cause it to be overlooked. | It was described as Mesoneura arctica by Lindqvist (1958) from a | male collected by Richard Frey in the alpine zone of Malla Field, — north-west Norwegian Lapland in July 1943. Benson (1961) trans- ferred the species to Pachynematus and recorded that he had caught — a male at Inchnadampf, Sutherland. A second male was taken at — the same locality by Mr. E. C. Pelham-Clinton a few years later (Benson, 1964). | The venation of the type was abnormal, a frequent occurrence in arctic sawflies, leading Lindqvist to describe it as a Mesoneura, a decision which was certainly wrong (Benson, 1961). The male’s penis-valve is completely unlike that of any other Pachynematus, but more resembles those of certain Pristiphora spp. In fact, in- dependently from Benson, Hellen (1960) indicated that .arcticus was not a Mesoneura , but a Pristiphora. Apart from the penis- valve (Lindqvist, 1958, fig 3; Benson, 1961, fig. 1), the 8th tergite of the male is also closer to the Pristiphora type than to a Pachy- nematus (fig. 1). However, the costa is barely expanded at its apex and the clypeus is only very weakly emarginated, both of which are important characters leading to Pachynematus rather than Pris- tiphora in Benson’s (1958) key. Lindqvist (1970) described Pachynematus incisus on the basis of two females reared by Wershutskij from Potentilla fruticosa L. near Irkutsk in the Baikal region of Siberia. Wershutskij’s col- lection of Siberian Nematinae, sent to Lindqvist for identification, also containeda male P. arcticus (Lindquist, 1972). These two papers should be consulted for descriptions and figures of the female arc- ticus (= incisus), which possesses a distinctive sawsheath resembling those of certain Pristiphora. The rearing of the female arcticus from Potentilla fruticosa (Rosaceae) is also most interesting and remarkable. Other groups of Palaearctic Pachynematus are associated chiefly with Gramineae, Cyperaceae and Coniferae, with only a couple of species feeding on Salicaceae and Polygonaceae. The association of arcticus with Rosaceae is once again reminiscent of Pristiphora. 1 suspect that in Europe the larva of this species should be looked for on Potentilla crantzii (Alpine Cinquefoil), a local arctic-alpine plant whose British tg include both localities where the Pachynematus has been ound. More information on the biology and distribution of arcticus would be valuable in resolving its generic position. At present, it is best retained as a distinctive species-group within Pachynematus. It is possible that it has been consistently overlooked because of its unusually late flight season. Figure 2 shows the known European distribution of the sawfly and its probable foodplants. NOTE ON PACHYNEMATUS ARCTICUS 119 Acknowledgement I thank Mr. J. M. Nelson (Nature Conservancy Council, Edin- burgh) for arranging our visit to Ben Heasgarnich. References Benson, R. B., 1958. Hymenoptera Symphyta. Handbk. Ident. Br. Insects, 6 (2c): 139-252. Benson, R. B., 1961. Pachynematus arcticus (Lindqvist) Comb. Nov., a new British Sawfly in Sutherland (Hym., Tenthredinidae). Entomologist’s mon. Mag., 96: 137-138. Benson, R. B., 1964. Pachynematus glabriceps Lindqvist, a new British Sawfly and a note on Empria liturata Gmelin (Hym., Tenthredinidae)., Ento- mologist’s mon. Mag., 100: 2634. Hellen, W., 1960. Die Nematinen Finnlands (Hym., Tenthr.). I. Tribus Pseudo- dineurini, Cladiini und Nematini part. Notulae Ent., 40: 1-18........ Lindqvist, E., 1958. Neue Blattwespen aus Fennoskandien (Hym., Tenthr.). Notulae Ent., 38: 68-72. Lindqvist, E., 1970. Neue Nematinen aus dem Pribaikal-Gebiet, Siberien (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). Notulae Ent., 50: 97-104. Lindqvist, E., 1972. Zur Nomenklatur und Taxonomie einiger Blattwespen (Hymenoptera, Symphyta). Notulae Ent., 52: 65-77. Notes and Observations A STRANGE CASE OF LARVAL DEPRAVITY. — 1981 was not the most productive season I can remember as the half-filled setting boards in my drying-cabinet will testify, but imagine my anger when perusal of these boards late in September revealed damage to many of the specimens. I searched diligently for the tell-tale exit holes and small piles of minute frass that betrays the presence of Anthrenus museorum, the ‘Collectors-friend’. Instead of the characteristic dry powder I found large, moist pellets of a lepi- dopteran origin. Minute examination revealed the half-inch long culprit. The larva, a noctuid, was dining out at the expense of his deceased brethren, so I confined his attentions to a large corpse of Hyloicus pinastri Linn., upon which he fed until pupation in late November. I was rewarded for my labours on 26 February this year with the emergence of a fine, though rather dark, example of Caradrina clavipalpis Scop. I believe this is the first time that a noctuid larva has been reared exclusively upon a diet, although the habit is well established amongst some of the Oecophoridae, namely Hoffmano- Phila pseudospretella Stt., and Endrosis sarcitrella Linn. — MARK HADLEY, 2 Thompson Street, New Bradweel , Wolverton, Bucks. PHYLLONORYCTER SAPORTELLA (DUPONCHEL) (HORTELLA FABRICIUS) IN EAST NORFOLK. -— On the 8th of November 1981 my wife and I were making records in the Redgrave-Lopham area, where vice-counties 25, 26, 27 and 28 meet. There are fine roadside oaks on which I have found eight species of nepticulid, including the local Ectoedemia quinquella (Bedell). On this occasion, however, we were searching for Caloptilia cocoons; the early stages of C. alchimiella (Scopoli) and C. robustella Jickh seem to be indistin- 120 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD guishable and I wanted to rear adults for recording purposes. At approximately TM 047802, just inside VC27, I picked several cocoons, one on a leaf which also bore a Phyllonorycter mine. The leaves were Overwintered in a nylon stocking lying on the ground and were under snow during the severe weather. I brought them indoors on the 11th of February and four C. robustella emerged between the 9th and 13th of March. The Phyllonorycter mine produced a female P. saportella on the 26th of March. This is apparently the first example of this species to be obtained in Britain since May, 1949, when Mr E. C. Pelham-Clinton found two adults on tree-trunks in Cambridgeshire, one near Madingley and the other near Gamlingay. In The Field Guide we stated “Not recorded in recent years” and this has not been contra- dicted. It has been suggested that the mines are seldom found because they occur high up on the oaks; that may sometimes be the case but this one was within easy reach. The mine is situated on the margin of the leaf extending inwards from the tip of a lobe, the leaf-edge being completely folded over so as to conceal it. The lower epidermis is therefore almost ob- scured but appears to have numerous small creases. There is no central green patch on the upper surface because none of the palisade tissue has been eaten right through to the epidermis. The mine somewhat resembles that of P. heegeriella (Zeller) but is more strongly folded and is larger, measuring 12mm as opposed to 10mm or less in length. This account tallies with that given by Hering (Bestimmungstabellen der Blattminen von Europa 2: 826). For obvious reasons, the feeding was not described by Harper & Lang- maid (Ent. Rec. 90: 162-166). If my mine is typical, there should be little difficulty in recognising other examples, providing they can be found. The mine is probably the hardest to detect of the oak- feeding Phyllonorycter because the pale lower surface is hidden and there is no discoloration on the upper side; at first sight, it looks more like a fold than a mine. I cannot describe the cocoon since I have given the mine unopened to Dr Ian Watkinson who is covering the genus in MBGBI Vol. 2. Collectors have been searching assiduously but in vain for this species for many years: I bring a single mine home because it happens to be on the same leaf as something else and rear it by accident and unexpectedly. — A. M. EMMET, Labrey Cottage, Victoria Gardens, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3 AF. 28.iii.1982. MAGDALIS VIOLACEA L. (COL.: CURCULIONIDAE ): CORREC- TION OF A RECORD. — Although this species has now (probably correctly) been removed from the British list, there is a mid-century published record (G. E. Woodroffe, 1951, Ent. mon. Mag. 87: 255) of which I feel it incumbent on me to say something in clarification ~ in order to set the record straight and because the specimen in question is now in my collection. It was swept from broom at Culbin Sands, on the Moray Firth, 21.vi.51. Subsequent to publication, the late captor — a well-known hemipterist, who gave away most of his coleopterous captures — most kindly presented me with the insect, whose identification, he said, had not been and still was not free NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS #21 from doubt as between the two closely allied species duplicata Germ. and violacea L. Some while later I came to the conclusion that the single tenuous British record of the latter species (cf. Fowler, 1891, Col. Brit. Isle., 5:398)\was most likely based onconfusion with M. duplicata, so that probably we did not possess violacea; and that the Culbin specimen was in fact a very small duplicata. This last species is now known as a regular, though scarce, inhabitant of the Scottish Highlands. — A. A. ALLEN. BOOK TALK FIVE. — A book of unusual historic interest is Rennie’s Conspectus; or, to give it its full title, A Conspectus of the Butterflies and Moths found in Britain, by James Rennie, Professor of Zoology, Kings College, London, and published in 1832 by William Orr at 7s.6d. Apart from a title page with a curious engrav- ing of Papilio machaon together with its larva and pupa, this minute octavo no bigger than a 12mo and measuring only 150mm x 90mm is unillustrated, but contains 327 pages of small print treating of the entire Order. To a marked extent the book is an epitome of the well known and relatively expensive J/lustrations of British Entol- mology (Haustellata) whose author, James Francis Stephens, was engaged in a lawsuit with Rennie for alleged piracy of the //lustra- tions in the Conspectus. Although Rennie won the case, many scientific men showed sympathy for Stephens by subscribing to defray the heavy legal costs of the action following his defeat. On page 4, the Wood White is described as Leucophasia loti Rennie, a name seemingly overlooked by the authors of that most useful of lists of British lepidoptera viz., “Kloet & Hincks” (1972), but was nevertheless cited in W. F. Kirby’s monumental Synonymic Catalogue of the Diurnal Lepidoptera {of the World| (1872). At least one author followed the nomenclature of the Conspectus, as witness E. H. Burnell in his “List of Lepidopterous Insects found in the Neighbourhood of Witham, Essex’’, published in 1837 in Maga- zine of Natural History, new series, 1: 601-604. To those interested in entomological bibliography, the Royal Entomological Society has for sale a limited number of copies (which offer is not restricted to Fellows of the Society) in original wrappers, of G. C. Champion et al. (1893), Catalogue of the Library of the Entomological Society of London, pp.i-iv, 1-291; and Supple- ment (1900), pp. i-iv, 1-147. On estimation, the work contains fully 8500 items, and the price per copy (including the Supplement) is £1 plus postage, obtainable trom the Librarian, 41 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 SHU. — J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT. UDEA DECREPITALIS H.-S. (LEP.: PYRALIDAE) IN WALES. — On 6th June 1978 I was collecting at m.v. light on the banks of a lake near Talybont on Usk, Brecknockshire, Wales (SO 0166). The night was fairly cool and misty and little interest in the way of Lepidoptera visited the lamp apart from Lampropteryx suffumata D. & S., L. otregiata Metcalf and a pale pyralid moth which I could not immediately identify. Upon setting the moth later I came to the conclusion that the specimen (a male) was probably Udea decre- pitalis H.-S., but thought the record required confirmation because of the locality. Recently I prepared a genitalia slide from the speci- 122 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD men and was convinced that my original identification was correct. This supposition was kindly confirmed by Mr. M. Shaffer of the Department of Entomology at the British Museum (Natural History). To my knowledge this alpine species has not been recorded before from the British Isles outside Scotland. If I had realised the significance of the record at the time I would have tried to identify the food plant. There were a large number of fern plants growing near the lake but I did not know to what species they belonged. — P. J. JEWESS, Boyces Cottage, Newington, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 7JF. NINETEENTH-CENTURY ISSUES OF SMITH AND ABBOT, “THE — NATURAL HISTORY OF THE RARER LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS OF — GEORGIA ” (1797). — In an initial study of ‘“‘Smith and Abbot” (93: 213-218) I suggested that the work had a long printing history, - and that its plates (some with new imprints) were available as late as | three decades after the original publication. I have since been conduct- — ing a census of copies of the entire work to collect additional data. | It has long been known that some copies of the book included — plates printed on paper with watermarks dated as late as the 1820s. Preliminary results of my census (based on thirty-five copies at the moment of writing) suggest that copies were made up from the Original sheets of text, watermarked 1794, and successive impressions of the plates. Later copies (still with the 1797 title and initial printing of the text) have plates with watermarks dated from 1817 to 1827, and some of these copies include one or more of the original plates with 1794 watermark dates. So “new” copies of the entire “1797” work were being issued as late as 1827 and perhaps later; one of the ““R. Martin” plates in the dos Passos set without text, discussed in my paper cited above, bears an 1828 watermark. Further data could well revise these estimates, and indicate an even more interesting bibliographical history. Hopefully more will be learned about the Martin imprints. A more complete report on the printing of “Smith and Abbot” will appear in time, and I would ap- preciate hearing from owners of copies I have not examined. — RONALD S. WILKINSON, 228 Ninth Street, N. E., Washington, D. C. 20002. CACOECIMORPHA PRONUBANA HBN. (LEP.: TORTRICIDAE): SUCCESSFULLY REARED ON ARTIFICIAL DIET, WITH A NOTE ON ITS DIAPAUSE REQUIREMENTS. —_ This species is generally polyphagous with a preference for Euonymus japonica (Bradley et al., 1973) and West (1982) while detailing some further foodplants, including imported foreign species, has pointed out that local preferences for food may be shown. In October last year I was given some unidentified ova which were laid on Oleander (Nerium oleander L.) growing in the London Butterfly House, at Syon Park, Middx. Similar eggs had also been laid on other plants. When these eggs hatched the young larvae resolutely refused to eat the Oleander leaves and those left with no other choice all died. When it was clear that they were not eating, the larvae were offered a choice of cabbage or artificial diet. The larvae immediately started feeding on both these foodplants, fed up and pupated successfully and the ee —— NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 123 resultant imagines proved to be C. pronubana. The artificial diet used was the cabbage formulae normally used for rearing Pieris brassicae L. It was formulated and used according to the methods described by Gardiner (1978). The moths obtained readily paired and the next generation was again reared on the diet or on cabbage. For convenience it was found that the moths readily oviposited on the sides of 60 ml plastic vials, into the bottom of which freshly-made diet could be poured. For ease of starting these very small larvae, it was found advisable to roughen the surface of the set diet by intensive scratching with a large needle, which was the most convenient instrument to use. The larvae were then changed onto fresh diet when they reached their final instar. At a temperature of 20-25°C the total development period was six weeks, with no difference between the natural food- plant, cabbage, or the diet-fed larvae. Most of the larvae were kept under a photoperiod of 18 hours light, 6 hours dark per day. A number however were kept on a 12 hour light 12 dark regimen and, the imagines not having emerged after two months, can now be concluded to be in diapause, thereby proving that C. pronubana has a facultative, light controlled diapause requirement. It is nor- mally (Bradley et al, 1973) a bivoltine species in this country, so this is not perhaps surprising. I have not previously seen a record of this species from any Brassica, and it can now be added to the ever-increasing number of species that can be successfully kept in culture on artifical diet. I suspect that it is not really necessary to use a cabbage-flavoured one howerer. References: Bradley, J. D., Tremewan, W. G., Smith, A. (1973) British Tortricid Moths. pp 251. Ray Soc., London. Gardiner, B.O.C. (1978) The preparation and use of artificial diets for the rearing of insects. Ent. Rec. & J. Var. 90, 181-184, 267-270, 287- 291. West, B. K. (1982) Cacoecimorpha pronubana Hbn., (Lep.: Tortricidae): Larval foodplants including damage to Skimmia japonica Thunb. Ent. Rec. & J. Var. 94: 38. — B. O. C. GARDINER, UICP, Dept. of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge. THE CHEQUERED SKIPPER: CARTEROCEPHALUS PALAEMON PALLAS IN ENGLAND, 1976. — Inviewof the considerable importance of this Journal as a historical record, may I point out that on the 6th June, 1976, I did see one newly emerged specimen of this butterfly on the site where it had been seen by other observers in 1975. — A. ARCHER-LOCK, 4 Glenwood Road, Mannamead, Plymouth, Devon PL3 SNH. A FEBRUARY DYTISCUS (COL., DYTISCIDAE). — I have rarely found beetles of this genus in my light-trap and was most surprised to find a female Dytiscus marginalis Linnaeus amongst the small catch of 1st/2nd February 1982 in the trap in my Axminster garden. Dr. Anthony Eve, who is collecting records of water-beetles from light-traps, tells me that this species flies mainly on hot nights and that this exceptionally early date is worth publication. — E. C. PELHAM-CLINTON, Furzeleigh House, Lyme Road, Axminster, Devon, EX13 SSW, 22.ii.1982. 124 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD WHAT’S IN A NAME? A SUGGESTION. — Having read A A Allen’s article (Ent. Rec., 94: 4) with interest, I am sure I will not be alone in suggesting the answer to his quiz question is aprilina. Why aprilina he asks, for an autumn-flying moth? Well, he says himself that some names are atrociously misspelt. Could this one — really be aphilina, without love? If so, we could call him the Un- loved, instead of the Merveille du Jour. Inany case why “du Jour’? He flies at night! — A.J. SHOWLER, 12 Wedgwood Drive, Hughen- den Valley, High Wycombe, Bucks. THE RED ADMIRAL ON THE WING IN DECEMBER 1981. — On December 26, at 11.15 AM. GMT., a dull cold morning, with the temperature a little above freezing, following two weeks of arctic weather, I saw a specimen of Vanessa atalanta (Linn.) fluttering on the outside of my conservatory window. On February 6, a fairly mild day, I saw the Peacock Butterfly, Inachis io (Linn.) on the wing in my garden. — S.C. S. BROWN, 158 Harewood Avenue, Bournemouth, Dorset. NEW HOSTPLANT RECORDS FOR CIONUS HORTULANUS (GEOFF) (COL., | CURCULIONIDAE) AND CHRYSOLINA FASTUOSA (Scop.) (COL., | CHRYSOMELIDAE). British species of the genus Cionus typically feed on species of Scrophularia and Verbascum (Scrophulariaceae), but their ability to colonise introduced species of Buddleja (Buddlejaceae) is well known (Read, 1977, Entomologist’s Gaz., 28 : 183-202). In 1937 Scott (Entomologist’s Mon. Mag., 73 : 29-34) recorded Cionus scrophulariae L. infesting Phygelius capensis E. Mey, The “‘Cape Figwort”’, at Charl- bury, Oxfordshire. I am aware of only one more recent British record of Cionus on this South African member of the Scrophulariaceae. G. H. Ashe (1949, Entomologist’s mon Mag., 85 : 74) remarks “in my garden” (at Gribblesmead, Colyton, South Devon) “Phygelius capensis is regularly devastated by Cionus spp”. On 5 July 1981 I collected a single female C. hortulanus (Fourc.) on P. capensis in an herbaceous border of the yard of the disused school at Longtown in the Olchon Valley, Hereford (SO 321 290). E. Milne-Redhead (pers. comm.) reports seeing a species of Cionus on P. capensis in August 1974 on the terrace of the house of Cmdr. R. M. Richards at Caerynwch, near Dolgellau, Gwynedd (SH 7617). Unfortunately he did not take a specimen. Chrysolina fastuosa (Scop.) is known to feed on Labiatae, es- pecially species of Galeopsis and Lamium (Freude, Harde & Lohse, 1966, Die Kafer Mitteleuropas, 9: 165). In June 1980 I was sent some specimens to identify from the garden of Mrs B. Will at the White Hills of Monymusk, by Inverurie, Aberdeen (NJ 61). C. fastuosa was present in such numbers on the labiate Prunella vulgaris L. that it become a pest on gooseberry bushes, Ribes uva-crispa L. This exemplifies the facility of some insects to accept non-related food plants when locally high populations “eat out” their usual host. Ribes spp. are not only in a different family, Grossulariaceae, but also in a different order, Tubiflorae. — R. COLIN WELCH, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Monks. Wood Experimental Station, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambs., PE17 2LS, 19.ii.82. 125 A REVIEW OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES IN 1981 By Dr. C.J. LUCKENS* For most species of butterfly in Britain 1981 seems to have been a poorer than average year. A fine warm spell in August pos- sibly saved the season from complete disaster, but the indifferent weather which prevailed from late Spring, until late July was pro- bably largely to blame for the general paucity of butterflies. Among the Satyridae, Maniola jurtina L. and Pararge aegeria L. were ex- ceptions to the general rule and did well nearly everywhere in Southern England. There were particularly good reports of jurtina from Wiltshire (around Warminster) and several aberrations turned up in this area. In Dorset also, jurtina was up to strength, but only average numbers were reported from East Sussex. P. aegeria was noticeably common in the Summer brood in Dorset in August, and I saw it everywhere in the scrubby areas of the coastal valleys around Worth and Swanage. This butterfly was also common in Hampshire and Wiltshire, and though the first brood was very sparse in Sussex, the second brood was up to normal strength. Melanargia galathea L. also had a fairly good year and has apparently increased its range in the Chilterns recently. In East Sussex however, it was reported to be below average and very local in 1981. The hot weather in August brought out a good hatch of Maniola tithonus L. but Eumenis semele L. I found very scarce in the Swanage coastal area. It is now very local on the East Sussex downs but in the few sites remaining it produced reasonable numbers. Reports from East Kent suggest that it still possibly occurs on the cliffs between Dover and Folkstone, where its continued presence has been in doubt recently. Semele was common, though worn, on the New Forest heathland around Beaulieu and Dibden during the last week of August. Aphantopus hyperantus L. has declined markedly in many areas in the South East over the last few years. In mid Sussex, in particular, the reduction has continued and the Ringlet is now very local. A similar situation seems to have occured in Kent, and, to a lesser extent, in South Hampshire. It was locally common in East Wilts in 1981 with some arete/caeca forms turning up in the County. The commoner Nymphalidae such as Aglais urticae L. and Nymphalis io L. had a patchy year. There were large numbers of the latter on our garden buddleias in Southampton but urticae was uncommon, and the temporary residents, Vanessa atalanta L. Vanessa cardui L., were almost non-existent until very late in the year and then there was a small sprinkling of each species. All recorders remarked on the scarcity of Polygonia c-album L. both broods in 1981. Limenitis camilla L. was late in appearing but in average num- bers in the Wilts woods. In Sussex it apparently had a very bad year with only four to five seen during several hours observation in per- viously favourable sites. Of Apatura iris L. there were somewhat *Swallowfield, Manor Road, Durley, Hants. SO3 2AF. 126 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD conflicting reports. I saw none in mid-August in the woods on the East Wilts and Hants border (where there has been extensive devas- tation) and I was informed by one of the wardens that very few had been seen this year. Other reports however, were of numerous sightings in the same area, and also, over the Hampshire border near Romsey, iris was reputedly frequent in at least two woods. The Purple Emperor apparently held its own in the West Sussex woods around Plaistow. It is pleasing that this magnificent butterfly continues to thrive in these areas in spite of vagaries of weather and forestry policy. Argynnis paphia L., also the subject of somewhat conflicting reports, was recorded from Wilts as up to strength but late and still flying up to the second week of September. In East Sussex it is local but still present in reasonable numbers around Lewes. In the Plaistow area around fifty could be seen in a few hours’ walking. There are no signs of serious decline further West in Devon and South Wales (Breconshire). A. aglaia L. had a patchy time, with poor numbers on the downs and woods west of Salisbury; but i saw a fair number in August in the East Wilts woods where the recent felling has harmed iris but possibly encouraged this fritillary. Aglaia was also plentiful in the Lulworth area of Dorset and in the Grange area in the Lake District. I have virtually no reports of Argynnis adippe D. & S. but that it was scarcer than usual in its West Wilts haunts. In South Hampshire the smaller fritillaries were common in one wood near Fareham which has been coppiced in two large areas and is currently in prime condition for both Clossiana selene D. & S. and C. euphrosyne L. The latter butterfly was the dominant species of the two, but both were abundant. In contrast, euphrosyne was uncommon in Crab Wood west of Winchester and in poor numbers in the Whiteparish area. Further east both continued to decline; particularly selene, which may now be absent from Kent and was reported as scarcer than for some years in East Sussex. Moderate populations of both still occur in the West Sussex woods but even here both have declined in the last few years. Further West selene tends to do better and in Breconshire is apparehtly holding its numbers quite well. The parlous state of Mellicta athalia Rott. in the West Country where only two colonies apparently now exist, has made it the subject of legislation. In Kent however, good numbers were recorded in mid-June in the Thornden area of the Blean woods. Euphydryas aurinia Rott. is impossible to assess on anything other than a strictly local basis. I saw a good number of male Marsh Fritillaries on June 6th in a locality unfortunately threatened with development, near Ringwood. In August there were plenty of larval webs in the same site. Earlier on in mid-April I found several larvae in a riverside locality near Tavistock. I heard however, that aurinia was scarcer than usual in some of the Argyllshire coastal colonies. Hamearis lucina L., formerly common in West Wood near Winchester, has gradually declined over the last few years, but 1981 was the first season I failed to see it there at all. The woods A REVIEW OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES IN 1981 Lo: still look suitable in several places however, and the butterfly might well survive at low density there. In East Sussex and Kent lucina was reported as local and rare in 1981. The weather patterns in general favoured the late summer broods of Lycaenidae and several of the blues did quite well in August and September. Happily, this applied to Lysandra bellargus Rott. which appeared in good numbers in coastal Dorset, from Swanage westward to Lulworth. I saw this jewel of a butterfly in half a dozen places around Worth during the last week in August and early September. There were also encouraging reports from Kent where reasonably good numbers flew at Queenborough and Detling, though at the Folkstone grounds it was still rather low. There is apparently only one surviving colony in Wilts where it is holding its own, but in the Sussex localities it has declined and bellargus was described as local and rare in both broods. In Surrey it occurs near Guildford and here also it appears to have stabilised its position in 1981. LZ. coridon Poda on the other hand, did not share in this modest resurgence and appears to have been relatively uncommon nearly everywhere. I have records from Dorset, Sussex, Wilts and Surrey all painting the same picture of greatly reduced numbers. Only in Kent is it described as fairly com- mon in 1981. This presumably refers to the Folkestone area where it has been low for a number of years and so, perhaps, represents an improvement. I thought the populations near Winchester showed reasonable promise in early August but coridon is slowly recovering from a low ebb here since 1977, and I did not expect great things. In the first brood, Polyommatus icarus Rott. seems to have been disasterously low in most areas, but inthe second brood the numbers were much better. Avicia agestis D. & S., on the other hand, was about in fair numbers in both broods, though its congener, A. artaxerxes Fab., was reported to be lower in numbers than usual in North West England around Morecambe Bay. Further north in Cen- tral Scotland it apparently enjoyed an average year. Cupido minimus Fuessl. was still present in early June on St. Catherine’s Down near Winchester, where it seems to just hang on year after year; I had only one report of a second brood and that was from Westbury in Wiltshire. Celestrina argiolus L. was virtually un-recorded in 1981; I saw a single specimen near Romsey in early May, but none at all in the usual places around Worth Matravers in August. Thecla quercus L. seemed very low in the Wiltshire woods in August, and in a favoured Romsey wood I found only small numbers of ova during the Winter. Thecla betulae L. on the other hand had the exceptional- ly fine weather during its flight period, and ova were found in good numbers in the Hampshire and West Sussex localities I visited during December. Strymonidia pruni L. I am informed was very late and low in numbers in Northamptonshire. I have no information regarding the colonies around Oxford or from over the border in ee ahire where I found it commonly at the end of June in The Spring Pierids were present in good numbers in South Hampshire in late April, but then declined, and the Summer broods 128 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD were surprisingly low in spite of better weather. Pieris brassicae L. was common at the end of August at the Winspit, however Antho- charis cardamines L. benefited from a good spell during its flight period in late April early May, and produced numerous imagines in this area. It showed up early in the season in South-West Surrey also, but in East Sussex the butterflies were very little in evidence though ova could be found easily. In general I believe the Orange Tip did not suffer unduly in 1981. The Brimstone also had an average season throughout the South and unusually good numbers of larvae were reported from mid Sussex. In some cases these virtually defoliated small buckthorns. Leptidea sinapis L. was both late and scarce in Salcey forest and a similar situation prevailed in the Dur- fold area of Surrey. I visited the sea cliffs between Seaton and Branscombe in South Devon in early June and found this delicate butterfly quite commonly on the rough grassy slopes. The last time I had visited these localities was in late July 1967, when several larvae were found on Lathyrus pratense but I failed to see imagines. The habitat did not seem to have suffered unduly in the interim. The small wood near Fareham which holds the thriving colonies of fritillaries also provided excellent conditions for Erynnis tages L. and Pyrgus malvae L. Both skippers were common in the open, coppiced parts of this wood. Elsewhere I have reports only from Sussex where both species were very local and scarce. Thymelicus lineola Ochs. continues to increase its range in Southern England, though numbers were not as good as usual in 1981. It was reported from Pewley Down near Guildford for the first time and has appeared recently in several other places in West Surrey where it was previously un- known. Its congener, T. actaeon Rott., was common in late August around Swanage and Worth Matravers — especially at the Winspit. It was also reported to have increased in numbers in the Lulworth area in comparison to a previous count in 1979. Hesperia comma L. hadanunremarkable year though records from the Dover area Suggest it is perhaps gaining strength there. It is extremely local in East Sussex (one or two sites only) but, within these limits, pro- duced an average brood in August. I have no data from Surrey, but in Hampshire numbers were maintained fairly well last year. In the West Highlands, Carterocephalus palaemon Pall. was in fairly good form last year, particularly in the colonies along the Great Glen. One of the Argyllshire sites was reported to be getting overgrown, but, in general, the butterfly is far more widespread in this area than formerly believed, and new colonies seem to turn up nearly every year. It is hoped that this report will continue on an annual basis and that in future there will be slightly less bias toward the Southern half of the country. I appreciate that there are many demands on the time and patience of lepidopterists regarding requests for informa- tion but I would be grateful if readers could find the time to send me records and general news of butterfly populations in 1982. | would like to thank the following lepidopterists for their contributions to this paper: Messrs K. N. Baskcomb, R. D. G. A REVIEW OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES IN 1981 129 Barrington, R. F. Bretherton, J. M. Chalmers-Hunt, F. Clouter (per J. M. Chalmers-Hunt), R. M. Craske, T. Melling, C. J. Randall (per J. M. Chalmers-Hunt), R. C. Revels, P. Sankey-Barker (per J. M. Chalmers-Hunt), P. Summers. I owe a special debt to the late Maj.-Gen. C. G. Lipscomb who, only a few days before his death, sent me a detailed report on Wiltshire butterflies. COLEOPHORA BINDERELLA KOLLAR — A NEW FOODPLANT. — Whilst collecting cases of Coleophora serratella L. which were feeding on the roadside Carpinus hedge to Finch Wood, Bonning- ton, Kent, on 21st. May 1981, I noticed a tricolorous case larva also feeding on the Hornbeam. It was reared on Hornbeam from the garden and the moth which subsequently emerged on 9th. July 1981 was referred to the British Museum whereupon Dr. J. D. Bradley kindly confirmed the species as Coleophora binderella. As far as I am aware Carpinus has not previously been recorded as a foodplant for this species in Britain. — N. F. HEAL, Fosters, Detling Hill, Nr. Maidstone, Kent. A NOTE ON TWO BRITISH TRACHYPHLOEUS SPP. (COL.: CURCU- LIONIDAE). — T: scabriculus L.: this is peculiar among our species in possessing a marked sexual difference in the anterior tibiae, one sex having strongly developed tooth-bearing digitate projections at the apex rather as in 7. spinimanus Germ., while in the other they are almost simple with much smaller teeth. Fowler (1891, Col. Brit. Isl., 5: 184) assigns the smaller teeth to the female, but that is in- correct, as may be easily proved by dissection; the large development of these structures is in fact a female character. Victor Hansen (1965, Danm. Faun., 69: 46) figures them for both sexes. Joy (1932, Pract. Handb. Brit. Beetles, 1: 180) makes no mention of a sexual difference; his figure of the tibia (2: 50, fig. 7) is of a male. Consequently a user of the book, unaware that such a disparity exists, might well find himself puzzled. T. digitalis Gyll.: some coleopterists, both here and abroad*, have tended to look on this as a small form of 7. spinimanus, and it is on the whole not well understood. The distinctions, not very fully stated in our literature, are slight but appear constant: digitalis is always smaller and of shorter form, with less numerous and less erect elytral setae which are much shorter, about twice as long as broad and thus scale-like — in spinimanus about four times, and thus bristle-like. The latter decisive character is figured by Hansen (Lc. supra: 47, figs. e,f). Further, Mr. J. A. Parry informs me that the spermatheca is quite different in the two species. 7. digitalis is little recorded with us and is perhaps mostly Kentish. It formerly occurred very sparingly with others of the genus in the chalk pit at Darenth; and I took one at the base of the cliffs at Freshwater, Isle of Wight (v.48), possibly a new locality. It is worth noting that males of digitalis are unknown, whilst those of spinimanus (known from mountain areas in France) are not found in Denmark (Hansen, l.c.: 49) and probably not in Britain. — A. A. ALLEN. *e.g. R. Frieser in Freude, Harde & Lohse, 1981, Die Kafer Mitteleuropas, 10:238. 130 LEPIDOPTERA IN IRELAND By the Rev. DAVID AGASSIZ* In the summer of 1981 my family and I spent our holiday in Ireland: a week in the Burren of Co. Clare, followed by a week each in Tralee, Co. Kerry and Roche’s Point, Co. Cork. It was not primarily an entomological trip, but several specimens were taken which seem worth recording. Four years previously I had followed the same tracks spending a week collecting in the Burren with Barry Goater & Dr. John Langmaid, after which I stayed for two weeks at Roche’s Point with my family. Records made then have not been published so they are included now. In both visits to the Burren the base was a caravan on Fanore Strand. The precise dates were for the Burren: 6 - 12 August 1977 and 24 - 31 July 1981; for Tralee: 1 - 6 August 1981 and for Roche’s Point: 13 - 29 August 1977 and 7 - 13 August 1981. For Co. Clare I include records of species which are not included by Bradley & Pelham-Clinton (1967), though there may well be other records, published or unpublished. Fanore is abbreviated F., other localities are specified. For one species, Dichomeris marginella Fabr. taken at Black Head, 11-vii-77 I have not traced any previous Irish record. Other species are: Nemophora minimella D. & S., F. ‘77, Murroogh & Caher River ‘81; Rhigognostis annulatella Cutt., F. 25-vii-81; Agonopterix subpropinquella Stt., F. bred *81; Epagoge grotiana Fabr., Rinnamona ‘77; Olethreutes schulziana Fabr., Rinnamona ‘77; Cydia gallicana Guen., Caher River 30-vii-81; Scoparia subfusca Haw., F. ‘77 & ‘81 + Black Head ‘77; Mecyna asinalis Hubn., Ballyvaughan & Black Head ‘77; Perizoma alchemillata Linn., F. ‘81; Eilema griseola Hubn., Ballyvaughan ‘77; Axylia putris Linn., Ballyvaughan ‘77 & F. ‘81; Graphiphora augur Fabr., F. 26-vii-81; Mythimna pallens Linn., F. ‘77 & ‘81; Mesoligia furuncula D. & S., F. & Black Head ‘77; Hoplodrina alsines Brahm, Black Head ‘77 & F. 81 and Abrostola trigemina Werneb., F. ‘81. In addition, on both visits Paraswammerdamia spiniella Hubn. was recorded and I feel it must be this Blackthorn-feeding species rather than the Birch-feeding Swammerdamia caesiella Hubn. which MA intended by Bradley & Pelham-Clinton when they recorded the atter. For the other localities I an including only such vice-county records as are not given by Beirne (1941), these are also supple- mentary to those I published previously (Agassiz, 1977). Records from North Kerry (vc. H2), Tralee: Psychoides filicivora Meyr.; Phyllonorycter nigrescentella Logan — mines; Plutella porrec- tella Linn., Coleophora benanderi Kanerva; Eulamprotes atrella D. & S.; Blastobasis lignea Wals.; Cnephasia conspersana Dougl.; C. stephensiana Doubl.; Gypsenoma dealbana Frol.; and Eurhodope advenella Zinck.. Also from Kerry Head Lobesia littoralis Humph. *10, High View Avenue, Grays, Essex. LEPIDOPTERA IN IRELAND 131 & Westw. and from the Slieve Mish Mountains: Digitivalva pulicariae Klim. and Epinotia mercuriana Frol.. Records from East Cork (vc. H5). Two species are not included in Beirne’s list so these may be the first Irish records: Monopis imella Hubn., Roche’s Point 9-vii-81 and Zeiraphera rat- zeburgiana Ratz. Rostellan 20-viii-77. Other species; all from Roche’s Point: Stigmella aurella Fabr. ‘77 & ‘81; Phyllonorycter messaniella Zell. mines ‘81; P. rajella Linn. ‘81; Digitivalva pulicariae Klim. ‘77 & ‘81; Schreckensteinia festaliella Hubn. ‘81; Coleophora discordella Zell. ‘77 & ‘81; C. trochilella Dup. ‘77; C. benanderi Kanerva “81; Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt. ‘77 & ‘81; Agono- pterix ulicetella Stt. ‘77; A. nervosa Haw. ‘81; Caryvocolum blandella Dougl. ‘77; Aproaerema anthyllidella Hubn. bred ‘81; Acompsia cinerella Cl. *81; Anarsia spartiella Schr. ‘81; Brachmia rufescens Haw. ‘81; Eupoecilia angustana Hubn. ‘77; Cochylis pallidana Zell. larvae *81; Archips podana Scop. ‘77: Clepsis consimilana Hubn. ‘77; Bactra lancealana Hubn. ‘81; Epinotia tenerana D. & S. ‘17, Epiblema roborana D. & S. ‘81: E. scutulana D. & S. ‘77; and Cydia splendana Hubn. ‘77. References Agassiz, D. J. L., 1977, Lepidoptera in the South of Ireland, Ent. ec, 89: 73. Beirne, B. P., 1941. A List of the Microlepidoptera of Ireland. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, XLVI, pp. 53-147. Bradley, J. D. and Pelham-Clinton, E. C., 1967. The Lepidoptera of the Burren, Co. Clare, W. Ireland, Ent. Gazette 18: 115-153. — ZYGAENA LOTI SCOTICA ROWLAND-BROWN ON MULL, 1981. — On 20th June, 1981, I revisited a locality for Zygaena loti scotica on the west coast of the Isle of Mull to which I had not been since the mid-1960s, when I paid three visits. On going to the chief haunt I found to my dismay that the areas of the hillside which were still free from bracken in the 1960s had been completely invaded by this tiresome fern and the flowery areas had completely disappeared. I realised this danger of course, but had hoped that the rock was too near the surface in the flowery areas for bracken to encroach any further. Z. purpuralis caledonensis Reiss and Z. filipendulae L. were also present in the 1960s. Neither of them could exist there now. I knew of a flowery bank not far away so I made for this spot, and to my great relief I found Z. loti scotica flying in good numbers. Their favourite flower was undoubtedly the Fragrant Orchid, Gym- nademia conopsea on which I was able to photograph the moth. No other burnets were there — too early no doubt — and the only other lepidoptera seen were a few Polyommatus icarus Rott. and Odezia atrata L. I went again to the site on 27th June on our return from spending a week on Iona, but all the burnets had gone. The area is very small, and bracken is threatening here too. The slope is steep and the rock is certainly very near the surface; but how long can this tiny colony last? — Rev. J. H. VINE HALL, “Rivendell”, 3 The Green, Melmerby, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 1HG. 132 SYNCOPACMA LARSENIELLA (GOZMANY): A HITHERTO UNDER-RECORDED SPECIES By R. J. HECKFORD* As a result of making some genitalia slide preparations in 1981, I discovered that all my specimens of a Syncopacma which | had previously determined as cinctella (Clerck) in fact were larseniella — (Gozmany). My specimens came from Cornwall, Devon and Somer- — set. Goater (1974) does not record Jarseniella from either Hampshire or the Isle of Wight and Emmet (1981) does not record it from Essex, although both record cinctella. However neither state whether the records were confirmed by examination of the genitalia. As I could find little published about Jarseniella | hope that the following note is of some interest. Stainton (1867), in describing taeniolella (Zeller), recognized ligulella (larseniella) and vorticella (cinctella) as distinct species, but stated that they were not readily distinguishable from each other. Taeniolella differs from both in that the distinct white fascia on the upper surface of forewing extends to the under surface and forms a costal spot on the hindwing. Meyrick (1928) sank Jigulella as a synonym of vorticella. How- ever Pierce and Metcalfe (1935) showed that Jigulella was a good species. Wolff (1958) then discovered that the type of Jigulella in Zeller’s collection was a specimen of vorticella. He named the now unnamed species Jarseniella. Gozmany was writing a paper on the Syncopacma at the time and knew of this. Therefore he named the species larseniella (Wolff). However Gozmany’s paper was published first, so the species must be named Jarseniella (Gozmany). Wolff illustrated only the male genitalia of the Syncopacma he described because of uncertainty of obtaining correctly determined females. He stated that larseniella ‘‘can hardly be separated from vorticella without examination of the genitalia.” I do not have any specimens of cinctella, but have compared my Jarseniella with cinctella in the British Museum (Natural History) and can find no macroscopic differences. The two species are readily distinguishable on the genitalia. I have bred both males and females from one smail locality and they agree with Pierce and Metcalfe’s illustrations of Jarseniella, save in two respects in the male. Wolff’s illustrations of the male are more accurate. Pierce and Metcalfe show the pegs at the uncus in two straight lines. Wolff shows theni as two diamond shaped groups and my specimens agree with this. Also, Pierce and Metcalfe show the vinculum arms as broad and rounded, but they are long and narrow (as shown by Wolff) although depending on the mounting they can look similar to Pierce and Metcalfe’s illustration. I failed to make a description of the larvae but noted that generally they agreed with Meyrick’s description of taeniolella. I took several larvae, which were nearly full grown, at three localities at Plympton, Devon between 25th. and 28th. May 1979. They were *67, Newnham Road, Plympton, Plymouth. A HITHERTO UNDER-RECORDED SPECIES is3 feeding between spun leaves of Lotus uliginosus. The adults emerged between 19th. and 23rd. June 1979: It seems that in the wild they emerge later, as the previous year I had taken several adults at one of the localities late in the afternoon on 21st. and 22nd. July. On 20th. June 1979 I found two larvae between spun leaves of Lotus uliginosus at Shapwick Heath, Somerset, whilst on a Nature Conservancy Council survey. These produced two adults on 10th. July 1979. My only specimen from Cornwall was taken at M.V.L. at Saltash on 11th July 1971. Dr. J. R. Langmaid has since dissected some of his cinctella and these have proved to be larseniella. They were taken in Hampshire, Petworth, Sussex and Ramsey, Essex. All of those which were bred were taken on Lotus uliginosus. Mr. E. C. Pelham-Clinton has one specimen from Hampshire and two females bred from L. uliginosus from Fingringhoe, Essex. I suspect that dissection of many presumed cinctella may show them to be Jarseniella. Perhaps larseniella is the commoner species. There are now confirmed records of this species from Vice-Counties Seeeo, 11, 13.and 19. I am grateful to Messrs J. R. Langmaid and E. C. Pelham-Clinton for allowing me to refer to their unpublished records. References Emmet, A. M., 1981. The smaller moths of Essex, 158pp. London. Goater, B., 1974. The Butterflies and Moths of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, xiv, 439pp. Faringdon. Meyrick, E., 1928. A revised handbook of the British Lepidoptera, 914pp. London. Pierce, F. N. and Metcalfe, J. W., 1935. The genitalia of the Tineid families of the Lepidoptera of the British Islands, xxii, 116pp., 68 pls. Oundle, Northants. Stainton, H. T. et al., 1867. The natural history of the Tineina, 10,ix,304pp, 8 col pls. London. Wolff, N. L., 1958. Further notes on the Stomopteryx group. Ent. Medadr, 28: 224-281 ,62 figs, 2 pls. ——————_—_——_ ALOPHORA S._ S. HEMIPTERA (FAB.) (DIPT., TACHINIDAE ) mVv¥C 69. — On 2 July 1982 I was collecting diptera visiting flowers, mainly Umbelliferae, on the edge of Holker Moss (SD 3579). During my visit I took two specimens of A. hemiptera, both females, and saw others but did not catch them. F. I. van Emden (Handbk. for the Identification of British Insects, X: Pt. 4 (a): 27) reports Hemiptera as occurring from Yorkshire southwards. My record is not however the most northerly for Britain as T. H. Pennington (Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 113: 256) records the species from Stirlingshire and also draws attention to the record by Crowson et al. (Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 102: 71) of specimens taken in central Ayrshire. — Dr. NEVILLE L. BIRKETT, Kendal Wood, New Hutton Cumbria LA8 OAQ. 28.iv.1982. 134 OBSERVATIONS ON LEPIDOPTERA IN THE CEVENNES, EASTER 1981 By J.S. E. FELTWELL, PhD., F.R-E.S., F.L.S., M.LBiol.! and G.N. BURTON, B.A., F.R.E.S.? Our study trip to the Cévennes in France (Gard, 30, & Hérault, 34) for the week 11 - 20 April 1981 revealed some interesting _ observations on larval foodplants, dwarfs, predation and parasitism, and some general notes on butterfly abundance and behaviour. Foodplants 1. Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena D. & S.) In one riverside mulberry meadow regularly grazed each week by goats, we found about a dozen freshly-emerged Southern Festo- ons lazily flying about and resting on various plants. The plants in the meadow were very diverse and included: Salad Burnet (Poterium sanguisorba), Cowslip (Primula veris), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), Spring Cinquefoil (Potentilla tabernaemontani), Jack by the Hedge (Alliaria petiolata), all of which were in flower, while others like Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) were pushing up. Scat- tered throughout the meadow were many groups of a very easily overlooked but distinctive member of the Birthworts (Aristolochia rotunda) on which the Southern Festoons were ovipositing; ova being laid on both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves and on the stems. The species was also observed in another riverside mea- dow, about two miles from the first. It was, again, ovipositing on A. rotunda, which was not uncommon in small patches. Almost every leaf had at least one ovum on it and the largest accumulation found was fifteen on one leaf. An effort, on the part of G.B., to rear a limited number of ova proved very difficult and ultimately failed, despite the generous help afforded by Mr. Robert Goodden (World- wide Butterflies) and Mr. J. S. Keesing (Living Collection Division, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew). A sufficient supply of A. rotunda or A. clematitis was unobtainable and other Aristolochia spp. were not accepted with any real interest. 