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HARVARD UNIVERSITY
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ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD
AND
JOURNAL OF VARIATION
EDITED BY
MALCOLM BURR, D.SC., F.R.E.S. T. BAINBRIGGE FLETCHER, R.N.,
E. A. COCKAYNE, A.M., D.M. F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.R.E.S.
F.R.E.S., F.R.C.P. W. FASSNIDGE, M.A., F.R.E.S.
Vo 18, COUHI, thd, loess. Rev. G. WHEELER, M.A.,
H. DONISTHOREPE, F.Z.S., F.R.E.S. R2R-ESt.) (E-ZAS>
and
HENRY J. TURNER, F.R.E.S., F.R.H-S.,
Editorial Secretary
Aran
at
~ >
sities nD Vo LXI. (New Series).
}XNUARY TO DECEMBER 1949
PRICE 12s 6d.
Special Index (with every Reference), 1s 6d.
th
braxes, grossulariata, ee so OB
orius convolvuli in Argyllshire .. joo lel
naiti$), plagiata 1 i ceeseeeeg Sa aR Hanae a Aaa eae 87
Abpea pa Ore opeerd iirc lee eee 69
ANTE SSNWVEETOM TIES TREC IECIS) — Sscacancosenenncee 63
HE EN, IESOIOUS INO TSAO =? a aocdosocosdneoce 13
Aphalara nervosa on Yarrow ............ 113
’Argynnis lathonia, Rearing ............. 109
Argynnis paphia v. valezina in
SOMERS CLM ere ne eee car ons eer eeeEne 117
Argynnis selene, Second brood ......... Ali?
Aspen Insects in Isle of Rhum ....... 112
TBC KONO ISIS, OMA CNOEMMEY \ Cercrsosbescosae 113
Boarmia repandata, melanic _......... 5
Brachionycha nubeculosa larva .... 104
Broods of Chrysophanus phlaeas ... 1
Butterflies of Freetown, Life-histories 126
Butterflies at Wood Walton, 13; near
Paris, Geneva and Annecy, 97;
New Forest, 111; Var and Basses
Alpes, 121; Sierra Leone, 124: S.E.
LTE Ite HAO ee ecu icudauduoseecaddacecsbeboceds soe 130
Callophrys rubi, Foodplants _......... 6
Catalogue of French Microlepidop-
LOTS Wein aR Na an oe re yee is Raa ti 69
Catocala fraxini on the Bosphorus .. 119
Chrysophanus phiaeas, Broods, 1;
Via ELAGTOME noses essa sacs ssacecoraneeaenae 25
Clytiomyia rotundiventris ............. 118
Colias croceus at Swanage, 94; New
Forest egondgeoenaccdoononasuccesncssooasoaee: 118
Colias hyale at Swanage .................. 43
Congress of Entomology, Eighth In-
STE CIE W HIICO) Os Ly deanna mane aE RAR AL tes ec 3
Current Notes 6, 20, 29, 42, 83, 95, 118, 132
CHAOMUIG,, ILGYO, TMRONT | ovedocesebescocnoosaodeoee 73
Deilephila livornica at Swanage, 95;
at Braunton, 104, 117; Bourne-
TIN OULU eee eee rete wre teers ote een 118
Mranunoccian Comptia. see ee 93
Disphragis coeruleocephala on Laurel 44
Early Emergences ... 44, 55, 56, 57, 68, 116
Elachiptera diastema in Surrey ...... 93
Empis livida, Observations on ...... 39
MUMnaS atta, Mim LOWS .22...c..s02<¢:..sseteu: 113
Kivetria purdeyi in Glos. ...........: 18
Tormica exsecta as a Slavemaker ... 141
Gortyna flavago, Foodplants _......... 81
Hadenavcaesia, val manani -25...).. 82
UAC CHAR ISIVASEey 1 veoee vents we Ne Tabi 93
Homoeosis in Epirrhoe alternata ... 118
Hyiloicus pinastri, Spread’-of <.......... 98
IRE None SAEXE] OLS RH ONG ilierteean sea ee abodes Ch NTS BA 73
VLPs Rays cet Goes KS EPO es i RP eR 19
AUREL? UaAPVAen Onn sl kunt ceil eae 4A
PEA CaMi PAVE COLON tivese. ck aieetee eet ee 94
Limenitis camilla in Somerset. ....... il
UZACOSRIM ATs SNE@SES,” sessed ceo 28
london, South, INOteS) cic eccsseseeveee ee 37
Lycaena phlaeas, Brood, 1; Varia-
tion 25
RTH R ee ew ree e meee ew ween nese eee eeeeeeaee
INDEX ill
JAN c CONTENTS OF VOLUME LXI.
Melitaea cinxia in Hants and Dorset
19, 55, 68
IVES TANS 42d eee erie ener ca ce mere 44, 116
Myrmecophilous Aphid Parasite ...... D4
New Forest Butterflies. .................... 111
NAYES) “OTNENBIG) ia MATEO Y scococnocodsonec 1138
Obituary: L. W. Newman, 58, 80; W.
Fassnidge, 58, 129; Sir John
Fryer, 79; Captain Gwatkin-Wil-
UIE WOKS: Simm aeia rene) ACE Nabi tae cre 92
Ochria ochracea, Foodplants EBaneaee 81
Oncodes pallipes Ay lobee eaneteseroc tue eee 28
OsvmlNSetulvicepialis: ess eee 44
Pairing of Scopeuma species ......... 19
Pararge megera, Oviposition ......... 87
Perrisia ulmaria in Hebrides ......... 113
IPTG), ALE. TWO —scocuosanotoscnosonee 73, 97
Pieris brassicae at Orchid Flowers .. 113
Pieris napi, Unusual Pairing .......... 117
Pieris rapae, Activity and Mortality,
30, 61, 62, 112, 124
Pigmentsot Orihopteray see 118
Plusia festucae, Second Brood ....... 81
Polyommatus coridon, Aberrations .. 110
Polyommatus icarus, Hibernating
Larvae
ania ciciardsicals eat aac ORO a Cn nE 94
BEINUS FECTS. “aetna oe eee 6
Pulborough, Noctuidae of ............... 76
Reviews: Caterpillars of British
Moths, 8; Mitt. Schweiz. Ges., 18,
84; Songs of Insects, 22: Trans. S.
Lond. Ent. Soc., 70; Guide to
Smaller Brit. Lep., 71; Habits of
Brit. Hunting Wasps, 72: Brit.
Butterflies, by Vere Temple, 72:
Zts. Wien Ent. Ges., 84; Lep. of
Egypt, 96; Lep. of Dover and Deal,
95; Dragonflies of Brit. Is., 96;
Diptera, Introduction and Keys
to Families, 195; Brit. Dermap-
tera and Orthoptera ............ 119, 132
Rhingia campestris
craloresastealemiare sisteoacis'c oa 44
Le AKOKOUNHES Creo AD HAT Pe Oe 112
Sea Aster, Visitors to flowers ........... 85
Selenia tetralunaria, Genetics ......... 9
Spain, Butterflies of Sierra de Cuenca 89
Sphinx SDINaAStr leamvalenms sae 104
Switzerland, Collections in
irate eee 45
SYMtOrMon, macula male cccosee ue 114
Tethea or in Lewis and Harris ......... 112
ADIGA An COME 1) fe peeeny IRs ene 4A
PY TOWE: CENity BINOLES winees A cee etl AO (te
Vanessa atalanta and cardui, Flow-
OFS) WISUGG Cs ad eae eee ot sah 130
Var and Basses Alpes, Butterflies .... 121
VOlUCellas ZONAL At su cty ste ue 131
West Africa, Butterflies ............ 50, 102
W. Sussex, Lepidoptera _.................. 65
WanterBliesy ss eee, eee ee 42
Ypsolophus xylostellus on Snowberry
ha, Gi
lv ENTOMOLOGIST’ S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/ XIT/1949
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS.
Andrews, H. W. ...... (Suppl. 124), 57, 1184-.Johusom) Ko 1b. (io...) 2. pera eee 50, 102
Amina, Os IB 1. SH, GS, Wil@, ail, Waly, ile Kettlewell,, H. B.D). | ssstesceseeeeeeeeere 9
Bainbrigge Ketcher, I. 2, 18, 44; 70; Leeds, H.. A... scsidecenscseceesese tee eeeeeeeeee 13
Wl, 7s, A Murray, D. .scctcksscssswedteasee ee ee eee eeeee 87
IBS HEUOIT -WWIMNIKER, 1h) 9 “gosoncqnoscoasoBeesdaoosdoss 104 Muspratt, V. Mi Seecccc.:cee-reemereeee eee meee 69
IBIBO ban Chea, lala sateetistnaeasasnaanencune 57 Oliver, G.. He Bill eccseseosne eee tee eee eee 127
IBIRGUINEIPIOM, (Ge Ss IBLY Wakdechoosesnadnasaasacs D7 O*’Rourke, B.. des. ccsacsenssee eepee ee cee eee ener 63
BPeUMERCO NM Teens bs 9 i cercne. sapease ae tne AG 1X Owen, D.. Be seedless secten see eae eee ys)
Bue Ny 2) 1S Oy 20 22) 42 GO Adee At Parmenter, Ti.) c2s.-:6n-ssseese eee eee 85, 93
GASUIIG: IRUISSEIIL, Sis MER Bededosseosabsoncedosnnae 87 Quereis Os ccs eee 35, 61, 62, 89, 124
(CINEMAS GSTS LOU MI erg fae TUR ee 93 Redgrave, A. ©. BR. 2oec2...-s eee 57
Cockayne, E. A. ... 9, 33, 79, 80, 81, 92, ROMMEL, Tiny uk .eeese ee eee Bia (Gil, (ay. tleee
A Siametes Russell (see Castle-Russell)
Woda. Jipearens esse isk ek RIO ee 105 Siviter Smith, P22. sieepoueens-eesneeeeene dees
Datel Owes LAM bee Saeed Sal be eanne une: 126 Smith, Ku. G.) Vie i.c:cecneeesp eee Eee eee 2
DOMIS TOD CMOEe Ns. entecercete cee ose cec es 13,298 Sperring., A. H.. ....c.22 sie eee 93
AS TOM, «VI MIA AR es adn eae cents 1416, 117 Spicer, Mia Gi. scnsencscheeeeseeeeeee eee eeeeeeeeeee 127
SOWA GS... dis ae MATER TSAR en rene scar nad canes 20 Tatchellis clus axt 5. s-ccearebeeeeeeeeeeee 43, 94, 95
Hearnehough, Wa Ds s.5-.ecsrse. 25, 44, 109 Aviohenene, IEhy, di. 6-8, 20, 21, 29-31,
Honseca, BH: CC. M. dAssis- =.............- 114 42-43, '70, 83, 95, 96, 120, 128
(Cardiners, Be OFC. ee eae 83, 104 Turner, EL. eDiee scene tee eee eee ene 19
(CHES CO. 4 MARR Eee ee ee ed se sono Bl, Or, OS Turner, Jao Fa cst yeeros eee eee 127
EVA SOMM ide: WV ELeSLODN eee: 6, 112 Wakely, Si sdccocaiisonse cee eee 28, 37
HAIG Cyr, -AWWics «oe ae ne eee elec 56, 65 Weupherill, -L:\, hee eee eee 1014
FETGRS/) VWV2C"h. MANIACE SCAN en pete) fe 54 Wightman, “A. (Si. eepkeeee-ceeeeee eee 76, 81
EVO ln ymerts 22 NIGUEL. «ARs Ree Sea weet ne 129 Williams, F.. By. . wi. share heeeeeeeceee eee eens a
ETO Wait LEE IEIS@) FCI, Gee Ee RE Eee OE fee 83 Wiltshire; Ei. PR) cho eee eee 73, 97
VACOIOS, Ss ING ANG sacscsune i, 45), (fs), 105), 11 Worms, ©. (G. Mis de) ieee seers eereeeeee 3
PAV S Brain Mase, em Reece nes Gee 94 Wyse, L. MH. Bonaparte eee eee 127
CORRIGENDA.
30, line 19. For ‘* Aarnalen ’” read
44, line 4. For “ Mentrastri’’ read
71, line 9 from bottom.
71, line 3 from bottom.
72, line 5.
72, line 7.
72, line 30.
(57), line 13 from bottom.
(57), line 12 from bottom.
. 83, line 10 from bottom.
. 96, line 6. For “ Ales. .
similis.”’
SSOP DUU UU PU UU SUSU SOD
. (67), line 4, etc.
fe} Neb lis} Kis}
18, line 19. For “ Durrant, 1911’? read “ Durrant 1911.”
“* Annalen.”’
‘* menthrastri.’’
44, line 13. For “ very slowly,’ read “ very slowly;.”’
47, line 2. For “ Tinaeidae’”’ read ‘ Tineina.’’
47, lines 10, 12. For ‘‘ Meesia ’” read ‘‘ Meessia.”’
47, line 19. For “‘ phegaea’”’ read “ phegea.’’
48, line 6 from bottom. For ‘‘ Chalonia’’ read ‘“‘ Phalonia.’’
49, line 22. For “ peliodactyla’’ read ‘‘ pelidnodactyla.’’
For ‘* portions ’’ read “ patches.”
For ‘‘ pneumonantus ” read “‘ pneumonanthes.”
For ‘“‘ Litticolletis ’ read ‘‘ Lithocolletis.’’
For ‘‘ Symphoricerpus ’”’ read ‘“* Symphoricarpus.’’
72, line 19. For “appear” read ‘‘ appeal.”
Kor) trom 2 read” + for.
Delete ‘* Sam.”’
For ‘ Mer. (1815) ’? read ‘‘ Meyrick 1895.”
75. For ‘‘ PYRAES ” read “ PYRALES.”’
For “ has’’ read “ have.’’
. squento cui somelis’’ read “ Alae .
. sequente cui
. (65), line 28. For “ procae’’ read ‘“ procax.”
Kor “1786-2 read) s0787.-2
. 105, line 14 from bottom. For “ Lucania’ read *‘ Leucanie..”
. (73), line 2. For ‘“ Bosa ” read “ Boica.”’
criptions 10/- for Vol. 61 (1949) are now due. Please Send Promptly.
/LXI.
ge
No. A
JANUARY 1949
MALCOLM BURR, D.Sc., F.R.ES. WM. FASSNIDGE, M.A., F.R.ES.
E. A. COCKAYNE, M.A. FRCP. FRES.
J. E. COUN, J.P., F.R.ES. a PAO
H. DONISTHORPD, F.ZS., F.RES. H. B, WILLIAMS, K.C., LL.D., F.R.ES.
T. BAINBRIGGE FLETCHER, R.N., F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.R.E.S. (Sub-#£ditor),
“* Rodborough Fort,’’ Stroud, Glos.
HY. J. TURNER, F.R.ES., F.R.H.S. (Editortal Secretary).
CONTENTS.
HOW MANY BROODS ARE THERE OF LYCAENA PHLAEAS, L.? P. Siviter
Smith Be ex : E ES 3 : Gy ree 32: ; ; 4
AN ACCOUNT OF THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON EN-
TOMOLOGY, C. G. M. de Worms, M.A., Ph.D. ... ay Sat eae 3
COLLECTING NOTES: Melanic Boarmia repandata at Rannoch, Perthshire,
Haroid B. Williams; Ptinus tectus, Boield. (Col., Ptinidae), S.N.A.J.;
The Foodplants of Nala cate rubi in the Inner Hebrides, J. W. Heslop
Harrison eat egies CRONE 1 Ora ERE «CON olin or eM Rai fA oe
CURRENT NOTES Biuioanl Weer eut abe eyes as BAAN Tak Toi Neate ae to cia 6
SPECIAL INDEX.
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LIBRARY Aint
ournal of Paviation
l5tH JANUARY 1949.
LAN eons ARE THERE OF LYCAENA PHLAEAS, L.?
By P. Srviter Smite.
When examining the various books and magazines for details of L.
phlaeas, L., 1 continually come across references to ‘‘ fourth broods
of that butterfly in Britain, usually in October, and I find the same
comments in correspondence lately. It is my clear impression at the
moment that in Britain there are never more than three broods and,
even then, any third brood is only a partial one.
I have carefully examined the life-histories of DL. phlaeas, as de-
scribed by Tutt (Brit. Lep., VIII) and Frohawk (Nat. Hist. of Brit.
Butt.) and have drawn up charts to give a clearer picture of what
may be expected to happen each year. From this examination [| feel
sure that we can expect only a partial third brood as a maximum in a
very favourable year. Hot, sunny weather is what suits this species
best, in all its stages.
Let us assume a year where the weather is as favourable as possible
for L. phlaeas, with a preceding winter that has plenty of mild sunny
periods during which the hibernating larvae wil] move about and even
feed a little. Thus we can expect those most advanced in the preced-
ing autumn (and it hibernates in various instars) will be able to take
advantage of a fine early spring and emerge at an exceptionally early
date. Throughout this speculation we are going to assume the very
best possible conditions.
It is hardly likely even then that we shall find an imago betore the
first week in April, so ova will be deposited at that time. Now the
shortest time before ova hatch is 5 days or thereabouts, and the summer
larval stage lasts at its shortest about 20 days and the pupal stage about
25 days. It will be reasonable to allow for a rapid metamorphosis of
6, 23 and 28 days respectively, so that under these (imagined) best con-
ditions, from egg to imago takes 57 days. Let us say two months.
From the earliest emergences at the beginning of April, therefore,
we shall expect to see the next earliest emergences at the beginning of
June; from emergences at the beginning of June we shall expect to
see the earliest emergences at the beginning of August, and the next
series will emerge at the beginning of October. Thus, in order to cram
four emergences into one year we have to allow the finest possible
theoretical conditions right through each brood. We have to allow tor
an exceptionally early emergence in’ April and then we must allow
for these spring larvae and pupae to mature in the shortest (normally
mid-summer) period, whereas they would actually take longer than
those feeding up in mid-summer. It is scarcely to be expected that
these optimum conditions wil] occur very frequently.
2 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI, 15/1/1949
I have a great many references collated for L. phlaeas and I have
scanned these in respect of these favourable factors, to see how often.
they may be expected to occur. In respect of very early emergences,
I find two remarkable ones in February, both in the Isle of Wight, one
on 10th February (Fassnidge) and one at the end of February (Cornell).
Apart from those two exceptional dates, Dale gives the next earliest
date of 2nd April and there are about four other April records, so that
clearly April is not normally the time even of early emergences. In
this respect H. B. Williams appears to be correct when he says the
usual dates when the species is first seen are between 15th and 20th of
May.
Thus, in respect of our optimum requirements, it seems clear that
it is exceptional to get emergences at the beginning of April and this
is therefore strongly against the possibility of getting four broods in
a year. In Central Italy, under much hotter conditions, Verity says
there are only four broods (and less in higher localities), these being in
April, the end of June, the middie of August, and in a favourable
autumn, another brood in October, but he says that even this is only a
partial fourth brood.
In respect of the latest dates on which L. phlaeas has been observed
in Britain, Dale gives the latest of all, namely 8th November, and
there are two other November dates, one on the 3rd (Dale), and de
Worms records it as still on the wing in November (1944); there are
more records for October and that seems to be the last month in which
one can usually expect to see it flying.
My own opinion is that I doubt if a fourth brood has ever been
observed in Britain and that specimens seen in September, October
and November represent a third brood, and only a partial third brood
at that. This opinion is supported by F. V. L. Jarvis (1944), who
gives the result of his observations which exactly coincide with this
view. In further support of this, I have (by the kindness of H. J.
Turner) been able to examine the Diary kept by the Rev. C. R. N.
Burrows from 1871-1922. He apparently entered daily every species
he observed and although no doubt the conditions of observation altered
frequently, it is such a long period that a reasonable average can be
arrived at. I hhave tabulated the 110 observations and a graph is ob-
tained which shows the following: May—20 records; June—14 records ;
July—5 records; August—46 records; September—17 records; October
—8 records.
The records start on 14th May and show most observations between
the 18th of May and the 2nd of June; there are thin records from the
4th to the 30th June, and then there is a blank until another set of
records starts thinly on 20th July and giving the greatest series between
the 4th and 29th of August. There are thin records through Septem-
ber, most frequent between the 9th and the 15th, and a few between
the 20th and 28th. There is one record each on 38rd and 4th October,
and a small series between the 8th and 12th of that month.
