Wl Byer aa a J Es 7 | yey ite RMSE pray pis eee Leen eS Wa A Ws, 7. AG NOR VAY ARE A TD GO RD AA SSH TV PRL TATE FSI E ETIN Bull. amat. Ent. Soc. ta World List abbreviation : E BULL oO THE AMATEUR ENTOMOLOGISTS’ RU ARY, 1969 an taht siftearigs dake | DAVID CORKE, B.Sc., L.1.Biol. EDITED by The Butterfly Farm Ltd. (Founded in 1894) BILSINGTON, ASHFORD, KENT, ENGLAND. Telephone: HAMSTREET 513 We now have in stock over 4,000 species of butterflies, moths, and other insects. Over the years we have been able to build up our network of first-class suppliers, located in 82 countries of the world, so that we are now able to offer a most interesting and varied choice of British, European, Foreign and Exotic Papered (unmounted) and Set Specimens, as well as our well-known ranges of British and Overseas Butterfly and Moth Livestock. We are also catering for the increasing interest in other unusual Insects. 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Please quote reference RV/ International Butterflies 4, ALEXANDRA ROAD, MINEHEAD, SOMERSET, England SUPPLIERS OF PAPERED MOTHS BUTTERFLIES ot COLEOPTERA SEND FOR FREE LIST The Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation A monthly illustrated magazine, founded by J. W. Tutt in 1890, is devoted mainly to the Lepidoptera of the British Isles. It also deals with other orders of insects especially Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Orthop- tera. Its articles include descriptions of new species and varieties, reports on collecting trips, distribution, habits and habitats of insects and of collecting and study techniques suitable for novice and expert. It circulates in 47 countries. Annual subscription - 35s. post free Write for specimen copy to F. W. Byers, 59, Gurney Court Road, St. Albans, Herts., enclosing 5/-. This amount will be taken into account in the first year’s subscription. T.LE.G. Teen Age International Entomology Group FREE MEMBERSHIP WORLDWIDE ORGANISATION Please write enclosing stamped addressed envelope to: MICHAEL WILSON, 67 Harcourt Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR4 6BZ Ss, AES a BULLETIN No. 282 EDITORIAL Here is the first Bulletin in its new style, which we hope will meet with members’ approval. There are several reasons for the change—some saving in money for one—but more important is the fact that it will be easier to publish longer articles which can be reprinted as AES leaflets. Members can look forward to several publications of this sort in the coming year, the first of which appears in this issue. A revised ‘Guidance for Authors’ is printed at the back of this Bulletin. Please make an effort to follow these guide lines. When the editor is expected to re-type whole articles this not only delays publication of the article but also of the whole Bulletin. D. Corke (2962) MEMBERSHIP LIST The membership list sent out with the November Bulletin included new members who joined before the end of December 1967. Members who joined in 1968 will be included in a supplement to be published with the May Bulletin. Tt ) COLLECTING NOTES—FEBRUARY 1969 The Smaller Moths Batodes angustiorana Haw. Mr E. S. Bradford writes: “The larva of this moth is fairly common on a yew hedge (Taxus baccata Linn.) near my home in some years and I have bred a number of the adult moths. I have also found the larva, again on Yew, in the grounds of a dilapidated old house and have taken the adult on apple trees (Malus spp.) in my garden. The larva is one of those which wriggle violently and tend to drop down when alarmed. Spee ee eee Front cover illustration: Larva and imago (pupa inset) of the White-letter Hairstreak (Strymonidia w-album Knock) on Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra Huds.), drawn by Mr. J. Cooter (3290). FEBRUARY, 1969 -wZe SERS ESS ~—< 3S SNS S Figs << Ap \\ EA fe Lb, CIE 7 a ii Y vi} ME MY) one MW} f ya i ESB. By) Ss SS Ne — Batodes angustiorana Haw. (Wing span 15 mm.) Es. BRADFORD Lozotaenia forsterana Fab. (Wing span 14.5 mm.) ‘The main colour-scheme of the imago’s forewings is a mottling of browns with black patches. The hindwings are a dark brownish black. The moth is on the wing in June and July.’ This moth has more foodplants than the text-books mention. I have bred it from Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris Linn.), Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.), Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa Linn.) and Oak (Quercus spp.). The larvae may be found, at any rate on the last named foodplant, during the winter months. In March 1967 I noticed dead oak-leaves which had not fallen and found that they had been spun on to the branches and con- tained hibernating larvae. I had no idea what they were and collected a few. They started feeding again when the buds burst, and from them I bred four B. angustiorana in June. AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 3 SER eee eee eee Fe NN eae ye gn Lozotaenia forsterana Fab. Mr. Bradford gives the following notes: ‘The drawing of this moth is from a specimen I bred in 1967. The larva was taken early in the year feeding on Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.). It eventually emerged on the 18th June. Its most commen foodplants are Ivy (Hedera helix Linn.) and Privet (Ligustrum vulgare Linn.) and it has also been recorded on Vaccinium spp. The moth depicted is a rather strongly marked specimen compared with the others I have, but many bred specimens look better than those caught, having lost few, if any, scales. The overall colour is a grey brown, the hindwings being some- what lighter. The two darker patches on the costa and the slightly paler one before and leading into the tornus are vandyke brown in colour. As the span marks show, it is one of the larger of the Tortricidae. I have specimens mainly from Hertfordshire and have taken it at Whitstable, Kent. It is fairly common.’ I can confirm that L. forsterana feeds on Vaccinium, since I bred six specimens from larvae taken on Cowberry (V. vitis-idaea Linn.) in Derbyshire. The larvae are perhaps most easily obtained on Ivy, and can be collected in the early months. They overwinter between spun leaves, when their feeding appears as conspicuous pale blotches. Late last February I found several on the Ivy sprawling under a hedgerow in west Kent; they were then just beginning to feed again after the winter. On the same day I collected a number of larvae of Pammene regiana Zell. They feed in September in the seeds of Sycamore (Acer pseudoplantanus Linn.) after which they descend the tree to spin up behind flakes of bark at the base of the trunk. They hibernate in their cocoons and do not pupate until a few weeks before emergence. Though I bred a short series of moths in June from the material I collected that February day, there were also many casualties; this I attribute to tearing the cocoons and thus upsetting the larvae. Thus, though the winter is a good time to locate a colony of P. regiana, it would be better to delay collecting them until mid-May, when most should have pupated. Another early moth is the ‘Nep’, Stigmella suberivora Staint., which mines the leaves of the Holm Oak (Quercus ilex Linn.) making galleries. According to Meyrick, this species is confined to Ventnor in the Isle of Wight, but, though his statement may have been true when he was writing, the moth now has a much wider distribution. I have seen mines at Weymouth in Dorset and Thorpeness in Suffolk as well as in Kent, Epping Forest and the London district. But it is not to be found every- where in the south-east; for example there was no trace of it in an extensive growth of Holm Oak in the Gog Magog Hills near Cambridge. Its occurrence should therefore be reported so that its present distribu- tion can be worked out. The books say that the larvae feed in April, but I have only been able to find empty mines in that month. Last year Mr Wakely took the larvae full-fed in late March near his home in Camberwell. The moth is out from the end of Aprii and is single- brooded. Early April is the best time to look for the mines of Laspeyresia 4 FEBRUARY, 1969 servillana Dup. The larvae feed in the thin stems of Sallow (Salix spp.), usually in the previous year’s growth, and cause a very slight swelling: with a little practice this is quite easy to spot, especially if you look before the leaves come. The exit hole is usually situated just above a bud, and is filled with silk or frass. If you snip off the stem a few inches above and below the swelling and then stand it in damp sand (as is recommended for stems containing clearwing larvae), you should have no difficulty in breeding this pretty little moth in May. A moth which is on the wing in April is Cheimophila salicella Hiibn. I take this in Essex on the same ground as L. servillana. It is Forestry Commission land with alternate rows of spruce and oak saplings and an undergrowth which includes Sallow and Meadow Sweet (Filipendula ulmaria Linn.) both of which are foodplants of C. salicella. The moths fiy in the afternoon sunshine and cannot be disturbed in dull weather. I once found one at rest in a branch which I tapped to see what the moth would do; it did not fly but fell straight to the ground and vanished in the herbage. The female has greatly reduced wings and is incapable of flight. I have never seen a wild female but have bred them from larvae taken on Meadow Sweet at Wicken Fen. A. M. Emmet (1379) REFERENCES Forpb, L. T. (1949) A Guide to the Smaller British Lepidoptera. HeEsvop, I. R. P. (1964) Revised Check-list of the British Lepidoptera. MEyRICK, E. (1928) Revised Handbook of British Lepidoptera. Hymenoptera Aculeata I have often commended to readers of this series the study of the fauna of their own gardens. At first sight this might not seem a particu- larly fruitful study. Gardens are extreme examples of an artificial environment and as such seem an unlikely source of useful ecological information. The chief stimulus to garden collecting of Aculeates is their extreme dependence on fine weather. We get little enough of this in Britain and full advantage can be taken of short spells of sun in one’s own garden. I have recently written of trap nesting and in fact a garden can be thought of as a large trap attracting the species from the surrounding fauna appropriate to the microhabitats provided. When considered in this way, it will be seen that much useful distributional and ecological data can be gathered. Negative records become meaningful in a well studied garden. Data on the mobility of species and minimum viable colony size can also be gathered. So with these ideas in mind, I want to discuss means of rendering a garden attractive to Aculeates. Several aspects have already been covered in the Hymenopterist’s Handbook. On p. 82 A. H. Hamm gives an account of the interesting fauna attracted to a pair of old willow posts PES BUEEETIN, VOL. 28 5 artificially drilled with suitable holes, while on p. 84 the ‘bee wall’ of Professor F. Balfour-Browne is discussed. The improved rearing devices described by G. S. Kloet on p. 94 are useful adjuncts to the trap nests that I have recently dealt with in these notes. These ideas all concern the provision of attractive nesting sites. The aspect I wish to deal with here is the provision of appropriate plants which can provide food and resting sites in addition to nesting sites. In the spring the first Aculeates to appear are usually queen bumble bees. The early flowering varieties of Erica carnea Linn. are very attractive to these, as is Flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineum Pursh. Both queens and workers of Bombus spp. are also attracted to Coton- easter, particularly C. horizontalis Decaisne. Andrena spp. are also attracted, and I have taken a Vespula sylvestris (Scop.) queen at this flower. Among other shrubs with attractive flowers, Weigelia must be mentioned, and also Lavender, Lavandula spica Linn. The latter is particularly useful for the large number of males of Bombus and Psithyrus that visit it. Anthophora quadrimaculata (Panz.) will also visit Lavender. Several shrubs are more valuable for the resting or sunning sites provided by their leaves than for their flowers and here in particular I include Lilac (Syringa vulgaris Linn.). The broad leaves expanded fairly early in the year are much frequented by Cemonus and Passaloecus males. Laurel, Prunus laurocerasus Linn., I also rate very highly in a garden. Many species rest on the leaves, not a few visit avidly the foliar nectaries, and Andrena males course up and down the top of a Laurel hedge in their mating flight. Then there are the shrubs, particularly Forsythia, which are of most interest for the nest sites provided by their hollow stems. In my own garden Rhopalum clavipes (Linn.) is a regular nester in this species. Snowberry, Symphoricarpos rivularis Suksdorf, is an interest- ing plant for several reasons, It is a food plant of that striking Sawfly, Zaraea fasciata Linn., and the flowers, as well as being visited by bees, are attractive to wasps. In my present garden the only Vespula rufa (Linn.) and V. sylvestris (Scop.) workers I have taken have been at these flowers. Soft fruits are another rich source of captures. Raspberry, Rubus idaeus Linn., is triply useful: the flowers are freely visited, the leaves act as sunning sites and old hollow stems provide nesting sites. The flowers of Gooseberry, Ribes grossularia Linn., and Blackcurrant, R. nigrum Lin., are also attractive. However, the main interest of Gooseberry lies in the sawflies commonly associated with it. Nematus ribesii Scop. occurs virtually every year with three, or perhaps even four, generations in a ‘sood’ year. Whenever I have searched diligently in my present garden a few larvae of the less common, single-brooded N. leucotrochus Hartig have been found though at only about ten per cent of the abundance of N. ribesii. 1 have not as yet found the third member of the group, N. olfaciens Benson, on Blackcurrant in my own garden, although it does occur in the district. I find the chief interest of Blackcurrant lies 6 FEBRUARY, 1969 in the attractiveness of the leaves as sunning sites for many small wasps and bees. Ornamental flowers should, of course, provide much of the interest in a garden, though this is an area I have least explored. Many flowers are attractive to Bombus spp., including Delphinium, and later in the season Dahlias. particularly the single varieties. Specific flowers can be chosen for particular bees. It is always pleasing to take Chelostoma campanularum (Kirby) at flowers of the dwarf Campanula. Yellow com- posites attract a variety of short-tongued bees. Doronicum is a useful early flowering form, followed later by the white and yellow-rayed Marguerites, Chrysanthemum frutescens. It was at this flower that I first took that fine bee Dasypoda hirtipes Fab. One particularly interesting composite is Yellow Chamomile, Anthemis tinctoria Linn. This flower is much frequented by Colletes daviesana Smith. Both species made their first appearance in my garden this year, the Anthemis self-sown. Two other species that can maintain themselves self-sown in the garden are Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea Linn., and Purple Toadflax, Linaria purpurea (Linn.) Mill. The former species is particularly visited by Bombus hortorum (Linn.), the latter by a number of bees, including Anthidium manicatum (Linn.). It is a short step from these self-sown flowers to actual weeds and I suppose an entomologist’s garden is notorious for the weeds he deliberately succours. From the Red Dead-nettle, Lamium purpureum Linn., so useful in the early spring, through yellow composites, such as Nipplewort, Lapsana communis Linn., and Crepis capillaris Wallr.. to Black Horehound, Ballota nigra Linn., in the autumn, my garden captures would be much the poorer without weeds. Even Chickweed., Stellaria media Vill., has its interest, being visited by several small bees including Prosopis pictipes (Nyl.). I hope these few notes stimulate my readers to observe more closely the plants in their own gardens and perhaps to try some new ones. 30.10.68. J. C. Felton (3740) REFERENCE Cooper, B.A. (ed.). (1943) The Hymenopterists’ Handbook. Amat. Ent. 7. The Diptera Syrphidae I have recently taken on the task of producing a series of articles on this group, in the hope of stimulating some interest in British hoverflies. At present I will be producing two articles a year, but I hope to increase this to four in the near future. I will use this article to give a general idea of the equipment which will be needed. This will, of course, be based on my Own experience, you may have ideas of your own. If so, I would be very pleased to hear them. AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 Z British Syrphids vary in size from Paragus tibialis Fallen (range of wing-length 3-4.5mm) to Volucella zonaria Poda (range of wing-length 15.5-19.5mm) and a net with reasonably fine mesh is needed. I use a folding net with a mouth diameter of about 14 inches. A strong, fine- _ mesh sweeping net will also be found useful when collecting the very small species. I have found that the best killing agent is ethyl acetate, used in the normal type of killing pot with Plaster of Paris in the bottom. Using ethyl acetate leaves the insects supple enough to be easily set up to twenty-four hours after killing. Besides my killing pot I carry a selection of small glass vials with plastic stoppers. When I leave a locality I transfer the catch for that area from the killing pot to one of the glass vials. The insects’ bodies have absorbed enough of the vapour to keep them relaxed until they are set. Most of the collectors I have met pin Syrphids with White No. 20 pins through the thorax. I personally set my insects in the normal ‘at rest’ position, but some people prefer to set them on the side. After pinning the fly through the thorax I set it on a flat piece of polystyrene (12 or 14 inch square ceiling tiles are excellent for this) holding the legs and wings in position with small pins. The two posterior legs are set to the rear of the insect and the four anterior ones to the front. The wings are set either at right angles to the body or slightly more forward than this. The insects will be dry enough to be removed from the setting boards after about a week. For ease of handling, Syrphids are usually staged on thin card or cellulose strips. The type of pin used to take the stage and data label depends entirely on individual taste; I use 3 inch long black continental style pins, although this means that the final collection has to be arranged in deep, as opposed to the shallower English, boxes. Arrangement of the collection is again a matter of individual taste, and again, no hard and fast rules can be laid down. I identify most of my Syrphids using Coe (1953), but the beginner will find Colyer and Hammond (1951) most useful. In addition, if you are interested in collecting Diptera in general, there is an AES leaflet by Parmenter which should prove helpful. In the next article I will tell you how to go about the actual collect- ing of hoverflies, for example, the best type of locality to visit, and what to look for when you get there. Meanwhile, if any of you wish to write to me personally, I shall be pleased to hear from you. 15.9.68. Alan J. Brown (3854) REFERENCES Cog, R. L. (1953) Diptera Syrphidae. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 3 (1). CoLyER, C. N. and C. O. Hammonp (1951) Flies of the British Isles, Warne, London. PARMENTER, L. (1951) Collecting Flies. Leafl. Amat. Ent. Soc. 5. 8 FEBRUARY, 1969 COLLECTING FLEAS (SIPHONAPTERA) Life cycle of Fleas Fleas are small (1-8 mm. in length), laterally compressed, wingless, usually hairy and shiny, blood-sucking insects (Fig. 1) which, in the adult stage. feed solely on the blood of warm-blooded vertebrates, that is birds and mammals. They vary in colour from yellowish through shades of brown to a deep brownish-black, the species infesting mammals tend- ing to be lighter in shade than those infesting birds though by no means is this an inviolate rule: Megabothris walkeri (Rothschild), a microtine flea, is fairly dark whilst the three Ceratophyllus species commonly inhabiting house martin nests in Great Britain are very pale. Fleas have a holometabolous metamorphosis, egg—larva—pupa— adult, the immature stages normally being found in the nest material or dung (bat-fleas) of their hosts whilst the adults vary in habitat between the extremes of stick-tight fleas in which one sex, normally the female. becomes more or less permanently attached to the host and those which stay on the host-body for quite short periods and are more frequently found in the nest material. However fleas are frequently found loose in situations where they have obviously dropped from the host or migrated from a nest. The eggs are minute, white, oval, hard objects which, unlike nits, the eggs of lice, are not attached to the vestiture of the host. From them emerge elongate, hairy, legless, eyeless larvae which have biting mouth- parts and feed on organic debris, i.e. they are not parasitic. The pupae are contained in silken cocoons to which are often attached quantities of fine debris from the surroundings. Emergence is from the truncated end of the cocoon and often can be initiated by mechanical stimulation such as vibration, the arrival of a bird at the nest, a gross movement of the host through the nest material or artificially by the collector rubbing the nest material through his fingers. The world fauna is but imperfectly known and the most recently published total of 1,863 species and sub-species, of which 56 are con- sidered to be British, is certainly considerably short of the final figure. Many species are highly host-specific, e.g. Archaeopsylla_ erinacei (Bouché) which restricts its attentions to hedgehogs and if found on other hosts must be considered to be straggling, whilst others, e.g. Ceratophyllus gallinae gallinae (Schrank) has already been recorded from at least 80 species of British birds. Some are restricted to groups of hosts, e.g. Palaeopsylla soricis (Dale) and Doratopsylla dasycnema (Rothschild) which are found on shrews and the /schnopsyllidae which are exclusively bat-fleas, whilst others, such as Ceratophyllus garei Rothschild which is found in birds’ nests at or near ground level, tend to be limited to types of habitat. It is obvious, therefore, that a siphonapterist has to be in some degree a mammalogist, an ornithologist and an ecologist besides being AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 No) an entomologist if he is to obtain the maximum benefit, interest and scientific value from his collecting activities. In addition he will need to take every available opportunity to persuade his colleagues to collect wherever they study birds and mammals in the field. He will be frustrated only too often by news of lost collecting chances, especially those in little-collected areas, and he will be glad to accept specimens, even single individuals, from anywhere. Even more than most entomologists he will have to suffer the jibes and jokes of those who are not naturalists whilst even other entomologists will look upon him with mild amuse- ment. However he will rapidly become a master at identifying his local fauna, will be able to be in contact with every other siphonapterist in his own country and will be able to add to distributional knowledge from almost everywhere he collects. Fleas may be collected from the bodies of their hosts or from nest material. In general the latter source produces the larger quantities. Fig. 1 Female Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouche), The Cat Flea. (With acknowledgements to F. G. A. M. Smit.) 10 FEBRUARY, 1969 The collecting methods vary with the size of the host, the accuracy and completeness of collection required, time and equipment available and, generally, can be done with very little difficulty provided reasonable precautions against personal infestation are taken. Collecting from nests Nest collection provides the largest number of species and specimens and is by far the best way of collecting males of some of the stick-tight fleas. Unfortunately it is not always possible to be absolutely certain of the host species. The nest material should be stored in tightly sealed polythene bags, though these may soon be punctured by lepidopterous larvae also occupying the nest, or in well-sealed tins. At the collector’s convenience the material can be subjected either to extraction proce- dures involving the use of Tullgren or Berlese funnels or searched manually. The former method is convenient if time is short and many nests need to be examined but produces far smaller gatherings than manual methods. The collector who needs to examine the occasional nest needs very little equipment, merely: two containers (tins or polythene bags), a steep- sided, white bowl, dissecting needle or stork-bill forceps, a large sheet of white paper or cloth, specimen tubes containing 70°/ alcohol (never formalin). Ideally he should wear a white shirt and work with sleeves rolled up and a white cloth across his lap. A small portion of the nest material is transferred from the container to the bowl which should stand in the middle of the white paper. The material is shredded and massaged with the finger tips, when any adult fleas present will soon be seen and most of those lying dormant in cocoons will be stimulated by the massage and emerge with a rush, These specimens can be collected on the alcohol-moistened tip of the dissecting needle or with the stork- bill forceps and placed into the specimen tube. Before a batch of the nest material is discarded by placing it into the second container it should be massaged several times, for some individuals require con- siderable stimulation before emergence occurs. It is possible to break open the truncated end of the cocoon with a very fine needle and release otherwise reluctant movers. I have taken over four hundred specimens from the nest of a St. Kilda Wren in this way after a very small collection resulted from massage. It is rare that a complete collection will be made, a considerable portion of the nest’s population inevitably being in immature stages, and, for perfection, the material should be examined on several occasions, but I doubt if the time involved is commensurate with the results obtained. Conversely the dehydration involved in funnel methods of extraction effectively prevents any second gatherings being made. Now and then a flea will escape from the bowl but is immediately obvious on the white sheet or the bare arms of the collector who will gather in the escapee straight away. This method will often produce several hundreds of specimens per nest compared with the few scores AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 1] extracted by funnel methods and obviously gives more accurate statistics for species/population studies and more readily shows up any species which may be present in very small numbers. It is the easiest way of collecting bird fleas. As an alternative to individually removing the fleas a pooter can be used, but a dust filter must be inserted into the system and even then the task is not very pleasant. Mammal nests are often very hard to find but searching round the base of large tussocks of grass is often productive of vole nests. Mole nests can be found in the early spring under the large ‘fortresses’ of loose earth raised above ground level in meadows. These very large heaps should not be confused with the smaller piles that appear every few yards along the track of the mole-runs. The nest chamber is usually below ground level and occasionally a ‘basement chamber’ is a few inches below the upper floor. Pieces of corrugated iron, say about a yard square, spread