2. Morocco Orange Tip (Anthocharis belia L.) Further South, near St. Guilhem-le-Désert, in Hérault, A. belia and Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) were in abundance. Females of A. belia were observed ovipositing on the tall but thinly-branched yellow crucifer Biscutella lyrata. They seemed to prefer to deposit their eggs on the tightly-closed panicles and fluttered all the time, while depositing their single eggs very quickly. When ova were removed for rearing purposes, it was found that they fed quite happily on one of the normal foodplants of A. cardamines, Sisym- wee officinalis. We have not found this listed as a foodplant of . belia. I Marlham, Henley Down, Catsfield, E. Sussex, TN33 9BN. 2Mar-y-Mar, Minster Drive, Minster, Sheppey, Kent ME12 2MG. OBSERVATIONS ON LEPIDOPTERA IN THE CEVENNES, EASTER 1981 135 3. Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra L.) A female of G. cleopatra was seen ovipositing on the leaves of an oak species which had already lost its early Spring flowers. We have been unable to identify leaves removed for the purpose and the two ova collected failed to hatch. 4. Fritillaries. Not many fritillaries were on the wing. Only a single specimen of the Queen of Spain (Ussoria lathonia L.) and a fair number of Violet Fritillaries (Clossiana dia L.) were seen, but a large number of Fritillary larvae were found feeding on the leaves of Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis) and Rock Speedwell (Veronica fruticans). The larvae continued to feed avidly on C. muralis in captivity. Fifteen were reared through to the final instar; two died, eight proved to be parasitised and five pupated safely. The latter emerged in May, proving to be Mellicta deione Geyer the Provencal Fritillary. The parasite cocoons and resultant hymeno- ptera were submitted to Dr. Mark Shaw (Royal Scottish Museum) for identification. They were Apanteles melitearum Wilkinson (a regular parasite of Euphydryas aurinia Rott. and Melitaea cinxia L. in Britain and of Melitaea and Mellicta spp. in France.). A. melitearum is double-brooded on a single host generation. The first brood come out soon after the hosts break diapause, quickly emerge from the pupa and then re-parasitise the same host generation a couple of instars later. Dwarfs Small specimens of five species were seen on the trip. Both species of Orange Tip, in which dwarfs are often recorded, were seen; a small female A. cardamines L. was seen feeding on Honesty (Lunaria annua) but was unmeasured and a male A. belia proved to have wingspan of 15mm. (from centre of thorax to tip of forewing), — normal: 20mm. A Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi L.) had a wingspan of 10mm. (normal: 15mm.) and a Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius L.) one of 30mm. (normal: 40mm.). The Baton Blue (Philotes baton Bergstrasser) was very variable in size — ranging from 10 - 15mm. The underside colouring was equally variable. Abundance It is worth drawing attention to the abundance of certain but- terflies and moths, as the degree of abundance fluctuates from one year to the next. For instance, this Spring the Large White (Pieris brassicae L.) and the Orange Tip (A. cardamines) were extremely common compared with previous Springs. So too were two Medi- terranean species, the Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena) and the Nettle-Tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis Laicharting) which feeds on the Nettle Tree (Celtis australis ). The latter has seen a steady increase in numbers over the last few years, such that it can now 136 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD be regarded as frequent rather than rare. The Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius) is still very common; while the Swallowtail (Papilio machaon L.) is always infrequent. A figure of at least 50 : 1 in favour of J. podalirius can be put on these two Swallowtails, although there is an abundance of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) in the valley. . Two species which are rare in England were frequent in the Cévennes : The Camberwell Beauty (Nymphalis antiopa L.) found mostly flying in sheltered valleys, where there was an abundance of Willows, and the Large Tortoiseshell (Vymphalis polychloros La many specimens of which were bedraggled. Other items of interest 1. In one of the Southern Festoon meadows we saw a Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae Esper) which had been caught by a yellow spider lurking in the head of a Dandelion (Taraxacum sp.). 2. We observed a fourth instar larva of Mellicta deione being parasitised by a small black hymenopteron (see above). The latter was securely fastened to the larva towards the anal end and the larva was writhing about in its efforts to dislodge the parasite, which remained in position for about thirty seconds, only flying away when the larva wriggled off the stone it was on in a wall and fell to the ground. 3. On one occasion a Camberwell Beauty (NV. antiopa) flew for some time along the road in front of our car and, with no par- ticular effort, maintained a speed of about 26k.p.h. (17m.p.h.). Heterocera The surprise at the MV lamp was the appearance of the large Saturniid Saturnia pyri D. & S. a species that, up to this year, has been rare. It has not always appeared at the MV lamp, being seen in previous years at lighted windows. Two males were attracted to the light on the 12th., two on the 15th., and three on the 17th. Only one female came to the light, on the 12th. Our neighbour, M. Patrick Ducros, who has operated the light in our absence, has only recorded the moth once in six years. One of us (J.F.) has only seen the large green larva once in the area, when it was floating down a swollen river in 1968. The Emperor moth (Saturnia pavonia L.) was out, but not at the light. M. Patrick Ducros recorded a pair in cop. at Cambulon on the 11th. April and a fresh female was found flying by day on the 12th. This latter failed to attract males, although she was placed outside for almost a week. | One of the other attractions at the light was the Double Lunar Stripe (Minucia lunaris D. & S.) which is always very common and exists in two colour forms, a slate blue and a grey. Although we ran the MV lamp every night, the cold, clear weather and full moon resulted in very limited catches, only one : | | } OBSERVATIONS ON LEPIDOPTERA IN THE CEVENNES, EASTER 1981 137 other species being of interest. On the 14th. we caught a Noctuid which we were quite unable to identify. It appeared similar to the Middle Eastern tribe Armadini. It was finally identified by Mr. M. R. Honey (B.M.N.H.) as Aleucanitis cailino Lefebvre, a species whose range extends from the French Mediterranean littoral to the Southern Mediterranean and the Middle East (Syria). The species is not uncommon at Cabane Vieille as M. Patrick Ducros had taken several specimens in this and preceding years. Rhopalocera Overall we recorded 35 species, full details of which are given below. HESPERITDAE Pyrgus malvae malvoides Elwes & Edwards, quite common. P. onopordi Rambur, two or three only. Carcharodus alceae Esper, common. PAPILIONIDAE Papilio machaon L., two or three only; rare. Iphiclides podalirius feisthamelii Duponchel, common. Zerynthia polyxena cassandra Hiibner-Geyer, common in two meadows only. PIERIDAE Pieris brassicae (L.), very common. Artogeia napi (L.), very common. Artogeia rapae (L.), common, but less frequent than the preceding two species. Anthocharis cardamines (L.), very common in Gard and Hérault. Anthocharis belia euphenoides Staudinger, very common in Herault. Absent from Gard. Colias crocea Geoffroy in Fourcroy, a few only. Gonepteryx rhamni (L.), very common in Gard & Hérault. Gonepteryx cleopatra (L.), very common in Hérault, less so in Gard. Leptidea sinapis (L.), a few only. LYCAENIDAE Lycaena phlaeas (L.), fairly common. Heodes tityrus Poda, not uncommon in Gard; not seen in Hérault. Callophrys rubi (L.), common. Cupido minimus Fuessli, a few only. Everes alcetas Hoffmannsegg, two only in Hérault. Celastrina argiolus (L.), common. 138 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Pseudophilotes baton Bergstrasser, common. Size very variable (10-16mm.) Polyommatus icarus Rottemburg, two only in Gard. LIBYTHEIDAE ! Liby thea celtis Laicharting, quite common. | NYMPHALIDAE Nymphalis polychloros (L.), quite common in Gard. Not seen in Hérault. N. antiopa (L.). Not uncommon in Gard. One only seen in Hérault. Inachis io (L.), common. Vanessa atalanta (L.), several seen in both Départements. Aglais urticae (L.), common. Issoria lathonia (L.), one only in Gard. Clossiana dia (L.), common in Gard. Not seen in Hérault. Mellicta deione Geyer, larvae very common in Gard on Cymbalaria muralis. SATYRIDAE Coenonympha pamphilus (L.), a few in both Départements. Pararge aegeria (L.), a few in both Départements. Lasiommata megera (L.), common. Acknowledgements We would like to thank especially for their help:— Mr. R. F. Bretherton, for his advice on foodplants; M. Patrick Ducros, for supplying information about his moth-trap captures; Mr. R. Goodden & Mr. J. S. Keesing, for providing Aristolochia spp.; Mr. M. R. Honey, for determination of Aleucanitis cailino; Dr. M. Shaw, for determination of and information about Apanteles melitearum. References Bretherton, R. F. 1966. A distribution list of the Butterflies (Rhopalocera) of Western & Southern Europe. Trans. Soc. Brit. Ent., 17 (1): 1-94 Feltwell, J. S. E. 1977. Check list of the Rhopalocera of the Parc National des Cévennes, Ent. Gaz. 28: 85-97. Gomez- Bustillo, M. R. & Ferndndez-Rubio, F. 1974-1978. Mariposas de la Peninsula Ibérica, I-IV. ICONA, Madrid. Herbulot, C. 1965, 1972. Lépidoptéres de France, Il, Ill. N. Boubee et Cie, Paris. Higgins, L. G. & Riley, N. D. 1970. Butterflies of Britain and Europe. Collins, London. Higgins, L. G. 1975. The Classification of European Butterflies. Collins, London. Fitter, R., Fitter, A. & Blamey M. 1974. The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe. Collins, London. 139 THE HISTORY OF EUCHROMIUS OCELLEA (HAWORTH) (LEP: PYRALIDAE) IN BRITAIN By BERNARD SKINNER* It was the capture of a specimen of Euchromius ocellea in November 1981 that prompted me to research the past history in Britain of this rare immigrant Pyrale. Since the first published record in 1812, several authors, namely South (1890), Donovan (1932), Beirne (1952) and Huggins (1958), have attempted to publish up-to-date accounts of this species’ history; without exception each of these accounts contains at least one or more important errors and it was because of this that I decided to compile a, hopefully, accurate list of all the twenty five British records. In each case, the original published record was checked, and where conflicting dates or localities appeared in print, then reference was made either to the data attached to the specimen or to the captor’s field diaries. Although the life history of ocellea remains unknown, there is little evidence to support the views expressed by earlier authors that the larva might be associated with stored food products and that its occurrence in this country is due to accidental importation. On the contrary, a number of the ocellea to visit this country have arrived in the company of recognised immigrant species, proving its status beyond doubt. On two occasions, in 1967 and 1981, it appeared on the same night as Tathorhynchus exsiccata (Lederer), a Noctuid species suspected of originating from either South-East Europe or North Africa, and of which only nine specimens have been recorded from the British Isles. The Records One in garden, early Spring circa 1812, London Suburbs, captor not named, (A. H. Haworth, Lepidoptera Britannica (1812) p.486). One while sallowing, mid March 1861, Glamorgan, captor not named, (H. T. Stainton, Ent. Ann. 1862: 110). One at light, first week of September 1865, near Dumfries, Mr Lennon, (G.J.Hearder, Ent. mon. Mag., 3: 139). One, 20th January 1867, St. Helens, Isle of Wight, J. Rogers, (A. E. Wright, Entomologist, 65:80). One while beating, February’ 1869, Eastham Wood, near Liver- eo oo T. J. Roxborough,? (C.S. Gregson, Entomologist, - 249). Two, February 1869, Cheshire Coast, captor not named, (C. S. Gregson, Entomologist, 4: 263). One male at rest on grass stem, 4th August 1879, Folkestone *5 Rawlins Close, Addington, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 8JS. 1 Repeatedly given as March. 2One assumes that the erroneous reference to the county of Roxborough in Beirne (1952) derived from the name of the captor of the first Cheshire specimen. 140 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Warren, Kent, S. Webb, (Webb, Ent. mon. Mag., 16: 101). One, 21st February 1899, New Forest, Hants, H. Ashby, (Ashby, Entomologist, 32:258). One at window light, Sth October 1921, Grange-over-Sands, | Lancs, A. E. Wright, (Wright, Entomologist, 55: 38). | One, 22nd May 1923, Charmouth, Dorset, W. D. Lang, (N. D. | Riley, Entomologist, 57: 90). | One disturbed during day, 11th September 1928, New Forest, | Hants, E. S. Craske, (J. W. Metcalfe, Entomologists, 62: 78). | One on the wing at night, 23rd January 1932, Timoleague, Co. — Cork, G. E. Lucas, (C. Donovan, Entomologist, 65:67). One at light, 17th February 1950, Hawley, Hants, A. W. Richards, (Richards, Entomologist, 83: 278). One at m.v.l., 10th March3 1957, Maidencombe, Devon, F. H. Lees, (S. T. Stidston, Trans. Devon Assc. 90:202). One at m.v.l., 30th May 1958, Martyr Worthy, Hants, D. W. ffennell, (ffennell, Entomologist, 91: 262). One male at m.vl., 7th September 1958, Dungeness, Kent, D. More, (H. C. Huggins, Entomologist, 92: 26). One at m.v.l., 13th September 1958, Maidencombe, Devon, F.H. Lees, (R. A. French, Entomologist, 92: 176). One at mv.l., 13th June 1964, Mitcheldever, Hants, C. H. Dixon, (Dixon, Ent. Record., 76: 243). One, 31st January 1966, Horrabridge, Devon, R. J. Revell, (H. A. Kennard, Trans. Devon Assc., 98:56). One, 30th January 1967, Torquay, Devon, H. E. Marshall, (R. A. French, Entomologist, 104:217). One at m.v.l., 3rd February 1967, Martyrworthy, Hants, D. W. ffennell, (ffennell, Ent. Gaz. 18: 56). One female at m.vl., 23rd January 1969,4 Burlesdon, Hants, I. A. Watkinson, (B. G. Goater, Butts & Moths of Hampshire (1974), 175). ee at m.v.l., 14th October 1978, Usk, Monmouthshire, G. A. N. Horton, (Horton, Ent. Rec., 91: 26). One male at m.vl., 22nd November 1981, Wye, Kent, (B. Skinner). Acknowledgements My thanks go to R. F. Bretherton and the Rotharnsted Experi- mental Station for advice and confirmation of records, and to L. Christie and T. J. Dillon for extracting information from their private libraries. References Beirne B. P., 1952. British Pyralid and Plume Moths Pp. 68-69 Donovan C., 1932. The Crambid, Eromene ocellea in co. Cork. Entomologist, 91: 123-5. South R., 1890. Additions to the British List of Deltoids, Pyralides, and Crambi, since 1859. Entomologist, 23: 300. 3Recorded in error as the 12th February in Trans. Devon Assoc. 90: 202. 4 Recorded in error as 1970 in Proc. Brit. Ent. & Nat. Hist. Soc. 4: 11. a 141 THE IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERA TO THE BRITISH ISLES IN 1981, INCLUDING THAT OF THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY: DANAUS PLEXIPPUS L. By R. F. BRETHERTON* and J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT ** (Concluded from page 87) ANNEXE III The Monarch or Milkweed Butterfly (Danaus plexippus L.) in 1981. The records listed below are essentially of sightings only, since few of the butterflies are known to have been caught. Almost half of them came from the numerous watchers in the Isles of Scilly who were primarily engaged in studying the simultaneous immi- gration of at least a dozen species of North American birds. We understand that, as with the birds, multiple sightings of the same butterfly were as far as possible eliminated from the daily totals; but in the limited areas of the islands repetitive sightings of the same insect must surely have been frequent during some 20 days of record spread over five weeks. The largest number mentioned as having been seen in one spot simultaneously was three or four round an apple tree on St. Agnes on September 26/7, though there are also references to “several” roosting collectively on various days among Monterey pines near the airport of St Mary’s. Some duplication may also have occurred as the Monarchs moved about on the mainland of Cornwall and South Devon and elsewhere. It is therefore not possible to estimate how many individuals are represented by more than 130 sightings listed. It is however safe to say that the immigration of 1981 was of at least the same order as those of 1933 (40 records) and 1968 (65), which were by much the largest since the species was first noted here in 1876. Four forerunners of the invasion were seen on September 24, curiously spread between the Isle of Man after a severe south- westerly night gale, Co. Kerry, St Mary’s, Scilly, and one observed 100 miles further south at sea off Ushant, which perhaps did not reach Britain. On September 25 there were over a dozen sightings, with Scilly in the van but with singles in Cumberland, West Cornwall, South Devon, South Hampshire, Pembrokeshire, and even co. Wex- ford, all in near-coastal localities; in the three following days, Sep- tember 26 to 28 over 40 were reported, including nine in Pem- brokeshire, one in Dorset and a single presumably fellow travelling American Painted Lady (Cynthia virginiensis Drury) in Glamorgan. Weather maps and wind directions show September 24, 25, and daylight hours of 26 as the most likely period for actual arrivals of *Folly Hill, Birtley Green, Bramley, Guildford, Surrey GUS OLE. ** 1 Hardcourts Close, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9LG. 142 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Monarchs in south-west Britain; on the night of September 26 and until 30 there was a clear-cut influx of nocturnal immigrants, mainly Herse convolvuli and Rhodometra sacraria, which probably originated in Spain or North Africa, and came with a rather more southerly air stream. Further arrivals of Monarchs in October seem unlikely; a pronounced recovery in the number of sightings from October 4 to 7 is probably attributable to better weather and more observation over the week-end. Many reports indicate that the first instinct of Monarchs after arrival was to feed at almost any garden or wild flowers available; buddleia, michaelmas daisies, sedum, golden rod, fuchsia, hydrangea, heather, gorse are all mentioned as attractive to them. In Scilly a number seem to have settled down, and the records of them con- tinue until October 27. Their habit, noted by several observers, of roosting gregariously upside down on Monterey pines agreed with American experience of their preparations for hibernation in the south; a watch for possible survivors even in Scilly should be kept in the spring of 1982. Others, including that seen at sea between Scilly and Penzance on September 28, moved on. The paucity of October records in mainland Cornwall and South Devon may be due to outward movement, which reached far enough along the South Coast to provide four sightings in Sussex between September 30 and October 10; two seen in Merioneth on October | and 4 probably came north from Pembrokeshire. About the only example reported far inland, one seen near Thame, Oxfordshire there is doubt, as it had been suggested that this may have resulted from local rearing of larvae in captivity. The simultaneous presence of so many North American pitta makes it clear that this compact invasion of Monarchs originated there, and not in the other possible sources in the Canary Islands or Madeira, from which, to judge from their associations with other immigrant species, a few examples may have come in other years. Meteorological information shows that some of the annual south- ward movement of Monarchs in North America must have been diverted, probably in the states of New Hampshire and New York on September 20 or 21 by very strong west and south west winds which blew in a broad arc round a very deep depression, which moved quickly across the north Atlantic and gave fronts which crossed Britain on September 24 and 25. This implies a flight of about 3,500 miles taking about three or four days. It is apparently not known how far Monarchs use mainly gliding flight or add substantially to wind speed in such migrations; but American evi- dence has shown that their flight is impaired at temperatures below 50° F., so that they are unlikely to travel at high altitudes. Since on trans-Atlantic flight they cannot pause to feed, their net con- sumption of fat must be large, and this may diminish their powers of long survival after they have arrived; at least it explains their observed urgent desire for refreshment then. The invasion of 1981 differed somewhat from the last big influx, which was in 1968 (J. F. Burton, Animals 12: 122-6; R. A. French, Entomologist 105: 260). The four forerunners were noted IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERA TO THE BRITISH ISLES IN 1981 —:143 from August 9 to September 24, and the main arrivals, which began on October 2, were probably less concentrated in date and had their points of impact in south east Devon and Dorset, which provided 45 of the 65 records. These included, however, two reports of ten seen together, on October 6 and in mid October; and the trail of records lasted until November 11. The internal spread was much wider, with single records far inland in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Yorkshire. Since then, two D. plexippus were reported in 1969 and singles in 1971, 1972, 1974 and in each year from 1977 to 1980, not all of which are above suspicion of being escapes or releases from captivity. There was a small but definite immigration in 1970, when seven or eight were seen, as well as two C. virginiensis, and another in 1973, of which there were over a dozen reports. As some of these records from 1969 to 1980 have not been published, they have been listed at the end of this note. The Record AT SEA. Off Ushant, 46° N 58° 7902°W, September 24, 3.30 pm., flying round s.s. Canberra, one; an American Purple Martin also seen (R. Burridge per M. Rogers); seen from m.v. Scillonian midway between Penzance and Isles of Scilly, September 28. CORNWALL, ISLES OF SCILLY. Daily numbers sighted by bird- watchers (per D. Hunt and R. D. Penhallurick): St Mary’s, September 24 (1); 25 (6 plus); 26 (5 plus); 27 (1 plus); 28 (2); 30 (5); October 1 (1); 4 (1); 5 © plus); 6 (2); 7 (4); 10 (1); 15 )7 1246); 13:(2);3.14 (1);.15 (1); 18 GB); 22 (1). St Agnes, 25 (1); 27 (3); 28 (1); October 5 (1); 6 (1); 7 (1). Gugh, Sep- tember 25 (1). St Martin’s, October 5 (1). Tresco, September 26 (1); 27 (2); 30 (1); October 4 (1); 12 (1). Other records, some probably included in the numbers above: St Mary’s September 24/27, one seen on several occasions (Prof. Harvey per D. Agassiz), 28. one seen on a tamarisk hedge by St Nicholas church, Old Town (M. J. Zealley per RDP); October 13 and 18, one seen beside the airport (M. Sell per R. I. Lorimer); 13, one watched by J. Randall near the airport, imbibing resin from a pine tree; other reports of these Monterey pines serving as a roost and base for flights during bright days (Archer-Lock, Ent. Rec., 93: 201); 27, one gliding along young pines; settled; flying into mature pines (Foggitt, Ent. Rec., 93: 202). St Agnes, September 26/27, four reported around an apple tree, which also contained an American Magnolia Warbler (Foggitt, ibid. ). St Martin’s, September 26 or 27, one followed along the coast from opposite Plumb Island to White Island (K. & J. Jamieson per D. Hunt). CORNWALL, W. Kynance, September 25 (or possibly 24), a.m., one watched crossing the stream and settled on montbretia (Mr & Mrs Marrifield per RDP); 25, Nancledra, one watched on fuschia and buddleia (E. M. P. Simpson per RDP, and Smith, Ent. Rec., 93: 201); 26, Lizard Downs, about noon moving 144 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD south and feeding on Erica vagans (Major-Gen. P. G. Turpin per RDP); St Levan near Lands End, by Mr. Garceau (Smith, ibid., and RDP); 27 Ashton near Breage, on buddleia and hydran- gea (J. Fairbrass per RDP); Mylor Harbour, sighted from boat (J. Cook & M. Hillyer per RDP); Kennack, 28.9, before noon, flying and settling on a hedge with buddleia nearby; Hayle, before noon, flying over lucerne (Mrs C. Cook per RDP); Lamorna, seen for % hour about noon, mostly on escallonia; photographed; flew westwards (D. Tangye per RDP); Loe Pool, Porthleven, 3 p.m., flying along a path and among reeds (Major-Gen. P. G. Turpin per RDP); between Lizard and Housel Bay, 30, 3p.m., one seen from cliff path being blown along the cliff face towards Housel (Mr & Mrs R. J. Williams per RDP); Mount Hawke, late September, on a bush by the main street (Mrs Battersby per RDP); 29 or 30, Housel Bay, one seen flying south west on the cliffs at Housel Bay east of Lizard, finally turning inland and disappearing near the lighthouse (D. Wills per B. Elliot). CORNWALL, E. Near Black Head, St. Austell, September 27, about noon, one settled on heather (Dr G. Potts per G. M. Spooner); Nare Head, 6 p.m., settled on gorse, then flying off in relaxed flight and returning eastwards (G. P. Gill per RDP); 28, near Gorran Haven, a male picked up dying in the road (Miss F. Dunn per RDP); 30, Duchy Nurseries, Lostwithiel, a damaged female found on brambles and taken home, where it was still alive on November | (B. Jackson per RDP). CUMBERLAND, Sellafield, on coast north of railway station, Sep- tember 25, one female caught by F. Downton (Kydd, Ent. Rec., 94: 37). DEVON, N. Tunnels Beach, Ilfracombe, early October, one cap- tured by K. Wilson and retained (Western Morning News, 6.x. 1981) Lundy Island, 25.9, one arriving over the sea at the landing beach, then again flying inland; seen frequently by other observers during the following week (C.W. Dee). DEVON, S. September 25, Noss Mayo, one seen at close quarters on buddleia and flying northwards (G. M. Spooner per RDH); 25 or 26, one seen in Plymouth City Centre (per Plymouth City Museum); 26, Plymstock, about noon, one flying eastwards ahead of car (Dr. Q. Bone per G. M. Spooner); 27, Kingsbridge, one seen over michaelmas daisies, and another at Prawle Point among bracken (V. Tucker per RDP, and Archer-Lock, Ent. Rec., 93: 199); 27, near Slapton Ley, probably three insects in several hours, one of which frightened a stonechat from its gorse perch; another, found damaged on the beach, remained alive in Plymouth Museum for about two weeks (A. Archer- Lock, V. Tucker and other observers); ? 26 or 27, Arreton Gifford, one reported by telephone (G. M. Spooner per RDH); 28, Prawle Point, four seen between 1 and 6 p.m. on the same ground as on 27 (P. J. Hopkin); Slapton, October 6, one seen (per RDP); no exact date, Newton Ferrers, two (per RDP). —— oO — aaesnaleprepatien Seana las IMMIGRATION OF LEPIDOPTERA TO THE BRITISH ISLES IN 1981 145 DORSET. Winspit, Worth Matravers, September 26, one seen and identified (Dr R. Green); undated, Portland Bill, two, and another nearby (per RDH). HAMPSHIRE, S. Lymington, September 25, a female caught flying in a neighbour’s garden and retained (A. Harmer); 27, one seen closely after flying in from the sea at Pennington Marshes (Mr & Mrs R. Allison per B. Goater); 30, Fareham, one at buddleia at 11.30 a.m. and the same one (or another) the following day (Mrs. J. Carpenter). October 13, one flying over the seawall, then NNE inland (G. R. Elliott). ISLE OF MAN. Ballakaighan, Castletown, September 24, in SW wind after severe south westerly gale, one, probably male, hovered briefly over golden rod, settled on a willow tree, and moved northwards over open farmland (Hedges, Ent, Rec., 93: 202). [OXFORDSHIRE. Long Crenden near Thame, no exact date, one seen flying in a garden by Mrs B. Woodell (per Brian Wildridge; Guardian, 20.x.1981 refers). Possibly an escape.] SUSSEX, E. Pett, October 1, one (M. Cowell per CRP); Rottingdean, 8, one (J. Woodman per CRP). SUSSEX, W. Kingston Gorse, Worthing, 30.9, one watched by Col. Searle on nettles for 2% minutes (Col. Searle per Church, Ent. Rec., 93. 202); Church Norton, Pagham Harbour, October 10, one watched flying about churchyard and into adjacent clump of conifers (E. Rayner pers. comm.; Guardian, 21.x.1981 refers). WALES CARMARTHENSHIRE. Pembrey, September 28, four seen on sedum and michaelmas daisies (Mrs Watson per J. Comont). GLAMORGAN. Penrice Castle, Gower, September 28, one American Painted Lady (Cynthia virginiensis Drury) seen on flowers and ground (Lipscomb, Ent. Rec., 93: 242). MERIONETHSHIRE. Dyfi N. N. R., October 1, one seen flying south west over the estuary (R. Bovey per J. Heath); 4, Pen- maen Pool, Dolgellau, one seen in a garden by Dr P. I. Clark (Kydd, Ent. Rec., 94: 37). PEMBROKESHIRE. Dale Fort Marine Field Station, Dale Point, September 25, one feeding at flower bed (M. Rodgers). St Ishmaels, September 26, one (N. Young per J. Comont); St Clears, one (R. Howells per JC); 27, Littlehaven, one (G. Brace per JC); 29, Skomer Island, one (Mrs R. Alexander per J. Heath); October 4, Gelliswirk, one (Mrs Rusper per JC); 5, Preseli, one landed on car near the ITV mast (Mrs Connor per JC) 7, Haverfordwest, one in garden (per JC). IRELAND CORK, W. Cape Clear Island bird observatory, September 29, one (per R. F. Haynes). GALWAY. Galway City, October 2, one seen in a garden (per R. F. Haynes). 146 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD KERRY, S. Inch Sound near Killarney, September 24, one resting on Marram grass, and seen again by others later that day (J. Kirsley ). WEXFORD, Gt. Saltee Island, September 25, one (per R. F. Haynes). The authors are especially grateful to R. D. Penhallurick of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, Truro; to John Heath, National Biological Records Centre; to J. Comont, Haverfordwest, Dyfed; to D. Hunt, of Scilly, and R. F. Haynes, of Killarney, for their help and advice for the preparation of this list. It is, however, cer- tainly far from complete, and further records will be very welcome for later publication. 1969 - 1980 1969 NORFOLK, E. Ditchingham, 7.9. (per French). HANTS, S. Winchester, 9.9. (per French). 1970 CORK, W. Fota Is., end May/early June (per French). CORNWALL, W. Ruan Minor, August, three or four seen on buddleia, one later on hydrangea (L. A. Bean in RDP, The Lizard, 1975: 24). DORSET. Weymouth, 25.9. (per French). SOMERSET, N. Ashcott, end Aug./early Sept. (per French). SUSSEX, W. Pagham, Sept, Ist week (Gammon in Rayner, Nat. Hist. of Pagham Harbour, 2: 65). 1971 CORNWALL, W. Carlyon Bay, July, one seen on cliffs (Miss M. E. Matthews in RDP, ibid. ). 1972 DORSET. Greenhill, 23.8 (per French). 1973 SCILLY. St Mary’s Garrison Walk, 4.10, one seen by five people (French in C-H, BENHS 7: 58); 7/14.10, probably three (P.R.G. Marriott in RDP, ibid.), St. Agnes, mid 10 (R. P. Demuth, Ent. Rec., 86: 72); CORNWALL, W. Porthleven, 20.9, on cliff, identified by A. J. Moore (French in C-H, ibid; Lieut. Comdr. P. A. E. Bland in RDP, ibid.) St Ives or Carbis Bay, early 10, one said to have been seen (RDP, ibid.). CORN- WALL, E. between Halton Quay and Weir Quay, flying over Tamar (Dr. F. H. N. Smith in RDP, ibid.); Fowey School, 19.9., mid-day, female caught and photographed, now in BM (Nat. Hist.) (J. T. O’Neill in RDP, ibid.). DEVON, N. Porlock, 30.9, female caught (H. M. Chappel in C-H, ibid.). HANTS, N. Kingsclere, early July, one seen by Mrs D. Freeman (C-H, ibid.). SURREY. Oxted, 19.10, one photographed by Mrs J. Batchelor (C.-H., ibid.) CARDS. Yspyty Ystwyth, 16.9, 2 p.m., caught (J.J. Richards per French). 1974 KENT, W. Eltham, 15.9, at flowers (A. Palmer, per de Worms, Ent. Gaz. 26: 38). 1977 GLOS, S. Ryeford, 17.9, one seen and identified (G. H. Mansell, pers. comm. ). 1978 SURREY. Epsom, 11.9, male seen in garden by Mrs. Y. Stevens (P. Holdaway, Ent. Rec. 91: 27). 1979 ISLE OF WIGHT. Yaverland, 6.7, photographed on escallonia in garden (J. Churcher in RFB & C-H, Ent Rec., 92: 95). 1980 WESTMORLAND. Grange-over-Sands, 12.10, one seen in garden by Mr and Mrs Bellorby (DWK in RFB & C-H, Ent. Rec., 94: 48). Plate III SERS SN SS SS SS Se a SS Charaxes gallagheri van Son. 1. Final instar larva (Actual length 19mm). 2 Pupa (Actual length 18mm.) 147 A CONSOLIDATED HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF CHARAXES GALLAGHERI VAN SON 1962 (LEPIDOPTERA : NYMPHALIDAE): ITS HABITS, HABITATS AND EARLY STAGES By J.C. O. CHITTYy* Since the first discovery in 1956 of this very distinct species a fairly comprehensive portfolio of knowledge concerning its life- cycle, habits and habitats has been built up. It has also become apparent that, although its range of flight and seasonal appearances are limited, the species is widespread in Zimbabwe/Rhodesia and can be relied upon to appear with the greatest regularity in its chosen habitats in proximity to its foodplant. Much of the information concerning this insect has been pub- lished piecemeal over the years and references to some of the litera- ture on the subject are given at the end of this paper. However, it has occurred to me that a consolidation or summary of the gradual acquisition of knowledge of gallagheri, particularly of the early stages, might be of general interest to lepidopterists. Historically, the first known capture was a female taken by B. D. Barnes in 1934. However, this specimen was erroneously identified as Ch. aubyni australis van Someren & Jackson (1957), to which it bears a super- ficial resemblance, by van Someren & Jackson in 1957. The original male from which the new species was described was caught by R. J. Gallagher, settled on mud, on 19th March, 1956. The specimen was sent to Dr. G. van Son at the Transvaal Museum, Pretoria, who named it for its discoverer. The capture of another male on the same day by T. W. Schofield only a few miles away in the Sabi Valley remained unrecorded for some years owing to the failure by Schofield to appreciate that this specimen was of a then undescribed species. These two simultaneous first records of a hitherto unknown species occurring within 10 miles of each other can only be described as an astonishing coincidence. It is also notable that both specimens were taken settled on mud. Virtually all subsequent captures have been either in trapnets or on trees in proximity to the foodplant, or on the wing. The next known record was of a male trapped on 6th March, 1961, at Mapembi, near Odzi, by that veteran naturalist Harold Cookson. This locality is within 15 miles of the first captures. All three are at an altitude of approximately 900 metres in msasa savannah country studded with granite kopjes. Later in 1961 anew locality was discovered some 250 km away at Christon Bank, 30 km from Salisbury towards Mazoe. On Sth December, 1961, I netted a male settled on a twig about 3 m above ground at the summit of a granite kopje about 1,500 m above sea level. Further males were taken at the same spot during that month. Thereafter, many males were taken by a number of collectors both by handnets and in traps, *P.O. Box 1037, Salisbury, Zimbabwe. 148 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD at Christon Bank and certain other locations. There were, however, no known female captures until one was trapped by, appropriately enough, Harold Cookson at Mapembi on 31st March, 1962 in the vicinity of his earlier male capture. This specimen was used for the description of the female of the species by Dr. G. van Son, in 1963. However, it is believed that the females had apparently been re- corded from Christon Bank by Dr. C. B. Cottrell prior to Cookson’s captures. Over the next few years, further females were taken in all areas where males had been recorded but their numbers were very small by comparison with the males. Extensive collecting of the species since 1962 has revealed the very constant nature of its habits which, in brief, are set out below:— (1) The species is double-brooded, appearing on the wing in mid- March until late April and again from mid-November until late December. (2) The habitat is granite kopje country, normally associated with the foodplant, at altitudes of between 900 m and 2,000 m. (3) Its distribution is widespread, records extending from near Salisbury, eastwards through Melfort to Umtali, south via Odzi to Zimbabwe and on to Botswana. (4) The species is slowflying, bearing little resemblance in mode of flight to its near-congeners Ch. chittyi Rydon, 1980 and Ch. guderiana Dewitz (1879) both of which can be observed flying in company with gallagheri at Christon Bank. (5) The males exhibit quite remarkably constant preferences for the same perches year after year on the same trees where they will sit, with wings half-open sunning themselves at about 3 m from the ground, rarely taking flight unless disturbed. (6) The females are comparatively rarely seen except in proximity to banana bait and, as with many other Charaxes species, do not have the male habit of returning to the same perch after flight. Some years were to pass before the foodplant and early stages of the butterfly were to be discovered. In October, 1966, having observed the behaviour of a number of females at Christon Bank, I sent Dr. van Son at the Transvaal Museum in Pretoria a sample of the bush which I believed to be the foodplant. This was identified by the South African National Herbarium as Diospyros natalensis ssp. nummularia (Brenan) (Ebenaceae). However, despite thorough searching over an extended period I was unable to find any larvae with which to substantiate my belief that this indeed was the food- plant. Confirmation was only to come some years later when that wizard of Charaxes breeding Mr. Ivan Bampton, having been shown the location and the actual bush which had been identified by Dr. Van Son, had little or no difficulty in finding, in May 1975, what were almost certainly gallagheri larvae, probably 3rd instar, on that and other examples of nummularia in the vicinity. Three larvae were left in my care in May, 1975 and it was thus necessary for them to be brought through the winter, either as larvae or pupae, before reaching the imago stage as the November/ December brood. A further three larvae, two from Christon Bank (NYMPHALIDAE); ITS HABITS, HABITATS AND EARLY STAGES 149 and one from Zimbabwe (Lake Kyle) were received from Ivan Bampton in August of the same year. In the event this episode ended in failure, all the larvae dying before pupation in spite of regular supplies of fresh fooc on an almost daily basis. Behaviour indicated a semi-hibernatory period during the mid-winter months when little or no growth or feeding took place. It is reasonable to assume that these larvae should have pupated in November emerging later as the November/December brood. This experience indicated quite clearly a diapause probably in the 4th instar stage between June and September when very little feeding or growth takes place. This is in contrast with later experiences with the summer brood when larval growth remains strong throughout the warm weather prior to emergence in March/April. In February, 1976, a further 10 larvae were secured by Bamp- ton from both Christon Bank and Lake Kyle (Zimbabwe) areas and again left in my care. Nine were successfully brought through to the imago stage. Of these, four were males, all of which emerged first, and five were females. This would seem to indicate that, in nature, females are in numbers at least equal to, if not greater than, males although apparently much scarcer to the collector, and that there is a preponderance of earlier male emergences. Photographs of final instars and pupae were taken and have been used by Mr. G. A. Henning (1977) as the basis for his published description of the early stages of the species. Subsequently, in November 1976, I was successful in bringing through to the imago stage two further larvae, also collected by Bampton at Christon Bank. The discovery of the egg stage came subsequently to the above series of events and the ovum has been described by Henning (1977). Finally, one can only comment that it seems almost incredible that a species so distinct, so constant in its habits and so easy of capture when these are known, can have remained unknown and undescribed for more than half a century of entomological explora- tion in this country. Perhaps the answer may lie in the comparative difficulty of access to the summits of the granite kopjes which are its normal habitat and to its very definite reluctance to move more than a short distance away from the foodplant. It is certainly true that the development of Christon Bank for residential purposes, however much this may be regretted in relation to the potential threat to the fauna and flora of the area, has provided easy access to some particular spots yielding some remarkable entomological records. The following is the description of the ova and final instar larva as given by Mr. Graham Henning in 1977:— Ova: Usual Charaxes shape, yellowish white with brown ring if fertile. They are laid singly on both the upper and undersides of the leaves of the foodplant. Final Instar Larva: Headshield green, with a faint, light green facial margin; horns long, with the upper two-thirds dark pinkish brown; dorso-medial spines black. Body 150 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD green with broad dorso-lateral somite bars on segments 6, 8 and sometimes 10. The somite bars are pinkish-white, anteriorly edged with black spotted with blue; the dorsosomitic spots on segments 6 and 8 are blue. Lateral ridge green and anal processes short and square. Pupa: Plain green in colour. The imago has been illustrated in so many publications already that a further description seems unnecessary. Acknowledgements I would like to thank Messrs. W. H., S. F. & G. A. Henning for reading the manuscript and Mr. J. Bampton for the provision of the early stage material. References Henning, G. A. 1977. Observations on the Early Stages of Ethiopian Charaxes with notes on Life Histories (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Ann. Transv. Mus. 30 (19) : 219 -230 Pennington, K. M. 1978. Pennington’s Butterflies of Southern Africa. Edited by C. G. C. Dickson, with the collaboration of D. M. Kroon. 1 - 669, 198 pls. Johannesburg, Ad. Donker. Van Someren, V. G. L. 1966. Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepi- doptera : Nymphaldae). Part III. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.). 18: 45-101, 5 maps, 16 pls. Van Son, G. 1962. New African Butterflies, 1 J. ent. Soc. sth. Afr. 25 : 140 -148. = 1963. New African Butterflies, 2. Novos Taxa ent. 29: 1-11. —————— 1979. The Butterflies of Southern Africa. Part IV. Nymphalidae : Nymphalinae. Revised and edited by L. Vari. Transv. Mus. Mem. 22: 1 - 286, 76 pls. LARVAL VARIATION IN THE PINE BEAUTY: PANOLIS FLAMMEA HBN. — The larva of the Pine Beauty, Panolis flammea Hbn. is normally dark green dorsally and laterally, with a series of five longitudinal white stripes, and pale green ventrally with three thin cream stripes. A form in which the dark and pale green is replaced by dark and light brown is also known to occur. Whilst rearing this species I obtained evidence to suggest that the brown form is genetically controlled and is inherited as a unifactorial autosomal recessive. [ also noted that the two types of larvae behave differently, in that when not feeding they take up different positions on the foodplant, Pinus sylvestris. Thus, the green larvae tended to rest lying along the needles, whilst the brown larvae rested on the pine twigs. The difference in behaviour has obviously evolved to increase the camouflage of the respective forms, and it would be interesting to hear if anyone else has noted similar behavioural differences in other species which show the same type of polymorphism, e.g. the Pine Hawk, Ayloicus pinastri Linn., or the Bordered White, Bupalus piniaria Linn. — (Dr.) MICHAEL E.N. MAJERUS, Dept. of Genetics, Downing Street, Cambridge. THE DELICATE: MYTHIMNA VITELLINA HBN. IN MAY. — Several rather faded M. vitellina appeared in my light trap at Chyen- hal near Penzance, Cornwall on the 30th and 31st May 1982. — M. W. F. TWEEDIE, Barn House, Rye, Sussex TN31 7PJ. soe eee Ces eee 151 A SCUTTLE FLY (DIPTERA: PHORIDAE) THAT APPEARS TO BE A PARASITOID OF A SNAIL (STY_LOMMATOPHORA: ZONITIDAE) AND IS ITSELF PARASITISED BY A BRACONID(HYMENOPTERA). By R.H. L. DISNEY* OBSERVATIONS On 7 June 1980 while collecting snails from Druids Coombe, Somerset (Grid ref. 31/006 378), with a party of colleagues led by Dr. R. A. D. Cameron, I mentioned the possibility of finding shells occupied by the puparia of Sciomyzidae as opposed to snails. I was rewarded by being passed two shells of Vitraea crystallina (Muller) collected by John Hall. Both shells contained identical puparia lodged in the last whorl, in an identical orientation (Fig. 1). Unlike the puparium of a Sciomyzid, however, there were con- spicuous respiratory horns protruding into the space just inside the aperture of each shall (Fig. 1). The specimens were placed in rearing tubes and subsequently each produced a male Phorid belonging to the species Megaselia fuscinervis (Wood), the first emerging on 26 June and the second on 29 June 1980. Fig. 1. Puparium of Megaselia fuscinervis inside shell of Vitraea crystallina (scale line = 1 mm). rse.. 2. Empty puparium of Megaselia fuscinervis, with detached dorsal plate bearing respiratory horns. (Scale line = 1 mm) *Malham Tarn Field Centre, Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24 9PU. 152 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Further collections of small snails, and their shells, were made on the Malham Tarn Estate, North Yorkshire in July and September 1980 as follows. In July collections were made for the Westside Wood (Grid ref. 34/8867). The only species of snail shell found to harbour puparia of M. fuscinervis were Vitraea crystallina and V. contracta (Wester- lund). 21 shells of V. crystallina were collected with empty puparia and 8 shells with live puparia. Only 1 shell of V. contracta with an empty puparium was collected. All the puparia were identical to those collected in Somerset and were positioned in the same way in the shells (Fig. 1). Of the 8 live puparia 7 were kept alive in rearing tubes and one was preserved. From the 7 puparia 2 females and 1 male M. fuscinervis were reared. Two of the puparia gave rise to a single Braconid each and two died. The Braconids have been iden- tified by Mr. T. Huddlestone (British Museum, Natural History) as Aspiloba inops (Foerster). Stelfox and Graham (1950) refer to this species as Panerema inops but Fischer (1970) gives Panerema as a synonym of Aspilota. In July collections were made from the Tarn Close ungrazed limestone grassland (Grid ref. 34/894 671) and again puparia of M. fuscinervis were only found in shells of V. crystallina and V. contracta. Two shells of V. crystallina had empty puparia and 1 had a live puparium. One shell of V. contracta had a live puparium. A further collection was made on 4 September. One shell of V. crystallina had an empty puparium and I had a freshly dead snail along with a larva. The larva was preserved in alcohol and sub- sequently mounted on a slide in Berlese’s Fluid. Although it proved to be the penultimate instar its cephalopharyngeal skeleton showed clear affinities with the remains of this structure in the remnants of the last instar larvae extracted from shells containing puparia of M. fuscinervis (see below). All live Vitraea snails from Westside Wood and Tarn Close were examined for larvae and then placed in rearing tubes. It was con- sidered unlikely that early larval instars would be easily detected through the shell. It had been the moving black cephalopharyngeal skeleton that revealed the presence of the one larva that was found. It was considered worthwhile, however, to keep shells known to have been harbouring live snails at the time of collection to see if any might subsequently be found to contain detectable larvae or puparia of M. fuscinervis. This experiment was unsuccessful as the snails died and were found to be infested with nematodes. These occurred in two sizes. The larger measured 1.7 — 2.0 mm in length and 0.1 mm maximum breadth, and had the anterior fifth tapered to a truncated point but the tail end more-or-less rounded. The smaller, presumed juveniles of the larger, measured 1.0 — 1.3 mm x 0.05 mm and had a more pointed tail end. In- festation of a dead Vitraea seemed to be initiated by the smaller nematodes and the larger ones only appeared later. By the time the snail was nearly completely consumed large numbers of small ones were Observed leaving the shell. The shell with the larva of M. THE SCUTTLE FLY 153 fuscinervis in it also contained a few small nematodes. Shells of Vitraea found in the field with some remains of a dead snail still present were mostly infested with both sizes of nematode. In future experiments it will clearly be necessary to isolate individual snails in single tubes and to take precautions to exclude material likely to be contaminated with nematodes. THE PUPARIUM AND LARVA OF Megaselia fuscinervis The puparium of M. fuscinervis is illustrated in Fig. 2. It is unusually thin-walled, apart from the plate which detaches at the time of adult eclosion. This plate is so shaped that it precisely occludes the last whorl of the Vitraea shell, like an operculum in a prosobranch mollusc. By being positioned a little way back from the rim of the shell aperture (peristome) the respiratory horns are able to protrude forward while still being within the shell (Fig. 1). The puparium is generally brownish in colour with a dark brown detachable plate and the almost black, more-or-less straight, res- piratory horns. The posterior spiracular processes are closer together than is usual in the genus Megaselia, and thus avoid any risk of being against the walls of the shell. At high magnification the puparial integument is seen to be covered in evenly-spaced pointed denticles (resembling the bases of the micro-setae found in some species of Megaselia). The whole puparium is boat-like, with the anterior and posterior ends curving dorsally (Fig. 1). In order to prepare this drawing the specimen was slide-mounted in Dimethyl Hydantoin Formaldehyde Resin. This renders the shell more translucent without actually dissolving it. To prepare Fig. 2 a specimen was soaked in Berlese’s Fluid to dissolve the shall and the extracted, empty puparium was then mounted on a Slide in Berlese’s Fluid. The larva proved to belong to the penultimate instar but was evidently nearing moult, as the mouth hooks of the final instar were already forming above the functioning pair. This makes for a confusing picture. Discernible characteristics include the bifurcation of both the dorsal and ventral wings of cephalopharyngeal skeleton posteriorly and a conspicuous fenestration of the anterior bridge linking the anterior edges of the dorsal wings. The moutn hooks each have a single, down-curved, anterior tooth. The larva was situated in the shall with its posterior end to- wards the aperture of the latter and its mouth-hooks probing the remains of the snail. The larval remains in a shell occupied by a puparium are to be found amongst the residue of the snail in the apex of the shell. DISCUSSION Megaselia fuscinervis adults have previously been recorded in Britain in the months of April, May, June and July (Wood, 1908, Parmenter, 1965, 1966, Disney, 1978). Otherwise the natural history was unknown. Recently, however, Dr. R. Szadiewski has sent me a specimen he had reared from forest soil in Poland in July 1980. 