The chief densities of these records, then, is from mid-May to mid-
June, from early August to the end of August, and in mid-September
and mid-October, but the September and October records are much
thinner and less definite than the others.
EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 3
When these are plotted out, it gives a picture that is exactly simi-
lar to what I believe actually happens—in the case of each brood we
get a lengthy emergence period, due to the variation in the speed with
which larvae of the same brood feed up. This is carried on during the
year and so in the autumn we get long extended emergences, some of
these late ones being particularly slow or delayed second brood speci-
mens, and others being particularly advanced third brood specimens.
The larvae of all broods, but particularly the late broods, feed up at
different speeds; many authorities refer to this and I found the same
thing when I reared the species and hibernated it. This mixture, in
the autumn, of delaved second brood specimens and advanced third
brood specimens would also account for the fact that ‘‘ summer ’’ (or
suffused) forms occur in company with ‘‘ autumn ”’ (‘‘ cold,’’ or non-
suffused) forms.
Naturally further north in Britain we shall expect only two broods
in a vear, and perhaps only one. There is not a great deal of accurate
information in regard to this aspect either and detailed observations
are much to be desired. That is the object of this note, as I am seek-
ing all forms of information regarding LZ. phlaeas and this brood ques-
tion is so obscured at present by the popular but (I believe) incorrect
fourth brood theory. I shall be most grateful for results of careful
observations in all parts of the British Isles that help to settle this,
and the aspects referred to in this note may help to point to the factors
surrounding these events—the brightness or suffusion of autumn speci-
mens helps to point to whether they are second or third brood
examples. I have not quoted any references in full, nor all those that
T have, as I hope to give all these later in a more extensive review of
this species, for which this information is required.
21 Melville Hall, Holly Road,
Edgbaston, Birmingham 16.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON
ENTOMOLOGY,
HELD IN STOCKHOLM FROM 9rx TO 14th AUGUST 1948.
By C. G. M. pE Worms, M.A., Ph.D.
A big contingent set out from this country during the first days of
August, the majority converging on Lund in the south-western corner
of Sweden. After a long train journey through Holland, Northern
Germany and Denmark, many of the British delegation, including my-
self, reached Lund early on 7th August. That afternoon was spent
visiting several scientific institutions, among which the Station of Plant
Research was especially interesting. The party was shown the latest
methods of dealing with pests affecting oil-producing plants such as
rape.
On Sunday, the 8th, about 150 delegates met in the Zoological
Museum to hear a speech of welcome by Prof. Hanstrém and an account
of the many famous workers in entomology who carried out their re-
searches and teaching in the ancient University. After conducted
4 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL, LXI. 15/1/1949
tours of the well-known Museum of Cultural History and the renowned
Cathedral, delegates were entertained to a dinner at the Grand Hotel
by the Entomological Society of Lund. Later that evening, most of the
party left by train for Stockholm, which was reached early on 9th
August.
In this fine city some five hundred delegates and guests from nearly
every country in the world assembled for the Congress proper, which
was officially opened that afternoon in the spacious Concert Hall by
the Prime Minister of Sweden, Dr Erlander. After an address of
welcome by the President (Prof. Tradgardh), Dr Karl Jordan, Per-
manent. Secretary to the Congresses on FKntomology, gave a most illu-
minating account of the history of the past Congresses and the objects
of the present one, while Professor Jeannel, of Paris, followed with
an amusing speech on behalf of the delegates. Later that day the
delegates were invited to a special social] evening at Hasselbacken, one
of the leading entertainment resorts of the city.
The main business of the Congress opened on the morning of 10th
August at the modern High School of Ostermalms Laroverk. In all,
six separate sessions were held, 187 papers by 163 authors were sub-
mitted for reading under eleven sections, including Systematic Ento-
mology, Physiology, Oecology, Morphology and Anatomy, Insects of
Agricultural Interest, Forest Entomology, Stored Product Insects,
Medical Entomology, Means and Methods of Fighting Insect Pests,
Nomenclature and History, Arachnidae. Many eminent authorities
on these subjects from all over the world contributed papers of very
great interest and importance, while the sessions in general afforded a
means for discussing at length questions and problems of Entomology,
both academic and economic, of great international consequence, such
as the war against the locusts, the tsetse flies and the malaria mos-
quitos. The field of insecticides in the control of these and other in-
sect pests was also a subject well to the fore in the programme, which
also included many interesting papers on the morphology, taxonomy, ~
habits and distribution of special families in the insect world. The Con-
eress also gave opportunity of many personal contacts among leading
entomologists of ail nations. The sessions were concluded on the after-
noon of Saturday, 14th August, by a very entertaining speech by the
President, who thanked all who had attended for their contributions
to the success of the Congress and recalled many of his own experi-
ences during his entomological activities.
During the week the entertainment of the delegates had been ar-
ranged on a very big scale. The whole of Wednesday, the 11th, had
been devoted to an excursion to the ancient University town of Upsala.
En route the party were conducted round Linnaeus’s famous home at
Hammarby, which is kept exactly as it was at the time of his death.
Everyone was most interested to see so many of the writings and. posses-
sions of this great savant. At the University many famous literary
treasures were on view in the Museum, while the collections of Linnaeus
and Thunberg were exhibited in the Zoological Institute. The day
ended with a welcome from the Rector of the University and a visit to
the Cathedral. Oi bo
BoD
SéS5
early
4.09 p.m.
early
noon
noon
early
early
night
early
early
od
early
3.50 p.m.
night
3.10 p m.
early
6.15 p m.
night
5 52 p.m.
6 22 pm.
6.24 p.m.
5.15 p.m.
night
night
5.03 p.m.
15/1V/1949
ends
night
early
night
7.08 p.m.
3.40 p.m.
night
noon
early
night
early
night
or
early
night
@
6.50 p.m.
early
night
early
night
7.09 p.m.
6.50 p.m.
5.25 p.m.
night
early
.55 p.m.
.O) p.m.
inch
Ws 7
0.03
0.23
1.00
oS =a
0.02
dh
0.08
0.11
RECENT ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FROM SOUTH LONDON. 37
Date | Soil Weeds Occurrence of rain
Sept. begins ends inch
38 7-8 ctotgicte te stp ata cts
38 | 9-10} +++ aidan staatniate
39 | 11-15 a Le steatocte ste
40 | 16 tet cta ate atk +++ early noon 0.36
ara ly Oe |) ee te tt ataccts
ADT 20-21) eet tacts
43 | 22 ia ar ;
43 | 23 O ae 3.27 p.m. 4.15 pm. 0.05
44 | 24-26 | O ats |
A SA (P40 (a ee a early 1,12 p.m. 0.45
46 | 29-30 sto oty ate tate ati
Oct
47 | 1-3 bet +
48| 46 | +++4+++ + night night 1 29
49 7-8 ate stoahe ate sts “te
50 | 9-14) +++ 1 35 p.m. 4.50 p.m. 0.01
le
With the support of these data, and some experiments (Hntom. [ec.,
XLIX, pp. 73-76 (1937), we try, in the following Table II, to show in
which manner the combinations of factors of climate and environment
might act upon the life-cycle of Pieris rapae at Philadelphia.
(To be continued.)
RECENT ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FROM SOUTH SOnD ON:
By S. WAKELY.
Collecting in London parks and suburban roads might not sound
very promising, but it is surprising the numbers of good insects that
ean be taken during the season on occasional walks in parks and by
keeping an eye on fences and trees by the roadside.
The insects mentioned in these notes are those that have been of
particular interest to me, and are not by any manner of means a com-
plete list even of the insetts taken by myself locally.
Mimas tiliae, Linn., is a well-known London hawk-moth, and is
frequently seen at rest on fences, but the larvae are quite conspicuous
after dark in August and September feeding on the lower branches of
lime trees. With the aid of an electric torch and walking stick with
suitable crook to bring the branches down within reach, a few dozen
larvae can be easily collected, particularly where the trees are pollarded
yearly, thus giving plenty of low branches.
Sphing ligustri, Linn., larvae are not infrequent on the privet,
where their presence is betrayed by the frass on the pavement. I have
not met with Deilephila elphenor, Linn., at Herne Hill, but saw two
specimens caught at light in Fleet Street last summer.
I suppose my greatest surprise was the sight of a freshly -emerged
specimen of Pseudoips bicolorana, Fuessl., at rest on an oak tree just
inside Brockwell Park by Herne Hill Station jast summer,
Erannis aurantiaria, Esp., was frequently seen on the fences at
Dulwich in late ata hardly, an insect one would expect to ne
breeding freely in London gardens,
SBe | 0. ENTOMOLOGIST’S. RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/IV/1949
Larvae of Gonodontis bidentata, Clerck, were found to be common
on the Winter-flowering Jessamine (Jasminum nudiflorum), together
with a few Ourapteryx sambucaria, Linn. Both ivy and elder are the
usual foodplants for the Swallow- tail Moth, and the addition of Jessa-
mine is interesting. G. bidentata larvae have a great liking for privet
in London gardens. , a Ps
Aegeria vespiformis, Linn., larvae frequent the bark of old elms in
Brockwell Park, Hyde Park, etc., also the large ‘‘ cankerous ”’ growths
often seen on large oaks. Their frass is much in evidence, but one
does not find the larvae as easily as one would expect from the signs
of feeding, and digging lumps of bark off trees in London parks is not
to be recommended!
Cacoecia pronubana, Hiibn., is a most common moth, the larvae
feeding not only on privet, but on almost every garden plant—from
rose-buds to the Petty Spurge (Euphorbia peplus) which grows as a
weed in our gardens.
In June and J uly the freshly-emerged imagines of Parimede juliana,
Curt. (on oak), and P. regiana, Zell. (on sycamore), may be taken from
10 a.m. to 12 noon. Later in the day they gradually crawl higher up
the trunks and disappear. The former is not at all uncommon in Brock-
well Park and at Tooting Common. Laspeyresia splendana, Hiibn.,
larvae may be found in acorns lying in the gutters of the roads near
the Crvstal Palace in October.
The berries of pyracantha are much liked by the larvae of Laspey-
resia ianthinana, Dup., and Blastodacna hellerella, Dup., together with
the larvae of the trypetid fly Anomoia permunda, Harris. These three
insects are normally hawthorn feeders.
That local insect Blastodacna stephensi, Staint., swarms on old oaks
in Dulwich Park during July and August. They look very like Recur-
varia nanella, Hiibn., an occasional specimen of which is found with
them. Collecting B. stephensi can be made amusing (or embarrassing)
by the crowds of people at the boating lake, particularly when the
moth has to be tickled out of a crevice with a blade of grass and guided
into the box. This species was recorded from Tooting Common many
years ago, and it still occurs there in numbers. Strangely enough, I
can find no trace.of it in Brockwell Park, although there are plenty of
old oaks there. The older the tree, the more likely one is to find the
moth present, the larvae almost certainly feeding in the bark.
Larvae of Lithocolletis geniculella, Rag., on sycamore are to be found
at Dulwich, while the local LZ. comparella, Zell., occurs on white gee
near Streatham: the only locality for this pete IT know. o.
Bedellia sarmnaleniclle, Zell., occurs at Dulwich, and the fee on
wild convolvulus are eee ien at Brockwell Park and even near Lough-
borough Junction, where the foodplant grows over garden fences.
The species of Blastobasis at present referred to as decolorella, Woll.,
occurs. with its usual regularity in June and October on the. fences
in this district, but there is no evidence of it spreading further afield.
Tt is not likely to be confused with its congenor, B. lignea, Wals., which
is rare here and is a single-brooded species occurring in July-Aneuse
A fuller description of this insect is to be found in the Proceedings of
the South London Natural History Society for 1947/48.
38 Stradella Road, Herne Hill, S.E.24.
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON EMPIS LIVIDA, LIN. 39
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON EMPIS LIVIDA, LIN. (DIP.,
EMPIDIDAE), WITH NOTES ON PREY.
‘By Kennetu G. V. Smirx, F.R.E.S.
The male of Empis livida, Lin., takes prey which is presented to
the female and while she feeds upon it copulation takes place, the dura-
tion of which probably depends upon the size of the prey (see Hamm,
1908, 9). I was able to study this species while on a week’s holiday at
Bodenham, near Hereford, during 1948. Although I was not fortunate
in having fine weather for my activities, I did make some interesting
observations as well as securing some specimens with prey.
The best spot for observation was along the River Lugg, where livida
was in fair numbers among the rushes which grew along the water’s
edge. Heavy rainfall had churned the banks into mud and this ham-
pered my activities considerably. Observations were commenced on
31st July between 3.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. (B.S.T.), the weather being very
dull indeed. Both sexes were at rest on the rushes and forget-me-nots.
‘Several females were sitting close together and periodically one or the
other would take to flight. This prompted the others to follow suit,
and all would circle round several times before coming to rest again,
most often im a different place to that previously occupied. I saw no
pairs in cop, but I captured a few males with dipterous and trichop-
terous prey. : .
On the evening of Ist August, at about 7..p.m., I saw a few pairs
in cop. along a hedgerow. Unfortunately, I was without a net but |
managed to box a pair; the femaie was in possession of dipterous prey.
Previous to capture I had watched this pair making short flights from
one twig to another, hardly resting before they were off again. The
landing seemed clumsy and made considerable noise, and judging by
the short distances covered by each flight quite an effort seemed neces-
sary to. keep in the air. I did not observe if both insects made use of
their wings, but it would be interesting to note this on some future
occasion. ‘The wariness of these insects in my experience makes close
observation difficult. .
2nd August was another dull day with frequent rainy periods and
livida was not very active. I only saw one pair in cop., which I secured.
The female dropped the prey and the pair separated. On taking, this
from the net I found it to be the mutilated remains of a Chironomid
fly. One single male was taken with trichopterous prey.
The poor weather persisted throughout Tuesday, 3rd August, and
the vegetation was wet, due to a heavy rainfall during the night. 1
only saw two single males with prey, one of which I secured; this had
dipterous prey. The other I followed for some time, hoping to observe
courtship and copulation. It made frequent circling flights, appar-
ently in search of females, but eventually I lost it among the rushes.
The prey appeared to be dipterous, but I was not close enough to be
certain. Several individuals were at rest on flowers of forget-me-not,
each actively moving its proboscis over the surface of the petals. On
closer examination it could be seen that they were drinking from the
globules of rain scattered over the surface of the flowers.
40 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/IV /1949
>)
4th August was a much brighter and warmer day, but the sun -
did not break through the clouds until the afternoon. There was con-
siderable activity among livida and I was soon busy collecting material.
The prey taken was quite varied among various families of Diptera
and I was quite satisfied with the morning’s work. .
Rain came again during the night, and it continued throughout
most of the morning of 5th August. The sun broke through once, and
what activity this promoted I took advantage of. J took two males
with ephemeropterous prey. I had wondered why I had not encoun-
tered this before, as there were a number of mayflies about. I saw
three pairs in cop., two out of reach and one which I followed for some
time but eventually lost. Further upstream along a sheltered back-.
water, which was drier and more pleasant to work, I found livida in
some numbers, at rest on thistles and nettles. Both sexes were en-
gaged in imbibing nectar from the thistle flowers.
6th August commenced warm and bright and I was filled with the
hope of a good day’s work, but by 10.30 a.m. the skies ‘had clouded and
rain commenced. Although I spent the rest of the morning observing
from beneath a nearby tree I saw little of interest and collected very’
little material. ’
MetHops or Ho.ipine PREY.
The majority of the single males employed the median pair of legs
only in holding the prey, the anterior and posterior pairs being used
to hold on to their placa of rest. A few of them were holding their
prey with the posterior and median pairs of legs and one of the anterior
' pair, the remaining anterior leg bearing the whole weight of the
insect as it hung suspended from the twig or leaf on which it had
settled. The prey taken from the single males was apparently unin-
jured, though motionless with the exception of a badly mutilated
ephemeropteron (Ephemerella ignita, Pod.) devoid of its abdomen, and
the Chironomus and Culex marked with a ? in the table. Possibly the
male had already contacted a female which had fed on the prey, but it
seems hardly likely that he would take back the prey after an attempt
at copulation. The specimen of Mystacides nigra, L., was still feebly
kicking when I took it from the net, but this must have taken a little
more to kill as it was quite large compared with the other types of
prey met with, |
Of the pairs observed’in cop. the male was hanging by either of the
two anterior tarsi, or by both of them. All the remaining legs were
used to clasp the female. The female employed all her legs in holding
the prey and thrusting it up and down on her proboscis.
SuMMARY AND ANALYSIS OF PREY.
T saw no single females in possession of prey, only those in cop. Ot
all the males with prey not one appeared to be feeding on it. Mr
A. H. Hamm gives an interesting account of the method of disabling
the prey adopted by Empvis tessellata, Fab. (Ent. Mon. Mag., 1909,
Vol. XX, p. 159), i.e., by piercing the junction between the thorax and
the head, apparently affecting the central nervous system and produc-
ing a paralyzing effect. It may be that livida adopts this method also.
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON EMPIS LIVIDA, LIN. 4]
Copulation apparently takes place at all hours of the day and in fine
or wet weather.
The following table illustrates the nature of the prey taken from 35
sets of material collected. From these results it can be seen that most
of the prey taken belong to the Diptera. I can find no previous record
_of Hemiptera being taken as prey by livida. The author would wel-
come any notes or records of the predaceous habits of the Empididae.
No. taken
From
33
From and
single -9 9
Order. Family. species. 6 6 incop. Total.
Ephemeroptera | Leptophlebiidae | Paraleptophlebia cincta, 3 as aa
Retz.
| Habrophlebia fusca, fl — 1
| Curt.
Ephemerellidae | Ephemerella ignita, Poda 1 -- 1
Trichoptera Leptoceridae Mystacides nigra, Lin. 1 = f
Polyvcentropidae | Cyrnus trimaculatus, 1 — {
| Curt.
| Psvchomyidae Psychomyia pusilla, Fab. 8 — 8
Hemiptera Miridae Orthotylus flavinervis, 4 = 1
| Kbm.
Diptera | Culicidae 2Culex pipiens, Lin. 1 ee. 1
; Chironomidae Pentaneura monilis, Lin. 1 _ J
2ChHiTONOMUS spp. 1 ao 1
?Mutilated — 1 1
Mycetophilidae | Wycetophila fungorum, 1 = J
Deg.
Empididae Rhamphomyia flava, = 1 il
Fall.
Dolichopodidae | Campsicnemus scambus, 1 = |
Fall.
Sepsidae Sepsis cynipsea, Lin. — 1 1
Sphaeroceridae | Trichiaspis stercoraria, 1 = |
Me.
Cordyuridae Scopeuma stercoraria, — 1 1
| Lin.
Calliphoridae Morinia nana, Me. 1 = 1
Pollenia varia, Me. 4 == 1
Muscidae Limnophora triangula, see 1 1
Fall.
Limnophora scrupulosa, 1 = q
Zett.
| Hebecnema umobratica, 1 = 1
Meg.
Helina duplicata, Mg. 1 = f
| Myopina reflexa, R.-D. 1 aS ]
| Pogohylemyia gnava. 1 ess 1
Mg.
Erioischia brassicae, — 1 1
Bouché
pal; 29 6 35
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
IL am indebted to the following gentlemen for the determination of
the prey, which in some cases, due to mutilation, must have provided
no mean task.
Hemiptera—-Mr SS... W..Carler, F.R.B.S.
42 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/1V/1949
Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera—Mr D. KE. Kimmins, Department of
Entomology, British Museum (Nat. Hist.).
Diptera—-Professor L. W. Grensted.
My thanks are also due to Mr A. H. Hamm for his kindness in send-
ing me separates of his papers and to the Royal Entomological Society
of London for the loan of Professor E. B. Poulton’s paper (1906). All
the material has been presented to the Hope Department of Entomo-
logy, University Museum, Oxford.
REFERENCES.
Hamm, A. H. (1908). ‘‘ Observations on Hmpis livida, L.,” Ent. Mon.
Mag., Vol. XIX (181-4).