around in meadows and the borders of woodland may encourage small rodents to nest underneath in the shelter thus provided. It is advisable to obtain the land-owner’s permission and not to put the pieces where they are liable to interference by the public. It is only courteous to remove the ironwork when the study is complete. Squirrels nest in dreys but grey squirrels often use holes in tree trunks. The same holes may contain colonies of bats or nests of a wide variety of birds. When collecting birds’ nests the provisions of the Bird Protection Acts and Regulations must be remembered and as a general rule the nests should not be taken before the fledglings have flown. Apart from the legal angle this is the best time for a maximum population of fleas. Collecting from host animals Most mammal fleas are collected from their hosts’ bodies more easily than from the nests and this is almost the only way of collecting bat fleas. Human fleas are generally collected from bodies! On the other hand bird fleas are rarely taken from birds except by bird ringers and students at bird observatories. The bodies may be collected by shooting, trapping, netting, alive or dead according to species and facilities or by the casual collection of corpses on our roads. Bats should be hand-gathered at the roosts or mist netted and great care taken of these fragile animals. The methods of flea collecting vary according to the size of the body: (i) LARGE BODIES should be visually examined first of all and specimens tubed. Then the body can either be placed in a large polythene bag with some anaesthetic and afterwards brushed over a sheet of white paper or can be hung over a wide pan of water containing a little detergent. As the fleas drop into the water they sink and drown to be collected later. (ii) MEDIUM BODIES, such as squirrels, rats and hedgehogs should be placed in a polythene bag and treated as a large body. If the host is to be kept alive the anaesthetic should be ether and a glass container 12 FEBRUARY, 1969 used for the body. Searching must commence the moment the animal becomes unconscious. As an alternative piece of apparatus the collector could adapt the Williamson apparatus which was originally designed for removing the ecto-parasites of birds but there is no reason why, in an altered form, it should not be used with mammals. The basic pattern is described in the section on living birds. (iii) SMALL BODIES, such as those of mice, voles and shrews, are most easily obtained by trapping. If live-release is an objective very slight anaesthesia should be obtained with ether or the animal can be held by the scruff of its neck over white cloth and the collector then blows through its fur. Most of the fleas will hop off and get entangled in the cloth fibres. A few workers use insecticides such as those sold for cleaning-up cats and dogs. It is unfortunate that live-traps are expensive and bulky, but as most species of small mammals are so common losses resulting from nipper-trapping, these traps being small, light, cheap and therefore expendable, make negligible effects on the populations (this may not be valid comment for very small islands or restricted or specialised habitats). The equipment needed when running a trapping line is: supply of traps, one large tin, supply of cloth or paper bags (old envelopes are very convenient), anaesthetic, collecting tubes containing 70% alcohol. If possible the traps should be set in a straight line as this facilitates finding them after dark. The trap-line should be examined at least twice a day, as soon as possible in the morning and as late as possible at night, and the following procedure followed at each trap containing a body. An open bag is placed on the ground close to the trap, which is then gently lifted and lowered into the bag. Only then is the body released from the trap. The bag is rolled up, placed in the tin with a small amount of anaesthetic, the trap rebaited and reset and the tour of the trap-line continued. By the completion of the tour and reaching base all the ecto-parasites will be dead and the collector can examine the catches one by one with no personal danger of infestation. Each bag is examined individually, all ecto-parasites are removed, tubed and labelled and records are made up. Ideally the bags should never be re-used, thus completely avoiding any risk of accidental, inaccurate host/parasite records. The advantage of old envelopes becomes obvious as the cost is nil. No matter whether the mammals are live-trapped or nipper-trapped it is almost certain that some fleas will have left the host’s body before the collector commences his work. Nesting material and food must be placed in a live-trap. This often contains a significant proportion of the original flea population and should be examined. In fact work based on examination of live-trapped hosts where adequate precautions have not been taken against cross-infestation between successive hosts must be considered as faulty. Certainly transference problems do not arise with nipper-trapped hosts but the total catch can be increased by a very close examination of the soil immediately below each trap. However this takes a great length AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 13 of time and one does tend to get very wet knees! (iv) BAT FLEAS should always be collected from live hosts as bat populations, at least in Great Britain, are rarely large. The apparatus is a jam jar, ether and blotting paper. The bat is put into the jar, three drops of ether put on a small piece of blotting paper and added to the jar which is then closed by hand. Immediately the bat becomes unconscious it is tipped out and searched; usually it will recover within a few moments. Occasionally bat fleas can be found in the droppings which accumulate below a colony roosting in a confined space and certainly the dipterist can breed interesting things from the droppings. _ (v) LIVING BIRDS should be examined with the use of the Williamson apparatus which is both fragile and expensive. Basically it is a piece of oiled silk with a small slit in the centre and a jam jar containing a wad of cotton wool moistened with ether. The bird’s head is placed through the slit and the body of the bird is lowered into the jar. The silk covers the mouth of the jar thus preventing the escape of ether fumes and loss of life of the bird. As the bird flutters the parasites among its feathers are affected by the ether and drop off for collecting later. It is essential that the jar is scrupulously cleaned between examina- tions to prevent cross-collecting. Labelling It is desirable that each collection, i.e. from each nest or each body, should be tubed separately and essential that each tube should be adequately labelled. Whilst field work often requires numbering of tubes, the numbers corresponding with the full data of a record book, it is a fault to leave the tubes in a numbered condition as record books can so easily be lost or separated from the material which then becomes relatively useless. Furthermore few numbering systems are unique and the mixture of batches of numbered tubes can lead to utter confusion. The data should include: host species, sex, state of maturity, whether from body or nest, locality with sufficient precision for other workers to map, county and country where appropriate, date of collection and collector’s name all written either in pencil or indian ink on a piece of paper placed inside the tube. If museum skins result from the bodies it is valuable for the skin reference number to be added. If collecting is done in mountainous districts the altitude of the collecting site, not of base, should be added. Inevitably in this work other ecto-parasites will be seen and can be collected for passing on to the appropriate experts. The parasites will include lice, ticks, mites, flies and beetles; all are of interest and should not be wasted. Identification The British species can be identified with comparative ease with the use of F. G. A. M. Smit’s very good handbook (Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects, 1 (16), (1957), Royal Entomological 14 FEBRUARY, 1969 Ceratophyllus g.gallinae (Schrank) @ all records Fig. 2. The recorded distribution of Ceratophyllus gallinae gallinae (Schrank), The European Hen Flea, within the British Isles. Society of London). This publication also contains full instructions for the processing of specimens in preparing microscope slides. The same author in Ent. Gaz., 8: 45-75 has provided a most detailed host list, county list and bibliography, while the same journal will carry more recent lists. The world fauna is being covered by the superb monographic series of volumes of G. H. E. Hopkins and M. Rothschild (Catalogue of the Rothschild collection of fleas (Siphonaptera) in the British Museum (Natural History) published by the B.M. (N.H.)). So far four volumes AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 15 have appeared and several more are envisaged. The mapping of the British fauna is now being done by the Biological Records Centre of the Nature Conservancy and the maps so far produced illustrate very adequately the great need for more collecting of even the commonest of species (see Fig. 2). The need for material from overseas is far greater and there must be many more species and sub-species to be discovered from most parts of the world. Island faunas, the nests of burrowing birds, woodpeckers, tropical bat roosts, ardvaaks, pangolins, desert rodents, could all be profitable. There is a lot of flea collecting to do and the entomologist on holiday overseas should never consider himself without the opportunity to do some useful collecting; the gathering of a single nest could have interesting results. I think it was N. C. Joy who said the coleopterist should never be without a specimen tube, similarly the siphonapterist should never be without a polythene bag. R. S. George. A POPULATION STUDY ON THE SCARCE ISCHNURA (ODONATA, ZYGOPTERA) On July 13th, 1967, Mr M. J. Parr and the authors set out for a few days camping near Brockenhurst in the New Forest. Our reasons for camping there were twofold: (a) to do some collecting and (b) to conduct a preliminary survey on the status of Ischnura pumilio Charpentier (The Scarce Ischnura) in the area. We intended to find as many colonies as possible and then to revisit the forest another year to conduct a capture- recapture survey on one of them. Most of the fourteenth of July we spent searching for /schnura pumilio around Brockenhurst, but we were unlucky, and in the end resorted to collecting Lepidoptera which were numerous. On July 15th we set out towards Ringwood and after we had travelled about two miles, we left the car on the road and set off to investigate some drainage ditches. We were immediately lucky and several specimens of /schnura pumilio were identified. The males are easily distinguished from Ischnura elegans Van Der Linden (The Common Ischnura) males by their lesser size and the blue ninth segment. We spent the rest of the day in the area as all forms of insect life were very abundant. Early the next morning we discovered another colony less than half a mile from our camping site, while collecting wood. The damsel- flies had not started flying, as it was still too early in the morning, but they could be identified as they rested on the grass blades. Later in the morning we visited Beaulieu Heath and by the end of the day we had discovered two more colonies. July 17th was our last day and we only found one more colony. 16 FEBRUARY, 1969 This was situated around a bomb crater pond and was also near our camp site. In all we had found five colonies and we were very pleased with this. Three of the colonies were situated around drainage ditches and the other two were situated at ponds. We were greatly helped by the weather as it was ideal, there was no rain, only a slight wind and sun- shine most of the day. We decided to return in 1968 and conduct a survey on the bomb crater colony. We returned on July 5th, 1968, but were unfortunate as Mr Parr was unable to accompany us and this meant we had no transport. Also the weather was very bad and we were subjected to heavy rain and winds each day which made insect collecting nearly impossible. The bomb crater colony was no longer there, but we managed to discover a further two colonies of Ischnura pumilio and we decided to attempt a capture-recapture survey on one of them. (One of these colonies was very near the bomb crater, in a position where previously there had been no colony, so conceivably it could have been derived from the individuals associated with the crater in 1967.) Even though the weather was so bad we managed to spend about an hour each morning on the survey, and considering the weather, the number of captures was fairly good (we did not expect to catch any! ). As it was, we captured very few females and we decided not to include them in our survey. The area of the colony under surveyance was approximately 1,500 square yards, it was bordered on one side by a narrow marsh with free water and on the opposite side by a drainage ditch. The area in between was semi-marshland (probably due mainly to the heavy rainfall). The damsel-flies were surprisingly difficult to isolate from their surroundings and the dull weather did not help matters. We also found them very difficult to capture as even the weaker gusts of wind were sufficient to carry them away at great speed. When the weather was very dull it was found necessary to disturb the insects from rest as they seemed reluctant to fly except when it was sunny and dry. On the release of captured specimens it was noted that they invariably flew with the wind which was predominantly northerly. The fact that their flight direc- tion seemed dependent on wind direction could account for the moving of colonies which has been recorded on several occasions. Field Procedure The damsel-flies were caught in butterfly nets in the normal way and were then transferred to paper envelopes with their wings folded over their backs. After their collection each one was removed from the envelope, given a unique mark and released so that they rejoined the colony uniformly. It is not absolutely necessary to use unique marks but their use does enable more useful information to be derived from the survey. If they are not used, a coloured paint mark is placed on the wing and this AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 17 BINA ees one e | a 64 me e AO ° ° e128 : IS 512 i 8 256 eg. LOS — BEeIMALy SrSi eM € | 20 20 Seegetee IR SS ry e Z r) Cainer a e)50 ° lO ZOO E S oS denotes a particular day of capture. Each subsequent day it is captured it is re-marked with the appropriate colour for that day. If unique marks are used there are two common systems, the binary and the decimal. A series of dots are placed on the wing(s) of the damsel-flies to represent a number. Each insect thus has a unique mark (see fig. 1). We decided to use the decimal system as its use normally entails placing less dots on the wings, and as we were very inexperienced, we thought it would be easier. (The only previous capture-recapture survey we had done was on Chorthippus parallelus Zetterstedt (Meadow Grass- hopper) using non-unique marks.) We placed the dots on the wings with grass stems and cellulose paint. This seems best for flying insects as it is light, dries quickly and does not visibly hamper flight. However, it may well eventually wear off (especially on other orders of insects such as Orthoptera) and so is possibly not ideal for a long survey. 18 FEBRUARY, 1969 Table 1 Capture/recapture data for Ischnura pumilia Date—July Number of Insect 7 8 9 10 11 12 x xK CANNANAWNY re Ps PS PS OPS OP OP OP OOOO >< » *< N N — XQ — n pe Pd Pd Pd Pd Pd Pd Dd Pd Pd Pd Pd Pd Pd Pd PS OP OD to CA So pd dd pe dd DM WW \o ra pd pd 41 x (N.B.—x denotes the capture or recapture of an individual. Thus, insect number two was captured on 6th, recaptured on 7th and last captured on 9th July. The insect in brackets died before its release.) Analysis of data The data can be analysed by many methods ranging in simplicity from the most basic Lincoln Index to the more complex method of Fisher and Ford. Most of the methods are based on the simple Lincoln Index which assumes that if a sample of S, specimens is caught, marked and released so that they remix at random through the population, and 7 AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 19 then a second sample of S. specimens is captured and contains M marked individuals the population P can be estimated by: — Sy Ns “a i M This method is most suitable for situations where there are neither gains nor losses in the population, although it can be modified to work for other situations. Various other methods of analysis are in wide use but they are too complicated to explain in a few lines. (See Parr, 1965; Parr, Gaskeil & George, 1968.) Of these other methods the Jolly (1965) and Fisher & Ford (1947) were used in this study. The number of insects captured, released and recaptured were inserted into a special table to simplify the calculations (table 1). Results The Lincoln Index can only be used for estimates of the 7th and 8th of July, as there are no recaptures of the previous day’s captures after the eighth. As there are few recaptures of the later insects caught, both Jackson’s methods are extremely inaccurate and have therefore not been used in this study. However, results can be obtained from Jolly’s and Fisher & Ford’s methods. Ischnura pumilio: Sample Sizes and Population Estimates Sample Size Lincoln Index Jolly Fisher & Ford July 6 10 _ _- i 7 es | 12 40.0 21.6 39.4 bt 6 63.0 78.0 64.5 ae 9 _- 270 60.9 2 AO + — 16.0 2)3)55) es Et 8 os a 103.6 7 42 7 — — 63.2 To use Fisher & Ford’s method it is necessary to evaluate the Daily Survival Rate, this number is calculated from the observed days survived and the expected days survived (see Parr 1965). On this occasion the Daily Survival Rate was found to be 98.42 per cent: this is very high (far too high to be realistic as it suggests that the average length of life is 93.3 days, and as the flying season for a whole colony is only about ten weeks this is impossible). It is inaccurate because of low numbers captured and recaptured. Conclusion All the methods show an increase on the eighth, and then a drop on the ninth (the difference in drops demonstrates the weakness of the evidence: Jolly’s alters by over 60%, Fisher & Ford’s by only a few per cent). There are several such inaccuracies (mainly due to low recap- ture figures) and hence it is difficult to draw any definite conclusions. However, there seemed to be over fifty males in this one colony, which could be considered fairly safe as it was in a very remote area. Also 20 FEBRUARY, 1969 several of the other colonies were in even remoter areas, and one could only be reached in dry weather. In fact Ischnura pumilio may not be as scarce in the Forest as most people think; it could just be that it is well hidden and at a glance, easily confused with Jschnura elegans. In the remote parts of the Forest we had no difficulty finding /schnura pumilio even in unlikely habitats. As this survey was not as successful as we had hoped it is our intention to conduct another survey next year when if better weather prevails, the results should be more reliable and more concrete con- clusions drawn about the colony size, wind distribution and rarity of Ischnura pumilio. 23.10.68 John G. Dapling (3600J). G. Rocker (4007J). REFERENCES CorBET, P. S., C. LONGFIELD and N. W. Moore (1960) Dragonflies, New Naturalist Series. Collins, London. LONGFIELD, C. (1949) The Dragonflies of the British Isles. Warne, London. Parr, M. J. (1965) A population study of a colony of imaginal Ischnura elegans (Van der Linden) (Odonata: Coenagriidae) at Dale. Pembrokeshire. Field Studies 2 (2): 237-82. Parr, M. J., T. J. GASKELL and B. J. GEorGE (1968) Capture-recapture methods of estimating animal numbers. J. Biol. Educ. 2: 95-117. [The above is the winning entry for the 1968 Junior Conservation Prize.] e COLEOPTERA AT AN M.Y. TRAP Large numbers of beetles are regularly attracted to my M.V. trap, and on some nights the bottom is almost entirely covered by the blackish- brown dung beetle Aphodius rupifes Linn. This year I decided to identify the other species, and I found eight in all. A typical record for two nights may be of interest: 20th July 23rd July (1968) Aphodius rufipes Linn. >< ea at least fifty Necrophorus vespillo Linn. Necrodes littoralis Linn. Melolontha melolontha Linn. Serica brunnea Linn. Lagria hirta Linn. ne Harpalus rufipes De Geer Athous sp. a. lenNl Np Sl ell el el we Ee) This seems to be a fairly varied assortment, and I can see no relationship between these species. The cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha Linn.) is attracted quite often to moth traps, judging by AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 Zs previous articles in the Bulletin. If large numbers are present in the vicinity of a trap, do many find their way into it? If they do, it must greatly reduce the quality of the catch, as they generaliy bumble around inside the trap for some time before settling down, and they are bulky insects! Robin L. Hard (36293). DISTRIBUTION OF FINNISH INSECTS—2: SPHINGIDAE Since the publication of my notes on the distribution of Finnish butterflies (refs), I have received from several interested members letters requesting information on various aspects of Finnish insect life. I now propose to pass on some details concerning those species of moths about which something has fairly recently been published in Finland. This article deals principally with those hawkmoths which are resident in the country, and I have taken the opportunity of combining with previously published material first-hand information gathered by myself in 1967 and by my wife and myself in 1968. The abbreviations used to denote distribution will be found to refer to the natural historical areas recorded on a previous map (Bull. amat. Ent. Soc., 26: 120). Acherontia atropos Linn. Deaths Head Hawkmoth Has been recorded from all Finnish ‘counties’. Gronblom (Tampere Entomological Society) records that the species has been noted nine times in Pirkanmaa, near Tampere (61° 50’ N., 23° 45’ E.). He gives (1967) the total number of specimens recorded in Finland as 370. The biology of the species in Finland appears to be the same as in Britain. Herse convolyuli Linn. Convolvulus Hawkmoth Occasionally occurs in fair numbers, though is usually rarer than the preceding species. Occurs, like the previous species, in autumn. A-SK, SH-SO, NS, MO, KemL. Recorded six times in the Tampere district (Gronblom). Sphinx ligustri Linn. Privet Hawkmoth Gardens and meadows. Fairly common, June-July. A-LK, NH—NK, Kn. Ayloicus pinastri Linn. Pine Hawkmoth In and around pine forests; often in gardens, where it visits, e.g. Lilac (Syringa sp.), Honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.) flowers, as does the preceding species. Common, June-July. A-KemL. Dilina tiliae Linn. Lime Hawkmoth Gardens and Parks. Fairly rare, June-July. A-LK, NS. Smerinthus ocellatus Linn. Eyed Hawkmoth Fairly common, June-July. Flies at night, but does not visit flowers. A-MO, NO. Laothoe populi, Linn. Poplar Hawkmoth Common June-July. Nocturnal, though does not visit flowers. 22 FEBRUARY, 1969 L. tremulae F deW. Aspen Hawkmoth (Forewings without white dot; hindwings lacking ruddy colouration of L. populi). Especially on beaches; rare, though commoner in the east, June-July. V-NK, Kn. Larva green, rougher to the touch than that of L. populi; horn longish, bluish especially at the base. Foodplant: Populus tremula Linn. Not found in Norway, Sweden, or Denmark. Hemaris (Haemorrhagia) tityus Linn. Meadows and gardens. Fairly rare, May-July. Diurnal; visits flowers. A-Kn. H. fuciformis Linn. Honeysuckle Hawkmoth Fairly rare, June-July. Diurnal; visits flowers. A-MO, NO. Macroglossum stellatarum Linn. Humming Bird Hawkmoth Really a south European species; very rare, May-June and Aug.-Sept. Diurnal. Sometimes hibernates. A-LK, NH-NK. Daphnis nerii Linn. Oleander Hawkmoth Sometimes arrives from southern Europe. Noted a few times July-Sept. A-SK, St, LK. Larva has not been found in Finland. Celerio galii Schiff. Bedstraw Hawkmoth Gardens and meadows; fairly common, June-Aug. Flies at dusk, some- times by day, and visits flowers. A-InL. Larva eats Galium spp.. Chamaenerion angustifolium Scop. (Willowherb), etc. C. euphorbiae Linn. Spurge Hawkmoth Has been found a few times, Aug.