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Pee vv es oth te a aaetee deg wy en + Pare + Ore Ar em eror them vins ee en rat veke Beery aos SS ay SPA et Sets SARIN OR ens even AM ASS Ren te Me ete leet mele Otel a een ae Di an ee SN ne me ws MS ee Baan MA Ane Byam File OA ee ee es OP tow Mey PA Nam eo BATON eee et a Be Ty 10, Saat ORE em were ee PUR te YN, FI etree Snel ag Ant semeene SO Meg DAN Ce Seaton mony AN Oe ee Nh Vea Seapre- Co ray Vator en oy Va ners yy SOR OR bate NO ae ty Ween ad SOE oy, Wee y SIS EN Be a Pe Moet wens SMA ee Roe Be Patan at Ae OS WM etbetgient Men Nowa ste Ae ea lee it An Te a: Deve tA ene Teta Se mt cee oN as he STM Tae Ne we Maia a a en ye nen de et a La. ene Ve Maes atiaeny ce rete Meng este WME ys, WTS ee on We Nar arent wns ore PATROL e apie ewes fate Ne ae ae welayey ny eM ae oe ne VO rn ey Bbc OPP EY. gere ne Aether e SE te anes NGI ae tan Gt eH Eu Sy ee ee wees ul . My ye, tA Dae ga en we SEEN ME HRS FAS OSL aan a tial ore Creat ean wT . Vea e Ce a ey my we a Ure Perea eek er Tee x ENED TE Ne EN ey SEN GE ey venta Sat aces ey BL dette aR ay , SN ay Teh et ene ee eee et ie Se er ae NS neat tee er a Mattem neem Sta pata es oie. Pye wy LOSS ees, Meds VA anes Ne wae Nr ony MR Qe ey k vate BN eae Xa Beeb te ey td be trae ata Ne etd ean ne ae bee ee wn tatae: re ear oy Ate he, HARVARD UNIVERSITY e Library of the Museum of Comparative Zoology aa) Vol. 99 Nos 1-2 January/February 1987 ISSN 0013-3916 ee THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD AND JOURNAL OF VARIATION Pee 4 : ee ? ee Rs Se al Edited by P. A. SOKOLOFF, M. Sc., C.Biol., M. I. Biol., F.R.E.S. with the assistance of Lieut. Col. A. M. EMMET, M.B.E., T.D., F.R.E.S. J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT, F.R.E.S. C. J. LUCKENS, M.B., CH.B., D.R.C.O.G. ME DK SK ? om os % vy, ka & So Registrar: C. C. PENNEY, F.R.E.S., 109 Waveney Drive, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 5QA Hon Treasurer: P. J. JOHNSON, B.A., A.C.A., 31 Oakdene Road, Brockham, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 7JV PUBLISHED BIMONTHLY A. A. ALLEN, B.SC., A.R.C.S. P. J. CHANDLER, B.SC., F.R.E.S. NEVILLE BIRKETT, M.A., M.B. C. A. COLLINGWOOD, B.SC., F.R.E.S. S. N. A. JACOBS, F.R.E.S. J. HEATH, F.R.E.S., F.L.S. J. D. BRADLEY, PH.D., F.R.E.S. E. S. BRADFORD RR aX ADA DDD SDD DAD DDD DD DDD DDD DADA DD LILAD A ADSI DD DO |B IATAAATA AATeALPAIEI ISS THE PROFESSOR HERING MEMORIAL RESEARCH FUND The British Entomological and Natural History Society an- nounces that awards may be made from this Fund for the promotion of entomological research with particular emphasis on: (a) Leaf-miners (b) Diptera, particularly Tephritidae and Agromyzidae (c) Lepidoptera, particularly Microlepidoptera (d) General entomology in the above order of preference having regard to the suitability of candidates and the plan of work proposed. Awards may be made to assist travelling and other expenses necessary to fieldwork, for the study of collections, for attendance at conferences, or, exceptionally, for the costs of publication of finished work. In total they are unlikely to exceed £300 in 1987/88. Applicants should send a statement, if possible in sextuplicat, of their qualifications, of their plan of work, and of the precise objects and amount for which an award is sought, to Dr.M.J. Scoble, Department of Entomology, British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London SW7 SBD, as soon as possible and not later than 30 September, 1987. ; HELP WANTED — in order to compile the 1986 butterfly report, comment and notable records are required — Dr. C. J. LUCKENS, Swallowfield, Manor ~ Road, Durley, Hants SO3 2AF. WANTED — Good collection of European butterflies with data. Purchase subject to inspection. send details to: KEEPER OF NATURAL HISTORY, Museums and Art Gallery, Birmingham B3 3DH. PROMPT EFFICIENT SERVICE OVERSEAS ENQUIRIES WELCOME For details and sample labels, write to: P.D.J. HUGO, 115, Thrupp Lane, Thrupp, STROUD, Gloucestershire. GLS 2DQ. & Brimscombe 882134 (Please mention this journal in your reply) Photo: E. Marie Studios TWO NEW LYCAENID BUTTERFLIES ] TWO NEW LYCAENID BUTTERFLIES FROM THE EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Nos. 3 and 4 By E. L. PRINGLE B.A. (Natal) Llb. (U.C.T.)