Hamm, A. H. (1909). ‘‘ Further Observations on the Hmpinae,” Ent.
Mon. Mag., Vol. XX (157-162),
Hamm, A. H. (1909). ‘‘ Observations on Hmpts opaca, F.,” Ent, Mon.
Mag., Vol. XX (132-184).
Hamm, A. H. (1933). ‘‘ The Epigamic Behaviour and Courtslfip of
Three Species of Hmpididae,’’? Ent. Mon. Mag., Vol. LXIX (113-7).
Lundbeck, W. (1910). ‘‘ Diptera Danica,”’ Part III, Empididae, Copen-
hagen.
Poulton, E. B. (1906). ‘‘ Predaceous Insects and their Prey,” Trans.
Ent, Soc. Lond. (323).
Poulton, E. B. (1913). ‘‘ Empididae and their Prey in Relation to
Courtship,’? Ent, Mon, Mag., Vol. XXIV (177-80).
‘* Antiopa,’’ 38 Barrow Street, Much Wenlock, Salop.
CURRENT NOTES.
Winter Fuies.—Few fly fishers give much thought to their streams
during the winter months; yet the winter fly hatches are worth more
thought than is usually given to them. It has been a queer winter on
the quieter streams; perhaps a still queerer autumn. October and Novem-
her last year produced hatches which were almost as good as those dur-
ing the fishing season. One Wiltshire stream even had a distinctly good
hatch of mayfly, of all odd happenings, in November, and from the
number of mayfly nymphs killed in a Berkshire pollution near the end
of October it is probable that this phenomenon took place on many
streams where lack of grayling fishers prevented it being reported.
Were these autumn hatches from a spring egg laying, a good part
of which had matured before the winter instead of the more usual course
of growing very slowly in the cold months and hatching in the spring?
And will this mean a poorer hatch of what is left for the spring
months?—M. B.
Tur Zoological Section of the S.E. Union of Scientific Societies, held
at Canterbury, April 19th-22nd.. Programme from Winifred Boyd
Watt, Hon. Secretary. .
THE magazine is suffering from the lack of the smaller ‘‘ Collecting
Notes.”? The abnormal weather must have affected many early stages
of our Spring Lepidoptera. In such circumstances immigrant species
will not survive unless they have already become firmly established.
COLLECTING NOTES. 43
For many years most of the countries of Western and Central Kurope
had sufficient entomologists to support two magazines. ‘With these we
have been in exchange. It was different with the French. Rev. Bur-
rows and I became Lite Members of the Ent. Soc. de France, which
gave us the Ann, and Bulletin. I then subscribed to the very excellent
little L’ Amateur de Papillions of M. Leon L’homme. For many years
L’homme has been working at a fully annotated Catalogue of the Lepi-
doptera of France and Belgium.
The whole of the section of the Macro-Lepidoptera is complete and
parts I and II of the Micro-Lepidoptera have appeared up to 1938-9.
All that could be issued was a MSS. List of the names of the contents
to be considered in the future of this. [ have a copy ‘‘ hist of Species ”’
to be dealt with in the succeeding parts of the work, LI, IV, V, VI.
I and IT are already issued.
In early 1938 the magazine took the title Revue Francaise de Lepi-
dopterologie, In 1939, atter about a year’s issue, 1t ceased. We hear
that an attempt to carry on is about to be made. We hope it will be
successful.
Betcium has the Bull. and Ann. of the Soc. Ent. de Belge, issued
from Brussels, where the meetings are held; the other is the excellent
small periodical Lambillionea. The two from Holland are less known,
as so few British know the Dutch language. The Tijdschraft, which
contains the chief writings of Lempke, and the Hntomologische
Berichtan. Sweden has the same difficulty, the language—the Tidskrift
and Opuscula Entomologica. And Finland, Swom7,
WE have great difficultv in getting Current Notes, and also this
year short Collecting Notes have failed to reach us. Several Obituaries
were awaiting for record, and one written and posted has failed to
arrive.
THE mention of Drury, the famous author and collector of the
eighteenth century, has brought us an article both informative and
interesting. The opportunity will induce us to have the two precious
items of Drury we possess as folding plates to illustrate the memoir.
Presumably these are in Drury’s own handwriting, and consist of a List
of the Contents of the Collection and the document of the circumstances
which compel him to part with it. This article will probably appear in
the May number and the plates later.—Hy. J. T.
COLLECTING NOTES,
Cotas HYALE av Swanace.—Friday, 1st April, was a warm day,
temperature 55 to 60. At 12.30, as I was strolling over the Peveril
Downs, I saw (. hyale fiving over the rough herbage. It flew round
in short circles, and then settled a couple of yards away, and I was
able to identify it as a female. It was in a perfectly fresh condition,
so probably owing to the very mild winter here got through in the
larval stage, completed its life cycle, and had just recently emerged.—
LEONARD TATCHELL.
44 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/1V /1949
Karty Ewercences In 1949.—The following have been noted at Uley,
Glos. (400 ft.):—19.iii, Cidaria badiata; 21.11, Pieris rapae, and con-
tinuously since then; 22.i1i, Diurnea fagella; 26.11, Bombylius major,
Alsophila aescularia; lav, Spilosoma lubricipeda (Mentrastri), in gar-
dener’s shed, doubtless ‘‘ forced ’’?; 14.1v, Opisthograptis luteolata,
Euchloé cardamines 3 (2 on 15.iv); 15.iv, Pararge aegeria.—T. Batn-
BRIGGE FriercHer, 15.iv.49. g
DISPHRAGIS COERULBOCEPHALA ON LAavREL.—On 27.v.48 at Uley, Glos.,
I found several larvae of Disphragis coeruleocephala teeding on Laurel
leaves, which they had evidently been eating for some time, None
were to be found on an adjacent Hawthorn hedge but possibly, if any
had heen present on the Hawthorn, they had fed up earlier as larvae
feeding on a merely tolerated foodplant often develop very slowly, for
example, larvae of Pieris brassicae on Arabis as compared with larvae
on Brassica.—T. Bainpricce FietrcHer, 15.iv.49.
TINEA ARCELLA is a ‘‘ rather common ”’ species according to the text-
books, but is one that has Jutherto eluded me. It was, however, com-
mon at Uley, Glos., in July and August 1948 along hedges in the late
evening, most frequently disturbed from amongst Corylus leaves.—T.
BAINBRIGGE FLETCHER, 4.iv.49.
Migrants in 1948 were not common, as already noted by many
others. At Uley, Glos., Vanessa atalanta was represented by 31 in-
dividuals. Seen from 23.vi to 19.x, V. cardui, by only one, on 29.vi1l1,
a date on which [ saw the “ five possibles,”’ 7.¢., all the species of Vanessu
found locally, curdw, atalanta, io, wrticae and c-album. Sesia stella-
tarum, one, not very fresh, on 22.vili. MWuchalew gamma, a tew, trom
24.vi to 23.x, of which three were wings of individuals devoured by
bats; on 12.x one gamma was seen flying South at 1400 hours during a
sunny interval after a heavy shower at 1200, there being a light South-
Westerly breeze at the time. One of the V. utalanta came to light on
the night of 5.ix.—T. Barnsricce FiercHer, 4.iv.49.
RHINGIA CAMPESTRIS.—With reference to the notes by Messrs
Laurence, Andrews, Verdcourt and Parmenter (Hnt. Rec., LX, 100,
107, 108. 119) on the searcity of Rhingia campestris in the Spring of ©
1948, | would note that at Uley, Glos., this species was abundant in
May 1948 and occurred commonly throughout the Summer to mid-Sep-
tember and more sparingly into October.—T. Barnspriccr FLETCHER.
4.iv.49. : }
OSMYLUS FULVICEPHALUS.—An example of Osmylus fulvicephalus was
found on 3.vii.48 near Uley, Glos., being beaten from vegetation over-
growing a small roadside streamlet. This seems a late date.—T. Batn-
BRIGGE FLercHer, 4.iv.49.
BRITISH DIPTEROLOGICAL LITERATURE,
SUPPLEMENT IV.
By H. W. Anprews, F.R.E.S.
For previous Lists see Hnt. Record, Vol. 43 (March 1931), Vol. 47
(December 1935), and Vol. 55 (May 1943).
General Works.—Kloet, C. S., and Hincks, W. D.: “A Cheek List of
. British Insects.’’ [Published at Stockport in 1945 by
Kloet and Hincks, now at 110 Sackville Street, Man-
chester 1; price £2 12/6.] Lasts of species of all Orders.
The section dealing with Diptera gives 5199 species, and
is the only complete list since the 2nd Edition of Verrall’s
List of British Diptera was published in 1901.
Nomenclature.—Smart, John: ‘‘ An annotated Bibliography-Chronology
of the Literature and Events relating to the Generic
Names of Meigen, 1800.’’ [Published in The Annals and
Magazine of Natural History, Ser. 11, Vol. XI, pp. 261-
272, April 1944.] This pamphlet, explained by its title,
should prove most useful as a reference work to all—
especially writers—interested in this thorny subject.
ORTHORRHAPA.
(NEMATOCERA.)
Simuliidae.—Smart, John: ‘‘ The British Simuliidae, with Keys to the
species in the Adult, Pupal, and Larval Stages.”’ [ Pub-
lished as Scientific Publication No. 9 of The Freshwater
Biological Association of the British Empire, Wray
Castle, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1944; price 2/6.] is as above, and semele is theretore to be deleted.
Full details of the revision of ane semele group by Holik have not yet
appeared, as far as I know, but the facts are now known to various
workers.
AGROTIDAE.
Amephana dalmatica Rebel. ;
According to Boursin, this is the correct name for No. 7 in my article
on Cyprus, not aurita J. Specimens in the British Museum from both
West and East Mediterranean localities are still lumped together all
under the latter name.
Leucania punctosa Tr.
According to Boursin, the East Mediterranean species in this group
is as above, not putrescens. It is punctosa, | understand, which occurs
in Syria and Persia, and the name putrescens therefore is probably to
be deleted in the lists of lepidoptera from Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and
Tran, and punctosa substituted.
ARCTITIDAE, NOLINAE.
Nola impura Mann.
Two, 16.iv and 18.v, one mile west of Ke enla.
Celama subchlamydula Stgr. derasa Zerny.
One, 6.iv, one mile west of Kyrenia.
Celama centonalis Hiibn. [=aerugula Hiibn. }.
Two, 5.iv and 16.v, one mile west of Kyrenia.
GEOMETRIDAE.
Sterrha dimidiata subsaturata Guen.
Four, iv, in a quarry overgrown with Juncus and Inula viscosa,
Kyrenia.
*Cyprus: Middle East Lepidoptera, IX: Two new forms or species and thirty.
five new records from Cyprus. Ent. Rec., LX [15.7.48]. Iraq: The Butterflies
and Moths of Iraq. Directorate-General of Agriculture. Bagdad. Bulletin 30
[Oct. 1944]. Persia: New Records of Lepidoptera from Iran, II. Ent. Rec..,
LVIII [15.6.46].
(4 _ ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL, LXI. 1b / VIL) 1949
Selidosema tamsi Rebel.
Mr D. S. Fletcher’s examination of the genitalia of European and
Mediterranean Selidosema has had a surprising result. There are not ~
two Cyprian species, in this genus, as Rebel thought, but only one, the
new species Rebel described. It is very variable and some examples
closely resemble ericetaria syriacaria Stgr. which however does not ap-
pear to inhabit Cyprus and must be deletea. It follows that the bio-
logical notes given in my article on Cyprus [larvae on Poteriwm] reter
to tamsi, not ericetaria. Fuller details of the larva and a photograph
will be published in a later article.
II. IRAQ.
HESPERIDAL.
Spialia proto Esp.
Not having previously examined the genitalia ot the species of skip-
per of which I took three examples on 25.v111.35 at 7-9000 ft. near Rayat,
Iraqi Kurdistan, I referred to this species in my article in Hnt. Rec.,
15.10.39, as ‘‘ sp. near proto.’’ For the same reason, in my 1944 list,
I stated that the occurrence of proto at great heights required confirma-
tion, though mentioning the occurrence of the species in Iraq at lower
elevations. I have quite recently examined the genitalia of one of the
three specimens [ Prep. 413] and can now confirm the identity as cer-
tainly proto Esp.
AGROTIDAE.
Cardepia albipicta Christ.
9.v and 26.x1.48, Maagil near Basra [oasis], [pale ochreous form].
14.111.37, Seleucia, near Bagdad, [olive-grey form].
This widely distributed Pan-Eremic species inhabits deserts and
oases. The North African form was named afra by Bethune-Baker.
The species at Ahwaz [South-west Iran], whose larva I described
with an illustration in Ent. Rec., LII, p. 72 [1940] under the name
Discestra arenaria Hamps, is in fact this same species which can there-
fore be added also to the Persian list. Perhaps the undetermined
‘* Scotogramma’’ Brandt mentioned from the extreme south of Persia
is the same.
I have not examined the genitalia of the type of arenaria Hamps.
from Karachi but have compared it carefully and now consider it speci-
fically different. The hindwing termen is distinct, whereas it is not so
in albipicta, in which the submarginal shade is the clearest hindwing
marking. The orbicular stigma on the forewing of the arenaria type
is concolorous whereas in albipicta it is often whiter: this difference is
perhaps less important owing to variability.
Therefore on p. 72 of Vol. LII readers of the Hnt. Rec. should correct
D. arenaria to C. albipicta Chr. Species No. 219 in my Iraqi list should
be similarly corrected.
Trichoclea avempacet Tams [=Calophasia pumpuninii Kruger Syn.
Nov.].
30.11.37, Kerbela desert.
Leucama. punctosa Tr.
See remarks under Cyprus, above.
om a man aia
NEW RECORDS OF LEPIDOPTERA FROM CYPRUS, IRAQ AND IRAN, (U5)
Plecoptera refleca Guen.
28 and 31.111.43, Basra, [oasis]. A Tropical Indian species.
ARCTITDAE, NOLINAE.
Celama turanica Stgr .
Bagdad and Basra, various dates, oasis.
GEOMETRIDAE.
Sterrha illustris Brandt.
19.ix.43, Basra, [oasis]. Previously known from South Persia.
Nychiodes variabilis Brandt.
On comparing my topotypical variabilis, from Fars, with my Iraqi
series of Nychiodes from Kurdistan, I was unable to detect any super-
ficial difference. The Iraqi species was determined by Prout for me xs
divergaria before he saw Brandt’s description of variabilis. It is unlike
the plate of divergaria given in Seitz IV Suppt. I presume therefore
that these records of divergaria trom Iraq, whether from Kurdistan or
Bagdad, should be amended to variabilis, which, I notice, has recently
been reported trom East Turkey by De Lattin. That true diverygaria
may also inhabit Northern Iraq is, however, still possible.
Dyscia osmanica Wagner.
23.v.37, Amadia. Prep. 401. Species No. 432 (conspersaria) in my
Iraqi list should be amended accordingly, this new determination being
by genitalia. Wagner’s name was until recently considered merely a
variety of conspersaria.
PYRAES AND MICROS.
A full account of these is at last ready and-will appear in Bull. Soc.
Fouad le Prem. d@’Ent. [Cairo] this year, the author, to whom I am
indebted, being Dr H. G. Amsel. The material was sent to him in 1938.
His work will contain over a hundred figures, including the genitalia
of Meyrick and Amsel types, and is translated into English.
III. PERSIA [IRAN].
é HESPERITDAR.
Eogenes lester Kvans subsh. elama Wilts.
In my full description of the race elama from the desert foot-hills
of South-west. Persia (Hint. Rec., 58, 15.11.46, p. 27) I quoted Brig.
Evans’ opinion, given in 1938. Since then, however, he has changed
it, and now considers elama, together with his /Jeslic: (from Afghanis-
tan), as specifically distinct from alcides H.S.
LASIOCAMPIDAE.
Lusiocampa piontkovskiit Shelj. 1943.
The species recorded under the name grandis Rog. in my Iraq list
(sp. no. 143) is probably, and in my first Persian list (Hnt. Rec., 57,
15.vi1.45, p. 80, sp. no. 8) is certainly, the same as that described dur-
ing the war under the above name from Transcaucasia (Araxes).
Readers of those lists should correct grandis to piontkovskii.
8
16 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/ VII /41949
AGROTIDAE.
Curdepia albipicta Chr. and Leucania punctosa Tr.
See remarks under Cyprus and Iraq above.
Metaegle pallida Sitgr.
12.vi.41, Shiraz, 5500 ft., stream-valley among dry hills.
15.vi.41, Muk Pass, Fars, 6500 ft., scrub-wooded limestone moun-
tains.
This species here flies together with Aegle mimetes Brandt, which
superficially resembles it; a case of convergence.
i GEOMETRIDAE.
Crocallis tusciaria transcaucasica Wehbrh.
Adults hatched 6, 7 and 8.x1.41, from larvae found in 111.41 at 3000
tt. at Shapur Gorge, Fars, near Kazeroon. The foodplant observed
there was wild-Prunus, and at a higher elevation [8000 ft., Kuh Surkh,
near Shiraz] mountain-Fraxinus.
The two following names of new species being described this year
[1949] in Bull. Soc. Fouad le Prem. d’Ent. are also to be added under
Geometridae to the Persian list: —Rhodostrophia debilis Wilts., Scodi-
onista astragala Wilts., both inhabiting the scrub-clad mountains of lars.
In my previous articles on Iran | have tried to give all the recent
publications on Iranian lepidoptera known to me. Continuing this
policy, I can mention the two following works. They are the first cf
their kind to have been printed in Iran :—
Afshar, Dj. Sept. 1946 ff. Liste des Rhopaloceres de VIran.
Kiriukhin, G. Sept. 1946. Les insectes nuisibles aw Pistacier en Iran.
Both appeared in Ministry of Agric. Quarterly Pub., Nos. 1 ff.,
Tehran.
LITERARY REFERENCES.
References are listed in my three works mentioned in the footnote
above.
NOCTUAE OF PULBOROUGH, SUSSEX, IN 1948.
By A. J. WicHtTmMan, F.R.E.S.
A strip of marshland lying alongside a public highway at Pul-
horough, having been scheduled for filling and levelling for road
straightening purposes, I decided in late June 1948 to work it inten-
sively with a view to finding out what species of Noctuae occurred there
and also to remove if possible any interesting species I might find to
similar and unthreatened terrain, of which there is no lack locally.
I did not expect to find insects very numerous, as this land is under
floodwater most years, for weeks on end, and often this water is several
feet deep.
This marshy strip was about 3 acres in extent, very wet, even in
summer. The chief vegetation was Glyceria aquatica with fair quanti-
ties of Phalaris arwndinacea, Juncus effusus and lamprocarpus, a small
area of Phragmites communis, much Iris pseudocorus, with endless
marsh plants such as Thalictrum flavum, Spiraea ulmaria, and Angelica
sylvestris, making a dense mass of vegetation.
z eed
\
NOCTUAE OF PULBOROUGH, SUSSEX, IN 1948. We
During July and August 60 species of Noctuae were taken, includ-
ing L. albipuncta and straminea, C. rufa, A. ophiogramma, C. leuco-
stigma, and H. suasa; it is with these two last that these notes are
really concerned.
C. leucostigma was abundant, its peak period being early August;
in all, 120 insects were taken, and the bulk kept for ova, of which many
thousands were put down among /ris this Spring, just when they were
hatching, close to Pulborough.
The most plentiful form was dark, almost black-brown, the only
discernible marking being the conspicuous reniform stigma, usually
ochreous-yellow, typical leucostigma, Hb., but quite commonly pure
white, ab. albipuncta, Tutt. Nearly as common was the dark-brown
ground colour form with a pale streak between the outer line and the
submarginal line, usually called fibrosa, Hb., although brown, not red,
in colour,
In fact, this name applies not so much to an individual form as to a
group of forms since it occurs in several different ground colours and
the streak itself varies in different individuals from definite pale brown
to almost pure white.
Between these two main forms a much less plentitul form occurred
in which a red-brown ground colour (micacea colour) was clearly marked
in darker brown but had no sign of the pale streak. This can hardly be
lunina, Haw.