-Sept. V, U, St, LK. Absent from Norway. Larva has never been found in Finland. C. lineata livornica Esp. Not known from either Finland or Norway. Hippotion celerio Linn. Found a couple of times in Denmark. Pergesa elpenor Linn. Elephant Hawkmoth Flies at dusk and visits flowers of bushes. Common, June-July. A—NO. P. porcellus Linn. Small Elephant Hawkmoth As preceding species. A-NK. On July 12th, 1967, searching the sallow bushes growing in an old quarry twenty kilometres west of Tampere resulted in the capture of a number of larvae and the discovery of ova—one larva and seven ova (black) of, I believe, Notodonta ziczac Linn., two larvae, five unhatched ova and four empty egg-shells of Dicranura vinula Linn., and two ova of §. ocellatus. The latter produced larvae which unfortunately succumbed during extremely hot, dry weather on the trip north to Kuusamo at the beginning of August. I revisited the quarry on August 20th, discovering a single S. ocellatus larva on a small, glabrous- leaved willow bush (Salix sp.). This eventually pupated, and at the time of writing (October 3rd, 1968) is still a healthy pupa. In that year also an unidentified sphingid pupa was accidentally dug up by my wife during a worm-hunt on August 26th. This was (and still is) probably either Smerinthus or Laothoe. On August 27th, arriving home late at night, my front door key AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 1283 safely tucked away in the upstairs bedroom, not wishing to disturb the old man with whom I lodged, I drove out into the forest and spent an uncomfortable night in my car. At ten a.m., by which time, I judged, my dear old friend should have been well on the way to recovery from an excess Of sauna and koskenkorva spirit, I returned to the front door, only to discover it still securely bolted. It was raining devotedly and I was cold and miserable. I directed a distasteful gaze at the lilac tree growing right outside my only means of entry. There, less than a foot away from my face, sat an equally lugubrious-looking Sphinx ligustri caterpillar, front half raised off the twig, bright torso beaded with rain- drops. A frenzied search of the lilac produced a second specimen. I felt it to be to our mutual advantage to pound on the door and gain admittance for all of us. My poor host, eyes still brim-full of sleep and other things, must have thought me a raving lunatic as he glassily gazed from my bedraggled hair to the monster caterpillars rearing one from each hand. However, the larvae liked our indoors so well that they decided to pupate a few days later, and have refused to budge from their snug chitinous caskets ever since. Perhaps a spell in the refrigerator would have shaken them up a bit. That was in 1967. Before the year was out I acquired a wife who, though she was quite willing to have my pupae in the fridge, kept the latter so well stocked that there simply wasn’t room for anything inedible. I forgot about artificial winters and concentrated on avoiding the real one. We began our 1968 summer holidays on June 16th, at a village known as Virojoki, in South-Karjala some ten kilometres from the eastern border. The dusk around midsummer in the south of Finland is a prolonged affair which, after the hot, dryness of the day, instills the land with its own special brand of romance. Whilst poaching pike in this late dusk I saw my first Elephant Hawkmoth come buzzing down to the lakeside to hover there for a second or two. In the diffuse light it was difficult to make things out clearly, but I was almost sure I spotted another one a little later on, and certainly some moth the size and shape of one of the larger hawkmoths came skimming over, high up above, silhouetted against the sky. On the evening of August 2nd I found an almost fully-grown larva of P. elpenor, in almost the same spot (if not the very same) where I had observed the first adult P. elpenor. This was feeding on Menyanthes trifoliata Linn., which astonished both myself and a Finnish entomologist to whom I showed the caterpillar and its half-eaten food. I spent several evenings (June 17th—20th) myself hovering around the flowering lilac bushes in the garden. Here I saw a total of four P. elpenor, three H. pinastri, one P. porcellus and another unidentified specimen. These were only active from early dusk (about 11 p.m.) until 1 a.m., when it was already light enough to read the Bulletin out-of- doors. I took one more H. pinastri near the seashore, as the moth zoomed over a barn in front of a lilac bush. This was at 10.30 p.m., when 24 FEBRUARY, 1969 the light was only just beginning to fade. Generally it was the white- flowering lilacs which were visited, though I did take both P. elpenor and the P. porcellus at the purple-flowered variety. My final encounter with the adult P. elpenor occurred on the evening of July 31st. I was searching willowherb beds at the time for its larvae (and had already acquired a few in their final instar), when a large pinkish moth suddenly bumbled up from the leaves. I succeeded in knocking it down with a hand, but it rose quickly and sped away into the developing dusk. By July 22nd I had acquired an Airam light bulb, 100 watt, and used to screw this into an anglepoise socket, directing the beam downwards on to a white sheet outside the open window. I had varying degrees of success, but the cold night of August 2nd brought in only one specimen—a P. elpenor with a badly rubbed left forewing. The light was situated only about 100 metres from the spot where I had assaulted the specimen on July 31st. Was it, I wonder, the same individual? After being released, it certainly didn’t come again! June 23rd found us in the environs of Oulujarvi, the large lake in central Finland. We camped in a disused sand-quarry and were able to watch in the semi-dusk several different kinds of moths flitting and swooping about their business. Of these, it was a female H. pinastri which stole the show. She was first sighted as she zoomed high over the quarry to dart among the topmost twigs of a pine grove. Here she sped from branch to branch for several minutes, before turning suddenly to plane away over the copses into the already lightening sky. This mere dimming of the daylight instead of real darkness gives one the chance of discovering that the ‘now you see me, now you don’t’ method of flight of the diurnal hawks such as M. stellatarum is a conjuring trick of their nocturnal relatives too. When one sees them one is apt, perhaps, to become a little less scientific and a little more of a reveller in the sheer beauty of natural effects. Hawkmoth larva-hunting commenced in earnest after I accidentally discovered the green, black, yellow and red caterpillar of Celerio galii, feeding on Willowherb along an otherwise unproductive railway track, on July 27th. Seven were actually collected from that place, the bright colours of the fully-grown larvae against their background of willowherb leaves, and the habit the larvae had of coming up the stems in the early evening, rendering them visible from several yards distant. The younger larvae, pale green, yellow-spotted (most of the larger ones had reddish Or orangey spots) were rather better camouflaged. Later we practically became plagued by the species. We found them at the roadsides, we found them in spruce groves on bunches of willowherb, we picked them up as they wandered across a tarmac highway, we even acquired two as the result of a short trip back to Tampere. All of them were feeding on willowherb, and they ate voraciously, squirming about in their muslin- topped shoe-box among pounds of food that always looked like a miniature dinosaur fossil the next morning. I began to look upon them as my silk-worms, as they shifted restlessly about their box each night AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 25 and became fat as barrels on the food they put away. Just before we left for England I removed seventeen pupae from their hairnets of cocoons. This does not seem a very high total, but when you consider that the last eleven came from half-a-dozen places, you will appreciate that the species is quite common in the south of Finland. Several P. elpenor larvae were discovered as we obtained our C. galii caterpillars, but we didn’t try to obtain any H. pinastri larvae. I honestly think one would go mad if one went in for searching pine trees in Finland! There is just one final story on the subject of H. pinastri. Whilst fighting my way through an entanglement of mature Spruce (Picea sp.) in mid-July I came upon a dried female specimen hanging by a foreleg from the trunk of a tree. Why it should have died there is a matter I am still pondering on, for it was perfect apart from a slight rent in one forewing. In the meanwhile, I shall pass on details of whatever appears from my pupae—provided, that is, they emerge before we all pass away! 4.10.68 Leigh Plester (2968). REFERENCES GULLANDER, B. (1964) Oohjolan kiitajat ja kehraajat. (The northern hawkmoths, tigers, etc.) Kustannusosakeyhtio Otava, Helsinki. PLESTER, L. (1967-68) Distribution of Finnish insects—1: Butterflies parts one and two. Bull. amat. Ent. Soc. 26: 119-26 and 27: 21-7. XYLOTRUPES GIDEON LINN These drawings were made from specimens given to me by Mr K. Dansie of Broken Hill, N.S.W. Both male and female are entirely black, with rather sparse golden pubescence on the underside. The male is very smooth, looking as if it is made of plastic, while the female has the thorax and elytra covered with small punctures. Mr Dansie sent me the following information about the beetle: ‘These beetles are found in the summer months from northern New South Wales to northern Queensland. The large curly grubs breed in cane-sugar sediment presses in sugar mills, also in compost heaps. ‘The larvae have been reported as attacking roots of sugar-cane and breeding in the heaps of megass around the mills. ‘The following report was given to W. W. Froggatt by a plantation manager: — “Whilst walking past a small Red Cedar tree (Cedrela toona) I happened to look up and saw a couple of dozen elephant beetles on a branch about three inches in diameter. I climbed up and found they were tearing off the bark. After collecting the beetles I found the bark torn off as if it had been hacked 26 FEBRUARY, 1969 Kylotrupes gideon (Linn) with a blunt saw, large particles of bark had been entirely torn or chewed off the upper surface.” Adult beetles have also been reported as attacking Jackaranda trees. ‘Another author says “‘Larvae breed in decaying vegetable matter from which adult beetles emerge and climb up the first tree to hand on which they cling during the day but come buzzing around the lamps during the night.”’ ‘I do not know how much credence should be placed on the report that the larvae attack sugar-cane roots, there seems to be only one reference to this and there are a number of similar larvae. However closely related species Dynastinae are pests, larvae of which damage the roots of various plants.’ I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Dansie for supplying the information and giving me the specimens illustrated. 12.10.68 Jonathan Cooter AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 Dy, BEETLES OF SPEYSIDE Thirty miles south of Inverness in the shadow of the Cairngorm Mountains is the town of Aviemore. The town is a convenient centre from which to study the varied natural history of the Spey Valley. During the summer of 1968 I spent a week in this area, and although there were only two really sunny days, several interesting species of beetles were found. Some of the few remaining areas of old Caledonian Pine forest are to be found in the Spey Valley, and many of the beetles of the region are associated with these fine old trees. Collecting was concentrated in two main areas. By far the most important of these was an area of newly felled Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris Linn.) near Feshie Bridge. The other locality was the forest area near Loch Garten. Feshie Bridge Area When I visited the Spey Valley in June, 1965, this was a very productive locality, but a second visit in September, 1966, was rather disappointing. When I searched the area a third time in 1968 it had regained its old glory. The evening of the 29th June was fine and about half an hour was spent searching the freshly cut pine logs. The weevils Hylobius abietis Linn. and Pissodes pini Linn. were both present in large numbers. In June, 1965, P. pini was by far the most numerous, but in 1968 both species were equally common. The highlight of this short search was a perfect female specimen of Acanthocinus wedilis Linn., the Timberman beetle. The 30th June was quite warm although there was very little sun- shine. An early morning search produced a number of interesting beetles. H. abietis and P. pini were again very much in evidence, and another specimen of A. aedilis a male was found on the same log as the one on the previous day. Two further species of cerambycid also occurred, Rhagium bifasciatum Fab, and a single Rhagium indagator Fab. Other species found included several specimens of the Ant beetle, Thanasimus formicarius Linn. The timber pile was again visited on the fine sunny evening of the Ist July. Two examples of the rather local click beetle Campylus linearis Linn. were found and shortly afterwards a perfect specimen of the rare Pytho depressus Linn. This beetle was found on the bark of a freshly felled pine tree; the only other example of this species that I have found was under the bark of a rotten log near Loch Garten in September, 1966. The discovery of P. depressus was the first of several other interesting finds. My wife, who was collecting with me found a number of specimens of Thanasimus formicarius Linn., Glischrochilus quadipunctatus Linn. and a couple of Asemum striatum Linn. Meanwhile I had found a single Dendrophagus crenatus (Payk) and the best beetle of the day, Judolia 28 FEBRUARY, 1969 Table 1 Species June 1965 September 1966 July 1968 Staphylinus erythropterus — — one Loch Garten Cicindela campestris few near — Loch an Eilean Coylumbridge common Selatosomus impressus three in — few Loch Garten Glen Feshie Campylus linearis —_ —— two at Feshie Bridge Rhagum bifasciatum common in few in odd ones at Glen Feshie Rothiemurchus Feshie Bridge and Loch Garten R. mordax — one Loch an — Eilean R. indagator one Feshie Bridge many loch Garten one Feshie Bridge Pogonocherus fasciculatus — — one Loch Garten Asemum striatum — a several Feshie Bridge and Loch Garten Judolia sexmaculata — — one Feshie Bridge Acanthocinus aedilis — — two Feshie Bridge Pissodes pini common one Feshie Bridge common Hylobius abietus few Feshie Bridge — common Thanasimus formicarius one Feshie Bridge — four Feshie Bridge Dendropagus crenatus — five Loch Garten one Feshie Bridge Pytho depressus — one Loch Garten one Feshie Bridge sexmaculata (Linn.). The insect was first seen in flight, and then landed on the path in front of me. It is a rare species restricted to pine woods in the north. Loch Garten This locality did not produce as many beetles as the one in Glen Feshie, but some interesting species were found. The area worked consisted of old standing pine trees and a region of cut branches left over from recent timber felling operations. H. abietis and P. pini were again present in fairly large numbers. A few specimens of the click beetle Selatosomus impressus Fab. were also found. Three species of longhorn occurred in this area. Several Rhagium bifasciatum were found in old logs, a single Asemum striatum on a fresh pine stump and one Pogonocherus fasciculatus Deg. The latter species is quite rare but has been found previously in this area by Mr J. Cooter. Of the commoner beetles Phosphuga atrata Linn., Carabus problematicus Herb., and Geotrupes stercorosus Scriba were found. Two further localities were visited, Loch an Eilean, and the upper part of Glen Feshie. The forest track was followed around Loch an Eilean on the Ist July. Cicindela campestris Linn. was very common. Many of these beetles were seen running on the path or flying in the warm sunshine, They were mainly in ones and twos but in very sunny spots six or more were found together. AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 29 The higher ground of Glen Feshie was rather disappointing. Nebria brevicolis Fab. were present in some numbers and a few Feronia madida Fab. but nothing much else. In the last four years I have visited the Spey Valley on three occasions. The more local beetles found on these visits are summarised in table 1. The longhorn Rhagium indagator was recorded on each visit and in September, 1966, I found far more of this species than Rhagium bifasciatum. Mr J. Cooter also records R. indagator from Loch Garten. It appears, therefore, that the beetle is rather more numerous, in the Spey Valley at least, than the text-books would have us believe. Most of the beetles that were associated with pine trees were found on freshly felled timber. Logs that appeared to have been cut for a long time and naturally fallen trees had considerably fewer beetles. I would like to thank Mr C. Simms of the Yorkshire Museum, York for allowing me to check the identity of certain beetles against those in the museum’s collection, and also my wife Hazel for helping with the search for specimens. 17.11.68 J. K. Smith (3795). REFERENCES Cooter, J. (1968) Scottish entomology 1966 (Coleoptera). Buli. amat. Ent. Soc. 725 foetal fe Durry, E. A. J. (1952) Coleoptera, Cerambycidae. Handbooks for the Identifica- tion of British Insects 5 (12). Joy, N. H. (1932) A Practical Handbook of British Beetles. Witherby, London. SMITH, J. K. (1966) Records of some local Scottish beetles. Bull. amat. Ent. Soc. 25: 14-5. YUGOSLAVIA 1968 This year I travelled across the Continent to Yugoslavia where I spent my summer holidays with my parents at a hotel in Bol, on the island of Brac. The island proved to have a great deal of insect life despite the fact that the authorities regularly spray the beach and streets with DDT. The main vegetation was a shrub which grew all over the ground. There were also some pine forests and springs. The cultivated areas were extensive grape plantations and patches of tomatoes, pumpkins and other vege- tables; fruit trees, mainly fig and almond, were plentiful. We had supper in a big dining room covered by a concrete roof lit by fluorescent lighting. The sides of the room were open and so moths were attracted, all of which were Convolvulus Hawkmoths (Herse convolvuli Linn.). The absence of the many smaller species was probably due to the regular DDT spraying. One night I noticed an object clinging 30 FEBRUARY, 1969 to a wall, which on closer inspection turned out to be a Striped Hawk- moth (Celerio livornica Esp.). At lunch time and in the evening I went on the ground in front of the hotel, which was covered by fig trees, other low bushes and sub- tropical thorns, to look for butterflies. Papilio podalirius Linn. (Scarce Swallowtail) was very common, as was Satyrus briseus and various members of the ‘Blues’ and ‘Whites’. One day when the weather was not good we went inland to the high ground (about 1,500 ft.) in the centre of the island. Here there was a number of water reservoirs and the shrub included a lot of blackberry bushes with very good and ripe fruit. On the way there and back I came across various butterflies. Amongst the more interesting were Argynnis paphia Linn. (Silver-washed Fritillary), Plebejus argus Linn. (Silver- studded Blue), Pontia daplidice Linn. (Bath White), and Colias croceus Fourcr. (Clouded Yellow). These were seen in large numbers, together with the more common species, so this would seem a good place for a butterfly farm! Around the hotel there were lots of pine trees which surrounded the place and on one tree I found twenty-seven eggs of Hyloicus pinastri Linn. (Pine Hawkmoth) of which I tried to hatch four without much SUCCESS. 9.11.68 L. S. Anderson (4121J). FIELD MEETINGS 1968 A number of field meetings were arranged during 1968 several of which were organised jointly with the British Section of the Teen International Entomological Group. Our first meeting was held in Epping Forest on April 7th. Six members met outside the Forest Museum at Chingford and spent the day in the Forest. Unfortunately the weather was against us and remained dull and cloudy. Attempts at pupa digging around some poplars were none too successful but a number of beetles were found. Several interest- ing flies were taken during the course of the day. Later in April a meeting was led to Bookham Common in Surrey by Mike Wilson. A meeting at Earls Hill Nature Reserve (Shropshire) was planned by Paul Evans, but the note in the Wants and Exchanges list brought little response from members. The local field station were going to co-operate and show members sites of special interest within the reserve. Perhaps, with more response from members, this meeting could be arranged during the next season (1969). South Ockendon, Essex was to have been our destination in June. This was a locality with several large ponds. These and the surrounding AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 3] countryside would have interested many members—had they attended the meeting. July saw a more successful meeting at Northaw Great Wood in Hertfordshire. The weather was sunny and hot and the four members who attended had a very enjoyable day and some interesting catches. Paul Lorrimore led this meeting which was one of the best of the season. Meetings were also held in Shoreham, Kent led by P. Hawkey and Tony Steele. It is of interest to note that all the above meetings were led and attended by our younger members. Space was given in the Wants and Exchanges list for details of meetings of other societies at which our members would be welcome. I hope some of our members were able to attend these meetings. Ron Allen. FIELD MEETINGS, 1969 As Field Meetings Secretary I should like to arrange a programme of field meetings for the 1969 season. Will those members who think that they may be able to lead meetings or organise meetings jointly with their local natural history societies please let me know. Most members have areas which they know well, to which they could take a small party of fellow members. Please write to me if you need any advice about leading such meetings. I should also like suggestions for localities in which to hold meetings. That our 1968 meetings were arranged and led by our younger members is a good sign of enthusiasm; but the majority of our member- ship are full members. Please, will some of our senior members do us the honour of leading some field meetings? Finally, I ask all members to support our field meetings, and those of their local society or naturalists’ trust, by attending and taking an active part in as many as possible. Unless otherwise indicated in the meetings notice please bring a packed lunch to all meetings. Ron Allen. 26 Burnside Road, Dagenham, Essex. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Sir, My attention has been drawn to your Editorial in No. 280 of the Bulletin (August, 1968). When the Botanical Society of the British Isles (BSBI) began its 32 FEBRUARY, 1969 mapping scheme in 1950 there was no Irish Grid and it is only very recenty that the Irish Grid has appeared on maps. It was not as you suggest a foolish invention of the BSBI but under the circumstances an unfortunate necessity that it had to extend the British National Grid to cover Ireland. The Biological Records Centre (BRC) has continued to use this extension rather than lose all the records made during the period that there was no Irish Grid. The BRC can only be fully effective with the co-operation of societies such as the AES and the BSBI and for this reason is calling a conference of recording societies in Cambridge on October 5th and 6th when among other matters the future of recording in Ireland will be considered. You will, I am sure, agree that whatever we do as recording societies we should reach some agreement to record on the same basis. Yours sincerely, John G. Dony, President, Botanical Society of the British Isles. BIOLOGICAL RECORDING AND SURVEYS A meeting of the National Biological Societies organised by the Biological Records Centre, was held on October Sth and 6th to discuss the problems and progress of the many biological recording schemes now in operation. I attended this meeting as AES representative, but what follows is not a full account of the meeting but only a discussion of the points likely to be of interest to AES members. Since the meeting was a discussion and not a decision making meeting, I have not hesitated to add my own points of view. The future of the vice-county system was discussed. This originated as a botanical unit of recording but because of the awkward and variable sizes of the vice-counties their replacement by 50km grid-squares was considered. There was some confusion (not completely cleared up during the discussion) concerning an area which is to be a mapping unit and an area in which recording is done. The latter should be some logical, geographic area; i.e. continent, country, county or vice-county. The mapping units, however, should be unit-areas of the same size and shape. For this purpose grid-squares of the appropriate size should be used. A scheme for the BRC to acquire and store information about rare species was described by Dr Perring. This information could help bodies choosing areas as nature reserves—the BRC computer quickly providing lists of important species for any given area. Obviously there would be safeguards about disclosure of confidential information, but even so it seems unlikely that many naturalists will disclose their secrets to the BRC. AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 3g Policy on introductions produced a conflict of interest. Those interested in migration and natural changes of range were against all introduction and felt that introductions which could not be prevented should at least be recorded. The more practically minded considered that it was a waste of time to try and record introductions since most would escape the recording procedure. Small introductions of surplus stock would rarely be dangerous and even more rarely assist in con- servation. Carefully planned introductions into nature reserves of species which occur in surrounding areas or which once occurred there, has much to recommend it. Much to the satisfaction of your representative the BRC seems to be changing its attitude to the Irish National Grid. Future surveys will record Irish records on the Irish Grid. The position regarding the current surveys (e.g. the Lepidoptera mapping scheme) is not yet clear. The best policy is for recorders to give the full six-figure grid reference for all Irish records using whichever grid they find convenient. If the full grid reference is given then it is possible to convert from one grid to the other. A full duplicated report of this meeting, prepared by the BRC, is available on loan to interested members of the AES. If you wish to see the report please write to me enclosing an SAE. D. Corke (2962). e JUNIOR NEWS SECTION Greetings, larvae! From the amount of news I have received recently I think you must all be in your hibernacula. Several of you did hint during the summer that you had managed to develop various pieces of equipment: light traps, carrying boxes, nets and the like, very cheaply. Now is the time for you to be generous and to share your clever ideas with us all, so that we can while away the winter months putting them into practise. M. J. Sweeney (4013J) hopes these odd notes on his observations of the Large Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillars (Deilephila elpenor Linn.) may stimulate some interest in these fascinating animals. He found his first larva while walking across Stanmore Common in Middlesex. It was resting on some Rosebay Willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium Linn.) in the characteristic, menacing, defence position, with its head drawn back and the ‘eye-spots’ enlarged. Since the larva was brown M. J. thought it was ready to pupate, so he put some sprigs of Rosebay Willow-herb in a plastic breeding cage provided with suit- able pupating material. He was rewarded a few days later when he found the one and a half inch long, patchy coloured pupa amongst the leaves and moss. He thought it remarkable that the pupa was so rough to touch. 