* A new Lepidochrysops Hedicke This beautiful blue member of its Genus was caught for the first time on the 23rd November 1984 on the highest peaks of the Baviaanskloof Mountains at the source of the Baviaans River. In the description hereunder, comparisons will be made with its con- geners, Lepidochrysops australis Tite and Lepidochrysops braueri Dickson, and also with Lepidochrysops outeniqua Swanepoel and Vari. Lepidochrysops poseidon spec. nov. The body and ancillary parts are similar to that of Lepidochrysops australis, although the hairs on the thorax and abdomen are darker. Male Forewing length: 17 — 20mm. The apex of the forewing is more rounded than in australis, while the hind- wing is less elongated in the vicinity of veins 5 and 6. Upperside: The ground-colour is a plain dark blue, conspicuously lacking the purple sheen in the blue of australis, and the violet sheen in the blue of outeniqua; it also exhibits none of the light powdery blue characteristic of braueri. There is a very broad black margin on both wings, being in some cases up to 4mm wide. This margin is therefore broader than in either braueri or australis, being similar to that of outeniqua. The transition from the black margin to the blue ground-colour is not clear-cut, as is the case with australis and braueri, but is more gradual, with the black and blue markings noticably more suffused. The discocellular mark on the forewing is extremely broad, being much more well-developed than in all three of the afore-mentioned species. The corresponding mark on the hindwing is much narrower than that of the forewing. The marginal row of spots on the hindwing is generally noticably less distinct than in braueri ort australis, although a certain amount of variation does exist between individuals. The cilia are white, chequered with black, and the veins are distinctly black. *Huntly Glen, Bedford 5780, Republic of South Africa. KEY TO PLATE Fig. 1 Aloeides pallida jonathani Paratype. Male upperside. Fig. 2 Idem. Paratype. Female upperside. Fig. 3 Idem. Paratype. Male underside. Fig. 4 Idem. Paratype. Female underside. Fig. 5 Lepidochrysops poseidon Holo- type. Male upperside. Fig. 6 Idem. Allotype. Female upperside. Fig. 7 Idem. Allotype. Male underside. Fig. 8 Idem. Allotype. Female underside. 2 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 NSN ST, Underside: The ground-colour is a dark grey-brown, much darker than in australis, and markedly greyer than in outeniqua. As is the case with the entire australis complex, the basic pattern and position- ing of the underside markings is the same, so will not be repeated in this description. However, the series of sagittate markings occurring postmedially in the hindwing tend to be narrower and less clearly defined than in australis, while the six discal spots of the hindwing are much less elongated. The spacing between the two black spots along the costa of the hindwing, as well as be- tween the discocellular lunule and the black spot in the cell is also narrower than in australis, and not as suffused with white. This species may be fairly easily distinguished from braueri in that the seven postmedian spots of the forewing are narrower, and are curved inwardly in area 4. In brauert, these spots are always arranged in a straight line between vein 1a and vein 7. The series of white streaks beyond these spots is also markedly more lunulate than in braueri. The species differs markedly from outeniqua by its comparatively more pronounced white markings, and in particular, by the more blunt sagittate markings on the hindwing. Female Forewing length: 20 — 22mm. Wings more rounded and more elongated than in the male. Upperside: Ground-colour as in the male, but there is a far greater invasion of black into the areas of blue. In the case of the allotype, the wings are so heavily marked with black that the only blue which is evident is in areas la and 1b of the forewing, and in the immediate vicinity of the cell in the hind- wing. In the case of the other specimens examined, the invasion of black is not as extreme. There is, in these specimens, a very broad costal and outer marginal black border on both wings. In the forewing, this black edging is extended further inwards in areas la and ab. All specimens examined show a very pronounced discocellular spot in the forewing, and a much narrower discocellular lunule in the hindwing. In all specimens, there is evidence of 5 elongated discal spots in areas 5, 4, 3, 2, and la of the forewing, and a further two discal spots in areas 4 and 5 of the hindwing. There