This species came freely to sugared rush bloom and reed flowers and
was also to be taken sitting about on the reeds, but I found it very much
awake.
HADENA SUASA.
Why this species and its near allies, w-latinum (genistae), contiqua
and thalassina, are now placed in the old genus Dianthoecia (now
Hadena) IT have no idea.
I should have thought the form of the pupae alone would have sepa-
rated them, without the evidence of the genitalia, which, according to
Pierce (° Genitalia of the Noctuidae, page 47) would place oleracea
(now in Diatarazia) in the same genus with w-latinuwm and keep the
old genus Dianthoecia separate with A. irregularis added to it.
Such an arrangement may do violence to some modern conception
of generic or specific relationship, but it would be more natural than the
present classification.
The species oleracea and suasa have almost identical life-histories,
pupal form, larval form, and the imagines behave in the same way.
The species irregularis feeds on the characteristic pabulum of the
Dianthoecia, i.e., Silene otites, behaves as a larva like a Dianthoecia,
has the characteristic Dianthoecia pupal form, behaves as an imago
like a Dianthoecia, and lastly has a genitalic form agreeing with the
Dianthoecias (Hadenas) according to Pierce (Q Genitalia of the
Noctuidae, page 49).
In my strip swasa was not a very plentiful species, but occurred in
small numbers in Hants. over a period of seven weeks.
The variation was very great and hardly any two of the insects taken
were alike. During the period of its occurrence I selected a number
78 | ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL, LXI. 15/VIL/1949
of extreme 9s for breeding, one of which was definitely black, with
snow-white submarginal line, another deep red-brown so deep as to ap-
pear black in any light but daylight, and yet another was leaden-grey
with heavy fuscous suffusion, largely obscuring the markings.
T must mention here that I already had a brood of suasa larvae feed-
ing from a Hants. 2 given me by Mr A. H. Sperring in June. This
2 was very dark in colour and was selected for that reason.
These Hants, larvae were already well on the way to full grown he-
fore the first of the Pulborough batches had hatched and indeed they
(the Hants. brood) had pupated by early August.
IT expected that they would emerge as a second brood, but in this
T was mistaken, only 21 emerging in September.
All these Hants. forms were pale ochreous-brown in ground colour,
heavily marked in hepatic brown and agree well with Barrett’s fig. 1,
plate 157, which form Rebel has named ab. variegata. None were dark
like the parent ©.
None of my Pulborough swisa emerged in the Autumn, but to my
surprise they emerged in early May, a good month ahead of the re-
maining Hants. suasa, which had been so much longer in the pupal
stage and had given a partial autumnal emergence.
None of these Pulborough insects is of the variegata form, none in
fact are brown-marked, but a good number are unicolorous black-brown
with only marking a white submarginal line and a small suffused orange-
vellow spot, representing the upper outer edge of reniform.
Kixcept that my fresh insects are 12 in. in expanse and too deep
blackish-brown in colour to show markings, they are represented by
Barrett’s fig. 1b, plate 157, which may not be from a fresh example.
Rather less plentiful is another unicolorous form except for the
white submarginal line and an orange spot, as mentioned above, the
ground colour of which is blackish-red or black with red tone, far deeper
in colour and without the marking detail of Barrett’s fig. le, plate 157.
A third form which also was far from scarce in these Pulborough in-
sects has the ground colour purplish-grey and even in tone all over the
wing, but all the markings can be discerned in blackish-grey. I can
find no figure of this lovely form which in its palest manifestation is
almost wine-dregs colour, but no doubt it is of widespread distribution.
Outside these three main forms, there are a number of individual
forms, some of which are very beautiful. One such has a red-brown
ground colour with the usual marking indicated in paler red-brown
colour with white submarginal and a few whitish lines in discal area.
Had I taken this insect wild I should have placed it to thalassina.
The Spring emergence forms of the Hants. suasa does not differ
trom those of the Autumn emergence, but while these insects are all ab.
variegata they do vary a good deal, and in some ground colour is a
definite yellow shade, in others almost blue-grey. But all are marked
in hepatic brown and show great contrast between ground colour and
markings,
I fed these suasa throughout on Knotgrass and despite the large
number reared (600 odd) had no trouble.
I released over 400 of the Pulborough strain in a nearby marsh.
OBITUARY. 79
OBITUARY.
SIR JOHN FRYER, K.B.E., F.R.S., 1886-1948.
John Claud Fortescue Fryer died suddenly after an attack of
pneumonia on 22nd November 1948. He was born on 13th August 1886
at Chatteris, where he spent much of his early life acquiring an in-
terest in farming and an intimate knowledge of the fens. He was
educated at Rugby and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where
he took a First Class in the Natural Sciences Tripos, and soon atter
was appointed a Fellow.
As Balfour Student he went to Ceylon and carried out his classic
work on the genetics of Papilio polytes, L., proving that the cyrus
form of female, which resembles the male, is recessive and the polytes
form, which mimics P. aristolochiae, is determined by a dominant auto-
somal gene, and the romulus form, which mimics P, hector, is deter-
mined by an additional dominant modifying gene.
Later he took part in the Percy Sladen Trust expedition to Aldadra
Island and wrote papers on the fauna and physiography. On his re-
turn he was appointed Entomologist to the Ministry of Agriculture and
in 1920 Director of the Laboratory of Plant Pathology at Harpenden,
and when the Agricultural Research Council was established he became
its first secretary.
Throughout his life he was interested in the British Lepidoptera
and took most of the local species found in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cam-
bridgeshire, including Apatele strigosa, Schiff., Coenotephria sagittata,
L., and Nonagria neurica, Hb. His interest, however, was not con-
fined to the Lepidoptera and he had a wide and accurate knowledge
of other orders. For many years in association with H. M. Edelsten
he looked after Wood Walton Fen on behalf of the Society for the Pro-
motion of Nature Reserves, and together they succeeded in finding the
larva of Hydrillula palustris, Hb., bred the moths, and obtained fer-
tile eggs. They published a fascinating paper on its life history, show-
ing that its favourite food is meadow-sweet, and that after hibernation
it eats the dead leaves of this plant before pupating.
In his later years most of his published work was concerned with
economic entomology, but his study of Acalla comariana, Zell., led to
the publication of an important paper on its genetics showing that the
colour of the button and the ground colour are inherited independently.
_ Tall, thin, and distinguished in appearance, he had great personal
charm and collecting with him for a week-end was a most enjoyable
experience. I remember particularly well the one when we went to
Cricksea for Leucania favicolor, Mathew, and both succeeded in breed-
ing it from the egg. Later I spent a week-end with him to count its
chromosomes, and -we were both disappointed to find them 31, the same
number as L. pallens, L. He had thought that, being more robust,
favicolor might have a larger complement.
Fryer’s great ability was recognized by his election as President of
the Association of Applied Biologists in 1926, and of the Royal Ento-
mological Society of London in 1938. He was created K.B.E. in 1946,
‘and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1948. He married a
daughter of Mr T. H. Denny-Cooke in 1919 and there were two chil-
dren of the marriage, a son and a daughter.—F. A. C.
80) ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/VII/1949
LEONARD WOODS NEWMAN.
L. W. Newman was born on June 7, 1873, at Singleton in
Sussex, and died on March 11, 1949. Like most good entomologists
he was a keen collector in his boyhood and after he had taken a posi-
tion in a tobacco firm his talent attracted the notice of the late
Robert Adkin, who encouraged him to make entomology his profes-
sion. In 1894 at Bexley he started the business, which prospered and
eventually became known all over the British Isles and the Continent.
Unlike most dealers he confined himself to British Macrolepidoptera and
was most careful never to sell any insect of doubtful origin. His honesty
and integrity were well repaid by the complete trust reposed in him
by all his clients. Another cause of his success was his unremitting care
in breeding and inbreeding very large numbers of many species coupled
with an almost instinctive use of the right treatment for the more difh-
cult species.
He was a good field naturalist and loved collecting larvae and ima-
gines near his own home and on his holidays at Royston and Folkestone.
He bred many wonderful aberrations singly or in some numbers, but in
some cases he carried on a strain for many generations. For years he
bred the yellow form of Callimorpha dominula, ab. lutea, and later ab.
himacula from a colony in Tubney Wood. He bred dozens of the melanic
form of Hnnomos autumnaria, ab. schultzei,-a strain derived from a
dozen eggs laid by a normal female taken at Dover and sent unsolicited
by a schoolboy in the hope of an exchange. Newman, with his usual
kindness of heart, kept the eggs and sent the hoy what he wanted, and
was richly rewarded. Year after year he bred magnificent forms of
Mimas tiliae, one spotted, obsolete, red-brown, and very pale, and his
strain of Laothoé popult besides producing beautiful pink and buff
forms gave about one per cent. of gynandromorphs.
The recessive aberration of Saturnia pavonia, in which yellow re-
places pink or purple, was bred for the first time in England by New-
man from a female taken at Grays, but only in one generation, owing
to infertility. A considerable number of Lasiocampa quercus ab. oliva-
ceofasciata and ab. olivacea, formerly considered great rarities, were
bred in successive years from cocoons sent from Caithness.
He was less successful with Abraras grossulariata, though he bred
many varleyata and by selection obtained a fine strain of the white rayed
actinota, and by selecting the darkest ab. aherdoniensis he bred some
with entirely black forewings. He bred many hybrids, including Selenias
and Cosymbias, but his greatest triumph was hybridizing Notodonta
ziczac and N. dromedarius, hybr. newmani Tutt, which had never been
accomplished before and has not yet been repeated. Perhaps his most
spectacular success was the breeding of several black Papilio machaon,
and he was unlucky not to breed more, but was defeated by their weak-
ness and infertility.
At Stevens’s Auction Rooms he was a well-known figure. He cata-
logued most of the big collections and was the chief buyer, either on
commission or for himself.
Busy as he was he found time to write in joint authorship with H. A.
Leeds that useful and practical work ‘‘ A Textbook of British Butter-
flies and Moths.”’
COLLECTING NOTES. 81
In his later years he lived at Woodvale, and those privileged to go
there to inspect collections will not readily forget the hospitality of Mrs
Newman, who did so much to help him to build up his business. After
a stroke in 1942 he retired, but his house was damaged by a bomb :n
1944, and it was some time before he was able to return and spend his
last years in peace. I think the best tribute I can pay him is to say
that he won the respect and affection of all who dealt with him and
that his clents were his friends.
Unusual FooppnaANnts oF GORTYNA FLAVAGO, ScHirFr.—On June 20,
in a derelict garden near Dover Castle, I noticed a wilted shoot of
Buddleia variabilis, on a bush which had been cut down and grown
again sending out a number of vigorous green shoots about three or
four feet long. The terminal six inches were bent over and flabby, but
still green and there was a small dark spot just below the bend.
Slitting it open I exposed a boring running up almost to the tip and
in it a young larva of Gortyna flavago, Schiff. A brief examina-
tion of the bush showed another shoot in the same condition and inside
just above the dark spot was another larva of the same age. A plant
of mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris, growing near had one steme with a
wilted extremity and a dark spot at the side situated just below the
wilted portion, and in the boring which ran up towards the tip was a
young larva of the same species. I think both these food-plants are
sufficiently unusual to be worth recording.—K. A. CocKAYNE.
COLLECTING NOTES.
Srconp Broop or PLusIA FESTUCAE.—In June 1948 I netted a tew
P. festucae at Tris flowers in Pulborough Marsh, the moths appearing
just before dusk. T kept 2 @s for ova, which were readily forthcoming ;
they hatched in about a fortnight.
At first I fed the newly-hatched larvae on Iris leaves in glass-topped
boxes and this food seemed to suit them, as they eroded the leaves tor
the flat surface, leaving the leaf skeleton. I tried Iris flowers, and
found they were attractive to the larvae, but a bad food, quickly shrivel-
ling and becoming very sticky, trapping and killing the tiny larvae.
A peculiarity of these larvae was that they at intervals bent the
head round to anal orifice and seized the newly-evacuated frass, after
which the head was jerked vigorously from side to side and the pellet
thrown clear; often this jerky side-to-side movement was continued after
pellet was disposed of.
After a month’s feeding these larvae were still so small that a second
brood emergence seemed out of the question. I tried various other
plants as food to see if a change of food would speed up growth. Phrag-
mites, Phalaris, Carer and Glyceria were tried, and I found Glyceria
aquatica was specially fancied and on the plant the larvae began at
last to grow quickly.
T now removed them from the tins and placed them in a roomy breed-
ing cage with glass top and part zine sides, in which the reed-like
82 ENTOMOLOGIST’ S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/VIT/1949
leaves of Glyceria were placed in a bowl] of water and fresh stems added
daily and old leaves removed.
These larvae never showed any inclination to leave the foodplant.
feeding high up in the leaves in full daylight and sunlight, often two
or three close together, and by August 15th they were full fed and some
were spinning their cocoons on the underside of foodplant leaves. Of
51 larvae not one left the food to spin up on side of cage, or tried to
winter. The pupae were at first black, but before emergence had pink
areas on wing cases. :
Emergence began on September 4th, and the moths are very high
coloured and larger than wild taken specimens. Those I bred are very
uniform, but from pupae J had given him Mr A. H. Sperring bred an
example in which the 2 metallic spots are united in each wing. Var.
coalescens, Schultz, 1905, to which Hampson’s name festweella must
fall, and another with left wing normal and right wing with united
spots.
These insects he very generously returned to me.—A. J. WIGHTMAN,
Pulborough, Sussex.
CorREcTION or NAME or HapENa CAESIA, SCHIFF., VAR. MANANT,
GrREGSON.—While searching the older volumes of The Entomologist to
obtain data in connection with Lycaena phlaeas, I noticed that since
the variety was first described by Gregson, the name of manani has been
used wrongly instead of mananii.
The original description is in Vol. 3 of The Entomologist (1866), page
103, there named (and described) as manana, a form of Hadena (Dian-
thoecia) caesia, Schiff. The error appears to be Gregson’s own, or at
least he allowed it to continue, because a few pages further on (page
128) he goes into further details about it under the name of manani.
Since he is arguing there with W. Parry of Manchester as to his right
to name it (Parry having wrongly contested Gregson’s action), it may
be as well to have the name he really gave to it
Apart from this, there are one or two other items that need correc-
tion. Tutt (British Noctuae, IIT, 38-39 (1892)) gives the reference to
the original description as p. 104 instead of p. 103 and has wrongly
transcribed it as manant. Then Mr H. J. Turner (Suppl. Brit.
Noct., III, 98 (1943)) has given an incorrect reference to the name manan1
in respect of its first description. Turner correctly classes it as a suh-
species, but gives ‘‘ ssp. mananit, Greg. (1883), Yng. Nat., IV, 184.”
That reference is to an article by Robson, not to Gregson’s description,
and the reference ought to read instead—ssp. mananii, Greg. (1866).
Eintom., I11,@103.
Kloet and Hincks (1945)—A Check List of British Insects—do not
treat this as a subspecies as they should do, considering it is constantly
different from the Continental nominotypical form. The entry there
ought to be amended to ‘‘ [caesia (Schiff. 1775)] s. mananii (Gregs.
1866).”’
It seems fairly clear that ab. doubledayi, Mill. (1886) is a synonym
of s. manani, Gregson (1866).—P. SrvirER SmirH, 21 Melville Hall.
Holly Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, 16,
CURRENT NOTES. 83
CURRENT NOTES.
Tue Tidskrift (Stockholm) has begun its 70th volume with two hefts,
128 pages, 2 plates and a number of page illustrations equivalent to
plates, with a good sprinkling of text figures. It is not defaced by a
multitude of scratchy lines, indicating genitalia of use but to the very
few, if any.
Drury.—In the March issue of the Entomologist’s Record in ‘* Cur-
rent Notes ’’ you ask what became of the collection of Drury. In the
Kdinburgh Encyclopedia, 9, 66 (1815), Dr Leach says of the collection,
‘¢ That it was one of the most extensive ever made and is said to have
contained, in species and varieties, no less than 11,000 insects .
His Museum of Entomology was disposed of in London by public auction,
and produced about 600 pounds. One insect, viz., Scarabaeus goliathus,
was purchased by Mr Donovan for 123 guineas, who obtained also all
the British Insects (which were very numerous)... ”’
Presumably Donovan incorporated these insects in his own collec-
tion.
Drury was well known to Sir Joseph Banks, and I feel that it is
probable that part of Drury’s collection may have been acquired by
him. In which case I believe it will be found in the British Museum.
I have the following references, which I have not seen, except the
first, to Drury :—
Griffin, F. J. (1942). ‘‘ Henry Smeathman,”’ Proc. R. Ent. Soc. Lond.
(A), 17, 1-9.
Cockerell, T. D. A. (1922). ‘*‘ Drury, an 18th Century Entomologist,”
Scientific Monthly, 17, 67-82.
Cremitine Ie a IAD leroes daria. NOG, Inia. (ONE a.) ilk
I trust that this information may be of use to you.
With regard to the note ‘‘ Curious,’ [ should lke to add one of my
own entitled ‘‘ Curiouser ’’—there is in a bookshop I know a copy ot
Frohawk’s British Butterflies priced at £10 10s, and labelled very rare.
There are no less than 3 copies of this very rare work reposing unsold
and gathering the dust of ages upon them.—Brian O. C. GarpIneR, 34a
Storeys Way, Cambridge.
[For nearly three months personal circumstances have been quite
adverse to carrying on normally. This letter was not acknowledged,
nor did I correct my stupid error to which the writer referred. Fur-
ther, the Drury MSS., to which I referred, has unfortunately been mis-
laid.—Hy. J. T.]
May I correct what I feel sure was an inadvertant slip on p.
30 of the March Record. Drury’s book was published not in the 17th
century, but the 18th, being dated 1770-82. The MSS. which are men-
tioned must, of course, also be 18th century or later, since the famous
Whatman paper mill near Maidstone was only founded in 1731. Inci-
dentally, it is interesting to note that a very famous book, Moses
Harris’s Aurelian, was printed on Whatman paper, and a study of its
watermarks show that many copies, although dated 1766 on the title-
}
84 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/VI1IT/1949
pages, were printed in 1794 or 1810. This practice of putting the date
in the watermark is a very useful one.—J. O. T. Howarp, 551a Finch-
ley Road, N.W.3, 26th March 1949.
TXADVERTANTLY IT made the error of placing Drury in the 17th cen-
tury, instead of the 18th. It would have been acknowledged had I not
unfortunately mislaid or lost the material T had ready to publish.—
Hise:
ZTS. DER WIENER Ent. Ges., LX, No. 3 (March 1949), contains, inter
alia, an article by H. Foltin (pp. 39-42) on Biston isabellae, Harrison,
as compared with B. lapponaria; also two new forms of [ Olindia= ] Aniso-
taenia ulmana, by K. Burmann (pp. 43-44, T. 2, H. 3-6), ab. eruciana
(Fw. band reduced to a cruciform mark) and ab. obscurana (Fw. band
reduced to costal and medial dots).—T. B. F.
MirTrEILUNGEN DER ScHweIz. Entom. GrsEeLtiscHarr, XXI, Heit 1
(10.viii.1948). W. Biittiker has a long paper (pp. 1-148, 46 figs.) on the
Biology and Distribution of some Mosquitos in Switzerland; all the
species dealt with occur also in England. J. Miinster (pp. 159-179, 2
figs.) on Aphids carrying Virus Disease of Potato.
Heft 2 (25.viii.1948). E. Fischer (pp. 201-209, 2 coloured plates).
Hybrids with Celerio lineata-livornica. P. Weber, Wing-shape and
Venation of the European Gelechioidea (pp. 215-232, 16 plates). W.
Rey, Migration of Lepidoptera (pp. 233-248). F. Schneider, The Biology
of Some Syrphidae (pp. 249-285, 19 figs.).
Heft 3 (25.x.1948). Haller, Morphological, biological and histological
researches on Metamorphosis in Trichoptera (Hydropsyche) (pp. 301-360,
39 figs.). R. L. Clausen, Chemical Warfare on the Common Cockchafaer
(pp. 403-444, 5 figs.). H. Gaschen, Control of Mosquitos in Canton Vaud
(pp. 445-452). V. Delucchi and M. Martignone, First results of a Study
of Rhopalosophoninus latysiphon, Davidson (pp. 453-464, 12 figs.) [per-
haps not the same as the species recorded in England by Theobald].