34 FEBRUARY, 1969 Fired with his first success M. J. kept a watch out for further speci- mens and, in late August and early September, he did manage to turn up eight more from Aldenham, Ruislip Lido and Ruislip Common. They were all close to pupation and three did in fact form chrysalids on September 14th. The remaining larvae were not so lucky and were heavily infested with fat whitish-grey parasitic grubs about one cm long. These pupated two days after leaving their hosts: leaving M.J. with five limp larval skins. The two male and two female pupae seem healthy and _ their emergence next spring is anxiously awaited. M.J. hopes to breed from them and to release the offspring the following year. He thinks it may be of interest that all the caterpillars were found near water. Last autumn’s AES annual exhibition was rather a disappointment. There were more people, possibly, than ever before but very little to look at. The traders, in some cases, had better displays than the exhibitors and the AES council found it very difficult to find anyone to give the junior prize to. [ am afraid that members were too busy buying and selling. Even my own crowd from St. Ivo School had not done much to alter the display since last year. Barbara Brant (3893J),. who has been working on the Hawk-moths has found another absorbing group to study—the Saturnidae (Siikmoths). Barbara says that she enjoyed the AES exhibition. She bought some Asiatic Silkmoths (Philosamia cynthia ricini Boisduval) pupae which emerged, mated and laid eggs: and some caterpillars of the Brazilian Golden Bulls’ Eye (Automeris aurantiaca Weymer) and the Indian Moon Moth (Actias selene Hubner) all of which are growing well. Be careful! —the Automeris caterpillars have poisonous spines. Put on a display next year, please, Barbara. St Ivo Entomology and Natural History Society is hoping to make one of their habitual forays into the New Forest next summer, staying in Youth Hostels and hiking from place to place. We also hope to raid the Isle of Wight for just a few of the chalk butterflies and the Romney Marshes for some nature’s comics—the laughing Marsh Frogs (Rana ridibunda). Are you off anywhere interesting next summer? If you have any money left over after Christmas you might like to buy your younger brother or sister either one (or both) of Mario Faustinelli’s ‘Private Lives of Animals’ edited by that well-known authority on natural history, John Clegg. Each book deals with the lives and interesting behaviour of a number of animals including insects, all beautifully drawn in glorious colours. Book One deals with animals of the house and garden and Book Two with those of the field and farm. Price 22/6 each, published by Warne. Do you remember me asking you to look out for the litthe Gum Spitting Spider Scytodes thoracica, the one which stalks its prey on walls and holds down it prey with sticky fluid fired from its head? Well, I found some. They were in the coal hole of a Youth Hostel in Mitchel- AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 35 dean, Gloucestershire, during the summer. They’re quite small so you will have to look closely to find them. One spider which should not be so hard to see is the Great Banded Orb Web Spinner Argiope bruennichi. Do you know of anywhere they can still be found in Southern England? I really would like to know. Southern England has always been over prominent in the organised functions of national natural history societies so the Association of School Natural History Societies’ special weekend at Leeds University this July should make a refreshing change. It is hoped that many young and not so young naturalists will be able to involve themselves in the meetings and exhibitions. Please let me know if you would like any stick-insects—I have four species doing well. All the best for 1969. H. J. Berman (2491A). BOOK REVIEW The Oxford Book of Insects, by John Burton. !llustrated by Joyce Bee, Derek Whitely and Peter Parks, pp 208 including 91 pages of colour illustrations. Oxford University Press, price £2 10s. Od. This book attempts to provide a means of approximate identification for all the British insects and on the whole it succeeds. Using this book anyone should be able to place an insect in its correct order and in the case of the larger orders take the identification further. Presumably the publishers felt that without giving a disproportionate amount of space to the Lepidoptera the book would not sell. Nearly all the Butterflies are included (even the Large Copper, Lycaena dispar Haw.) and about 200 of the macro-moths plus three useful pages of ‘micros’. Most naturalists will have other books for identification of Lepidoptera and so this section could have been reduced in size. The illustrations vary somewhat in quality. Those drawn by Peter Parks are identified by a curious ‘bug’ in the corner of each plate which at first I thought was meant to indicate the scale of the drawing. Many of Parks’ drawings are unnecessarily small, whereas Derek Whitely’s are drawn to a good, large scale and are the best in the book. The notes which accompany the illustrations are concise and useful, often mentioning other, similar species. Latin names are used on the plates except for the Lepidoptera. In the text both English and Latin names are given (except where no English name exists). The classification given at the end of the book is somewhat dated as is the bibliography where many of the prices quoted were out of date when the book was published. 36 FEBRUARY, 1969 The colour reproduction is good with no signs of the colour fringeing which mars many books of insect illustrations. In general this is a useful book which does what it sets out to do. It would be of most use to general naturalists rather than specialist entomologists—but even specialists might like to own a book which covers the orders in which they are not expert. Dic A STRANGE THING It was the dark night of May 19th, 1967. Midnight was creeping up on the south of Finland. Outside the wind moaned suggestively along the wooden eaves, and the sky, beyond the mist-licked double window- panes, was an undulating black fleece. I was lying in bed reading, as it happened, back copies of the Bulletin. In the shadowy side of the room something began to stir. Its awakening was heralded by an ominous scratching sound which succeeded in doing things to the hair at the base of my neck. I lay quietly, straining my ears. The rat which had become a pancake on the Pispala highway the night before now, as a picture of its flattened pelt snook to mind, became as big as Shrove Tuesday. There was also the disturbing presence of a recently-collected cat’s skull with bits of putrescent matter adhering to it. This likewise, I knew, lay somewhere in those disturbing shadows beyond the range of my lamp. I decided to face the intruder. The nine-inch long steel blade of my Lappish hunting-knife gleamed in the poor light by means of which I was reading, as the weapon was eased from its leather sheath on the wooden wall. Clad only in a pair of underpants, I shivered as I crept across the already cooling room. I stopped by the wood-basket, knife raised ready to deal a death- blow, mind searching for anti-poltergeist incantations. Thus armed, I stood my ground for a minute or so, while the unholy scratchings con- tinued unabated. Eventually, I summoned up enough courage to peer over the rim of the half-empty firewood receptacle. As I moved, the creature loomed over the rim to greet me. We sized each other up for a moment or two, then the. Necrophorus investigator Zett., its antennae all of a quiver, beat a hasty retreat back to its skull. Strange things beetles. Now I allow only Ghost Swift Moths to torment me in the forbidden hours. 1.10.68 Leigh Plester (2968). Printed by Ellis & Phillips Ltd., East Side Press, Rye Street, Bishop's Stortford and ees by the Amateur Entomologists’ Society, 42 Normandy ‘Avenue, Barnet, Herts. GUIDANCE FOR AUTHORS All authors of articles for the Bulletin are requested to follow these guidelines. Very short notes, articles by junior members and solicited articles can be retyped by the editor, if necessary, but articles by adult members which do not follow these simple rules may be delayed until the editor has time to type them. (1) All material should be type-written, double spaced, with wide margins on one side only of quarto or A4 size paper. Author’s corrections to his typescript should be in pencil. (2) The title should be in capital letters throughout and must not be underlined. Please choose a title which will make reference easy when your article is indexed. (3) The author’s (authors’) name(s) followed by AES membership number in parentheses, should be placed at the end of the article, on the right hand side, on a different line from the text, and not underlined. (4) All living organisms, where exactly identified and relevant to the article, should be given their full scientific name. (Only if the article is of literary rather than scientific interest should mention be made of irrelevant, unidentified organisms.) The full scientific name consists of the name of the genus and species followed by the name of the author. The generic name has a capital initial letter and the specific name a small initial letter, both names must be underlined. The name of the author may be abbreviated if well known but single letter abbreviations are not used. (5) If you wish well known English names may be used in addition to the scientific names. Either of the following forms is permitted: ‘Pieris brassicae Linn. (Large White Butterfly)’ or “The Large White Butterfly (Pieris brassicae Linn.).’ English names should have a capital initial letter for each word in the name. This does not apply if the name is used as an adjective e.g. ‘yew hedge’. (6) Once fully named an organism may be referred to by its English name alone or by its scientific name which may be abbreviated as in the following example: P. brassicae. (7) If the name of a genus is used on its own it should be under- lined and followed by ‘sp.’ (singular) or ‘spp.’ (plural). These abbrevia- tions for species should not be underlined, e.g. Pieris sp. (8) Abbreviations should be followed by a full point (.) only if the last letter of the word is missing e.g. Mr for Mister but Linn. for Linnaeus. Ciphers such as AES and BBC should not have full points. (9) Any published work which is mentioned in the article should be referred to only by author and date of publication. Either of the following forms is acceptable: ‘Ford (1955) states that...’ or ‘It has been found that .. . (Yarrow, 1955). All the references must be listed on a separate sheet at the end of your typescript. References should be listed alphabetically by author and should take the form exampled below: FORD, E. B. (1955). Moths. New Naturalist Series. Collins, London. YARROW, I. H. H. (1955). Some ways of distinguishing between the two common wasps Vespula germanica Fab. and Vespula vulgaris Linn. Entomologist, 87: 5-9. The names of journals should be abbreviated as in the World List of Scientific Periodicals. (10) Numbers below fifty should be written in full, except when giving dimensions of apparatus, etc. Numbers above 51 should be given in arabic numerals. (11) Measurements should be given in metric units. This does not apply to instructions for making apparatus where materials are normally sold in British sizes, nor to conversational use of distance, e.g. *...a few miles down the road... .’ (12) Illustrations must be drawn in indian ink on white board or faint, blue-lined graph paper. Illustrations should be at least twice as large as they will appear in print. Lettering should be kept to a minimum and done in light pencil. Assistance is usually possible if you are unable to submit illustrations drawn to these specifications. (13) Normal minor editorial changes to an article will be made automatically; but major factual alterations will be agreed with the author. (14) Proofs will not be sent to authors unless requested. Reprints of longer articles can be supplied to authors, at cost, only if they are ordered at the time the article is offered for publication. (15) Submission of an article implies that the author is offering the AES the right of reproduction without payment. This apart, the copyright of accepted articles remains with the author. Articles must not be offered for publication in the Bulletin if a similar article is being offered to, or has been accepted by, another journal. FLIES of the British Isles By Charles N Colyer and Cyril C Hammond This is the only modern work in English to provide a comprehensive survey of all the families of British Diptera. It gives notes on the structure, metamorphoses, _life- histories, habits and role in nature of the fly, together with methods of preservation, collection, rearing and examination. Numerous illustra- tions, including 24 plates in colour. 55s. net FREDERICK WARNE 1—4 Bedford Crt, London WC2 AES NOTICE Membership applications and first subscriptions to: Changes of address and non-arrival of Bulletins to: Advertisers and for Prospectus of Society and Application forms to: Offers to lead field meetings, etc. to: Manuscripts, drawings and books for review to: Subscription renewals (25/- per annum, |2/6 under |7 years) to: Youth matters to: Offers of help, queries, etc. to: Annual exhibition maiters to: Hon. General Secretary: BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS WORLDWIDE SELECTION OF PAPERED LEPIDOPTERA Price List from:— DOUGLAS E. DODWELL 28 SUMMERLEAZE PARK YEOVIL, SOMERSET — where to write D. Keen, 4 Staffa Road, Loose Court, Maid- stone, Kent. P. Tayior, 18 Old Manor Drive, Isleworth, Middlesex. R. D. Hilliard, 18 Golf Close, Stanmore, Mid- dlesex. GRimsdyke 0460. R. H. Allen, 26 Burnside Road, Dagenham, Essex. D. Corke, West Ham College of Technology, Department of Biology, Romford Road, London, E.15. B. R. Stallwood, 7, Markall Close, Cheriton, Alresford, Hants. H. J. Berman, St Ivo School, St Ives, Hunts. G. Prior, 23 Manor Way, North Harrow, Middlesex. B. F. Skinner, 85 Elder Road, West Norwood, London, S.E.27. GlPsy Hill 0057. G. Prior, 23 Manor Way, North Harrow, Middlesex. R. N. BAXTER Suppliers of EXOTIC INSECTS to Museums, the research worker, the amateur entomologist, — etc. Lepidoptera and Coleoptera a speciality 16 Bective Road, Forest Gate, London, E.7, England als MAIL ORDERS ONLY In your reply please mention AES L. CHRISTIE 137, GLENELDON ROAD, (Postal Business only) STREATHAM, LONDON, SW16 a New and Used — | Entomological Equipment BEE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION | _ Woodside House, Chalfont Heights, Gerrards Cross, Bucks. FOR ALL INFORMATION OR G@2es E. W. CLASSEY LTD. 353 Hanworth Road, Hampton, Mddx Entomological Literature CATALOGUES ON REQUEST World List abbreviation : Bull. amat. Ent. Soc. EDITED by DAVID CORKE, B.Sc., " L.I.Biol. THE FRESHWATER LIFE BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS — OF THE BRITISH ISLES By John Clegg 7s ae addition to GSEs in pleasant detail the larger WI forms of freshwater life, the WORLD DE book alee ees the techni- ques and thrills of pond- hunting and gives due atten- SELECTION OF oon a the Bite Seep poms which more general works are compelled to omit .. . Its 16 PAPERED ce pias a1 nee rom the author’s own photo- graphs and 95 drawings in the LEPIDOPTERA text provide just what the naturalist needs to extend his acquaintance with the vast world of aquatic life.” 37s. net Country Life | Price List from:— DOUGLAS E. DODWELL FREDERICK WARNE 28 SUMMERLEAZE PARK 1-4 Bedford Crt., London WC2 YEOVIL, SOMERSET AES NOTICE — where to write Membership applications and first subscriptions to: D. Keen, 4 Staffa Road, Loose Court, Maid- stone, Kent. Changes of address and non-arrival of Bulletins to: P. 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Prior, 23 Manor Way, North Harrow, Middlesex. »& AES No. 283 BULLETIN MAY, 1969 EDITORIAL The second of a series of longer articles introducing the less familiar (but no less interesting) groups of insects appears in this issue: Dr Macan’s article on Mayflies will I am sure stimulate more interest in these fascinating insects. The Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory on Bardsey Island offers hostel type accommodation for naturalists who would like to study, or simply holiday, on the island. Much work has been done on the island’s birds but there is still plenty to be done by the entomologists. Details can be obtained from Mrs R. A. L. Bond, Wensheda, Clapper | Green, Hunton, Nr Maidstone, Kent. At this year’s Verrall Supper the Biological Records Centre announced a new recording scheme—for Grasshoppers. Potential recorders are invited to contact the BRC. D. Corke (2962). e COLLECTING NOTES—MAY 1969 The Smaller Moths The moths of the genus Ancylis are among the most attractive of the Olethreutidae. Mr E. S. Bradford has illustrated two of them. Of Ancylis geminana Don. he writes as follows: ‘The specimen from which I made this drawing was one taken at Stoke Row, Oxfordshire, in May 1967. I have also taken it in Bricket Wood but have not bred it yet. The larva feeds on Salix spp. and, according to Ford, hibernates and pupates shortly before emergence. The forewings are brown-ochreous-grey, more whitish grey round the outer margin and tornal area. The costa and darker areas are reddish brown edged below with a whitish line. The hindwings are a lightish grey.” Front cover illustration: The dragonflies Aeshna cyanea Mill. (Anisoptera), Libellula fulva Mill. (Anisoptera) and Coenagrion mercuriale Charp. (Zygoptera), drawn by Mr G. Thomson (3689). 38 MAY, 1969 ¢ 4 \\Wis * 4 Ali Fay ’ - ; PEN anon Ne - \\ t HT) ea!) HF GAL a APU Be ’ . CLEL Vi. .- fi, if CEEEELES EELULD SURE EEO SO > ie XIbP ES BRACFGRD = a WRN = = = a Z 'S Z (age id Hp SENS ‘Ay = S + 4 / if fe fe : . 4 4, ‘fe Mit \\ \ \ WSs SEGAL EO pat \ : “i E-S.GRADFORD 4 7 Ancylis badiana Schiff. There is still uncertainty regarding the number of species of Ancylis that feed on Sallow; five have been named. Meyrick and Bradley ‘lump’ them all together into a single species—A. geminana according to the latter and A. diminutana Haw. in the opinion of the former. Both Ford and Heslop give (with slight difference in synonymy) three species—A. geminana (biarcuana Steph.), A. inortana H.-S (subarcuana Dougl.) and A. diminutana: Bradley recognises the last two as forms but not as separate species. I feel fairly certain that A. inornatana at any rate is distinct because of differences in the foodplant and habits as well as in the markings of the imago. Last summer I collected Ancylis larvae in the west of Ireland from low scrub of Eared Sallow (Salix aurita Linn.) and Dwarf Sallow (S. repens Linn.) intermingled on the same hillside. I kept the larvae from the two foodplants separate, but accorded them the same treatment in other respects. Those feeding on S. repens —-- ee + | AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 39 pupated in September and produced moths of the small, pale form known as inornatana in October, whereas those on S. aurita are still overwintering as larvae at the time at which I am writing this article. If I am successful in breeding the moths, I shall expect them to be of the larger, more strongly marked form which Mr Bradford has depicted or the one with the more gently waved central line which characterises diminutana. A. inornatana is the earliest to appear in the spring: I won- der whether it overwinters as a larva or a pupa in the state of nature. Mr Bradford’s second drawing is of A. badiana Schiff. and his note reads as follows: “The drawing is from one I took in the garden where I have found the odd specimen now and again. One was on a sugared post late in the evening, but whether it had just happened to alight there or was attracted to the sugar I do not know. This moth was particularly numerous in a locality near home last year, but seeing that Vicia and Lathyrus (its foodplants) occur there it was not unexpected. The dorsal blotches on the forewings are dark fuscous and the light areas from the base are creamy ochreous. The costa is strigulated dark brown and whitish. The cilia at the tips of the forewings project beyond the curve of the wings. The hindwings are greyish. The moth is on the wing from _May to August. I have always found this a fairly lively insect and have not yet got a good photograph of it.’ Undoubtedly A. badiana is the most widely distributed and plentiful species of the family. Its nearest relative is A. paludana Barr. which is confined to the fens of East Anglia; the larva feeds on Lathyrus palustris _ Linn. and the moth flies in June and August. Two species, A. unguicella Linn. and A. uncana Hubn., are heather-feeders (the latter also eats Birch, Betula sp.), and may be found on heaths and moorlands in May and June; the Vaccinium-feeding A. myrtillana Treits. favours similar terrain. A. achatana Sciff. is best obtained by beating the larvae or pupae - from Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) or Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa Linn.) in May. One of the most beautiful is A. mitterbacheriana Schiff. which should not be killed with ammonia or its red-brown hues will fade; Oak (Quercus spp.) is its normal foodplant but it may also feed on Beech (Fagus sylvatica Linn.) since I found a pupa last April in a shrivelled beech leaf still adhering to the parent sapling; there was no Oak in the vicinity. A. upupana Treits., soberly but tastefully clad, is a rare insect, but it may be found here and there flying rather high in the late after- noon sunshine of May or June round the Elms or Birches on which its larva has fed,. On the other hand 4. comptana Frol. (less well turned- out in spite of its name) is a common and lowly moth, which can be found flying close over the downland herbage in May and again in August. A. lactana Fab. feeds on Aspen (Populus tremula Linn.) and sometimes other Poplars on whose trunks it likes resting in the late spring. Certainly the most local is A. tineana Hiibn., which seems to be confined to the Rannock district in Perthshire. Three Buckthorn- feeders complete the list; these are 4. unculana Haw. (derasana Hubn.), 40 MAY, 1969 A. obtusana Haw. and A. apicella Schiff. (siculana Hibn.). The first is } confined to Rhamnus catharticus Linn., but the other two will also be | found on Frangula alnus Mill. | All the moths I have mentioned fly during the months covered by this article and in some instances the larvae, too, may be found— — attractive again, because they spin the leaves of their foodplant into pods in the neatest possible fashion. It is easier to breed this summer | generation. The autumn larvae overwinter, generally in their pods, and only pupate shortly before the time of emergence. It is not difficult to get them safely through the winter, but they then fail to pupate. The best course is to keep the leaves containing larvae out of doors either in a flower-pot or in a nylon stocking thrown on the ground to simulate natural conditions. A. M. Emmet (1379). REFERENCES BRADLEY, J. D. (1959) An Illustrated List of the British Tortricidae Part II: Olethreutinae, Ent. Gaz. 10: 60. Forp, L. T. (1949) A Guide to the Smaller British Lepidoptera, South London Ent. and Nat. Hist. Soc., Lond. Hes op, I. R. P. (1964) Revised Check-list of the British Lepidoptera. MEyRICK, E. (1928) Revised Handbook of the British Lepidoptera, Watkins and Doncaster (reprinted 1967 Classey). Diptera: Syrphidae Hover flies can be found in almost any location between March and August in the right weather conditions. Most species will not be found easily unless the sun is shining. Some localities are obviously better than others, and in my experience woodland is the best place of all, especially sunny clearings with plenty of flowers. Marshy areas, and also the plants growing beside rivers, will usually produce a good crop of Syrphids. In addition, there are a few species which will only be found on heathlands, and a few in mountainous areas, and also some of the rarer ones which only occur in a few specific localities, but these are not really for the beginner. The insects will mainly be found hovering above or perched on flowers—yellow ones especially—or sunning themselves on broad, flat leaves. Some species will be seen in this situation more than others, especially Syrphus vitripennis (Meigen) and S. ribesii (Linn.). Bramble bushes, when in flower, will always produce a few hover flies, and in some localities will be swarming with them. It is interesting to note that the same bushes are usually swarming with other insects, especially Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. In general it can be said that if you know a good locality for butterflies, you will also find hover flies there. There are two main ways of catching the insects once you have found them, stalking and sweeping. Until some experience has been j i . ; ; | AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 41 gained stalking can be disappointing; on the other hand, sweeping will rarely produce the larger and more agile flies. I usually spend about two hours in a promising locality, the first hour or so stalking and then about half an hour or so sweeping, finally having a quick look round with the stalking net to see if anything new has arrived. Incidentally, I usually find that if I miss something when stalking, it will nearly always come back to the same place within about thirty minutes. The time of day for collecting is not important, but a few points arise here: for instance, very little will be found before about 10 a.m. Between 10 a.m. and 12.30 p.m., and 2 p.m. and about 5 p.m. seem to be the best times. Between 12.30 p.m. and 2 p.m. there usually seems to be a decline in numbers, especially on a hot day. Perhaps this is a good thing, as it gives the collector a chance to eat the lunch he will have thoughtfully taken with him, or else to visit a public house in the vicinity. Also during this time, one can move on to a new locality. If the day is especially warm, as days in August sometimes are, collect- ing can often be continued until about 7 p.m. Planning a collecting trip with the above information in mind may _ well produce the type of outing which my colleague David Pope and I partake of on several Sundays between April and September. We leave Bristol at about 9.15 a.m. and head West, arriving at our first locality, a woodland, at about 9.45 a.m., where we stay until about 11.30 a.m. We then move up into the Mendips, arriving at oui favourite patch of marshy ground at about 12 noon. Best results are obtained here with sweeping, so we only stay for about half an hour. Between 12.30 p.m. and 2 p.m. we have our lunch and move to our next locality. ‘Two places are usually visited in the afternoon, between about 2.30 p.m. and 4 p.m., and 4.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. We arrive back in Bristol at about 6.30 p.m., which gives us the evening in which to set our catch, and also argue about identification. A word of warning here, it is not easy to identify the majority of Syrphids whilst they are still on the setting boards. There are a couple of things which should be mentioned here, which apply whatever you are collecting. Make sure you are not tres- passing, and follow the Country Code. Meanwhile, good hunting! 