is a pro- nounced marginal spot in area 2 of the hindwing; this is dark, with a blue ring, and bordered inwardly with a faint orange lunule. The cilia and the veins are as in the male. Underside: The underside is the same as in the male, except that the white edging around the seven postmedian spots in the forewing is less pronounced. The ground-colour is also less grey, being of a slightly more brown coloura- tion. Genitalia: Comparisions made with the male genitalia of typical australis from the vicinity of Eseljagt in the South-West Cape has revealed very few differences between these two species. However, the terminal hook of the falces of this species is more fully semi-circular in its conformation; and the distal section which follows the tubular portion of the adeagus has a more pronounced taper from its mid-point to its termination. This species was discovered by myself, my wife, my father, and Mr. Paul Liversidge on the 23rd November, 1984, in a joint expedi- tion undertaken in order to investigate this hitherto unexplored area. TWO NEW LYCAENID BUTTERFLIES 3 During the course of the day, a great number of blue Lepidochry- sops were taken, flying about the highest ridges in the area. It was not until these were pressed that we realised to our astonishment that we had in fact found three separate and distinct species flying to- gether. One of these species was undoubtedly Lepidochrysops braueri, while another was very similar to typical australis from the South-West Cape. This left a third, hitherto unknown, species, which is now described herein. To my certain knowledge, this is the first occasion that more than two Lepidochrysops of the australis group have been found flying together, and as such constitutes a small breakthrough in our understanding of the group. A subsequent trip to the area undertaken by my wife and I on the 8th December, 1984 revealed more specimens, though a great num- ber of these were worn. The species was encountered singly, flying rapidly about rocky ridges and peaks in the area. It was interesting to note that my wife, my father, and I who were working the highest points in the area, came across specimens only of this new species. Mr. Paul Liversidge, however, who was working lower down, was able to secure all three of the species mentioned. It therefore appears that these three species may each be favouring different altitudes on these mountains: but this must yet be confirmed. I am extremely grateful to Mr. Paul Liversidge for all his assistance, and in particular, for making his specimens available for research. I am also deeply indebted to Mr. C. G. C. Dickson for his helpful comments, and for undertaking to do the genitalia studies for this paper. My thanks also to Mr. C. W. Wykenham for making specimens of true australis available for comparison. HOLORY PE: “Baviaanskloof”’ 24/11/1984 P.S. Liversidge. ALLOTYPE: “Baviaanskloof’ 24/11/1984 A.B. Pringle. PARATYPES: Data as for holotype and allotype 2 E. L. Pringle; 5 o V.L. Pringle; 3 d P.S. Liversidge; 3 6 8/12/1984 (A.BP.); 2 58/12/1984 (E.LP.); 2 98/12/1984 (E.LP.). The holotype and allotype have been deposited at the British Museum (Natural History), London. ee 4 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 15 1.1987 NEW SUBSPECIES OF THE GENUS ALOEIDES HUBNER This striking new race of the Aloeides pallida (Riley) group was discovered by Dr. Jonathan B. Ball, on the first of his many trips to the Kammanassie Mountains of the Eastern Cape Province. It was subsequently also found in the same area by the author, his wife, and his father over a period of years, from 1981-1984. In this description, comparisons will be made with its only close ally, Aloeides pallida pallida (Riley). Aloeides pallida jonathani ssp. nov. The body and ancillary parts are similar to those of pallida pallida, except that in the male the body hairs are more distinctly purple in colour, and the eyes are, in all specimens examined, purple in colour. In all specimens of typical pallida examined, the eyes are consistently black in colour. Male Forewing length: 15 - 19mm. Upperside: Comes closest to Aloeides pallida pallida, except that the orange ground-colour is of a deeper colour, and the black markings are more intense. The extent and shape of these black markings is very similar to pallida pallida, but there is a tendency for the apical patch of the hindwing to be more restricted in size. There