Vol. XXII, Heft 1 (25.iv.1949). H. A. Schaefer, The Psyllidae of
Switz. (pp. 1-96, 41 figs.). R. Lotman, Feeding and Digestion of Sto-
moxys caleitrans (pp. 97-115, 14 figs.).—T. B. F. ;
WERNEBERG: Beitrage Schmett., Vol. I, pp. 38-489 (1864), catalogues
the whole of the species in these 6 ‘‘ Mantissa ”’ of Fabricius.
1775—In Systema Entomologicae. 1 Band.
1777—Die Genera Insectorum. 1 Band.
1781—Die Species Insectorum. 2 Bande.
1787—Die Mantissa Insectorum. 2 Bande.
1793-4—Die Entomologia Systematica. 3 Bande.
1798—Das Supplementum Entomologiae. 3 Bande.
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SEPTEMBER 1949
OLOGISTS RECORD
3 AND
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E. COLLIN, J.P., F.R.E.S. | H. B. Was, K.C., LL.D., F.R.E.S.
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CONTENTS.
NOTES ON INSECT VISITORS TO THE FLOWERS OF SEA
ASTER TRIPOLIUM, LINN., L. Parmenier, F.R.E.S., =a ee 85
THE OVIPOSITION OF THE SATYRID, PARARGE MEGERA, L., S. G. Castle
Russell, te ; “ fe be oes 87
_ ANAITIS PLAGIATA, L., Rev. peshiona ara ER. E. S., £7
’ THE EMERGENCE OF A FEW SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES IN SERR ANIA
DE CUENCA DURING THE YEAR 1928 89
92
COLLECTING NOTES : Gidchiptera aber. Collin (Dipt.. ‘chiovopidac), in
Surrey, L. Parmenter; Dianthoecia compta, J. M. Chalmers-Hunt; H.
suasa in Sussex, A. H. Sperring: A Search for H. suasa, Hayling Island,
Id.; Hibernation of P. icarus, T. D. Fearnehaugh; C. croceus, var. pal-
lida, and C. var. helice in the Swanage District, Leonard Tatchell; D.
2 livornica at Swanage, Id., ... —... Pe er rp a eh al, ete ye
- CURRENT NOTES AND SHORT REVIEWS, St op ee Fe pL Pe) 95
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JOCT 17 194
HARVARDSEA |
UNIVERSITY
RTHER NOTES ON INSECT VISITORS. mi
ASTER, ASTER TRIPOLIUM LINN.
| By L. Parmenter, F.R.E.S.
The Sea Aster occurs along almost the whole of the British coasts
but the records of its insect visitors seem remarkably scanty. In 1942
a list of 2 species of Coleoptera, 5 of Hymenoptera, 10 Diptera and
Lycaena phlaeas, ., the only Lepidopteron, were recorded, J. of Hcol.,
30: 392-3. The following year I made a point of examining some Sea
Aster plants when in Cornwall in August and was able to add 3 species
of Lepidoptera and 2 Diptera to the list, 1944, J. Soc. Brit. Ent.
Much to my surprise I have not found any further notes or records
- published. Surely other entomologists have coliected off, or have seen
insects visiting Sea Asters. My next opportunity to examine some of
these flowerheads came in 1947 when I tound two Syrphidae—Tubiferu
[Hristalis] tenax, L., and *Tubifera arbustorum, L., taking nectar
from this flower at Stone, Kent. This added one more species to the
list, for arbustorum had not préviously been noted.
In 1948 I was luckier and was able to study the plant in Pembroke-
shire and Dorset, finding a number of species taking its nectar. ‘The
localities were a small patch in the Gann estuary near Dale, Pembs.,
and a large area of marsh near Weymouth. About one hour was spent
on the work on each occasion. It was sunny on both days at Dale but
dull at Weymouth. The list is as follows :—
COLEOPTERA. Cantharidae. *Rhagonycha fulva Scop., Dale, 3rd August.
LEPIDOPTERA. Pieridae. *Pieris napi L., *P. rapae L., Satyridae. *Maniola
lithonus L., all at Dale, 3rd August.
HYMENOPTERA. Apidue. Apis mellifera L., abundant at Weymouth, 18th
August.
DIPTERA.
Dale. Dale. Weylouth.
3rd Aug. 7th Aug. 18th Aug.
Empididae. *Empis livida L. 1d =
Dolichopodidae. *Dolichopus grisei- _ — 1Q
pennis Stann.
*D. nubilus Mg. 13 — 19
*D. plumipes Scop. — _ 1d
Phoridue. *Phora aterrima F. 2 A gadets@2 Ne --
i Colyer)
Syrphidae. *Paragopsis [Eumerus] id ae a=
Strigatus Fin.
*Cheilosia [Pyrophaena] grandi- — — f ae.
tarsa Forster
? *Episyrphus [Syrphus] valieatus = — 1g 19
Deg.
*Metasyrphus [Syrphus] consisto — 13 id
Harr. [corollae Fab.]
*Paragus tibialis Fin. 1g 19 — _
Platycheirus manicatus Me. 1,Q) = 39 9°
*Sphaerophoria riippellii Wied. ig --
*S. scripta L. 13 3d d 1d
*Sulcatella metallina Fab. -- 19
*syritta pipiens L. 1 J 23d 3d dS
*Tubifera [Eristalis] arbustorum. 1.. — 19
T. [E.1 lyra Harr. [abusivus Collin] — — 2900
T, [E.| tenax L..
73. 109 9
86 ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/1TX/1949
Trypetidae. *Paroxyna plantaginis — — 1d
Hal.
Coelopidae. *Coelopa exima. Stenh. — — 19°
Cordiluridae. Scopeuma [Scatophaga} — — 173. d
stercorarium L.
*Scatomya [Scatophaga] litorea Fln. 1¢ 19 2516: =
Larvaevoridae. *Eriothrix rufomacu- = — = id
latus Deg.
Calliphoridae. *Calliphora erythro- = — ig 49
cephala Mg.
*Lucilia sericata Mg. = = 2919
*L. silvarum Mg. — id —
*Melinda gentilis R.D. = == 1d
*Onesia agilis Mg. 25.5 EE —
Onesia species indet. 190 — —
*Sarcophaga carnaria L. 1d 1d 1d
Sarcophaga species indet. — 19 =
Muscidae. *Caricea tigrina Fab. = =- 2458 Eh
*Musca autumnalis Deg. -- = 48 S6O0¢
Orthellia caesarion Mg. 19 19 47 (sexes
about equal!)
Nomenclature is that of 4 Check Inst of British Insects by G. 5.
Kloet and W. D. Hincks with some synonyms [in square brackets] to
assist those using Verrall’s List.
Those marked * are additional to the lists previously published and
indicate the scope for simple original work suitable for most amateur
entomologists.
One is tempted to-comment despite the still meagre amount of study.
The inclusion of 38 species of Dolichopus surprised me as I previously
had but-one record of a Dolichopus visiting a flower—Dolichopus wngu-
latus, L., on Heracleum sphondylium, L. (Hogweed).
Orthellia caesarion, Mg., was particularly abundant in the Wey-
mouth salt marsh and although this would account for its preponder-
ance in the above table it must be noted that it seems a constant visitor,
for it was found in Cornwall in 1948 as well as in both Pembs.
and Dorset in 1948 on this flower.
One of the most abundant flies in the Weymouth marsh was the
Trypetid—Paroxyna plantaginis. Curiously only one specimen was
seen on the flowerhead, a ¢ taking nectar, when the species is known
to breed in the flower heads!
The numbers seen of various species and their occurrence in both
counties suggests that many of the flies visit Sea Asters regularly.
Although I watched carefully, not once did I notice a fly leaving the
Sea Asters for other flowers.
REFERENCES.
Parmenter, L. 1944. Insect Visitors to the Flowers of Sea Aster, Aster tripolium
Ik, di, SOG, IBF. ills, 23 GHB.
Clapham, A. R., Pearsall, W. H., and Richards, P. W. 1942. Aster tripolium L.
J Of MHICOU., 300-392")
Parmenter, L. 1942. Dolichopodidaue (Dipt.) associated with Flowers. Ent. Mon.
NOW To Th) 2 De PF.
Parmenter, L. 1949. Eristalis abusivus Collin (=Tubifera lyra Harris) (Dipt.,
Syrphidae) visiting Flowers of Sea Aster, Aster tripolium L. Ent. Mon.
Mag., 85: 24.
12th July 1949.
THE OVIPOSITION OF THE SATYRID, PARARGE MEGERA, L. 87
THE OVIPOSITION OF THE SATYRID PARARGE MEGERA, L.
By S. G. CastLte Russexu.
Although I have reared this butterfly from captive temales I have
never seen the insect depositing in its habitat and under natural con-
ditions. On August the 5th last being on the downs near Gomshall and
finding the butterflies on the wing in good numbers, I decided to watch
and see if I could detect the female in the act of laying. A pair, both
in somewhat worn condition which were indulging in the pastime oi
sitting head to head and jostling one another, attracted my attention.
Megera seems to be particularly partial to this pastime which other
observers record as a preliminary courtship to copulation. Other
species also indulge in the game but in most of the instances I have met
with the insects were not in good condition and have parted without
pairing: in fact I have never myself seen them pair. Females of many
species of butterflies are known to pair more than once and in the case
of Argynnis paphia it seems to be a habit.
Adverting to the pair that attracted my attention I watched them
for a short time until they parted, due I thought, to alarm at my near
vicinity. The female flew into the base of a small juniper tree, alighted,
and appeared to be busy. After she had moved out I investigated the base
of the tree, cutting away the small surrounding dead branches. There
on stalks of dead grass I found five freshly laid eggs green in colour.
Previously I had noticed many females diving into the bases of juniper
trees, and had assumed that they did so to escape from me. It seems,
however, that their purpose was to oviposit, and I confirmed this by
examining a number of bushes into which I had seen females dive. in
each mstance I found a few freshly laid eggs together with some that
had evidently been laid previously as they had changed colour.
It would appear therefore that the procedure adopted by the female
in the wild is to lay eggs on dead grass under bushes and not on green
grass in the open.
I have found that the female in captivity prefers to lay on the dead
stalks of grass at the base of a potted grass plant, although a few are
deposited on the green blades.
They will also lay freely on fabric in the cage, and on one occasion
deposited rows of eggs on some worsted threads which hung from the
top. This habit is not peculiar to megera as the fritillaries seem to
prefer to lay on anything but their food-plant when in captivity, al-
though they do deposit some. Argynnis paphia deposit on tree trunks
in the wild, but the others are said to lay their eggs on the food-plant
or adjacent plants and grass.
ANAITIS PLAGIATA, L.
By Rev. DesMonp Murray, F.R.E.S.
Plate 3.
Special interest is attached to this insect, first because the form of
the male genitalia show no resemblance to any other species of Geomet-
rid, occurring in these islands, except perhaps to Carsia paludata,
Thunb., in the form of the female organ and to the other four species,
83 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/1X/1949
placed under Chesiudinue, by the acicular or needle-shaped aedoegus.
Secondly, an account of another species separated from it in recent
years, i.e. R. efformata, Gn., which resembles it so very closely in the
perfect insect, (in fact in all the stages), that it is often difficult to see
any distinction, though the latter is generally smaller, yet they differ
widely in genital structure.
Lastly, because it was one of the insects used (without effect) in an
experiment of biological control (1917), of a harmful weed introduced
from Europe into Australia, i.e. Hypericum perforatum, L., the food-
plant of the larva.
An account of this experiment will be found in Recent Advances in
Entomology, A. D. Imms (19387). The life-history given here of this
insect is from personal observation but does not claim to be exhaustive.
(1) The Egg is laid singly, sometimes two or three together in the
edge of the leaf or on flower-heads of the food-plant; it is white to pale-
yellow in colour; the young larva emerges in twelve or thirteen days,
both in the spring and autumn broods. This time agrees with the record
made by Mr Fenn, as far back as 1892, of the ‘‘ Duration of the Geomet.
in the Ova State ’’ (see Tables, Hut. Record, Vol. III, pp. 173 and 225).
(2) Larva 1 mm. on emergence, greyish-white in colour, apparently
without setae and not differing in form from the full-grown larva, which
is reddish-brown in colour, with a dorsal band of pale-yellow; when small
it closely resembles the withered petals of the flower. There are two
broods, one in May-June, the other generally in late August, varying
slightly according to the weather.
The autumn larvae hibernates after feeding up for sometime, but with-
out using any form of hibernisation, commencing, to feed again quickly
about April. The early summer brood develop at once, but development
is always slow as the larva is very sluggish. It passes through, as far as
could be observed, four instars.
At-full growth the measurement is about 22 mm. in length.
The hibernating larvae feed at intervals up to the end of October, if
the weather is mild. After this as the plant withers with the receeding
sap and effect of early frost, the larva remains stationary, stretched at
full length on a dry stem, when the cold increases, it descends to the
base of the plant, where there are generally a few succulent leaves and
nibbles off and on until the return of the spring months, when the food-
plant, a perennial, sends out its new growth. The spring larvae mature
in about two and a half months; the autumn larvae take about eight
months to maturity. Except for the bristles on the claspers the larva
shows no setae or only very fine hairs, which perhaps is not unusual with
a Geometrid.
It is difficult to see how the larva of plagiata or efformata could help
in any way in the control of a pest plant, the amount it eats of the
shrubby, strong growing Hypericum is infinitesimal, it is also infested
with a number of parasites, at least in this country, so appears to be
the weakest possible weapon to use, in any form of biological control.
(3) The Pupa; to pupate the larva falls off the food-plant, secretes
itself amongst the debris where it changes to a pupa in less than a
week, apparently without any form of web but works itself under the
light soil, if there is any.
THE EMERGENCE OF BUTTERFLIES IN SERRANIA DE CUENCA. 89
The pupa is light-brown in colour, without any markings, 15 mm. in
length, with the end of the antennae sheath projecting from the case.
It remains in this state for three weeks or more according to tempera-
ture; damp conditions generally hasten emergence.
(4) The Imago: A. plagiata, Kxp. 30-38 mm.—A. efformata, Exp.
25-30 mm. is generally paler and not so definitely marked. In colour
the perfect insect is a French grey, with three dark cross bars on the
forewing, giving the English name Treble Bar; the hindwing is a very
light-brown. In newly-emerged specimens the angle of the forewing has
a pale-crimson suffusion. The autumn brood is sometimes, (but not
always), larger than the early summer brood and the female slightly
larger than the male. The moth is beautifully marked, if it was not
a common insect it would probably be so considered. The sexes do not
differ in colouring, even the antennae do not show a marked difference.
Plagiata seems to be generally distributed over England, wherever the
food-plant occurs in any quantity, a favourite habitat for the plant is
on railway embankments.
One observer found larvae recently on the Lancashire sand hills, where
the plant has recently appeared though unknown there before; (See
Trans. S. Lond. Ent. Soc., Vol. 1945-46, p. 74).
Five or six aberrations have been named, differing principally in
the width and density of the treble-bars or the absence of these.
Kifformata seems to occur only on chalk in the south of England; the
two species often fly together. Comparison of the male genitalia show
how very distinct are the two species.
(5) The. food-plant is generally Hypericum perforatum, I., St
John’s-wort, but other near species are used; in recent years the insect
has discovered the large flowered and large leafed garden plant, H.
calycinum, L., or Rose of Sharon, in some places.
(6) Parasites: From a number of larvae bred during the last few
years, four different single parasites emerged from the autumn brood.
Mr G. J. Kerrick of B.M. kindly named them as 1. Micropotetes sp.
2. Apanteles sp., two other small Chalcids not yet identified.
The author has to thank Mr S. Wakely for specimens received in
several stages of both species.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE.
Egg x15.
. Larva on emergence X15. ,
Larva last instar <5, head of same further enlarged.
Pupa X3.
Imago (, natural size.
Male genitalia x 20.
Male genitalia x20. A. efformata, Gn.
TED UR Go NO
THE EMERGENCE OF A FEW SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES IN
SERRANIA DE CUENCA DURING THE YEAR 1928.
——_—_——
EXPLANATION OF THE SIGNS.
Climate: (A) coldish, unsettled weather until June 25th. (B) mode-
rate heat. (C) hot. (D) the heat decreases. (KE) a storm occurs almost
every day until August 24th, high temperature. (F) the temperature
Date
Ma
29
June 1-5
July 1-5
29
99
99
”
39
Aug. 1-5
5 1-25
Sept. 1- 5
» 6-10
Oct. 1-5
90 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. ‘15 /TX/1949
decreases. (G) very hot. (H) a wave of cold. (I) the stormy weather
ends. (J) unsettled weather, heat. (K) moderate heat. (L:) some
showers. (M) heavy rains. (N) lovely climate. (QO) frequent rains.
(P) the temperature drops. (Q) rains and cold. (R) of fine climate,
but on November Ist it snowed.
Occurrence of fresh specimens: s=scarce; f=frequent; p=plenty.
(1)
Climate
P. rapae
L. sinapis
I. lathonia
P. icarus
L. bellargus
pordt
lyllus
S. hibiscae
L. argester
M. phoebe
M. didyma
L. albicans
L. caucasica
coridon
+O
Ih
nNnnn rig DBO
DM eee RHO
+O
Qs
+0
Qs
+O
Ly
+O
+O
y 20-25
26-31
mH +O
nnn nena,
NDNnNNDWNM ntO
n
2O3s Pp ono
G
| >
mm w rOy
td)
nm Ww
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
mh mM ew WO,
Mihm wn
nw
Mum me mOy
nm w
NNnMNDM HM ho rOy
wm
mn
t leo Osg 1
Nnnnenwn w wntO
NNNNMNMN'O'T N4O
7)
wm
wn
lexiuate TONG
bh
Ww
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-31
w
wm
wn
WA Ah ray fo) heli Tadl=) to} tel Tao (4)
Ww
uv
|
NNN DN
K— NM ree ounn wn
ATS TS TSS) Stes) wa
WM RPh RR Rhee D DM MN
+
DRNANNANDAMNNANNAMNBNWAWM”NA
nnn n
paesia
mre nnnnnNn WN
Mr MNRhNnNNMNNNAMNM NUN
wm
6-10
11-15
16-20
wn
ANNNNnNMNMH ww
wa
NDnrhwnNNMN NM
mn
mn
Ww
AmMDNnN DW
—
wm
NDnanannnm
26-31
wu
NDMaANNMNNHnNN NHN
, Seo
Loma}
ia
DAMrrn wD
rPhem DN WM
io)
Nmnwmnm
bh Rh Rb Rb
WM hh eb Wa eM
nunnoddunn wh
NDNnNMNMi DN
bh
Ba wWM rr
nnn n
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
DA DNMNNDANRANAAMDMNAARDUN NA
wm
co
M eb
Lear)
meee io ood fh
Podonoannn
NNNMNM MN
Mm WW eb ee
nw
Lac)
wn
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-31
1d)
wn
wn
WM WM eh eb
nN
nw
Sy)
Esa) ) vais!) zx |
™M
ae
s Ss S s/s s s
(+) See the explanatory notes.
(!) Spralia hibiscae, Hb. = Powellia sao, Hb.; Lysandra argester,
Bgstr. = Lycaena hylas, Esp.; Pyrgus fritillum, Schiff. = H esperia
cirsi, Ramb.; Coenonympha lyllus, Esp., the exerge of pamphilus, L.,
according to Verity.
(+) The first brood of argester emerged from 30th May to 15th
August. The lack of a sign, in the table, by the end of June, does not
mean that specimens of that species had ceased to emerge on those days.
It was due to the fact that while making my tables at Barcelona I did
not find in the set, at which IT was looking, any specimens labelled with
those dates because at that time we went and collected to higher places,
HOoDoOHMHoeN
nunounwunnN
wn
P. fritillum
3 PIS PID QId 2
THE EMERGENCE OF BUTTERFLIES IN SERRANIA DE CUENCA. 91
above Ugna, where argester did not live. While coming home we were
unable to catch at Rincon de la Laguna, where those butterflies were
flying, owing to the daily storms in the afternoon. The second brood of
that species was on the wing from 19th August to 16th September.