20.12.68 Alan J. Brown (3854). CONSERVATION—THE PURPLE EMPEROR Members may be aware of the attempts in Oxfordshire to strengthen or re-establish the Purple Emperor (Apuatura iris Linn.) in certain large oak woodlands. A basic necessity for the continuance of this species in Great Britain is the maintenance of large enough deciduous woodlands 42 MAY, 1969 carrying a sufficiency of mature trees and an undergrowth of Sallow (Salix spp.) in particular Salix caprea Linn., the Large-leafed Sallow. Our oak and beech woods of the Midlands and South have been the haunt of this butterfly through the ages but in the last fifty years the inroads made by the felling and planting of coniferous woodland has reduced the possible haunts to a very few. In Oxfordshire and North Buckinghamshire the policy of clear felling, dapple planting and latterly the killing of woodland by use of herbicides has had disastrous effects on the Purple Emperor and another woodland butterfly, the Black Hairstreak, Strymon pruni Linn. In Salcey Forest in Northamptonshire the use of chemical insecticides against Oak Tortrix Moth (Yortrix viridana) has had a devastating effect on both species and coilecting has not helped the position. Some of the Wiltshire haunts have received protection and that County’s Naturalist Trust has taken an interest in conserving suitable habitat for woodland butterflies, including the Purple Emperor. The status of the Purple Emperor in the New Forest is hazy as forestry has again upset so much of the suitable areas and some likely places are not open ito the public. One of the well-known haunts was Alice Holt Forest in Hampshire where I took my first larvae. There used to be a huge plantation of Sallow ringed by giant Oaks where the Herons nested above the River Wey but some years ago the Forestry Commission cleared the plantation during the winter when the larvae of A. iris were hibernating and replanted the area with small Oaks for experimental purposes. The butterfly still inhabits the woods but is now very scarce though a few favourable years could see it build up again. Today the main hopes for the butterfly, apart from the activities in Oxfordshire, lie in the Forest complex of South Surrey, West Sussex and the Hampshire area bordering these two. This is today the largest area of oak forest left in England and it is fast being broken up by development or being replaced by dense coniferous woodland. Some collecting does occur in the area but it is still vast enough to minimise the effects of the collector but year by year the Oak gives way to conifer and unless a large enough area is left to act as a reservoir for the future, Apatura iris may not be seen flying in these woodlands by my grandchildren (should they materialise). Those who have read the book on the Purple Emperor by Messrs. Heslop, Stockley and Hyde will appreciate the close relationship between terrain, vegetation and butterfly in the ecological status of the Purple Emperor and though I would reject some of the categorical statements made in that book it does indicate the importance of very many factors in the suitability of an area for the butterfly’s continuance. Two factors I consider to be vital in all localities I have visited here and abroad—the first is the need for mature trees to supply the needs of the adult insect (honey dew, courting sites, resting places and launching sites) and shade for the larvae on the Sallows growing below the top cover; the second is a sufficiency of mature Salix caprea for the larvae. My own experience is that although the females will lay on small bushes, AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 43 | the majority of eggs are laid on the mature (female) trees and it is these trees which produce the overwintered larvae in the Spring. The larvae thrive in wet conditions and, in the sleeved state at least, will die if subjected to strong sun. The females when laying tend to seek out the shaded Sallows and Heslop states a preference for the north side of the bush, although I now consider this to be wrong provided shade affects the whole bush. For reasons not at all clear there is a definite preference for certain trees when laying—it may be that they are near to a suitable “dropping off’ Oak or are better sited for shade, but such bushes will have a spattering of eggs while there may be none on the bush next to it. With diminishing suitable breeding woodlands it is important to maintain such woods with strong breeding stocks and compensate for _ the losses caused by felling, accidents and predators. With this in view I. with others of the Society, have been breeding stock in captivity for release as adult insects. Ova are collected in August or small larvae in September. These are sleeved in the garden on potted Sallows for the winter. My own Sallows stand under a False Acacia (Robinia pseud- acacia Linn.) tree open to all its drips and produces nearly 100% over- wintering success. When the butterflies emerge they are fed and released in their original habitat. In 1966 I attempted hand-pairing with three pairs of imagines and in two cases the insects copulated. I eventually obtained 36 ova and in 1967 released 20 imagines in a Surrey woodland. However, the result was not very satisfactory as success at hand-pairing with this species is very difficult to achieve and attempts before and some since have led me to believe that it is better to release the adults as soon as possible _ back into their own habitat so that natural pairings can take place. This will avoid in-breeding and should ensure a much more successful mating chance with a greater number of ova deposited. One female in _ captivity laid about 140 infertile ova for me and dissected females have upwards of 90 ova present so that an average of 100 ova to a female is likely in good conditions. If a fair percentage of ova can be gathered up each Summer for overwintering in captivity then the stock of an area should show some benefit after one or two years. Observation of the butterfly shows it to be a strong flier with a large range when ova depositing—this ensures mixing of stock and ensures that predators do not find ‘all the eggs in one basket’. For this reason it would be a waste of time introducing the butterfly into small protected woodlands unless there is other nearby woodland that could also support the butterfly. This is a third factor which may be vital—a wide area of suitable habitat. Several observations of keeping the insect in captivity may be of interest. The larvae when hibernating may choose three sites in which to rest. The favourite appears to be the crotch made between two boughs or a bough and the main stem. Here it lies in the crotch curved round the join and when it has taken on its brown hue of winter it 44 MAY, 1969 disappears into its background. Others travel down the main stem of the bush and hibernate quite near to the ground (I have found overwinter- — ing Lappett (Gastropacha quercifolia Linn.) larvae in a similar position). They lie flat on the bark, rather like small bumps on the bark, and may be silver grey in colour to match the silver of the bark. A per- centage however stay in the dead leaves which they have woven to the twigs by means of their silk. These larvae lie on the lamina of the shrivelled leaf, staying green until the leaf has turned to brown when they also change and merge into their background. These leaves are storm tossed throughout the winter and sometimes fall to the ground. In these latter cases the larva seems to find its way back up the stem in the Spring leaving the leaf with its little pad of silk lying on the ground nearby. I have never found the larva hibernating in the wild yet but see no reason why it should act differently. When larvae meet in the act of moving about from spray to spray the horns are used to displace each other and one witnesses a small ‘stag fight’, the smaller larva usually retiring to find another leaf of its own. The pupae are the most active I know and when touched they shake and leap violently, swinging on their silk pad. They colour up only a few hours before emergence and the majority of these take place in the evening or early hours of the morning so that the butterfly is ready for flight when the sun is up. In captivity the butterfly becomes very tame, makes little attempt to fly away when handled and feeds well, uncurling its yellow tongue in anticipation of food when the cage is opened. From my hand-pairing experience I would say that the males are ready for pairing about seven days after emergence and while the females mate when freshly emerged they do not develop their eggs until about fourteen days after emergence. This would account for the lateness of some of my observations of egg laying in the wild. The insect starts to emerge about June 20th and the rest are all out by mid-July. In the same batch of ova the larvae emerged and went into hibernation together but came out of hiber- nation over a period extended over more than three weeks. This undoubtedly led to the wide emergence range of the adults. Females out in mid-July would not start to lay unti! early August and with the sporadic nature of laying the laying could continue well into the month. At the end of August I have found ova, with hornless larvae and horned larvae all on the same tree, indicating a month approximately of ovipositing. In 1969 I hope to be releasing a few more of this most beautiful of our butterflies—long may they grace our woodlands. 11.1.1969 P. W. Cribb (2270). REFERENCE HESLOP, STOCKLEY and HybDE. Notes and Views of the Purple Emperor. m AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 AS NYMPHALIDS ON ROTTEN APPLES During the autumns of 1967 and 1968 I have had reason to visit a _jarge apple orchard near Ipswich, East Suffolk. On several occasions in both years I was surprised to see the large numbers of nymphalid — Some butterflies which were feeding on the squashed and rotten fruit on the -ground late into October and a few in early November. Red Admirals (Vanessa atalanta Linn.) were very common and I counted sixty on one occasion. During early October Small Tortoiseshells (Aglais urticae _ Linn.) were also fairly common and the Comma (Polygonia c-album _ Linn.) an occasional visitor. In 1968 one Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui » Linn.) was seen but it was in flight, not actually feeding on the fruit. ae Fe . ~ ee The Red Admirals also tend to feed on apples which are still attached | to branches but which have been damaged by wasps. They rest on the outer surface of the apples and pass the proboscis through the the hole made by the wasp and into the tissue which has become brown with exposure. Perhaps other members have witnessed the above feeding habits? I would be interested to know if the Peacock (Nymphalis io Linn.) also has a liking for apples because I have never seen this species in the orchard, although it does occur in the area. L. McLeod (3534). ORTHOPTERA IN SOMERSET Due to the wide range of suitable habitats it offers, Somerset is a good county for the Orthoptera Saltatoria, but our native cockroaches appear to be absent. (The distribution maps in Ragge show Ecrobius panzeri Stephens as present in North Somerset, but the record is from Steepholme, which is in fact an offshore island.) Chorthippus parallelus Zetterstedt (Meadow Grasshopper) 1s common throughout the county, tolerating all but the most adverse conditions. It is to be found in the boggy areas of mid-Somerset as well as in the Quantock and Mendip hills. C. brunneus (Thunberg) (Common Field Grasshopper) has a similar range, but dislikes the damper places, and tends to occur in smaller numbers than C. parallelus when both species are to be found together. Myrmeleotettix maculatus Thunberg (Mottled Grasshopper) is often abundant in areas that satisfy its ecological requirements: dryish ground with stretches of short grass between higher vegetation or exposed rock. There is much habitat of this type in the Mendips and, as it totally dis- regards even the most exposed conditions on windswept hillsides, M. maculatus is commonest there, although it occurs elsewhere. The 46 MAY, 1969 | relationship between background colour and predominant colour varie- ties is more striking there than I have seen it anywhere else. In the | grassy areas on hilltops any varieties besides the green ones are usually © very difficult to find, yet on the rocky areas, often only a few minutes walk away, the brown and grey varieties are abundant. | C horthippus albomarginatus Degeer is locally common in the flatter parts of North Somerset (notably on Nailsea moor, about seven | miles west of Bristol), but it has been surprisingly absent from parts of | the central Somerset ‘moors’ that I have visited. Stethophyma grossum 4 Linn. is to be found there. This impressive, and all to uncommon, insect | is, I fear, on the decline in Central Somerset, and is becoming difficult to find in places where it was common only a year or two ago. S. grossum | requires wet bog with exposed patches of water, and habitat of this type | is decreasing there for reasons such as the lifting of peat, preparation for 7 grazing, and the overgrowth of reeds. The latter is still occuring on the | nature conservancy land on Meare Heath. I have seen S. grossum in grass alongside drainage canals, but I doubt if they breed there. | Omocestus viridulus Linn. (Common Green Grasshopper) is common, but it appears to be less so in the north of the county. It | occurs, with M. maculatus, on the sides of “combes’ in the Mendips, where the partly purple varieties seem unusually common. O. rufipes (Zetterstedt) is extremely local. Pholidoptera griseoaptera DeGeer (Dark Bush-cricket) is common almost everywhere in Somerset, always in or near hedges and bramble patches, although they wander quite a way into unmown grass. I saw my first adult this year on the 28th July, later than usual. Leptophytes punctatissima Bosc (Speckled Bush-cricket) has as wide a range, but is always less common, and certainly less conspicuous due to its coloura- tion and lethargic habits. Tettigonia viridissima Linn. is widespread, but I have never found it as densely populated in hedgerows as in Devon. Along the country lanes at night P. griseoaptera can be heard stridulat- ing far more often, at any rate in the north of Somerset. Meconema thalassinum DeGeer (Oak Bush-cricket) is most frequent in north-west Somerset, which contains more woodland, but is not easy to find. It may well be common in Leigh woods, near Bristol, but I have not as yet looked there. I have seen Conocephalus dorsalis Latreille (Short-winged Cone-head) in association with C. albomarginatus on Nailsea moor, and also in parts of central Somerset. The peaty moors west of Glastonbury are ideal habitat for Tetrix subulata Linn. (Slender groundhopper), which is abundant on mossy and exposed peat. Most specimens are unusually dark, which renders them inconspicuous against the black peat. 7. undulatus Sowerby (Common Groundhopper) is also frequent here, and through most of the county. I have often found this species in open meadowland in Somerset, and ts probably more common in this type of habitat than is generally thought. Besides the species already covered, Gomphocerippus rufus Linn. 1s known to occur in Somerset, but I have not found it myself so can give AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 47 no details of where. It is certainly very local. I should be very grateful to hear of any locality in Somerset (or Gloucestershire) where Metrioptera brachyptera Linn. (Bog Bush-cricket) may be found in reasonably large - numbers. Robin L. Hard (3629J) REFERENCE RAGGE, D. R. (1965) Grasshoppers, Crickets and Cockroaches of the British Isles. Warne, London. INTERSPECIFIC MATING IN THE CHARAXIDINAE (NYMPHALIDAE) While browsing through old numbers of the Bulletin I came across a reference to interspecific mating in the Plusiinae (Bradbury 1964). Having observed interspecific matings only very rarely, I thought that other members may be interested in the following two instances between _ Charaxes species. In the late afternoon of June 27th, 1966, Dr V. G. L. van Someren and I were inspecting his Charaxes traps. These were situated in clear- ings in his garden, “The Sanctuary’, which is an area of unspoilt forest bordering the Ngong Forest near Nairobi, Kenya. It was our custom to approach the traps carefully and quietly so that the trapped butterflies were not disturbed. On this occasion we were surprised to find a male Charaxes _candiope God. in cop. with a female Charaxes brutus Cram. We _ observed the two insects for some minutes before attempting to remove _ them carefully without causing them to separate. Unfortunately we were not successful and they separated. I retained the female and caged her with the normal foodplant for _C. brutus, i.e. Ekebergia capensis Sparrm. (Cape Ash). By July 9th _ forty eggs had been laid and first instar larvae commenced hatching on | July 1ith. A total of 67 eggs were laid before she died. Regular feeding was difficult to maintain over this period because I was often working upcountry, consequently the duration of larval life was increased. The larvae were still in their fifth instar in mid-September. Adults began to emerge from pupae during early October. All were normal C. brutus. Obviously these butterflies were the result of a previous mating with a male C. brutus. The second example was reported to me later in the same year. During late August, 1966, while on a visit to Keekorok Lodge, in the Mara Game Reserve in Western Kenya, Mr Stephen Collins of Endebess observed a male Charaxes candiope in cop. with a female Charaxes varanes Cram. These were also in the top of a Charaxes trap. It would appear that the close proximity of the trapped butterflies to each other results in interspecific mating. In the wild state it is unlikely that such matings would occur. 48 MAY, 1969 I would be interested to hear if any other members have witnessed | © interspecific mating in the Nymphalidae, and also if any member knows how long Charaxes must be in cop. before transference of spermatozoa takes place. L. McLeod (3534). REFERENCES SY, K. (1964) Interspecific mating in the Plusiinae. Bull. amat. Ent. Soc. McLEop, 1, (1967) Notes on the butterflies of Nairobi. Bull. amat. Ent. Soc. 26 . 22-6 VAN SOMEREN, V. G. L. (1963-68) Revisional notes on African Charaxes. Bull. NOTES FROM A FINNISH DIARY—IV The ‘Kangasperho’, Callophyrs rubi Linn. When the Nettle-butterflies (Aglais urticae Linn.), Lemon-butterflies (Gonepteryx rhamni Linn.) and Mourningcloaks (Nymphalis antiopa Linn.) have dispersed themselves among the forests and copses, to be seen basking against a background of withered autumn grass, the snow has retreated into the darker hollows of the spruce forest and Brephos parthenias Linn. and Epirrhantis diversata Schiff. have mated and begun to lay their eggs, there is a lull of a fortnight or so. The sallow blooms turn old, the Blue Anemones (Anemone hepatica Linn.) and soon the white ones (Anemone nemorosa Linn.) come into flower, and then the small green “‘mouse-ears”’ of leaves appear on the birches. As the first buds break out on the Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus Linn.), the Finnish ‘Heath-butterfly’ (our Green Hairstreak) emerges literally from the ground. In 1967 C. rubi was on the wing from the middle of May until nearly the end of June. The first specimens appeared along the side of the dirt road in Area E (see Notes II1) on May 13th. The weather deteriorated rapidly that evening, and a specimen which I spotted at rest on a sallow bush was still sitting in exactly the same position at mid-day on the 15th. The species quickly became common, the butterflies gathering in groups in the forest wherever the trees (mainly Picea sp. and Pinus sp.) allowed the sunlight to filter down to the Bilberry and Red Whortleberry (V. vitis-idaea Linn.) bushes. It appeared to be most abundant between about May 21st and June 6th, and the recorded number had dwindled to five by June 26th, after which I left for Lapland. At the peak of its flying period it was so well dispersed that I was not really surprised upon a AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 49 seeing a specimen on June 2nd flying along the main street of Tampere, _a very busy city! My original pair (caught in cop on May 13th) was placed in a _make-shift cage during the wet week commencing May 14th, after which several more females were added. The foodplant I provided was _V. myrtillus, but although the butterflies were often seen crawling over the leaves and opening flower-buds when sunlight came into the veranda, I could find no eggs when the time came to dissect the vegetation under a handlens. An observation made on May 28th (Area F) suggested one reason _ for my failure. Large numbers of females were seen fluttering round the _ 8-10 cm high bushes of V. vitis-idaea. Finally, an egg was found tucked / in the flower-bud of a plant from which a female had taken wing. A dozen ova were eventually obtained by watching the adult insects, and all except one were deposited in the calyces of the flowers, usually being ' introduced into these nitches sideways on (Fig. 1). The exception was deposited on the lower surface of the leaf, rapidly, without the usual initial scrutiny of the site by the female insect. Oviposition in the broad sense was an act which took from one to three minutes to accomplish. A large number of different pabula has been recorded for this species in Finland, varying among the Betulaceae, Rosaceae, Papilion- _ aceae, Rhamnaeceae, Ericaceae and Scrophulariaceae families (Seppdnen). _ All the text-books to hand quote V. myrtillus as being the standard food, but this is contrary to my own experience mentioned above. Almost _ certainly, however, both of these Vaccinium species are utilised. In addition, it is said that V. uliginosum Linn. (an inhabitant of swampy country) is often adopted. When one takes into consideration the pro- lificity of plants of the Vaccinium kind in the forests, heathlands and swamps of southern Finland, it is no longer surprising that on a good day towards the beginning of June a hundred specimens of this butterfly can be counted on a casual walk. Fig. 1 Female Callophrys rubi Linn. ovipositing on Vaccinium vitis-idaea_ Linn. : First-stage larva. (South Finland, 13.6.67.) (Butterfly one and a half times life-size, caterpillar approx. times eight.) 50 MAY, 1969 The first stage larva (depicted in Fig. 1) is fashionably attired in. long hair, and it is dull brown in colour. The egg is bright green, as is the caterpillar beyond the second moult. The pupa, which forms on the ground, is pale brown, marked with darker brown. My three pupae all emerged during the winter (Nov. 16th, Dec. 27th, Jan. 2nd). These were kept indoors and received no prior ‘cooling treatment’ (c.f. my Sphinx ligustri Linn. pupae, which I am told will not emerge until they have been previously placed in the refrigerator for a few days). The ‘hair- streak’ of specimens noted in South-Hame is extremely variable in prominence, even when specimens are taken within a small area. The flowers visited by this species were the Vaccinium species, Anemone nemorosa and Antennaria dioeca Gaertn. (Common Cudweed), though doubtless there are others. Finally, an estimate was made of the snow depth covering the area in which the butterflies had been observed laying. This estimate was carried out on March 19th, 1968, when it was found that any pupae surviving in that situation would be covered by an average depth of 51 cms of snow. Three days later the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper published a map showing that the average snow cover for the Tampere district was 50 cms. One wonders how many pupae are literally crushed to death (the ground there is rocky) and how many are adversely affected by melt-water. The ‘Ketokultasiipr, Palaeochrysophanus hippothoe Linn. That I discovered any larvae at all of the ‘Field Gold-wing’ was attributable more to chance than to dedicated scrutiny of its foodplants, Rumex acetosa Linn. and R. acetosella Linn. During the early part of June I was accustomed, when investigating Area F, to retire to a rock and grass-strewn glade south of where C. rubi flew to eat my lunch and clear my butterfly-net of mosquitoes. On June 4th I sat wondering about the scarcity of the Small Copper (Lyncaena philaeas Linn.) and, noting that its foodplants, Rumex spp., were poking up their heads from the grasses, I began to crawl lazily about, trying to keep the wood ants from my cheese sandwiches and the mosquitoes from everywhere else. The plants yielded nothing until, returning to the rock on which I customarily sat, I gazed over the side and saw a much-eaten specimen of R. acetosa. I soon discovered a pale green larva, traditionally ‘slug-like’, lying along the midrib of a partly demolished leaf. Three larvae were shortly collected, and all of them were about 15 mm. long, pale green above and round the sides, yellowish beneath. A fourth, smaller larva com- pleted the bag. The larvae were transported safely home, where they were placed in individual glass tubes and carefully inspected. Their markings indicated Heodes virgaureae Linn. (the head being brownish), but the choice of foodplant suggested P. hippothoe. Clearly, I simply had to wait for the imagines to emerge. Pupae materialised between June 10th and 13th, AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 5] Fig. 2. Pupa of Palaeochrysophanus hippotheo Linn. (upper) lateral aspect (lower) dorsal aspect. (South Finland, 13.6.67.) (Four and a half times life-size.) being at first yellowish, then pale buff in hue, with black markings which _ were fully developed within twelve hours (Fig. 2). They were about 12 mm. in length, and were attached to leaf blades by means of an anal pad and a cord passing either side of the anterior quarter of the wing cases. These all emerged in Lapland, the final one on July 7th, and they were all Palaeochrysophanus females. In another area (Area H), where R. acetosa grew quite abundantly along the edges of a cart track, four young larvae (length c. six mm.) of a similar kind were obtained from one plant, and a fully grown specimen from another, on June 11th. The fully grown individual again produced a female P. hippothoe in Lapland, but the small larvae all turned dark brown, and from these four hymenopterous parasites emerged within a few days. These smaller specimens may have been H. virgaureae, as that species hibernates in the egg stage. It is of interest to note that, although several ‘wild’ specimens of ‘hippothoe’ and ‘virgaureae’ were noted in the summer of 1967 (see Notes IID), I am still wondering upon the whereabouts of the ‘very common’ Lycaena phlaeas. 