is a certain amount of variation between individuals in this respect, however, and this diagnostic feature should be treated with some caution. The distal lunules on the hindwing are very pronounced, and more lunulate than in pallida pallida. As in typical pallida, there is very little black scaling on the veins. The cilia are chequered with white, but since they are more heavily invaded by black, are not as pronounced as in typical pallida. Underside: The orange ground-colour of the forewing is deeper than in typical pallida and the series of spots on this wing — although similarly placed — are more heavily marked with black, and their white markings comparatively reduced. The most distinctive diagnostic features of this new race are contained in the hindwing. The ground-colour of this wing is purple, and it is extraordinary to see that none of the great number of specimens examined exhibit a varia- tion towards a brown ground-colour. In all the other known races of pallida approximately half the specimens examined have a purple or mauve ground- colour, while the other half are brown. The tone of this purple ground-colour varies in its depth between individuals and is in some cases invaded towards the base of the wing by a yellowish colouration — again, a phenomenon unique to this race. The characteristic underside markings of the hindwing are not white, as in typical pallida but are instead a dark grey, very sparingly flecked with white scales. The median band TWO NEW LYCAENID BUTTERFLIES 5 is also markedly thicker than is the case with pallida pallida, fusing with the discoidal fascia to form a continuous and solid set of markings. The sub- marginal band is also more pronounced, and continuous from vein 7 right up to the anal fold. In most cases, both the median and sub-marginal bands are outwardly edged with black; while in the vast majority of specimens, the marginal dots are entirely absent: in the remainder, they are only very faintly apparent. Female Forewing length: 19 - 21mm. The wings are markedly more rounded than in the male. Upperside: The ground-colour is of a lighter orange than in the male. It is interesting to note that this is consistent in all the specimens examined, whereas in the other races of pallida, the males and females normally have an identical ground-colour. In some instances, the females of pallida littoralis Tite & Dickson also exhibit a lighter ground-colour than the males — but this is not consistently the case. As in the male, the black markings on the wings are more intense than in typical pallida, while on the hindwing the apical patch is generally smaller, with a certain amount of variation evident between specimens. The distal lunules are extremely pronounced — much more so than in any of the other races of pallida — while the cilia are comparatively suppressed. Underside: As in the male. The Kammanassie Mountains near Uniondale have proved themselves to be a naturalist’s paradise, and a number of new species of Cape fauna have in recent years been discovered there. Among these are three new species of butterfly, all discovered as a result of the tire- less work of Dr. J. B. Ball, and it is my pleasure therefore to name this new subspecies — now the fourth new butterfly from these mountains — after him. These mountains lie between two well-known and extensive ranges of mountains — the Kouga and the Swartberg ranges — from which they are entirely isolated. Their isolation has obviously led to the evolution of the aforesaid species, and one cannot dismiss the possi- bility that this new subspecies may already have evolved to the point where it can be said to be an entirely new species. After all, it is completely isolated from any of the other known races of pallida, and probably has been for thousands of years. However, a certain amount of variation between individuals, and the basic similarity between this insect and pallida pallida, has led me to adopt and perpetuate the present cautious approach towards this group. Only time, and a great deal more field work and research, will tell whether or not I am wrong in my approach. 