The apparent lack, in my table, of phoebe, albicans and coridon,
from 11th to the 20th August, is due to another cause. Generaliy, my
wife and I caught in different places to get diverse local species on the
same day. My wife went to Rincon de la Laguna, I walked far. At
mid-August my wife was not well. I made some trips to Rincon del Juez
chiefly to follow the development of P. fritillum (that I shall relate by
a further paper). There I took ZL. caucasica and other species, but [
saw neither any albicans nor coridon. Coming back I collected some
argester near Ugna and soon went home to nurse my wife. When on
August 21st, and later on, we visited again the meadow and path cf
Rincon de la Laguna, where both albicans and coridon. live, we found
there many worn specimens of this kind together with some recently
emerged ones.
Conclusion.—From what I have related, and from what I noted in
1924 at Albarracin, and at Ugna in 1926 and 1933, I infer that albicans,
coridon and caucasica are single-brooded species emerging almost at the
same time when it is cold and rainy in the spring. In very dry seasons,
as it happened at Albarracin, Montarco, and, in 1926, at Ugna, albicans
emerged in June, before its two allied species, but it did not produce
a second brood in summer.
Instead, hispana is a double-brooded species not only near Florence
and Barcelona, but in any locality (Southern France, Riviera) where
it has been found. It remains double-brooded on mountains. As I have
already recorded, we took hispana, both in the spring and summer, on
Mt. Fanna, 2000 ft. In the Museu de Catalunya at Barcelona there are
specimens, taken by Dr Font Quer in alpine surroundings, and in Octo-
ber, on Sierra de Almucara (Southern Spain) and at Puerto de Tortosa
(Southern Catalonia), more than 3000 ft. Perhaps we have also taken
hispana along the banks of Guadalaviar river in front of Albarracin,
3300 ft.
Sagarra and I noted that the upperside of the wings of alhicans is
almost white, that of hispana is greenish bluish snffused with grev
scales; the disco-cellular spots are often prominent. the marginal bands
are large and deep brown. On the underside the spots are big and deen
black: the orange lunules, around the black spots, along the margin cf
the hindwings, are intensely coloured and often they are visible on the
upverside. Mr Ball. living at Brussels. noted some differences between
the androconial scales of hispana and albicans. Tasandra hisnana
emerge in the same manner as Bellargus. Around the lake of
Uena. where the climate seems to be still more favourable to insect-life
than in manv lowlands, the first brood of bellarqus emerged. in 1928.
from May to the beginning of July; the second brood was more or less
on the wing from mid-August to the November frost. Tf hispana would
be co-specific with albicans it ought to emerge, at Uena, like hellarqus.
and not to be a single-hrooded species. In any place of Serrania de
Cuenca we never saw any specimen which might be referred to hispana.
Perhaps we have not discovered where the localized room lives.
OrAzt1o QUERCT.
92 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL, LXI. 15/1X/1949
OBITUARY.
CAPTAIN RUPERT STANLEY GWATKIN-WILLIAMS, C.M.G., R.N.
1875-1949.
Captain R. S. Gwatkin-Williams had an adventurous life. He went
to sea in the Imperieuse as a midshipman in 1891, served on the China
Station, and was present at the taking of the Taku Forts. He served
through the Boxer campaign, took part in the capture of Pekin, and
witnessed the looting of the Summer Palace. After his retirement in
1912 he was in the coastguard service in Ireland and became an ardent
entomologist. Stationed at: Queenstown he made a collection of Irish
Lepidoptera, which was sold some years later at Stevens’s Auction Rooms.
He bred numbers of cream-coloured males of Cycnia mendica and a red-
dish form of Lithophane socia, and took a fine series of Celaena leuco-
stigma, but his greatest prize was a Leucania loreyi, which he found on
ivy blossom.
On the outbreak of war in 1914 he rejoined the Navy and was placed
in command of H.M.S. Tara serving first off the coast of Ireland and
later in the Mediterranean. Torpedoed in the Gulf of Sollum he was
taken prisoner and handed over to the Turks, who placed him in the
hands of the fanatical Senoussi. He spent several months of great hard-
ship in the Libyan desert. Enduring burning heat by day and bitter
cold at night, he and his crew, almost starving, lived for a time largely
on snails, but eventually the survivors were rescued by the Duke of West-
minster’s armoured cars. The thrilling story appeared in his little book,
‘¢ In the Hands of the Senoussi,’’ published in 1916.
After his recovery he spent nearly two years in command of H.M.S.
Intrepid as Senior Naval Officer at Yukanski on the Murman Coast of
Russia. During his first season in the Arctic he made a small collection
of Lepidoptera including Hrebia disa, which he found common, but very
local.
Through his influence I became surgeon to the Intrepid and got to
know him very well during his second season in the Arctic. Tall with a
large red face, he was an imposing figure, and though he could be severe
he was kind hearted and so popular with his crew, that almost all volun-
teered to serve under him again. He was an entertaining raconteur,
full of ideas, and so enthusiastic that no one could be dull in his com-
pany even in that desolate land. The task of keeping the seaways to the
White Sea free from mines for the convoys going to Archangel and Kem
ended in December 1917 when the Bolshevists seized the Russian war-
ships and the town of Murmansk. On his return he wrote the story in
his book, ‘‘ Under the Black. Ensign,’’ which I have heard described as
one of the best of the war books. ;
In 1918 he became commodore of the ocean escorts of the convoys
bringing American troops across the Atlantic.—F. A. 0.
COLLECTING NOTES. 93
COLLECTING NOTES.
ELACHIPTERA DIASTEMA, CoLLIN (Dirt., CHLOROPIDAE) IN SURREY.—
In 1946, Trans. R. ent. Soc. Lond., 97: 146-7, Mr J. EK. Collin first
described the above species and particularly compared it with the wide-
spread Elachiptera cornuta, Fin. He recorded it from Cambs., Dorset,
Oxford and Suffolk, and in the months of March, April, August and
September. On 13th February, a cold, frosty day at Bookham Com-
mon, Surrey, Messrs F. D. Buck and R. D. Weal were industriously
working through some grass tufts for Céleoptera and allowed me to
pick up the Diptera present—mostly small Sphaeroceridae and Sep-
sidae. Amongst the 16 flies taken were 2 99 H. diastema. This early
date suggests that diastema, like H. brevipennis, Mg., and KH. cornuta,
Fln., overwinter as adults. I also found cornuta on the same day in
Mr Buck’s beating tray when a mass of dead Clematis draping a Holly
was being ‘‘ dealt with.’’—L, Parmenter, 94 Fairlands Avenue, Thorn-
ton Heath, Surrey, 5th April 1949.
DIANTHOECIA CoMPTA.—The readers of the Hntomological Record and
Journal of Variation will, I feel, be interested in the following observa-
tions. On 23rd June 1949, at 9.55 p.m., I had the good fortune to take
at Dover a ¢ example of Dianthoecia compta in perfect condition. It
came to the bloom of Sweet William, and as far as I could see did not
hover over the flowers, but apparently settled at once, remaining quite
motionless on one of the heads. The night was a cold one with a mode-
rate North-East wind (only slight at the place of capture since the exact
location is a sheltered one), and this coldness I feel no doubt accounted
for the insect’s inactivity. On 27th June I was once more at the same
spot and took a further example of compta—a Q this time but not in
quite fresh condition. On this occasion the weather was rather warm
with no wind or cloud. I first observed this second specimen at 10.45
p-m., hovering over the flowers of Sweet William, and it occurred to
me that it might have been depositing; however, I was unable to make
sure. I have kept the flower-heads over which it flew in the hope that
they may contain ova.—J. M. CHatmers-Hvunt, 70 Chestnut Avenue,
West Wickham, Kent, 7th July 1949.
H. svasa In Sussex.—With reference to Mr A. J. Wightman’s note
on H. suasa in the Ent. Rec. for July-August 1949, this has been the
commonest Noctuid I have met with this year. The first specimen |
took on 25th May, and it was still in fresh condition on 16th July.
Tn 1930 and 1931 I took and bred it from the Cosham Marshes, Ports-
mouth, and never obtained anything but the suwasa form, Bkh., de-
scribed by Warren (Seitz, Vol. III) as pale leather-brown. This form
is well shown in South’s Moths of the Br. Isles, Vol. I, Pl. 121,
IT never take this form now, all my captures being much darker,
including conflwens, Ev. .
I took in addition this year a small grey form, which, so far, I have
been unable to find illustrated.
From dark females captured this vear I have about 200 pupae, and
shall await their emergence next year with interest,
94 BNTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/1TX/1949
Larvae were fed on dock, which they ate readily.—A. H. Sprrrine,
Slindon, Fifth Avenue, Warblington, Hants.
A Srarcn ror H. suasa, Hayrtine Istanp.—A friend wanting this
species, I took him to one of its haunts on Hayling Island on the
25th June this year. I usually take it on the long grasses on the sea
banks; but we were unable to find it there. It was very common on
the nearby mud flats from about 11 p.m.-1.30 a.m. (Summer Time).
From midnight onward, one cquld pick up as many pairs as wanted.
These mud flats are intersécted with creeks, and at very high tides
are covered with water, so the larvae and pupae must be submerged at
times. Some pairs were found far out on cord grass. All the pairs
taken were of the favicolor form with one exception, a ¢ pallens x 9
favicolor. This is the only case of this pairing J have ever seen, and
I have taken many in the course of years’ collecting. Unfortunately,
the 2 escaped before ova were deposited.
Males fly wildly to light, but are hardly worth taking, as pairs in
vood condition can be taken later.—A. H. Sprrrine, Slindon, Fiith
Avenue, Warblington, Hants., Ist August 1949.
Eastward SpREAD OF Hytoicus PinastRI.—On 2nd August 1949 I
found a male of H. pinastri under a street lamp in London Road,
Croydon. Although rubbed in places on the forewings, the moth was
obviously fresh as the body scales and fringes were in excellent. condi-
tion. Whether by natural spread or accidental means the insect ar-
rived in Croydon there is sufficient pine scattered about the area to
enable the species to gain a foothold.—F. V. L. Jarvis, 21 Shirley
Avenue, Sutton, Surrey.
HIBERNATION OF P. 1caRus.—A large batch of ova was obtained from
half-a-dozen wild icarus females captured in late June. About 250
larvae were reared to the hibernation stage. This species hibernates
after some feeding following the second casting of skin. Five only of
tha larvae did not settle down for hibernation, but fed on rapidly to-
wards a second brood. All the larvae were kept under identical con-
ditions and the bulk of them stopped feeding during a spell of hot
weather when the outdoor temperature exceeded 80° F. on several suc-
cessive days.—T. D. Frarnenoucn, 25 Ramsey Road, Sheffield.
C. CROCEUS, VAR. PALLIDA, AND C. VAR. HELICE IN THE SWANAGE Dis-
TRICT.—Between August 7th and 20th, 103 C. croceus, 1 var. pallida
and 4 var. helice were observed within a quarter of a mile of my cottage,
which is close to the sea; they were nearly all in fresh condition, especi-
ally the 99. A few were flying along the shore, and pitching on the
rocks, but the majority were winging over the Downs in a westerly
direction.
V. cardut, V. atalanta and V. c-album are plentiful, the latter rather
worn.
It is remarkable that so few V. io are to be seen this season. Is there
a general scarcity of this usually common species ?—LEONARD TATCHELL,
Swanage.
CURRENT NOTES AND SHORT REVIEWS. 95
D. LIVORNICA AT SWANAGE.—A (3 specimen of D. livornica in excellent
condition was taken at light on the evening of August 15th.—LEonAaRD
TATCHELL, Swanage.
CURRENT NOTES AND SHORT REVIEWS.
THE LEPIDOPTERA OF THE Kincpom or Eecypt, by E. P. Wiltshire,
F.R.E.S., quarto, 100 pp., 76 plts., one coloured, and 68 text-
figures mostly of diagrams (genitalia) with a few new species.
This article is one of the most needed guides to a knowledge of the
Lepidoptera in the Near East, the more useful will it be because of the
experience, knowledge and reliability of the extremely careful author.
Knowledge of the literature of Entomology and of the reliability of
records increase the value of this admirable Summary.
Unpver the auspices of the Royal Entomological Society a series of
booklets are being issued entitled ‘‘ Handbooks for the Identification ot
British Insects.’? The two lying. before us deal with (1) Dragonflies
and (2) the Dermaptera and Orthoptera. Of the latter volume, Dr
Burr will doubtless give us his opinion.
The Odonata (Dragonflies) may illustrate all the methods used.
Every outward visible character of every species are figured. These
are classified and comparatively figured, e.g., head (eyes, bristles,
mouth), wings (fore-, hindwing markings), legs (appendages), thorax,
abdomen (marking, appendages), anal (marking, appendages), ete.
The outward visible general appendages fall into their natural posi-
tion in the classification and are a predominant feature in the classifica-
tion.
THe Burterriies. AND MotHs Founp IN THE Dover AND Dear District,
by Bernard Embry, F.R.E.S., and George H. Youden, F.R.E.S.
This is one of those particularly useful Guides to an area in close
proximity to the Continent, and in the past was notorious for an
‘“aliens without genuine passports.’? In the past this area had the
objectionable reputation as the landing place of new species to the
country without a reliable passport. So far as we have seen, the pre-
sent authors have omitted the doubtful records.
Guide books like these seem always to attempt the impossible, to ar-
range the groups into a sequence which is absolutely impossible as a
scientific fact.
In this case there are 8 groups of Butterflies. Danaidae are put
first followed by the Satyridae, Nymphalidae, Nemeobiidae, Lycaenidae,
Papilionidae, Pieridae, and Hesperiidae.
The relationship can only be shown by a plant or tree with 8 tubercles
each of a different height from base, each representing one of the above
groups. Looked at from above the circle of the 8 scattered groups can
only show relationship to a very limited extent, not impossible. Then
why not always use the early grouping, starting with Papilionidae.
Hence it would be advisable to the early groups: Papilionidae, Pieridae,
Satyridae, Danaidae, Nymphalidae, Nemeobiidae, Lycaenidae, and
Hesperiidae,
96 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/1X/1949 —
In this case the choice of Danaidae as the first group has been ~
not unfortunate. The ‘‘ Monarch ’’ is not plexippus, nor is plexippus —
(proper) the Monarch. , :
Linnaeus, Systema Naturae (1755), p. 471.
plexippus. ;
‘¢ Ales primores fascia alba ut in squento cui somelis chrysippus.”
I have had more than a hundred of the American Danaidae and not
one had a white fascia like the eastern Danaidae of Atrica and 8. Asia. —
(The white fascia is irremovable and not likely to be.)—Hy. J. T.
THE DRAGONFLIES OF THE BritisH IstEs, by Cynthia Longfield, F.R.E.S.
2nd edition. Messrs Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd. 260 pp., 58 ©
plts., 12 coloured; 17/6 net.
This volume is one of the very excellent series of works on the natural
history of British Insects. In detail and illustration of detail this
volume is brought up to date quite equal to the volumes previously
issued. Colour is not so important in the work depicting the Odonata,
but it is used in all cases where usefully necessary. A section of some
18 pages is entitled ‘‘ Wings and Bodies of Dragonflies,’’ and consists
of 17 plates, each comparatively arranged. The sub-sections: Vena-
tion, 6 plates and including costal patches (enlarged); Genitalia, 1
plate; Bodies, 7 plates, also comparatively grouped; Shape of Pro-
thorae in the Damsel-flies (enlarged), 1 plate; Anal Appendages
(Caudal Lamellae) of Damsel-flies, 1 plate; Alternative Pattern on
Bodies of Damsel-flies, 1 plate. To these should be added 4 plates of
figures of the Nymphs of Dragonflies arranged in groups, at the end of
the volume.
Much of this detail work was begun and carried on by the late W. E.
Kvans about the year 1845. In fact, this volume introduces the popu-
lation of water, of marsh, pond or lake in contrast to that of land, and
its educational influence is of the greatest value.
T should like to have more Coniectine Notes and
CurRENT. Notes. Are there any Collecting areas still
closed. or partly so, and are any wholly released?
EXCHANGES.
st
Subscribers may have Lists of Duplicates and Desiderata inserted free of charge.
They should be sent to H. W. ANDREWS, The Rookery, Breamore, Fording-
bridge, Hants.
Wanted.—E. fuscantaria, ova and imagines. Cash or exchange.—A. H. Sperring,
Slindon, Fifth Avenue, Warblington, Havant, Hants.
Desiderata—Dipterous parasites bred from Lepidopterous larvae or pupae, ¢r -
from any other animal.—H. Audcent, Selwood House, Hill Road, Clevedon,
Somerset.
Wanted.—I need specimens of Lycaena (Heodes) phlaeas from all parts of the
world, particularly Scandinavia, Russia, Siberia, Madeira, Canaries, N.
Africa, Middle East counties, and E. Africa; also varieties from British Isles
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“g ALC ei : : Se he sé Bie os a Seed
2 ‘FORMICA EXSECTA NYL., AS A SLAVEMAKER, Lawrie Weupherill, ... .... 101
_ ENTOMOLOGICAL EXPERIENCES IN WEST AFRICA, MAINLY TOGOLAND,
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- COLLECTING NOTES : Drury, Brian 0. C. Gardiner; C. livornica at Braun-
ton, N. Devon, FE. Barton White, F.R.E.S.; Larvae of H. pinastri, Linn.,
ie fd; Tarvae'of B, nebeculosa, BSp., Id... 6. oe See tee
BREEN NOTHS, Sk a ee A
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IENDUM TO SOME MORE NEW RECORDS OF LEPIDOPTERA, 97
TO SOME MORE NEW RECORDS OF LEPIDOPTERA
FROM CYPRUS, IRAQ, AND IRAN.
By EK. P. WILTSHIRE.
ADD UNDER PERSIA (IRAN) AGROTIDAE (betore Cardepia
albipicta).
Kuxou robigtnosa Stgr.
13-15.x.39, Kermanshah, c. 5000 ft. (garden and enclosed wild hills
ground).
Euxoa corti Wagner.
19.x.40, Shiraz, c. 5000 ft. (gardens).
Amathes (=Ithyacia) iobaphes (Boursin),
25.x.89, Kermanshah, c. 5000 ft. (garden and Paina wild hilly
ground). A very Dore male, the second known example of this
rarity, of which I took the type in Lebanon on 26.1x.38.
a eal
ADD (after ‘ Cardepia albipicta . . . above ’’):—
Polia praedita Hubn.
20.ix.40, Khan-i-Zinian, c. 6500 ft., scrubby hills, Fars.
Procus aerata Esp. (=latruncula).
17.vi.389, Derband, nr, Tehran, c. 6000 ft. (oasis); 19.vi.88 (6000 ft.,
oasis), Hamadan.
ADD after “‘ Crocallis . . . Fraxinus ’’?:—
Gnophos chorista Wehrh.
3.v1.40, 9000 ft., Barfkhaneh, nr. Yezd (arid mountain).
BUTTERFLIES NEAR PARIS, GENEVA, AND ANNECY, 1948.
By R. F. BRETHERTON.
During the summer of 1948 I was obliged to pay several short visits
to Paris and Geneva, and, though prolonged collecting was impossible,
I was able to snatch a few useful opportunities.
The surroundings of Paris are quite worth exploration by the Kng-
lish collector, though a good deal of local knowledge is no doubt neces-
sary to track down the more local species. In the late afternoon of
22nd May I went out to St Germain-en-Laye. The extensive forest
seemed too dense to be suitable for many butterflies, and even on the
mile-long Terrasse and sloping bank above the Seine, they were not
very numerous. However, some worn Papilio machaon were seen, the
three common Whites, a couple of Leptidea sinapis, Vanessa atalanta
and V. cardut (both worn), Pararge aegeria, Coenonympha pamphilus,
with one C. arcania, and many Polyommatus icarus. A number of
Haemorrhagia fuciformis were about, and EHuclidia glyphica abounded.
A more profitable ‘‘ near-in ’’ locality is the Bois de Meudon, which
can be reached in twenty minutes by electric train from the Invalides.