20.5.1968 Leigh Plester (2968). REFERENCES PLESTER, L. (1968) Notes from a Finnish diary—III. Bull. amat. Ent. Soc. 27: 121-8 SEPPANEN, E. (1954) Suomen Elaimet: 8 Foodplants of the caterpillars of the larger Lepidoptera. WSOY Helsinki. oy MAY, 1969 | THE STUDY OF MAYFLIES (EPHEMEROPTERA) Introduction It is often stated that the day of the amateur naturalist as a serious contributor to knowledge is over. The argument, when the statement is proffered as an arguable point and is not one of those doleful assertions about the passing of the Good Old Days in which some elderly folk delight, is that today anybody with a taste for Natural History gets a job as a scientist, and that advances in science are possible only with © the aid of apparatus that private individuals cannot afford to buy. There — is some force in the first point. Obviously we shall not return to the conditions of a century ago when there were hardly any paid posts and when science was pursued by those who had sufficient money not to need a paid post. However, the probability is that, in the future, the working week will shorten and everybody will have more leisure to devote to something that interests him or her. The second point has no force at all, and indeed can be used to support the opposite point of view. Because laboratory apparatus is now complicated, there is a tendency to look down on the biologist who does not use it and, as nobody wishes to be looked down on, few professionals now make direct observations of animals in their usual surroundings to explain problems to which an answer is sought. Some problems, however, are more likely to be solved by observation in the field than by experiment in the laboratory. Many have tried to explain the distribution of a particular species in terms of the chemical composition of the medium in which it lives, although in fact the creatures occur where they do because that is where the female chooses to lay her eggs. Unless the present trend is reversed, amateurs are more likely to solve these problems than pro- fessionals. ‘Solve’ perhaps is a pretentious word to use, for the explana- tion of any biological observation usually poses further questions and opens up further fields of investigation. To revert to oviposition: obser- vation of the egg-laying female may explain why larvae of a certain species are restricted to a certain type of place but it poses the further problem of what determines the female’s choice. This may prove a problem for the biochemists. But at least it may be said that amateurs are likely to formulate the problems and provide the basic information without which the professional can easily waste his time. One of the fields to which amateurs have made a notable contri- bution in the past is the description of species. The group under dis- cussion was monographed with professional competence by one of the Victorian naturalists already mentioned, the Reverend A. E. Eaton. Biology owes a great deal to country parsons of that era. Eaton’s descriptions are still referred to today, but a modern key to the adults has been written by the well known British Museum expert, Mr D. E. Kimmins (Freshwater Biological Association Scientific Publication No. 15). Descriptions of the species of most groups were completed during AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 53 the last century but they were generally of the adults only. Keys to the immature stages, often of more importance to the freshwater naturalist. are generally much more recent. The nymphs of the British species have all been described and a key to these has appeared in the same series (No. 20). The student of the Ephemeroptera, therefore. can lay his hands at once on up-to-date keys to both immature and adult stages. and he should have no difficulty in naming species. Arglers’ names The scientific names of the group, thanks to the sound pioneer work of Eaton, have been subjected to little change. and the beginner is not likely to be confused, as are students of some other groups, by the find- ing of the same species referred to by different names in different works. On the other hand he will not find any suitable English names. Anglers have a nomenclature of their own designed for their particular purpose. Some of their names apply only to one sex at one stage; Burmeister, for example the Iron Blue Dun is the subimago of both Baetis pumilus and B. niger Linn., and the imagines of the two are Jenny Spinners if male and little Claret Spinners if female. Not one of these names is applicable to the species as a whole, which makes them unsuitable for general use. Moreover anglers fall foul of the entomologists over the use of the term ‘mayfly to cover the whole group. They apply it to certain stages of the genus Ephemera only. Here, therefore, only Latin names are used. It is strange to find that some people shrink from a Latin name (more properly latinized, for often only the termination is Latin), fearing that it is something learned and obscure designed to withhold knowledge from all but a circle of the élite, like the medieval Latin that a doctor writes on a prescription form. Strange and unreason- able. because such people have no difficulty with friends of Celtic origin whose difficult names are derived from a language with far less affinity to English than Latin. Life cycles There is a widespread belief, which the writer has seen repeated in the most reputable journals twice within the last few weeks, that may- flies live for but one day. They must, therefore. have 365 generations in a year, a logical deduction from the first statement that a moment's reflection will reject as ridiculous. In fact. of course, although the adult life is short—it has to be because the mouth parts are atrophied and no feeding is possible—the nymphal life may be comparatively long by insect standards. The unique feature of the group is not the short adult life, but the fact that, after a large number of moults in the aquatic stage. the winged form that emerges is not the adult. and there is yet one more change of skin before this stage is reached. Scientists refer to subimago and imago, anglers to dun and spinner. A misconception. repeated in 54 MAY, 1969 _ several current books, is that the cast subimagina! skin retains its form, so that the naturalist who has boxed a subimago is astonished to find — that he has apparently two specimens when next he looks in his box. — In fact the wings of the subimaginal skin shrivel, and nobody has ever © een astonished in this way. a The life histories are intriguingly different not only from species to © species but within one species at different places. This means that there — is endless scope for study, and that, if two naturalists are studying the same species in different places, the result is likely to be, not a useless — duplication of effort, but an instructive comparison. For example, the — present writer was studying the life history of Rhithrogena semicolorata © Curtis in a stream in the Lake District when he received an account of © a similar study in South Lancashire from Dr Janet Harker. Being second | in the field proved an advantage. The first account could do no more © than present the facts, the second could make comparison and draw | deductions. Rhithrogena semicolorata is a winter species that grows all | through the winter and emerges in the Lake District in late May and | early June. The eggs do not hatch till August. Dr Harker recorded a | longer emergence and earlier hatching. She also recorded a lower water temperature. A correlation was postulated. Further studies of the life history of this species in warmer and in colder water would be worth making. Ultimately the exact way in which temperature influences life history can be discovered only by experiment, but the more extensive the field observations the more precisely will it be known what experi- ments should be carried out. 3 There are two other aspects of the life history of Rhithrogena semicolorata that deserve mention. Adults are on the wing for six, perhaps eight, weeks and egg-laying must, therefore, be restricted to this period, yet the smallest nymphs occur throughout a period of nearly six months. There are two possible explanations: either some eggs take much longer to incubate than others, or the incubation period varies little but some nymphs do not start to grow until several months have elapsed. That the first explanation is valid for Baetis sp. has been demonstrated by the German scientist, Professor J. Illies, and it has been shown that the second possibility is the reason for the persistence of tiny nymphs in other groups. Larger specimens may inhibit the growth of small ones either by means of a secretion or by occupying the relatively few vantage points from which sufficient food for growth can be obtained. This, however, remains a field in which a great deal of work remains to be done. The other noteworthy point about the life history of R. semicolorata is the waiting period which large nymphs enter. Those that are first to hatch grow at a rate which appears to be steady and independent of temperature and they may reach full size by Christmas. Growth then stops. Some tiny nymphs are still present at this time and their growth starts soon and proceeds at a rate similar to that of nymphs developing at the end of the previous year. Some may not reach full size till normal emergence time is reached and then THE AMATEUR ENTOMOLOGISTS’ SOCIETY FIRST (1969) SUPPLEMENT TO THE 1968 MEMBERSHIP LIST Address Changes and Corrections—January Ist, 1969 _ BROWN, R. M., L.I-Biol. (1573). Edgewood, Station Rd., Bentley, _ Farnham, Surrey. BULL, T. J. (3567). Rutlands, Welton Rd., Edwalton, Nottingham. CALE, M. (4060). 15 Weston Park, Thames Ditton, Surrey. CHAPMAN, Mrs. V. A. 13 Hawkins Way, Lamborough Hill, Abing- don, Berks. CLARK, H. A. C. T. (3910). Folly Farm, Furners Green, Uckfield, Sussex. L. Phot. CLARKE, C. A. (1569). High Close, Thorsway, Caldy, Cheshire. COATES, D. D. (3525). Daldrishaig, Aberfoyle, Perthshire. COLLINS, J. S. (3762). 16 Clarendon Gardens, Stone, Dartford, Kent. COLLINS, M. S. (3975). 16 Clarendon Gardens, Stone, Dartford, Kent. CROSS, J. E. (3465). 3 Mallord St., London, S.W.3. CROW, P. N., F.R.E.S. (393). 12 Harvey House, Wesicote Rd., Read- ing, Berks. DILLON, T. (2665). 8 London Rd,, Halstead, Sevenoaks, Kent. | EARWAKER, F. L. A. (2887). 69 Adelaide Rd., Chichester, Sussex. FITTER, R. S. ‘Drifts’, Chinnor Hill, Oxford. FRANKLIN, M. (4118). 28 Cheniston Gardens, London, W.8. GOLDER, P. (4045). 3 Fernlea Close, Higher House Farm Estate, Blackburn, Lancs. HAMMETT, M. J. (3527). 85 Moorfield Drive, Boldmere, Sutton Cold- field, Warks. HARRISON, D. G. (1689). 97 New Road, Haslingfield, Cambridge. HOOD, Revd. K. E. Kingsbury Vicarage, Tamworth, Staffs. HUMPHREYS, R. (4111). 32 Village Way, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. JANES, J. A. (614). Lyndale, 37 Old Rd., Tiverton, Devon. KEMP, R. J. (3152). 33 Quenns Rd., Aberystwyth, Wales. LEECH, A. R. (3446). 542 Banbury Rd, Oxford. LORIMER, Dr. J. A. (576). 65 Monkhame Lane, Woodford Green, Essex. L. LUCAS, B. (3711). 8 Cambourne Drive, Fixby. Huddersfield, HO2. 2NF, Yorks. LYTH, Sgt. P. R. 531999 (4082). Sgts.’ Mess. R.A.F. Halton, Aylesbury, Bucks. MARREN, P. R. (4049). 17 Walton Rd., Hartlebury, Worcs. ii 1969 SUPPLEMENT MOON, D. J. (3850). 25 Jellicoe House, Mizzen Rd., Beverley High Rd... Hull, Yorks. MORRISON, B., B.Sc., M.I.Biol. (3761). D.A.F.S. Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory, Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland. MORTEN, H. (3637). Flat 4, 11 Mill Place, Scawby Brook, Brigg, Lincs. NICHOLSON, H. (3644). 8 Chudleigh Rd., Harrogate, Yorks. NORTHEN, L. (4039). 112 Oakenshaw Lane, Walton, Wakefield, Yorks. PALMER, R. M. (4139). 193 Storeywood Lane, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, Scotland. PRATT, C. B. (784). 51 High Rd., Loughton, Essex. ROBERTSON, G. D. (4131). c/o Dr Robertson, University of Leeds, Leeds 2, Yorks. SALLOWS, C. T. C. (4203). 109 Depot Rd., Horsham, Sussex. SMITH, L. E. N. (3058). 32 Court Oak Rd, Harborne, Birmingham. SPOCZYNSKA, Mrs. J. O., F.Z.S., F.R.E.S. (751). 10 Christchurch Rd, Northampton. STALLWOOD, B. R. (1547). 7 Markell Close, Cheriton, Alresford, Hants. STOREY, W. H. (277). Playford Mount, Great Bealings, Woodbridge, Suffolk. SWEENEY, M. J. (4013). 10 River Close, Ruislip, Mddx. TESCH, L. R. (1)Hon. 9 Cumberland Walk, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. TREGLOWN, Miss M. (3407). Parkside Farmhouse, 90 Streetly Lane, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield. TUCK, F. C. 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G. (4287). 46 Oak Hill, Hollesley, Woodbridge, Suffolk. L. FAUTLEY, P. M. (4248). 22 Howard Rd., Coulsdon, Surrey I. FILBEE, A. G. (2279). 6 Kirkmans Rd., Galleywood End, Chelmsford, Essex. L. FINBOW, P. W. (4261). 24 Riverside Walk, Isleworth, Middx. L. FISHER, Sgt. R. E. C. U4167362 (2404). A.R.I-C.(N.E.)R.A.F.. Episcopi, B.F.P.0.53, Cyprus. L. IV 1969 SUPPLEMENT FLETCHER, I. (4329). 57 Danygraig, Pantmawr, Whitchurch, Cardiff. . L: FRIEND, M. J. (2786). 20 Stowey Rd., Yatton, Bristol, BS.19.4HX. FRY, S. (4302). 1 Parkstone Delph, Sheffield, S.12.3HZ. L. GAMBRELL, R. A., F.R.E.S. (4273). Finchden Manor, Tenterden, | Kent. L. ! GARDINER, D. J. (4304). Fennels, Swains Lane, Flackwell Heath, High Wycombe, Bucks. ent. | GARFIELD, J. (4281). Ashmead, Linden Grove, Gildling, Notts. L. C. GILCHRIST, W. (4233). Rook Hill, Monk Sherborne, Basingstoke, | Hants. L. GLAVE, Miss C. L. (4216). Draycote, Maidenford Lane, Goodleigh, | Barnstable, Devon. L. Orth. | GOODBAN, B. S. (217). 99 Lime Grove. Eastcote, Ruislip, Middx. L. — GOODING, D. G. (4230). The Bungalow, Bagshaw St., Crewton, Derby. | | GOODWIN, A. J. (4322). 53 Sandelswood End, Beaconsfield, Bucks. ent. | GOUGH, M. D. (4232). 3 Myrtle Ave., Eastcote, Ruislip, Middx. L. | GREEN, E. J. (4289). 45 Kidderminster Rd., Wall Heath, Brierly Hill, Staffs. L. GREEN, G. (4245). 105 Northbrooks, Harlow, Essex, C. H. HARRISON, R. N. (4271). 73 Arbour Lane, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex. L. | HENRY, A. J. (4296). 207a Swakeleys Rd., Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx. L. HINGSTON, C. B. (4237). 14 Leaventhorpe Ave., Fairweather Green, Bradford, York. L. C. HODGES, A. N. (4253). Tatlingbury, Capel, Tonbridge, Kent. L. HOFSTEN, M. von (4315). Dobelnsgaten 24C, Uppsala, Sweden. L. HOLDAWAY, P. (4267). 5 Fraser Gardens, Dorking, Surrey. L. HOLLOWAY, N. E. (4310). 236 Beaver Lane. Ashford, Kent. ent. HOOPER, C. G. S. (4235). 25 Spring Hill, Milton. Weston-Super- Mare, Som. L. HOWELL, D. P. J. (4249). Eblana, Grange Rd., Horsell, Woking, Surrey. L. C. HOWSON, D. K. (4246). 57 Norbury Crescent, Norbury, London, S.W.16. L. JAMES, D. (4243). 96 Hollybush Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. L. ent., bot. JENKINS, D. J. (4275). 11 Vernon Rd., Shipton Rd., York. L. JENKINS, M. N. F. (4280). 3 Odell Close, East Glories Estate, Fare- ham, Hants. L. KEEN, A. R. (4301). Flat 1, Archers Court, Stonestile Lane, Hastings, Kent. L. O. KEEN, M. (4297). 118 Queensway, West Wickham, Kent. L. O. KENT, A. I. (4242). 22 Altar Drive, Heaton, Bradford, Yorks. L. KIRK, C. J. (4247). 29 Park Rd., Duffield, Derby, D. C. H.Hem. AES MEMBERSHIP LIST V _ LAMB, M. D. (4252). 25 Huntingdon Rd., Stevenage, Herts. L. LARTER, S. R. (4227). 4 The Glebe, Bush Rd., Cuxton, Rochester, Ment. 1. ar. LEE, H. C. (4323). 64 Sutton Ave., Coventry, Warwicks. L. LEWIS, A. J. L. (4229). 19 Gwarycaeau, Port Talbot, Glam. L. C. LUND, C. R. (4217). Ramillies, North St., Roxby, Scunthorpe, Lincs. L. MALBON, R. J. (4259). 34 Summerfield Rd., Malvern Link, Worcs. L. MASON, S. P. (4308). 106 Welbeck Rd., Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derby. re. McHUGH, B. J. (4295). 29 Gordon Rd., Sevenoaks, Kent. L. MILLO, J. R. (4326). 10 Lower Folley, Wilton, Salisbury, Wilts. O.L.C. orth. MORGAN, G. M. (4239). Church Farm, Acton Scott, Church Stretton, Salop. L. Od. MORLEY, P. J. (4290). 55 Sussex Rd., Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx. L. MOSS, Dr. I. (4298). 63 King Well Rd., Hadley Wood, Barnet, Herts. L. MOULDS, M. S. (4279). 14 Chisolm St., Greenwich, Sydney, Australia. f. MUIRHEAD, A. J. (4330). Plummer, Tenterden. Kent. L. NEWTON, Dr J. L., M.R.CS., L.R.CP., F.R.E.S. 4331). 6 The Drive, H.M. Prison, Pentonville, Caledonian Rd., Londou, N.7. C. NORTH GLOUCESTER NATURALISTS SOCIETY (4284). Rowan Cottage, Dog Lane, Witcombe, Glos. O’LEARY, J. C. (4312). 10 Lime Tree Walk, West Wickham, Kent. eC. OLIVER, M. F. (4294). 17 Enstone Rd., Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx. ak, PARTRIDGE, R. D. (4325). 7 Cherry Tree Walk, West Wickham, iekent. L.. _ PEROWNE, P. J. (4272). 29 Little Oxhey Lane, South Oxhey, Watford, | Herts. L. _ PEYER, A. de (4319). Holly House, Leverstock Green, Hemel Hemp- stead, Herts. L. PLATTS, L. (4300). 4 Alberta Rd., North Heath, Erith, Kent, L. _ PULLAN, A. C. (3313). Flat 3, Long Fallas, Knowles Rd., Brighouse, ieyork: L. RIGOUT, J. (4318). 28 Avenue Parmentier, 75 Paris, XI, France. L. _ ROGERS, G. A. (4251). 205 Heywood Rd., Prestwich, Manchester, f Lancs. L. ) ROGERS, J. (4250). 122 Spring Drive, Stevenage, Herts. L. Phot. ' ROOK, J. W. (4260). 25 Brandenburg Rd., Canvey Island, Essex, L. ) ROSEN, R. (4221). 336 North Princeton Ave., Swarthmore, Penn., HI peo08!) U.S.A. L. C. _ SANGSTER, D. (4238). 99 Manor Rd., Enfield, Middx. | SCUTCHEY, S. (4292). 18 Branksome Ave., Edmonton, London, Saw N.18. L. vi 1969 SUPPLEMENT SEPHTON, S. (4313). 32 Upland Drive, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Herts. L. SMITH, Miss A. (4309). 12-5 Leisham Tower, Falkirk, Stirling, Scot. ent. SMITH, A. C. (4231). 687 Woodland Ave., Hayward, California, 94544, WSA. Lie SMITH, R. J. F. (4264). 35 The Drive, Loughton, Essex. L. C. Orth. STAINES, L. R. (3238). Students’ Union, University of Keele, Keele, Staffs. ent. STERLING, M. J. (4268). 2 Pavillion Rd., Bestwood Lodge, Arnold, Nottingham. N.65.8NL. L. STERLING, P. H. (4269). 2 Pavillion Rd., Bestwood Lodge, Arnold, Nottingham. N65.8NL. L. STIRLING, P. M. (4263). 180 Royston Ave., Southend-on-Sea, Essex. L. STRESO, G. A. (4218). 4 Bennet St., Uitenhage, Cape Province, South Africa. L. TATCHELL, G. M. (4214). The Red House, Rimpton, Yeovil, Som. L. TAYLOR, B. J. (4274). 35 Worgret Rd., Wareham, Dorset. L. C. THOMAS, A. G. (4293). 74 Park Avenue North, Northampton. ent. THOMPSON, H. L. (4240). Holly House, Colehill, Wimborne, Dorset. L. TOWNSEND, M. C. (4332). 11 Bassingham Cresc., Lincoln. L. TRIFOURKIS, S. (4258). 101 Perth Rd., Wood Green, London, N.22. Jb lel WAKELEY, L. J. D. (4306). Long Meadow, Forest Rd., East Horsley, Leatherhead, Surrey. ent. WARING, P. M. (4220). 31 Southdale Rd., Oxford. L. WENT, P. G. I. (4266). Selsfield, Hazelgrove Rd., Haywards Heath, Sussex. L. WETZ, S. P. L. (4222). 103 Plaistow Lane, Bromley, Kent. L. C. WILKINSON, T. (4333). 12 Devonshire Ave., Dartford, Kent. L. WILLIAMS, J. (4257). School House, Leighton Park School, Reading, Berks. ent. THE AMATEUR ENTOMOLOGIST Originally an annual publication (the Journal of the AES), containing longer articles than the Bulletin. Now used as a serial title for the Society’s Handbooks. Volumes in print are listed below. 8. Includes several leaflets that are now O.P.: Collecting Dragonflies; Collecting Mosquitoes; Making Sweepnets; an 8pp. list of standard books on entomology, etc. 48 pp., 32 figs., 6pl. Price: 10s. Od. Practical Methods and Hints for Lepidopterists. Contains articles on rearing and collecting larvae; illustrated instructions for making beating trays and cages for all entomological purposes. 42pp., 48 figs., 6 pl. Price: 10s. Od. Contains illustrated articles on Collecting Lacewings; Drawing Insects; Collecting Caddises; Photography of Caterpillars; etc. 40 pp., 10 figs., 12 pl., (Not many left). Price: I2s. Od. A Coleopterist’s Handbook. Describes the tools and methods for collect- ing British beetles; their habitats, commensals and pre-adult stages; how to record, photograph, make a personal collection, and conduct a local survey. 120 pp., 50 figs., 20 pl. Price each: 25s. Od. A Silkmoth Rearer’s Handbook (2nd edn.). How to breed 120 exotic species in Britain, including substitute foodplants and descriptions of stages. Systematic section refers to 1,400 species. Does not deal with the Mulberry Silkworm (Bombyx mori), q.v. Leaflet No. 3. 165 pp., 26 figs., 26 pl. (2 col.). Price each: 30s. Od. THE BULLETIN OF THE AMATEUR ENTOMOLOGIST’S SOCIETY (World List abbreviation : Bull. amat. Ent. Soc.) - Past numbers of the Bulletin contain a wealth of detail on aspects of breeding insects, collecting methods, making equipment, introductions to the less well- known Orders and reports of collecting in the British Isles and abroad. Much of this information is invaluable to new members and back volumes are available at the prices set out below. Each volume is complete with cover and index. Individual parts may also be purchased for Vols. 22 onwards. Vol. 7 (1946 to 1948) sa et wh vee ak = ee 21s. Od. Annual volumes 8 (1949) to 24 (1965) per vol. Sa See ess 10s. Od. or for any two volumes = eee ce S156) Od: Annual volumes 25 (1966) onwards per vol. ... ia apevgagines maa SS SE letters each year from parties of naturalists, generally students, who are making a long-vacation expedition to some out-of-the-way place and who hope that he will be interested in the resulting collection of -mayflies. The reply has to be that such collections will be too incom- plete to be of interest; if the expedition could return in February, March or April, it would be another matter. | Ecology In productive ponds of the type common in the south and east of England, the only species often encountered is Cloeon dipterum. The _ other species in the genus, C. simile Eaton, also dwells among weeds but in deeper water, which means that it is absent from the smaller ' ponds, but may, on the other hand, inhabit much larger bodies of water than C. dipterum. In the north and west, where ponds are generally in an unproductive peaty basin, the species are Leptophlebia mareginata Linn. and L. vespertina Linn. Nobody has ever sought out a series of ponds extending from one extreme with Leptophlebia only to the other with Cloeon only, with a view to finding something with which the change might be correlated. At present it is possible to do no more than speculate. Leptophlebia grows in winter, Cloeon in summer, but the significant point may well be that the eggs of Cloeon _ hatch very soon after they are laid, and those of Leptophlebia do not. Some of the productive ponds where Cloeon is found have very little oxygen, at least near the bottom, at times during the summer, and it is possible that these conditions are lethal to the eggs of Leptophlebia, immobile throughout the critical time, but not to Cloeon which passes so rapidly from this vulnerable stage to a mobile one in which unfavourable local conditions can be avoided. This could be the reason , why Leptophlebia is barred from one end of the range but not why Cloeon is barred from the other. It is often stated that peaty water contains humic acids which are toxic to many organisms, though this remains to be established definitely. If it be assumed to be true, there ' remains the question of whether the nymphs of Cloeon are affected _ directly, or indirectly through their food. Food as a factor affecting distribution is not easy to study. All British Ephemeroptera, as far as is known, feed either on vegetable / matter or on the detritus that accumulates in any piece of fresh water. It is simple to ascertain what they eat, far less simple to discover from what they derive their nourishment. Dr H. B. N. Hynes believes that the chief source of food for animals in a stream is the dead leaves blown in from the land, but, he has suggested, the animals cannot digest dead leaves, and utilize only the bacteria and fungi that are in 58 MAY, 1969 the process of breaking down the vegetable tissues. The problem, there- | fore, passes into the field of microbiology. Dr Hynes and his team, now operating in Canada, are working on this problem at the present time. | The reader will have noticed that in both genera mentioned there are two species. According to what is inappropriately known in Britain as Gause’s hypothesis, two species with the same way of life cannot | live together. The two species of Cloeon, as already noted, are not | identical, because they occupy different habitats. Moreover, they are separated in time, nymphs of one species being small when those of the other are large. For example in a moorland fishpond studied by the writer, most nymphs of Cloeon simile are 5-6mm long during the winter and the adults are on the wing in April and May. The next generation appears in September. Those of Cloeon dipterum are 34mm long during the winter and emergence takes place in June and July. On the other hand the habitats of both species of Leptophlebia appear to be identical. Here too, however, there is temporal separation. L. marginata is bigger than L. vespertina, and emerges about a month earlier. It probably hatches earlier, also, and is, therefore, always larger. If it be assumed that nymphs of different size have a different diet, Leptophlebia also proves to be no exception to Gause’s hypothesis. More species of Ephemeroptera are found in a lake than in a pond. Anyone turning over stones near the edge of, for example, a lake in the Lake District will soon come across Ecdyonurus dispar Curtis and Heptagenia lateralis Curtis. Both belong to a family whose nymphs are highly modified; the body, particularly the head and the femora, is flat and the legs project sideways. The whole is adapted to life on a flat hard surface and the animals can progress with con- siderable speed while remaining closely pressed to the rock or stone. Stones and rock are found only where current or waves have enough force to remove finer particles and it is not surprising, therefore, to find that the inhabitants of this substratum have evolved a form which prevents their being removed too. It is probably difficult also for a predator to pluck them off. Another species of the stony shore is Centroptilum luteolum Mueller. It is not flattened and can swim rapidly by means of the short tails, which are closely beset with hairs down the sides. It is much smaller than the ecdyonurids, and doubtless takes refuge beneath the stones when waves are beating on the shore. It is one of the most easily distinguished nymphs. Its tails are marked with narrow black rings but no broad bands. as are those of Cloeon. Its gills are simple plates ending in a point. It matches a sandy bottom and a characteristic pattern is discernible under a microscope. Large calcareous lakes are rare in England, Scotland and Wales, but common in Ireland. On a stony bottom in one of these, two common species are Heptagenia sulphurea Mueller and H. fuscogrisea Retzius. The latter is known to the writer only from one locality in England, the River Kennet near Reading, where it is found on the stems of suck plants as Iris and Burr-reed. There seems no reason why a nymph AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 59 adapted to live on a flat surface should not cling to plants of this type as well as to stones, but this is the only place where I have ever seen one of them doing this. It is perhaps a matter of behaviour, a hypothesis which could be, but has not been, tested by a simple experiment. | Leptophlebia also inhabits the stony shore but, in the Lake District lakes, it is hardly ever taken except near the time of emergence. A visit to Windermere by the Newcastle University Sub-Aqua Club pro- vided evidence that this is because at other times of year it is at a depth beyond the reach of a collector who, working from the shore, cannot sample the bottom in water deeper than the length of his arm. | Where there is less water movement, either in deeper water or in a bay, sand and finer particles floor the lake. Here may be found nymphs adapted for burrowing. Ephemera danica Mueller is one of ‘the largest species and, with its short broad legs and feathery gills arched over the back, one of the most distinctive. The legs recall those of another burrowing animal, the mole. The feathery gills form a tunnel ‘supporting the substratum above it and keeping it away from the back of the animal along which their beating maintains a flow of water. E. danica inhabits sands, FE. vulgata Linn. mud (fig. 3). The third species, F. lineata Eaton, is rare. A more deeply indented bay will be colonized by reeds, in which Leptophlebia is abundant. Also to be found is Siphlonurus lacustris Eaton, a swimming nymph like Cloeon and Centroptilum, but bigger when full grown. This species occurs also in streams, generally high ‘up in the Lake District, where these run sluggishly over a flat area of land. In Brown Cove, to the north west of Helvellyn, there is a small ‘tarn, not much over a foot deep, dammed to supply water to a mine. The bottom is sandy. Siphlonurus is abundant here and when the nymphs flee at the approach of an observer, they appear at first sight like a swarm of shrimps. Siphlonurus has an inexplicably sporadic distribution. S. lacustris is generally, but not always found in places of the type mentioned and occasionally in slow rivers. The records of S. armatus are from more calcareous waters, but it is difficult to make out a significant difference between the few places where it does occur and the many where it does not. S. linneanus is widespread in ‘northern Europe but the number of records is small in all countries _except Ireland, where it may be encountered frequently. HSS EY are aa SESS SENS NS Sees _ Fig. 3 Nymph of Ephemera vulgata in its burrow. 60 MAY, 1969 The fauna of small stony streams is now comparatively well 1 known. Streams on Dartmoor, in Shropshire, in the Lake District and © in the Pennines have been studied and there has been much work done in — Wales and Scotland also. The common species are: — Baetis rhodani Pictet E. venosus Fab. B. pumilus Heptagenia lateralis Curtis Rhithrogena semicolorata Ephemerella ignita Poda Ecdyonurus torrentis Kimmins Two of these genera, both flat stone-clingers, have been encountered © already on the stony lake shore, but it will be noticed that the species © in the genus Ecdyonurus there was not the same. Also belonging to — this family is Rhithrogena. Neither species in this genus occurs outside © running water, a distribution of which the explanation falls within the sphere of physiology rather than field observation. The gills of Rhithrogena are modified to form a sucker for adhesion to the sub- stratum, whereas those of Ecdyonurus and Heptagenia are free to beat © and maintain a current of water over the body. A Swiss scientist, Dr. | H. Ambihl, imprisoned nymphs in an apparatus through which water | could be passed at a known speed, and he measured the uptake of |; oxygen at different current speeds. Rhithrogena used more oxygen the faster the current. The other two did not. Rhithrogena evidently depends on a continuous flow to bring sufficient oxygen for active life, but Ecdyonurus and Heptagenia in still water can create a sufficient current for this purpose by beatiug their gills. Nymphs of Baetis are swimming forms but their gills are smaller than those of genera already mentioned and almost immovable, which | is likely to be the reason why this genus also is confined to running © water. Ephemerella is characterized by the position of the gills, which | lie on the back and do not project from the sides as do those of most | genera. It cannot swim actively and reaches its greatest abundance in © the vegetation of productive rivers. Nevertheless it is often fairly | numerous in stony streams even in reaches where very few of the stones are covered with moss. Once a definite association of species of this kind has been dis- covered, the naturalist will seek varying environmental conditions to see whether corresponding variations in the animal community can be observed. The student of stream faunas will move upstream and down- stream, and pass to waters with slower flow. With increasing altitudes, Ecdyonurus tends to drop out, and stoneflies become more numerous relative to mayflies. At about 1,000 feet, Baetis tenax Eaton and | Ameletus inopinatus join the community. It is tempting to suppose that | species confined to high altitudes are intolerant of the higher tem- | peratures lower down, but this temptation must be resisted. A com- | petitor may keep a species out of a region in which, alone, it would flourish. A tentative correlation has been made between temperature and the distribution of Heptagenia lateralis. The writer and his col- AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 6] a oe ie ae ee NY Fig. 4 Centroptilum pennulatum. leagues found this species to be abundant in many small Lake District ‘streams, but absent or scarce in others. In the hope that light might be thrown on this, maximum and minimum thermometers were concealed in a number of streams, by good fortune during a long fine summer. Most streams reached a maximum in late May and thereafter in every sunny spell until mid-September reached a level that rarely differed Fig. 5 Baetis rhodani. 