154 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD The observations presented above clearly indicate that M. fuscinervis puparia are not uncommon in shells of Vitraea crystallina and they also occur in shells of V. contracta. The precise positioning of the puparium and its modifications indicate that this is no acci- dental association. The finding of a larva consuming a snail showing no obvious signs of putrefaction further suggests that M. fuscinervis larvae are parasitoids of Vitraea snails in a manner reminiscent of of Sciomyzid larvae in larger snails (e.g. Berg, 1964). Furthermore the apparently invariable infestation of dead Vitrea by nematodes suggests at the least that these nematodes would be likely to demo- lish dead Vitraea before they could be exploited by the larvae of M. fuscinervis. Whether these nematodes will actually attack and kill healthy snails is not known. The parasitisation of M. fuscinervis puparia by Aspilota inops provides the first host record for this Braconid. Stelfox and Graham (1950) give capture dates for this species in July, August and Sep- tember. Acknowledgements I am grateful to the Shell International Petroleum Co. Ltd. for a grant to support my investigations of Phoridae. References Berg, C. O. 1964. Snail control in Trematode diseases: the possible value of Sciomyzid larvae — snail-killing Diptera. Advances in Parasitology 2: 259-309. Disney, R. H. L. 1978. Some scuttle flies (Dipt. Phoridae) rail North Wales. Nature in Wales 16: 25-31. Fischer, M. 1970. Die Alysiini der Steiermark. Mitt. Abt. Zool. Bot. Landesmuseum. Joanneum Graz. 34: 144. Parmenter, L. 1965. Notes on the distribution of Phoridae (Diptera) in Britain. Proc. S. Lond. ent. nat. Nist. Soc. 1965: 3542. Parmenter, L. 1966. Megaselia (Megaselia) largifrontalis Schmitz Dipt., Phoridae) new to the British List and some other Phoridae taken in April to July 1965. Entomologist 1966: 257-260. Stelfox, A. W. and Graham, M. W. R. De V. 1950. On Panerema inops Forst. and allied species of the genus Aspilota (Hym., Braconidae, Alysiinae), with descriptions of two new species. Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 86: 289-293. Wood, J. H. 1908. On the British species of Phora (Part II). Ento- mologist’s mon. Mag. 44: 215-218. ———_——————SSSSSS=—== BLOMER’S RIVULET: DISCOLOXIA BLOMERI CURTIS AT WESTON-SUPER-MARE. — _ This species was of regular occur- rence here prior to the advent of Dutch Elm disease. As I had not noticed it for several years I was pleased to see a fresh specimen in my moth trap on May 20 last, so hope that it is about to revive in numbers again. — C. S. H. BLATHWAYT, Amalfi, 27 South Road, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.21.v.1982. i55 Editorial With this issue Mr. P. J. Renshaw relinquishes his duties as Treasurer, and we take the opportunity on behalf of all our subscri- bers to offer him our gratitude for having so ably managed the finances of the Record over the past nine years. He is succeeded by Mr. P. J. Johnson to whom we extend a hearty welcome and to whom all subscriptions should now be sent. Current Literature The Rewell Wood: A Survey of its Southern Habitats — A West Sussex Wildlife Recording Group Report by E.C.M.Haes and others. 17 drawings, 133pp., wrappers, ring binder (1981). Price £1.50 plus 40p p. & p. from M. Edwards, Lee-side, Carron Lane, Midhurst, Sussex. Many authors have contributed to this enterprising report which, apart from various non-entomological disciplines, treats of the Thysanura, Orthoptera, Mecoptera and Dermaptera (by E. C. M. Haes) and Hemiptera (by W. Eley et al.) albeit briefly; then the Coleoptera (11pp.), Diptera (12pp.) and Hymenoptera (19pp.) (by M. Edwards, W. Eley et al.) and Macrolepidoptera (21pp.) (by S. Church et al.) Among noteworthy species listed are: Hemiptera Heteroptera, Aradus depressus; Coleoptera, Saprosites mendax, Tomoxia bigut- tata, Mordella aculeata, Strangalia aurulenta, Dirhagus pyamaeus, Elater cinnabarinus, Epitrix atropae; Diptera, Evibrissa vittata; Hymenoptera Aculeata, Crossocerus exiguus, Arachnospila wes- maeli, Laslioglossum brevicorne, Osmia_pilicornis; Lepidoptera, Apatura iris, Hamearis lucina, Polyploca ridens, Odontosia carmelita, Ptilodontella cucullina, Acronicta alni, Lampropteryx suffumata, Trichopteryx polycommata and Dasychira fascelina, though one suspects the latter is an error for D. pudibunda. — J. M. C.-H. Garden Wildlife by Derek Jones and others. 152pp., numerous colour and b/willustrations. Boards. Ebury Press 1981. £7.95 This large-format volume is very much intended for the general reader with a strong interest in “nature”. A number of specialists have contributed including three well-known entomologists: J. F. Burton, W. R. Dolling and M. Tweedie. There are chapters on the garden environment, birds, mammals and reptiles and a welcome seven chapters on invertebrates. Whilst there is some practical advice the book concentrates on providing interesting backgrounds to the creatures encountered in the garden. (much more solid practical advice is to be found in the ‘‘Back- garden Wildlife Sanctuary Book” reviewed in this Journal 93 : 228). Although a number of sweeping generalisations are made the text is readable, informative and well balanced — comments which can rarely be made about books intended for the ‘‘mass’’ market. The book is pleasantly illustrated by Phil Weare. — PAUL SOKOLOFF. 156 Obituary Charles Herbert Dixon Bertie Dixon who was born on the 2nd of May 1890, sadly died on the 10th March 1982. He farmed at Micheldever, Hants for most of his working life, and entomology took up the greater part of his spare time. His fine collection of British moths containing many rare and interesting species, including a remarkable drawer displaying parasites bred from doomed larvae and pupae, has been presented to the Hampshire County Museum. His collecting was concentrated on the Macrolepidoptera of the British Isles including Eire. He kept meticulous diary records of all specimens taken for his collection, as well as daily recordings of species found in his M.V. trap at Micheldever, and these records will also be held by the Museum. A feature of his lifetime’s work in entomology was the authen- ticity of his material: his collection contains only specimens which he himself had caught or reared, and was formed with scrupulous care and accuracy. Much of his collecting was carried out in the company of his great friends the late R. C. Edwards and Baron de Worms, and his work was often mentioned in the latter’s reports in The Record, and he also made a substantial contribution to Goater’s The Butterflies and Moths of Hampshire and Isle of Wight, in which he recorded for V.C.12. He was an inspiration to my sons and myself, as in recent years he imparted to us some of his great knowledge, and we shall greatly miss his advice and expert eye On our own entomological activities. — David Owen. Notes and Observations PALPIFER SEXNOTATUS MOORE (LEP.: HEPIALIDAE) IN BRITAIN. — In January 1981, three tubers of the arum lily Arisaema speciosa were procured from a Kent plant merchant. One of these did not develop and was found to contain a larva of the above species, which spun up at the beginning of May to produce an imago at the end of the month. The larva as first seen was 15mm long, with shape similar to that of a fully fed Tortricid larva, and of a greyish-white colour with pink suffusion and pale brown chitinous mouth parts. When about full grown, the larva was 55mm in length and similar in appearance to that of Hepialus humli L., except for the colour since it still retained its pink suffusion. Due to shortage of the original pabulum, the larva was transferred to tubers of Arum maculatum and finally Desiree potato. Prior to pupation, the larva formed a substantial cocoon of yellow silk 50mm long which was located vertically in the soil. The top of the cocoon was sealed with a few strands of silk just below the surface, and consisted of a tube 10mm long and 5mm in diameter, which led to a gradually widening pupal chamber of maximum diameter 9mm. At emergence time the pupa worked its way to the surface of the soil, so that the final segments alone remained within the cocoon. ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD 157 A. speciosa occurs in the temperate Himalayas and the plant merchants advised me that the tubers were imported to Britain from India via Holland. As the plant is nearly hardy in southern Britain and popular with gardeners, further records of P. sexnotatus might be expected in the future. Record cards in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) indicate that the type specimen of P. sexnotata came from Darjeeling, and the B. M. collection includes specimens from several parts of India. My thanks are due to Dr. Gaden Robinson and Dr. John Bradley for their help in identifying this insect and providing access to the relevant museum records. Ref.: R. H. S. Dictionary of Gardening, vol. 1, 2nd edn., 1956. — P. J. BAKER, Mount Vale, The Drive, Virginia Water, Surrey. LAGIA ATRIPES MULS. & GUIL. (COL.) IN THE NEW FOREST, ETC. — There seem to have been but few references to this beetle in our literature since it was added to our list by me in 1948 (Ent. mon. Mag., 84: 287); the only one I have seen being in Buck, 1954, Handb. Ident. Brit. Ins., 5 (9) : 3, where its differences from the common L. hirta L. are clearly set forth. (At the time of my record I had not seen the male.) L. atripes is now known to occur in a second East Kent locality — Ham Street Woods, where my late friend A. M. Massee first took it — besides the original one, Blean Woods. There are also two previously unpublished records for the New Forest, Hants., mentioned by Buck (/.c.) on my authority but without details, to which I would now draw attention. They were communi- cated by Dr. Massee and relate to a $ taken by him in New Park Inclosure, 27.v.38, and ao by the late H. W. Daltry in Wilverley Inclosure, 3.vi.36. Both must previously have passed as large examples of hirta. The existence of the rarer species in Hampshire in the decade before it turned up in E. Kent is of interest in making the hypothesis of a recent arrival from the Continent far less likely than might have appeared originally. In the year after bringing forward the species I received an in- teresting letter from Mr. Angus Fraser of Tankerton, near Whitstable, in which he reported having taken both sexes of atripes recently, not only at Blean but also at Tankerton, on the sea front on open waste ground, some 4 miles north of Blean. (There is no question here of mistaken identity, as the rest of the letter amply proves.) This last capture seems very strange for an insect that otherwise gives every indication of being an inhabitant of woodland; and unless others were noted there subsequently, affording evidence of breeding on the spot, I think they must be regarded as stragglers “‘out of their element”. Almost certainly, by now, the beetle occurs in other E. Kent woods besides the two already noted. — A. A. ALLEN. LARVAE OF ANARTA MYRTILLI L.: BEAUTIFUL YELLOW UNDERWING (LEP.: NOCTUIDAE) AND AN ADULT BOREUS HYE- MALIS L. (NEUROPT.: BOREIIDAE) ON WINTER SNOW IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS. — __ During spring and summer months, the finding of insects on high altitude snow is a fairly regular occur- rence both in the Scottish mountains and the Alps, though little has been written on the subject (see Masutti, L., 1979, Insetti e nevi stagionale. Riflessioni su reperti relativi alle Alpi Carniche e Giulie. 158 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD Boll. Ist. Ent. Bologna, 34: 75-94). In the majority of cases the insects are winged adults whose presence on the snow can often be attributed to transport by wind or thermals. Sizeable aggregations are frequently observed on buttresses and cols above gullies or steep valleys which funnel the wind upwards (Bruce, W.S., in Thorn- ley, A., 1896. On some Coleoptera from the summit of Ben Nevis, collected by Mr. W. S. Bruce. Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist., 5: 28-31). The two cases described below are apparently of a different nature and therefore perhaps worthy of notice. While walking on the Scottish mountains during the winter, one seldom observes any insect life. However, whilst walking near Ben Macdui (Cairngorms, NO 005965) about ten larvae of Anarta myrtilli were seen, still living and moving, on the snow between the point where the Allt Carn a’ Mhaim joins the Luibeg Burn (560m.) © and just below Sron Riach (1100m). A couple of others were acci- dentally kicked out of Calluna which was projecting through the snow. The temperatures over the preceding few weeks had been exceptionally low, my walk taking place during a comparitively mild spell with freezing conditions perhaps only attained above 800m. on that particular slope. One wonders whether the larvae, which are known to overwinter, had been “tricked” into premature activity by the rapid rise in temperature. My other observation concerns a single female snow flea, B. hyemalis, found sitting (inactive though still alive) on ice on ‘the ridge west of Am Bodach (Glencoe, 900m., NN 163582). Though I frequently encounter Boreus in the Highlands, I have never pre- viously done so at such a high altitude. It seems likely to me that it was carried up to the ridge by the very strong winds of the day before. — A. D. LISTON, 99 Clermiston Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6UU. THE RECENT SPREAD OF APION CERDO GERST. (COL.) IN S. E. ENGLAND. -— _ It is perhaps not yet widely known among coleopterists, except those living in the south-east of the country, that this weevil — for long restricted in our area to northern England, southern Scotland, and Ireland — has of late been turning up rather frequently in Kent and East Sussex. These captures seem to have begun with a specimen taken by Mr. E. G. Philp, of Maidstone Museum, on the sandhills at Deal (1963, Ent. mon. Mag., 99: 71) and confirmed later by Mr. Colin Johnson, whose very useful paper on this species and its allies (1965, Entom.: 80-2) greatly facilitates their correct recognition. At the end of this work it is suggested that quite possibly the southern records of A. cerdo may be erroneous; apart from Mr. Philp’s to which this does not apply, I have seen none such published, but if there are any much earlier ones I| agree that this is indeed likely. Since the species is now certainly breeding in the south-east — but not, apparently, in any midland county which might suggest a link with the northern populations — it is probably safe to conclude that the recent appearance of A. cerdo in Kent and Sussex is due not to a southward spread from the northern centres but to an invasion from the Continent. From the following data (given in somewhat compressed form) NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 159 one may trace, roughly, the north- and south-westerly progress of this Apion from its presumed arrival at a point on or near the coast in the Deal area shortly before 1962. East Kent: Deal, vii. 62; Brook, near Wye, vi.63; Dungeness, vii. 64; Chiddingstone, vii. 69; again at Deal, vii. 69; Wittersham (Rother Levels), ix. 69; Sandwich Bay, viii. 78 in some numbers on Vicia cracca, all records of E. G. Philp, who has found it also more recently in a good many other E. Kent localities. East Sussex: Milton Street (bank of R. Cuckmere), xi. 73; Little Horsted, vi. 74; Friston Forest, frequent, vi. 75-78; Plashett | Wood, vi. 78 on Lathyrus pratensis (probably) in numbers; all records of P. J. Hodge, who tells me that A. cerdo appears now to be - general in his part of the county, equally with its nearest relative A. subulatum Kby. On 21.vi70 I swept a? cerdo from a clump of the tufted vetch in the Devil’s Dyke area of Brighton Downs; but it was getting late and there was no time to investigate further, and in any case the insect was passed as subulatum until much later. Mr. Hodge points out that this is farther west in Sussex than any of his cap- tures, and also that the species has by now probably reached Surrey. Finally I can report A. cerdo from S. E. London and W. Kent, _ where I took it last year: Woolwich Common, 1 2 , 31.v.81, and Crockenhill, near Swanley, 2 ¢ $ ,4.viii.81. In both places it was swept from mixed leguminous plants, including in the latter locality alittle V. cracca. I am obliged to the above-named gentlemen for sending me their records and suggesting that I publish them. — A. A. ALLEN. JOHN ABBOT’S DRAWINGS AND NOTES FOR A PROPOSED SUP- PLEMENT TO SMITH AND ABBOT, “‘THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE RARER LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS OF GEORGIA’”’ (1797). — Since completion of my paper on “Smith and Abbot” (93:213-218) Ihave had relevant correspondence with Mr. J. E. Traue, Chief Librarian, The Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, N. Z. We agree that the Turnbull Library set of Abbot drawings is quite probably the one sent by Abbot to William Swainson in 1818 and is not, as Parkinson (Turnbull Library Record, 11, 1978, 26-36) supposed, the “book of Drawings” shipped to Swainson in 1835. The Turnbull set was intended to be published as a supplement to “Smith and Abbot,” and Abbot also supplied Swainson with manuscript “Notes to the Draw- ings of Insects’? as he had done when collaborating with Smith. (Actually Abbot furnished a number of customers with sets of draw- ings and notes which he ‘advertised’ as supplemental to the Smith volumes, but these appear to have been the only ones meant to be published as such.) The identity of the drawings with those sent in 1818 is suggested by their number, 103 (one of the total of 104 to match “Smith and Abbot” having been lost; Swainson, Taxidermy, 1840, 99-100) and their relatively small size, 34.5 x 21 cm. As explained in my previous paper, Swainson objected that the drawings were not as highly finished as those used by Smith, and chiefly that they were “much smaller in size so that they can never be bound uniformly with that work.” In addition to his plans for publication, Swainson wished to bind his original Abbot drawings to match a book which 160 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD averages 41.5 cm. in height. Abbot promised a larger set, and could | hardly have made the same ‘error’ again. ! Another proof is the content of the Turnbull drawings (Parkinson, 1978). In their correspondence, Swainson initially agreed to Abbot’s | idea of including drawings of “‘some of the other Genera of Insects” in the set of Papilio and Sphinx, writing on the 25th October 1817 | that “A few drawings of the other Genera of Insects would also be © welcome, if accompanied by their metamorphos.” The Turn‘ull | drawings do indeed depict other insects, and not all Lepidoptera. | These must have heen the drawings Swainson complained about on — the 28th January 1819 when he wrote (contradicting himself): — “T only wish to have drawings of the Papillios & Sphinxes which are © not in Smith.” Perhaps the replacement set was never provided, for when re- — porting the abandonment of the project in Taxidermy, Swainson — mentioned only the short set of 103 drawings. The location of the 1835 “book of Drawings” is unknown, and it is uncertain whether these figured in the publication scheme at all. At least we know from the drawings and notes in the Turnbull Library (Parkinson, 1978) what the two supplementary volumes to “Smith and Abbot” would have contained had Swainson been satisfied with Abbot’s efforts at the time. In his article Parkinson mentions the manuscript “‘Notes” as “in a hand which may be Abbot’s.” I have obtained photocopies which prove that the notes are certainly in Abbot’s distinctive hand, and in character are much like the observations used by Smith. — RONALD S. WILKINSON, 228 Ninth Street, N. E., Washington, D. C. 20002. SWIMMING BEHAVIOUR IN HYPERA_ RUMICIS (LINNAEUS) (COL: CURCULIONIDAE). — During May 1981 I tested a few species of weevils (Curculionidae) for swimming ability, and among some other species I discovered that Hypera rumicis (Linnaeus) was capable of swimming quite efficiently. When a few adults of the weevil were placed in a small water filled plastic dish they were, after a brief period, observed to swim through the water fairly rapidly by making a definite breast ‘stroke action’ with all six legs. The actual swimming was performed by extending the forelegs first in a wide arc then the mid and hind pairs were brought into action at the same time, thus providing the necessery forward movement. Progress through the water was mainly by alternating movements of each pair of legs, but the greatest effectual stroke was made by the forelegs. The specimens of H. rumicis were also capable of performing the same swimming stroke while on their backs. Move- ment through the water was quite rapid in either position and this was especially noticeable when the temperature of the water was raised slightly. The swimming action in H. rumicis was very similar to that of Ceutorhynchus viduatus Gyllenhal previously reported by me, (1978, Entomologist’s Gaz. 29: 76) and it also appears to resemble, to some extent the motion and style performed by Litodactylus leucogaster (Marsham), as described recently in a paper dealing with NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 161 the general biology of this species by G. R. Buckingham and C. A. Bennett., (1981, Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 74: 451-458.). This adaptation in Hypera rumicis is interesting and rather intriguing as it is a weevil which is not usually associated with aquatic habitats or found in really damp situtations. In my experience of the species in West Cumbria I nearly always find it on Curled Dock, Rumex crispus L., and to a lesser extent on Broad leaved dock, R. obtusifolius L. where the plants grow in comparitively dry habitats and away from water. However, it is interesting to note that H. rumicis is known to feed and develop on the Great Water Dock, Rumex hydrolapathum Huds., so it would be very worthwhile to discover if the same swimming ability is also developed in individuals colonising this plant as well. Swimming in certain species of Curculionidae is not uncommon, and a number of members in the subfamily Ceuthorhynchinae are known to be well adapted for a semi-aquatic life. One example is Eubrychius velutus (Beck) which is known to possess a very efficient plastron respiration system as described by W. R. Thorpe and D. J. Crisp, (1949, J. exp. Biol. 26: 219-260) and this adaption enables the adults to stay submerged for long periods. At the same time as I| tested H. rumicis for swimming | also experimented with three other members of the genus, H. dauci (Olivier), H. nigrirostris (Fabricius) and H. plantaginis (Degeer). When these species were placed in water they made no attempt to perform any recognizable swimming stroke, but just merely floundered about in the water. This would appear to be the first recorded observation on the swimming behaviour in H. rumicis and also the first on a member of the subfamily Hyperinae. — R. W. J. READ, 43 Holly Terrace, Hensingham, Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 8RF. THE USE OF THE TERM ‘POCK-MARK’ IN ENTOMOLOGY. — Subscribers with a medical background will have been interested in Mr. Chalmers-Hunt’s note in the March/April 1982 issue of the Record. I wonder if they, as I, have searched unsuccessfully for cases of Coleophora varicella (sic.) on the bodies of their patients who have previously suffered from chickenpox? — DR. J. R. LANGMAID, 38 Cumberland Court, Festing Road, Southsea, Hants PO4 ONH. SENTA FLAMMEA CURTIS (THE FLAME WAINSCOT) AT WYE, KENT. — Two Senta flammea appeared on separate nights in early June 1982, in the trap I run at Wye College. Since a number of other migrant species were appearing at the same time, I assumed that the S. flammea had arrived from France on the southerly winds which had been blowing for several days. However, when a Mythimna obsoleta Hbn. also appeared, and bearing in mind that two Areno- stola phragmitidis Hbn. had turned up the previous summer, I began to suspect that these Phragmites feeders might be of local origin, and therefore sugared and ran a Heath trap in the largest reed bed in the area. I was rewarded by finding six flammea and five M. obsoleta (one at sugar, the rest at light). So it seems rather likely that both species exist as breeding populations in the Wye area. — M.A. ENFIELD, 162 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD New Cottage, Warren Farm, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent TN25 4HW. DEFOLIATION IN NORTHAW GREAT WOOD, HERTFORDSHIRE, 1982. — Over a 25/30 acre area the oaks, birches and hornbeams in Northaw Great Wood are as bare as at midwinter. The chief cul- | prits were Hybernia defoliaria Clerck, Apocheima pilosaria D. & S., | | | Operophtera brumata L. and, of course, Tortrix viridana L. On a recent visit, at the foot of every tree trunk 20 or 30 larvae were laboriously ascending — to nothing. Adjacent woodland has been comparatively unharmed. — R. LOVELL-PANK, 33 The High- lands, Hatfield Road, Potters Bar, Herts EN6 1HU. 7.vi.1982. CURIOUS BEHAVIOUR OF TWO EGG-LAYING AGLAIS URTICAE — L.— On the 14th June 1982, I saw two A. urticae on anettle bed, — which from where I stood on a path J at first thought were in cop. I | slowly approached them through the nettles and was surprised to | find two females egg-laying on the same leaf. Their abdomens were | less than a half inch apart and their heads about an inch apart. Nettles cannot be at a premium in this area, since this particular | bed follows the river Nene near Northampton for at least a mile and is several yards wide all the way. — D. STOKES, 97 Mendip Road, Northampton NNS 6BA. . TROPIDIA SCITA (HARRIS) (DIPTERA: SYRPHIDAE) IN VC 69. | — I took a temale specimen of this rather uncommon species on the edge of Holker Moss (SD 3579) on 3 June 1981. It has previously been recorded from just south of this area in VC 60 by Skidmore (Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 98: 184) who captured the species at Storrs Moss near Silverdale on 17 June 1956. I also have taken the species in that locality on 23 May 1964. — Dr. NEVILLE L. BIRKETT, Kendal Wood, New Hutton, Cumbria, LA8 OAQ. 28.iv.1982. APPARENT EXCESS IN NUMBERS OF FEMALE ANTHOCHARIS CARDAMINES L. (ORANGE-TIP) IN DUMFRIESSHIRE. — On the 22nd May 1982, just north of the small village of Tynron, Dum- friesshire, I came across several dozen of this butterfly on a small willow marsh which was well carpeted with Lady’s Smock (Car- damine pratensis). The curious fact about this colony was the ratio of at least 15 females to each male, and I wish to make it clear that I was not confusing female Orange-tips with Green- veined Whites. Returning to the site ten days later not a single Orange-tip was to be seen, and I found much to my regret that all the Lady’s Smock had been cropped by sheep. — R. H. MILLER, Oakmere, South Street, Garlieston, Wigtownshire. THE CLOUDED YELLOW: COLIAS CROCEUS (GEOFFROY) IN JU? 1982. — A single butterfly was seen on the Sth June by the road th runs parallel to the South Downs at the village of Westmeston, Ez Sussex. — D. Dey, 26 Manor Avenue, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 8N' THE PAINTED LADY: CYNTHIA CARDUI L. IN JUNE 1982. — Ont 4th June, while walking along the lane here opposite my house, | observe a Painted Lady sunning itself on the grass verge. — T. NEWNHAM, Tl Victory, Staplefield, Haywards Heath, Sussex RH17 6EU [We have als received reports of the Painted Lady having been seen this June in Ken Surrey, Dorset, Cornwall and Devon. Editor] . NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 163 EARLY APPEARANCES OF CALLOPHRYS RUBI L. AND PYRGUS MALVAE L IN WORCESTERSHIRE. -—- _ Several Callophrys rubi were seen on the Malvern Hills on 25th April 1982, an excep- tionally early date for this species in this part of the country. Pyrgus malvae was seen by Mr Tom Parker at Trench Wood near Droitwich on 26th April this year, and there was another sighting of this species in Wyre Forest on the following day. — J. E. GREEN, 25 Knoll Lane, Poolbrook, Malvern, Worcs WR14 3JU. FURTHER KENTISH RECORDS OF THE DOTTED RUSTIC: RHYACIA SIMULANS HUFN. — Continued spread of this species is evidenced by 1981 m/v appearances at Dungeness on 9th July and at my home on an exceedingly exposed area of the North Downs on 4th. Aug., 5th Aug., 15th Sept. (2), and 24th. Sept. Migratory insects frustratingly avoid Detling Hill, however the re- gularity of reported sightings of this species elsewhere in the county must surely indicate it now to be firmly established as a resident. — N. F. HEAL, Fosters, Detling Hill, Nr. Maidstone, Kent. Current Literature Collins Handguide to the Butterflies of Africa by R. H. Carcasson, embracing more than 100 colour plates illustrating some 350 species and, in many cases, their early stages, together with some line-drawings of the anatomical structures of Lepidoptera, and a map of the world’s faunistic regions, etc. The softback edition has XIX + 109pp., the hardback XIX+188pp., the latter containing a “simplified provisional check-list of the butter- flies of the Afrotropical region.” Publishers: Collins, St. James’s Place, London, 1981. Price: paperback £4.95; hardback £7.95. This beautifully-illustrated little book is — to quote its author — “meant to be no more than an introduction to the study of African butterflies.” It is clearly a labour of love and as such it has consider- able intrinsic merit, even if one disagrees with the use of English names for the species figured in it, in preference to the Latin ones which all serious students of African butterflies should try to me- morize from the start, as most African butterflies do not have English names and the ones they do have tend to differ in the popular books dealing with them. The book contains a few systematic oddities, such as: Amauris albimaculata (on p. 72) being unnecessarily emended to A. albi- maculatus (as if Dr. Butler, who described it, did not know his Latin genders!) the genus Bebearia (on p.45) being made a sub- genus of Euphaedra — an action not supported by van Son/Vari in Pt. IV of “The Butterflies of Southern Africa” (1979: 116-117); the exclusively Afrotropical genus Sallya being made a subgenus of the Neotropical Eunica (on p. 57), even though their early stages are quite different; and the sinking of the Afrotropical genus Ely- mniopsis (on p.65) to synonymy with the Oriental Elymnias, despite the fact that Dr. L. D. Miller (1968) maintained the former as a distinct species in his authoritative monograph on the higher clas- sification of the Satyridae. No mention is made by Dr. Carcasson, 164 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD in his book, of the “Noble Swallowtail” (Papilio nobilis) being found in Tanzania, even though its type-locality is stated to be “German East Africa, Paré’” by Aurivillius in his ‘“‘“Rhopalocera Aethiopica” (1898:464), and I myself have collected it in the Kahé Forest, south of Moshi, in northern Tanzania. Finally, in the index, | I see that y comes before x! In his “simplified provisional check-list of the butterflies of the Afrotropical region”, at the end of the hardback edition of his’ book, Dr. Carcasson would have done better if he had brought the tribal groups of his ““Nymphalinae” in line with the more up-to-| date arrangement of van Son/Vadri’s in Pt. IV of “‘The Butterflies’ of Southern Africa” (1979), and if he had placed all the species of | the various genera, especially those of the larger genera such as Charaxes, Acraea. etc., in alphabetical order rather than in the higgledy-piggedly disorder that one finds them in at present! Despite these criticisms, I really must recommend students | of African butterflies, and anyone visiting Africa who is interested i in its butterflies, to purchase a copy of Dr. Carcasson’s book, since — he is an acknowledged expert on African Lepidoptera, and his book — contains invaluable information about them — A. H. B. RYDON The Life of the Meadow Brown by W. H. Dowdeswell. 165pp., paper. Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., London. — 1981. £5.95: . There are few books on a single butterfly and for that reason — alone “The Life of the Meadow Brown” is welcome. It begins with — a short section on the biology of the species, the following chapters _ giving an extensive account of the ecological genetic work which — has been undertaken by Dowdeswell and others since 1938 — — Beginning an ecological study; The mainland stabilizations; The | meadow brown in Europe; Studying island populations; The signi- — ficance of spotting; Conclusions and implications. Professor Dowdeswell’s knowledge and experience of the genetics of the underside hindwing spotting of these butterflies is clear. His accounts of the research findings of other workers are not so satisfactory. For example, Scali did not include Roumania in the western group of european populations as a result of his work on the enzyme phosphoglucomutase (p. 134). There are other errors, most of them small. Schrank described the genus Maniola, not Linnaeus (p. 6). More seriously, there is little mention of the morphological variation, either wing markings or genitalic structures, on which much as been written and which offers many interesting research possibilities in the field of population biology. While this little book is well written and presented, those in- terested in butterflies who purchase it expecting a text on ‘the life of the meadow brown’ will be disappointed: it is an account of ecological genetics research. The meadow brown just happens to be the organism which proved most suited to the problems posed. Dowdeswell writes more on the ‘background to a piece of biological research’ than on the significance of such phenomena ss sympatric evolution, character displacement and hybrid zones. For this reason the book is probably at a level too elementary for undergraduate and postgraduate research students of biology. In spite of these criticisms, it is well worth reading. — G. T. EPIERUS COMPTUS (ERICHSON) 165 - EPIERUS COMPTUS (ERICHSON) (COL.: HISTERIDAE) NEW TO BRITAIN By DAVID R. NASH* Whilst engaged in a long-term survey of the Coleoptera of _Grovely Wood, an area of mature woodland near Salisbury, Wilt- shire (SU 03) on August Ist, 1980, I took from under the bark of a fallen, mature beech, a single example of an Histerid beetle whose size and general facies I did not associate with any of our native, subcortical species. Having arranged to stay with my friend Mr. C. Johnson of Manchester Museum almost immediately upon my return from Wiltshire, I did not have time to study the beetle in detail, but took it with me for his comment. He suggested the beetle was Epierus comptus (Erichson), a determination with which I fully agreed after studying the specimen upon my return to Essex. As Manchester Museum had no comparative material, I sent the beetle to M. Jean Thérond of Nfmes who kindly verified the deter- mination. A search of the beech trunk in August, 1981, failed to reveal further specimens. There can be little doubt, however, that the species is truly indigenous since the locality is totally isolated from any possible source of importation. Although the beetle appears to be of rare occurrence throughout its range, it seems surprising that it has not been found in the New Forest which lies only some 20 km or so to the south-east of Grovely Wood. In its typical microhabitat, Epierus comptus should not be confused with any of our other native subcortical Histeridae, its relatively large size (2-3mm), broad oval shape and multidenticulate front tibiae separating it easily from Teretrius, all Abraeinae and Paromalus. Apart from the structure of the tibiae, in colour, size and general form it bears quite a striking superficial resemblance to Carcinops pumilio (Erichson), a species which, although a member of the Denrophilinae and easily distinguished on the subfamilial characters given below, was described by Stephens in his ‘Manual’ (1839, p.152) as an Epierus before the creation of the genus Car- cinops by Marseul in 1855. Carcinops pumilio, however, has seven striae on each elytron and the elytra are normally broadest at the humeral callosity and thence usually distinctly narrowed to the apex. The elytra and pronotum unite to form a slight, but evident, external angle, and the anterior tibiae are dilated with two distinct, widely-separated teeth on their outer margin, and a very large terminal hook on their inner margin. Epierus comptus has only six striae on each elytron and the insect is more-or-less evenly rounded from the anterior pronotal angles to the pygidium, the sides of the pronotum uniting with those of the elytra to form an almost unin- terrupted curve. The anterior tibiae are gradually widened from base to apex and are armed with many small spines on their outer margin and have only a small terminal spine on their inner margin. The whole insect is also plainly somewhat broader. — *266 Colchester Road, Lawford, near Manningtree, Essex CO11 2BU. 166 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 In view of the confusion which exists in most British works concerning the taxa within the Histeridae, it would seem important to define clearly the position of Epierus within the family and the taxonomic characters which determine this position. Following Wenzel (1944) and the majority of modern workers — on the Histeridae (but not Witzgall, 1971), the genus Epierus is here — considered to be located within the Tribalinae and not the Histerinae. The Tribalinae may be characterised as follows: prosternal lobe present; protibiae multidenticulate i.e. with fine spines on their outer margin; antennal cavities situated in the anterior thoracic angles and at least partially closed beneath by the prosternal alae; labrum with setigerous punctures (unlike all Histerinae); antennal scape ‘normal’ i.e. not expanded or angulate as in, for example, Hetaerius. The subfamily is closely related to the Dendrophilinae, but the members of the last named taxon may be recognised by their completely open antennal cavities which are usually situated just anterior to the procoxae, the deeply and longitudinally incised prosternal alae (for reception of the antennal funicle), and their paucidenticulate protibiae. The Tribalinae is composed of two tribes — Onthophilini and Tribalini. In Europe, the Onthophilini is only represented by the genus Onthophilus which contains three species easily recognised by their longitudinally keeled elytra and pronota. The Tribalini, on the other hand, is represented by two genera in Europe — Tribalus and Epierus, which may be recognised by their multidenticulate protibiae and the absence of a marginal stria on the frons. All of the European species appear to be rare and to have a predominantly southern distribution. In view of the discovery of a species belonging to a tribe whose known distribution would appear to militate against the occurrence of any of its species with us, it would appear useful to provide a key which includes not only Epierus comptus, but also others of the tribe which might occur in Britain. Key to European Tribalini 1. Elytra with short, indistinct traces of dorsal striae. First ventral segment between hind coxae without deep longitudinal striae. Brown to black; antennae and legs reddish. Length 1.3 -1.8mm ......Tribalus minimus Rossi (Under stones near water, especially by rivers. Southern Europe. ?Middle Europe). — Elytra with entire, distinct dorsal striae. First ventral segment between hind coxae with a deep, longitudinal stria on each side. Black; antennae and legs brOwn-red. Found under Dark: Very rate oo ss, tee Epierus Erichson. 2. Elytra with six striae which are more deeply impressed than in the following species. Prosternal striae slightly diverging towards the front. Frons not impressed between the eye tubercles. Length 2 - 3mm....... . comptus (Erichson) (South and south-west Europe;? Middle Europe. ) — Elytra with a well-formed seventh subhumeral stria and the two innermost striae on each elytron united to form an archin EPIERUS COMPTUS (ERICHSON) 167 the scutellary region. Prosternal striae strongly diverging towards the front. Frons impressed between the eye tuber- Sete Penee STHM. ws «is wn @ > italicus (Paykull) (South- east Central Europe; most frequent in southern Europe.) The above key is based freely upon that of Witzgall (op. cit.) who questions the occurrence of Tribalus minimus and Epierus comptus in middle Europe. Winkler (1924-1932) in his ‘Catalogue’, however, gives the distribution of the three species as follows: T. minimus — Mediterranean, China; E. comptus — Austria, Hun- gary, southern Europe and the Caucasus; F. italicus — Italy, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkan Peninsula. M. Thérond (in Jitt.) informs me that E. comptus appears to be of truly southern distribution in France, as he has recorded it during a lifetime’s collecting from only two departments viz. du Val and the Maritime Alps. He also has specimens from Syria and Iran. There are probably only three or four Palaearctic species of Epierus, the genus having its main centre in the Neotropical region with 56 described species. It is also known from North America (11 spp.)., the Oriental and Indo-Malaysian region (11 spp.), and New Guinea (3 spp.). Two species — E. antillarum Marseul and E. pulicarius Erichson, have recently been recorded in association with the fauna of bat guano in Cuban caves (Decou and Thérond, 1977). Acknowledgements My sincere thanks go to M. Jean Thérond of the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle, Nimes for his generosity in supplying reprints, much helpful correspondence, and confirmation of the identity of the Epierus. I also thank Mr. C. Johnson of Manchester Museum for providing the initial tentative determination. Finally, I thank the Earl of Pembroke for allowing me to study on the Wilton Estate and his Estate Manager Mr. R. H. Mellish for his unfailing help and courtesy. References Arnett, R. & Wenzel, R. L., 1962. Fascicle 26 — Histeridae in Arnett, R. H. The Beetles of the United States, 4th printing, 1973, pp. 369-378. American Entomological Institute. Decou, V. & Thérond, J., 1977. Histérides hypogés de Cuba. Résul- tats des expéditions biospéologiques Cubano-Roumaines a Cuba, pp. 403405. Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste Romania, Bucuresti. Stephens, J. F., 1839. A Manual of British Coleoptera. London. Wenzel, R. L., 1944. On the classification of the Histerid beetles. Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Zool. Ser. 28 (no. 2, publ. no 545): 51- * 151. Chicago. Winkler, A., 1924-1932. Catalogus Coleopterorum regionis palae- arcticae. Vienna. Witzgall, K., 1971. Histeroidea in Freude, H. et al. Die Kafer Mit- teleuropas 3: 156-189. Goecke & Evers. Krefeld. 168 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 THE SCARCE SWALLOW-TAIL: IPHICLIDES PODALIRIUS (L.) IN BRITAIN By RONALD S. WILKINSON * II: Haworth’s Prodromus and Lepidoptera Britannica In the initial part of this survey of recorded captures and sight- ings of podalirius in Britain (Wilkinson, 1975), I discussed the very meager evidence of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. John Ray reported in the posthumous Historia Insectorum (1710) that “in Etruria invenimus, atque etiam, ni male memini, in Anglia”; he had encountered podalirius during his Italian travels in the 1660s, and also, unless his memory failed, in his home island. John Berkenhout was more decisive in the first volume of his Outlines of the Natural History of Great Britain and Ireland (1769); podalirius was indeed a British insect, ““Rare, in woods.’ Berkenhout’s un- substantiated statement was perpetuated in second (1789) and third (posthumous, 1795) editions. Haworth eventually suggested a possible source for the assertion. Although no authentic or even supposed British specimens were known to the community of aurelians as the new century approached, the London naturalists were spurred on to find poda- lirius by their reading of such contemporary writers as Donovan and Lewin, who perpetuated the hope of its capture. Much had been learned about the lepidopterous fauna, but this knowledge was chiefly about the environs of London and the southeastern counties, and naturalists were very aware that little of the rest of Britain had been entomologically explored. One such view was that of the jeweller and collector John Francillon who wrote in 1785 to the Manchester manufacturer John Leigh Philips in hopes of securing native podalirius, virgaureae, daplidice, palaeno, lathonia and other gems, arguing that ‘“‘as you are at such a great Distance from London, I think you must meet with specimens we have not got... . asl find if I go only 20 or 30 miles from London I am sure to meet with something new, therfore I think my argument holds good the further the Distance” (British Library, Add. Mss. 29533, f. 63v.) The climate of opinion was enthusiastic indeed in the golden age of British entomology; surely in time podalirius and other desirable insects would be traced to their haunts in those vast areas distant from the metropolis. But not until the publications of Adrian Hardy Haworth was fresh evidence introduced to suggest that podalirius really could be found in Britain. Haworth (1768-1833) was an accomplished botanist whose collateral pursuit of entomology led to the foun- dation of the third Aurelian Society and the publication of a check- list as well as a classic study of the British Lepidoptera. His seem- ingly curious treatment of the Scarce Swallow-tail in Prodromus Lepidopterorum Britannicorum (1802) and Lepidoptera Britannica *The American Museum of Natural History, New York City, New York 10024. SCARCE SWALLOW-TAIL IN BRITAIN 169 (1803[-28]) is explained by the complicated printing history of these titles. In the text of the Prodromus, podalirius is among the asterisked species which Haworth had “not yet absolutely seen alive,” but the species name was not printed in italics, as were those “desiderata to the cabinet” of British insects belonging to the Aurelian Society. Perhaps the reason is typographical; podalirius, as the first entry in the check-list, has its name in large and small capitals. In fact we know that the Aurelian Cabinet did not have a sup- posed British podalirius. While the main text of the Prodromus was in press, Haworth obtained so much additional information that an addendum with a preface of its own was printed and added to the primary check-list. Haworth explained that in the interim “Real British specimens of the whole [list] have been recently and carefully examined ... except only Pap. Podalirius and Bomb. Pinus, which are admitted upon the assurance of two . . . Entomolo- gical friends, that they once beheld alive and at large both of these rarities in Britain.” At that time Haworth was well along in the writing of the first volume of Lepidoptera Britannica. When the volume was published in 1803, the textual entry for podalirius (which had, according to Haworth, been printed some time before) did not include such an assurance by entomological friends. Haworth referred only to the two classical references to podalirius as British: “‘Exemplarium absolute Britannicum nunquam vidi. Locus in Lepidoptera Britan- nica authoritatibus Berkenhouti et Raii (quae ultima satis ambigua est) praecipue pendet” (p. 6.) But Haworth was able to add new and welcome information before the volume was issued. In the preface, sent to the press last and dated July 1803, he announced that “Since the body of this work was printed, my friend the Rev. Dr. Abbott of Bedford has informed me that he took in Maylast, near Clapham Park Wood in Bedfordshire, a specimen of Papilio Podalirius in the winged state: and that he also took in June last, in White Wood near Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, the Papilio Daplidice (in a faded state) and likewise Papilio Lathonia. These are three extremely interesting species, and there is not a British specimen of any of them now extant, except the above. “‘Podalirius . . . has not been seen alive in Britain, since the time of Ray; unless Berkenhout possessed it, which he probably might, because I have heard of his giving a high price for a rare Swallow- tail Papilio, said to be taken in Cambridgeshire, which was probably the identical specimen of Podalirius that he has described in his Synopsis .... “An ingenious and practical Aurelian friend has informed me that he took two sorts of swallow-tailed Papilios, near Beverley in Yorkshire, five-and-twenty years ago, but no specimens of them are now extant; a fire which unhappily destroyed great part of his property, having consumed them likewise. Now, as we have only two swallow-tailed species in Great Britain, one of the above in all probability was Podalirius. | know Machaon . . . breeds near Beverley - yet....’(Haworth, 1803, xxvi-xxvii.) 170 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 Haworth’s fortunate friend “‘the Rev. Dr. Abbott’? was Charles Abbot (17612-1817), cleric and sometime Fellow of New College, Oxford, who took the degree of D. D. in 1802. Like Haworth, Abbot was a botanist and Fellow of the Linnean Society; his Flora Bedfordiensis was published in 1798. An Abbot specimen of poda- lirius is still extant, in the Dale Collection, Hope Department of Zoology (Entomology), University Museum, Oxford. It is in some- what poor condition, with antennae missing, and is labelled “Clap- ham Park wood May — 1803? Nr. Bedford Dr. Abbot? Mus. Abbot”’ in the hand of James Charles Dale (1792-1872), a respected figure in nineteenth-century British entomology (Walker, 1907). The question marks imply that at some time Dale had doubts about the pro- venance of the insect which he obtained as part of Abbot’s cabinet (purchased in 1817: Dale, 1830). The Abbot specimen is the only podalirius in the Dale Col- lection, which was bequeathed by Charles William Dale to Oxford with the diaries and records kept by his father and himself. One of the manuscripts mentions the capture. J. C. Dale compiled an “entomological calendar” from Abbot’s original notes (Walker, 1907), and I am informed by Miss Pamela Gilbert, British Museum (Natural History), that the page containing the records for 1803 includes the entry “May-? Papilio Podalirius? Clapham-Park wood Bed’s —.” Again those troublesome question marks appear. The elder Dale seems to have had no problems with the attribution of Abbot’s 1803 capture of daplidice and lathonia; the specimens are in the Dale Collection ex Abbot, and bear Dale labels without question marks (Walker, 1907). Perhaps Abbot had not specifically labelled his podalirius as being the May 1803 capture described to Haworth. At any rate, in late 1838 or early 1839 Dale assured Peter Rylands that he then possessed the Abbot podalirius to which Haworth referred, “a @ not in very fine order’ (Rylands, 1839), presumably the same specimen now in the Dale Collection. And Dale, one of the more knowledgeable collectors of the period, cited the Abbot capture as part of the extensive information about podalirius which he furnished to Rylands and which the latter claimed would “convince any unbiassed person that podalirius ought to be entered in the British Fauna.” Rylands (1839) also revealed that “Mr. Haworth told Mr. Dale that ‘Dr. Abbott had informed him [Haworth] by letter of his having seen podalirius two or three times’ previous to the capture.” There is no reason to suppose that Charles Abbot’s claims were spurious — or, to phrase that conclusion in a more guarded manner, we have no evidence that he deceived his entomological friends. Certainly he recorded a number of Lepidoptera which were con- sidered exceptional prizes, and all within a relatively brief period of time; his good fortune was-not limited to the capture of podalirius, daplidice and lathonia (Haworth, 1802, 1803). However Abbot was considered to be a trustworthy naturalist, and his colleagues called attention to his successes as examples of the progress of British entomology. One may argue that those were more credulous times, in which entomologists accepted one another’s records without the SCARCE SWALLOW-TAIL IN BRITAIN 171 more careful scrutiny which would characterize the Victorian era. That was often true, but even so, Abbot must be considered in- nocent in the absence of proof to the contrary; and, as we shall see, a number of other collectors quite certainly did take podalirius in England after his death. In his 1803 preface, Haworth chose not to name the “ingenious and practical Aurelian friend’’ who captured “two sorts of swallow- tailed Papilios’’ near Beverley, Yorkshire a quarter of a century before. But he continued to believe his friend’s account; writing of podalirius, Samouelle (1819) reported that ‘Mr. Haworth is yet in hopes of receiving indigenous specimens from Yorkshire.’’ Haworth returned to the subject of podalirius in 1828 when preparing a postscript to be published with the sheets of the fourth part of Lepidoptera Britannica, which had been printed a number of years before. /nter alia, Haworth related that “Mr. Rippon of York has informed the writer that he saw the wing of a P. Podalirius found in Yorkshire” (p. 588.) . Rippon’s identity has been a mystery until now, and indeed he has led two historians (the late P. B. M. Allan and myself) on a merry chase. He appears in the recently discovered manuscript ‘articles of incorporation’ of Haworth’s Aurelian Society as “John Rippon, Precentor’s Court, York,” the twelfth Aurelian to sign the document. So quite probably John Rippon was the “Aurelian friend,” and he certainly was the Rippon of the podalirius wing. J.C. Dale (1830) credited the Beverley captures and the account of the wing to “Mr. Ripon?” several years before Haworth’s death, and we may suppose that Dale was not corrected by his old friend, for Rylands (1839) unhesitatingly named “Mr. Rippon, of York” as the collector at Beverley, ca. 1778, and one suspects from the first paragraph of Rylands’ paper that he had his information from Dale. The circumstances of the supposed captures were repeated again and again in the literature, but the actual facts are scanty enough. We now know Rippon’s given name and address, but nothing has been discovered about his collecting activities and the specimens which were consumed by fire. Hopefully a search of local records will reveal more.! By the time Haworth wrote his 1828 postscript he was able to record several more captures of podalirius. These properly belong to a third part of this survey, which will begin with the curious adventures of the Rev. Frederick William Hope and conclude at mid-century. 1John Rippon of York was not John Rippon, D. D. (1751-1836), Baptist divine and compiler of the famous collection of hymns, who served his Lon- don parish for nearly 64 years and who appears in the Dictionary of National Biography. Our Rippon was not Precentor of York Minster, and the Dean of York, who graciously conducted a search of the appropriate records, dis- covered no official affiliation with the Minster. Precentor’s Court, earlier called Precentor’s Lane, opens into High Petergate, and evidently Rippon occupied one of the private residences in the Court. 172 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 References Abbot, C. 1798. Flora Bedfordiensis. Bedford. Aurelian Society. Rules and regulations for the establishment and continuance of the . . . society. Ms., June 1801 et seq. Newington District Library, London. Berkenhout, J. 1769. Outlines of the natural history of Great Britain and Ireland. |. London. Dale, J. C. 1830. Notice of the capture of Vanessa Huntera, for the first time in Britain, with a catalogue of rare insects cap- tured. Mag. Nat. Hist., 3: 332-334. Francillon, J. to J. L. Philips, 4th February 1785. Add. Mss. 29533, British Library, London. Haworth, A. H. 1802. Prodromus lepidopterorum Britannicorum. Holt. wnneeeenneennennennnnes . 1803 [-28] . Lepidoptera Britannica. London. Ray, J. 1710. Historia insectorum. London. Rylands, P. 1839. Statement of the claims of Papilio podalirius to rank as a British insect. Naturalist, 4: 227-229. Samouelle, G. 1819. The entomologist’s useful compendium. London. Walker, J. J. 1907. Some notes on the Lepidoptera of the “Dale Collection” of British insects, now in the Oxford University Museum. I: Rhopalocera. Ent. mon. Mag. 43: 93-101, 130-134. Wilkinson, R. S. 1975. The scarce swallow-tail: [phiclides podalirius (L.) in Britain. I: The evidence before Haworth. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 87: 289-293. THE BRIMSTONE: GONEPTERYX RHAMNI L. APPARENTLY IMBIBING AT HYDRANGEA FLOWERS. - _ On September 6th, 1980, I was surprised to see a female brimstone butterfly alight upon a sterile flower of the head of a Hortensis type Hydrangea with pale blue flowers, and probe for some time the calyx tube. This beha- viour was repeated on several flower heads before the insect moved on to the bright pink flowers provided by a hedge of Lathyrus latifolius, the everlasting pea, which over the years has been noted as the most favoured flower attraction for this species here in my garden. Two days later the visits were repeated. So far as I am aware Hydrangea flowers of this type do not pro- duce nectar, neither were the flowers wet, nor host to aphides. Work by D. Ilse quoted in The Pollination of Flowers by Proctor and Yeo, 1973, showed that the brimstone’s natural flower pre- ference was for those coloured blue, and that approach was visual rather than olfactory. This explains the visit to the Hydrangea, but what is not clear are its lengthy visits with apparent feeding. Regarding colour selec- tivity, violet and purple are also attractive to the brimstone, accord- ing to Ilse, while few visits are made to red, orange and yellow flowers. In my garden another pink flower commonly attracting the brimstone is Sedum spectabile, although I associate this more with Aglais urticae, the small tortoiseshell, which Ilse finds most attracted by flowers of yellow or blue colouration, and which also use a visual approach — B.K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. BUTTERFLIES IN EASTERN SWITZERLAND 173 BUTTERFLIES IN EASTERN SWITZERLAND 1980, WITH A NOTE ON EREBIA PLUTO DE PRUNN. Dr. C. J. LUCKENS* In mid-August 1980 Dr. T. W. Tolman and I, accompanied by my two older sons, spent several days at Pontresina in the En- gadine. The weather was unremittingly wet as we travelled through France but, apart from one unsettled day, we had beautiful weather for the duration of our stay in Switzerland. In spite of the late date in the Alpine butterfly season, we saw a good variety of species, including many that we had met with there over a month earlier the previous year. The two Erebias, melampus Fuessl. and tyndarus Esp. for example, were swarming in the pastures of the Val Roseg on August 17th and many were in excellent condition. Flying with them were Coenonympha gardetta de Prunn. and the fritillaries Fabriciana niobe L., Argynnis aglaia L., Brenthis pales D. & S., B. napaea Hoffmannsegg, and Clossiana titania Esp. I observed a female titania ovipositing on the dry moss at the base of a drystone wall where Viola ssp. grew among the crevices. Aricia nicias Meig. was locally com- mon at the foot of one stony slope and we saw many Colias phico- mone Esp. and Cyaniris semiargus Rott. — all of these being butter- flies we had encountered in early July 1979. Other species seen included a few Polyammatus eros Ochs. and Erebia montana de Prunn. (usually at the edge of the screes) and excellent numbers of Heodes virgaureae L. of a small bright form which frequented the woodland clearings. In one such clearing, in 1979, we had found Euphydryas inter- media Menetries and I was very keen to look for the early stages of this local species. To my surprise and delight I found a batch of very young Euphydryas larvae on a small web at the tip of a Loni- cera leaf on one of the first bushes investigated. After this early success no more were found in spite of intense search by my sons who were spurred on by promises of generous rewards. Approach- ing the Roseg Hotel near the head of the valley Parnassius phoebus F. became quite common, favouring especially the rocky ground beside the river. This beautiful butterfly was also conspicuous on the higher slopes of the Albula Pass which we visited on three occasions — the 18th, 20th and 21st August. The 20th was the day of rather un- certain weather and we were forced to descend to the meadows around Preda to escape the cold misty rain at the top of the pass. Here Erebia pronoe Esp. was found and a few Erebia manto D. & S. (not the high altitude f. pyrrhula but similar to the type) as well as Palaeochrysophanus hippothoe L. C. titania and a single fresh Mellicta athalia Rott. The other two days were brilliantly sunny and we spent most of our time at around 6000ft a little way down the north side of the pass. Colias palaeno L. was flying swiftly over the Vaccinium- *Swallowfield, Manor Road, Durley, Hants, SO3 2AF. 174 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 covered slopes and a few of those netted were surprisingly still in fresh condition. A pair of Vacciniina optilete Knoch was also noted. On a patch of alluvial mud we encountered a swarm of the little alpine blues Agriades glandon de Prunn. and P. eros and we were able to select a small series of each of these species. These mud visitors were almost exclusively male however, and we had to work hard to find the females on the nearby grass slopes. The dark, violet-suffused females of B. napaea were also frequent in this riparian habitat. Still higher up on the scree slopes a few EF. pronoe and one or two Erebia gorge Huebner flew with worn but very active Pontia callidice Huebner, but the prize was the large sooty Erebia pluto de Prunn. We risked multiple fractures pursuing these mag- nificent butterflies over the unstable grey stones. Pluto had the habit of inconsequentially skipping down as if to investigate the — waiting net only to veer off suddenly when just beyond range. Then the stones would clatter and ring under foot as the unequal chase began! One female however settled a few feet in front of me on the scree and curving her abdomen she deposited an ovum on the underside of a small rock. I marked this and then searched carefully all around but the nearest living blade of grass I could detect was at least ten feet away. Occasionally pluto would ap- proach the grassy areas at the edge of the rock slides but as soon as the insect found itself away from the scree it would show signs of alarm and a much faster flight pattern would be maintained until it found itself once more over the bare stones. I have noticed a very similar habit among the males of Erebia lefebvrei Boisd. on the screes of the Sierra del Cadi in Spain. This Erebia occupies the same ecological niche in the Pyrenees and adjacent Sierras of northern Spain as does pluto in the Alps. Both butterflies are intensely dark and therefore perhaps share the facility of quickly absorbing heat reflected from the pale rock surfaces of scree. Rapid transfer of energy in this way may be essential to ef- ficient flight at the high, relatively cool altitudes that both species frequent. porte sw remit as LEPIDOPTERA AT CANNA IN 1982. — The arrivals of the migrants here has been as follows: Cynthia cardui L., first seen on 9th June; a number of larvae found later, Vanessa atalanta L., first seen 11th June; others seen later, and larvae found; now frequent around buddleia in the garden. Autographa gamma L., first seen 9th June, others later; a pupa found on a thistle. Nomophila noctuella D. & S., in trap on 29th July. All the resident butterflies have flourished in the hottest and driest summer I can remember here; this particularly applies to Pieris napi L., Argynnis aglaja L., Boloria selene D. & S., Pararge aegeria L. and Hipparchia semele L. On the other hand, moths have been less numerous, and trap catches disappointing. The only in- teresting capture has been a specimen of Deilephila elpenor L. on 25th June. Recently there has been an outbreak of Cerapteryx graminis L., and visitors repeatedly report seeing Abraxas grossu- lariata L. which has been common this year. — J. L. CAMPBELL, Farm Office, Isle of Canna, Hebrides. SAWFLIES FROM WHITLAW MOSS N.R. 175 SOME SAWFLIES FROM WHITLAW MOSS NATURE RESERVE, SOUTHERN SCOTLAND, WITH A SPECIES NEW TO BRITAIN (HYM.: SYMPHYTA) By ANDREW D. LISTON* Abstract 30 spp. of sawfly are recorded from Whitlaw Moss National Nature Reserve in Southern Scotland. Pristiphora micronematica Malaise is an addition to the known fauna of the British Isles. 7 other rare or local species are discussed. Fig. 1. Penis valve of male Pristiphora micronematica Malaise Introduction On 22.5.81 and 3.7.81 Mr. J. M. Nelson and the author visited Murder and Blackpool Mosses (NT 505285 and NT517290) in order to sample the sawfly fauna. Aided by good weather during these Visits, several noteworthy species were found. The two mires form part of the Whitlaw Moss National Nature Reserve, situated in Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire. Their interest lies in their wide range of rich-fen communities fed by base-rich ground water. These range from closed Salix carr (mainly cinerea with some pentandra) to open bryophyte-rich carpets and tall-herb communities. Though the reserve was created primarily to safeguard the unique plant communities, several interesting insect species have since been found there: for example, Coniosternum tinctinervis Becker (Diptera, Scathophagidae) and Hydroporus glabriusculus Aube (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae) were first found in Britain at this locality (Nelson, 1972; Sinclair, 1976). A considerable boreal element appears to be present in both flora and fauna: e.g. Dactylorchis purpurella and Corallorhiza trifida (Orchidaceae), certain Carex spp. (Cyperaceae) and a large number of insects. This can be explained partly by the relatively high altitude (274m.) and partly by the relict nature of the mosses. Pristiphora micronematica Malaise, here introduced to the British list, together with Phyllocolpa acutiserra, P. excavata and Nematus *99 Clermiston Road, Edinburgh EH12 6UV 176 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 monticola are all species with markedly boreal distributions. The other sawflies have wider distributions, occurring throughout most of northern and central Europe. All of the boreal sawfly species so-far recorded at Whitlaw are associated with the Salix, particularly S. pentandra which itself is a typically northern plant. Of the species feeding on the plants in the herb communities, most are widespread, but a few are more characteristically southern in distribution (Allantus calceatus, Perineura rubi). It is interesting that all of the sawflies found at Whitlaw occur in Finland (Saarinen, 1950) and most reach at least as far north as southern Lapland. All but three specimens were captured during the visits made on 22.5 and 3.7.81, mostly by sweeping. The three others were trapped in orange bowls during May 1980 by Mr. Nelson. The material is now in the author’s collection. Species new to Britain Pristiphora micronematica Malaise, 1931 = Lygaeophora leucostoma Lindqvist, 1952 136 from Salix 22.5.1981. Full descriptions of both sexes of this species are given by Lindqvist (1952), as L. leucostoma Lindqvist. The British specimen was at first thought to be the male of the related P. lanifica (Zaddach & Brischke), recently added to the British list on the basis of some females from Edinburgh (Liston, 1981). Further examina- tion showed that it could not possibly be a male Janifica, but that it was likely to be a representative of micronematica Malaise. It corre- sponds well with Lindqvist’s description of lewcostoma, and the structure of its penis valve confirms its identity. The sawfly will key to the “C Groups” in Benson (1958). P. breadalbanensis (Cameron) and its close allies bear a superficial resemblance to micronematica, but examination of the penis valve (Fig. 1) will safely separate the latter. Below are summarised the most important external characters for the separation of P. lanifica and P. micronematica as set out by Lindqvist and checked as far as possible against the specimens available to me: lanifica (Z. & B.) ¥ and &. Always with pale marked mesopleura. Underside of abdomen usually with several sternites pale marked. Mesopleura as densely sculptured as lateral lobes of mesonotum. Claws bifid. 3rd and 4th antennal segments subequal in length. micronematica Malaise ¢ and 3. Mesopleura always completely black. Underside of abdomen completely black except for hypopy- gium. Mesopleura feebly sculptured and more shining than lateral lobes of mesonotum. Claws with small inner tooth. 3rd antennal segment much shorter than 4th. Differences in the saw and sawsheath of the female and the penis valve of the male are also useful (see figures in Lindqvist, 1952). Lindqvist (Lc.) records that the femora of most of his Finnish specimens are black. Those of the Scottish male are completely SAWFLIES FROM WHITLAW MOSS N.R. 177 pale. Variation of this sort is widespread in the Nematinae and seldom of significance. Benson’s (1958) “C Groups” of Pristiphora comprise an ecologically fascinating assemblage of smaller, unrelated species- groups whose only common characteristics are their boreal and arctic-alpine distributions and their (usually) sculptured mesopleura. Benson’s synthetic groupings of Pristiphora species are nevertheless very convenient. More formal division of the genus into several genera or subgenera (eg. Konow, 1902 & 1904: Lindavist, 1c.) has invariably proved inadequate because such groupings have mainly been based on arbitrary ranges of similarity in genitalia. Neither the importance of other morphological characters nor the value of biological data have been taken into account, and one often finds that species with very similar saws for example, can not possibly be closely related. I can see no useful purpose in the retention of these so-called subgeneric names, which in the past have been applied to mere species-groups. Though Lindqvist (.c.) was able to define his subgenus Lygaeophora in both sexes using fairly distinctive features (Liston, 1981), I follow Smith (1979) in treating it as synonymous with Lygaeonematus Konow, which itself is best treated as a synonym of Pristiphora Latreille. In such a large genus as this, synthetic groupings of species such as adopted by Benson (1958) are less cumbersome than the use of subgeneric names of doubtful validity. Malaise (1931) described micronematica from Kamtchatka. Lindqvist (1952) erected a new species, Jeucostoma, for Finnish specimens which had previously been called micronematica by various authors. Lindqvist (1971) realised that his leucostoma was a form of micronematica and synonymised the species. Since the publication of Lindqvist’s (1952) revision, P. micronematica has been recorded under the name J/eucostoma in northern Canada by Benson (1962). Further records indicate that micronematica occurs in Swedish Lapland, Norway and _ nor- thern Russia (Kontuniemi, 1965). It appears to be the commonest species of the group in Finland, and is particularly abundant in the southern provinces. It is therefore not a particularly surprising addition to our fauna. Perhaps micronematica will be found to be a more widespread species in Britain than the less easily overlooked P. lanifica (Z. & B.). Hellén (1975) wrongly synonymised micronematica with lanifica, but there are numerous biological differences apart from those morphological ones mentioned above. The larva of microne- matica, briefly described by Lindqvist (lc.), is a solitary leaf-edge feeder on smooth-leaved boreal Salix spp. Those of Janifica are semi-gregarious leaf-edge feeders on rough-leaved Salix (Liston, in press). Species of special interest Empria pumila (Konow) i? 22.5.81. Benson (1952) records this species in various southern English counties, Ireland, Perthshire and Invernesshire. 178 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 Allantus truncatus (Klug) 1% May 1980 (Nelson), trapped in orange bowl placed in Phrag- mites. 1 3 3.7.81. Benson (1952) records this species as uncommon in S. England, and notes that Cameron took it at Rannoch, Perth- shire. The Whitlaw female has an entirely black abdomen, thus causing it to resemble A. melanarius (Klug), but it does not seem to differ in any other way from typical white-banded C. European truncatus females. Conversely, the male, which normally has a com- pletely black abdomen, in this case has its Sth tergite white-marked. Amauronematus fallax (Lepeletier) 1? 22.5.81. Probably local throughout Britain and Ireland, but there are no previous records for Scotland south of Perthshire. A. fasciatus (Konow) 12 22.5.81. Local and scarce north to Invernesshire, and in Ireland (Benson, 1958). Phyllocolpa acutiserra (Lindqvist ) 1% 22.5.81. Single previous British specimen is from Isle of Rhum (Benson, 1958). Whitlaw seems a surprising locality for this species, but the saw of the specimen is unmistakable. P. acutiserra is typically arctic-alpine, occurring in Norway, Finland, Scotland, Austrian Tirol, North Russia and Canada. Vikberg (1970) records Salix lapponum, S. glauca and S. hastata as foodplants, but the range is probably wider. P. excavata (Marlatt) 1$ 22.5.81. Previously in Yorkshire, Roxburghs., W. Lothian, Midlothian, Stirlings., and Ireland. Nematus monticola (Thomson) 1? 22.5.81. Previously known from Malham Tarn (Yorks.), Clydesdale (Benson, 1958) and Moor House NNR in Westmorland (Nelson, 1971). Rare in Europe at widely separated localities from northernmost Lapland (Inari) to the Yugoslavian Mts. (Kosovo). Other species Trichiosoma lucorum (L.), Dolerus cothurnatus Lepeletier, D. aeneus Hartig, D. niger (L.), Empria alector Benson, Allantus cal- ceatus (Klug), Eutomostethus luteiventris (Klug), Monophadnoides geniculata (Hartig), Perineura rubi (Panzer), Tenthredo moniliata Klug, 7. velox F., Sharliphora amphibola (Forster), Pristiphora pallidiventris (Fallén), P. sp. near quercus (Hartig) (Betula “race” Amauronematus tillbergi Malaise, A. histrio (Lepeletier), Euura mucronata (Hartig), Phyllocolpa coriacea (Benson), Pontania col- lactanea (Forster), P. bridgmanni (Cameron), P. viminalis (L.), Nematus bergmanni Dahlbom. SAWFLIES FROM WHITLAW MOSS N.R. 179 Acknowledgements I thank Mr. J. M. Nelson (Nature Conservancy Council, Edin- burgh) for making my visits to Whitlaw possible, for collecting specimens and for advice on the manuscript. Dr. K. P. Bland and Dr. M. R. Shaw also kindly gave me specimens collected during the second visit. References Benson, R. B. 1951. Hymenoptera Symphyta. Handbk. Ident. Br. Insects, 6 (2a): 149. Benson, R. B. 1952. Hymenoptera Symphyta. Handbk. Ident. Br. Insects, 6 (2b): 51-137. Benson, R. B. 1958. Hymenoptera Symphyta. Handbk. Ident. Br. Insects, 6 (2c): 139-252. Benson, R. B. 1962. Holarctic Sawflies (Hymenoptera: Symphyta). Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist., Ent., 12: 379409. Hellén, W. 1975. Die Nematinen Finnlands IV (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). Gattung Pristiphora Latreille. Notulae Ent., 55: 97-128. Konow, F. W. 1902. Die Nematiden -Gattung Pristiphora Latr. (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae), soweit dieselbe bisher aus der palaearctischen Zone bekannt ist, systematisch und kritisch bearbeitet. Ann. Mus. Acad. Sc. St. Petersb., 7: 161-187. Konow, F. W. 1904. Revision der Nematiden-Gattung Lygaeonematus Konow. Z. syst. Hym. Dipt., 4: 193-208. Kontuniemi, T. 1965. Die Sagewespen des ostlichsten Fennoskandiens und einiges uber ihre Chorologie. Ann. Ent. Fen., 31: 246-263. Lindqvist, E. 1952. Uber alte und neue Lygaeonematus-Arten (Hym., Ten- thredinidae). Notulae Ent., 32: 80-119. Lindqvist, E. 1971. Einige von R. Malaise aus Kamtschatka beschriebene Nematinen (Hym., Tenthredinidae). Notulae Ent., 51: 124-129. Liston, A. D. 1981. Pristiphora (Lygaeophora) lanifica (Zaddach, 1882) new to Britain (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae), Ent. Gaz., 32: 181-184. Liston, A. D. in press. Neubeschreibung der Larve von Pristiphora lanifica ___ (Zaddach) (Hym., Tenthredinidae). Ann. Ent. Fenn. Malaise, R. 1931. Entomologische Ergebnisse der schwedischen Kamtschatka- >» Sagan 1920-22. 35. Beitrag (Tenthredinidae). Arkiv. Zool., 33A(8): Nelson, J. M. 1971. The Invertebrates of an area of Pennine Moorland within the Moor House Nature Reserve in Northern England. Trans. Soc. Brit. Ent., 19: 173-235. Nelson, J. M. 1972. Coniosternum tinctinervis Becker, a Scatophagid Fly new to Britain (Diptera). Ent. Gaz., 23: 247-248. Saarinen, A. 1950. A check-list of the sawflies of Eastern Fennoskandia. Suom. Hy@nt. Aikak., 16: 71-83. Sinclair, M. 1975. Hydroporus glabriusculus Aube (Col., Dytiscidae) new to the British Isles.Entomologist’s mon. Mag., 111: 117-121. Smith, D. R. 1979. in Krombein, K. V., et al., Catalog of Hymenoptera in e-em North of Mexico. 1: 3-137. Smithsonian Institution, Washing- ton, D.C. Vikberg, V. 1970. The genus Pontania O. Costa (Hym., Tenthredinidae) in the Kilpisjarvi district, Finnish Lapland. Ann. Ent. Fenn., 36: 10-24. SES G. R. SUTTON. — As we go to press, we hear of the sad news of the death on the 3rd of June, in the Southend General Hospital after a brief illness, of Mr. Gresham Rhodes Sutton of Westcliffe-on-Sea, Essex. Born on the 21st of May 1898, Mr. Sutton was thus 84 years of age at the time of his death. His interests were in the lepi- doptera and coleoptera. — J. M. C.-H. 180 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 ARGYRESTHIA TRIFASCIATA STAUDINGER, 1871 (LEP.: YPONOMEUTIDAE) IN BRITAIN By A. M. EMMET* Mr. R. A. Softly took an example of this species in a Heath actinic light-trap on or about the 3rd of June, 1982 at Hampstead. The trap is situated on the top balcony of a block of flats, facing south and overlooking the British Rail station of Hampstead Heath (map reference TQ 274856). It is some 40 feet above ground level and 20 or 30 feet away from the crowns of sycamores and a poplar. Although canopy-feeders come to this elevated trap (Microthrix similella (Zincken), seldom encountered anywhere, turned up once on the 7th of July, 1980), in certain weather conditions small low-flying species also occur in numbers; for example, as many as 30 Lyonetia clerkella (Linnaeus) have appeared on a single night. It follows that the unusual siting of the trap is not necessarily of significance for this capture. Fig. 1 Argyresthia trifasciata, Hampstead vi.1982. Enlarged approx. x 8. The trap is run regularly by Mr. Softly for recording purposes. When a species of Microlepidoptera turns up which belongs to a family with which he is not familiar but is distinctively enough marked to be readily identifiable, he retains it for reference to a fellow entomologist. Argyresthia trifasciata fell into this category; it is described by Frey (1880: 385) as a charming little creature which is extraordinarily easy to recognise. Mr. Softly showed it to me and when I expressed the opinion that it was an Argyresthia new to Britain, he left it with me for further research. I described it over the telephone to the Rev. D. J. L. Agassiz, who is specia- lising in the Yponomeutidae, and he at once suggested that it was A. trifasciata. | then sent the moth to the British Museum (Natural History), where Dr. J. D. Bradley confirmed the determination. The species was discovered by Anderegg in the Swiss canton of Valais and described by Staudinger (1871:425). It has since been found also in the French Alps and in Ardéche, a department in the extreme south-east of the Massif Central -(Lhomme, 1939-46). *Labrey Cottage, Victoria Gardens, Saffron Walden, Essex. ae == ARGYRESTHIA TRIFASCIATA STAUDINGER 181 According to Lhomme, the foodplants are Juniperus sabina, J. phoenicea and J. thurifera. All three occur in Britain as naturalised introductions, having been first imported in 1548, 1683 and 1752 respectively. However, only J. sabina thrives; it is to be found in many gardens and is commonly stocked by nurserymen (Dallimore & Jackson, 1923: 259). Fresh supplies are probably obtained periodically from the Continent and A. trifasciata may have been accidentally imported on its foodplant. This explanation has already been offered for the presence of Gelechia sabinella Zeller (Gelechi- idae) which feeds on the same foodplant (Agassiz, 1978). There is a nursery stocking juniper species only a quarter of a mile from the site of the trap, which may have been the source of this specimen; its supplies are obtained from a grower in Hertfordshire but it is not yet known whence the latter firm acquires its stock. Lhomme does not say how the larva feeds. We have five species of Argyresthia in Britain which have our native juniper (J. communis) as their host plant; two feed in shoots, two mine needles and one feeds in late summer in green berries. One of these methods of feeding is likely for A. trifasciata. The adults fly in France from late April until June, possibly rather too early for the larva to have mined young shoots. The species is not listed as a leaf-miner by Hering (1957), but this may be due to absence of information and is not conclusive. This leaves the fruits as marginally the most likely pabulum. Description of the imago Wingspan c. 9mm. Head with vertex rough-haired, white. Antenna whitish, annulated black, the annulations obsolescent beneath; labial palpus pale golden. Thorax and tegulae glossy golden. Fore- wing glossy golden; white fasciae at one-fifth and two-fifths, both direct, and one at three-fifths, inwards-oblique; irregularly-shaped subapical and tornal white spots tending to coalesce to form a fourth, inwards-oblique fascia; subcircular white spots on costa at one-half and at apex; cilia concolorous with wing. Hindwing pale grey. The species should follow Argyresthia ivella (Haworth) and be given the log book number 409a (Bradley & Fletcher, 1979). Mr. Softly, at whose request I am writing this paper, has pre- sented the specimen to the British Museum (Natural History). He is to be congratulated on making this interesting and attractive addition to the British list. My thanks are due to the Rev. D. J. L. Agassiz and Dr. J. D. Bradley for making and confirming the deter- mination respectively. I also thank Dr. Bradley for the photograph, and Mr. E.S. Bradford for preparing it for publication. References Agassiz, D. J. L., 1978. Gelechia sabinella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a species new to Britain. Entomologist’s Gaz. 29: 136-138. 182 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 Bradley, J. D. & Fletcher, D. S., 1979. A recorder’s log book or label list of British butterflies and moths, 136pp. London. Dallimore, W. & Jackson, A. B., 1923. A handbook of Coniferae, 570pp, 120 text figs, 31 pls. London. Frey, H., 1880. Die Lepidopteren der Schweiz, xxvi. 454pp. Leipzig. Hering, E. M. 1957. Bestimmungstabellen der Blattminen von Europa, 1 & 2, 1185pp., 3, 221pp., 725 figs. s’Gravenhage. Lhomme, L., 193946. Catalogue des Lepidoptéres de France et de Belgique, 2(2): 173487. Le Carriol, par Douelle (Lot). Staudinger, O., in Staudinger, O. & Wocke, M. F., 1871. Catalog des Europaeischen Faunengebeits, xxxviii, 426pp. Dresden. SSS AGONOPTERIX ASTRANTIAE HEINEMANN IN HAMPSHIRE. — On 9th June 1982 I found six larvae of this species on Sanicula europaea in a beech wood near East Meon. The moths emerged from 25th - 27th June, and this is the first record of astrantiae in Hampshire. During the last instar many of the larvae bite partially through the upper part of the leaf stalk causing the leaf to wither, and then continue to feed in the wilting folded leaf. This may explain why so few larvae had previously been found, because the leaf then droops below the level of the healthy leaves of the foodplant neces- sitating careful parting of the leaves in order to find the larvae. This habit was observed independently this year by H. N. Michaelis. — Dr. J. R. LANGMAID, 38 Cumberland Court, Festing Road, Southsea, Hants PO4 ONH. LOW NUMBERS OF LEPIDOPTERA IN 1981. — My impression Cumbria is that 1981 was about the poorest year for Lepidoptera ¢ record. Admittedly owing to advancing years | did far less hunting arour than I used to do; but it is certainly indisputable that when I was out af about I could find very few specimens of even the commoner specie For instance, on a visit to an area of limestone grassland near the Fai Steps, Beetham, where there is usually an abundance of Lepidopter in warm sunshine on July 12th the scarcity was most depressing. I e pected to find Aricia artaxerxes salmacis Stephens still out in good nut bers, but saw just one. Usually in this area of what used to be South Wes morland, this butterfly is out from about June 15th to July 20th. Oth butterflies were very scarce, but two moths helped to save the situatio Zygaena filipendulae L. and Phothedes captiuncula Treits., both of whic were in good numbers. I even got a photograph of P. captiuncula sitti on a leaf — I had almost despaired of ever managing to photograph th moth, for when it is not wildly flying it usually dives deep down in tl grass and is disturbed at the slightest touch of the vegetation — a mo elusive insect. The same story of paucity is true of my Mercury Vapour Trap, whit I have admittedly operated only spasmodically. But on nights which selected for operation the results were very sparse, and there were f surprises except negative ones! For instance, I never saw one Amath xanthographa D. & S. Perhaps the nearest to a positive surprise was Dasypolia templi L. on October 1st. Does my experience tally with thi of most other Lepidopterists? — Rev. J. H. VINE HALL, “‘Rivendell 3, The Green, Melmerby, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 1HG. » 7 FLYING CROOKED 183 FLYING CROOKED By J. S. PHILLPOTTS* The butterfly, a cabbage white (His honest idiocy of flight) Will never now, it is too late, Master the art of flying straight, Yet has — who knows as well as I? — A just sense of how not to fly: He lurches here and here by guess And God and hope and hopelessness. Even the acrobatic swift Has not his flying crooked gift. Robert Graves The enormous area of a butterfly’s wings must be there for some better purpose than advertisement to its mate. It also adver- tises itself to all the birds in the neighbourhood and is often attacked by them. One advantage of these large wings is that they allow the butter- fly to use relatively slow, deliberate wing beats, which are under excellent control. A meadow brown will fly through the close stems of tall grass without touching them and butterflies can sail straight through fruit cage netting and out the other side without hesitation. Both these feats require co-ordination between eye and wing of a high order. This leads on to a flying butterfly’s tactics as it is attacked by a bird. Like the slow flying enemy aeroplanes in the last war it is more manoeuvrable than they are ‘it lurches here and here by gues’ and they miss it over and over again. When they do manage to strike from above it closes its wings in the bird’s face and the bird may remove a symmetrical portion of both wings or leave a mark as it tries to obtain a better grip and the butterfly escapes. (E. B. Ford, Butterflies, plate 10f and p.244). In attacks from the side only one wing is used for protection and a piece may be re- moved. The bird frequently attacks from the rear where the body is least well protected by the wings (apart from in front, which has its own disadvantages) but even then it usually escapes by its flying crooked gift. If only small areas of wing are missing it can avoid capture but if sufficient had been removed its agility is reduced and eventually it is caught and brought to the ground to be torn to pieces and eaten. Small butterflies are obviously at more risk from aeriel attacks from birds, and in fact they usually fly near the ground. These tactics give good defence against birds, which fly fast. (Do herons ever take butterflies on the wing? With their long necks and - *11 Little Warren Close, Guildford, Surrey. 184 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 beaks they might well do so if their paths coincided) but they are not so good against bats whose slower flight has something of the same character as the butterflies’, and perhaps this is one reason why so few butterflies fly at night. Summary Butterflies’ large wings have obvious disadvantages but two chief advantages: — (1) To attract mates. At a distance sight is often a better advertisement than scent, though this is disputed. (2) As a defence against attacks by birds. The mechanism of the latter is discussed. Acknowledgements I should like to thank E. B. Ford and Collins Publishers for permission to quote from Butterflies. I also acknowledge Robert Graves’ permission to include the poem “Flying Crooked”’ from his Collected Poems. Two FURTHER RECORDS OF BARYPEITHES SULCIFRONS (BOHEMAN) (COL.: CURCULIONIDAE) FROM WEST CUMBRIA. — My first record of Barypeithes sulcifrons (Boheman) from Cumbria was based on one dead specimen found at Silecroft, (1979, Ento- mologist’s Record, 91: 27). I can now add two further localities for this species from the county. Several live adults were taken by general sweeping along the edge of a field near Kirksanton Haws, SD13/79 on June 16th 1980. The vegetation at this site consisted mainly of grass, with a good deal of Rumex acetosella L. and R. acetosa L. My second locality was on Black Come, SD13/84. On March 13th 1982 I found one specimen resting on the undersuface of a small flat stone lying among short grass turf and Bilberry, Vaccinium myrtilis L., at about 411 metres on a steep south east facing slope, above Black Crags. Some remains of dead specimens of B. sulcifrons were also found at the base of other bulberry plants growing close by. It is possible that these individuals may have fallen prey to some large spiders which were observed under stones in the immediate vicinity. On a previous visit to Black Combe I collected a few other interesting beetles and among these was the typical montane weevil, Otiorhynchus nodosus (Muller, O. F.). On 4th April, 1980, I took a few individuals from under small stones and also at the base of heather, Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull, in an area of boulders and sparse vegetation near the summit at about 480 metres. O. nodosus was recorded from the county by F. H. Day, (1923, Trans. Carlisle Nat. Hist. Soc., 3: 99) and specimens in the Day collection held in the Tullie House Museum at Carlisle are from Grisedale Pike, (NY12), Cumrew Fell, (NY55) and Crossfell. So far I have not discovered any published records of O. nodosus from the extreme west of the county. — R. W. J. READ, 43 Holly Terrace, Hensingham, White- haven, Cumbria CA28 8RF. BRITISH MACROLEPIDOPTERA, 1981 185 A REVIEW OF THE INDIGENOUS BRITISH MACROLEPIDOPTERA FOR 1981 PAUL SOKOLOFF* This review is intended to complete the quartet of annual reviews covering the butterflies, microlepidoptera, macrolepidoptera and immigrants. 1981 will be remembered for the generally dismal nature of the season for larger moths, but a number of features deserve mention — the publication of two new books, the discovery of a Geometrid moth new to Britain, and the coming of the Wild- life and Countryside Act 1981. This act probably represents the most sinister development to affect entomologists for many years. Five species of moth are “protected” — Thetida smaragdaria F. (Essex emerald); Zygaena viciae D. & S. (New Forest burnet); Pareulype berberata D. & S. (barberry carpet); Acosmetia caliginosa Hbn. (reddish buff) and Siona lineata Scop. (black-veined moth). Fines of up to £1000 can be levied for each specimen taken or possessed illegally. Offending entomologists therefore risk almost certain penury and possible incarceration from the injudicious use of their nets in certain localities. A more objective view of the Act is given by Stubbs (1982 a and b) and Lonsdale (1982). Two major publications dealing with the macrolepidoptera were launched in 1981, the first being ““An Identification Guide to the British Pugs” — a much needed volume featuring excellent colour plates, informative text and genitalia drawings. The second was a limited edition of “The Larvae of the British Lepidoptera not Figured by Buckler”, by G. M. Haggett. 35 colour plates illustrate some 78 species or sub-species, with detailed text. Both were pub- lished by the BENHS. A number of interesting papers have appeared in other journals — a detailed discussion of genetic explanations for all-female broods of Philudoria potatoria L. is worth reading (Maje- tus, 1981a). Dr Majerus also discusses the genetics of the attractive form subroseata of Cyclophora albipuncata Hufn. (Majerus, 1981b). Foodplant and parasite differences between our two copper under- wing species Amphipyra pyramidea L. and A. berbera svenssoni Fletch. are dealt with by Shaw (1981). Of passing interest to British entomologists are two Danish papers (Kaaber, 1980 and 1981) on the bionomics and systematics of some Danish Eupithecia species. These detailed, illustrated papers conclude that Eupithecia goosen- Siata Mab. is only a sub-species of FE. absinthiata Clerck, and that E.. fraxinata Crewe is a sub-species of EF. innotata. From a field entomologist’s point of view the year as a whole could be described as “‘poor’’, although little weight can be given to such subjective descriptions. The only quantitative data that can be offered stem from a static trap in Kent which yielded 9.6% fewer species than 1980 and 9% fewer individuals. Some correspondants were pleased to report depressed numbers of Noctua pronuba L. and Apamea monoglypha Hufn., although some species were noted *4 Steep Close, Orpington, Kent BR6 6DS. 186 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 in enhanced numbers — for example Mormo maura L. in Southern Counties and Tyria jacobaeae L. in Northern England. Clostera anachoreta D. & S. became newsworthy in 1979 when a significant number of individuals and larvae were captured at Dungeness, Kent. More were seen in 1980, and many thousands of bred larvae were released at Dungeness that year. Very few were reported in 1981, all during August with no reports of first brood specimens of this supposedly bivoltine species. Because of the numerous releases it is impossible to assess the status of this species but presumably it can be classified as temporarily established following an immi- gration in (?) 1978. In a broadly similar category is Deltote bankiana F. which was noted again from Sandwich in Kent. In times of general ecological doom it is pleasing to see insects extending their range and colonising new habitats. [daea vulpinaria H.-S. continues to spread into Kent and Essex from the Thames Estuary, often occurring in new localities in considerable numbers. The foodplants of this species were reviewed by West (1980). Lithophane leautieri Boisd. continues to occur in new localities throughout Southeast England, and northwards to Warwickshire where a second specimen was noted in 1981. The early larvae of this species are reputed to require the flowers of Cupressus macrocarpa, and the spread of the moth has been linked with the progressive maturation of planted macrocarpa specimens. Associated with the same foodplant is Eupithecia phoeniceata Rambur whose easterly spread along the south coast is well documented. The moth is now reported well established in Eastbourne, Sussex. There are scattered records for Kent (although none for 1981), and a single specimen recorded from Tilbury, Essex, in August 1981. Rhyacia simulans Hufn. continues the southerly extension of its range into Kent, being recorded from many localities in Northern Kent, with a single specimen from Dungeness. Aporophyla nigra Haw. is also advancing into Kent from Surrey, although at a more leisurely pace, occurring in good numbers in a few localities. Other notable captures during 1981 include a gravid female Catocala fraxini L. in Hampshire, Schrankia costaestrigalis Steph. from Dartford, Kent (the first record here for around 70 years) and Hypena crassalis Fab. from the same locaility, far away from its normal bilberry habitats. An article by Brian West on the foodplants of Campto- gramma bilineata L: provoked a brief correspondance, and as a result five new natural foodplants for this common species were reported. One wonders how much useful, unpublished information on larval foodplants still languishes in the diaries of entomologists. Nola confusalis larvae were also noted feeding on lime-blossom in Norfolk. Hemaris fuciformis L. was noted in many of its known localities in Southern England, but no reports of H. tityus L. reached the reviewer’s ears. Surprisingly for such a poor year a number of species were recorded on rather perverse dates ranging from a Phlogophora meticulosa L. on 17th January to Miltochrista miniata Forst. on 16th September. Three species were added to the British list in 1981: two of these being accidental imports — Antichloris eriphia Fab. (Ctenuchi- BRITISH MACROLEPIDOPTERA, 1981 187 dae) bred from banana and Palpifer sexnotatus Moore (Hepialidae) bred from tubers of arum lily. However the most outstanding discovery of the year was the feathered beauty, Peribatodes secun- daria D. & S. in a Kentish woodland popularly known as “Ham Street”. The moth was noted in considerable numbers and one wonders how such a large moth resident in such a well-worked locality escaped attention. All credit to Bernard Skinner whose illustrated paper on this species (Skinner, 1981) separates secundaria from its congener P. rhomboidaria D. & S. It is hoped that future years will produce a more balanced coverage of the country, and correspondants are invited to send details of interesting 1982 observations as soon as convenient. My thanks to those entomologists who provided comments on 1981, in particular, N. Birkett, R. G. Chatelain, F. H. Clouter, N. F. Heal, S. M. Jackson, M. Parsons. References Kaaber, S., 1980. Om artsretten for Eupithecia goosensiata Mab. og E. fraxinata Crewe. Lepidoptera NS.3:307-311 Kaaber, S., 1981. Eupithecia innotata Hufn. og dens danske former. Lepidoptera NS. 4: 4149 Lonsdale, D., 1982. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Bull. Amat. Ent. Soc., 41: 123-130 Majerus, M. E. N., 1981a. All female broods of Philudoria potatoria. Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 14: 87-92 Majerus, M. E. N., 1981b. The inheritance of Cyclophora albipunc- tata Hufn. form subroseata Woodforde. Entomologist’s Gaz. 32: 161-164 Skinner, B., 1981 Peribatodes secundaria D. & S. in Kent: a species new to Great Britain. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 93: 181-182 Shaw, M. R., 1981. Possible foodplant differences of Amphipyra pyramidea L. and A. berbera svenssoni Fletcher and a note on their parasites. Entomologist’s Gaz. 32: 165-167 Stubbs, A. E., 1982a. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 94: 57-59 Stubbs, A. E., 1982b. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Bull. Amat. Ent. Soc. 41: 130-138 West, B. K., 1980 Sterrha vulpinaria H.-S. and a second natural larval foodplant. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 92: 31-32 West, B. K., 1981. Larvae of Yellow Shell in nature on Cardamine flexuosa. ibid. 93: 198 =—==_—=___ THE STRIPED HAWKMOTH IN DEVON IN 1980. — A single specimen of Hyles lineata livornica Esper was taken by a Robinson M V light trap (125 watt) operated by Mrs. L. J. Craik at “‘Aber- lemno”, Down Road, Tavistock, Devon on 4 June 1980. It was photographed and released. The record should be added to the comprehensive records (two other specimens in Britain in 1980) given by Bretherton & Chalmefts-Hunt in Ent. Rec. 93 47-54. — Dr. J. C. A. CRAIK, Dunstaffnage Marine Research Laboratory, P.O.Box 3, Oban, Argyll, PA34 4AD. 188 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 SOME NOTES ON BREEDING CONISTRA STAUDINGERI DE GRASLIN (LEP.: NOCTUIDAE) FROM THE E. PYRENEES By B. GOATER* The hamlet of St. Marsal lies in the foothills of the Pyrénées Orientales a few km. to the north of Amélie-les-Bains Palada. On the night of 15-16 April 1981 I obtained at m.v. light there a female Conistra which I identified as C. rubiginea Denis & Schiffermiuller. Knowing that this species is given to considerable variation in the south of France, I kept the moth in a plastic box provided with scored twigs of apple (Malus), and fed her nightly with sugaring mixture. On 28 April, it was observed that a number of eggs had been laid during the previous night on the twigs; more were de- posited during the next few nights, and the young larvae started to hatch on 10 May. By 14 May, 50 had been found and transferred to another box where they were provided with apple leaves. They took to these readily, preferring the withering leaves that were starting to rot, and growing into what seemed to me to be typical, hairy, sluggish larvae of C. rubiginea, a species I had bred before from Surrey. Unfortunately, therefore, I neglected to observe closely and to take detailed notes of the structure and progress of the larvae, except to record from time to time that they were continuing to thrive. On 23 June, the first of them began to spin cocoons in vegetable debris on the surface of soil with which they had been provided, and even the stragglers had done so by the end of the month. The larvae remained unchanged in their cocoons until mid-August at least. Four moths emerged on 25 September, and a few (never more than five) almost daily until 21 October, the last during the fourth week of the month when I was away. The moths that emerged, 51 in all, were extremely variable, and it soon became apparent that they were not C. rubiginea but C. staudingeri de Graslin, a species known from Portugal, Spain, E. Pyrenees, S. E. France and Switzerland. C. staudingeri is a smaller species than C. rubiginea, the wingspan in my series ranging from 30- 32mm. compared to 34-36mm. in C. rubiginea. It is thus about the same size as C. ligula Esper, and indeed some specimens could easily be mistaken for it, though the forewing is slightly narrower, the costa straighter and the anterior half of the termen very straight, whereas in C. ligula it is very slightly concave and in C. rubiginea it is convex. The underside of the forewing possesses features which are helpful in distinguishing the three species: In C. rubiginea, the ground colour is pale straw; the discal area is suffused with fuscous except along the veins and contains a large, blackish discal spot measuring c.1 x 2mm; the fringe is strongly chequered and there is a row of small dark terminal dots opposite the dark components of the fringe; the postmedian line is represen- ted by a series of elongate fuscous spots. *22 Reddings Avenue, Bushey, Herts WD2 3PB. CONISTRA STAUDINGERI DE GRASLIN 189 The hindwing, too, is pale straw coloured, with a fine, wavy postmedian line which is most conspicuous anteriorly, a series of large, fuscous, subterminal spots and a large, broadly crescentic discal spot. In C. staudingeri, the ground colour is greyish buff and is devoid of contrasting markings; there is a delicate fuscous discal suffusion which fades abruptly at the almost invisible postmedian line and anteriorly about 2mm. before it, so there is a highly charac- teristic square-shaped pale area here, continuous with the pale ter- minal region, which just includes the very small, narrow discal spot; the whole wing is highly glossy. The hindwing is finely freckled and is marked by a weakly undulate postmedian line, a few indistinct markings in the subter- minal region and a large, crescent-shaped discal spot. In C. ligula, the ground colour is reddish tinted, the whole of the basal region of the forewing to the postmedian line evenly suf- fused fuscous, and the outer part of the wing suddenly paler at the evenly curved postmedian line which runs from costa to dorsum. The hindwing is heavily freckled reddish fuscous, the dark, narrow postmedian line moderately distinct, but the discal spot small and weakly developed. My bred series of C. staudingeri may be classified as follows: i) forewing deep fuscous brown, markings indistinct; costa sometimes with two small pale patches and up to six blackish dots, median line sometimes just visible as a strongly elbowed darker line, and dark patch in dorsal region of reniform stigma also sometimes just visible — ab. obscurior Oberthur (23 specimens) ii) forewing very deep glossy reddish brown, without markings except for indications of pale and dark spots on costa (1 specimen) (iii) forewing light reddish chestnut with fine, broken crosslines and speckles moderately distinct, with dark dorsal dot in reniform stigma and indication of elbowed median line — ab. vaccinioides Oberthur (10 specimens) iv) forewing coloured and marked much as in C. rubiginea, the ground colour rather darker, in one specimen heavily suffused eg fuscous in median area — ab. multiscripta Warren (3 speci- mens v) greyish fuscous, with yellowish tint, markings distinct, includ- ing small round orbicular stigma and reniform stigma, which con- tains a blackish dorsal spot — ab. scortina Staudinger (1 specimen) vi) deep blue-grey, the area between antemedian and post- median lines intensely suffused black; thorax deep reddish black (1 specimen) vii) forewing dove-grey, markings reddish, moderately distinct; fringe reddish; thorax reddish — ab. eos Oberthtir (7 specimens) viii) forewing darker grey, markings fuscous, with little tint of red; fringe dark fuscous; thorax dark fuscous — ab. livina Staudinger (4 specimens) ix) an individual resembling ab. vaccinioides, but with forewings reduced to one third the normal area (1 specimen). The pupa (described from exuvia) of C. staudingeri is c. 14mm. 190 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 long, short and broad, rounded anteriorly and tapered posteriorly, the integument reddish chestnut, thin and highly glossy, with very fine puncta on abdominal segments and striae on wing cases; spira- cles small, slightly raised; cremaster with two fine, closely set spines, the tips of which curl outwards. It is enclosed in a firm, oval cocoon of silk interwoven with fragments of soil and vegetable débris. This work was carried out under MAFF licence No. PHF 30/37 issued under the Import and Export (Plant Health) (Great Britain) Order 1980 and the Plant Pests (Great Britain) Order 1980. THE LARVA OF PERIBATODES SECUNDARIA D.&S. — A morning’s hard beating in Orlestone Forest, Kent on Ist May 1982 produced one small larva of this moth from Norway Spruce. I believe this to be the first record of the larva in the wild in this country. — R.G.CHATELAIN, 65 East Drive, Orpington, Kent. PHYLLONORYCTER DUBITELLA (H.-S.) AND COLEOPHORA LIMOSIPENNELLA (DUP.) IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE. — During a visit to Denaby Ings, near Mexborough on 17th July 1981 I collec- ted a few Phyllonorycter mines from Salix caprea and from these three moths emerged in late July and August. As they appeared to be P. dubitella | made a search for further mines in October and November. They were not common for I found only about a dozen and from these seven moths were reared in March and April 1982. These latter moths had all the strigulae a golden colour without any trace of white, strongly edged inwardly with black and in this respect did not agree with the description in Bradley, Jacobs & Tremewan (Ent. Gaz. 20: 18) who state ‘pattern pure white’. How- ever Ffennell (Ent. Gaz. 21: 252) commented that his moths showed considerable variation in the amount of white, in some specimens this being much reduced both in area and brightness. I sent speci- mens to the Rev. D J. L. Agassiz and I am grateful to him and to Dr. I. Watkinson for confirming their identity. According to Agassiz (Proc. Brit. Ent Nat. Hist. Soc. 13: 81) dubitella has previously been recorded only as far north as Worcestershire and Huntingdonshire. In late June 1981 I found two cases of C.limosipennella on elm at Sprotbrough, near Doncaster and on Ist June 1982 I found twelve cases at the same locality on a roadside sapling elm. On an adjacent leaf to one of these cases was the excision made at the base of the leaf by the larva for its final case with the vacated overwintering case attached to the edge of the cut-out on the underside. Although there is evidence of larval feeding on this leaf it is not possible to determine whether this occurred before or after the excision of the final case. In his notes on the pre-hibernation history of this species Emmet (Ent. Rec. 92: 133-4) drew attention to the gap in our knowledge of the larval habits in spring prior to the final cases appearing in midsummer. Uffen in Emmet (1979:81) gives the dis- tribution as ‘south-east England’ and this record appears to be the most northerly to date. — H.E. BEAUMONT, 7 Brampton Road, West Melton, Rotherham, South Yorks., S63 6AN. | EEE OEE EOE eee WINDSOR FOREST DIPTERA 191 FURTHER NOTABLE DIPTERA FROM WINDSOR FOREST By A. A. ALLEN, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.* The present contribution is a longer sequel to my short paper (Allen, 1965, with an addendum in 1968) recording some Syrphidae and other flies from this classic locality — in which I expressed the intention of adding to it in future years. Little was known of its Diptera at that time beyond a few remarkable discoveries made by the late H. Donisthorpe while investigating its Coleoptera, together with sporadic records by others. Since then, however — though no doubt much still remains to be done, even in the better-worked groups — great advances have been made. Mr. P. J. Chandler in particular has worked the Forest in recent years and published his captures in two papers listing the flies of certain families found in the Middle Thames area, bringing together also most of the pre- vious records or captures of note from Windsor Forest (Chandler, 1971-2). (The second of these is devoted entirely to the Empididae.) At about the same time, my late friend G. Shephard and I were enabled to make a series of collecting-trips to the Forest, with the kind assistance and support of the Nature Conservancy who desired information on the state of its insect fauna. Coleoptera being our primary object much of the time, Diptera had often to take second place; and, while I regard the results in that Order as quite satis- factory, it is likely that many further interesting species might have been found had we been able to give more time to it. The Nematocera (other than Bibionidae) and the more obscure and difficult Acalypterate families were not, or hardly, collected; and Mr. Shephard concerned himself only with the more conspicuous forms. Our visits extended over the better parts of the summers of 1971-3, but had perforce to be rather erratic and at times few and far between. We were fortunate, however, in meeting with most of the dipterous specialities of the area known from an earlier period; in the Syrphidae (the most prominent family) the principal exceptions are Psilota anthracina Mg. and a few species recorded by me in 1965 but not found by us in the 1970s. I have not thought it necessary to list here species already dealt with in 1965, unless there is something noteworthy to add. Naturally, many of our captures were of such species. Those in- cluded are marked by brackets round the entry heading, indicating that, unlike the remainder, they are not additional to those already published by me. This being only a selection, and for reasons of space, I in general omit all that appear not to be either uncommon or very local — whether or not there happens to be a previous record for the area. I have tried to avoid merely repeating or ‘re- hashing’ many of Mr. Chandler’s records, which the present notes are designed as far as possible to complement. All our captures at Virginia Water (in the southern end of the Great Park) were on *49 Montcalm Road, Charlton, London SE7 8QG. 192 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 the Berkshire side. With one or two exceptions, nomenclature follows the 1976 Check List. The following abbreviations are used: — H. Hill = the forest north of the Winkfield Road at or near Highstanding Hill; the Park = Windsor Great Park; G. S. = the late Mr. G. Shephard. BIBIONIDAE Several species of Bibio were met with, but there is a great dearth of up-to-date information on the British species and their distribution. B. leucopterus Mg., with its very dark-looking females, is not uncommon at H. Hill in late spring; the large and distinctive B. pomenae F., very local in the south-east, occurs sparingly about Badger’s Bridge further north in the Forest in July; B. varipes Mg. and B. lepidus Lw. may also be worth a mention, the latter autumnal species from ivy in the Park (cj 30.ix.64). The common and familiar B. marci L. (St. Mark’s Fly) was bred freely from pupae found in a very rotten stump (Allen, 1974), apparently an unusual circumstance. STRATIOMYIDAE Oxycera pulchella Mg. — _ This very striking fly turned up twice, singly: by a small pool lacking vegetation, in the Park, 15.vii.72; and by the lake at Virginia Water, 16.viii.72. Like most of its congeners it is of very local occurrence. RHAGIONIDAE Chrysopilus laetus Zett. — Another handsome fly (little known abroad) of which the few British specimens had all been bred: the first from a puparium found in mud round a pond in the Park, 18.vi.36, by Donisthorpe (Oldroyd, 1939); in 1968 several were reared from larvae in rotten wood in the Forest by A. E. Stubbs and P. J. Chandler (Oldroyd, 1969:46 & Chandler, 1971:20). On 30th July, 1972, I caught one settled on a log in the Park, which seems to be the first British example taken at large. All so far have been females. The original specimen was recorded as the closely-allied C. nubecula Fall., an error corrected soon after (Collin, 1939). Is should be noticed that the leading key-character used by Oldroyd (1969) is inconstatnt, it having since been found that the dark wing-clouds are not always developed; the orange body of laetus, however, is diagnostic among our few species. TABANIDAE Hybomitra bimaculata Mcq. (f. bisignata Jaen.). — A wood- land horsefly; females not very scarce in the Forest about July. I first took one in 1940, and we found it (or rather, it found us!) sparingly in 1971-2. One was swept from rhododendron flowers, unusually for a Tabanid. WINDSOR FOREST DIPTERA 193 Tabanus bromius L. — _ Females occur both in the Forest (together with the last) and also quite widely in the Park, in July and August (first in 1940) in more open situations, probably feeding on the cattle which roam there freely; often sitting on palings, etc., at the edges of plantations, like the Asilid Machimus atricapillus Fall. The record of 7. miki Brauer from the Park (Chandler, 1971) was incorrect, the specimen having since been found to be bromius (teste P.J.C.). ASILIDAE Dioctria linearis F. — A well-marked local species not uncom- mon over a wide extent of the northern part of the Forest in June and July, but we never found it elsewhere in the area. Neoitamus cyanurus Lw. — H. Hill, apparently not rare. This robber-fly is a typical sylvan insect. One female had caught a Bibio pomonae, about as big as itself. THEREVIDAE (Psilocephala melaleuca Lw.). — A speciality of the area, seldom seen as an adult and still more seldom caught; see Allen, 1965; Chandler, 1971; but finds of the larva (seemingly hard to rear) indicate a wide distribution over the Park and Forest. On 4.vii.71, at H. Hill, I watched a? Psilocephala zigzagging repidly from side to side in front of an old dry red-rotten trunk of oak where a portion of the interior was exposed, a few inches above ground; but some- ting alarmed it before the net could be brought into play, and it was not seen again. A week later, in very hot dry weather, many flies and other insects were congregating about a stretch of the margin of Badger’s Brook in the Forest, among which were a few of the present species — the one or two males seen being easily picked out by their silver colour flashing in the sun as they flew. Capture was quite another matter, for not only was any fly that settled to drink quickly disturbed, but the stream-banks were thick with ferociously thorny brambles, making the use of a net most exas- perating. However, G. S. with great dexterity succeeded in catch- ing a gin perfect condition, which he generously insisted on my taking. In July 1972 he bred a? melaleuca from a full-fed larva obtained earlier that year in the Park, from mould and frass under loose oak bark where there were many larvae of the chafer Gnorimus variabilis L. Much more recently (late May 1981) I bred another 9 from a larva found in red-rotten oak the previous autumn. EMPIDIDAE (Drapetis ephippiata Fall.). — Only seen previously in a small area of the Park between the Long Walk and Union Gate (Allen, 1968); not listed as from Windsom by Chandler. In July 1972 it was found to occur more widely, but still very locally, among 194 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 grass under some large elms perhaps %4 mile from the first place.A very distinctive little fly, which I met within two places in the Foulden district, Norfolk, in June 1979. Platypalpus ciliaris Fall. — A frequent woodland species oc- curring in both the Forest and Park, included here because I bred a few examples from damp mould and debris taken from inside a cut elm stump, emerging in June; I have seen no previous breeding record. Bicellaria intermedia Lundb. — One swept under oaks in the Park, I.vi.63. It cannot be common, as Collin (1961:257) records it from only five English counties (one of them Berks.). The usual Forest species is B. nigra Mg.; the very common B. vana Coll. I have not seen there. Rhamphompyia sulcatella Coll. — A little-known species recor- ded by Chandler (1966, 1972) as quite general in the H. Hill area of the Forest in early May. Our visits were mostly too late for it, but I have a female taken there on 26.v.73. Hilara obscura Mg. — Ag swept by the lake at Virginia Water, 5.viii.72. Hants. and Surrey are the only southern counties from which Collin records it. (To be continued) THE APPEARANCE OF A THIRD BROOD IN THE GREEN-VEINED WHITE : PIERIS NAPI (L.), AT MORTON LOCHS, FIFE, SCOTLAND IN 1981. — Since 1979 weekly butterfly transects have been made at Morton Lochs, Fife between April and September each year. The transects are made as part of the national monitoring scheme run from Monks Wood. In each of the three years Green-veined White have been shown to have two broods with the second ending in early September. In 1981, however, I was surprised to find fresh individuals on the wing on 13th September. The last individuals of the second brood which were very tattered had been seen the previous week. Fresh butterflies were seen over three weeks until the end of September when the recording scheme ends. Although there was little suitable flying weather I saw Green-veined Whites into the second week of October. No third broods were reported to Monks Wood from other Scottish recorders. Thomson (1980, The But- terflies of Scotland) has suggested that late specimens of this species might be from third broods, but there appears to be no other docu- mented case from Scotland. P. K. KINNEAR, 11 Hillview Road, Balmullo, Fife KY16 ODE. WHAT DOES ODONTOSIA CARMELITA ESPER EAT? — Does anybody know an alternative foodplant for O. carmelita? On 10/11 April, at Kirklinton in Cumbria, a specimen came to a moth-trap, and I know of no birch within 3/4 miles. No book I have suggests an alternative foodplant. As a matter of interest it was a night with a sharp frost, and the trap attracted no less than 99 moths. An Orthosia stabilis D. & S. that must have been an early arrival and had settled on the grass was actually white with hoar frost. — R. LOVELL-PANK, 33 The Highlands, Hatfield Road, Potters Bar, Herts EN6 1 HU. 7.vi.1982. } } } : | LETTER TO THE EDITOR 195 Letter to the Editor WHAT IS A TRULY BRITISH MOTH? Dear Sir, When I saw the heading ‘What is a British Moth” in the October 1980 Record I read the article enthusiastically, expecting something quite different! While I must agree entirely with Mr. Allen that something exotic that arrives in a box of fruit from some far-away place is of little relevance to the study of the British lepidoptera, I was disappointed not to find something more fun- damental, namely “What is the current list of Breeding British Moths” (Not, please note “what was..... *). Iam convinced that there is a real need for such a list. The botanists and ornithologists seem to have a better idea than we lepidopterists of just what species do occur in Britain, either growing wild or breeding as the case may be. I have found that a frequent question among active lepidop- terists is “How many species (of macro) have you still to find?” The question is almost unanswerable at the present time. One distinguished collector said to me “only eight, that’s why I con- centrate on micros now.” When I asked him when and where he last took a certain species (whose capture has since been reported in The Record) he replied that he didn’t count that one as he con- sidered that it no longer occurred! Another collector and I each had our ‘target figures’ but they were not by any means the same. There are many species not recorded in the literature in the last ten years, they may be known to some who guard their secret closely but in most cases I doubt it. In question time after I have given a talk on an entomological subject to an audience of general naturalists, I always have a feeling of inadequacy when asked how many species actually occur in Britain and I have to admit that we don’t know exactly; surely with so many people collecting and studying moths over the last 100 years we should! In compiling a county list I am very much aware that we are interested in what occurs now and we aim to record the date of the last capture in the county of anything which we seem to have lost. It is after all only possible to take steps to conserve species that do still occur and I like to look at a local list as a guide to conservation. Surely this principle applies on the National scale. Given access to existing literature and the Monkswood records it should not be too difficult to agree such a list for the country as a whole. Perhaps The Record would be able to find space to publish a “‘discussion draft” in serial form, the list after all must represent our combined knowledge and not just the prognostication of one or two people. Apart from getting the record straight, it Should encourage lepidopterists to search for something we all want to hear about rather than going to the same old place to catch the same old thing. —_ C. I. RUTHERFORD, Longridge, Macclesfield Road, Alderley Edge, Cheshire SK9 7BL, 10.viii.82. 196 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 © Current Literature Natural History Manuscript Resources in the British Isles compiled by G. D. R. Bridson, V. C. Phillips and A. P. Harvey. Pp.xxxvi + 473. 4to. Mansell, London; R. R. Bowker, New York. 1980. £27. This is a first attempt at a survey of the natural history manu- script sources of the British Isles, and is intended to cover all natural history manuscripts in British repositories. It is not just concerned with British natural history, but also includes foreign manuscript material relating to overseas natural history, that may be found in British collections. We are told that the coverage of the survey includes as wide a definition of natural history and of the term manuscript as possible, and that ‘repository’ includes such varied places as ‘government departments, public corporations, national libraries and museums, local record offices, local libraries and museums, universities, colleges and schools, national and local learned societies, professional institutions and, as far as possible, natural history departments within any organization’. On the other hand, the compilers have made no attempt to include items from privately owned natural history manuscript collections, since the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History has already been sponsoring a scheme to establish a register of these. Broadly speak- ing, the starting date for material given in the survey is about 1600, although a few 16th century items of special interest are included. The preliminary pages consist of a foreword by D. E. Allen, who aptly remarks that ‘manuscripts are the historians’ bread’, and that to ‘know what manuscripts exist and where they are is crucial to him’. There is a detailed explanatory introduction (pp.ix-xiii), an annotated bibliography of 96 items conveniently arranged in a series of subject categories, a select list of abbreviations and a list of the 443 repositories. The main body of the work or ‘The Guide’ (pp. 1-376) then follows. Here the repositories are arranged alphabetically under place-name i.e. town or city, and within this geographical sequence by the name of the institution with its address along with other relevant particulars. The repo- sitories are numbered in sequence, and included under each is a listing of the papers of individual natural historians arranged al- phabetically and numerically. A name index (pp. 379450), place index (pp.451458), subject guide and subject index (pp.459473) complete the work. Although the survey treats of such a wide range of disciplines, there is much to interest the entomologist (including many ento- mological surprises) among the some 500 relevant entries classi- fied as hereunder, each of- which may involve more than one or even a whole series of separate manuscripts on that particular Order or group. Insecta: general (229), Anoplura (1), Coleoptera (46), Diptera (15), Ephemoptera (1), Hemiptera/Heteroptera (12), Hymenoptera (10), Isoptera (4), Lepidoptera (94), Mallophaga (2), Neuroptera (1), Orthoptera (1), Psochoptera (1), Siphonaptera (3), CURRENT LITERATURE be Trichoptera (1), Insecta: collections (43) and Insecta: drawings (70). There are also 30 numbered entries refering to the Arachnida. The compilers appear to have covered the ground pretty thoroughly, but a surprising omission is the failure to mention the British Entomological and Natural History Society, whose library holds important manuscript material, including The Mollusca of Kent, Surrey and Middlesex (1884) by T.D. A. Cockerell (1862-1948), and among manuscripts of entomological interest, the Notebooks of F. J. Coulson (1878-1965), the Diaries of R. A. Jackson (1890-1969) and Notes on the Lepidoptera for 1917-25 by J. J. Lister (1857-1927). Incidentally, we should point out that the Cambridge entry on p.52 under item 80.24 ‘HAWKSHAW, ?John. Papers relating to his collection of Lepi- doptera.’, probably refers to John Charles Hawkshaw (1841- 1921), whose collection of Palaearctic Lepidoptera (especially micros) is on record as having gone to the Zoological Museum, Cambridge. The volume itself is very well got-up, being finely printed on good paper and strongly bound in buckram with gilt lettering. Presentation of the contents is admirably succinct and clear, and arranged in such a way that for ease of reference the book is a joy to use. This is a most valuable and welcome work with abundant evidence of having been produced with great care and in the correct manner, for which the compilers, the publishers and all others involved deserve high praise. — J. M.C.-H. Butterflies of the Rocky Mountain States by Clifford D. Ferris and F. Martin Brown. University of Oaklahoma Press, Norman, Oaklahoma, 1981 Hard bound $35. Soft bound $15.95. This comprehensive work written by eight contributors and edited by two well known American lepidopterists is a model of its kind. The book is divided into three parts. The first is mainly intro- ductory and deals with various aspects of butterfly biology, with discussions on taxonomy, collecting methods and an interesting account of the early history of butterfly collecting in the Rockies. There is also an excellent illustrated survey of the various types of habitat encountered in this region. The second part is devoted to descriptions of all the butterfly species occuring in the Rocky Mountain States (over 300 species). For each species diagnostic features are listed followed by detailed accounts of range, habitat, life-history and significant sub species. Classification of each genus is discussed, and it is, as far as I am aware, the first time that an American butterfly book has brought the generic names into line with nomenclature current elsewhere. This applies particularly to some of the blues and to the genus Clossiana — previously lumped with Boloria in American literature. The book is adequately illustrated with black and white photo- graphs of set specimens of each species. There are also four colour 198 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 plates of selected species; unfortunately these are less well produced and there is no indication of the scale of the specimens illustrated. Part three comprises a glossary, bibliography, a guide to geni- talic dissection, a set of distribution maps and locality data, and finally, a very complete index. The book should appeal, not only to those specifically interested in American lepidoptera, but also to European butterfly enthusiasts who will recognise several familiar species in forms virtually identical to those found in the Western Palaearctic region. Examples of these are Parnassius phoebus F., Colias palaeno L., Clossiana titania Esp.and Carterocephalus palae- mon Pall. For anyone actually contemplating a trip to the Rockies, the book should both stimulate interest and also provide an essen- tial identification guide. — C. J. LUCKENS. Notes and Observations LARVAE OF THE BUFF-TIP: PHALERA BUCEPHALA L. FEEDING ON SORBUS SPECIES [ROSACEAE] AND ASPEN. — On September 20th, 1979, near the centre of Maidstone I noticed that most of about a dozen trees of Sorbus aria, cultivar lutescens, had small branches defoliated by bucephala larvae, although probably few pupated as the bole of each tree was surrounded by asphalt and a very limited amount of compacted soil. On August Sth, 1976, near Ballintra in Co. Donegal, a colony of these larvae was found upon rowan (Sorbus aucuparia). Bucephala larvae seem not to have been recorded on Sorbus species previously, and there are very few instances for the Rosaceae in general — Wilson, Larvae of the British Lepidoptera and their Food Plants (1880), mentions rose, and in The Lepidoptera of Kent by J. M. Chalmers-Hunt are records for apple at Petts Wood and cherry at Sittingbourne. Noted foodplants such as laurel, Tropaelium major, rose, maple, sycamore, hornbeam, horse chestnut, evergreen oak and alder are, I believe, distinctly unusual, and beech perhaps somewhat less so. On September 15th, 1963, a colony of these larvae was found on aspen at Dungeness, and another at Dartford on September 10th, 1966 was also on aspen. I can find no previous record of this species on aspen. E. Newman in his Natural History of the British Moths (1869), gives only elm, lime, hazel and other trees, stating that the species is a very general feeder. R. South in Moths of the British Isles (1939 ed.) stated that almost any kind of tree or bush appears to be suitable food, although the foliage of elm, lime and hazel is often selected (copied from Newman?). In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 9 (1979), ed. J. Heath, the food- plant is stated to be deciduous trees such as oak, sallow, elm, hazel and lime. This moth has a wide distribution in the British Isles, and my observations indicate that it has distinct preferences, plus an adaptability to turn to alternative foodplants when the more fa- voured ones are scarce or absent. Thus in the urban parts of N.W. Kent there has been a very marked preference for lime and black NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 199 poplar, usually pollarded trees, and to a less extent common elm. On Dartford Heath, however, small oak trees are particularly fa- voured, and less frequently birch is selected, although the roadside limes are also utilized. Elsewhere in the countryside of N.W. Kent, in addition to the trees mentioned, relatively more use is made of hazel, sallow and aspen. At Dungeness and Romney Marsh willow and sallow appear to be most commonly used. In The Butterflies and Moths of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight by B. Goater, young birches and sallows are especially noted as the larval foodplant, and this is in accord with my observations for Dartford Heath with reference to both the oak and birch. It would be interesting to know if there are localities where bucephala shows a distinct preference for trees of a different kind from those mentioned above. — _ B. K. WEST, 36 Brair Road, Bexley, Kent. PIERIS CHEIRANTHI HBN. IN TENERIFE. — I was interested to read the comments of Messrs. Allcard and Valletta on the oc- currence of Pieris cheiranthi in the Western Canary Islands last autumn (see Ent. Rec., 94: 112 et seq.). My wife and I and our family spent some weeks in Tenerife in January and February this year. We were actually staying in the south of the island where butterflies are few, but on an excursion by hired car to the north, I saw this butterfly in Puerto de la Cruz and elsewhere in that vicinity, and found a batch of eggs on Nas- turtium (7ropaeolum majus) outside Los Realejos. I saw no larvae Or pupae, and I wonder if in spite of the more or less permanent summer climate this species has fixed periods when it flies. Coincidentally, when I was there I found myself wondering about this species’ foodplants. Clearly, Nasturtium is what is favoured now, although edible Brassicas are widely grown and pre- sumably also used, but I have noticed that in this part of Scotland, P. brassicae is found much more frequently on Nasturtium now, whereas formerly it was to be found on Cabbages etc. Could this be natural selection? After all it is much less likely to be presecuted on Nasturtium than on plants cultivated for eating. However, reverting to P. cheiranthi, the point is that presumably the cultivated Brassicas arrived with the first humans, and Nasturtium, being of South American origin must have come much later. Therefore, unless this species has evolved since the first human settlement, which seems impossible, there must be a native Brassica. Has this ever been investigated? — R. I. V. ELLIOTT, Burnbank, Saline, Fife, 25.vi.1982. ON THE HOSTPLANT OF CHRYSOLINA POLITA (LINNAEUS) (COL: CHRYSOMELIDAE). —_ I read with interest the note by Mr. J. Robbins in Entomologist’s Record J. Var., (1981), 93(2):27 concern- ing the foodplant of Chrysolina polita (Linnaeus). In my rather short experience of this species in West Cumbria I have also found the beetle (adults only) in association with Lycopus europaeus L. (Gipsy- wort). Several specimens were swept from some large stands of this plant growing in a damp and shady situation near to common sallow trees, Salix cinerea L. on the edge of an old decaying willow carr 200 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 at High Sellafield, NY02/04, on June 24th 1981. Some adults were seen feeding on the leaves of this plant nearby and a few others appeared to be resting on the upper surface of individual leaves. I have collected other specimens of C. polita in Cumbria usually just by indiscriminate sweeping from general herbage and my localities are, River Ehen, NYOO/05, 4.vi.1977, River Bleng, Gosforth, NY09/ 03, 2.vi.1979, Colmire Sough near Wigton, NY22/50, 10.vi.1978, River Eamont, Penrith, NY56/30,28.vii.1979 and Barfield Tarn, Bootle, SD11/86, 9.vi.1981. P. Jolviet and E. Petitpierre (1976, Ann. Soc. ent. Fr., 12 (1): 123-149) in their very extensive work on the trophic selection patterns and host plants of the genus Chrysolina records Lycopus as a food- plant of C. polita along with certain other Labiatae species, including Mentha. — R. W. J. READ, 43 Holly Terrace, Hensingham, White- haven, Cumbria, CA28 8RF. THE HUMMING-BIRD HAWK MOTH IN LONDON. — Yesterday at about 8 o'clock in the evening I saw a Humming-bird Hawk Moth, Macroglossum stellatarum L., feeding on a buddleia in this Close less than one mile from Marble Arch. — THOMAS LUMLEY, 5 Robert Close, Little Venice, London, W.9., 27.vii.82. AN UNUSUAL ABERRATION OF HAMEARIS LUCINA L.: DUKE OF BURGUNDY. — In May 1979, I noted an aberration of this butter- fly at a Somerset habitat, and have coloured photographs of it. The specimen is characterised by having the inner row of pale spots on the upper hindwing of a pure white, the rest of insect being quite normal. One or two Hamearis lucina with this peculiarity have been seen there each year since, and the aberration occurs mainly in the females. — R. D. SUTTON, F.R.E.S., 19 Corner Close, Welling- ton, Somerset. AUTOGRAPHA BRACTEA D. & S.: GOLD SPANGLE IN KENT. — On the night of the 14th July 1982, I took a male of this moth at m.v. light behind the cliffs at St. Margaret’s Bay, Kent. I understand that this is the first record of this species for the county. Also taken there that night was a male Deltote bankiana F. (Silver- barred), and on the 16th July with Mr. J. Roche, a female Rhyacia simulans Hufn. (Dotted Rustic). — J. PLATTS, 11, Maydowns Road, Chestfield, Kent. LEPIDOPTERA AT PAGHAM HARBOUR, WEST SUSSEX. — On 2nd July 1982, my wife and myself were at the harbour and as I was searching a large area of red valerian for migrant butterflies, I noticed a single Macroglossum stellatarum L. hovering over the flower heads. I watched it for several minutes then we continued on our walk. On our return I took another look at the flowers and found two of these moths busily feeding from the flowers. The biggest surprise of the day was when my wife pointed to a single Ladoga camilla L. flying around a mass of honeysuckle not a hundred yards from the sea-shore. This seemed an unusual locality for a woodland butterfly. The day was hot with warm winds coming in from the sea. — D. DEY, 26 Manor Avenue, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 8NG. ‘ NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 201 COLOUR CHANGE IN THE GENUS ADSCITA. — _ During the first week in June, whilst busy recording the localities of ‘Foresters’ in Sussex I collected a number of specimens of Adscita globulariae Hbn. and A. geryon Hbn., both from the same site on the 5th June 1982. These were subsequently taken home to be photographed in a pseudo-natural pose on some potted Helianthemum. As with other active day-flying moths I chilled the adults for five minutes in the freezer prior to arranging my ‘set’. However, when removed from the freezer they had changed from irridescent green to a deep maroon colour. As the moths revived and returned to normal temperature in the sun they changed back to green. I assume that the colour change brought about by a temperature drop is connected with the struc- tural colouration of the scales. I have never heard of this happening before in any British species, or read of this phenomenon in the literature. One wonders whether evening temperatures can bring about a colour change in a state of nature, and if so whether the colour change has a selective advantage for the moths in the early morning before they become active enough to evade their avian predators. M. HADLEY, c/o Nature Conservancy Council, 19/20 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PY. THE GRECIAN COPPER: HEODES OTTOMANUS LEFEBVRE AND CLEOPATRA: GONEPTERYX CLEOPATRA L. IN YUGOSLAVIA. — On 10th April 1982 in the meadow on the island of Lokrum near Dubrovnik I saw a freshly emerged Heodes ottomanus. Close-up photographs were taken of uppersides and undersides of wings which confirm identification. Also on the same day at the highest point of the island I definitely saw one Gonepteryx cleopatra d, then on two later occasions during our holiday I saw further lone O'specimens on the nearby Babin Kuk peninsular. These obser- vations may be of interest because the distribution maps in Higgins and Riley, A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe do not show these species as occurring in the Dubrovnik area of Yugoslavia. — J. E. GREEN, 25 Knoll Lane, Poolbrook, Malvern, Worcs, WR14 3JU. [Itisarare event to see information about but- terflies from Dubrovnik on the Adriatic coast, and Mr. Green’s notes are most interesting. Vagrant specimens of Gonepteryx cleopatra L. occur probably throughout the Mediterranean area, but breeding colonies are less common. The record of Heodes ottomanus Lef. near Dubrovnik, confirms that of Hans Epstein a few years ago, who reported finding an extensive colony a little south of the town. This interesting species is restricted to the eastern Mediterranean, where it seems the colonies are often widely separa- ted. The distribution is not well understood and more information is needed, especially from western Turkey. The entire area, that I used to know as Montenegro, is relatively unexplored, with Albania and its splendid mountains so near but unapproachable at present. I should add that corrected distribution maps for G. cleopatra and for H. ottomanus were among the many additions and alterations needed for the last (1980) revised edition of the Field Guide. — Dr. L. G. HIGGINS.]. 202 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 ORANGE-TIP ODDITIES. — Two springs ago (Vol.93: 97-99, PI.I)I wrote of the pupation of Anthocharis cardamines. For the photo- graphs I had collected four larvae, two of which pupated before I was ready and two later; all in July 1980. All pupae were brown, but I added a fifth, a green one, found wild. Two very soon succumbed to parasites. These emerged from the mid-dorsum of the pupa and dropped to the ground, each leaving a two-inch thread of solidified matter hanging from the exit hole, with the parasite pupa formed below. Large black Tachinid flies emerged within a month, one of which I gave to Dr. Neville Birkett, who kindly had it identified by Mr. H. H. Carter of Reading Museum. It is Phryxe vulgaris (Fallén), a common fly with a wide range of hosts and two generations a year. Two brown pupae and a green one remained to overwinter 1980/1981. Spring and summer 1981 apparently passed without notice and all three overwintered again. In March 1982 they showed signs of life; a female emerged from the green pupa on 23 March and another from one of the brown ones on 12 April. Meanwhile the third coloured up as a male, but died. Now the interesting observation of R. H. Miller in S. W. Scotland has just appeared (p. 162). It gives rise to a highly unscientific conjecture. Could something odd in early 1981 have caused (a) a widespread postponement of emergence of this species for a year, and (b) failure of the males to emerge? This could account for the pre- ponderance of females in his area, some 80 miles north from here, in spring 1982. — Lt. Col. C. F. COWAN, 4 Thornfield Terrace, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria. LA1 1 7DR. EPERMENIA AEQUIDENTELLUS HOFMANN: DAUCELLUS PEYERIMHOFF (LEP.: EPERMENIIDAE) IN KENT. — While observing lepidoptera at light at Stodmarsh Nature Reserve on the night of the 11th August 1982, I took a smallish micro in fine condition that I did not immediately recognise. On returning home I identi- fied it as Epermenia aequidentellus from two examples in my collec- tion bred from Portland, Dorset in 1975, and kindly given me by Mr. J. Roche. The moth is known to range from Sussex to Devon, but this is the first record to my knowledge of the species’ occur- rence in Kent. — J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT. EUCOSMA METZNERIANA TREITSCHKE IN HAMPSHIRE. - A rather worn female specimen of this Tortricoid moth came to my m.v. trap here on the night of the 21st June1982. I believe this to be only the second British specimen. — Dr. J. R. LANGMAID, 38 Cumberland Court, Festing Road, Southsea, Hants PO4 ONH [The only other British metzneriana to our knowledge was that taken by R. J. Revell near Cambridge (cf. Ent. Rec., 89: 329, fig.1). — Editor] . EUROIS OCCULTA L.: GREAT BROCADE IN SUFFOLK. — I wish to record that at the meeting of the British Entomological and Natural History Society at Cavenham Heath on the night of 31st July 1982, I noted a male of the continental form of this moth at light. — C. PENNEY,39 Chaucer Close, Tilbury, Essex RM18 8EG. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 203 THE MARSH FRITILLARY: EUPHYDRYAS AURINIA ROTT. AND OTHER LOCAL BUTTERFLIES IN DURFOLD WOODS, SURREY/ SUSSEX BORDER in 1982. — On May 25 Isawa freshly emerged Marsh Fritillary, a species I have never before seen in 15 years of visiting the area; also large colonies of the Wood White, Leucophasia sinapis L. On July 18, the Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis paphia L. was abundant and included one f. valesina Esp. The White Ad- miral, Ladoga camilla L. was also very plentiful and although not seen by me, a passing acquaintance told me he had seen two ab. nigrina Weymer the previous day. Of the Purple Emperor, Apatura iris L., several males were seen feeding on decaying material, water etc. and, for the first time for many years, a female was observed flying at low levels when the sun reappeared from behind the clouds. At one time the insect was observed for 1% hours feeding on some- thing caught in the fork of a branch of a tree — about 20 ft. up — possibly sap or dead carrion. On being disturbed it flew in a slightly uncertain fashion to the top of a young spruce tree where it stayed for a further thirty minutes with its wings open, back to the sun, before flying off. — M.S. HARVEY, Highfields House, Highfields, Ashtead, Surrey. THE LARGE TORTOISESHELL: NYMPHALIS POLYCHLOROS L. IN 1982. — On May 9, a Large Tortoiseshell was seen for about 10 minutes at Ranmore Common in a sunlit clearing, flying in and out of trees and settling about 15 ft. up on a trunk. I have observed similar behavious in this hibernator in the Sierras of Madrid. — M. S. HARVEY, Highfields House, Highfields, Ashtead, Surrey. THE COSMOPOLITAN: MYTHIMNA LOREYI DUPONCHEL AND OTHER MIGRANTS IN CORNWALL, AUGUST 1982. — While staying the last two weeks in August on the coast at Portlevan near Helston, I recorded the following species. On the morning of the 25th I found a dark specimen of Mythimna loreyi Dup. in the m.v. trap, and between the 20th and 25th six specimens of M. vitellina Hbn. Larvae of Heliothis peltigera D. & S. were quite numerous on the flowers of Matricaria on Loe Bar, and nearby I noted. seven larvae of Macroglossum stellatarum L. and one at Sennen Cove, near Land’s End. Of the commoner migrants at m.v. I recorded Phlogo- Phora meticulosa L. Agrotis ipsilon Hufn. and a number of Peridroma saucia Hbn. The migrant butterflies were represented by a few Cynthia cardui L., whilst Vanessa atalanta L. was quite abun- dant. — N. GILL, 3 Wentworth Drive, Elmley, Huddersfield. NOLA AERUGULA HBN.: SCARCE BLACK ARCHES AND AUTO- GRAPHA BRACTEA D. & S.: GOLD SPANGLE IN SHEPPEY. — The following interesting species appeared in 1982 at the m.v. trap in my garden here; the dates are those of the mornings following the nights when the trap was operated. 14th July, Nola aerugula Hbn.., three; Meganola albula D. & S. (Kent Black Arches), three and two or three every night since; Autographa bractea D.&S., one; 25th July, Eilema pygmaeola Doubleday (Pigmy Footman), one. — F. H. CLOUTER, Helice, Glendale Road, Minster, Sheppey, Kent, 29.vii.82. 204 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 THE RE-OCCURRENCE OF BISIGNA PROCERELLA D. & S. (LEP.: OECOPHORIDAE) IN BRITAIN. — _ First taken in this country in 1976 in two wooded localities in Kent situated only a few miles distant from one another (cf. Ent. Rec., 88: 211-212), we have since hoped to renew acquaintence with this beautiful moth. Such an event occurred on the 10th July 1982, when at 3.15 a.m. a fresh female B. procerella came to light at Orlestone Forest, Kent, and at the same spot during the early hours of the 14th July we were again favoured, this time by the appearance of both sexes at light between 1.30 and 3.00. Furthermore, at the same place, Mr. Norman Heal had the good fortune to capture at light a single procerella on the night of the 14th, and three more on the 18th July. The larva is said to feed on lichens and mosses growing on the trunks of trees, and as there seems a chance the species may be resident in that part of Kent, we hope to undertake a thorough search for it next spring when the larva should be full grown. — J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT. THE CLIFDEN NONPAREIL: CATOCALA FRAXINI L. AND OTHER LEPIDOPTERA AT HIGHCLIFFE IN 1982. — August was a poor month for migrants with only a worn Herse convolvuli L. to the cliff trap on the 2nd August. In the garden trap a Catocala promissa D. & S. turned up on the 4th August, a long way from its normal habitat. Another unexpected species was Agdistis bennetii Curtis, three at the cliff and two in the garden on the Ist and 2nd of the month. The nearest salt marsh is four miles away. On the 3lst, a beautiful male of Cyclophora puppillaria Hbn.came to the garden trap. September started well. Two Colias croceus Geoff. appeared here on the 2nd, and two Rhodometra sacraria L., one in each trap, arrived on the 7th with a wave of Autographa gamma L., Peridroma saucia Hbn. and Agrotis ipsilon Hufnagel. A third R. sacraria came in on the 9th. On the 10th the cliff trap swarmed with migrants — 245 A. gamma, 22 P. saucia and 11 A. ipsilon with a solitary Helio- this peltigera D. & S. There was much less in the garden trap, but a fine Catocala fraxini L. was perched on the house wall about 12 feet up. It flew off in a lordly manner when I tried to reach it with anet. Last night conditions looked even better, but there was little in either trap. All the migrants seemed to have moved inland and there was no second wave. One interesting visitor, however, was a fresh female Hepialus humuli L. which must surely be a second brood insect in spite of Heath’s statement (The Moths and Butter- flies of Great Britain and Ireland, 1: 167) that it is univoltine in the U.K. — _ E. H. WILD, 7 Abbots Close, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 5BH, 12.ix.82. THE NI MOTH: TRICHOPLUSIA NI HBN. IN HAMPSHIRE. — I took a worn specimen of this species here at m.v. on the night of 14th July 1982. — Dr. J..R. LANGMAID, 38 Cumberland Court, Festing Road, Southsea, Hants PO4 ONH. IHE STRIPED HAWKMOTH: CELERIO LIVORNICA ESP. — Among 80 species of macrolepidoptera to visit the light in Orlestone Forest, Kent on Midsummer’s Eve was a fine Celerio livornica. — R. G. CHATELAIN, 65 East Drive, Orpington, Kent. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 205 RESTRICTED DISTRIBUTIONS OF BUTTERFLIES AND PLANT CHEMISTRY. — A C. Morton’s hypothesis (Ent Rec., 94 : 67-69) that the restricted distribution of the adonis blue, Lysandra_ bellargus, results from the larvae being unable to eat cyanogenic varieties of horseshoe vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, is both plausible and testable. In my book What is ecology? (Oxford University Press, 1980), I suggest essentially the same hypothesis to account for the restricted British distribution of the black hair- streak, Strymonidia pruni. This species occurs in certain woods between Oxford and Peterborough whereas the larval food-plant, Prunus spinosa (blackthorn), is found virtually everywhere in Britain. Maps comparing the distribution of the butterfly and its food-plant are given on page 10 of What is ecology? On page 180 I write, “‘Is it possible that the tissues of blackthorn leaves differ in chemical composition in different parts of its distribution and that the black hairstreak is adapted to one particular chemical variety? This is certainly a feasible explanation for the strange distribution of the butterfly. The restriction of the black hairstreak to only part of the range of the blackthorn may represent just one step in the con- tinuous evolutionary jostling between eater and eaten. If this inter- pretation is correct, the outcome might be either a spread in un- palatability of the blackthorn so that black hairstreaks become extinct, or an extension of the butterfly’s distribution as it adapts to eating other chemical strains of blackthorn.” Many different chemical compounds are found in plants which play no direct part in growth and development. Their function seems to be to regulate consumption by herbivores. The cardenolides present in milkweeds and the glucosinolates in brassicas are just two examples of groups of compounds which both attract and repel potential herbivores. There is evidence of much within-species variation in the presence or absence of chemical compounds which could easily account for many of the peculiarly restricted distri- butions of those species of butterflies whose larvae are specialists on one food-plant. My guess is that Morton’s hypothesis will be found to be essentially correct, although it may explain only the restricted distribution of L. bellargus and not its recent decline, unless of course there has been a dramatic increase in the frequency of the (postulated) cyanogenic varieties of H. comosa. — DENIS F. OWEN, 66 Scraptoft Lane, Leicester LES 1HU. SOME UNUSUAL INDIGENOUS MACROLEPIDOPTERA AT NIN- FIELD EAST SUSSEX IN JULY 1982. — The numbers of species recorded each night during this part of the year seem to be up on the respective part of last year; with this increase there have occur- red some more unusual species. Chilodes maritima Tausch. (Silky Wainscot) appeared, as a singleton, on the Sth: I have recorded this species only once before in this site, in 1980, the example being ab. wismariensis Schmidt; it is probable that both these examples were blown up frgm the nearby Pevensey Levels, where the species occurs more frequently. On the 8th, one Bomolocha crassalis Fab. (Beautiful Snout) was taken at light; this was rather a surprise as to my knowledge there is no Bilberry (Vaccinum 206 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X.82 myrtillus L.) in the surrounding area. In Colin Pratt’s book, “A History of the Butterflies and Moths of Sussex”, it is noted that this species since 1976 “has become regular in appearance in several places”. However, I have only seen one other specimen from this area, that being recorded some years ago from near Catsfield. Para- colax derivalis Hubn. (Clay Fan-foot) in its single annual occurrence on the 14th, along with this, being recorded for the first time here, was a single Phytometra viridaria Clerk (Small Purple Barred). Perhaps the most noteworthy catch of the night was a female Chesias rufata Fab. (Broom-tip); South mentions this species as occurring in Sussex. Its status in E. Sussex is now considered as “very local’ and “very rare’. There are quite large patches of Broom (Sarothamnus scoparius L.) some distance from the position of the trap, these may be worth further investigation. — M. PARSONS, The Forge, Russells Green, Ninfield, near Battle, E. Sussex. BUCCULATRIX THORACELLA THUNB. CONFIRMED FOR VICE- COUNTY 11. — Ihave just taken a fresh specimen of Bucculatrix thoracella on the frame of my bedroom window which faces an avenue of tall limes planted some 130 years ago. Goater (The Butter- flies and Moths of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 34) quotes Hervey’s List for Hants but cannot confirm the record. Although in Dorset, Highcliffe is in vice-county 11, so it seemed worth con- firming its presence here. — E. H. WILD, 7 Abbots Close, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 5BH, 28.vii.82. AFEEDING HABIT OF BRACHYOPA SCUTELLARIS (DESVOIDY) (DIPT., SYRPHIDAE). — Brachyopa scutellaris does not seem to be a common insect in the north of England. I first took a speci- men, a male, when sweeping under trees here at Kendal Wood on 26 May 1979. My second acquaintance with the fly was much more interesting. On 29 May 1981 I was gardening, again at Kendal Wood, and my arms were sweating considerably and exposed when a fly landed on one of them and clearly commenced to imbibe my sweat. The action of the proboscis was clearly visible and the fact of the drinking was quite obvious. I did not immediately have a suitable receptacle for the insect but went into the house to obtain a few tubes. On returning to my gardening activities another fly of the same species landed on my arm and this time was duly caught. It proved to be a female B. scutellaris. The following day, 30th., I was again gardening and was visited by two or three scutellaris again to imbibe. At this time it was noticed that they were rather sluggish flies and on being brushed off ones arms went to the ground- sheet on which I was kneeling and showed little inclination to fly. I do not recollect reading of this habit of imibing sweat by a Syrphid. Most adult Syrphids feed on pollen, nectar or a mixture of the two. The late A. E. Wright of Grange-over-Sands recorded the capture of seven specimens “ — _ taken flying round flowers of Mountain Ash” (North Western Naturalist 15 : 242-247). It would be interesting to learn if other entomologists have experience of similar feeding habits by Syrphids. — Dr. NEVILLE L. BIRKETT, Kendal Wood, New Hutton, Cumbria, LA8 OAQ. 28.iv.1982. SUCCESSFUL REARING OF THE DOTTED RUSTIC 207 SUCCESSFUL REARING OF THE DOTTED RUSTIC: RHYACIA SIMULANS (HUFNAGEL) (LEP.: NOCTUIDAE) By P. CONVEY * A specimen of Rhyacia simulans (Hufn.) was caught in the Winchester College Natural History Society’s mercury-vapour trap run in the College grounds on 2nd September 1980. This in itself constitutes an interesting record, the species usually being extremely scarce or absent in the county of Hampshire (Goater 1974), and followed the capture of another specimen on 6th August 1980 in the same trap. The specimen was kept overnight before its identity was confirmed by Col. D. H. Sterling, and was discovered to be female when several ova were found in the collecting box. The ova, ap- parently previously undescribed (Heath 1979), are creamy-white at first, flattened hemispherical in shape, finely ribbed. The colour darkens to dark grey a few days before hatching. The female, as mentioned, will lay in an empty container, but when given cut couch-grass and dandelion leaves, lays with much greater readiness, and, over a period of a fortnight, laid approximately 850 ova. These were mostly in strings of from 1 to 10 ova in relatively concealed positions, for instance alongside veins and under the folded edges of dandelion leaves, and along the midrib of couch-grass. Very few were laid on dock leaves which were also provided. Of the 850 ova, virtually all formed up, but only a third hatched over a period from ten days to four weeks after being laid. Of note is the observation that ova from the same string, laid within seconds of each other, show this variation in hatching period. The larvae have been described elsewhere (e.g. Haggett 1968), but the rearing technique used may be of interest. The young larvae were provided with a mixture of cut couch- grass and dandelion. Most fed immediately on dandelion, although a few seemed to take couch-grass in preference. As these matured they all transfered to dandelion. No difficulties were experienced until large losses between the third and fourth instars. The reason for this was not clear, although possible explanations could be: poor foodplant, damping or overcrowding. The two lepidopterists who received some of the ova reported the loss of their complete stock, polluted foodplant being a suggested, but not proven, cause. Larvae ready for pupation left the foodplant and wandered around their box. Some of these were placed on loose peat, where they quickly burrowed. Others, not provided with peat, made a small chamber in the layers of paper lining the box. These were care- fully removed to the surface of peat when near enough pupation to have stopped crawling, and more than one third pupated success- fully. Six pupae were obtained and ten larvae died just before pupation. Virtually all the larvae allowed to burrow were found to *37 Colley Close, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 7ES. 208 have dried up and died. Larval development took two to three months. The pupa, again previously undescribed (Heath 1979), is ap- proximately 19mm long. In colour, rich reddish brown, darkening to almost black a fortnight to a week before emergence. Glossy, at first, losing this as it darkens. Antennal and limb cases clear but not prominent. Wing cases showing venation clearly, with many minute irrorations. Cremaster inconspicuous, with two slightly divergent fine spines approximately 0.7mm long. Although all the pupae appeared to develop normally, only one perfect adult emerged on 24th December 1980, six weeks after pupation (not a bad Christmas present!). The specimen is now in my collection. A deformed example emerged on 30th December. The pupae were kept at room temperature, and were not sprayed. Since I cannot find any reference to the contrary, I assume this to be the first successful rearing of R. simulans in Britain at least, albeit with a very low success rate. References Goater, B., 1974. The Butterflies & Moths of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 439pp., Classey. Haggett, G. M., 1968. Larvae of the British Lepidoptera not figured by Buckler. Part VIII. Proc. Trans. Br. ent. nat. Hist. Soc. I: 57-109. Heath, J. (ed.), 1979. The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 9, 288pp., Curwen. DANAUS CHRYSIPPUS L. IN TUNISIA. — On returning re- cently from a holiday on the Mediterranean coast of N. E. Tunisia my friend Mr. David Tombs gave me the forewing of a butterfly and asked me to identify it. I recognised it as belonging to Danaus chrysippus, and on turning to the account in Higgins and Riley’s A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe (London, 1980) to show him, I was surprised to see the statement: “Not reported from Algeria or Tunisia.” Mr. Tombs informed me that during his stay in Tunisia from June 6th to 10th, 1982 inclusive he saw several hundred of these butterflies sailing about and feeding at a wide variety of flowers in the region around Monastir and Sousse. They did not appear to be moving in any particular direction. Throughout this period an easterly sea breeze was blowing off the Mediterranean. D. F. Owen, in his book Tropical Butterflies (Oxford, 1971), includes the whole of Tunisia and most of Algeria and Libya in his distribution map for the typical form chrysippus. The forewing given me by Mr. Tombs appears to belong to this form. I would be interested to know the true distribution and status of this handsome butterfly in N. W. Africa. — J. F. BURTON, 11, Rockside Drive, Henleaze, Bristol, BS9 4NW. ' MATE LOCATION STRATEGIES IN THE WALL BROWN BUTTERELY 209 MATE LOCATION STRATEGIES IN THE WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY, LASJOMMATA MEGERA (L.) (LEPIDOPTERA: SATYRIDAE): WAIT OR SEEK”? By ROGER L. H. DENNIS* Introduction Male butterflies are generally described as adopting one of two alternative strategies in the process of locating mates; perching, or waiting for them, and patrolling, or actively seeking them in flight (Scott 1974, Shields 1967; Shreeves 1980). Characteristic sites varying in surface, height and situation, are selected by perchers, where they bask in the sun, and from these they launch themselves at passing insects (cf., Baker (1972) for /. io (L.) and A. urticae (L.); Davies (1978) for P. aegeria (L.); Joy (1902) for A. iris (L.) and Peachey (1980) for several species, particularly H. lucina (L.)). Distinctions, in height, habitat and speed, also occur for patrolling species as evident from studies of A. cardamines (L.) (Wiklund and Ahrberg 1978; Courtney 1980; Dennis in press); L. sinapis (L.) (Wiklund 1977, Peachey 1980; Warren 1981); M. galathea (L.) and B. euphrosyne (L.) (Peachey 1980). Baker (1972) has argued that the tendency to ‘stay put’ or perch is the result of some female requirement, for instance nectar sources Or Oviposition sites, being concentrated; moreover, perching has been likened to territoriality (cf., Davies 1978) in as much as the area is defended, resident males typically intercepting and leading intruders out of the area. Baker extends the argument by pointing out that perching necessarily evolves where the energy used in de- fence is less than the energy used in patrolling. It follows then that the number of butterflies perching is a measure of the magnitude and concentration of a resource(s) in a particular environment though Baker conceded that the territory: male ratio determines the tendency to share spots as opposed to keep searching, via a raising of the territoriality threshold. For only one British species have both mate location strategies been noted, — P. aegeria (Davies 1978). While some males are perching in woodland clearings, others have been observed patrol- ling in the canopy. Investigating potential mates and attempted courtships in the canopy identifies the activity as patrolling; — they are not merely waiting their turn for clearing perches. Patrol- ling in A. urticae and Lio was not made explicit by Baker, but as mate location is the reason for establishing territories, searching for the latter cannot be easily separated from the former and it implies that both butterflies do engage in patrolling, even if this is enforced. Davies also discovered behaviour to vary. On sunny days, detailed experiments show there to be a premium on perching sites. Females are more abundant in clearings, and size of sun spot and time of day determine the number of males found there. On *The Manchester Grammar School, Manchester M13 OXT. 210 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 overcast days, the butterfly patrols regardless of location. Virtual lack of skirmishing points to abandonment of territories, yet the butterfly still attempts to court. As for A. urticae, Davies has recog- nised the readiness of P. aegeria males to accept intruders but has been able to link this closely with clearing size. The present paper explores some comparative data on the closely related Wall Brown butterfly, L. megera. This butterfly is a known percher, but does it also patrol? Where does it perch and why are two of a series of related questions, but the emphasis is placed on examining how flexible mate location behaviour can be? Materials and methods The study has been conducted mainly at Brereton Heath near Congleton, but also along the Bollin valley, in north Cheshire. In- dividual behaviour has been determined using a cassette recorder and by making direct observations on seriation in activites and on specific lines of movement. Behaviour and movement over a wider area and on a number of individuals in succession has been conduc- ted using transect (Pollard 1977; 1979) and capture, mark, release, recapture (CMRR) (Ehrlich and Davidson 1960) techniques separa- tely and together. Behaviour has been reduced to a number of simple categories (specifically flight, feeding, resting, basking, skirmishing, courtship and inspection) to avoid making premature judgements on various activities. Numerical techniques applied to timed activities, — specifically the calculation of behavioural ‘distances’ (E* of Edwards (1971)), least space analysis (Coxon and Davies 1980) and cluster analysis (Sneath and Sokal 1973), — have been used in an attempt to distinguish perchers from patrollers. Results A simplified tabulation of timed behaviour (Table 1) shows that males spend much of their time basking or resting. When basking the wings are open and angled to the sun and on landing the butter- fly usually orientates itself accurately and quickly. The wings are closed during rest. Different surfaces are chosen for these activities (Table 2) but preference is for bare ground along paths, though other topographically distinctive surfaces are selected even newly constructed ranch fencing. Feeding and flight occupy much the same length of time. SF LF F BR SK I Total Time (seconds) 298.5 22415 1984 8765 584 835 Number of observations 132 187 153 162 115° "GF Percent of total observation 2 16 14 63 4 1 time for all activities Table 1 Timed activities for L. megera males on Brereton Heath during 1981. Symbols as for Figure 1. Total observation time = 3 hrs 53 minutes. MATE LOCATION STRATEGIES IN THE WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY 211 Long flights are generally less than a metre above the ground, but vary according to the surface and are much less for low ground cover. Flights are usually fast, zig-zagging, often circular and typical- ly investigative covering a wide area. Some are brief transects or circuits; others are more directional and long distance movements representing voluntary displacement and change of location. Year Surface 1981 1982 Path; bare ground 123 45 Grass 5 3 Flowerheads 0 6 Leaves of herbs, i.e. dock and nettle 3 15 Stones, bricks 4 2 Leaves of bushes, saplings and bramble 0 5 Fence posts and bars 0 18 Paper, tin, etc. l 1 Mossy ground 2 0 Table 2 Sample data on basking and resting (perching) sites adopted by L. megera males on Brereton Heath in 1981 and 1982. Males are continually scanning on the wing, but stop to inspect a wide range of objects apart from flowers. Skirmishing and attemp- ted courtships take place while the butterfly is in flight as well as when basking and resting. Male L. megera skirmish with a variety of insects (Table 3); most other male L. megera induce much longer interactions varying from short spiral flights lasting 2 or 3 seconds to higher and extended spirals and dives described by Baker for A. urticae and J. io. Attempted courtships with female L. megera are longer affairs (average 35 seconds) and involve distinctive be- haviour (Dennis in prep). Insect Frequency Average time (seconds) L. megera (females) 14 34.7 L. megera (males) 27 9.3 * O. venata (Br & Gr) M. jurtina (females) ~ 9.0 L. phlaeas (L.) Bees and wasps 7 1.9 P. brassicae (L.) Dragonflies 13 pe) A. napi (L.) Other butterflies* 17 2.2 A. urticae (L.) I. to (L.) Table 3 Frequency and average time of attempted courtships and skirmishing of L. megera males with other insects on Brereton Heath in 1981. Seriation in behaviour (Figure 1) based on a sample of males emphasises the association of different activities and modes of behaviour. Typical is a feeding mode of regular but short sessions on flowerheads separated by ‘hops’ or short flights from one flower to another. More significantly the diagram underlines the role of long flights and basking. Skirmishing and courtship are associated with both and males continually investigate in flight; together, this confirms the objective of basking as ‘perching’ and long flights 212 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 as ‘patrolling’. This average picture also demonstrates the functional interdependence of basking and long flight, a deduction which seems at odds with more casual observations of ‘pure’ behaviour of ‘perching’ and voluntary displacement respectively. Figure 1 Seriation in male L. megera behaviour (n = 30), June and August 1981. F = feed from flower, I = inspect, SF = short flight; LF = long flight; RB = resting or basking; SK = skirmishing and attempted courtship. Short flight denotes rapid transitions of activity, whereas long flights revealed searching and investigative behaviour. Halts in flight only are counted as in- ,spections. Vector 2 Figure 2 A computer map (non-metric 2 dimensional scaling plot) of distances (Edward’s E?) between 23 male L. megera based on timed activity. Shading = flights; black = basking/resting; stipple = feeding; white = skirmishing, inspec- tion and courtship. Four sizes of circle represent observation time (minutes):- ingt Pps ~ 300; 500 — 1000; > 1000. Kruskal’s stress for the computer plot 1s 3.9%, MATE LOCATION STRATEGIES IN THE WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY 213 Figure 2 summarises individual behaviour. Three groups of individuals are suggested by maximum linkage clustering but this is not confirmed in the non-metric scaling plot nor by single link clustering. In effect, the array describes a continuum from extremes of perching (basking and skirmishing non-feeders in the main) to patrolling (flying and skirmishing feeders). Intermediate behaviours also occur, that they are not an artefact of the observation period or switches in behaviour is confirmed by time-scaled plots. Extremes of behaviour and intermediate forms have been monitored and mapped. Confinement of males to small areas, ‘territories’, is not limited to the perching mode. More varied be- haviour involving longer feeding episodes and extensive patrolling circuits has similarly been identified with definite areas — a neat example was provided by a narrow fenced path, some 100 metres in extent, between a barley and ley grass field on Alderly Edge, along which three males patrolled back and forth. On these oc- casions skirmishing is less demonstrative, no real attempt being made to lead an ‘intruder’ out of the zone. Yet, extreme perching behaviour is not devoid of voluntary shifts in perching site and inspection tours. For example, of 27 ‘sorties’ effected by one male from a small gravel heap over a 45 minute period, 11 appeared to be unrelated to intruders and involved slower, low inspection flight. At the other extreme, males ‘passing through’ territories have been observed to undergo long, fast but investigative flights, apparently ‘domainless’. CMRR work demonstrated that male L. megera have a pro- pensity to stay in the same location, some throughout a day, others over several days (Dennis, in prep). On the other hand, territories also change hands readily but retain much the same number of individuals. In north Cheshire, males select linear habitats for per- ching and patrolling, such are hedgerows — despite the crop in the field — roadsides, tracks and paths, bank margins to lakes, even the new lines of ranch fencing recently constructed. The latter has provided some valuable insights into behaviour; more males roost under the horizontal bars of the fence than patrol or perch along its edges at any one time, confirming casual observations of regular spacing for mate location along uniform habitats, such as roadsides, though CMRR work failed to locate precise territorial boundaries in such habitats. Perching and patrolling zones have also been found to be oviposition sites and thus sites of female emergence (Dennis, in prep), the eggs being laid in grass curtains fronting hedges, fences and bushes and recesses along banks. The frequency of males and females drops significantly over uniform open spaces and those seen are generally moving rapidly in straight lines; however, not all linear habitats are used. Males con- gregate in sheltered sunny spots, avoiding shade and areas exposed to wind. Transect data records much the same proportion of basking and long flights from 9.00 am to roosting time (Table 4). The implica- tion is that perching and patrolling occur throughout the day, con- firming other observations. A greater inclination to perching is 214 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 Time of day 9-10 10-11 11-12 12-1 12 23 34 45 54 Percent basking 34.2 30.8 269 305 31.3 39.029.3266 52.4 Percent long flight 34.2 33.9 37.3 40.7 43.8 29.339.025.0 33.3 Percent feeding 14.5 185 23.9 186 125. 172195232 ee Number of separate 76 65 67 59 32 41 41 64 21 observations Table 4 Percentage of basking/resting, long flights and feeding for male L. megera during transect counts on Brereton Heath in August 1982. suggested in the morning and evening and to patrolling around midday. Proportions of patrollers and perchers also vary from day to day subject to the weather. Precise conditions have not been monitored but remarkable uniformity occurs in the percent of per- chers on overcast days (55% — 58%; n = 4) compared to bright, cloudless, sunny conditions (12%, 31%; n = 2). This is a reversal of observations made on P. aegeria and may reflect sensitivity to move- ment in a linear habitat when energy levels are high. Proportions of patrollers and perchers no doubt changes over a longer time span in response to environmental changes. A number of perching spots were lost in 1982 due mainly to the provision of parking and other recreational facilities on the heath; however, one small area succum- bed to vegetation succession. Discussion L. megera is a percher and patroller. In the process of obtaining mates, it displays a wide range of behaviour between the extremes of territorial defence and more passive acceptance of competitors while scanning the ground in flight. There is evidence too that we should expect variation in behaviour at the population level, — in respect of habitat differences and population density — within populations, — due to seasonal circumstances including habitat changes, weather and light conditions — and perhaps even at the individual level, — linked to insect age and inherited bias. All this points to the existence of a flexible response system and much additional work needs to be done on this aspect of mate location. By extension, we should also expect to find variation in mate location behaviour among other butterflies, and because this re- flects upon their habitats and other adaptations, there is a ten- dency to attach simple behavioural labels to species that on detailed examination may be inappropriate. Clear examples of perching and patrolling exist but many species show a wide range of behaviour. All perchers change their location and patrollers stop to feed and it is possible that males are vigilant for mates even on these occa- sions, as in the case of L. megera (cf., Figure 1). H. semele (L.) and M. galathea among the Satyridae occur at opposite ends of the perching/patrolling spectrum respectively, but P. tithonus (L.), M. jurtina (L.) and E. aethiops (Esper) (Dennis 1982) engage in both activities. (To be continued) THE KENTISH GLORY 215 THE KENTISH GLORY: ENDROMIS VERSICOLORA (L.) AT RANNOCH By E. C. PELHAM-CLINTON * A paper in this journal by Marran (1981) discussed the decline and present distribution of the Kentish Glory moth in Great Britain. The author noted the lack of recent records from Rannoch in spite of the abundance of birch in that area. That this species at Rannoch fed on alder has not been accorded much publicity. Most British publications either give birch only as the foodplant or else a curious list of them; e.g. Morris (1872), who gives ‘birch, beech, lime, hazel, &c.’, and South (1907, and all later editions), with ‘Alder, sallow, and lime have also been men- tioned as foodplants’. However Allan (1949) includes only birch and alder, stating ‘Al/nus glutinosa — Alder (recorded from Scotland only)’. Perhaps continental foodplants are more varied: Rougeot & Viette (1978) list ‘Betula, Corvlus, Tilia, Alnus, Carpinus, Ulmus, Bici.. Evidence of the alder-feeding Rannoch race is provided by the T. E. D. Poore collection and notebooks in the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh (reg. no. RSM NH 1969.81). A series of speci- mens bred from Rannoch larvae all had alder as the foodplant, the most recent collected as larvae in 1939. Most are from the Allt Druidhe, near the eastern end of the south shore of Loch Rannoch, an area now partly afforested. The Poore notebooks show that larvae were taken from small trees and that one tree was a source of larvae over several years. The Rannoch moths are on average larger than those from Strathspey and the hindwings of the females have a pinkish flush scarcely to be seen in Strathspey specimens. It would be interesting to know whether the Kentish Glory ever fed on birch at Rannoch. It seems likely that the sedentary habit pointed out by Marran (1981) would lead to specialized habits in different areas and perhaps to an exclusively alder-feeding population at Rannoch. The south shore of Loch Rannoch no longer has many small alders, but there are other suitable areas around the loch and further down the Tummel in which the species possibly might still be found. Acknowledgement I am grateful to Dr. Mark Shaw of the Royal Scottish Museum for details of the specimens in the Poore collection. References Allan, P. B. M., 1949. Larval foodplants. Watkins & Doncaster, London. *Furzeleigh House, Lyme Road, Axminster, Devon, EX13 5SW. 216 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 Marran, P., 1981. Speculative notes on the Kentish Glory. Ento- mologist’s Rec. J. Var. 92 (1980): 235-238. Morris, F. O., 1872. A natural history of British moths 1. Bell & Daldy, London. Rougeot, P. C. & Viette, P., 1978. Guide des papillons nocturnes d'Europe et d’Afrique du Nord. Héterocéres (partim). Delachaux et Niestlé, Neuchatel & Paris. South, R., 1907. The moths of the British Isles. Frederick Warne & Co., London & New York. ——S>S= THE PIMPINEL PUG: EUPITHECIA PIMPINELLATA HBN. IN WARWICKSHIRE. — After reading the splendid article on British Pugs by Brig. E. C. L. Simson in this journal, I was inspired to search for the larvae of Eupithecia pimpinellata amongst the Greater Burnet Saxifrage (Pimpinella major), which grows in some profusion at Woodlands Quarry, Hartshill, North Warwickshire. I began search- ing in 1981 on the afternoon of the 15th September, the date ad- vocated in the article, and soon found a single larva on a flower stem of the foodplant, but despite further searching over the next few days no more larvae were located. The single larva pupated on the 30th September 1981, but the adult has so far failed to emerge this summer. Identification was kindly confirmed by Steven Church and Mark Hadley of the Nature Conservancy Council, from a colour slide of the larva submitted by the writer. This is the first authen- ticated record of this species for Warwickshire (v.c. 38). — R. J. THOMAS, 23 Trentham Road, Hartshill, Nuneaton, Warks. SURVIVAL OF LIMENITIS REDUCTA STAUDINGER (LEP., NYMPHALIDAE) IN YORKSHIRE. -— During the summer of 1981, I was able to spend a period of time near Montpellier in the Department of Hérault, in Southern France. The Southern White Admiral, L. reducta, was widely distributed in the region, and some females which were captured laid ova freely in captivity. These ova subsequently hatched and the larvae began to feed on honeysuckle in a way very similar to that of the larvae of L. camilla. (L.), the White Admiral. On returning to Yorkshire, most larvae continued to feed, but about six remained small and were clearly going to over- winter in this stage. Because of other commitments, these small larvae could not be tended carefully over all the winter, and so were placed outside on a honeysuckle in the garden, with no pro- tection whatsoever, in October. During the early part of June 1982 to my surprise, two pupae were tound on the honeysuckle. One had a hole in the side and appeared dead. The other, though, seemed perfect. The pupa was left in place, and a female emerged on July 3rd 1982. The weather in Bradford during the period when the larvae were outside was in no way superior to normal. The fact that the larvae survived to the adult stage cannot, therefore be attributed to favourable conditions, and suggests that this butterfly might be able to maintain itself in the Southern Counties of England if it ever occurred in sufficient numbers. — R. J.D. TILLEY, 15 Shay Close, Bradford BD9 6SJ, W. Yorkshire. VANESSA INDICA (HERBST) IN WARWICKSHIRE NEW TO BRITAIN 217 VANESSA INDICA (HERBST) IN WARWICKSHIRE: NEW TO BRITAIN By KEITH TURNER* When I lived at Kites Hardwick, near Dunchurch, Warwickshire I made a small collection of British butterflies for display to far- mers and others at meetings on conservation topics, the connection between several Vanessid species and nettles being particularly relevant. In early September 1973 I caught in my garden, alighting on flowers including a clump of Phlox drummondi, a specimen which I took casually to be Vanessa cardui. | papered it almost at once after capture, and it was only when I set it in November that I noticed the “strange’’ markings, more akin to V. atalanta, though the colour seemed right for V. cardui. I decided that it was an aberration of one of these species, and made a mental note to show it to a colleague more knowledgeable about butterflies. However, it was only much later that my friend and colleague Mr. J. Firmin, co-author of “The Butterflies and larger Moths of Essex’, visited my present house in Gloucestershire in the spring of 1982. He immediately spotted the specimen, and suggested that it could be an example of V. indica, which is found in the Far East and also in the Canary Islands and Madeira. He reported this find to the Editor of the Entomologist’s Record, and his identi- fication has been confirmed by Mr R. F. Bretherton and Dr. L. G. Higgins. The specimen has now been given to the British Museum (Natural History) for a place in the national collection. | under- stand that it is believed to be the first known record of V. indica in Britain. [This specimen is a large female of 60mm wingspan, the wings slightly rubbed in the basal area, but apparently without fading of colour. The bands on the fore and hind wings are reddish-orange, rather brighter than the colour of C. cardui but not approaching that of fresh, or even of faded, specimens of V. atalanta; the four white spots on the forewings are large and prominent. Indentation of the margin of the hindwings and of the sub-apical margin of the forewings is slight. Comparison with specimens kindly shown to me by Dr. Higgins in his collection, and also with long series at the British Museum, shows that this specimen almost certainly belongs to V. i indica (Herbst) and not to V. i. calliroe Hbn. (vulcania Godart) from the Canary Islands and Madeira. In the latter the fore- wing bands are bright rosy red, though some fading may occur in old or worn specimens; the white spots are usually reduced in size; and the apical and hindwing margins are more deeply indented than in V. i. indica, and most specimens are markedly smaller. The distribution, relationship, and differences of V. i. indica and V. i. calliroe have recently been fully studied in R. Leestmans, Problemes de Speciation dans le genre Vanessa: Vanessa vulcania *The Red House, Pillows Green, Staunton, Gloucester GL19 3NU. 218 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.XI1.82 Godart stat. nov. et Vanessa buana Frhst. stat nov., bona species (Linneana Belgica, 1978, pars VII, 130-156). The means of arrival of this specimen in Warwickshire can only be speculative. Examples of V. i. callire might possibly reach Britain as immigrants, as probably occurs occasionally in Portugal and south Spain, but for V. i indica, whose nearest known place of residence is north west India, importation in early stages with produce or escape from some unreported breeding in captivity seem to be the least unlikely sources. — R. F. BRETHERTON, Folly Hill, Birtley Green, Bramley, Guildford, Surrey GUS OLE. | MELANIC FORM OF LOBOPHORA HALTERATA HUEN.: SE- RAPHIM (LEP.: GEOMETRIDAE). — On 2nd 1982, I took in my garden m.v. trap at Dartford, a melanic male of this moth, black with grey submarginal line. On referring to the comprehensive list of melanic forms found in Britain in Appendix B of Kettlewell’s Evolution of Melanism (1973), I was surprised to find no mention of this species. Later, while discussing the capture with Mr. R. G. Chatelain, he mentioned that a melanic ab. of this species — ab. nigra Warnecke — was referred to in his copy of M. Koch, Wir Bestimmen Schmetterlinge. Recently, whilst visiting the British Museum (Natural History), Mr. Chalmers-Hunt kindly checked the species in the private collection there, and found 15 specimens of ab. nigra, all taken by E. B. White at Bristol between 1926 and 1935. This melanic form would appear to be both extremely local and rare in Britain; if it is an industrial melanic it will almost cer- tainly be dominent with homozygote and heterozygote indistin- guishable in appearance (Kettlewell, 1973). It would be interesting to know if the Bristol location for ab. nigra is still known, if the form still occurs there, and if so, how commonly. — B. K. WEST, 36, Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. THE FEATHERED BEAUTY: PERIBATODES SECUNDARIA D. & S. IN SUSSEX. — When I visited Mr. S. Church at his home at Plaistow, Sussex on the 14th July 1982, he showed me a female Peribatodes secundaria which he had taken in his garden trap the previous night. That evening there I saw a further four P. secundaria, all very worn males. It would seem therefore that to Mr. Church falls the distinction of being the first to record this species out- side its Kentish locality. — R. G. CHATELAIN, 65, East Drive, Orpington, Kent. AN EARLY APPEARANCE OF ERANNIS DEFOLIARIA CLERCK: MOTTLED UMBER. -— On the night of 6 September 1982 a male specimen of this species was taken in a Rothamsted light trap in Monks Wood National Nature Reserve. Normally it does not appear in Monks Wood until mid October or later. The earliest previous record known to me was a male taken in the same trap on 25 September 1977. — J. N. GREATOREX-DAVIES, The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Monks Wood Experimental Station, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambs. PE17 2LS. SCOTTISH MICROLEPIDOPTERA NOTES FOR 1981 219 SCOTTISH MICROLEPIDOPTERA NOTES FOR 1981 By K. P. BLAND * In spite of the poor weather in the 1981 season, the following records and notes are worthy of mention: — Micropterix thunbergella (Fabr.). A specimen of this species taken at light on the night of 18/19.v.1981 in Milton of Drimmie Wood SSSI, near Blairgowrie, Perthshire (O.S.Grid Ref. NO/1651; V.c.89) constitutes the northern-most record to date (see Anon. 1981). Johanssonia acetosa (Stt.). A single imago of this species was reared from its characteristic coiled mines in Rumex acetosa L. collected at Aucheninnes Moss, Dalbeattie, Dumfriesshire (O.S. Grid Ref. NX/8460; V.c. 72) on 13.vi.1981. The imago emerged on 28.vi.1981. This appears to be the first Scottish locality for this species which previously was not known north of Nottinghamshire (Emmet, 1976). Adela croesella (Scop.) A single fresh female taken among _ brambles just behind the salt-marsh of Caerlaverock N.R., Dum- friesshire (O. S. Grid Ref. NY/0066; V.c. 72) on 13.vi.1981 gives us a third locality in Scotland for this rather secretive species. In the immediate vicinity were bramble, raspberry, rose, hawthorn, elder and alder but no privet, sea buckthorn, elm or ash! Choreutis punctosa (Haw.). Imagines of this species, confirmed by inspection of the genitalia, were reared from larvae feeding on Scutellaria minor L. at Gorton Bay, Isle of Coll (O.S. Grid Ref. NM/1753; V.c. 103) on 24.vii.1981. This appears to be a new food- plant for this species and currently the most northern record. Coleophora hornigi Toll (= violacea Strom). This species is quite widespread in Southern Scotland. A case collected off ALDER in Methven Wood SSSI, Perthshire (O. S. Grid Ref. NN/ 0526; V.c.88) on 18.x.1980 produced an imago of this species on 16.vi.1981. Further cases referable to this species were found on ALDER at the Endrick Mouth, Loch Lomond NNR, Dumbarton- shire (O.S. Grid Ref. NS/4287; V.c. 99) on 4.x.1981 and on HAZEL at Henderland Bank SSSI, Cappercleuch, Peebleshire (O.S. Grid Ref. NT/2423, v.c.78). Alder appears to be a new foodplant for this species. Coleophora genistae Stt. Several early larval cases and two later larval cases of this species were found feeding on Genista anglica L. on Rannoch Moor NR, Perthshire (O.S. Grid Ref. NN/ 4155; V.c.88) on 19.ix. 1981. This appears to be only the second Scottish locality for this species, previously only known from Granish Moor, Inverness-shire (Pelham-Clinton, 1959). Coleophora argentula (Stph.). Several larval cases referable to this species were found on the dead flowerheads of Achillea mille- folium L. at Yellowcraigs NR, East Lothian (O.S. Grid Ref. NT/ ————— ————— ee SSS ss | | *35 Charterhall Road, Edinburgh EH9 3HS. 220 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 5285; V.c.82) on 27.ix.1981. This appears to be the first Scottish record for this species. Coleophora sylvaticella Wood. This species appears to be widespread at least in Eastern Scotland. It has now been recorded from Airhouse Wood SSSI, Hartside, Berwickshire (O.S. Grid Ref. NT/4753; V.c.81); Crichton, Midlothian (O.S. Grid Ref. NT/3961; V.c.83); Craighall Gorge SSSI, Perthshire (O.S. Grid Ref. NO/1748; V.c.89) and Colpy, Aberdeenshire (O. S. Grid Ref. NJ/6334; V.c.93). Phalonidia minimana (Car.). Three specimens of this species were taken at Blackpool Moss, Whitlaw Mosses SSSI, Selkirkshire (O.S. Grid Ref.NT/5129; V.c.79) on 3.vii.1981. Identification was confirmed by examination of the genitalia of one of the two male specimens — the cornutus being longer than half the length of the aedeagus (Razowski, 1970). This is the first authenticated Scottish locality for this species; previously recorded from Port Appin, Argyllshire (Bradley, Tremewan & Smith, 1973) in error (Pelham- Clinton, 1982). Aphelia unitana (Hubn.). A second Scottish locality for this species is Whitlaw Mosses SSSI, Selkirkshire (O. S. Grid Ref. NT/ 5129; V.c.79). The species was quite common in both Murder Moss and Blackpool Moss on 3.vii.1981. Previously it was only known in Scotland from Teviothead, Roxburghshire (Bland, 1980). References Anon., 1981. 1980 Annual Exhibition. Proc. Trans. Brit. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 14 (1/2), 22-33. Bland, K. P., 1980. Some new records of lepidoptera from Southern Scotland in 1979. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 92 (7/8), 161. Bradley, J. D., Tremewan, W. G. & Smith, A., 1973. British Tor- tricoid Moths: Cochylidae and Tortricidae; Tortricinae. Ray Soc., London. Emmet, A. M., 1976. Nepticulidae. In J. Heath, (edit.) The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, 1. Pelham-Clinton, E. C., 1959. Microlepidoptera new to Scotland. Entomologist’s Record J. Var. 71, 68-71. Pelham-Clinton, E.C. 1982. Correction to published records of Phalonidia minimana (Caradja). Ent. Gaz., 33: 121. Razowski, J., 1970. Cochylidae. In H. G. Amsel, F. Gregor & H. Reisser (edits.) Microlepidoptera palaearctica, 3. DIORYCTRIA SCHUETZEELLA FUCHS IN JUNE 1982. — On the morning of 22nd June-a specimen of this moth appeared in my m.v. trap, and on 26th and 27th June Mr. B. Goater visited me and we took several specimens in the spruce plantation in my neighbour’s grounds, working with m.v. over a sheet. The species has appeared here just a month earlier than last year, when I took the first specimens identified as British. — M. W. F. TWEEDIE, Barn House, Rye, Sussex. TN31 7PJ. FURTHER RECORDS OF PHORIDAE 221 FURTHER RECORDS OF PHORIDAE (DIPTERA) FROM COCOONS OF CIMBICIDAE (HYMENOPTERA) By A. D. ListoN* I have collected a further two Cimbex femoratus (L.) cocoons containing 6 and 17 puparia of Megaselia giraudii (Egger) from soil under birches, Whitadder Valley, East Lothian, 13.iv.1979. 2 $2 emerged on 20.iv.1979 and were determined as M. giraudii by Dr. R. H. L. Disney. Also one cocoon of Trichiosoma lucorum (L.), contianing 3 old puparia apparently identical with those of giraudii, was removed from a birch twig at Hopes Reservoir, East Lothian, 5.xii.1979. As previously stated (Liston, 1979), the only reason why Phoridae do not infest Trichiosoma lucorum to such an extent as they do Climbex femoratus appears to be because of the site chosen for overwintering. This is in the soil for all Cimbex spp. and some Trichiosoma, but the cocoon is spun on a twig of the hostplant in T. lucorum and T. tibiale. The remains of any dead Trichiosoma euonymphs in their cocoons above ground desiccate easily while those of Cimbex in the soil are kept damp and are presumably more attractive to female phorids because of the odour given off. Only 1 Trichiosoma lucorum cocoon containing phorid puparia has been found in over 330 examined. Conversely, I have examined only about 25 Cimbex cocoons, 3 of which have contained puparia. Dr. Disney’s determination of giraudii confirms his earlier tentative determination made from puparia. Disney (1979) lists numerous rearing of giraudii from insects (chiefly Lepidoptera), most of which appear to have been moribund. References Disney, R. H. L., 1979. Natural History notes on some British Phoridae (Diptera) with comments on a changing picture. Entomologist’s Gaz., 30: 141-150. Liston, A. D., 1979. On Phoridae (Diptera) from Sawfly cocoons (Hym.: Symphyta). Ent. Rec., 91: 303-305. * 99 Clermiston Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6UU. EGGS LAID BY A DECAPITATED MOTH. — _ A Muslin Moth, Diaphora mendica Clerck, which I caught on the Downs near Beachy Head, Sussex, on 31st May 1982 was unfortunately decapitated as I enclosed it in a box. Arriving home an hour or two later I was surprised to find a few eggs had been laid on the box-side where it was suspended. More were laid later, on the floor of the box, as I watched. Its head was also on the floor. Egg-laying continued for two more days; there were two separate groups as well as the few on the side. The larvae emerged a few days later and were reared on Soft Sowthistle until Ist July when, having to leave home, I released them on Seaford Head. — Miss B. A. KNELLER, 9 Ashurst Road, Seaford, E. Sussex BN25 1 AH. ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 THREE NEW LYCAENID BUTTERFLIES FROM THE SOUTH WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE By C. G. C. DICKSON, M. Sc.* i) tr Nw Nos. 57 - 59 A new Lepidochrysops Hedicke This is a striking, small, blue member of its group, which was caught by Messrs. V. L. and E. L. Pringle at Toverwater, a highlying locality in the eastern portion of the South Western Cape Province, about 46 miles from the coast. The first five, male, specimens were captured on 21st November, 1979, and further examples were secured on a second visit to the locality in the following year; also others still later, in 1981. In the short description hereunder in which the butterfly’s salient characters only are given, comparisons are made with Lepidochrysops oreas oreas Tite (Entomologist 97: 4, figs. 4 — 6 (1964)), to which the present insect shows a fairly close relationship and was in fact noted in this paper. Lepidochrysops pringlei spec. nov. Male. The forewings are less produced apically than in Lep. oreas oreas Tite. Upperside. Compared with L. o. oreas, the ground-colour is of a deeper and richer violaceous-blue; there is a broader black distal border to the forewing (some 2-2.5 mm. in width) and in the hindwing a definite and fairly broad black costal border, with some black suffusion extending into at least part of area 6, and some broadening of the narrow black distal border. On the latter wing the submarginal dark marking in areas 3 is, however, less well developed than in L. 0. oreas, or may be hardly apparent in 3-5, but with the black spot in area 2 always well defined. Underside. Ground-colour of all wings of a darker (brownish-grey) tone than in L. o. oreas and the dark marking in general with finer and rather more clear- cut white edging. In the present taxon there is, in the forewing, a distinct, dark (narrowly white-edged) elongated marking (representing one of the components of the submarginal series) close to the lower angle of the wing which, in L. o. oreas, is filled in (or at least virtually so) with white scaling; and this also applies, if rather less consistently, to the corresponding marking in the hindwing. In the forewing the dark discal series is distinctly less sinuous, in most specimens, than in L. 0. oreas — i.e., in the latter taxon, the upper half of the series is normally more strongly convex outwardly and the lower half, more so inwardly. The components of the series are less prominently white- edged, especially outwardly, than in L. 0. oreas. The series of sagittate white markings occurring postmedially in the hindwing tending as a whole to be a little less irregular and often, if not always, being narrower and more sharply defined. Length of forewing: 15.0 — 18.0 mm. (17.0 mm., in holotype). The body and ancillary parts are very similar to those of L. o. oreas, with some of the hairs of the body possibly a little darker. **“Blencathra””, Cambridge Avenue, St. Michael’s Estate, Cape Town. —— a THREE NEW LYCAENID BUTTERFLIES 223 &@ Holotype, SOUTH WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE: Tover- water, 21.XI.1979 (E. L. Pringle); British Museum Reg. No. Rh. 18704. Paratype in Coll. British Museum: Zwartberg Pass, 9.X1.1946, one ¢ (K. M. Pennington). Paratypes in author’s collection: data as for holotype, 14.XI. 1981, one @ (E. L. Pringle). Summit, Zwartberg Pass, 29.XI.1969, one «& (C. W. Wykeham). Paratypes in Coll. V. L. and E. L. Pringle: as holotype, 21.XI. 1979, three #¢ (V.L. Pringle), one ¢ (E. L. Pringle); 14.XI.1981, three 7 (E. L. Pringle). Paratype in Coll. Transvaal Museum, as holotype, 14.X1.1981, one ¢ (E. L. Pringle). Paratypes in Coll. C. W. Wykeham: Summit, Zwartberg Pass 29.XI.1969, three ds (C.W.W.). As would have been expected in a closely related taxon of the present group, the male genitalia of L. pringlei are very similar as regards most of the components to those of L. o. oreas, i.e., if some allowance is made for some degree of individual variation in speci- mens, especially with respect to the distal end of the valves. As discovered in the first place by Dr. C. B. Cottrell, the lateral sclerites at the distal end of the aedeagus can provide useful distinguishing characters in the various species of Lepidochrysops. After the main dorsal “‘dip”’ in each lateral sclerite, in L. 0. oreas, there is a small, distinct bulge, before the final decrease in width at the extreme distal end of the sclerite. But in a preparation of the genitalia of L. pringlei there has been a smooth dorsal outline towards the extreme distal end of each sclerite, without any small, distinct bulge. (The lateral sclerites and valves of LZ. o. oreas and closely allied blue Lepidochrysops species have been figured and described by Mr. G. E. Tite in Entomologist 97: 1—7 (1964)); while the present writer has figured and described the male genitalia of L. o. oreas and two related taxa in Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 86 (3): 65-68 (1974)). In the case of L. pringlei the lateral sclerites have differed also from those of a taxon which has been described by the writer as a subspecies of L. oreas (op. cit.). Toverwater (which can be translated as “bewitched water’’) is at the eastern extremity of the Zwartberg Range; and the speci- mens concerned were caught ata high altitude. Mr. Victor Pringle, who has climbed the mountain on several occasions, sometimes with his son Ernest, has referred to the locality, in a letter of 7th Feb- ruary, 1982, as follows:— “The range at this point falls away at the eastern end where the river and railway line cut through it. The north face slopes away steeply in rough broken ground, fairly spar- sely covered in short bushes, while the south slope drops sheer in places and then falls very steeply to the valley below, and is covered in rocks and dense scrub, extremely difficult to penetrate. “Only males of this insect were seen. They appear suddenly and circle and dash around swiftly, and then disappear as suddenly. If not taken quickly the opportunity is lost — they appear to be ex- tremely restless, and are very swift in flight.” 