Here the woods are more open, with some heather and broom, and there
are marshy spots where the hemp agrimony and other insect-attracting
flowers abound. A warm afternoon there on 24th July yielded about
98 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/X/1949
twenty species of butterflies. The most notable was Araschnia levana
prorsa, which was flying not uncommonly to bramble blossoms, though
beginning to get worn. I had not before seen the second generation of
this insect at large, and was much struck by its resemblance on the wing
to a diminutive Lamenitis sibilla, L. The second broods of Argynnis
selene and L. sinapis were beginning to emerge, and those of Heodes
dorilis and Lycaenopsis argiolus were already common. The former
almost replaced H. phloeas, which seems relatively scarce round Paris.
Gonepteryx rhamni, Aphantopus hyperanthus, and P. egeria were all
common, and Epinephele tithonus was the dominant butterfly every-
where.
Further out of Paris there are, of course, many famous localities.
I paid three visits to the Forest of Fontainebleau. There butterflies
seem to be very localised, and the forest has one great weakness in the
total absence of water or even of damp ground. On my first visit, for
a couple of hours only on 25th May, I worked an overgrown quarry and
the adjacent heath, where butterflies were very numerous. Captures
included several Melitaea cinxia, a few late Argynnis euphrosyne, and
fine series of the first broods of CU. arcania, H. dorilis, and Plebeius
medon. Among the Skippers, Hesperia serratulae, H. malvae and H.
sao were all flying together, rather worn, together with a few fresh
Augiades sylvanus. This insect seems to have a much more prolonged
period of emergence here than in England, as it was still about and
in good condition at the beginning of August. A fine Kuprepia cribraria
was also taken. |
My second and third visits to Fontainebleau were on the blazing
Sundays of 25th July and Ist August, which spanned the only heat
wave of the summer. | made wide detoures through the forest, on the
first occasion leaving the train at Bois-le-Roi and crossing the forest
as far as Barbizon before returning to Fontainbleau, and on the second
going as far as the Gorges de Franchard and returning through an
open, grassy region called the Plaine des Puits. These two expedi-
tions yielded thirty-three species of butterflies. Papilio podalirius,
already taken in May as it circled with several V. atalanta round the
top of a rocky hill, was again secured. JL. sinapis and G. rhamni were
common everywhere. All the three large Fritillaries were about, and
a single A. selene was seen. Among the Satyrines, Satyrus hermione
was notable. It occurred singly in many places, but in one spot it was
really abundant, flying to and settling on the trunks of oaks and firs,
where it was perfectly camouflaged unless approached in silhouette. In
this habit it was accompanied by many S. semele—a large dark race—
and by two or three Huvanessa antiopa. One Pararge maera was
taken, but I was disappointed in the search for S. briseis, S. statilinus
and S. dryas, for which I may have been a few days too early. 4H.
dorilis was locally abundant, and there were some nice smoky forms of
Hf. phlaeas. Among the ‘‘ Blues,’’ Polyommatus coridon swarmed in
certain places—a very large race with chalky white undersides, but
apparently not much given to variation. An interesting find was Hes-
peria cirsu, Rambur, which on lst August was flying, fresh, but in
small numbers, in the old quarry.
_ The Forest of Chantilly was also visited. The part near the town
is dense and rather flowerless; but further in, near the chain of arti-
BUTTERFLIES NEAR PARIS, GENEVA, AND ANNECY, 1948. 99
ficial lakes, felling during the war has produced a more scrubby type
of vegetation. My first visit there, on 30th May, was disappointing.
as the afternoon turned overcast just as I approached the better ground.
CU. arcania was common, A. euphrosyne and A. selene were numerous,
with one early A. aglaia, and I took single specimens of Melitaea
athalia, M. dictynna, and P. moera. Among the moths, Diacrisia
sannio, Siona lineata, and Minoa murinata were all easily disturbed
and common. Late in the season, on the sunny afternoon of 26th Sep-
tember, I was again at Chantilly, walking through the forest from the
previous railway station at Coye. Early frosts had disposed of most of
the butterflies, and only Pararge megaera and C. pamphilus were about
in any numbers, with the moths Plusia confusa and Anaitis efformata.
There were a few individuals of the common Whites and Vanessids, and
the race course at Chantilly yielded single worn Hesperia armoricanus
and Colias hyale—the only one I saw in 1948.
The surroundings of Geneva naturally provided more variety than
those of Paris. On 27th June an overgrown garden sloping towards
the jake at Pregny gave a couple of hours good sport in brilliant sun-
shine. P. machaon, in fine condition, sailed among the flowers, and a
few Colias croceus were egg-laying on a patch of lucerne. Argynnis dia
swarmed, presumably in its second generation, and with it were a few
strongly marked Melituea didyma. There were strong broods of Melan-
argia galatea, Hpinephele janira, and Polyommatus icarus, with some
worn P. bellargus. furalis quercus was taken at rest on an oak leat,
and several Hesperia carthami were seen, of large size and showing
abnormally big white markings on the upper side hindwings. Macro-
glossum stellatarum, EH. glyphica, and other day-flying moths were com-
mon. Unfortunately, the weather broke that night, and no further
opportunity for day-time collecting occurred during the remaining four
days of our stay, though an Hustrotia trabealis came in to light.
A later visit to this garden, on 14th September, showed a smaller
but still interesting butterfly population. A. adippe was still in fair
condition, and one female of A. dia was taken—presumably part of a
third emergence. I was pleased to take two small specimens of Melitaea
parthente and several H. argtades. P. icarus, P. coridon, and P. bell-
argus were all common, though mostly worn; and there were also a
few examples of H. armortcanus, both fresh and worn, flying along with
many Augiades comma. But the commonest insect at that date was
Plusia gamma, which swarmed among the lucerne, with a few second
brood H. glyphica and Chiasmia clathrata.
On 3rd July my wife and | left Geneva, still in rain, for the little
village of Talloires, on the east side of the Lac d’Annecy. The Hotel
de l’Abbaye is on the edge of the lake, sheltered from the north by the
outjutting Roc de Chere, and immediately adjoining a steep bank which
was prolific in ‘‘ Blues.’’ Behind this there are steep woods, a terrace
of cultivated ground, and then forest, alp, and rock to the mountain
tops at over 2000 metres, less than two miles away as the crow flies.
The weather improved in the afternoon after our arrival, and I col-
lected on the bank. Besides P. icarus, P. bellargus, P. medon, L.
argiolus and Cupido minimus, the males of Everes coretas were abun-
dant, and there were smaller numbers of Polyommatus thersites,
100 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/X)1949
Plebeius argus, L. (argyrognoman, Berg.), Everes argiades, and Poly-
ommatus semiargus. CXy-e vee
Brian O. ©. GarDINER, 34a Storeys Way, Cambridge, 10.4.49.
C. LIvorNiIcA aT Braunton, N. Devon.—On 2nd September, at 11.45
p.m. (B.8.T.) a C. livornica, Esp., came to an electric light on the loggia
here and was netted with difficlty. It proved to be a large female in
very good condition.—E. Barton Waitt, F.R.E.S., Braunton, N. Devon.
LarvAr oF H. prInastri, Linn.—Larvae of H. pinastri, Linn., from
Bournemouth ova laid in the Spring of 1948 fed up and pupated nor-
mally. The pupae were undisturbed until 25th May 1949, when they
were placed in moist loose peat mould in a flower pot in the greenhouse.
Though alive and active, none has emerged to date—l0th September
1949.—E. Barton Warr, Braunton, N. Devon.
Larvasn or B. nusecuiosa, Esp.—lLarvae of B. nubeculosa, Esp., from
Scottish ova laid on Birch twigs, were, when one-third of an inch in
length, placed in perforated zine cylinders inserted in flower pots. They
fed up rather unevenly, but, with one fatality, pupated normally during
July 1949.—K. Barton Waite, Braunton, N. Devon.
CURRENT NOTES.
We have just learned that the International Congress of Kntomo-
logy will be held in Amsterdam, 17th-21st August 1951.
WE are pleased to state that the admirable Dover [ist of Lepidoptera
ean be obtained from the Buckland Press, Dover, Kent, at the price
of 5/6, post free. )
CORRECTION. 105
WE understand that that excellent journal for Lepidopterists, Da
Revue Mensuelle de Leyidopteres, successor to L’ Amateur de Papillons,
is about to reappear under the direction of Monsieur Le Charles, a
colleague of the late editor, Monsieur Leon Lhomme.
We would suggest that all interested in receiving this magazine
should write M. Le Charles, 22 Avenue des Gobelins, Paris, Venne., to
‘ensure that their names are on the subscribers’ list, and we need hardly
add that new subscribers would be welcome.
Now that Continental travel is open to so many, we feel sure that
lepidopterists visiting the Continent will find one of their wants filled
by this magazine, and another want will be satisfied by the splendid
catalogue on which Monsieur Lhomme worked for so many years,
and which, it is hoped, will be completed under the direction of his
colleagues in due season as a fitting memorial to this man, who was not
only a very sound lepidopterist, but also a delightful companion and
correspondent. So far, the Macro-Lepidoptera portions are complete,
as also are the ‘‘ Pyrales,’’ ‘‘ Plumes,’’ and ‘‘ Tortrices,’’ while the
‘“Tineina ’ have appeared as far as Depressaria. The whole manu-
script is complete and only awaits the funds for publication, which
takes place whenever possible. It would be the greatest of pities were
this work to fail through lack of support, for it is of great value to
those whose interest is limited to British Lepidoptera as well as to
those with a wider outlook. M. Le Charles will doubtless be in a posi-
tion to give details of cost to all who are interested, and we may add
that we have found this very moderate in the past.—S. N. A. J., 20.1x.49.
CORRECTION.
Ent. Record, p. 94, Sept. No. Mr Sperring states that the species
which he referred to was Lucania favicolor, and not suasa,
REVIEW.
Diptera. Introduction, and Keys to Families, by H. Oldroyd, being
Part 1 of Volume IX of the Handbooks for the identification of
British Insects, published by the Royal Entomological Society of
London. Price Seven Shillings and Sixpence.
This is the first part to be published on the Diptera in connection
with a very desirable, if somewhat ambitious, scheme for the production
of a series of Handbooks on British Insects. Conciseness and cheapness
are stated to be the main objectives, and this part of only 49 pages, one
coloured plate, and 97 text figures, which includes not only explanations
and illustrations of most of the technical terms used in Dipterology, but
also indicates the main lines of classification, as well as variations in
structure, in the Order, and provides a Key to all the Families, can
rightly claim to have attained at least the first of these objectives.
106 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/X/1949
The figures on the coloured plate (of a Blow-fly and a Bot-fly) are
copies of two of Mr A. J. E. Terzi’s well-known masterpieces, but these
and the twelve other black-and-white figures of complete insects, all lack
one important detail, viz., an indication of the natural size of each. A
beginner studying this part is left with the false impression that the
Hippoboscid Stenopteryx hirundims, L., is far and away the largest
insect of those figured.
The introductory portion of 36 pages gives practically all the infor-
mation a beginner need know about the morphology of the Diptera in
order to use the Table of Families, and should prove of considerable
value, a value in no way diminished by the fact that it is open to a
certain amount of criticism.
In fig. 8 the front part of the frons of one of the Clusilidae is incor-
rectly called the ‘‘ median frontal plate,’’ such a sclerite is not present
in the Clusiidae, the term is sometimes used for the ‘‘ interfrontalia,”’
forming a chitinized projection forwards of the ocellar triangle, in fact
the ‘‘much enlarged frontal triangle’’ of fig. 9 is actually the much de-
veloped interfrontalia, and examples of less developed ones are often
found in the Tetnocerinae, as well as elsewhere.
In fig. 26 the sutural depression causing a definition of the post-alar
callus, though mentioned in the Table of Families, is not indicated.
In fig. 33 mention might have been made of the ‘‘stigmatical bristles’’
as distinct from the ‘‘ propleural bristles,’ and of the ‘‘ metasternum ”’
lying between C’x2 and Cx3, all of which are indicated in the figure.
In Table 1 on page 21 the abbreviation ‘‘ im ”’ for a crossvein should
he replaced by ‘‘ m ”’ or ‘‘ m-m,’’ further it is the base of M4 (not M3)
which represents the ‘‘ lower (small)’’ crossvein of both Verrall and
Comstock-Needham.
The figures of ‘‘ breaks ’’ in the wing costa will be referred to later,
but fig. 73 gives the false impression that the mediastinal (or SC) vein
is absent.
On page 25 the emended spelling of Gastrophilus is used, though the
original spelling of Gasterophilus is employed elsewhere.
In the ‘‘ List of Families ’’ on page 35, an ‘‘i’’ should replace ‘‘z’’ in
Chiromyzidae, and ‘‘ Asteidae’’ should read either Asteiidae or the
possibly more correct Astiidae. The order of families in the Acalypterae
is very far from being a natural arrangement.
Finally the fact has been overlooked that the true position of the
Phoridae (as near the Platvpezidae) was established by the discovery of
the Sciadoceridae. |
The compilation of this introductory portion must have resolved it-
self mainly into deciding what might safely be omitted for the sake
of brevity, but the production of a satisfactory Key to Families was
inevitably a much more difficult matter, because no really satisfactory
Key has yet been compiled. No one, for instance, who has worked at
the Acalypterae could fail to realize the difficulties of adapting to the
requirements of British Dinterists these previous attempts at the pro-
duction of a Key, which is what Mr Oldroyd has attempted. He was
warned that previous Tables in which use was made of the costal
‘“ breaks ’’ were probably unworkable, but he has endeavoured to get
REVIEW. 107
over the difficulty by extending the repetition of doubtful cases under
both headings, and by giving figures of some of them. It is certain
that he might have carried these processes further with advantage.
Further, whereas Hendel, who first made use of these costal break
characters, appears to have adopted the point of contact of the wpper
margin of R1 with the costa, as the point where that vein joins the
costa, Mr Oldroyd has adopted the point of contact of the lower margin
of R1 with the costa (v. arrow-heads in figs. 71 and 72), without mak-
ing corresponding alterations in the position of families in the Key.
Moreover, his figures 71 and 72 are not absolutely accurate in their re-
presentation of vein R1, or in details of costal chaetotaxy. There
are usually some faint indications of a continuation of vein Rl in normal
width along the underside of its apparently thickened part, and though
there may be an indistinctness of the upper margin of this vein immed1-
ately beyond the junction of vein SC with costa, this is due to the
presence of the fold in the wing shown in fig. 73. This fold is not dis-
tinctive of the Psilidae as stated in couplet 65 of the Key (where ‘‘discal
cell (Ist M2)’ should read ‘‘second basal cell (M)’’), but is more or less
distinctly indicated in a large number of the Cyclorrhapha, occasionally
even simulating a cross-vein between R1 and costa, in other cases an
apparent fusion of the two. This constitutes one of the reasons why
the character of the position of the costal break in relation to the end
of vein R1 is so difficult of application, a difficulty not overcome by Mr
Oldroyd’s adoption of another point of junction of R1 with costa be-
cause these veins often merge so very gradually into one another. Any-
one in any doubt about the correctness of his own interpretation of these
costal break characters when using the Key, should invariably try the
alternative divisicn.
It may be useful to indicate one or two mistakes which have crept
into the Key, and call attention to some statements which should not
be taken too literally.
Couplet 14, first line, for (fig. 1) 5 read (fig. 15).
Couplet 16, after ‘‘ Dolichopodidae ’’ add ‘‘ and Empididae.”’
Couplet 18. i
Jiae
Ho8 BE 5
a)
i
my igsq)6=©6C AND
a URNAL OF VARIATION
VERSIEY
He VERSTEY
| MALCOLM BuRR, D.Sc., F.R.E.S. | H. DONISTHORPE, F.Z.S., F.R.ES.
EA. CocKAYne, M.A., F.R.C.P., F.R.E.S. S. N. A. JACOBS.
J. E. COIN, J.P., F.R.ES. | H. B. WmLLUMs, K.C., LL.D., F.R.E.S.
T. BAINBRIGGE FLETCHER, R.N., F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.R.E.S. (Sub-Editor),
Rodborough Fort, Stroud, Glos.
HY. J. TURNER, F.R.E.S., F.R.H.S. (Editorial Secretary).
CONTENTS.
' BUTTERFLIES IN VAR AND BASSES ALPES, FRANCE, R. F. Bretherton 121
a
3
R: AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN THE DEVELCPMENT OF PIERIS RAPAE AT
PHILADELPHIA DURING THE YEAR 1932, 0. Querci... ... 124
3 ea OF THE LIFE HISTORIES OF CERTAIN BUTTERFLIES
| OF FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE, H. M. Darlow, F.R.E.S., R.N... . 128
Be a a er a ee ghee Ue Ae
a COLLECTING NOTES: Butterflies from S.E. Ireland, L. H. Bonaparte Wyse;
Ss Choice of Flower of Vanessa cardui, L., and V. atalanta, L., G. H. B.
Oliver: Cerastoma xylostella on Snowberry, Jd.; Volucella zonaria, Poda,
J. Fincham Turner: Herse convolvuli in Scotland, (Mrs) M. C. Spicer;
ia Rhyacia simulans, Hufn., in Herts. and Bucks, #. A. Cockayne ... Ceo i OO
Sa
' CURRENT NOTES ..... Re, ee eee af. Ves oe ie sid es as cee eee
- REVIEW ce PN ESR ge aaah vee eR pean eae yt
a
INDEX.
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JAN 16 1950
BUTTERFLIES IN VAR AND BASSES ALPES, FRANCE, 121
BUTTERFLIES IN VAR/AND)BASSES ALPES, FRANCE.
By Ry/¥:gBawruerton.
My wife and I spent a fortnight in May and June 1949 in Southern
France, mainly in the Var and Basses Alpes. These districts seem to
be little visited by English collectors nowadays at that season, and some
record of the collecting done may be of interest.
We left London on the morning of 20th May, and travelled direct to
Cavalaire, arriving at 11 a.m. on the following day. The last two hours
of the journey were made by bus from Toulon, through Hyéres and along
the very fine Corniche des Maures. Cavalaire proved to be an excellent
centre, quiet, and off the main track of foreign visitors. The village
hes at the point where the steep, rocky coast breaks down into a magni-
ficent sweep of sand, behind which the open slopes are cut by several
sheltered valleys which provide cover from the prevailing westerly
breeze. On both sides of the village a fine collecting ground is also
provided by the light railway track, now disused, which winds at easy
gradients along the coast with a number of flowery cuttings and em-
bankments. The stretch between La Croix and Pardigon, a couple of
miles east of Cavalaire, proved particularly fruitful.
There was no rain, though a fair amount of cloud and wind, during
our week’s stay; but before our arrival the weather had been poor, and
the number of butterflies was at first small. It increased steadily
throughout our stay, and certain species became abundant; but the
variety was never great, and only some 37 species were seen. Papilio
podalirius and P. machaon were about in small numbers, mostly rather
tattered and tail-less. Aporia crataegi was just emerging. The three
common Whites were plentiful, but Pieris manni, which I had hoped
for, was not seen. A few Leucochloé daplidice were taken among much
larger numbers of Huchloé crdmeri. This attractive insect frequented
vineyards and open ground, flying fast and proving difficult to take.
It was very variable both in size and in the extent and shape of the
green markings on the underside. Anthocharis cardamines was still
about, and the females were in good condition. There were plenty of
Gonepteryx cleopatra, very worn, among the maquis on the hill-sides ;
and Colias croceus was not uncommon.