62 MAY, 1969 from it by more than a degree or two. The range of maxima was found to be surprisingly large—from 16 to 28°C. The highest temperature was in a stream that originated from a sheltered swamp and flowed” slowly in a channel not shaded by trees. The coldest stream sprang from a thick deposit of soil in a valley facing north and flowed through a wooded gorge. H. lateralis was generally found where the maximum did not exceed 18°C and rarely in streams that were warmer. No experimental confirmation of these field observations has been made. Small stony streams run together to form rivers which may retain the same general character if the slope is steep enough. There must, — however, be certain differences; in the first place the water is more © productive because it is receiving the debris and the drainage from a larger area; secondly everything is on a larger scale, which may mean © that some small local feature, such as a sand-floored bay, reaches at a © certain point downstream a size at which it can support a viable population of a species that dwells on such a substratum. Though little’ more than speculation of this kind can be offered as explanation, the © fact that increasing size goes hand in hand with more species is well — established. Centroptilum pennulatum Eaton, Procloeon pseudorufulum and Baetis scambus Eaton are probably associated with bays where flow is less, because they are found also in small streams whose flow is slow enough to permit sand and gravel to settle. Less easy to explain” are changes within genera typical of swift conditions. Ecdyonurus torrentis is confined to small streams; FE. venosus occurs in small, streams and rivers; EF. dispar Curtis has been recorded only from_ rivers, and the change to E. insignis Eaton may be associated with change to calcareous conditions. In other genera the stream species’ persists and is joined by a river species: Ephemerella notata and Rhithrogena haarupi Petersen. Heptagenia lateralis is replaced by H. sulphurea. Two extremely rare species known only from large) rivers are Ephemera lineata and Potamanthus luteus. . The starting-point of this story is well established, but the rest is’ based on a very limited number of records and requires confirmation. It is no accident that small stony streams have been studied and stony rivers ignored; sampling is so much easier. This is a pity because there are likely to be small stony streams in much the same condition as to-day for many years to come, whereas all kinds of covetous eyes are’ zast on rivers. To the water engineer it is so much good water rushing’ to waste at a time when finding sufficient to satisfy the ever-growing needs of an industrial society is proving harder and harder. To the electrical engineer it is an untapped source of power. To the drainage engineer its alternating deeps and shallows, its curves. its backwaters, its shingle spits, in short those features which the angler, the naturalist) and the lover of the natural scene prize, are encumbrances whose’ removal would achieve the desirable effect of speeding the passage of flood water to the sea. The agriculturalist as well as the industrialist may see a precious commodity in the passing water, and for long all AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 PPP Fig. 6 Paraleptophlebia submarginata. Fig. 7 Caenis rivulorum. ‘sorts and conditions of men have esteemed running water for the ‘way it takes out of sight, and therefore out of mind, anything they happen not to want. All this has been going on for a long time, but we cannot do more than guess at its effect on the fauna because so many old records do not mention a precise place nor describe exact conditions. If a determined effort could be made today to find out what inhabits our big rivers and to record the observations carefully, we, or our “successors, will be able to follow more accurately the inexorable ‘impoverishment of our fauna as the urbanization of the country ' marches on. | If the flow of a small stony stream falls to a rate at which sand ‘settles, tufts of such plants as Milfoil occur. In them the nymphs of Baetis niger are generally found. Other species typical of such ‘stretches are the two species of Centroptilum and Procloeon pseudo- rufulum. Paraleptophlebia submarginata (fig. 6) is another species that ‘occurs when flow is not too fast; possibly it is joined or replaced by 64 MAY, 1969 P. cincta in rivers, but the number of records is too small to warrant a definite assertion. ; When a river becomes slow enough to allow rooted plants to colonize the bottom, great number of Ephemerella occur, and Baetis vernus, B. atrebatinus join B. rhodani, B. pumilus and B. niger. With increasing sluggishness the mayfly fauna may consist ey) of Cloeon, the pond species. The genus Caenis has received little notice so far. Its nymphs are small and burrow in the substratum. The first pair of gills is reduced | to a thread-like appendage on each side. The second pair is large and covers the rest, which are feather-like, as are those of the other burrower, Ephemera. C. rivulorum (fig. 7) is found in the slower parts of small stony streams. C. moesta was added to the British list during the war by Mr D. E. Kimmins, who found it inhabiting gravelly parts of Windermere. C. horaria occurs in muddier places in lakes and ponds. C. macrura appears to be confined to large rivers. C. robusta, the largest, was first recorded in Britain by Dr H. B. N. Hynes and the writer during the course of a summer meeting of the Ecological Society in The Norfolk Broads. After the nymph had been described, it was recorded from several other places, all productive localities with a bottom of rich black mud. Possibly the adult had escaped observation because it emerges early in the morning and then mates, lays eggs and dies before most naturalists are afoot. Predation It may be stressed again that much of this account is based on scanty data. Much more careful collecting is required before the habitat of each common species, and the distribution of those species that are rare, or are thought to be rare, can be defined. Nonetheless it seems clear that each species is confined within a limited range of conditions. How this comes about is a fascinating problem. A few of the factors have been mentioned. The work of Ambiuhl on oxygen is one of the few comprehensive studies of a single factor. The influence of the rest is largely speculation based on field observation unconfirmed by experi- ment; temperature is a good example of this. Clear examples have been described in other groups of the limitation of the range of one species by another, generally a close relative, and further work will probably disclose it in the Ephemeroptera also. Behaviour has been mentioned, so has food though only in the most nebulous way. Another factor, until recently ignored by professional scientists obsessed with their measurements of physical and chemical factors, but now coming to the fore thanks to the work of Dr T. B. Reynoldson and his school on flatworms, is predation. It is probably responsible for the distribution of Ephemeroptera that has recently been described in Windermere. Most of the shallow water in this lake lies over a stony substratum. On this, in the middle of the north basin, Plecoptera, and Ephemeroptera " AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 65 of the species mentioned above, are numerous, and few animals that “are not insects occur. The collector travelling north or south finds a steady diminution and eventual disappearance of stoneflies and mayflies _and a corresponding increase in the number of flatworms and various crustaceans. The abundance of these appears to be associated with the enrichment of the lake by sewage effluent. The nature of the relation- ship is unknown; probably small worms, and other animals on which the large ones mentioned feed, are much more abundant in the richer water. Once they have become numerous in the regions where the food ‘supply is good, these animals, it has been suggested, exterminate the mayflies and stoneflies. Possibly they eat most of their eggs, which are laid in a haphazard way. It is unlikely that there is anything toxic in the sewage effluent for it is well purified and greatly diluted. | The distribution of the young of some groups is brought about by ‘the habits of the egg-laying female, but this is unlikely to be true of most Ephemeroptera because the eggs are laid in such a haphazard way. Many seem to be unable to distinguish between water and any other shiny surface such as a wet road or even a polished car. It seems scarcely likely that they select a particular kind of water. However, ‘some species of Baezis crawl down into the water and glue their eggs ‘to some solid object. These certainly appear to select a site for their ‘eggs. The whole subject of egg-laying is worth much more careful study. So also are the dancing swarms of the males. A good account ‘of these is given by J. R. Harris (1952) in ‘An Angler’s Entomology’ (London: Collins. New Naturalist No. 23), almost the only recent book in English to devote an appreciable amount of space to the Ephemerop- ‘tera. The significance of these dances is unknown. They are common -among insects. Certain species of mosquito will assemble only in certain ‘conditions, and no mating takes place unless the dance is performed. ‘In contrast a male and female of some other species, which may be closely related, will mate at once within the confines of a test-tube. Whether dancing is always an essential preliminary to mayfly copulation has not been investigated. Many anglers are convinced that a poor ‘season for Ephemera is due to the prevalence of wet and windy conditions during the period when the eggs were laid, but this is largely an armchair surmise unsupported by systematic observation. Several questions immediately pose themselves. How many days can the adults ‘survive if they happen to emerge during unfavourable weather? What ‘is the relation between number of eggs laid and number of adults /subsequently emerging? It may be slight, for a female lays several ‘thousand eggs, and therefore a small number could repopulate a large /area. At what stage does the main mortality take place and what is the chief cause? Probably it is extremely high in the early stages, and many nymphs die because the eggs have fallen in unsuitable places. 'How far is overcrowding alleviated by migration of nymphs to less thickly populated areas? This is an important question, and a difficult one particularly in running water, which must be answered before 66 MAY, 1969 reliable figures for mortality at successive stages of one generation can be obtained. The writer once spent a night camping beside Lough Sheelin in pursuit of the nymphs of Heptagenia fuscogrisea. The evening was sunny but there was a cold and strong wind. On the exposed side of a wooded peninsula not a mayfly was to be seen. Under the lee of the trees the air was thick with them. What is the result of such circumstances if weather conditions remain unchanged throughout the flight period, which, in view of its brevity, must sometimes happen? Recording The compilation of lists has long been an activity favoured by natural history societies, and sometimes the purpose of it has been vague. A bare list which fails to distinguish the species that abounds everywhere from the one that would not have been recorded but for the determination of some naturalist to take it within the prescribed bounds is of limited value. A list with some indication of relative abundance is better. A list with detailed descriptions of where each species was found is better still. The identification must, of course, be reliable. One’ collector, who, ranging far afield, misnames his captures will make nonsense of any distribution map which includes his records. To obviate this difficulty certain societies, for example the Botanical and the Conchological Societies, recognize no new record that has not been confirmed by an appointed recorder, even though the person making the capture may be the authority. It is not easy to find for a less popular group somebody who is competent to act as recorder, and who is willing to accept the view that knowledge will accrue more rapidly if he is prepared to take time off from his own work to check the collections of all and sundry. It is to be hoped that the activities of the Nature Conservancy based on Monk’s Wood will put the whole question of recording on a more satisfactory basis. Much recording has been founded on the idea that light might be thrown on the origin of the species taken. The popularity of explaining present distribution in terms of recolonization after the Ice Age fluctuates widely. Sometimes those who enjoy speculation unhindered by too many facts are widely followed. At other times they are dis- credited by the hard-headed pragmatic types who point out that much has happened in the last 2,000 years, let alone the 20,000 or so since the ice retreated. Britain has been largely deforested during that period and then drastically modified by industry, agriculture and drainage. Moreover, the distribution of many species is imperfectly known and the identification of some earlier records open to doubt. In the past the distribution of species has generally been recorded by counties, or vice counties though political boundaries have little to recommend them. More valuable are records of what occurs in some uniform area. The Natural History of Wicken Fen (ed. J. Stanley Gardiner 1932. Cambridge: Bowes & Bowes) may be taken as an AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 67 illustration of this point and of several others. The village of Wicken lies some twelve miles from Cambridge and near it there is an area of fenland that escaped the drainage operations of the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. It was one of ihe earliest properties to be acquired by the National Trust. After the first World War the fauna and flora were studied extensively. A future Professor of Botany laid the foundation of his reputation there and several of his students made it the subject of their Ph.D. theses. At that time, however, field work had ceased to attract professional zoologists and many of the reports on the fauna were written by amateurs, among whom one must place the undergraduates. One can sense a certain frustration in many parts of the book. The chief zoological attraction at that period was the Swallowtail Butterfly, abundant in but almost confined to Wicken Fen. Students of other groups clearly expected to find something comparable and were disappointed that their lists contained only common and widespread species. No new vistas were opened up; few contributions to general ‘theory were possible. However, in the years that followed the writer ‘has often noted what they took and where they took it and what they did not collect, and found it valuable when making comparison with some other relatively uniform area. The pioneer can do little more than record but his records may prove an essential platform from which advances in the future can be launched. ia Wiacanr @ JUNIOR NEWS SECTION I have had several letters recently from young bug-hunters who are having trouble with friends and parents who are not naturalists. I ‘Suppose all of us at some time or other have to put up with both of these threats to our enjoyment of the enthralling scientific hobby of Entomology. | Friends cannot comprehend how we get so much enjoyment out of creepy-crawlies without realizing that we have been given a real chance to become involved in the vast awe inspiring world we live in. The study of insects is an interest which could fill many lifetimes. It does not really matter if we never take up entomology as a research ‘scientist or as a dealer in rare butterflies, entomology can still help to occupy those countless empty moments which all our lives abound in. H I have sat in the dentist’s chair watching Rove beetles and tiny - fruit flies on the window without really noticing that the dentist has practically disappeared inside one of my molars. When my daughter was being born I did not pace hospital floors getting lung cancer. No ‘fear, I was watching nettle weevils and Autumn Bush- cricket nymphs in the poeta garden weed patch. Entomology is soothing. 1 | i 68 MAY, 1969 The big game hunter must spend a fortune and travel hundreds. of miles before he can catch even a glimpse of the wonders he hopes. to see. The entomologist has the world at his feet. I was tempted to give © a long list of insects which can be seen commonly anywhere just to. prove my point but I am sure you all know what I mean. Entomology is exciting. Do not let your friends discourage your interest in insects, Entomology and friendship can come to terms. Entomology and courtship are quite a different ‘kettle of Silver Fish’. | Probably it is advisable to put aside your nets notes and magnifying glass and to concentrate on choosing and wooing the right spouse. The | selected partner need not necessarily be an entomologist but it is best to marry someone who does not mind having Dung Beetles kept in the salad bowls. My wife doesn’t mind. Some years ago I wrote some notes on how to persuade parents to stop persecuting the young entomologist. I would like to repeat some | of them here. Most people do not like being blinded by science. They are not. overjoyed by being told that the creature they have given you is a rather | fine specimen of Dorcus parallellpipidus Linn. A fab Lesser Stag Beetle is much more suitable. Dad feels much happier bringing you a Black Snail-eating Beetle than an example of Phosphuga atrata Linn. Use scientific names to impress Dad’s friends, otherwise make up a suitable English name. Such an English name gives your parents something | to tell their acquaintances and also makes them feel that they would | be able to understand your hobby if they really wanted to (which, as_ they are old (over thirty) is doubtful). | Once parents are convinced that Entomology is doing you no- harm they will try to help by supplying specimens. Whatever you do, | do not refer to any insect they have caught as the ‘Common’ something | or other. They do not realize that to us Common means found every-_ where, not having litle value: Never use ‘Common’ or for that matter ‘Ordinary’ in any name you say to a non-entomologist adult. Substitute ‘House’ or ‘Field’ or ‘British’ for ‘Common’. I gave all insects English names to my parents and never called | anything ‘Common’. They let me keep Dung Beetles in the salad bowls. | One last point. Do not refuse specimens. Show a little enthusiasm | over the rare Albino Earwing which you know is a normal one just. moulted. I know many of you find it hard to give things away and find | it even harder to accept things. Try to do both graciously. | The serious business of the May Quiz comes next and I have decided to give you a choice this year. You can either write and illustrate’ a short piece on each of the following: (i) An Oak Apple Gall Wasp; ' (ii) A Codling Moth; (iii) A Tiger Beetle: (iv) A typical Flea; (v) A typical Aphid; (vi) A May Fly; (vii) A Lady bird; (viii) A Crane Fly; (ix) A Lace Wing; and lastly (x) A typical Bumble Bee. Or you can obtain your small prize (an AES badge, a single copy AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 69 of a Bulletin from the period 1949 up to the time you joined the Society, live stick insects (Indian, Madagascan or Corsican) or provided I can get hold of it, any specimen you are particularly after) by having a shot at the following questions. Please don’t forget to include your full name and age on your entry which should reach me within three weeks of receiving your copy of the Bulletin. 1. What are ‘Leather Jackets’ and why are they of interest to the gardener? 2. What is the scientific name of the Brimstone Butterfly? 3. What is a Sheep Ked? 4. Draw and colour a larva of a Death’s Head Hawk Moth. 5. What in fact are ‘Wood worm’? 6. What is the function of an Insect’s ocelli? 7. Describe how a Dragonfly nymph catches its dinner. 8. Draw and colour an adult Beautiful Utetheisa Moth, Utetheisa bella Linn. .9. What is the spectacular way in which Frog Hopper nymphs protect themselves? 10. Draw and colour the larva of a Colorado beetle. 11. What damage do Codling Moths do? 12. How long does a typical May Fly nymph live under water? 13. Draw simple diagrams of larvae of (a) an Ant; (b) a Flea; (c) a | Social Wasp. 14. What do Horntail Wasp larvae feed on? 15. How does a Tiger Beetle larva catch its food? 16. Draw and colour the larva of a Seven Spot Ladybird. 17. How many species of British Butterflies are there? 18. What do the larvae of Blue Bottle Flies eat? 19. What do the larvae of Lacewings feed on? 20. What in particular would you like me to write about in future issues of the Bulletin. | The Nature Conservancy is now interested in records of Odonata and Orthoptera as well as Lepidoptera. If you are interested in helping 26.1.68 | H. J. Berman (2971A). © ANNUAL EXHIBITION, OCTOBER 5th, 1968 | A perfect October day at our usual venue, Hugh Myddelton Secondary School, ensured a record gathering of members and friends. It was disappointing therefore that the members’ exhibits, the primary objective of the meeting, were fewer than in recent years. This was particularly noticeable in the Junior section. An indifferent summer in Southern England may have been partly responsible and also some 70 MAY, 1969. Juniors were assisting in composite projects but nevertheless the Council | feel that it is essential that Members’ own contributions should be the — initial interest. : Somewhat surprisingly, nothing but appreciation was received from — most persons expressing an opinion. However, this was probably cloaked by the fact that practically every leading natural history dealer was present and material from all over the world was brilliantly displayed. | Certainly it is convenient to restock with basic impedimenta at the close of the active year. | As usual, the Wants and Exchanges Table was well patronised and © the generous donations of surplus apparatus by a number of members, | provided a welcome bonus to the Society’s funds. The prize for the best. Junior exhibit was judged by the President. Due to the departure of Mr Robertson for Scotland, the setting | demonstration, a popular feature for many years, was not included. Although this set free a further room for refreshments, a decisive gain - in that direction, this feature was badly missed. The Exhibition Secretary would welcome offers from any member willing to demonstrate setting | techniques in his particular order, next year. Hand in hand with conservation, insect photography has made vast strides in recent years and is proving a popular feature. Continually | through the afternoon, Mr Cribb and his assistants showed colour slides both from members and the Society’s collection and later Mr R. J./ Osborne (2437) ran his interesting colour film on the life history of | various hawkmoths and silkmoths. As in previous years, we are greatly indebted to Mr B. F. Skinner and many friends for their untiring efforts which contributed so much | to the success of the afternoon and also to the catering staff of the School for their efficient and pleasant service. | Members’ exhibits included: — ANDERSON, L. S. An ingenious adaption of a chart recorder to a M.V. light trap showing time and number of insects attracted. APPLETON, D. (3631). Typical Coleoptera from S. Hampshire. AMATEUR CONSERVATION GRouP. Convenor K. J. Wilmott. Coleoptera Section—It was emphasised that although the Lepidoptera were receiv- | ing the major publicity, many other orders were in need of protection. Photography in place of collecting was stressed. | Lepidoptera Section—Better co-operation of the many existing bodies desirable. Also means of taking quicker action, when necessary. | Barker, L. Large colour portraits of butterflies and moths. BEER, W. Living hawkmoths, including Death’s Head (Acherontia atropos Linn.) of which only twelve have been reported this year. Bruce, C. (1746). Colour variations and aberrations of British Lepidop-} tera. Also interesting insects taken in 1967. | Crips, P. W. (2270). Butterflies from Spain and Portugal with notes on species and localities. Larvae of common moths, easily found at this time of the year. AES BUEEETIN, VOL. 28 7\ DERBYSHIRE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Series and prints of Lepidoptera with the emphasis on species and local races in this county. ‘Extse, G. R. (3881). Typical Lepidoptera found in S. Hampshire and Sussex. FITZJOHN, J. R. (3707). Moths taken at M.V. light trap at Boreham Wood, Herts., during 1968. HAWKEY, P. M. (3654J). Moths bred from sallow catkins, collected in spring. Hestop, J. Larvae of Marbled White Butterfly (Melanargia galathea Linn.) from S. Spain. HILLIARD, R. D. (99). Moths bred from poplars in the Stanmore area over a number of years: possibly the most productive London suburban tree for Lepidoptera. Also M.V. light trap records compared for three years from the same area. KEEN, M. Comprehensive survey of the Butterflies and Moths of Corely Hall, with notes, photographs and key to species. LEPIDOPTERA DISTRIBUTION MAPS SCHEME. Representatives of the Scheme were present to discuss details and showed preliminary results. An extension to other orders is planned. Lewis, D. V. (3963J). Some interesting moths from N. Wales with notes on selected species. LONDON ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. As in previous years, we were pleased to welcome a Curator from the ‘London Zoo’ who showed a wide selection of animals and insects. Low, A., and GarDNkgR, E. Detailed collection of Orthoptera (Grass- hoppers, etc.) and Phasmida. McCormick, R. F. (3375). Lepidoptera noted in an outer London garden (S.W.16) together with detailed M.V. light trap records. Also general U.K. records. PENNEY. C. C. (3880J). Lepidoptera taken in the chalk areas around Boxhill, during 1967. PLesTER, L. S. (2968). A fascinating collection of Finnish natural history RANGER, J. (1002). Variation in the Small Tortoiseshell (A. urticae Dal.) and Peacock (N. io Kluk.) butterflies. Rocers, P. S. Map of localities and specimens taken in 1967 (U.K.). SADLER, E. A. (2966). Illustrated life history of the Rosy Marsh Moth (C. subrosea Steph.) from its new locality in N. Wales. SILKMOTH REARERS Group. General exhibit of equipment and species. Also members present to answer queries and recruit. SKINNER, B. F. (2470). Local species of U.K. lepidoptera taken and bred in 1968. = Ivo NaTuRAL History Society. As in previous years, we were privileged to see a cross-section of the Nature studies being undertaken by this unique School Society. TEENAGE INTERNATIONAL ENTOMOLOGY GROUP. The vigorous British section illustrated their activities. It is hoped that the financial troubles } 72 MAY, 1969 of the U.S.A. control committee will soon be solved. / WATERS, A. P. (2615). Butterflies from Sweden and N. Germany includ- ing long series of The Map Butterfly (A. Jevana Linn.) to illustrate variation. R. D. Hilliard (99). WHITE ADMIRAL IN SUSSEX I should like to put on record the sighting of a White Admiral | (Limentis camilla Linn.). It was seen on August 12th, 1968 in a small wood near Waldron, Sussex. This is the first time I have seen the butterfly in this locality despite close observation. It was surprising that so fresh a specimen should have been on the wing so late in the year. P. Mobbs (3956J). DEATH’S HEAD HAWK MOTH IN DARLINGTON On the night of the 11th-12th September 1968 I took a Death’s Head Hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos Linn.) in a Robinson light-trap in Low Coniscliffe near Darlington, Co. Durham. The moth had a wingspan of 12cm and was in perfect condition. I should be interested to hear of other records of this species taken previously in the same area. | R. P. Eaton (3926). CONSERVATION GROUP Takeovers and mergers are now the thing, so no less with conserva- tion; the AES Conservation Group has united with the Coleoptera Conservation Group of the TIEG. The Coleoptera Section will be run by David Lonsdale of Southampton University, who specialises in Hydrophilus piceus Linn.; this beetle needs all our help in order to survive and prevent the species from becoming extinct in Britain. All enquiries about the group should be addressed to the Secretary, AES. Conservation Group, 33a Willows Park, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berks. Printed by Ellis & Phillips Ltd., East Side Press, Rye Street, Bishop's Stortford and published by the Amateur Entomologists’ Society, 335 Hounslow Road, Hanworth, Feltham, Middlesex. 