6 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 151.1987 The insect has been found in a fairly restricted area on flat ground covered with thick Macchia — type vegetation, high up in the Kam- manassie Mountains. Its habits are the same as those of the other members of this group: once disturbed, it will circle rapidly about, before settling once more on nearby open ground or stones. HOLOTYPE: ‘Kammanassie 24/12/78 (Dr. J.B. Ball) Mountain” PARATYPES: ‘‘Kammanassie Mountain” 3 36 24/12/78 (Dr. J. Ball), 1° 24/12/78 (J.B.B.), 1 ¢ 20/12/79 (J.B.B.), 86 23/11/1984 (V.L. Pringle), 4563 2 23/11/1984 (ELL. Pringle), 1 6 23/11/1983 (A. B. Pringle), 4 6 1 ¢ 23/11/1983 (E.LP.), eS 2-9 16/12/1983. CABLE) lat SA aes (EMP): MYLOTHRIS CHLORIS AGATHINA (CRAMER) IN THE EXTREME WESTERN CAPE — _ I was most interested in the plate accompany- ing Messrs. Claassens and Dickson’s paper concerning the above species (Ent. Rec. 98:1-4). The figures are rather small, but writing from memory (my own descriptions and black and white photo- graphs are in the British Museum (Natural History)) I can detect no difference between the Western Cape larvae and those from the Kenya coastal strip, and also those of the nomino-typical subspecies from Kampala. I have no recollection of any dull-red or red-brown intersegmental bands. The authors unfortunately give no description of the pupa, but from the figure it would appear to be predominately brown. This is completely unlike pupae from the Kenya coastal strip, and also of the nomino-typical form from Kampala, whose pupae are black and white. The principal foodplant of both sub-species bred by me is Loranthus spp. with Osyris absyssinica (Santalaceae) as an occa- sional alternative. D. G. SEVASTOPULO, PO Box 95617, Mombasa, Kenya. MACROGLOSSUM STELLATARUM L. IN SOUTH DEVON — Single specimens of the humming-bird hawkmoth feeding on valerian at the north end of Slapton Sands were observed on 25th and 27th June and on Ist, 3rd, 13th and 14th July 1986. On 27th June a specimen turned up in my garden m.v. trap, some four miles from Slapton Sands. H. L. O’HEFFERNAN, 24 Green Park Way, Chillington, Devon TQ7 2HY. LYCIA LAPPONARIA IN SCOTLAND y/ THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RANNOCH BRINDLED BEAUTY (LYCIA LAPPONARIA SCOTICA HARRISON) IN SCOTLAND By M. R. YOUNG* and R. KNILL-JONES ** The Rannoch Brindled Beauty (Lycia lapponaria scotica) was first discovered in Britain by Warrington, who found a male in Perthshire on 20 April 1871 (Guard Knaggs, 1871), and to judge from early succeeding records this may well have been at Rannoch. Since then it has almost always been regarded as a rather rare, highly localised species, largely restricted to “central highland” valleys such as Rannoch and upper Speyside; similar, therefore, to the known distribution of the Rannoch Sprawler (Brachionycha nubeculosa (Esp.)). However this impression is wrong and a succes- sion of records have gradually revealed it to be more widespread than this. In May 1984 a female was discovered by A. G. Payne at Leac Gorm, near Balmoral, Aberdeenshire (NO 22— 96— ) and, following this up, a larva was found by M.R.Y. feeding on Bog Myrtle at the same site. Later in 1984 R.K.-J. found larvae feeding commonly on Bilberry in Glen Loch, Perthshire (NN 98— 73— ) and then more recently M. B. Davidson found a further female at Inchrory, Banff (NJ 17— 07— ) in April 1985; this was in an area of mixed, dry, rather basic heathland, not including Bog Myrtle but including Bilberry and various heaths, and so similar in this respect to the habitat in Glen Loch. Leac Gorm, near Balmoral, by contrast, is a damp area of Bog Myrtle and Molinia in a stream valley bordered by drier, species-rich heather moorland. These records seemed to extend the known distribution con- siderably and, more significantly, take it east of the Cairngorms, and this has prompted us to collate all the records that we could trace. The resultant map (Fig. 1) shows clearly that the species is much more widespread than usually believed and that it occurs in a wide band across the central highlands of Scotland. There is no doubt that it is most common in the Rannoch area and in upper Speyside, where it seems to prefer damp moorland in stream valleys on the lower slopes of the hills, feeding as a larva on Bog Myrtle and various Heaths. This much has long been known and was clearly expressed by Cockayne (1904). In these habitats it is usually reported as emerging as an adult in April, or even late March in forward seasons. The western records include a pair recorded on Bog Myrtle, near Connel, Argyll (NM 91— 32— ) by Edwards and Chalmers- *Department of Zoology, Aberdeen University, Aberdeen AB9 2TN. **9 Crown