The Satyridae were poorly represented. Melanargia syllius occurred
sparingly along the beach and behind Pardigon, but was difficult to
capture, especially in a wind. In sheltered lanes Pararge aegeria—the
typical southern form with the spots a warm brown—was common
enough, and there were a fair number of P. megera and a very few
P. maera. 222s 28, 56
trifasciana.,. Isotrias’ ~ 2eee eee 48
tullias ‘Cocnonyam pha eee eee 67
turanica, Celama 235 15
tusciaria, (Crocallisy ye... eee 76
uliginosella, Pyrausta — .................... 49
WIM bELatica ey eRUSiia) ee eeeeeeeee eee eee Q7
uncula, “EWUStEotia fae eee 67
unguicelia, “AnGydis 9 fese eee 48
urticae, Vanessa... 14.5ib Acie
57, 100, 123, 130
vaccinil, Conistra 7 eee By) (85:
valezina, Argynnis paphia ............ 141%
Vatiabilis, INychiodes eee eee af.
venata, Ochlodes (see sylvestris, Pam-
phila)
verbascalis, Mesographe .................. 47
vespiformis, ConOpia —.2!.)....s2.0sensseseees 38.
vetusta, Calocampal [ee eee Q7
vibicella, Kupista: | 27.2.2 AT
vaburnana, —Lortrixe eee eee AT
Vinula;) -Cerura, ..25:-c eee 287 112
xylostellus, Ypsolophus _............. ese sel
ZEDrus,: Cupid)... eeseetee eee 123
ZigzZacy INOtOdonita eee 5 oy bd
zZoegzana,; GEALXAMUMIS sete eeee eee eee eee eee 46
zonaria, INYSSIA: | s...ceEeeeeeeee eee eens 113
NEUROPTERA.
fulvicephalus. Osmylus _.................. 4h
THE BRITISH NOCTUAE AND THEIR VARIETIES. IV. (45)
Syngrapha, Hb., interrogationis, Lh.
Plusia, Ochs. & Tr. (1816-26). Very many authors. [Phytonietr.
Haw. (1809) : a few authors: Syngrupha, Hb. (1806), Stz. works. |
Hufn., Berl. Mag., 111, 212, No. 15 (1766), said that interrogationts
was similar to gumma only that the silvery coloured spot was a frag-
mentary character.
Schiff., Verz., 98 (1775), Z. 3: imterrogationis, L. Larvae semi-
geometrae. Phal. Noctuae Metallicae. Larvae on the common nettle.
Grouped with festucue, chrysitis, circumfleza and gamma.
Illiger, Revised Verz., V, 347, (93), Z. 3 (801), named it * The
Nettle Noctua.’’ He cited Linn., Syst. Nat. and Fn. Suec.; Esper;
Fab.; Bork., ete.
Fab., Syst. Ent., 607 (1775), cited Linn. as the author. His descrip-
tion: ‘‘ anticis fusco cinereoque variis signo. albo inscriptis,’’ was most
inadequate.
Goeze, Beitrage, III (3), 126 (1781), cited Berlin Mag. (1766); Fab.,
Syste MWe (ia) s Nunes, sSelngr, WSs Cus) = Srolanitto, Wai 5 (ANS).
Bork., Schmett. Noct., IV, 792 (1792), cited Tainn., Syst. Nat..
XI Ted., 884 (1767) and gave the Coser ine lgn: Also he cited Linn., Fn.
Swec. ialcn Ueber; de Vill., Ent. Dinm.; Fuess., Schw. Ims.; Hutn.,
B orl. One: RoR Schmett, Noct.; Goze, " Beitr., etc.
Ernst & Engram., Pap. d’Eur. (1792), VIII, 132, fig. 593 a, b (and
c, d), gave 3 figures, very good illustrations of 3 different forms. On
p. 124 they discuss the conscripta, Hb., of the Beitrage, II (2), 52, plt.
IV, fig. U. The authors remark on Hb., ‘‘ The individual example
which served him as a model was, doubtless, incorrectly drawn, for his
colours are much too pale for this species. He described his species as
the Noct. aemula, Fab., Mant., 162. Perhaps it is the same species
that this author has described under two names.”’
The omission of recording the rosy suffusion in all the earlier de-
scriptions has been the cause of the withdrawal of several aberrational
names. The action of Tutt in 1892 of naming a form ab. rosea made
a following names to fall as Synonyms:—ab. borealis, Reut., Act.
Finn. (1893); ab. aurosignata, Don., English Ins. (1808); ab. wemula,
Fab., Mant., I (1787).
Hb., Samml. Noct., 281 (1800-1803) gave a very good figure, some-
what darker than that of Dup. Hb. had already figured this species
in his Beitr., II (2), p. 52, plt. 4, U (1791), under the name conscriptu.
Haworth, Lep. Brit., 257 (1809), described it ‘‘ alis cinereo fusco
roseo-que varlis, in medio littera V puncto-que contiguo., argenteis.”’
‘“ Praecedentibus differt statura minore; alis anticis roseo cinereo
fuscoque perpulchre variegatis et potissimum charactere argenteo Cilia
rosea fusco maculata.’’
This species was known to Moses Harris as above cited, where he
remarks that it ‘‘ is a different species from the Phalena interrogationis
of Linnaeus.’’ In this, however, probably mistaken, as there are hardly
any doubts about this being N. interrogationis of Fauna Suecica.
although Linnaeus makes no kind of mention of its beautiful purple
tints. It is not the interrogationis of Hiibner, nor does it exactly ac-
cord with his Noctua ni; although closely allied to both.
(46) ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/111 / 1949
Dup., Hist. Nat., VII (2) (1829), 47, plt. 137 (not 136 as printed),
fig. 2. The figure is a good one but somewhat lighter than the average
examples, and chequered fringes of the forewings are very clear and
distinct. If it were tinted with rose colour that has vanished with time.
‘| he transverse shades are well in evidence. He has cited the double, 1-e.
Donavan and his Tortrix. He described this species a grey-brown like
gamma and with the same marking; with the same silver characters as
LP. ni, only smaller, and the underside of all wings is “ exactly ’’ like
that of P. gamma.
Treit., Schmett. Noct., V (8), 190 (1826), said that Linne’s species
was the species called aemula by Fab. and Bork., but recognized as the
true interrogations by Schiff. in the Verz. in the gamma group. He
cited about 20 works in which this species had been dealt with; several
of which are not often referred to. Illiger in the Neu. Magazine, I,
146 (1822) (1803); Harris, English Ins., plt. 3 (1782); Rossi, Faun.
Etruse., II, 188 (1795); Ist ed. Laspeyres, Brit. Revis., 145 (1803);
Goeze, Ent. Beitr., III (8), 126 (1781); Fuess., Schw. Ins., 38 (1775);
in error he quoted Donavan, Nat. Hist., I, plt. LXVI (1903), interro-
gationana, diagnosed, described, figured and named as a Tortrix. [Mr
Fassnidge has determined this figure as Hucosma foenella. |
Freyer, Beitr., III, 116, plt. 130, fig. 1 (1830), gave an excellent
figure of a dark continental form with fairly distinct light main char-
acters.
Gn., Hist. Nat., VI (2), Noct., 354 (1852), said that since Haworth
described this species as being much suffused with rose he could not
discuss this species.
H.-S., Sys. Bearb., II, 339, 5 (1845+)?, gave no figure, nor did he
comment on the figures of authors, especially Hb., he cited. But he
gave a description noting most of the characters, a selection of which
might be found on any specimen. He recognized the unstable nature
of any character and would not describe a ‘‘ type.’’
Splr., Schmett. Hur., I, 305, plt. 50, 11 (1907), gave a very good
figure, dark with a considerable amount of hghter marking fairly dis-
tributed but not strong. The silvery metallic character was well em-—
phasized. He adds ab, fammifera, Huene, ssp. transbaicalensis, Stdgr. ;
ab. rosea, Tutt. He refers to its extreme variation and its extensive
area of distribution.
South, Moths B. Is., II, 73, plt. 26, f. 4-5 (1908), gave two very good
figures, one very dark and the other light; he referred to the violet
purple tinge ‘‘ when first emerged,’’ and that some have even an amount
of blackish suffusion.
Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 346 (1913), gave aemula, Fb. (nec
Schiff.), awrosignata, Don., and borealis, Reut., as Syns. They gave 6
figures: typical, orbata, flammifera, ignifera, cinerea and gammifera.,
Warr. described ab. orbata 64b; ab. ignifera, 64; ab. cinerea, 64 ¢;
and ab. gammifera, 64.c; and figured and described fammifera, Huene,
64b. In Stz. work this species was taken from Plusia, Ochs. (Phyto-
_metra, Haw.) and placed in Syngrapha, Hb., p. 345.
Tutt had referred (1892) to the endless varieties of this species, a
remark which appears to have attracted attention of entomologists in-
terested in Variation. It will be noted that the recorded aberrations
are practically all dated subsequent to 1892.
THE BRITISH NOCTUAE AND THEIR VARIETIES. IV. (47)
Culot, N. et G. d’Eur., I (2), 176, plt. 72, f. 4 (1916), gave a very
good but very dark Swiss specimen. He gave a condensed but lucid
account of the lines of variation and the clear differences from resemb-
lance to P. gamma, which latter was dominated by its grey suffusion
while it never had the bronze reflection always so dominant in the inter-
rogationis.
Meyrick, Handbk., used Plusia in both editions (1928) 7?
Drdt.-Stz., Pal. Noct. Supp., VII, 220 (1936), separated cinerea,
Warr., and its form gammifera, Warr., as a true species: said that
annulata, (Hamp.) Strand, was a Syn. of orbata, Warr., and that con-
fluens, (Hamp.) Strand, is a Syn. of flammifera, Huene. Drdt. said
that the aureomaculata, Vorb., had a golden mark instead of a silvery
one; that in aureoviridis, Wgnr., the forewing is largely suffused with
oolden-green.
Drdt.-Stz., I.c., p. 266 (1937), reported ab. magnifica, Rang., an
ab. with an unusually large and prominent silver character on a rich
brown velvety area of forewing.
Of the Variation Barrett said :—
Usually only variable in the depth of the black clouding, and in the
shape of the Y, which is very irregular. In a specimen in the collection
of Mr A. C. Vine it is produced into a long attenuated and enlarged
stripe of rich gold colour toward the base of the wing. Those taken
in Londonderry by Mr Milne have a beautiful flush of purple over the
forewings.
Tutt dealt with the (1) early descriptions, Linnaeus, Zetterstedt,
Guenee, Oberthur, and (2) named the colour, not before emphasized, °s
rosea.
The Names and Forms to be considered :—
interrogationis, Ll. (1758), Sys. Nat., Xed., 5138.
aemula, Fab. (1787), Mant. Ins., II, 162. Syn.
aureosignata, Don. (1808), N. Hist. Brit. Is., XIII, 48, plt. 459.
ab. rosea, Tutt (1892), Brit. Noct., IV, 36.
ab. borealis, Reut. (1893), Act. Fenn., IX, 97. Syn.
ssp. transbaicalensis, Stdgr. (1892), Iris, V, 371 (Stdgr., Cat., IiTed.,
139).
ab. awreomaculata, Vorb. (1911), Schmett. Schw., I, 426.
ab. orbata, Warr.-Stz. (1913), Pal. Noct., TIT, 346, plt. 64 b.
ab. flammifera, Huene (1913), l.c.
ab. ignifera, Warr.-Stz. (1913), l.c.
ab. cinerea, l.c., sp., see Drdt.-Stz.
ab. gammifera, l.c., sp., see Drdt.-Stz.
ab. annulata, (Hamp.) Strand (1913) (1916), Zep. Phal., XIII, 431;
Aacite Nock: zx Xi vA. 2.71.
ab. confluens, l.c.
ab. simplex, l.c.
ab. aureoviridis, Wagnr. (1926), Zt. Oest. Ent. Wien, XI, 26.
ab. magnifica, Rang. (1935), Ent. Rund., LIT, 22 (1935).
ab. awrosignata, Don., Nat. Hist. Brit. Ins., XIII, 48, plt. 459, 1
(1808), figured and named a Noctuid albosignata. Wrnbg., Beitr., IT,
287 (1864), said it was interrogationis. ’
(48) ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXT. 15 /TI1/ 1949
ab. transbaicalensis, Stdgr., Iris, V, 371 (1892).
Desorrp.—Cat., IIled., 239 (1901)—‘‘ al. ant. magis grisescentibus,
al. post. dilutioribus vix nominanda.”’
ab. aureomaculata, Vrbt., Schmett. Schweis., 1, 426 (1911).
Orie. Drscrrp.—‘‘ A rarely occurring form in which the usually
silvery-white character is bright shining golden.”
ab. orbata, Warr.-Stz., Pal, Noct., II, 46, plt. 64 b (1913).
Orig. Drscrie.—‘‘ The silvery mark is highly variable, either form-
ing a simple loop with fine silvery edge, or as ab. orbata followed by a
small silvery dot as in the type form.’’
ab. flammifera, Huene, Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 346, plt. 64 b
(gis).
Descrip.—‘‘ A large round spot conjoined to it, nearly separate, a
development of orbata.”’
ab. annulata, Hamps., Strand, Cat. Lep. Phal. Noct., XIIT, 43!
(1913): Areh. Noct., LXXIL, A. 2, 471 (1916).
Oric. Drscrip.—‘ Forewings with a small annulus confluent with
the outer edge of the stigma at inside.’’
ab. confluens, Hamps., Strand, l.c., l.c.
Oric. Drescrip.—‘‘ Forewing with a small spot confluent with the
stigma below.’’
ab. sumplex, Hamps., Strand, l.c., l.c.
Oric. Descrip.—‘‘ Forewing without spot or annulus.
ab. tgnifera, Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 346, plt. 64 e (1913).
Orig, Descrte.—‘‘ Has the usual silvery or pale yellow mark as in
some examples of flammifera shaped like a tadpole with deep fiery red
scaling before the outer line beyond the inner and along the submedian
fold.”’
ab. cinerea, Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 346, plt. 64 ec (1913), was de-
scribed and figured as a form of interrogationis, but now Drdt.-Stz.,
Pal. Noct. Supp., III, 220 (1936), is declared a true species and that
form pyrenaica, Hamp., 1s a syn.
ab. gammifera, Warr.Stz., l.c., ‘‘ is certainly a form of cinerea.’
ab. awreoviridis, Wagnr., Zeit. Oest. Ent. Ver., X1, 26 (1926).
Oric. Descrie.—‘‘ It had all the characteristic marking of the nor-
mal forewing but was a very striking variety. As regards the whole ot
the costal margin area of the forewings up to the gamma-mark, as also
the basal, the surrounding areas are strongly bedecked with golden-
green scales, which colour gives the whole creature a brilliant and quite
distinct appearance. Of the normal ground colour there is left only a
small portion of the lower-half of the forewing’s gamma marking.’’
ab. magnifica, Rangn., Ent. Rund., LIII, 22, fig. (1935). The refer-
ence in Drdt.-Stz., III (1937), is wrongly given as 1936. This class of
error occurs frequently in quoting from magazines which do not run
concurrently with the annual calendar, e.g., Hnt. Rund., LIM, was pub-
lished from October 1935 to September 1936, and the volume labelled
936.7?
THE BRITISH NOCTUAE AND THEIR VARIETIES. IV. (49)
A. Amphipyra, Ochs. & Tr., pyramidea, Linn.
Amphipyra, Ochs. & Treit. (1816) (1825). Most authors.
Hufn., Berl. Mag., ITI, 288, No. 32 (1766), pyramidea, gave the fol-
lowing Description :—‘‘ Dark brown, with part black-brown, partly
yellowish marking; the lower wings red-brown.”
Roesel, Belust., I (11), plt. XI, 4-5 (1746?), gave 2 very good figures,
4 spread, 5 at rest, very dark European forms with markings clear but
not emphasized to produce a light submarginal area as in many British
forms. :
Schiff., Verz., 71, G. 1 (1775), classified pyramidea on the larval
characters and proclivities. It is recognized as a Linn. species.
Illiger, in his revised Verz., I, p. 201, G. 1 (1801), cited the descrip-
tion of Fab., Ent. Syst., III, 2, p. 98. He also cites excerpts at con-
siderable length on the larva from the well-known Kalender of Brahm.
Goeze, Beitr. Lep., TI (3), p. 175, No. 181 (1781). This work usually
records descriptions of species which are almost unobtainable. In this
case we are able to quote from Hufn., Berlin Mag.; Résel, Belust. ;
Reaum., Mem.; Schiff., Verz.; Fab., Syst. Hnt.; Geoffroy, Ins., ete.
spe Anbdd, WNocr 4 Ver Gs2,. plin CUNO 1s (1790+ ?), gave a
figure fairly recognizable, especially as the good figure of a larva is on
the same plate. Teste Wernebg.
Ernst & Engram., Pap. d’Eur., VIII, 96, f. 337 d, c, e, f (4789) and
its underside. All four are pyramidea. Two other figures on the plate
are livida, a species. Teste Wernbg., Beitr., II, 111, fig. e, has normal
marking and outer marginal area lighter but the markings are all of a
light reddy-brown; fig c is a less marked specimen; fig. e is the darkest.
Don., Nat. Hist. of Br. Is., 193 (1798), gave an excellent figure, suf-
fused with blackish, the ight markings definite and clear.
Hb., Samml. Noct., 36 (1802), gave an excellent figure with the
lighter markings very clear and definite, with dark ground.
Steph., Zllws., II, 164 (1829), said ‘‘ This beautiful insect varies ex-
ceedingly: in some specimens the general colour is pale griseous-yellow,
with the usual markings; in others of a deep fuscous, with the posterior
wings of a dingy copper colour.”’
Dup. (Godt.), Hist. Nat., V, 136, plt. 56 (136), 4 (1824), gave an ex-
cellent figure normal in ground, shading and marking, one may call it
typical.
Ochs: & Treit., Schmett. Noct., IV (1), 285 (1825), gave a most use-
ful List of works consulted by them, copies of nearly all of which are in
my Library. In fact only 2 authors are wanting. List: Linné; Roesel;
Schiffermuller; Dlliger; Hiibner; Fabricius; Esper; Borkhausen; de
Villers; Goze; Geoffroy; Hufnagel; Schrank; Fuessly; Langs; Brahm ;
Ernst & Engrammelle; Madam Merian; Schwarz; Admiral; Rossi.
Only Schrank is wanting and of Hufnagel (Berlin Mag.) I have Rot-
tenburg’s revision in Naturforschen, of which IT have a complete run.
GnesHasts Nae. Nock, Nic Ale, (1852), cited. .schitt. .aVerare Msp:
Fab.; Don.; Geoff.; Ernst. & Engr.; Godart; Haw.; Hb.; Steph. gave
a detailed description of imago and larva. He described as species
pyramidoides forms from the United States and another race, I.c., 414,
monolitha, from Silhet. Both are now treated as species.
H.-S., Bearb. Noct., TT, 326 (1849), makes no comment, but gave
a rather full description.
(50) ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15 / TIT /1949
Stdger., Cat., I[led., 200 (1901), included the far Eastern representa-
tive monolitha, Gn., and obscura, Obthr., from E. Asia and Algeria re-
spectively, both of which are now treated as specifically distinct. The
surnia, Feld., he placed as a Syn. of monolitha.
Somtih, M. PPI 1; 323, plt. 154, figs. 1, 2, 3 (1907), gawe 3 ones
figures Sa the ‘followime useful deeripicrt under the name ‘ the
Copper Underwing.’’ ‘‘ Varies somewhat in the tint of its brown cot-
oured forewings, and in the greater or lesser amount of blackish shad-
ing on the central area: the latter is sometimes quite absent and not
infrequently the outer marginal area is pale ochreous-brown. The
hindwings, normally of a coppery colour, are occasionally paler, and
sometimes of a reddish hue.’’ The figures give three grades of colour,
shade and marking.
Hampson, Lep. Phal., VII, 48 (1908), cited Linn.; Hb.; Esp.; Don.,
etc., and as Syns. monolitha, Gn.; surnia, Feld.; obscura, Obth.; albi-
quilimbata, Graes. He recognized monolitha, Gn., as an aberration,
and described another from Murree, which Strand subsequently named
ab. snurreensis.
Splr., Schmett. Eur., I, p. 238, plt. 44, fig. 28 (1907), gave a very
dark figure with more light outer area; the white marking thin and
scrappy. Even the hindwings were much deeper in shade. He gave ab.
virgata, Tutt, the monolitha, Gn., and obscura, Obthr.; the N. American
ab. pyramidoides, Gn., was also mentioned.
The name was given from the larva having a conical hump on the
back of segment IT.
Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 168, plt. 38a (1911), described this
species with 4 figures and two new forms, ab. albisquama, 38 a, and ab.
variegata, 38 b, and included ab. virgata, Tutt, 38b.