1969 The Butterfly Farm Ltd. (Founded in 1894) ~BILSINGTON, ASHFORD, KENT Telephone: Hamstreet 513 Our comprehensive service is rapidly extending and we can supply many world species of butterflies, moths and other insects—living, set or papered. Also ail apparatus, equipment, books, and other biological needs of | entomologists. We cater for collectors, schools, and research workers. Visitors are welcome (please be sure to telephone for an appointment)— there is no charge this year. Many items are on display and a visit is most rewarding. The Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation A monthly illustrated magazine, founded by J. W. Tutt in 1890, is devoted mainly to the Lepidoptera of the British Isles. It also deals with other orders of insects especially Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Orthop- tera. Its articles include descriptions of new species and varieties, reports on collecting trips, distribution, habits and habitats of insects and of collecting and study techniques suitable for novice and expert. It circulates in 47 countries. | Annual subscription - 35s. post free Fl: Write for specimen copy to F. W. Byers, 59, Gurney Court Road, | St. Albans, Herts., enclosing 5/-. This amount will be taken into _| account in the first year’s subscription. Honeyheey FROM CLOSE UP | by ARTHUR M. DINES Photographs by STEPHEN DALTON. In this volume a distinguished beekeeper entomologist combines his talents with those of a celebrated insect photographer to show how the honeybee lives and works to perpetuate the species. Sixty-seven detailed photographs help to reveal the daily life and the mysterious talents of this favourite of the insect world. Mr. Dines investigates the many mysteries surrounding the life of the bee which to this day astound scientists. Bees have a system of communication which seems to be surpassed only by man’s. The author tells how the © bees dance to communicate the location of a new source of food; how they navigate by the position of the sun; how they decide when it is time to swarm—or start a new hive; how they debate among themselves over which site will make the best home; how the queen inhibits their instinct to start ‘queen cells”; and how an egg is tended by the workers so that it will develop into a new | queen. In a separate chapter the author speculates on how the bee with its multifaceted eye navigates by patterns, shapes and colours. Detailed photographs in close-up reveal the hive as rarely seen by man. Arthur Dines, who has made a lifetime study of the bee, heads the science department in a London secondary school. Photographer Stephen Dalton, who is known for his outstanding work in the natural sciences, took the photographs for Ants from Close Up, previously published by Cassell. 67 detailed photographs in the text 35/- PUBLISHED BY CASSELL i { ‘ : rat i ee : ’ : j . ot . ‘ ee, rn . hl : , 2 ay ae { i te, <, iS 5 ’ J } } ~ da eo ee ee ; s be aula eae hie 2) | jel Sa oe ln wee _ > ae eS ‘. = (3 =? ca a) ae meta Ce eee ee ee ee a ee ee Dae, ee: ——— 4 — r- - op Gi. © oatos cpr aa 1p WARE O98 = ee any Treas iil "A sicch aacc’‘srinal ti hacia Se ours thet en eae sk eee ead ec a pt MRA fi i ey nd . + ‘ , i ? , . bY i, 4 3 7 5 ° . mc UR IATE P O — , ‘ THE Ab lation World List abbrev : Bull. amat. Ent. Soc. AVID CORKE, B.Sc., L.1.Biol. D EDITED by The Microscope Made Easy A. Laurence Wells New edition The book begins with a des- cription of a simple micros- cope and with advice on how to use it. There is helpful in- formation on crystals, vege- table fibres, animal hairs and on the intriguing study of minute marine life. Mounting materials and methods are also given. 8 colour and 7 black and white plates and 26 line drawings throughout the text. Fully indexed. 15s. net. Warne, 1-4 Bedford Crt., London, W.C.2. AES NOTICE — where to write Membership applications and first subscriptions to: Changes of address and non-arrival of Bulletins to: Advertisers and for Prospectus of Society and Application forms to: Offers to lead field meetings, etc. to: Manuscripts, drawings and books for review to: Subscription renewals (25/- per annum, |2/6 under |7 years) to: Youth matters to: Offers of help, queries, etc. to: Annual exhibition matters to: Hon. General Secretary: Members’ Badges available Price 3s. 6d. plus 6d. postage and packing Please apply to: - DD. Keen, | 4 Staffa Rd., Loose Court, Maidstone, Kent D. Keen, 4 Staffa Road, Loose Court, Maid- stone, Kent. P. Taylor, 18 Old Manor Drive, Isleworth, Middlesex. R. D. Hilliard, 18 Golf Close, Stanmore, Mid- dlesex. GRimsdyke 0460. R. H. Allen, 26 Burnside Road, Dagenham, Essex. D. Corke, West Ham College of Technology, Department of Biology, Romford Road, London, ETS. B. R. Stallwood, 7, Markall Close, Cheriton, Alresford, Hants. H. J. Berman, St Ivo School, St Ives, Hunts. G. Prior, 23 Manor Way, North Harrow, Middlesex. P. W. Cribb, 355 Hounslow Road, Hanworth, Feltham, Middlesex. G. Prior, 23 Manor Way, North Harrow, Middlesex. A small enamel badge, in} the form of a yellow Brim- | stone butterfly with the] letters AES in gilt, is now} — if : ' " ~ ee nee (>< iit cola ‘ af ate aN Ma “ ii NRIs ee ” (Ce a eek a a US sie is AT, eli r cal a ah is aap dit sre Worldwide Butterflies Ltd. Over Compton, Sherborne, Dorset. Yeovil 4608-9 We offer a unique service to collectors, breeders, schools, universities, museums and research organisations. As well as livestock bred on the Sherborne butterfly farm we supply a comprehensive range of preserved specimens from all over the world, also books, collecting and breeding equipment, microscopes and laboratory requirements. Send for our current catalogue and details of our Mailing List. Visit our SHOWROOM at 21 Brighton Square, BRIGHTON. COLLECTION AND DISPATCH OF LIVING MATERIAL Suitable person(s) (possibly forester or local resident interested in natural history) are required to collect and dispatch to England, living material of Papilio dardanus from Abyssinia, Kenya and Madagascar, and of Papilio memnon from Sumatra, Celebes and possibly other areas. Honorarium and all reasonable expenses paid. Further information may be obtained from the Registrar, The University, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, England. Please quote reference RV/ The Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation A monthly illustrated magazine, founded by J. W. Tutt in 1890, is devoted mainly to the Lepidoptera of the British Isles. It also deals with other orders of insects especially Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Orthop- tera. Its articles include descriptions of new species and varieties, reports on collecting trips, distribution, habits and habitats of insects and of collecting and study techniques suitable for novice and expert. It circulates in 47 countries. Annual subscription - 35s. post free Write for specimen copy to F. W. Byers, 59, Gurney Court Road, St. Albans, Herts., enclosing 5/-. This amount will be taken into account in the first year’s subscription. a aa Ya VA YA VA Yan Va VA Ya Ya Va Va YA A Va Va YA VA YA YA Ya YA VA "AVA YA 9A YA VA VA UA A VA Uh YA VA WA VA VA VA YA VA YA A VA VA VA VA Ua VA UA VA A WA VA Va VA UA VA Ua VV VA Ua Va VA Vi VA Ua WA Ua VA WA VA VA VA VA VA WA VA VA VA a OA ANNUAL EXHIBITION 1969 The Annual Exhibition will be held on 27th September, 1969 at the Holland Park School, W.8. Full details of how to reach the school, etc., are given on the back cover. The following further notes may be of assistance to those intending to visit the exhibition. Bz Exhibits are not confined to specimens captured this season: an item need not be new to be of interest. Any exhibit related to entomology in its broadest sense (and nature study) may be shown. This includes not only set specimens, livestock and apparatus, but also the illustration of techniques, records and observations with or without specimens of the species concerned, etc. A covering for set specimens is advisable—a piece of “‘polyglaze” or similar material may be used as a transparent cover © to protect storebox specimens, for instance. Exhibits from non-Members and Members of affiliated societies are welcomed. Good labelling of exhibits is essential, as the value of an exhibit often : lies in the explanation of what the material displayed represents. The | name of the exhibitor should be added as this allows not only contact to be made between the exhibitor and people particularly interested in the exhibit, but also allows a note of the exhibit to appear in the exhibition report in the Bulletin, so that Members who are unable to visit the exhibition are aware of some of the special interests of other Members. Juniors’ prize: There will be a special prize for the best Junior Member’s exhibit (a “Junior Member” is one who was eligible to pay the Junior subscription for this year). Group exhibits are allowed, and in the event of such an exhibit winning, the prize will be shared equally between the members of the group. Exhibits will be judged by the President. The method of presentation in relation to the subject will be the chief criterion used in judging the exhibits—it is therefore not necessary to exhibit large numbers of specimens, or species which are rare, to win the prize. Age will also be taken into account. Colour slides from the Society’s collection will be shown throughout the afternoon, and Members are invited to bring along interesting slides of their own to show other Members. Dealers: At AES Exhibitions it is no exaggeration to say that nearly every entomological supplier in the country is always represented, and this will be equally true of this year. Bring an exhibit, large or small fa Wa Wa Wa Wa Van Wa Wa Wa Wa a Wa Ua Wa Wa Wa Wa Ua Wa Ua Wa Ua Uo Wa Ua Wa Uh Wa Wa Oh Uh Uh Wa Ua Oh Ua Uk Wa Ua UA OO Ua Uk UO OU Uk Ua Ok OO OO Ok WOU OO WOOO AES No. 284 BULLETIN AUGUST, 1969 EDITORIAL It is good to see that an active Conservation Group is emerging in _ the AES (see the report by Mr Parker in this issue). This coupled with the establishment of a new society devoted to the conservation of British butterflies indicates clearly that, at last, entomologists are waking up to . their responsibilities. Ornithologists have for years been demonstrating . that it is possible to study and enjoy a group of animals without killing . them, and the RSPB is one of the most active conservation bodies. For _ too long there has been a tendency for entomologists to “‘catch it, kill it and name it” with never a thought to the possibility of studying insects alive and in the wild. At last this trend seems to be reversing. However, despite the improvement in entomologists’ attitudes "towards conservation, all is not well with the Conservation movement in Britain. Private individuals within the Council for Nature have put ‘forward proposals that this body should amalgamate with the Society ' for Promotion of Nature Reserves (the guardian angel for the County ' Naturalists’ Trusts) and the RSPB. If this comes about a really powerful society will result—one which can promote the purchase and conserva- tion of nature reserves throughout Britain, as well as encouraging the _ government to take more interest in conservation. | | But the Council for Nature is ailing and may die before the amalga- mation can be agreed. The RSPB may direct any new body too much towards the exclusive interest of birds. What can we, as entomologists, ‘do? Well firstly we should all join our local County Trust—at the ~moment these bodies do more than any other for conservation in Britain. All of them need the entomological knowledge which you can provide, as well as any time or money you have to spare. Secondly as soon as a truly national society for all conservation interests is established join this too. 7 I shall be abroad for part of the Summer and this will result in a ‘delay to the November Bulletin and in answering letters. Please accept my apologies in advance. | The Society is always pleased to receive the publications of affiliated "societies. One especially praise-worthy effort is ‘Heritage’, a duplicated, quarterly bulletin of the Loughborough Naturalists’ Club. Information ‘on this club can be obtained from Miss B. Booton, 58 Groby Lane. Newtown Linford, Leicestershire. | David Corke (2962). Front cover illustration: Aquatic insects drawn by Mr D. P. Golding. 74 AUGUST, 1969 COLLECTING NOTES—AUGUST 1969 The Smaller Moths This article deals with some of the leaf-miners, other than Litho- colletidae and Nepticulidae, which afford interesting autumn work for the microlepidopterist. Mr Bradford has depicted two: of Microsetia stipella Hubn. he writes as follows: “The cocoon of this moth was taken from a rustic pole in the garden at the base of which there were — plants of Chenopodium spp. on which the larva had probably fed. Atriplex patula Linn. also grows wild in the garden and possibly there — are two species of Chenopodium: most of my specimens have come from the garden the end third of which is on the wild side. The larvae make whitish blotches in the leaves of Chenopodium and Atriplex and can be found in June and again in September and October. The adult moth is on the wing in May and June and again in August. “The forewings are mainly dark grey. In some specimens they have more of a bluey-purple look. There are two triangular yellowish spots, one near the end of the costa and the other in the tornal angle. There — are two more spots in the disc and on the fold surrounded by blacker | scales.’ There is considerable variation in the size of the yellow spots, and in some specimens the whole dorsum is suffused with yellow. M. stipella — is a common moth, especially near the coast, and is easy to breed. In captivity the larvae spin up in sheets of tissue, and, if the pupae are © brought indoors into a warm room in February, the moths will soon — begin to emerge. While searching for their white mines in the autumn, keep a look out for greenish mines containing crimson spotted larvae: these are M. hermannella Fab. Unlike their cousins, these larvae seem reluctant to change to fresh leaves as their food withers and I lost those I collected when they were small. However, nearly full-fed larvae taken a little later from the same place gave no trouble and yielded imagines early in the year when accorded the same treatment as M. stipella. With its black, orange and metallic coloration, M. hermannella is one of the most beautiful of the Gelechiids. The second moth Mr Bradford has drawn is the tiny Leucoptera scitella Zell. Of this he writes: ‘I have only found this little moth in one area to date. It is not far from where I live in Hertfordshire and consists of a clipped hawthorn hedge (Crataegus sp.) containing a couple of elder trees (Sambucus nigra Linn.) and various plants at the base. The hedge is about two hundred feet long and is inside an iron railing. In the autumn I collected a number of leaves of the hawthorn that had well developed spiral blotches in them, and larvae therein. It is best to collect the leaves when the blotch is about three-eighths to half an inch in diameter; by then the larvae are almost fully developed. If the leaves are collected earlier, there is a danger of drying out and the larvae ~ ES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 75 E-S .BRADFORO Microsetia stipella Hiibn. (Wing span 8-10mm) Leucoptera scitella Zell. (Wing span 7-8mm) ying. The leaves were put in a seed-box with an inch of earth at the »ottom, left out in the open under cover and watered occasionally during ‘he winter. The adult moths emerged in June. ‘The forewings from the base to about half-way are a dull leaden colour with a hint of blue-grey, while the apical half is partly orange. [he post-tornal spot is a lovely violet-gold colour with a blackish area 2ach side. The bar preceding this and the two bars from the costa are orange edged with brown-grey, the costal bars being separated by a whitish streak. The terminal bars are blackish, the penultimate one being more or less horizontal with the wing.’ (This serves to distinguish - AUGUST, 1969! L. scitella from its close relative L. lotella Staint. which has the equiva-. lent bar directed upwards.) “The hindwings are brownish grey.’ Apple (Malus spp.) and Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia Linn.) are also |: the food-plants of this larva. An interesting character of the adult which . is shown clearly in Mr Bradford’s drawing, is the thickened scape at | the base of the antenna which forms a kind of eye-cap. This is a usual feature of this family (the Lyonetidae) and also occurs in the Nepticulidae. Another Gelechiid larva to be found in the autumn is Scrobipalpa acuminatella Sirc. which makes brownish blotches in the leaves of thistles (Carduus and Cirsium spp.): I have generally found it on the larger, softer rosette leaves which rest on the ground. In the wild this species emerges in late April: so this, too, is an easy moth to force. The larvae of the next two species feed in the early autumn and their moths emerge in October and then overwinter. The first is Acrolepia Pygmaeana Haw. which makes white blotches in the leaves of Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara Linn.) and then pupates in an open network cocoon which resembles in texture a nylon stocking seen under magnification. The termination ‘-ana’ of its specific name shows that Haworth supposed it to be a Tortricid—a natural enough mistake to make on first acquaintance from the general appearance of the moth. The other, called Bedellia somnulentella Zell., belongs to the small family of the Tischeriidae. I do not know whether it gets its name from its long winter sleep or its dusky coloration, though it makes up for its drab hues by the grace of its outline. The larvae mine leaves of Convolvulus making conspicuous white blotches (they eject their frass) and readily transferring to fresh leaves. When the time comes for pupation, they construct slender hammocks in which to effect their transformation. The larvae are erratic in their appearance: they swarmed at Stanford-le-Hope in south Essex in early October, 1967, though in many years I have been hard put to it to find half a dozen. Three other members of the Tischeriidae conclude this selection of autumn leaf-miners. Tischeria complanella Hiibn. and T. dodonaea Heyd. make blotches on the upper surface of oak-leaves, the former white and the latter (a rarity I have yet to encounter) brown. T. complanella con- structs a neat, round cocoon inside its mine, clearly visible against the light, and in this cocoon it overwinters, pupating in the spring. The third species, T. angusticolella Dup. is very local but common enough in some places where it occurs, as in localities like the Thames estuary. The larvae make blotch mines in the leaves of Rosa spp.. often low down. causing them to fold upwards. The leaves should be picked about the end of October and, to avoid desiccation, put in a flower-pot a quarter filled with earth; some nylon tied over the top will keep out unwelcome visitors. The pot should be left out of doors in the shade at least until Christmas and watered if there is insufficient rain. After pupation they may be brought into an outhouse. I have not tried forcing this species, but it would probably be successful. A. M. Emmet (1379). , hg ee — —) " & — a — —_ ~—= rae re |S, » AES BULLETIN, VOL. 28 7 Hymenoptera Aculeata Mr. Ul C. Felton regrets that due to ill health he has been unable to -ontinue this series in the May Bulletin and in this issue. He hopes to continue the notes in the November issue. MANIOLA JURTINA (Linn.) (the Meadow Brown Butterfly ) AND ITS FORMS After some ten years’ work on Maniola jurtina (The Meadow Brown Butterfly) I published a paper in the Entomologist’s Record Vol. 81. As a number of AES members helped in some way with the preparation of | this work I thought it would be of interest to publish a summary of the | information that it contained: in a form which would be suitable for the ' Bulletin. I have omitted all synonyms in the hope that if anyone cares to _ find out more about this interesting species he will get the necessary information from the ‘Record’. | Maniola jurtina (Linn.) (Maniola Schrank, 1801—Type: jurtina (Linn.)) Distribution. Europe (rare north of 62° in Sweden), the Canary Islands, Africa north of the Atlas Mountains, most of the Western and Central Mediterranean Islands to Western Siberia and North Persia. _ Abundant in most of Central Europe up to about 4000 feet. It becomes much more local in the north-west of Scotland and, in the south, it is missing from large areas of the Alps and the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. In Portugal and the Mediterranean Islands it becomes a _ shade-loving insect, becoming rarer as one goes eastward. | Flight Period. In Central Europe, early June-September, but in north Scotland and Scandinavia it does not appear until early July and flies until the end of August. In Southern Europe it flies from May until October but in the Canaries and Malta the flight period is from April until November. | Forms. The term ‘form’ has been used to cover all types of variation ‘below sub-species. The system used by Leeds (1950) has complicated matters somewhat and his names have been used only where they refer to forms not already described. \A. Size f. nana Stephen 1923—-a dwarf. /f. (2 race) parvula Stauder 1915—a dwarf race of hispulla Esp. from Monte Faito and S. Angelo (Sorento). 'f. major Leeds 1950—strikingly large specimens. ‘B. Albinism \f. brigitta Ljunch 1799—an albino in which the wings in part are wholly turned to | white or very pale. f. cinerea Cosm. 1892—albinos with scaling on the wings which leaves them pale metallic, ashy or greasy in appearance. \f. subtis-albida Silbernagel, 1943—has the underside forewings very pale through | which shines the upperside markings. | 78 AUGUST, 1969s = ie om tin —_—— oo + + ; i ; = | gh | a 1 "4:5 BULLETIN, VOL. 28 79 {pallens Th.-Meig., 1889—has the apical patch abnormally pale or white. {9 peermedia Lempke, 1935—has only part of the apical patch very light or white. ( Variation in Ground Colour {2 nigro-rubra Lmbll., 1903—ground colour blackish brown (Erebia-like) with reddish brown apical patch. {nigrianira Forsyth-Johnstone, 1941—has the upperside forewings greyish-brown with the fulvous patch very much reduced. Hindwings similar. Margins and transverse band on the underside much extended and very dark. 1 2 huenei Krul., 1908—has the fulvous area darkened because of a dusting of dark scales (ground colour). j antiultrafulvescens Leeds, 1950—has the basal part of the underside forewings distinctly darkened—sometimes reddish. iconcolorata Thomson, 1969—has the area between the transverse medial band of the underside forewings of the very same dark colour as the upperside. 1 é suffusa Tutt, 1896—a male without fulvous on the upperside. i ¢ hertha Heinrich, 1909—has a band of fulvous on the forewings. 1 é feminea Graves, 1930—is a male with fulvous on the hindwings. 1 2 pseudomas Ckll., 1889—has only male marking. 1 2 rufocincta Fuchs, 1900—is a female with fulvous on the hindwings. 1 2 nuragiformis Vrty., 1916—has very much extended fulvous resembling _ Maniola nurag Ghil. ‘ tithoniformis Vrty., 1916—has three characters further developed together with | very large apical eye-spots. ' 2 antifulva Lempke, 1957—has the fulvous extended on the forewings only. ', Variation in the Apical Eyespot /anommata Vrty., 1904—has no apical eyespot. _ antiparvipuncta Leeds, 1950—has the apical eyespot greatly reduced. anticrassipuncta Leeds, 1950—has the apical eyespot greatly enlarged. _caeca Rebel, 1910—has no white ‘pupil’. _ erymanthoides Strand, 1919—apical eyespot split by the ground colour. _ bioculata Rebel, 1910—two ‘pupils’ in the eyespot. _ addenda Mousley, 1903—has from 1-4 additional spots behind the apical eye- _ spot or towards the apex. ; erymanthea Esp., 1783—combines addenda and ocellata. - subhispulla Strand, 1912—combines erymanthoides and rufocincta with huenei _ colouring. | postexcessa Leeds, 1950—has one or more spots on the upperside hindwings. _. Spotting on the Underside Hindwings / ocellata Tutt., 1908—has one or more white pupilled black spots on the under- side hindwings. - biocellata Tutt., 1910—combines ocellata and antiparvipuncta. _ infra-impunctata Lempke, 1935—has no black spots on the underside hindwings. /, Other Hindwing Variation ace Tutt, 1896—has the band on the underside hindwings of a pale grey colour. _violacea Wheeler, 1903—has this band ‘heliotrope’. | luigionii Rost., 1908—is a male with a greyish yellow band. _ fracta Zweigelt, 1918—has the light band interrupted in cell IV by a dark bar. _rectoformis Thomson, 1969—underside forewing light subapical band crossed by _ a bar of the same dark colour as the margins and the medial transverse line. 4) rl _xplanation of the plate ‘ig. I Maniola jurtina insularis Thomson ¢ upperside type. ig. 2. M. jurtina insularis 2 upperside allotype. ig. 3 M. jurtina insularis f. concolorata Q underside. ‘ig. 4 M. jurtina insularis f. rectoformis 2 underside. ig. 5 M. jurtina jurtina (L.) 6 underside. ‘igs. 6-8 M. jurtina insularis $ underside paratypes. jig. 9 M. jurtina jurtina 2 underside. figs. 10-12. M. jurtina insularis 2 underside paratypes. | 80 AUGUST, 1969 | | Map 2. Great Britain showing the January and July isotherms. 8 a ° © L o > } 5 = = i] X insularis intermediate(cl.) J oo © splendida Map J. 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