Road South, Glasgow G12 9DT. 8 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 151.1987 Hunt in April 1973 and males found by M. and G. Harper in 1960 in the Bog Myrtle slacks just east of Arisaig, Westerness (NM 6—— 6—— ), as well as several records from the moors near Fort William and from Ardnamurchan, where MacLaurin found larvae commonly on Bog Myrtle near Kilchoan (NM 4—— 6—— ) in August 1972. At this site some larvae were also found on Sallow and Ling. Out own records can be seen to fit neatly at the eastern end of the central highland zone. Certainly the Deeside record is clearly east of the Cairngorm massif and as such is significant, but, although the Inchrory site is on the river Avon, a tributory of the river Spey, it is separated by only a low, open moorland pass of 2-3 km at 1500 ft from the Gairn, which is a tributory of the river Dee. Leac Gorm lies between the Gairn and the Dee and is only about 12 km from Inchrory, the intervening ground being mostly damp moorland where L. lapponaria might easily occur. This pass between the Avon and the Gairn may act as a regular route for passage between the Spey and Dee systems. Similarly Glen Loch, a tributory of the river Tay, comes close to the upper Geldie which drains into the Dee. The obviously anomalous localities on Fig. 1 are those of Flanders Moss, Stirling (NS 63— 98—) (MacLaurin, 1974) and of Achnasheen and Achanalt (NH 21— 60—) and Garve (NH 3—— 6——), Wester Ross. The original Flanders Moss record is for a female found on a Sallow bush in May 1924 but MacLaurin reports that he and his brothers could find no more, in spite of searching carefully in subsequent years. This record was then neglected, but on 21 July 1986 Christie found several nearly fully grown larvae there, feeding on Bog Myrtle, indicating that the colony is well established. Unfortunately we have been unable to add further details to the record from Achnasheen and Achanalt, which is held by the Biological Records Centre and which dates from August 1980. At this date it must refer to larvae but no foodplant is noted. That from Garve is of a male, caught on 18 April 1978 in a Rothampsted Insect Survey trap, and these two records from Wester Ross suggest the moths occurrence along Strath Bran and Strath Garve. The next most north-western record is that of Howard (1978) for Tomdoun, Glengarry, Inverness-shire, which refers to an established colony at a stream valley where Bog Myrtle occurs, and where the main emergence period in 1978 was in mid-April. It seems reasonable to suggest that the species will be found in the intervening valleys, such as Glen Affric and Glen Strathfarrar, if a suitable search is made. This species can obviously tolerate a wide range of climatic conditions, from the mild, damp region of Argyll and Westerness, where it occurs at sea level, to the more continental areas of upper Speyside and Deeside, at a height of 1500 ft. Furthermore, although LYCIA LAPPONARIA IN SCOTLAND 9 May 1985 ‘ Lycta (=Poectlopsis) lapponarta O = to 1960 @ = post 1960 Fig. 1 The distribution of Lycia lapponaria scotica Harrison in Britain. it seems to show a preference for Bog Myrtle and perhaps various Heaths, it will also readily accept Bilberry and Sallow as a larval foodplant, and this range of plants obviously occurs throughout the Highlands. In view of this it seems reasonable to suppose that it may be more widespread than current records show, and that the apparently anomalous localities on Fig. 1 are merely indicators of this situation. Since the moths emerge in April, or even late March, at a time when most entomologists visiting Scotland restrict them- selves to Rannoch and Speyside, and since they are rather sluggish and cryptic, it is quite likely that they have been frequently over- looked. We believe that this species will eventually be found to be widespread through out the central Highland zone. Acknowledgements We could not have collated these records without the generous help of B. Eversham, of the Biological Records Centre, who also provided the map. We are most grateful to him, as we are also to those who contributed records or comments; namely J. M. Chalmers- Hunt, I. Christie, M. B. Davidson, S. R. Davey, C. Edwards, M. W. Harper, A.MacLaurin, A. Payne, S. Parker and B. Skinner. References Cockayne, E. A. 1904. On Nyssia lapponaria. Entomologist, 37: 149-150. 