224 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 As indicated by the data which are included with the descrip- tion, this butterfly, regarded at one time as a form of L. oreas Tite, was captured on much earlier occasions on the main portion of the Groot Zwartberg — as well, however, as specimens which are at least very close to it, and found further westwards, as on the Klein Zwartberg, at Seven Weeks Poort. The writer has much pleasure in naming this beautiful insect after his friends Messrs. V. L. and E. L. Pringle — both of whom have added so much, over the years, to our knowledge of the South African butterflies. Grateful thnaks are due to Dr. L. Vari of the Transvaal Museum for his courteous and prompt help in loaning specimens which had a bearing on the foregoing study; and to Mr. R. I. Vane-Wright of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) for his most kind assistance with colour- photographs of specimens of relevant significance. | (To be continued) A. H. HAWORTH’S ENTOMOLOGICAL ‘“‘PICTURES’’. — Among Adrian Hardy Haworth’s many revealing comments about the contemporary scene in his Lepidoptera Britannica (London, 1803 [-28]) is the observation following his account of the “Clifden Blue”, adonis, now Lysandra bellargus (Denis and Schiffermiiller), the Adonis Blue. Haworth wrote that “Adonis, being by far the most lovely of the British Blues, is much sought after by our inferior collectors; who make annual and distant pedestrian excursions, for the sole purpose of procuring its charming males, to decorate their pictures with; a picture, consisting of numerous and beau- tiful Lepidoptera, ornamentally and regularly disposed, being the ultimate object of these assiduous people in the science of Ento- mology. These pictures are of various shapes and sizes: I have seen some which have contained 500 specimens”’ (I, 1803, 44-45.) Also in the Lepidoptera Britannica, writing about /ssoria lathonia (L.), he stated that “my friend Dr. F. Skrimshire [Fenwick Skrimshire of Kettering, Northants, a member of Haworth’s third Aurelian Society] assures me, he has seen a specimen of it in some picture, which was taken many years since in his father’s garden” (I, xxviii.) Frames of Lepidoptera, more or less ornamentally disposed, were (and still are) used as wall decorations. Many years ago I discussed the bellargus passage with the late P. B. M. Allan, who remembered seeing decorative frames of butterflies in inns and elsewhere during his younger days (he was born in 1884). But neither of us knew of entomological “pictures” so old as to be from Haworth’s period, and Mr. Allan felt that Haworth had some- thing in mind other than the dreary constructions familiar (at least by description) to -antiquaries. Certainly he was not refer- ring to those entomologists who arranged their insects in geometrical patterns in the drawers of their cabinets, an eighteenth-century con- ceit. Have any readers of the Record encountered English “‘pictures”’, especially of such great extent, fitting Haworth’s descriptions? ~ RONALD S. WILKINSON, 228 Ninth Street, N. E., Washington, D.C. 20002, U.S.A. FLUCTUATIONS IN ABUNDANCE OF COCCINELLIDAE 225 FLUCTUATIONS IN ABUNDANCE OF COCCINELLIDAE By DENIS F. OWEN* Even the casual observer cannot fail to notice that the numbers of ladybirds (Coccinellidae) fluctuate markedly in abundance from year to year. Yet despite this there seems hitherto no attempt to assess the magnitude of such fluctuations over a period of years. This paper describes the results of sampling ladybirds in a Malaise trap operated continuously for ten consecutive years (1972-1981) in a garden in the suburbs of Leicester. The garden is 55 years old and is therefore mature and well- established. It covers an area of 658 m2 and is situated at the corner of a busy road 3.8 km from the centre of the City of Lei- cester. Like all gardens it is a mosaic of open spaces and shade and contains the rich variety of trees and plants so characteristic of on suburban gardens. A fuller description is given in Owen 1981). A Malaise trap is an open-sided tent-like construction of fine netting with an internal baffle of netting, supported by poles and strings. Flying insects wandering into the trap tend to fly upwards on meeting the central baffle and eventually fall into a pot contain- ing 70% alcohol at the apex. No attractant is used and so the only insects caught are those that enter the trap of their own accord. All insects trapped are of course killed but the effect of the trap on the garden fauna is negligible because it samples an area of only 2.6 m2 to a height of 1.1 m. A colour picture of the Malaise trap set in Leicester garden is reproduced in Owen (1978). During the ten-year period, 4260 ladybirds of eight species were trapped. Table 1. Fluctuations in numbers of Coccinellidae caught in a Malaise trap in a garden during ten consecutive years. 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976* 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 Total A. 2-punctata 168 324155 424 346 359 239 30 129 53 2227 A. 10-punctata 4 - 9 25 20 8 1 9 4 85 C. 7-punctata 4 — — 121 564 86 33 17 18 2. 845 C. 11-punctata 2 — 1 108 98 | is ae — — 223 T. 22-punctata 1 146 —-— 14 39 3 - = —_- — 73 P. 14-punctata 15 8 8 38 346 160 38 149 29 14 805 C. 14-guttata - - — = 1 - -—- = - - 1 C. renipustulatus — - - - - - - = 1 - 1 Total 194 349 168 714 1419 640 320 197 186 73 4260 * These figures are slightly higher than those given in Owen (1976b), an article published just before the 1976 season was over. During the first three years (1972-1974) the weather was not unusual, but in the summer of 1975, particularly in the first two weeks of August, it was unusually hot and sunny and rainfall was *66 Scraptoff Lane, Leicester LES 1HU. 226 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 scarce. Then in 1976 there was a severe summer drought, probably the most spectacular for about 250 years. By mid-August the land was parched and brown, the grass had stopped growing, and the patch-work quilt of many coloured fields, so typical of the English countryside, faded to a uniform pale brown. “Plagues” of lady- birds were reported the length and breadth of the country (Owen 1976a). The summers of 1977-1981 saw a return to the kind of weather experienced in 1972-1974, but the effect of the 1975- 1976 weather on the insect fauna of the garden did not entirely disappear until 1980. What happened to ladybirds in each of the ten years is sum- marized in Table 1. As shown, there were conspicuous year to year fluctuations in abundance of the six common species (two species appeared once only). In the best year (1976) about twenty times as many ladybirds were trapped as in the worst year (1981), but each species fluctuated in abundance in a different way, as detailed below. Adalia 2-punctata (L.) This is the common garden ladybird in most places in England. In the Leicester garden larvae and adults feed on aphids associated with woody shrubs and trees. After hibernating the adults appear on the first warm days in March, mate and lay eggs in May and June, and produce a new generation of adults from July onwards. As shown in Table 1, A. 2-punctata was the commonest species in each year except 1976 when C. 7-punctata and P. 14-punctata became particularly abundant, and 1979 when the population col- lapsed. Table 2. Monthly occurrence of Adalia 2-punctata in the Malaise trap, 1972-1981. Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 1972 2 28 18 42 69 9 1973 19 72 163 58 11 1 - 1974 3 26 45 28 43 9 | 1975 13 22 113 147 82 34 13 1976 5 39 106 162 23 6 5 1977 1 75 39 68 102 66 8 1978 4 113 77 28 6 8 3 1979 - - 8 - 10 + - 1980 8 47 - 99 20 = 1 - 1981 1 11 6 3 21 6 5 Total 56 437 624 560 371 144 35 Table 2 shows the monthly occurrence of A. 2-punctata in the Malaise trap. Those taken in April-June were almost all hibernated individuals from the previous year (in some years, notably 1976, a few freshly emerged adults appeared in late June), while those FLUCTUATIONS IN ABUNDANCE OF COCCINELLIDAE 227 taken in July-October were mainly the new generation (with a few hibernated individuals lingering on into early July in some years). Overall, hibernated ladybirds were slightly more abundant (N = 1117) than the new generation (N=1110), but there are striking differences between years. Thus in 1973, 1978 and 1980 the May- June peak in abundance was followed by a decline in numbers in July-October, while in 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977 and (less obviously) in 1974 the May-June peak was followed by an increase in numbers in July-October. In 1979 and 1981 too few were trap- ped for any trend to be detectable. Evidently, then, in some years breeding in the garden is less successful and relatively fewer of the next generation are produced than in other years. Alternatively, a substantial proportion of those produced move away quickly and are not trapped. It is also possible, particularly in 1975 and 1976, that some A. 2-punctata moved into the garden in July and August to swell the resident population. Adalia 10-punctata (L.) The ecological requirements of this species appear to be similar to those of A. 2-punctata. It is not known to have bred in the garden but probably does so, at least occasionally. The adults were often seen feeding on the same clusters of aphids as the adults of A. 2-punctata. A few were recorded hibernating in dense vegetation. A. 10-punctata appeared every year in numbers ranging from one to 25 (Table 1). Records were scattered throughout each summer and even in 1976, the best year, there was no obvious evidence of an influx. Coccinella 7-punctata L. This is the common large ladybird which around Leicester feeds on aphids associated with low-growing, herbaceous vegetation, especially field crops. It is the one most often reported as “‘migra- tory” (Williams 1958), but whether it isa true migrant is a matter for conjecture. More likely it periodically irrupts and undertakes mass movements. Table 3. Monthly occurrence of Coccinella 7-punctata in the Malaise trap, 1975-1981. Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 1975 | — - _ 95 20 5 1976 1 18 + 321 173 38 9 1977 1 49 11 - 2 14 a 1978 7 24 1 — 1 - - 1979 - — _ _ _ 17 ~ 1980 10 5 1 1 1 ~ - 1981 — 2 - — - -- - Four were recorded in the trap in 1972 but none in 1973 and 1974, although one was seen in the garden in late March 1974, suggesting successful overwintering. The sudden appearance of large numbers in 1975 and especially in 1976, followed by a gradual 228 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 decline until 1981 is strikingly different from the annual fluctua- tions in numbers of A. 2-punctata. Table 3 shows the monthly occurrence of C. 7-punctata from 1975 onwards. One was recorded in April 1975, none in May-July, and then suddenly 95 in August, mainly in the first two weeks, with a further 25 in September and October. In August C. 7-punctata was extremely common in the garden, but no larvae or pupae had been found earlier in the season, strongly suggesting a movement into the garden from surrounding fields where, I think, the aphid food supply had failed. Substantial numbers remained all winter and were active whenever the weather was mild. Overwintered in- dividuals were trapped in April-June 1976, and enormous numbers were found all over the garden mating and laying eggs. Subsequently larvae and pupae were found on herbaceous plants, providing the first positive breeding records. In July and August, at the height of the drought, adults became extremely abundant everywhere. In these two months C. 7-punctata was nearly twice as abundant in the trap as A. 2-punctata . Many overwintered and 61 were trapped in April-June 1977; thereafter numbers fell, despite success- ful breeding, and the species was less common in April-June 1978, and rare in July-October of that year. By the spring of 1979 there were few about and none was trapped until September when there was a considerable movement into the garden. This was followed by many overwintering, their reappearance in April-June 1980, but few records subsequently. The events of early August 1975 thus started a chain reaction whose effect did not really disappear until the summer of 1980. This ladybird has bred in the garden every year since 1976 until 1981 when it disappeared as a breeding species. (To be continued) CARPOPHILUS MARGINELLUS MOTSCH. (COL., NITIDULINAE) OUT-OF-DOORS IN SUFFOLK. — On 1 June, 1978, I found a single specimen of Carpophilus marginellus resting on low saltmarsh vegetation at Sutton, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (TM 2748). Mr. A. A. Allen in summarising the British out-of-doors records of this beetle (1958, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 94: 70) suggested that its occurrence in the wild was probably limited to the vicinity of stacks, dumps or other man-made habitats where extra heat from fer- mentation was available — cf. also subsequent records from Berks. (Woodroffe, G., 1969, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 105: 192) and Wilts. (Nash, D., 1976, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 111 (1975) : 50). Although the Suffolk specimen may have been a straggler from such a habitat, there is a strong possibility that the beetle could have bred in the decaying, undisturbed tidal refuse which littered the area, and which would also have been able to provide the extra heat for out-of-doors development. Despite much sieving of the latter, no further examples were discovered. I thank Mr. A. A. Allen for confirming my determination of the specimen. — D. R. NASH, 266, Colchester Road, Lawford, Essex, CO11 2BU. FURTHER NOTABLE DIPTERA FROM WINDSOR FOREST 229 FURTHER NOTABLE DIPTERA FROM WINDSOR FOREST By A. A. ALLEN, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.* (Continued from page 194) DOLICHOPODIDAE (Ten or more species of Dolichopus, with others of the family, can be taken by sweeping the lakeside vegetation at. Virginia Water.) Hercostomus assimilis Staeg. — One, Virginia Water, vii.72; an uncommon species which I have taken also in N.W. Kent. Hercostomus chalybeus Wied. — _ At the same place, scarce and apparently extremely local, vii-viii. 72. I have found it nowhere else. Fonseca (1978) cited this record and one from Old Windsor Wood (taken by Chandler, 16.vii.67) among 14 known localities. Hercostomus chrysozygos Wied. — Two males of this very local species (easily recognized in that sex) by sweeping in a fire- break near Badger’s Brook in the Forest, 24.vii.71. Medetera ambigua Zett. — Two males onthe butt-end of a well weathered portion of large old chestnut trunk left lying on the edge of a cleared part of the South Forest, along with two females of M. impigra Coll. (not scarce in the area), 24.vii.71. M. ambigua is another uncommon species taken by me in N.W. Kent (one only). Achalcus melanotrichus Mik. — An example emerged from mould out of an elm stump at H. Hill, 21.vi.71. Not as rare as generally supposed, if sought in the right situations. PIPUNCULIDAE Verrallia beatricis Coe. — A female swept a little way inside the forest at H. Hill with 2 $ V. villosa v. Ros. (aclose ally), 8.vi.71. The differences were very clear — the beatricis agreeing perfectly witha ? from my Blackheath garden. SY RPHIDAE Didea fasciata Mcq. — A_ §, only the second individual I have met with of this conspicuous and uncommon genus, was caught at elder blossom, with an Epistrophe grossulariae Mg., at the edge of the forest at H. Hill, 17.vi.71. Recorded by Chandler (1971) who tells me that it occurs regularly in small numbers in May and June at H. Hill. (Epistrophe diaphana Zett.) — Recaptured in the Forest on 17.vii.71 — a @ Visiting hogweed flowers near Badger’s Brook. One previously in 1940 (Allen, 1965). Leucozona glaucia L. — My sole encounter with the species hitherto was on 24.vii.71 — a pair caught at the same spot and in the same way as the last. Taken in the Forest by C. O. Hammond *49 Montcalm Road, Charlton, London SE7 8QG. 230 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 (Chandler, 1971). Like Bibio pomonae it is common in the north and west but very local in the south-east. Leucozona laternaria Mull. — Far more general than glaucia although found singly as a rule, and mentioned here as Chandler gives no Windsor record. It occurred to us in both the Park and the Forest on umbels of Heracleum. Melangyna guttata Fall. — A male of this rather rare hover-fly on hedge-parsley flowers, H. Hill, 3.vi.71. Parasyrphus lineola Zett. — At flowers of bramble and stitch- wort in June and July; apparently widespread but somewhat scarce, mostly in the Forest but also in the Park. I have not found it elsewhere. Cheilosia soror Zett. and C. scutellata Fall. — Single males of both species in the Forest, June 1940, not determined at the time of writing my earlier paper. As Mr. Chandler remarks, many more species of this genus than have yet been found must occur, including such common ones as vernalis Fall. and impressa Lw. (Eumerus ornatus Mg.). — A second specimen ( ¢* ) of this decidedly infrequent species was netted by G. S. near the ‘Xylota clump’ (see below under X. tarda) at H. Hill, 17.vii.71, only a short distance from where I took the first in 1940 (Allen, 1965); like that one, it was settled on bare ground. Chrysogaster macquarti Lw. — A few examples of this very local fly occurred on the lakeside at Virginia Water in July 1972 unaccompanied by any of the commoner members of the genus. Orthoneura nobilis Fall. — Two or three on massed flowers of what may have been Cotoneaster watereri (covered with bees etc.) in the Park, I.vii.72. Parhelophilus frutetorum F. — In small numbers in company with the last; both must have come from some marshy place or ditch in the vicinity. Anasimyia lineata F. — Rather common by the lake at Virginia Water. Not recorded by Chandler. Mallota cimbiciformis Fall. — G.S. believed he saw one in the Park at the place for P. frutetorum above (same date), and another (which I too saw) on a wild rose in the Forest near Badger’s Bridge (late July).* Brachyopa pilosa Coll. — Males on sappy beech stumps in the latter area and one from hawthorn bloom, female swept from birch rather high up (all late May); both sexes from small sappy oak stump in the South Forest, June: males always prevalent. B. bicolor Fall., which I took in the Park in 1968 (Allen, 1968) did not recur, but Mr. Chandler took aco at H. Hill, 1.vi.80, on a decaying beech with B. pilosa. Brachyopa scutellaris Dsvy. — Our most widespread species, but it turned up once only (o, 3.vi.71, at H. Hill on fallen beech); I have taken but one other, in my old garden at Blackheath. B. * On a recent visit to the Park (20.vi.82) Prof. J. A. Owen drew my attention to a fly on a hogweed umbel in the area referred to above under Brachy- palpus which, duly netted, proved to bea fine Mallota. FURTHER NOTABLE DIPTERA FROM WINDSOR FOREST 231 insensilis Coll. seems far more frequent, and we found it at H. Hill on a sapping elm (its usual botope). B. scutellaris, however, is not confined to old woods as pilosa and bicolor tend to be, and Mr. Chandler informs me that he has found it at localities in 10 counties. Xylota tarda Mg. — A scarce species in southern England and not known from the Forest, until I caught a male at H. Hill on or about rhododendron foliage, 17.vi.71. (We noticed that flies of this genus seemed uninterested in the flowers, but liked to bask on the leaves mostly low down, above all on one particular clump at H. Hill next to a large prostrate beech trunk, when lit by the afternoon sun.) I was on the point of rejecting the tarda as only an undersized segnis L. (the commonest species), but luckily thought better of it. On that memorable occasion, we took, jointly, all the then known British Xylotae within the space of an hour or two. (Xylota xanthocnema Coll.) — This, along with X. florum, was to us the least frequent species in the locality after tarda. GS. captured several, including a $> at the aforesaid rhododendron clump (4.vii.71), as well as a f@ on 17.vi, and I netted ac there on 17.vii. The spot is near where my two original males were caught (Allen, 1965). (Xylota sylvarum L.) — Not nearly as common in the area as either segnis or nemorum. Ac settled on a beech trunk in the Park, 24th Sept. 1980, is perhaps worth noting because of the date. (Xylota lenta Mg.). — Not found by us outside the special station at H. Hill where males were not uncommon in June 1971, also occurring singly deep in the shady-forest about beech timber, but for a week or two in that year only. I saw no female at any time. (Xylota nemorum F.). — This proved common throughout the Forest (we did not definitely see it in the Park, except in the woods at Virginia Water), chiefly affecting stacks of cut beech boughs (oak rather less) as well as logs and stumps, and was much less in evidence on foliage — unlike the next two, etc. Xylota abiens Mg. — More widespread than several of the species, occurring sporadically in the Park (¢ , beech stump) and at Virginia Water (¢ , swept by the lake), but as with /enta etc. its headquarters seemed to be on the edge of the forest at H. Hill; males not rare in early June, sunning on low foliage of rhododen- dron. Xylota florum F. — Very local and scarce as a rule, but a good locality for it was discovered by G. S. near Badger’s Brook, where he took several males on 17.vi.71 and a few more on later dates, some on umbels of hogweed, others low on sunlit alder foliage; I netted one from the latter on 17th July, and another male from rhododendron foliage some distance away near H. Hill, 17.vi.72. The two specimens referred to florum in my 1965 paper were mis- determined, careful re-examination showing them both to be abiens (the small? perhaps abnormal); the former species is thus in fact an 232 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.XI1.82 addition. (Vote: in this genus, females are normally much less in evidence than males.) (Brachypalpus laphriformis Fall. (bimaculatus Mcq.). — On 21st May, 1972, one was boxed by G.S. as it emerged from under loose bark high up on an oak trunk which he was working with the aid of a ladder, in an area of the Park lying to the north of the main Ascot road. On 2nd June, not far from this spot, we came upon a very few more (all males, I think) flying about and settling on the ground near a large old hulk of oak and low on the trunk of a beech nearby. They were not easily caught and we secured one each. (My 1940 specimen, wrongly recorded as a? , was in fact a (Caliprobola speciosa Rossi). — Somewhat erratic and apparen- tly localized, rare in 1971, much more frequent in the next two years. In the forest at H. Hill, ( which we often visited), only one was seen, about an elm stump in early evening, 3.vi.71; but on 2.vi.72, in the Park, at the second spot mentioned under the last entry, we found it not very uncommon, then and on various later occasions that year and the next; though once or twice it failed to appear when conditions seemed right. Its habits here were precisely those of Brachypalpus, but it extended over a wider area which took in a large blown-down beech some distance away, in the high broken-off stump of which it was undoubtedly breeding. Most often these splendid flies settled on the ground, less often on the trunks etc., occasionally on nearby tree foliage; they only showed themselves in sunshine. Finally, one was seen to alight upon an oak stump in another more wooded part of the Park near Union Gate, 6.vi.73. Unlike most of those caught at may blossom in 1940, all captured specimens were males in perfect order, with the following exception. On 3.vi.73, G.S. witnessed the oviposition-behaviour of a female at the broken-off beech already referred to, my note of which is worth quoting: — “The fly appeared hovering in the hollow of the trunk, settled on the surface of the wood-mould that half filled it, and quickly buried itself, scraping away the loose particles with its feet and almost disappearing from view after a few moments. In about half a minute it reappeared and flew straight up into the net placed over it.” The remarkable feature of this observation is surely the rapidity with which the whole process was completed (assuming that an egg or eggs had actually been laid). Criorhina asilica Fall. — We had the pleasure of meeting with this for the first time at H. Hill on 3.vi.71 (though already found by C. O. Hammond), each obtaining two — mine are both males. Except for one netted by G. S. a little inside the forest about an elm stump filled with wood-mould, they were flying around and alighting on flowers of rhododendron fairly high up at the forest edge. Curiously, we never for certain saw the species again, which seems nearly as scarce in the area as C. ranunculi Panz. Like B. laphriformis it is a good honey-bee mimic. (To be continued) THE NORTHERN RUSTIC: STANDFUSSIANA LUCERNEA —=— 233 THE NORTHERN RUSTIC: STANDFUSSIANA LUCERNEA (LINN.) (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE) IN LANCASHIRE. By E. G. HANCOCK * Barrett (1896) tells us that the Northern Rustic, Standfussiana lucernea (Linn.), is said to be rare in Lancashire; South (1920) merely repeats this statement. Having examined the records avail- able it does appear to be rather infrequently referred to in a Lan- cashire context. This would be especially so now that Furness and a considerable part of the west pennine moors have been removed to other political entities. Since the evidence for a discussion of the status of S. lucernea as a Lancashire insect would almost entirely disappear under the new definition of the county it is decided to retain, mentally at least, the older boundaries. This is further rein- forced by the fact that only one of the records is post 1974 (the date of local government reorganisation). The preferred habitat and behaviour of /ucernea is described by Goater in some detail (in Heath and Emmet, 1979). There are few sea cliffs on the Lancashire coast and in any case there are no records of Jucernea from those that do exist. Inland, however, there are numerous natural and quarried rocky areas in the mill- stone grit of the pennine moors and limestone in north Lancashire. Here the data indicate that these areas are indeed those which support populations of the moth. What prompted me to look at this species was the finding of a male example in a portable mercury vapour light trap in my own back yard on the night of the 14 July 1981, Astley Bridge, Bolton (NGR: SD 792118). This is a literal statement. The reason for the trap being set in the yard rather than the garden is another story. The house is less than half a mile from moorlands and extensive stone quarries on the north side of Bolton. In the north west as a whole, the Lake District is an obvious place to find the Northern Rustic although it appears not to be as densely recorded as in North Wales. The only other specimen I have taken personally was at light at Ulverston, in Furness (SD 290788), 20 August 1968. The pennines which are represented by western extensions into Lancashire of the moors around the north and east of Manchester, Blackburn and Burnley are also likely to yield this species. This is obvious from the evidence of the more frequent records from the Yorkshire side in the area of Halifax, Huddersfield and Ilkley, for example. So it is to the local literature that one must turn for records and after that the examination of public and private collections, fol- lowed by verbal contact. The county list of Lepidoptera (Mansbridge, 1923 & 1940) with an update (Smith, 1955) give Catlow, nedr Nelson (SD 88-36-) as a locality where it is not uncommon, recorded * Bolton Museum & Art Gallery, Le Mans Crescent, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 1SA. 234 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 by Allan Brindle of Manchester Museum. Albert E. Wright found one “at Burnley” in 1918. Mr. Stuart Coxey, a Bolton collector, sent a record from the “‘Bolton Mosses”. This he tells me (in Jitt. 30 Oct 1981) was a misprint for “moors” and is referable to a speci- men in his collection dated 22 July 1951. It was caught at Horrocks Fold where the aforementioned quarries near my own residence are found. J. W. Baldwin, another Bolton naturalist, recorded it at Turton Toppings in Bolton (SD 72-13-) which is also less than a mile from these quarries. No date is given for this record but it is at least before 1875. Baldwin was primarily a conchologist and his collection came to the museum in Bolton. Although I have identified some microlepidoptera as having been collected by him there are no examples of S. lucernea in the museum from any source until the Astley Bridge specimen in 1981. The Nelson locality is repeated by Woods (1968) and it still occurred in a quarry there at that time. The only other modern record is represented by a post-1960 solid dot on the distribution map given in Heath & Emmet, 1979. This is for the square SJ79 which covers the low lying land around Salford and would appear to be unlikely area for this species. If the record is not in error then the western part of this ten kilometre square includes the remains of some of the famous south Lancashire mosses, Chat and Carrington, where it is conceivable the moth may breed. John Heath informs me (in litt. 26 Aug. 1981) that another record had been sent in to the Biological Records Centre at Monkswood for the square SD60. I have traced this record to Mr. Tim Melling of Bolton, a keen amateur collector now studying at Newcastle-upon-Tyne University. He generated the record on the basis of a manuscript note by another collector, Mr. Priddy of Westhoughton. It was only when Tim ob- tained this man’s collection and was able to examine it closely that the record proved to be unfounded. It was based on a worn example of the variable Dotted Clay, Xestia baja D. & S. Another manu- script, a list of the lepidoptera of Bolton by Mr. S. Reade of the Bolton Field Naturalists’ Society compiled in 1930, does not record the Northern Rustic. Various friends and colleagues in the north west have provided negative information following a request for recent records. It remains to say that I saw one flying in a classic manner in suitable habitat at Tockholes, near Darwen (SD 6620) on 27 August 1981. The evidence appears to indicate that the Northern Rustic is not widespread but occurs irregularly in its preferred habitat and is probably under-recorded. Skidmore (1964) states that the fauna of moorland is unstable with some insects continually disappearing to be replaced by others, or the same species turning up again after a lapse of some years. S. lucernea is selected as an example of this phenomenon, among other lepidopterans. The records from the Bolton moorland localities would seem to support this theory al- thought there has not been continuous local recording over the last thirty or forty years in sufficient detail to be sure of this. The national distribution of Jucernea is slightly odd. It is recorded from high ground inland in the pennines, Lake District THE NORTHERN RUSTIC: STANDFUSSIANA LUCERNEA 285 and Wales. Elsewhere it appears to be restricted to coastal areas. This leaves huge tracts of apparently suitable high ground for this species such as in Scotland, Ireland and the south west of England from which it is absent. Is this a genuine absence and if so for what reasons? References Barrett, C. G. 1896. The Lepidoptera of the British Islands, 3: 391. Heath, J. and Emmet, A. M., editors, 1979. The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, 9: 155. Mansbridge, W. 1923. The Lepidopterous Fauna of Lancashire & Cheshire, 45th/46th Ann. Reports & Proceedings Lancs. & Ches- hire Entomological Society, 90. Mansbridge, W. 1940. Supplementary list of the Lepidoptera of Lancashire & Cheshire, ibid. (61st-63rd Reports), 254. Skidmore, P. 1964. Some aspects of the entomological fauna of a Lancashire Moore, 59th - 61st Ann. Reports, Proceedings and Transactions of the Manchester Entomological Society, 19-25. Smith, S. G. 1955. Records of Butterflies & Moths found in the counties of Lancashire & Cheshire, 77th - 78th Ann. Reports & Proc. Lancs. & Cheshire Ent. Soc., 42. South, R. 1920. The Moths of the British Isles, 1: 213. Woods, G. F. 1968. Moths & Butterflies in Caul, R. (editor) The Natural History of the Burnley Area, 103. MARGARET FOUNTAINE: THE FATE OF MANY OF HER BOOKS AND SOME OF HER NOTES. — _ In her Will in 1940, Margaret Fountaine bequeathed many of her books and some of her notes to ‘the youngest member of the Royal Entomological Society’. At that time, this turned out to be a young American, a Mr. J. Dennis Cowper, who returned to the States presumably with much of the background to Margaret Fountaine. His last known address is in Los Angeles, but we have learned that the building has now been demolished. We should much like to know of the whereabouts of this valuable collection of books and papers, and request anyone with information to write to: The Editor, Entomologist’s Record, 1 Hardcourts Close, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9LG, England. THE SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER: HESPERIA COMMA L., A NEW LOCALITY NEAR EASTBOURNE. — _ On the 21st August 1982, I was pleased to note a single female example of this scarce butterfly on the edge of the South Downs near Eastbourne. To my knowledge this is the first time the species has been recorded at this site which seems ideal for the insect. — M. PARSONS, The Forge, Russells Green, Ninfield, Battle, E. Sussex. A NEW FOODPLANT FOR SYNTARUCUS PIRITHOUS L. — A single female S. pirithous, observed in the wild on Spetses island, Greece, in late August 1982, was seen laying eggs singly on the flower buds of an ornamental climbing Jasminum plant. I believe this to be an as yet unrecorded foodplant for this butterfly. — J. G. CouTsIs, 4 Glykonos Street, Athens 139, Greece. 236 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 TREASURER’S NOTICE It is with regret that I have to report that the Record has been running at a loss for much of this year, and that a rise in subscrip- tions will be necessary as from the beginning of Volume 95 (1983). In the coming year, we can expect printing costs to rise at least in accordance with the rate of inflation, and there is also the possibility of increased postal charges. To make matters worse, the decline in interest rates will reduce the income from our deposit account. It has therefore been decided that the subscription rates for next year will be £10.00 (U.K.) and £11.50 (Overseas): the increased differential is due partly to postage and partly to the high cost of clearing foreign cheques. If you pay by Standing Order, please be sure to provide your bank with the new details well before pay- ment will be made. In order to minimise costs, I make two requests. First, please pay on or before January 1st — the printers are normally paid before the journal is despatched, so the money is needed at the beginning of the month. Unfortunately, we shall not be sending out any copies of the journal for which payment has not been received. Second, if you decide not to renew your subscription, please let me know in good time, as this saves the expense of sending out reminders. P. J. JOHNSON, Hon. Treasurer. Notes and Observations FLIGHT TIME OF RINGLET: APHANTOPUS HYPERANTUS L. IN SCOTLAND. — Over the last five years butterfly numbers have been assessed at two NNR’s in east Fife, Scotland using the method described by Pollard (1977). Records were obtained for Tentsmuir Point from 1978 onwards and Morton Lochs from 1979 onwards. These show interesting differences in the flying time of Ringlet between the two sites. Year 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 Morton Lochs: Annual population index 527 701 609 899 Flight time (weeks) 9 9 9 10 Tentsmuir Point: Annual population index : 49 174 184 $72 Flight time (weeks) 4 6 7 7 8 Table 1. Observed flight time (in weeks) in relation population size at Morton Lochs and Tentsmuir Point, Fife. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 237 At Morton Lochs the Ringlet has emerged between 18th and 28th June during the last five years. First emergence is about a week and a half later at Tentsmuir Point. Table 1. shows that although the annual population index obtained from the transect results has varied at Morton the flying period has varied little. In contrast at Tentsmuir where the local population was believed to be severely reduced by drought in 1976, the flight period has extended as the total number in the population has risen. The ten week flying time observed at Morton this year probably represents the maximum for Scotland since east Fife enjoys the highest recorded sunshine in the country. The emergence times reported here are within the range given by Thomson (1980). The flight period given by him, however, is only about one month. The above results suggest that the ob- served flight period is directly proportional to population size. — References: Thomson, G. 1980. The Butterflies of Scotland, Croom Helm, London. Pollard, E. 1977. A method for assessing changes in the abundance of butterflies. Biol Cons. 12, 115-134. — P. K. KINNEAR, 11 Hillview Road, Balmullo, St Andrews, Fife KY16 ODE AN ITALIAN BUTTERFLY POSTER. —_ I have just returned from a visit to Italy (alas not a collecting trip), and I was amused to see in Cremona a poster with some white butterflies of uncertain genus and writing “A clean city brings butterflies’, which seemed to me a non sequitur! — Canon PETER HAWKER, St. Botolph’s Vicarage, 84 Little Bargate Street, Lincoln LNS 8JL, 26.viii.82. THE CONVOLVULUS HAWKMOTH AND CLOUDED YELLOW IN SOUTH DEVON. — On August 31 a large female Agrius con- volvuli L. was found in my m.yv. trap here following a cold moonlight night. And at Slapton Sands, two Colias croceus Geof. were seen on August 12 and one on August 19. — H. L. OHEFFERNAN, 24 Green Park Way, Chillington, Kingsbridge, S. Devon. THE CLOUDED YELLOW: COLIAS CROCEUS GEOF., AUTUMN 1982. — Whilst walking along Carlyon Bay, Cornwall (SX 060522) on the morning of 10th September 1982 in dull weather conditions a C. croceus flew up in front of me, it settled about 30yds. away which enabled me to confirm the identification. — A. J. BALDWIN, 33 Defoe Avenue, Kew Gardens, Surrey. RHYACIA SIMULANS HUFNAGEL: DOTTED RUSTIC IN LINCOLNSHIRE. — Back in July 1980 I took a specimen of this species in my Robinson trap at home. This was the first record for the county of this central and southern moth. This year I have taken a total of five examples in and around Lincoln, which suggests that the species is established. Only one of these was at light. The others were found by day, actively fluttering in vegetation. The first was taken on 26th June and the last on 29th July. It would be interesting to hear more of the spread of this insect, which seems to be undergoing a population explosion, judging by other accounts in the Record. — M. TOWNSEND, 8 Cornwall House, Ravendale Drive, Lincoln, 22.ix.82. 238 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 THE LUNAR THORN : SELENIA LUNARIA D. & S. IN EAST SUSSEX. — _ A fine male specimen of this species appeared in the home run MV light trap on the 23rd July. This example seemed smaller and richer in colour than most other examples I have seen and presumably represents a second generation moth. — M. PAR- SONS, The Forge, Russells Green, Ninfield, Battle, E. Sussex. BUCCULATRIX CIDARELLA ZELLER ON MYRICA GALE IN ENGLAND. — On the 3rd of September, 1982, in the company of Mr. E. C. Pelham-Clinton, Dr. J. D. Bradley and Dr J. R. Lang- maid, I found B. cidarella feeding in some plenty on bog myrtle (Myrica gale) on the Arne National Nature Reserve, Dorset. Alder (Alnus glutinosa), the usual foodplant, was nowhere in sight, but the warden of the reserve told us that it occurred plentifully about half a mile away. This is the first record of B. cidarella feeding on bog myrtle in England, the previous records having been made from north- west Wales and south-west Ireland. In most places where alder and bog myrtle occur together B. cidarella is confined to the former; when, however, it does accept the latter, it abounds on it. Hitherto it has proved immune from parasitisation when feeding on bog myrtle and this may be the explanation for the success of such colonies. — A. M. EMMET, Labrey Cottage, Victoria Gardens, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3AF. THE HIGH BROWN FRITILLARY: ARGYNNIS ADIPPE D. & S. IN S. CUMBRIA. —_ It was satisfying to find good numbers of this species during the 1982 season in one of its strong but geographical- ly isolated colonies in South Cumbria. The site, undisturbed light scrub and woodland on limestone, is extensive and at the height of its flying season in July and early August this year, this was the most prominent and probably abundant butterfly. This supposition was backed up by regular transect counts where numbers were similar to the Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary and to associated grassland species such as Common Blue and Meadow Brown. Netting and release of specimens taken at random showed it to outnumber the Dark Green Fritillary by about 10/1. At a time when the apparent national trend is for a decline in the species, the present relative abundance is encouraging and it is hoped this butterfly will continue to thrive in this locality. — M. J. Y. FOLEY, 87 Ribchester Road, Clayton-le-Dale, Blackburn, Lancs. PARARGE AEGERIA L. (SPECKLED WOOD) FEEDING ON DAMAGED APPLE. — For the most part the speckled wood butter- flies visiting my Dartford garden this year behaved typically, flitting above in partially shaded situations, and on the flower border merely settled upon the leaves for brief intervals despite the profusion of flowers. However, on August 29th 1982, I noticed a specimen feeding upon a bird and wasp-damaged Laxton’s Fortune apple hanging in a shaded position about six feet from the ground. On several occasions it left the fruit only to return after a short inter- val, and on each occasion was seen clearly to be feeding. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 239 I think this occurrence unusual enough to warrant reporting, for the few references I have found of P. aegeria visiting fruit relate to blackberries, although actual feeding was not specifically men- tioned, and to a plum where imbibing was noted (Bolingbroke, Ent. Rec. 65, 291). In the entomological journals I have found numerous references to P. aegeria on the Continent, but no mention of it feeding; is this species seen imbibing from flowers and fruit there as infrequently as its subspecies in the British Isles? — B. K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. THE FIRST RECORDING OF TRICHOPLUSIA NI HBN. IN WARWICKSHIRE. — The first known recording of this rare migrant moth for Warwickshire, is of one taken by Mr. R. Thomas in his m.v. trap, at Hartshill Hayes in the north of the County on i8th September 1982. A second specimen occurred in my garden trap the following day, followed by another on 20th September. Mr. Roy Allen also recorded one in his garden trap at Marton on 20th September. Other notable 1982 Warwickshire migrants recorded at Charle- cote are as follows: 8th July and 21st August, Spodoptera exigua Hbn. (A. Gardner). 29th and 31st July, Eurois occulta L. (A. Gard- ner). 17th (2), 18th and 19th September, S. exigua (D. Brown). 19th September, Macroglossum stellatarum L. (A. Gardner). 20th September, Agrius convolvuli L. (A. Gardner). 23rd and 27th September, Helicoverpa armigera Hbn. (D. Brown and A. Gardner). 2nd October, Orthonama obstipata F. (D. Brown). — D. C. G. BROWN, Jacksons Farmhouse, 25 Charlcote, Nr. Warwick, Warks. THE TWO-YEAR LIFE-CYCLE OF COLEOPHORA HEMEROBIEL- LA (SCOPOLI). — To my knowledge, the first assertion in the British literature that C. hemerobiella has a biennial life-cycle was made by R. W. J. Uffen in A field guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera (1979). Apart from stating that the final erect and straight case is made in the second spring, he gives no details of timing. The following note may therefore be helpful. On the 30th of May, 1981, in the company of the Revd D. J. L. Agassiz and Dr J. L. Langmaid, I collected larvae of this species at Grays, South Essex (VC 18). Some were in the final case but four were still in the earlier pistol-shaped case. I sleeved (more precisely, nylon-stockinged) the small cases on a crab-apple in my garden and left them undisturbed for the next 13 months. My observations were intermittent and consequently I can give only approximate dates. By the end of June the larvae had ceased to feed and had fixed for aestivation on the twigs. Aestivation extended into hibernation without a break, the larvae remaining immobile for ten months. Towards the end of April feeding began again on the young leaves and the pistol case was soon abandoned for the final case, excised from the margin of a leaf near its base. I think Stainton (The natural history of the Tineina 5: 76) is wrong in stating that the larvae make two straight cases, the second larger than the first; according to my observations, they go straight from the pistol to the final case. 240 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 Feeding continued until about the middle of June. At the begin- ning of July, when the cases were unmistakably fixed for pupation, I opened the sleeve for the first time and brought them indoors. The four moths emerged between the 12th and 20th of July, 1982. — A. M. EMMET, Labrey Cottage, Victoria Gardens, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3 AF. LINCOLNSHIRE BUTTERFLIES. — _ Recently, there has been the sighting of two Polygonia c-album L.: Comma in Lincoln. One by myself on 18th September feeding on decaying pears with about 20 Vanessa atalanta L. The other was on 15th September by Messrs. Brian and Andrew Cunnington in their garden at ice plants. These are the first records of the Comma for the area and probably the county since 1971, and of a butterfly that was widespread in Lin- colnshire up to about 20 years ago. It would be nice to think of the resurgence of this species in a county which has lost so many nym- phalids and others, notably Argynnis paphia L., A. adippe D. & S.., Boloria selene D. & S., B. euphrosyne L. and probably A. aglaja L. and Euphydryas aurinia Rott. One nymphalid is still in good numbers. in the woods east of Lincoln, Ladoga camilla L., which was very early this year. — M. TOWNSEND, 8 Cornwall House, Ravendale Drive, Lincoln, 22.ix.82. THE MARSH FRITILLARY: EUPHYDRYAS AURINEA ROTT. IN CUMBRIA. — Following up a previous note in this journal (J. H. Vine-Hall, Ent. Rec. 91: 24-5) on the status of the Marsh Fritillary in Cumbria, I visited in good conditions in early June this year the four extant sites therein described. At only two of these was the species present, however, and then only noted in very small numbers after prolonged observation (less than five separate individuals sighted at each). The other two colonies were apparently unoccupied although there is one recorded sighting for 1981 at one of these but none since 1979 at the other. A visit to a further previously suspected site revealed the species to be present (again less than five seen) which adds another to the total, and there are at least three other possible sites which need further investigation, dis- counting two others at which the species is probably extinct. Thus the butterfly is just hanging on in very small well scattered colonies, and it is surprising that it can survive for long at such a low density. The Cumbria Trust N.C. is aware of the location of the sites, and it is hoped that the habitats can be protected and collec- ting avoided, so that this species, generally absent elsewhere in Northern England, can build up numbers again. — M. J. Y. FOLEY, 87 Ribchester Road, Clayton-le-Dale, Blackburn, Lancs. THE DECLINE OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY: HAMEARIS LUCINA L. — We are conducting a study of the ecology of this butterfly the object being to determine the precise habitat require- ments and habitat management requirements of the species. The study has the support of the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) and is linked to NCC’s ‘Butterflies Under Threat’ project. Infor- mation is urgently required from as many sites as possible and we would be delighted to establish contact with entomologists who are familiar with the species. Please write for further details either to ee NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 241 myself (for sites in eastern England) at the address below, or to Mr. W. G. Shreeves, 5 Butt’s Mead, Shaftesbury, Dorset (for sites in the western half of England). It may be of interest to add that while working on the ecology of the Duke of Burgundy at Selborne during the past few years, some useful discoveries have been made. For example, the main predator on Jucina is a snail (Monacha cantiana) which, seemingly accidently devours the ova on the Cowslip leaves. Does the same happen to the ova in other localities? So far we have received infor- mation from a number of entomologists, and initial indications suggest an alarming recent decline in the number of sites occupied by lucina, especially in woods. — M. R. OATES, The Lodge, Wyck Place, Wyck, Alton, Hampshire. NYMPHALIS ANTIOPA L. AT SEA. — While fishing two miles off the southern coast of the island of Spetses, in Greece, in late October 1981, I observed a single Nymphalis antiopa flying about one metre above the sea and heading toward the island. The only places in that area where this butterfly is resident, are the higher mountains of the Peloponnissos and its appearance near the island of Spetses must be attributed to forced migration due to adverse weather conditions in its natural habitat. It is assumed that its journey must have started somewhere in the Parnon mountains of eastern Peloponnissos and that the butterfly covered a distance of about 20 kilometres, while flying over the sea. — J. G. COUTSIS, 4 Glykonos Street, Athens 139, Greece. YPONOMEUTA EVONYMELLA (LINNAEUS) IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND. — I should be grateful for any information regarding the foodplant of this species in the south of England. Further north it feeds on bird-cherry (Prunus padus), often in great pro- fusion, whole trees being sometimes completely covered in larval webs and entirely defoliated. In the south, bird-cherry is scarce and the few trees I have seen have not been attacked. Yet Y. evonymella occurs at low density even in areas where bird-cherry is apparently absent. In 1970 I brought a web of these larvae home from Derbyshire. After the branch on which they were feeding had all been consumed, being unable to locate further supplies of bird-cherry, I tried them on leaves of damson-plum from the garden. Finding that they accepted this, I sleeved out half the larvae on the damson-tree. These ceased to feed and all perished. Those in the plastic box, which retained the remains and in particular the smell of the original foodplant, fed on and produced adults, all of which, however, were undersized. In 1981 two adults appeared here in Saffron Walden at lighted windows. In 1982, when I was lent a light-trap for a few days in July, they were fairly common, about six appearing each night, but settling around the trap in preference to entering into it. The feature which struck me about these moths was that they were all undersized like those I have just mentioned. It is possible that they had fed on blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), 242 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 but a specimen I took on the army ranges at Foulness on the 17th of July this year suggests otherwise. On Canvey Island and elsewhere in south-east Essex the brown-tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea (Linnaeus)) is kept under control by council workmen. There is no public access to Foulness Island and there this necessary task is not performed. Consequently this pest occurs in unimaginable profusion. In whole areas the blackthorns, hawthorns and roses are literally stripped bare of all their foliage, leaving ugly skeletons festooned with larval webs. In an area where the bushes had been reduced to such a condition in 1981, the larvae had switched to scrub elm in 1982, presumably because the females had found the blackthorns they themselves had helped to defoliate quite unsuitable for oviposition. The blackthorns were beginning to recover but there is little doubt that 1983 will see the brown-tails renewing their assult. The result is an almost complete absence of other species feeding on these plants. The hawthorn-feeders fare best because there is so much of it that some trees escape. Blackthorn seems to be the favourite foodplant of the brown-tail, and its other associated species, especially the leaf-miners, are absent or excessively rare. For example, of the four Coleophora species so common at Benfleet, I have found only C. anatipennella (Hubner) very sparingly, this being one which has alternative foodplants. I have never seen Ypono- meuta padella (Linnaeus) at Foulness, but its close relative, Y. malinellus Zeller, abounds on apple-trees surviving from a former orchard. So unless my specimen of Y. evonymella had flown in, it is likely to have fed on some foodplant other than blackthorn. All the Essex specimens of Y. evonymella which I have seen — those from Saffron Walden, Foulness and one or two other localities — have a common characteristic: they are undersized like those I fed on damson. What is their foodplant? — A. M. EMMET, Labrey Cottage, Victoria Gardens, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3 AF. SPHINX LIGUSTRI L. (PRIVET HAWKMOTH ): DISAPPEARANCE FROM N. W. KENT. — It is with regret that I comment on the ap- parent absence of this fine insect from urban N. W. Kent — the conurbation south of the R. Thames from central London to Dartford. The privet hawk moth used regularly to be seen on fences and telegraph poles, or injured on pavements and roads, while every year the caterpillars notified their presence by their excremental pellets beneath privet hedge, or overhanging lilac or laurustinus (Viburnum tinus), and beside waste land under saplings of ash. I last saw privet hawk caterpillars in this area in 1972, and the last visits of the moth to the garden m/v trap at Dartford were 1972 (two) and 1975 (two). Chalmers-Hunt in his Lepidoptera of Kent Supplement mentions an apparent decline of the species for the county as whole. In the above-mentioned work the author suggests that the introduced species of privet, Ligustrum ovalifolium, is the most favoured larval pabulum in Kent, and states that he had only one record for the native L. vulgaris. However, in N. W. Kent the larvae could be found every year on the latter plant also, e.g. on Dartford NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 243 Heath, while where a hedge was composed of both species of privet, no preference for either was apparent. It was noticeable that often the same short stretch of garden hedge had caterpillars year after year. Once, in 1946, I found nine larvae at Dartford on snowberry (Symphoricarpus), and wonder if the plant was utilized more fre- quently than records suggest, for rarely do these bushes conveniently overhang the pavement. Finally, although holly is a well-known larval foodplant in the New Forest, and perhaps elsewhere, I know of no record of S. ligustri on this in N. W. Kent, where the plant is used commonly for hedging and as an ornamental shrub. — B. K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. SOME OF THE LESS COMMON SPECIES OF LEPIDOPTERA TAKEN AT BARCALDINE, ARGYLL, IN 1980 and 1981. — The following were among the less common Macrolepidoptera caught by a Robin- son M.V. light trap (125 watt) sited at Barcaldine, Argyll (map ref: NM 964414) (on the edge of Barcaldine Forest) and operated almost nightly during the years 1980 and 1981. Critical species were identified by microscopic examination of genitalia. Some of the species listed are common in southern Britain but appear to be rare here and are included for that reason. Numbers of individuals caught in 1980 and 1981 are given in that order. Trichiura crataegi L. (5:13), Falcaria lacertinaria L. (5:0), Ochropacha duplaris L. (6:2), Scopula ternata Schrank (2:0), Orthonama vittata Bork- hausen (3:1), Xanthorhoe munitata Hbn. (2:2), Entephria flavicincata Hbn. (0:1), E. caesiata D. & S. (1:0), Anticlea derivata D. & S. (0:1), Lampropteryx suffumata D. & S. (0:1), Coenotephria salicata Hbn. (7:8), Cidaria fulvata Forster (3:0), Plemyria rubiginata D. & S. (3:2), Thera juniperata L. (1:0), Colostygia olivata D. & S. (1:0), Hydriomena impluviata D. & S. (0:3), Perizoma taeniatum Stephens (13:7), P. albulata D. & S. (13:2), P. flavo- fasciata Thunb. (0:1), P. didymata L. (0:1), Carsia sororiataHbn. (0:1), Odezia atrata L. (1:0) (common by day), Venusia cambrica Curtis (26:21), Trichopteryx polycommata D. & S. (0:2), Acasis viretata Hbn. (0:3) Abraxas grossulariata L. (0:1), A. sylvata Scop. (10:2), Semiothisa notata L. (1:0), S. liturata Clerck (0:4), Plagodis pulveraria L. (1:1), Deuteronomos erosaria D. & S. (2:0), Selenia lunularia Hbn. (2:4), Cleora cinctaria D. & S. (1:2), Alcis jubata Thunb. (62:52), Cleorodes lichenaria Hufn. (0:2), Gnophos obfuscatus D. & S. (2:1), Dyscia fagaria Thunb. (0:2), Cerura vinula L. (1:1), Harpyia furcula Clerck (0:1), Pheosia tremula Clerck (2:3), Odontosia carmelita Esper (10:21), Setina irrorella L. (0:1), Diacrisia sannio L. (2:3), Spilosoma luteum Hufn. (3:0), Nola confusalis H.-S. (10:12), Euxoa tritici L. (2:0), Stand- fussiana lucernea L. (0:1), Graphiphora augur Fabr. (1:0), Xestia rhomboidea Esper (0:2), X. agathina Duponchel (6:55), Naenia typicaL. (5:3), Eurois occulta L. (23:36), Polia bombycina Hufn. (11:24), Lacanobia oleracea L. (1:0), Hadena confusa Hufn. (1:0), Panolis flammea D. & S. (0:2), Dasypolia templi Thunb. (2:5), Aporophyla lutulenta D. & S. (0:3), Lithomoia solida- ginis Hbn. (0:3), Xyvlena vetusta Hbn. (11:14), Antitiype chi L. (4:6)), Agro- chola helvola L. (1:1), Parastichtis suspecta Hbn. (9:0), Atethmia centrago Haw. (0:1) Omphaloscelis lunosa Haw. (1:2), Xanthia citrago L. (2:7), Acronicta tridens D. & S. (1:0), A. menyanthidis Esper (0:3), A. euphorbiae D. & S. (0:1), Hyppa rectilinea Esper (2:8), Apamea exulis Lefebvre (4:3), A. ophiogramma Esper (2:0), Amphipoea lucens Freyer (58:732), A. crinanensis Burrows (15:61), A. oculea L. (0:1), Celaena haworthii Curtis (1:4), Nonagria typhae Thunb. (0:1), Hoplodrina alsines Brahm (0:1), H. blanda D. & S. (2:1), Stilbia anomala Haw. (10:10), Eustrotia uncula Clerck (0:1), Bena prasinana L. (1:0), Autographa bractec D. & S. (89:115), Syngrapha interrogationis.L. 2 rn Schrankia costaestrigalis Stephens (2:2), Hypenodes turfosalis Wocke 0). The following records from this site are also of interest:— 244 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 Apocheima pilosaria D. & S. (1)on 11 Dec 1980 (early date); Peridroma saucia Hbn. (1) and Nomophila noctuella D. & S. (1) on 30 Jan 1981 (early immigrants); Palpita unionalis Hbn. (1) on 30 Aug 1980 (immigrant); Orthonama obstipata Fabr. (1) on 2 Sept. 1980 (immigrant). — Dr. J. C. A. CRAIK, Dunstaffnage Marine Lab., P.O. Box 3, Oban, Argyll. FURTHER NOTES ON PHYLLONORYCTER SAPORTELLA (DUPON- CHEL) IN EAST ANGLIA. — _ Ihave already recounted (antea pp. 119-120) my chance rearing of a single adult of this rare species from South Lopham, Norfolk. Most old records were made from moths found resting on tree-trunks, so my wife and I revisited the locality on the 9th of May to look for further specimens. Within seconds we found four on the trunk of the tree from which I had taken the mine and others were not uncommon on adjacent trees. That night we rang up Dr Jan Watkinson and returned with him two days later. By then many more had emerged and Dr Watkinson counted 20 on a single trunk. Having taken photographs and a few specimens, we extended our search to the adjacent vice-counties. We managed at length to find one each in VCs 25 and 28, each about a mile from the original site, but drew blank in VC 26. The implication is that the colony, although numerically strong, is very localised. My wife and I made our next visit on the 3rd of July to look for mines. They were easy to recognise amongst many scores of the commoner oak-feeding Phyllonorycter, but whereas P. saportella had been the most plentiful adult on the trunks in May, its mines were the least common in July. This raises once again the theory that it feeds high up on the trees. I studied the upper branches through field-glasses, but a fresh breeze was shaking the leaves and although I could see Caloptilia cones, | failed to spot any Phyllono- rycter mines. This leaves the problem unresolved but I am inclined to the opinion that P. saportella does feed high up and that only a small proportion of its mines are accessible from the ground. It may be significant that not a single leaf was within reach on the tree where Ian Watkinson found 20 adults. The moths began to emerge on the 14th of July and it would have been better if we had delayed our search until about that date. All the mines were on the leaf-margin. The mines of most other oak-feeding Phyllonorycter have a single strong central fold in the lower epidermis. This is normally absent in P. saportella which has instead numerous small creases which cause the leaf-edge to curl right over. I was wrong in my previous note when I said that the feeding did not extend through to the upper epidermis; it does so in varying degrees. In some cases only the extreme margin, which is folded under, is stripped of parenchyma, such mines being almost invisible from above. In others the whole upper surface of the mine is blanched. The most important character is the complete absence of frass to reinforce the walls of the cocoon; the only other British oak-feeding Phyllonorycter to have this character is P. roboris (Zeller) which has a totally different and unmistakable mine. — A. M. EMMET, Labrey Cottage, Victoria Gardens, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3 AF. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 245 A POSSIBLE DISCOVERY OF THE FIRST GENERATION LARVA OF ETAINIA DECENTELLA (HERRICH-SCHAFFER, 1855). [LEPI- DOPTERA: NEPTICULIDAE.]. — On April 12th., 1982, whilst collec- ting at Mark’s Grave, Horseheath, Cambridgeshire (V.C. 29), I found a sycamore tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) from the base of which were growing several shoots, the tallest being about 2m high. I noticed that the buds on some of these shoots were much more retarded than on others, so I picked a sample for later examination. On a more detailed study, I found that the retarded bud was always the central one of a group, i.e. the prospective flower bud. Two buds were dissected. In the first was a hole of diameter ¥% mm (presumably the larval exit hole), and the bud had been eaten a little, though only in the most central part; there also ap- peared to be a mine in the bark of the twig just below the bud, but no egg could be found. There was no sign of spinning, which may indicate non-lepidopterous attack. (Hering suggests, in The Biology of the Leaf-miners, that the presence of silk is indicative of lepidopterous activity; it does not, however, follow that the absence of silk is indicative of non-lepidopterous activity). No larva could be found to confirm this. The second bud was similar, but signs of feeding were rather less clear. I kept the other buds in the hope of breeding something, but without success. The life history of the first generation of Etainia decentella (as of all three British Etainia) has always been in doubt. The cur- rent position is most fully documented in a paper by Emmet and Johnson (Ent. Rec. 89: 257-264), where it is suggested that all three species feed in the samaras of their respective species of Acer in the autumn generation and in the buds in the spring genera- tion. A particular point of similarity between FE. sericopeza as there described and the material described above is that the larval feeding is confined to the flower buds. In addition, the inability to find an egg could be explained by its having been on the petiole of a leaf of the previous season: naturally, this would have fallen off by the spring. Though I cannot claim to have found E£. decentella as a spring larva, the evidence is suggestive. I write this note principally to encourage others to do what I shall do in March/April, 1983: search Acer buds in the hope of finally solving the problem of the spring generation of the Ftainia species in Britain. — P. J. JOHNSON, 10, Crossfield Road, Hampstead, London, NW3 4NS., 10.ix.1982. FURTHER NOTES ON AN INTRODUCED “COLONY” OF THE BLACK-VEINED WHITE: APORIA CRATAEGI L. IN SCOTLAND. — Further to my notes on this subject in Ent. Rec., 89: 282-283, it may be of interest to record the current position here of the Aporia crataegi ““colony” which has continued to the present time, although reinforced with “new blood”’ from the Swiss/Italian border in 1978. The very fine weather at the end of May and early June caused the larvae that had pupated earliest to emerge as butterflies very early, the first few on the last two days of May. At one point there were literally dozens of them flying about, and I was able to pick up a lot of paired individuals, from which I shall hope to get a very big “crop” next year. 246 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 The problem was the abrupt change in the weather which occurred here on the 6th June. So many butterflies had mated that many had laid eggs in the wild, the first batch I saw on the 2nd June. At first, I thought the very cold weather over mid-summer had killed off some of the eggs, but this proved not to be the case; however, they took six weeks, plus or minus a few days to hatch. The tree on which the first batch was laid on 2nd June (a haw- thorn) subsequently became almost peppered with eggs, the last being laid on the 21st July, which hatched on the 18th August. This would be on account of the warm period we had here covering roughly the last ten days of July and the first half of August. All the earlier eggs that were kept in the summerhouse took five weeks to hatch. I have had more time this year to study the habits of the but- terflies and their interaction with the rest of the fauna. Particularly when there are a lot around, they are very often heavily persecuted by local birds, but it is always the same birds that do the predating; this year a blackbird, a song-thrush and a great-tit. A pair of spotted flycatchers left them alone. The butterflies have a curious habit of alighting in groups for the night, and are often very conspicuous, particularly the males; the females on the other hand seem to be- come semi-transparent after a short time flying, and soon look markedly different from the other Pierids. Both sexes are strongly attracted to Rhododendron and Rose-bay Willowherb. In the past, I was convinced the males mated only once, but I have evidence that at least two males mated twice. The foodplant mostly selected is hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) followed by the apple trees in my orchard. One or two batches have been laid on a group of trees I cannot classify; these grow wild from fallen fruit and produce somewhat tasteless plums like damsons but the wrong colour. This year I found a batch of eggs for the first time on Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia). These insects will eat things I suspect the eggs are never laid on, e.g. quince (Cydonia) and even the evergreen Prunus lusi- tanica. Although last winter’s experiment proved that the insect can successfully come through the Scottish winter, at least to the ex- tent of about 65% survival rate of those tried, the experiment involved protection by a strawberry net to keep out insectiverous birds. Incidentally, a larva given to Dr. Shaw of the Royal Scottish Museum parasitised by Apanteles glomeratus proved to be the only one so affected, with the remaining 38 all producing butterflies. — R. ELLIOTT, “‘Burnbank”’, North Road, Saline Fife, 20.viii.82. A SIGHTING OF AGRION VIRGO (LINN.) (ODONATA: AGRI- IDAE) IN CENTRAL LONDON. — _ On the morning of the 4th of September 1982 a solitary male of this species was seen flying south along Queensway W2, towards Kensington Gardens (Nat. Grid Ref. TQ259807). The specimen concerned must have strayed some distance from its breeding site, as the larvae are usually found in swift flowing gravel streams. To my knowledge no such habitat exists in this area of London. — A. P. FOSTER, c/o Nature Con- servancy Council, 19-20 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PY. : , OBITUARY 247 Obituary ROBERT LARGEN Robert Largen died of a heart attack at his home Yew Tree Cottage, Wiston Lane, Wiston, Steyning, Sussex. He was born on the 7th December 1945 and died the 6th August 1982, and so was only 36 years of age at the time of his death. Robert was a cheerful and unassuming companion, who under- took his collecting in an unhurried manner and never lost patience with the hunt, whether it be hour after hour of searching for larvae at Portland or long hours of night sweeping on the Surrey heaths. A keen all round naturalist, he seemed to have the perfect occupa- tion with the countryside and its wildlife around him, for his work was that of a gamekeeper on Wiston Estate. Although an accom- plished taxidermist as his collection of mounted birds show, perhaps his greatest achievement was the superb two tier 34 drawer mahogany insect cabinet, built entirely himself and completed only shortly before his death. His collection of British lepidoptera will be retained as a fitting memorial to him at the cottage where he lived, and it was from it that we exhibited at the A.E.S. and B.E.N.H.S. Exhibitions in October 1982, a drawer containing some of his more interesting specimens. To all who had the pleasure of his company, Robert will be greatly missed and, speaking for ourselves, we shall find it hard to enjoy moth hunting as much without him. Our sympathy goes out to his widow Daphne, and to his many friends. S. CHURCH, A. K. BATTEN, S. ODELL and J. PLATTS Current Literature Benjamin Wilkes the British Aurelian: Twelve New Designs of English Butterflies and Directions for making a Collection with an Essay by R. S. Wilkinson. Folio (31cm. x 34cm.), 11pp. on 6 leaves, 14 facsimile plates in card folder. E. W. Classey Ltd., Park Road, Faringdon, Oxon SN7 7DR. 1982. Price £20 post free. We have much pleasure in calling attention to Classica Ento- mologica No. 3, the most recent publication to be issued by the firm of E. W. Classey, which fully sustains the reputation of the four others so far published in this series, all of which have been re- viewed in this journal (see Ent. Rec., 82: 64,91: 223, 332, 93: 80). Classica Entomologica, which was started in 1969, consists of a series of facsimile reprints of rare entomological items with biblio- 248 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 94 15.X1.82 graphical and/or biographical notes of special appeal to historians of entomology and those interested in entomological bibliography. Six items in the series are scheduled, of which five, including the present one, have already appeared. This latest production concerns two of the rarest of all entomological publications, whose author Benjamin Wilkes flourished some 250 years ago. Little is known about the early life of Benjamin Wilkes . A. A. Lisney (A Bibliography of British Lepidoptera, 121) says he was born towards the close of the seventeenth century, that he was a painter in oils and became interested in entomology following an invitation by a friend to a meeting of the Aurelian Society, of which he became a member, and then proceeded to form his own collection of English lepidoptera. Encouraged by Joseph Dandridge, one of the earliest collectors of natural history specimens and a contemporary of Petiver and Ray, Wilkes began publication of notes on native lepidoptera which he had compiled over a period of ten years, illustrating these with his drawings of the various stages in the life histories of as many species as possible. As far as is known, his only published works are the Twelve New Designs of English Butterflies, English Moths and Butterflies and a broadside sheet Directions for making a Collection. Four issues (or editions) of the first of the foregoing were published, and it is the facsimile repro- duction of the fourth of these as well as the facsimile of the Direc- tions that are the subject of this review. The work consists of an attractive title page and an interesting ‘“‘Publisher’s Preface’ by E. W. Classey with background informa- tion. Then follows a masterly account in the form of an essay, by that great authority, Dr. R. S. Wilkinson (Pp. 4-11) on the life and times of Benjamin Wilkes as under: Wilkes’ apprenticeship in ento- mology, the ‘Twelve new Designs’, the ‘Collecting Directions’and the English Moths and Butterflies, the whole being furnished with 69 detailed numerical annotations gathered together at the end. Next comes the facsimile of Directions for making a Collection (1742), of which only one example is known to have survived being that in the British Museum (Natural History), followed by the facsimile of the exceedingly rare Carrington Bowles’ edition of the Twelve New Designs dating from the late 1760s, of which only four copies are known to exist, and comprising an elegant decorated title page and 12 engraved plates.' Comparison with the originals of both works, reveals that in the reproduction a number of the figures is less well defined, and in the Directions some words are blurred. However, except for these minor failings this is a handsome production, with the whole edition printed on a high quality cream-coloured paper, contained in a blue card folder with decorated cover and limited to 475 numbered copies. — J. M. C.-H. ly curious fact regarding the Carrington Bowles’ edition and one that appears not to have been noticed before, concerns the title page and the number of lepidoptera figured. It is there stated that ‘near 300 different species are illustrated. Yet the truth is the number of species shown amounts to no more than 82! ee ee ae eS unfamiliar to many. PAGE LEPIDOPTERA A memetelia, Dioryctria ......... 2 absinthiata, Eupithecia ....... 185 acetosae, Johanssonia ..... 98, 219 acteon, Thymelicus Fi2. bose 128, 240 adippe, Argynnis .. 89,126, 238, 240 meesta, Blepharita........... 108 advenella, Eurhodope ........ 130 aegeria, Pararge 40,125, 138,174, 209, 210,214, 238 aequidentellus,Epermenia ..... 202 merugula, Nola ....... 47,99, 203 aethiops, Erebia « 20,75, 107, 214 men: Bestia 626 2 ee 243 as ae 127 aglaja, Argynnis.. . , 240 albimaculata, Amauris ........ 163 albiodactylus, Pselnphorus ..... 114 albipuncta, Mythimna ...... 82, 87 albipunctata,Cyclophora ...... 185 MuverlOsd, SINYIA..... 1... .. 99 albula, Meganola ........ 99, 203 mulata, Perizoma .......... 243 alburnella, Teleiodes ..°?....... 98 @iceae, Carcharodus ...... 136; 137 Mediates 1) se bs 137 Ichemillata, Perizoma..... 107, 130 chimiella, Caloptilia ........ 119 RR CEOMECTA pow chs ... .-2 cas 154 boeticus, Lampides. .. .111,112, 113 bombycus,: Pols 05 4 eG 243 bractea, Autographa . . . 108,200, 203, 243 brassicae, Pieris . 72, 115, £23;128, 135, 137, 199, 211 brumata, Operophtera ..... 107, 162 nana, Vanessa +... einen 2s 218 bucephala, Phalera ....... 108, 198 C caesiata, Entephria....... 107, 243 caesiella, Swammerdamia ...... 130 cailina, Aleucanitis ....... 137;:138 calbum, Polygonia....... 125, 240 caliginosa, Acosmetia ..... 58, 185 raeidice Pome... eeteete .2ie 174 camdeboo, Pseudonympha ..... 41 cambrica, Ventigia —./.°. e200. 20 243 camilla, Ladoga . . . 125, 200,203, 216, 240 canaria, Papilio = Gonepteryx rhammi. 75 captinnculs, Photedés 2.06302 20. 182 candi, Oepoconm §. . . isa ind abe: 97 cardamines, Anthocharis .17, 128, 134, 135,137, 162,202, 209 cardui, Cynthia . 38, 48, 49-52, 82. 83, 35. 162, 174, 203, 217 carmelita,Odontosia .45,155,194, 243 cCuniamen. New. 2. eee 65, 108 Celtis Mp yses 8 a heals 135, 138 Ooniziec, Ateinme... .... cae ss 243 cerasivorella, Coleophora ...... 108 caus Thpleta . 4) bea 65 ceylanicno Vaietia SV kw oc aces 17 cheiranthi, Pieris . . 112,114,115, 199 eld, AMOI PE gasses footed 108, 243 chuttyl, Charmxes ... «wa daeus we 148 chloerata, Chloroclystis ....... 99 ehioridice, Ponta. ¢. « «wads s Sie 18 chlorosata, Petrophora........ 107 choragella, Morophaga........ 98 chrysippus, Danaus. ..... 113, 208 PAGE | chrysitis, Diachrysia ......... 108 chrysorrhoea, Euproctis ....... 242. cidarella, Bucculatrix. .. 98,102- 103, 238) cinctaria, Cleora ,...'s .4.siaab eee 243 cinctella,Syncopacma . . 98,132, 133) cinerae, Hesperia ...5..\:.«:5| s ae 20. cinerella, Acompsia ......... 131 cingovskii, Psuedochazara ....18, 19 cinxia, Melitaea ... |. .:c.c-0.0g) eee 135) citrago, Xanthia ....... s+. sacs 243, citrata, Chioroclysta < .:. ssieustsm 107 classensi, ssp. Lepidochrysops jamMesi ..... ./<;+,.«:sseseee 32,..a. | clavipalpis, Caradrina ...... iG5e6 119, cleobule, Gonepteryx . cleopatra, Gonepteryx . 82, 86, 134 | 135, 137, 201) clerkella, Lyonetia: . . J ..9 ee 180 comes, Noctua’ . ..: us eee 108° comma, Hesperia ..... 20, 128, 235) confusa, Hadena .. . . d,008 77, 243) confusalis, Nola... ... 31, 186, 243) congressariella, Northris . . 40 consimilana, Clepsis .,.:. +) ee 131} conspersana, Cnephasia ....... 130 convolvuli, Agrius .47,48,75,81, 87,110, 142, 204, 237, 239) } H coracipennella, Coleophora ee coras, Polites ......:..4l ae 66-71 coridon, Lysandra ... 19,67,68, 127 costaestrigalis, Schrankia . . .186, 243 cramera, Aficia ... J shes 112,114, 115° crassalis, Hypena ..... 44,186, 205 crataegi, Aporia’ s<:2s Sa 245-246 crataegi, Trichtura ....< 50 eee 243. crenata, Apamea .... sis 9 =e 94 crinanensis, Amphipoea .. . .108, 243 croceago, Jodia .. . . /. 6 ene 95 croceus, Colias . . . 48, 74,82, 83, 111,112,113, 115, lsh eee 204, 237 croesella, Adela «.. . = <3.) ee 98,219 cucullina, Ptilodontella ....... 155 cydippe =adippe Argynnis ..... 89 D dahlii, Diarsia . . . ».).0s) 77 damon, Agrodiaetus ......... 19 daplidice, Pontia . .112,113,168 | 169, 170 daucellus = Epermenia aequiden- | tellus... ..64.>. 4 me 202) dealbana, Gypsonoma ........ 130 decentella, Etainia . 2... 0508 245) decrepitalis, Udea .........% 121 defoliaria,Erannis ....... 162, 218 deione, Mellicta...... 135,136, 8 38, delattini, H. ........< aa0s)s, See 19 dentaria, Selenia .... is'0 50s. 107 deodata, Dodona .. ..°s 0G). ae 9 derivalis, Paracolax .......... 206 Re a i ain eee a ee ee ~ a Se ee PAGE MemriVata, AMUICIOD . oe sb a el 243 designata, Xanthorhoe........ 107 See COMSAT a 33,9836 didymata, Perizoma ...... 107, 243 discordella, Coleophora ....... 131 fear, Lv ittanitia 27. et 87 mevisella, Mompha .......... 21 dubitella, Phyllonorycter ...... 190 muplaris, Ochtopacha ........ 243 E i 9 meenatia Fupithecia ......... 31 Meera (TOCaIS . 6g ii 8s 107 elongella, Monochroa ........ Td meeenor, Déetephila .......... 174 BEMITOU PLCDIA 6. sccaek vd ws 6 Beomidion, Apamea ......... 108 eriphia, Antichloris. ......... 186 eros, Polyommatus....... 173, 174 erosaria, Deuteronomos ....... 243 erxlebella, Roeslerstammia ..... 31 ME COIOTS i). ke ees 17 meeenes, Podona ........+65. 9 puphorbime, Acronicta........ 243 euphrosyne, Boloria . . . 126,209, 240 i 19, 20 evonymella, Yponomeuta . . .241, 242 meontnemata,Cabera......... 108 exigua, Spodoptera. .... $2, 87, 239 exsiccata, Tathorhynchus ... 81, 82,87, 139 metimalis, Evergestis ......... 77 a ee 243 F a ha re 243 meeeeuna, Dasychita ........<. 155 Mere TIA TAVIGCA kk ew ke 108 measciuncula, Oligia .......... 108 meratua, Neohipparchia.......... 19 Meeitugalis, Udea.......... 49, 84 festaliella, Schreckensteinia ..... 131 Meicae, PIUSIA . ek we wl 108 mucivora, Psychoides ........, 130 filipendulae, Zygaena ..... fais 182 Mnitimella, Parornix ........ 53-56 Slammea,Panolis ........ 150, 243 Meenmiea, Senta .. ..6 0k st cu 161 flavicinctata, Entephria ....... 243 flavimetrella, Lampronia ...... 98 ‘flavofasciata,Perizoma ....... 243 merella,Catopsilia ....... aS a i _ fontis = Hypena crassalis ...... 44 Borsterana, Lozotaenia........ 38 m@axinata, Eupithecia......... 185 fraxini, Catocala . .40,74, 81,87, 186, 204 fuciformis, Hemaris ...... 95, 186 fuliginosa, Phragmatobia ...... 108 mumevata, Cidafia , . . . . wc wie as 243 PAGE furcata, Hydriomena......... 107 fuscia, FUCA «ol ww BER 243 furuncula, Mesoligia ......... 130 fusconebulosa, Hepialus ....... 107 G galathea, Melanargia . . . 125,209, 214 gallagheri,Charaxes ...... 147-150 i R&I aae ae aeee 130 OR ae sa ae 81, 87 gamma, Autographa . 83,108,174, 204 gardetta,Coenonympha....... 173 senistac, Coleophora... ....).: 219 eervonm, Ames. ou CR 201 plandon, Aprmdee 6. we ew 174 @iarecoms, PUIRGMIMA - . ww sé tie 108 globulariae, Adscita ......... 201 prepemin, COCuIa . wk ee ws o> Og CO a i? Pre 108 gnomana, Paramesia ......... 98 goossensiata, Eupithecia....... 185 I CEE no ahs. oo onc, a9, 10% 174 Gora COTtMOMA GL es 108 ae cee, «ok a he ae 108 oe Fe) 19 graminis, Cerapteryx...... 108, 174 granella, Nemapogon......... 98 Remsen Feeemne 4s Wee wl 130 grossulariata, Abraxas ..... 174, 243 erotmme, EPGROSE 2. a. 130 wederiama, Charaxes ... 65 «ds 148 H halterata, Lobophora ........ 218 hastata, Rheumaptera ..... 79,107 haworthi,Celaena ....... 108, 243 heegeriella, Phyllonorycter ..... 120 menos, ASTOCNOM. ....55.... 243 hemerobiella, Coleophora ...... 239 heracliana, Agonopterix ....... 37 hippothoe, Palaeochryso phanus 173 hornigi, = Coleophora violacea .. . 219 hornigi, Monochroa ......... fe hortella = Phyllonorycter saportella humuli, Hepialus ..... 107,156, 204 hyperantus, Aphantopus 21255236 I icarus, Polymmatus O15 2h, 131, 138, 238 SEN acd x, anova os jad BA «os iM ye a 98, 131 impluviata, Hydriomena....... 243 marmuta, Mythimia.. 0.60). <) 0.0. 108 mcerta Orthoga ....... +. 45, 108 Molca, Vanenia .., . . we «x Ne Ta tH maotata, Pupithecia ........... 185 insigniata, Eupithecia ......... 99 mngpersella, Scythtis 2... kek 97 intermedia, Euphydryas ....... 173 iv PAGE interrogationis,Syngrapha ..... 243 io, Inachis . . . 107, 124,138,209, 211 ipsilon, Agrotis ... . 83,84, 203, 204 iris, Apatura.. . 58, 125,126,155, 203, 209 Hrotema acts £31)... so eee 243 et, Aireyrestnm *> > S20 eee 181 J jacobmede ‘Tym >. eS eee 186 jamesi, Lepidochrysops ..... 32, 41 (@idia, Alc. .* dein ieton oe 7 oie 243 peeiperia, Theta”. ond ee 243 jurtina, Maniola. . 40,89-91, 112, 113, TiS, 125,164, 211,214.23 K Rmysns, Zisem .*. . 2; sae fii P72 L btettinard. Faicarer . fcoi57 <3 243 lacteella, Mompha ....°...... 116 laetus, Crombrugghia ........ 114 lancealaga, Bactra “2214. ) Jit 131 pinestris, Extogaster 4 bec 4 tls 9§ lariciata, Eupithecia ...... 106, 107 larseniella, Syncopacma .. 98, 132-133 iiseta, Coleophora.” .-c.2c26 ¥. an< 21 Pitrana, Acleris~ : siouetax-) ees 152 lathonia, Argynnis ... . 135,138, 168, 169, 170, 224 leautieri, Lithophane......... 186 etebyres. Prepay c:k. deg Ba eet 174 leyaitt “ATASCOMA ec esdes Atl oh fe Npavowmee COeas< © sou. te)! Pee 18 lichenaria, Cleorodes;,......4.- 243 Refienes, Fumichtis / 2.5 44.0... 2. 40 Bes, EIQret. 2 otstod?. nF. abe 89 enea, Biastepase = 256 ond ain ss 130 fipula, Cogisiza. ........ .ts", 198, 189 ligulella = Syncopacma larseniella . 132 ligisiri, SOWNX . . .ira dca: 22 te 242 limbais Uresiolatta > -t! s Sis 5 ss 112 limosipennella, Coleophora ..... 190 Hid, BEVIS. Sues sts debe 2 187, 204 Kncate. Siena” 8. 58, 94, 95. 185 Siew, Tnyinencus. ... .°. 5 5 128 linosyridella, Coleophora ...... 97 itteigm Lawes ooo od. ae 130 liturata, Semiothisa . 106,107, 243 livornica = Hyles lineata ....... 204 lorevi Miyano 255 kk. OSes 203 loti = Leptidea sinapis ........ 121 ait Eve foo Ss ss se eee 131 lubricipeda, Spilosoma........ 108 lucelio, Ypsolopla. 2 s.s =< sos ede 98 lucens, Amphipoea....... 108, 243 lucernea, Standfussiana . 233-235, 243 lucina, Hamearis 89,126,127, 155, 200,209, 240 hcipata, Fuplczig \S*. 2 ee 108 PAGE luctuata, Spargania. ......... 96 lunosa, Omphaloscelis ........ 243 | lunaria = Selenia lunularia...... 238 lunularia, Selenia . . «240% 238, 243 lunaris, Minucia . .; <>: s| 5) Ae 136. luteolata, Opistograptis ....... 107. luteum, Spilosoma ... 2. ).0/ 0 243 | lutulenta, Aporophyla........ 243 M machaon, Papilio .. . . 56,57,58, 121, 136,137, 169 machinella, Coleophora . . 98, 109-110 malinellus, Yponomeuta....... 242. malvae, Pyrgus ...... 128,137, 163. manto, Erebia ..... 2’. 7) eee 173 | marginaria, Agriopis ......... 108 marginella, Dichomeris ....... 130. marginepunctata, Scopula...... 99 margueritae, ssp. Poecilmitis palmus » “oy marianne, Ixias . . 2 4° 2°95 ee 17 maritima, Bucculatrix “2? ee 102 maritimella = Coleophora ma- chinella ..... ..... eee 110 maritimus, Chilodes . ./.3..057 205 maura, Mormo ...: =. @.203a 186. megera, Lasiommata ... 138 , 209-214 | mcegregori, Lepidochrysops ..... 34 melampus, Erebia .....) ae 173 mendica, Diaphora.......... 221 | mendica, Diarsia’ ... ; . “0 ee 108 menyanthidis, Acronicta ...... 243 mercuriana, Epinotia......... 131 messaniella, Phyllonorycter ..... 131 methymna, Lepidochrysops.... . 33. meticulosa, Phlogophora ... 84, 108, 186, 203 metzneriana, Eucosma......... 202 | miata, Chioroclysta .%. . 23a 107. micacea, Hydraecia. . . ) > 730 108 | miniata, Miltochrista......... 186. minima, Photedes .......... 108 » minimana, Phalonidia ..... 98, 220) minimella, Nemophora ....... 130. minimus,Cupido ........ 127, 137} monoglypha, Apamea ..... 108, 185. montana, Erebia ..: .1... ae 173 montanata, Xanthorhoe....... 107. multistrigaria, Colostygia ...... 107. mundana, Nudaria ....°. > aaee 108 | munitata, Xanthorhoe ..... 107, 243 mutatella, Dioryctria......... 1 myrtilli, Anarta . 202 65, 157-158 N nanata, Eupithecia .... 00. oem 107 napsea, Boloria .°.°.:... #7 ae 173, 174 My -.| 107, 111, 137, nervosa, fe oS Loe ni, Trichoplusia . . 82,87, 204, 239) nicias, oS gee ee are ae 173 nigra, Aporophyla ....... 108, 186 nigrescentella, oe a Seay & nigricans, Poecilmitis. ... 41, 42, 43 nigricella, Coleophora ........ 108 Sg 173 TS OS eee 164 noctuella, Nomophila .. 84,174, 244 _nodicolella, Mompha........ 21-24 motata, Semiothisa ....... 100, 243 O mepbeliscata, Thera ........ 106, 107 mobfuscatus,Gnophos......... 243 mobsoleta,Mythimna ......... 161 _obstipata, Orthonama ... 47,48, ; 82,87 239, 244 mocculta, Eurois .... 82,87, 202, 239, 243 mocellata, Cosmorhoe ......... 107 ocellea, Euchromius . . 81, 86,98, 139 /oculea, Amphipoea....... 108, 243 ES ar 20 ees Laconobia ........ . 243 molivata,Colostygia .......... 243 )oliviella, Esperia ........... 98 monopordi, Pyrgus ............ 137 ophiogramma, Apamea ....... 243 meamets, Vacciniina ......... 174 _ oreas, Lepidochrysops . . 222,223, 224 orichalcea, Diachrysia ... 81,82, 87 _ otregiata, Lampropteryx ...... 121 meottomanus, Heodes.......... 201 eeomnamae. Previa... . .-.«. 19, 20 P padella, Yponomeuta ........ 242 _ palaemon, Carterocephalus .. 57, ‘ 90,123,128, 198 mepalaeno, Colias ...... 168, 173, 198 OS a a en 173 manens, Mythimna .......... 130 meallescentella, Tinea ......... 98 Mpallidana,Cochylis.......... 131 palmae, Gonepteryx ...... 114, 115 palmus, Poecilmitis..... 41,43, 44 _pamphilus, Coenonympha 40, 107, 138 pandora, Pandoriana...... 113, 115 _ paphia, Argynnis .. 75,126,203, 240 _paripennella,Coleophora ...... 59 Pavonia, Saturnia........ 107, 136 )) pectinataria, Colostygia ....... 107 _peltigera, Heliothis ..... 47,48, 82, 87, 203, 204 )pendularia,Cyclophora ....... 95 memeomone, Colas 610. 4. ss 173 )phliaeas, Lycaena . . 112,116,137, 211 _phoebus, Parnassius ...... 173, 198 i phoeniceata, ees v<«. SRS, 7 PAGE pilosaria, Apocheima. . . 107, 162, 244 pimpinellata, Eupithecia....... 216 pinaster, Hyloicus. >. . <5 119, 150 jiitaria, Bupalps. . 1. .°.-. 108, 150 pirithous, Syntarucus ........ 235 eR Se, ete we oe 108 plantaginis, Parasemia ........ 108 plecta, Ochtoploura. ... .. 2... - 108 plexippus, Danaus . . . 37,48, 76, 81, 86,111, 112, 141-146 EA Se ae 173, 174 podalirius, Iphiclides . 135, 136, 137, 168-172 RE Oo” BE eee eee 131 polychloros, Nymphalis . . 48, 81, 86, 136, 138, 203 polycommata, Trichopteryx Sa. p 155, 243 polyxena, Zerynthia . . . 134,135, 137 EMM. 6s 4s a ess 108 populi, Poecilocampa ........ 107 porphyrea, Lycophotia ....... 108 porectella, Puutelia ......... 130 potatoria, Philudoria......... 185 potentillae,Coleophora ....... 66 prasinana, Bena.......... 99, 243 pringlei, Lepidochrysops 222-224 proboscidalis, Hypena........ 108 procerella, Bisigna .......... 204 promissa Catocala ..... 94,95, 204 pronoe Erebia.......... 173,174 pronuba Noctua ........ 108, 185 pronubana, Cacoecimorpha 38,122, 123 propinquella, Mompha........ 116 pruni, Strymonidia....... 127, 205 pseudospretella, Hofmannophila . 5, me © | Re ne 108 pudibunda, Dasychira ........ | Se pulchella, Utetheisa ...... 40, 47 pulchrina, Autographa........ 108 pulicariae, Digitivalva ........ 131 pulveraria Plagodis .......... 243 eeinctosa, Chorevtia ©. 5... 219 puppillaria,Cyclophora ....... 204 purpumens, Zygeens ok. 131 “BE Ra ili ee eee 40 Se SEIS oy ex in eo a sb 130 pygarga, Lithacodia.......... 99 pygmaeola, Eilema....... 74, 203 ovemme, Puotedes’. os. ts 108 pyveuers, Pantie oe ee 107 pyramidea, Amphipyra ....... 185 eet, CME eek ka so oe 136 Q Genira Bithoela, Yo. Pie i es 65 quadrifasiata, Xanthorhoe...... 99 quadripuncta, Oegoconia ...... 97 quercus, Lasiocampa...... 73a) 107 quercus, Quercusia ........ 851127 quinquella, Ectoedemia ....... 119 vi PAGE R rajella, Phyllonorycter........ 131 ramburialis, Diasemiopsis ...... 47 pee, Piers 3 ws 5 3 72; 8a yp Lios eee ratzeburgiana, Zeiraphera ...... 131 SOG BORCIIU 6. 04 55 lect siakaen 85 recens, Orgyia........ 25-27, 74 rectilinea, Hyppa........ 108, 243 romucts- LEBGHEM): wa). cae. <2 a 3 216 pemissa ;APAQIMGA . . . 66s uosta cto 108 repandata, Alcis . .... . «. 100, 108 retusa, Ipimorpha .......... 65 rhamni,Gonepteryx . 75,128,137, 172 thomboidaria, Peribatodes ..... 187 rhomboidea, Xestia ......... 243 ripeata, Detleptemm .... =. <..- ..« 100 richardsoni, Meesia........... 98 TRS PONV ONNCE em iso on, S dpe ao roborana,Epiblema ......... 131 roboris, Phyllonorycter ....... 244 robustella, Caloptilia....,. 119, 120 rogenhoferi, Endotricha....... 114 ruberata, Hydriomena ........ 107 rubi, Callophrys ..... 135, 137,163 We SURE Soe ss sees 2 108 miei, Macrothylacia §...5.4.%.. 107 rubiginata, Scopula. .... 81,86, 243 rubiginea, Conistra . . 45,46, 188, 189 oa ES ns Bees 108 |) i ee ae is 206 rufescens, Brachmia ......... 131 ruficornis, Drymonia. ......... 73 Tres, PUIONYA 25 ee. iS) missiac, Melanargia . .. .°. ... «+. 19 S sabinella, Gelechia .......... 181 sacraria, Rhodometra ... 47,48, 81, 86, 142, 204 Salicata, Coenotephria ..... 107, 243 salicorniae, Coleophora ....... 103 samiatella, Stigmella ......... 98 sanmo, Diacrigagw . 5. oi. 5. 108, 243 saportella, Phyllonorycter . . . 119, 120, 244 AD ee 19 sarcitrella, Endrosis ......... 119 spine, Diephiarits ... .. ..6 «<0. 76 Satytata, Fupithecia ......... 107 saucia, Peridroma. . 83,203,204, 244 schoenicolella, Glyphipterix .102, 103 schuetzeella, Dioryctria . . . 1,97, 220 schulziana, Olethreutes ....... 130 schumacherana, Olindia ....... 37 scutulana, Epiblema ......... 131 secalis, Mesapamea .......... 108 secundaria, Peribatodes . 187,190, 218 selene, Boloria ...... 107, 126, 174, 238, 240 semele, Hipparchia . . . . 125,174, 214 semiargus, Cyaniris.......... 173 sericealis, Rivula ..3..007. 540. 108 sericopeza, Etainia .......... 245 serratella, Coleophora ........ 129 sexalata, Pterapherapteryx ..... 65 sexnotatus, Palpifer ...... 156, 187 sexstrigata, Xestia ..... sae 108 similella, Microthrix ...... 98, 180 similis, Euproctis . . .'. . 9 ae 75 . 76,85, 163, 186, 200, 207, 237 . 17,103, Same 128,137, 203, 209 simulans, Rhyacia sinapis, Leptidea smaragdaria, Thetidia ..... 58, 185 solidaginis, Lithomoia ........ 243 sororiata, Carsia ..- ; o/a.0seeeeeee 243 spartiella, Anarsia . . 3... «/-i\eeee 131 spiniella, Paraswammerdamia ... . 130 splendana, Cydia . ........4= 4 =e 131 stabilis, Orthosia .. . .... 4: 194 statilinus, Neohipparchia ...... 19 staudingeri, Conistra...... 188-190 stellatarum, Macroglossum .. 49, 84,113,200, 203, 239 stephensiana, Cnephasia....... 130 subbistrigella, Mompha ....... 21 subfusca, Scoparia .......... 130 subfuscata, Eupithecia........ 107 sublustris, Apamea .......... 94 subpropinquella, Agonopterix 37, 130 suffumata, Lampropteryx . . . 121, 155, 243 suspecta, Parastichtis......... 243 sylvata, Abraxas . ..... «ieie ee 243 sylvaticella, Coleophora .... 98, 220 ¥ taeniatum, Perizoma......... 243 taeniolella, Syncopacma....... 132 tages, Erynnis....... 69,103, 128 tamesis, Coleophora ......... 98 templi, Dasypolia........ 182, 243 tenerana, Epmotia ..... <)3ae 131 ternata, Scopula .. ....ci9 107, 243 testata, Eulithis .. . . ...2 ee 107 thoracella, Bucculatrix........ 206 thyellina, Orgyia . . . ./ci ae 25-27 titania, Clossiana ... . cai 173, 198 tithonus, Pyronia..... 89,125, 214 tityrus, Heodes . . . .). s - 3 137 tityus, Hemaris ... . . 1/224 95, 186 torquilella, Parornix ........ 53-56 trabeatellus, Agriphila ........ 114 tremula, Pheosia ....<9 Ube 243 tridens, Acronicta ... . .9. ./0%em 243 trifasciata, Argyresthia. ... . 180-182 trifolii, Zygaena . ..... +. «see 75 trigemina, Abrostola......... 130 trigeminella, Coleophora ...... 108 triplasia, Abrostola.......... 108 tristata, Epirrhoe ... 2/34/20 ee 107 tritici, Euxoa .. <0 4.8 243 trochilella, Coleophora .109,110, 131 tullia, Coenonympha......... 107 PAGE tunbergella, Micropterix .... 98, 219 _turfosalis, Hypenodes ........ 243 | tyndarus, Erebia ........... 173 mypliae, Nonagria........... 243 OS i ee 243 U Slicetella, Agonopterix ....... 131 ER 243 unionalis, Palpita...... 82,86, 244 unipuncta, Mythimna ... 48,82, 87 ultana Aphelia ........ 98, 220 urticae, Aglais. . . . 107,125, 138, 162,172, 209, 210, 211 Sevicae, spuosomia ./........-.- 107 Vv varicella, Coleophora......... 161 OS OE re 98 meetcaa Cicmloges. .......-.- 211 versicolora, Endromis ..... 88, 215 Sema Aviena oo... 108, 243 See COA te 40 vibicigerella, Coleophora ...... 98 Viciae, Zygaena . . Sey eee 58, 185 viminetella, Coleophora ....... 102 OS ES 108, 243 violacea, Coleophora... . 66,98, 219 Maia mecasis f. 0... . 2. 243 Mirpaureac, Heodes ....... 168, 173 Virginiensis, Cynthia . . 38,81, 86 141, 143 mer@ana, TOrrix ........ 37, 162 Viridaria, Phytometra ..... 108, 206 Vitellina, Mythimna . . 82,87,99, 150, 203 merata, Orthomama.......... 243 mrs. Cerammes . 2... 75 vorticella = Syncopacmacinctella . 132 vulcania, = Vanessa indica calliroe . 217 TS EN Es 5 a re 186 w-album, Strymonidia 16-17 webbianus, Cyclyrius ..111,112, EL3, 2.15, 116 -wilkelia, Eulamprotes ......... 98 wWyssii, Pseudotergumia ....... 115 xX xanthographa, Xestia ..... 108, 182 miphioides, Pieris ..... Pan. £65. Eis. d35.. o15 m@exvlostella, Plutella ........ 49, 84 Z @eziczac, Eligmodonta ......... 108 y Vii PAGE zwartbergae, ssp. Poecilmitis miericans2/ § 7 89 2. 41,42, 43 COLEOPTERA Adalia bipunctata ......... 225-8 decempunctata ....... deg taal Ampedus, see Elater Anthonomus bituberculatus .... 36 Aphthona nonstriata......... 36 ya ie on a ae 158-9 PARIODAIOS TUSIICTIS ois oc e cst ps hone 24 Barypeithes sulcifrons ........ 184 Oe ee Lan ee 165 Carpophilus marginellus ....... 228 Se eee ee a7 Ceuthorrhynchidius troglodytes .. 35 Chilocorus renipustulatus ...... 225 Chrysolina cerealis.. ............ 58 ES Boece ty cays: sie weeds 124 Cs ee ee 199-200 Cionus hortulanus, scrophulariae . . 124 Coccinella 7-punctata ... . 225,22728 BE IOINTS 82 ne ec 225 Creophilus maxillosus f. canariensts 116 Curculio betulae, pyrrhoceras, ig Se a ie eee 78 glandium, venosus ..... ae; 79 crux,nucum, villosus ...... 79 Dirhagus pygmaeus.......... 155 Dorytomus melanophthalmus, salicinus, taeniatus ........ Dytiscus marginalis.......... 123 Elater cinnabarinus.......... LS5 *Epierus *comiptus. a... . 6. 165-7 antillarum, italicus, pulicarius. . 167 a Be ee or 155 Eubrychius velutus......:.... 161 Grorhnus variabiis 2.4 5. ss 193 Gymnetron pascuorum ....... 35 Hegeter (Heteger, err.) transversus . 116 Hydroporus glabriusculus ...... 175 Hypera dauci (fasciculata), oo ae ae eee 161 fuscocinerea (murina), postica, a eee tor ere eae a 35, 161 Lagria (Lagia, evr.) atripes...... 157 Litodactylus leucogaster...... 160-1 Magdalis duplicata, violacea . . . . 120-1 Mermius pyramer Ora es ee ot 35 Mordella aciileata . <8 Se 155 Otiorhynchus nodosus........ 184 Propylea 14-punctata ........ 225 BAMrOSHES WiSHGAX 20°) 5 Vos ofa 133 Strangalia aurulenta ......... 155 Pies 2o-punceiata . - ie ek 225 Lomoxia Diputtata ... 1 be 135 Trachyphloeus digitalis, scabriculus, SommiMaBNS: 2,4 eRe os | #29 Tribalinae, Tribalini, Tribalus .... 166 Ty PRIME 2 ES 166, 167 Vili PAGE DERMAPTERA Anisolabis (Annisolatus, err.) mathe Ss 7 ee ae oe ees 116 Chelisoches brevipennis (bimammatus),morio ...... 101 On OIE (0°. 2 Se eee 101 DIPTERA Achalcus melanotrichus ....... 229 Achanthiptera rohrelliformis . . 28, 63 Alloeostylus diaphanus, simplex .. 28 sudeticns?<.' oss 22. 28, 63 Allognota agromyzina ........ F Allophorocera ferruginea ...... 30 Alophora hemiptera ......... 133 Amoum memnune. 2 SE SSG eS 31 Anasimyia lineata .......... 230 Anthomyiaimbrida ......... 61 Azeliacilipes, macquarti, zetterstedti 28 Bellardia unxia (Onesia biseta) ... 60 Bibio lepidus, leucopterus, marci, WOTINOS es. sD 12 pomonie... 556255 197;.293 Bicellaria intermedia, nigra ..... 194 Brachicoma devia... 22°) 44 +... Ps", 31 Brachyopa bicolor, pilosa ...... 230 BUREN 335. PES MISS 231 scuteletis «55-7 25% 206, 230-1 Brachypalpus laphriformis .... . 232 Caliprobola speciosa ......... Boe Calliophrys riparia .......... 29 Calliphora subalpina, vicina... .. 60 Cheilosia scutellaris, soror. ..... 230 Chirosia albitarsis, flavipennis, pareieerie 5 8 PP 61 Chrysogaster macquarti ....... 230 Chrysopilus laetus .......... 192 Cleigastra (Cnemopogon) apicalis . 60 Coenosia intermedia, lineatipes, tistmteeor. >, 490° 8p. Coniosternum tinctiventris .... . 175 Cordilura impudica, pudica .... . 60 Craspedochaeta pullula ....... 61 Crm Wes SS ar ase Cynomya mortuorum ........ 60 Dasyphora cyanella ......... 28 Delia criniventris, lamelliseta .... 62 Dendrophaonia querceti. ...... 28 foot yg ST en ee oer 229 Digonochaeta spinipennis ..... . - 30 Dioctria baumhaueri......... 62 EE Ge tho she xe: wee 193 Dithryca guttularis .......... 10 Ditricha, see Dithryca UMC 0s. « .haiivenaeck 229 Drapetis ephippiata ........ 1934 myymew hamats .. aici es 28 ESIC MURATA, BODE vies hn) ned 62 Emmesomyia villica ......... 62 Epistrophe diaphana......... 229 Erioptera griseipennis ........ 60 Eriothrix ruomaculata........ 230 Ernestia consobrina, truncata... . . Eumerus ornatus ... ».. ss:eee Eustalomyia festiva, histrio .... . 61-2 Evibrissa vittata. . .. . . > -|eeee . Fannia aequilineata, hamata canicularis, coracina, monilis, postica, scalaris, vesparia Graphomya maculata ........ picta .....% sues eee 29, 6 Gymnodia humilis . . ». 7 Se 2 Hebecnema ... ..'.".79) eae affinis, nigricolor, umbratica, vespertina ....... 299 =e Helina atripes, duplicata, impuncta, laetifica, lasiophthalma, obscurata, pertusa, quadrum, setiventris . ...:.+:. » 5 ee Hercostomus assimilis, chalybeus, cChrysozygos . . « a nal Lasiomma ......» +.» » ae Leucophora cinerea. ... 70k 31, grisella ... . « «+» « sis Leucopis *argenticollis, *geniculata, PIaccoR 4... : « misses eee *orbiseta .. . «i « «5 Leucozona glaucia, laternaria . . 229-3€ Limnophora maculosa........ 2 Limonia tripunctata ......... Lispe tentaculata . .... » s.seaaeee Lispocephala alma, erythrocera. . . Lophosceles cinereiventris. ..... \ | mutatus. .... «+ «:. see 28, 63m Lypha dubia . ..... «1000 ee 35 Machimus atricapillus ........ 1938 Macronychia ungulans........ Macrorchis meditata .......... 29 Mallota cimbiciformis ........ 23( Medetera ambigua, impigra ..... 229% Medina luctuosa .... J) Megaselia bovista, buxtoni, flava, flavicans, impolluta, lutea, nigra a fuscinervis :..... . 2. ¢ =e - giraudii . . 2. ss . 2 oe 221 pygmaeoides .......55 2m 103%) Melangyna guttata .......... 23¢ Melanomyia (Morinia)........ c Mesembrina meridiana........ Metopia argyrocephala........ Miltogramma punctatum ...... Morellia aenescens, hortorum, simplex... ... vs 44 =ue oe Musca domestica, autumnalis ... . Muscina _assimilis, | pabulorum, stabulans 2:5 :i¢>ieeti ee NT hie wie mice fe 63 ancilla, electa, scutellaris, tincta, I EN alien «0. ky Myospila meditabunda........ 23 anna (Amaurosoma) fasciata ... 60 eoitamus cyanurus ......... 193 orellisoma spinimanum ...... 60 r | NN 62 meecytata pallipes ..........-. 30 mphyraleucostoma ......... 28 @erellia falcata............. 10 | Orthellia viridis. ......-..-. 28 -Orthoneura nobilis.......... 230 mexycera pulchella .......... 192 | Parasyrphuslineola.......... 230 Seecect@gium............ 62 Parhelophilusfrutetorum ...... 230 Paykullia maculata.......... 31 ’ Pegohylemyia fugax ......... 61 | Pegomya nigritarsis.......... 62 Pegomyza praepotens ........ 62 Pelatachina tibialis .......... 30 Phaonia basalis,errans........ 28 fuscata, goberti, halterata, incana, pallida, palpata, perdita, populi, rufipalpis, serva, signata, trimaculata, variegata, viarum.. 29 ee ok Ga so oe 29, 63 Phorbia securis,sepid ........ 61 Phormia terraenovae ......... 60 OE 30 Ee 202 Menyto discrepans .......... 30-31 ) Platymyafimbriata.......... 30 MPlatypalpus ciliaris .......... 194 Polietes albolineatus, lardarius ... 28 eee 60 Pseudonupedia intersecta ...... 62 Pseudolimnophora triangula .... 29 ilocephala melaleuca........ 193 ychoneura cylindrica ....... 31 amphomyia sulcatella ...... 194 mophota lepada .......-..: 30-1 Jarcophaga carnaria, crassimargo, dissimilis, haemorrhoa ...... 31 Se pile ey, ew a 2 Xs 60 ee 30 4 ee 62 emer, VANE... a es te 29 Syrphus, see Epistrophe, _ Leucozona, Melangyna, _ Parasyrphus manus DIOMMIS .......--6- 193 _Trichopticoides decolor ....... 28 EE ee 162 Trypeta, see Orellia Verrallia beatricis, villosa ...... 229 Mevagneria gagatea .........-. 30 Xylota abiens, florum, _lenta, nemorum, _ sylvarum, tarda, Memiocmena . .4,°5.2-0 .ciees 231 ix PAGE HEMIPTERA Aghous Georemis, . 2 2 ee 155 Pyrrhocoris apterus ......... 96 HYMENOPTERA Allantus calceatus ....... 176, 178 IEE hath eco wo eee 178 Amauronematus fallax, fasciatus, pc i) | rr 178 Anthidium manicatum........ 114 ee ie ee 115 Arachnospila wesmaeli........ 155 Bombus terrestris canariensis . 114, 115 RS 114 Cimbex,C. femoratus ........ 221 Crossocerus exiguus ......... 155 Dolerus aemeus ......... 117, 178 cothurnatus, niger,........ 178 MEE CIE tec ores: wae 3 5, 0 178 OW a ee eee 177 Eutomostethus luteiventris .... . 178 Euura mucronata ..........-. 178 Lasioglossum brevicorne....... 155 Lygaeonematus, Lygaeophora, see Pristiphora Mesoneura, see Pachynematus Monophadnoides geniculata..... 178 Nematus bergmanni ......... 178 maomtieom. ¢ . 1 6 ses 1754, 178 OT eee ee eee 155 Pachynematus (Mesoneura) EES ae ae ee 117, 118 Paravespula germanica........ 115 yo |, 176,178 Phyllocolpa acutiserra, excavata a a oe ey Wik abs tias Scuh tir Pia iy 175, 178 0 ee 178 a Bs. 114 Pontania bridgmanni, collectanea, UNG Beat cu inst ale Sis ss 178 ONG oat, Sahat 25as.e! $8 n - 117 Pristiphora (Lygaeonematus, oe ) 177 A ae ne eee 176, 177 * micronematica (leucostoma) 175-7 pallidiventris, sp. nr. quercus . . 178 SO a ee 117 Sharliphora amphibola........ 178 Tenthredo moniliata, velox ..... 178 Trichiosomalucorum ..... 178, 221 Vespula, see Paravespula MECOPTERA Boreus hycmalis 7... we 158 PAGE ODONATA Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa....... Gryllus campestris... 4. eae Aeshna isosceles «.... +4)... + ses 58 Meconema thalassinum ....... AsrignAE io. sae ste ee aa 246 Melanoplus frigidus ......... eee ee ee 114 Myrmeleotettix maculatus Omocestus viridulus ....... Platycleis sp, .. . 3). 5; Ce ORTHOPTERA Stenobothrus stigmaticus Stethophyma grossum ........ Aiolopus strepens, thalassinus ... 116 Tetrix Peoragg + 8 oe Arlagona margaritae ......... 116 T undulata . disia e Calliptamus plebeius ......... 116 SOne yeaa ee Chorthippus albomarginatus .. 6, 12 a > ee er 7, 12-13 URES Tse 8 7, 13-14 PHASMIDA Decticus verrucivorus ........ 58 Gomphocerippus rufus ..... Bi 3 Clonopsis gallica. . . as am CH _— _ nk /¥- Id -d Printed by Frowde & Co. 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