10 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 jpn XSi 7 Guard Knaggs, H. 1871. A new British Geometer. Ent. mon. Mag., TID SD. Howard, G. 1978. Macrolepidoptera of Glengarry and District (West Invernessshire) 1977-78. Ent. Rec. 90: 255-261. MacLaurin, A. 1974. Butterflies and Moths from Flanders Moss. —Glasg. Nat., 19: 85-90. LYCIA ZONARIA HARRISON (LEPIDOPTERA: GEOMETRIDAE) LARVAL FOODPLANT IN SCOTLAND — On ai trip to the west coast of Scotland at the end of July 1986 I located a large number of larvae of this species feeding on yellow flag Uris pseudacorus L.). The larvae were nearly full frown and quite easy to see; they were feeding in daylight eating from the straight edge of the leaf and producing characteristic semicircular holes one to two centimetres across. I can find no modern reference to flag as a foodplant for this species, but I received the impression that it was the preferred food in this locality. COLIN HART, Fourpenny Cottage, Dungates Lane, Buckland, Betchworth, Surrey. DELTOTE BANKIANA FABRICIUS (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUI- DAE) IN SOUTH-EAST KENT — On the night of 27th June 1986 in Ham Street Woods I was surprised to find a single specimen of this species attracted to light. This was a warm night with little wind and the fine conditions produced 106 species of macrolepidoptera including about fifty specimens of Moma alpium. COLIN HART. Fourpenny Cottage, Dungates Lane, Buckland, Bechworth, Surrey. AN UNUSUAL VARIANT OF THE CATERPILLAR OF THE LIME HAWK, MIMAS TILIAE (L.) (LEPIDOPTERA, SPHINGIDAE). — On 18th Sept. 1985 a hawkmoth caterpillar, which had been found on a tree on Strand on the Green, Chiswick was handed to me for identi- fication. It was small, little more than 3 cm. long, and I thought obviously less than half-grown. Its most noteworthy feature was the lack of lateral stripes save one at the rear; the tail was bright blue. I could find no illustration to match it. I took the caterpillar home and supplied it with a variety of foliage: lime, elm, sallow, poplar, apple etc. all of which were refused. I then lost it but later found it heading downstairs from my study. Clearly it wished to pupate and was therefore supplied with soil in a jar. By the 25th it had pupated and its small size at this stage indicated it was probably a lime hawk and so it proved to be. On the 3rd June 1986 or a little earlier a female with rather misshapen wings and damaged mouth parts emerged and promptly laid sterile bright green eggs. — B. VERDCOURT, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey. PHILOPEDON PLAGIATUS IN BRITAIN 11 THE DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY OF PHILOPEDON PLAGIATUS (SCHALLER) (COL.: CURCULIONIDAE), WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO INLAND RECORDS By M. G. MORRIS * Introduction Mr. R. W. J. Read, in an interesting note in this journal, has recorded the occurrence of Philopedon plagiatus (Schaller) at two inland sites in Cumbria (Read 1984). As he says, the weevil is most often found on sandy coasts and inland occurrences are few. In this short paper, I have attempted to bring together what is known about P. plagiatus in Britain, particularly concentrating on these inland records. Distribution On the map (Fig. 1), the vice-county distribution of P. plagiatus is shown as given mainly by records in the literature. The distribu- tion is portrayed conventionally, using a single symbol for at least one vice-county record, though in order to give some idea of the normal occurrence of the weevil on the coast these symbols have been positioned off-centre compared to the usual representation in the centre of each vice-county. It is evident that P. plagiatus is a very widely distributed weevil in the British Isles. It ranges from West Cornwall to East Kent, is well recorded from Wales, Scotland and Ireland, and extends into the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and the Shetlands (Zetland). It has not been recorded from a few coastal vice- counties: West Sussex, some of the vice-counties in N. Wales, Nor- thumberland South, Mid-Lancaster, and Westmorland, several vice- counties in S. W. Scotland, and the vice-counties represented (three in each case) in the administrative counties of Cork and Galway in Ireland. There can be little doubt that many of these vice-counties are simply under-recorded and that suitable habitats exists in them where P. plagiatus is likely to be found. The dates of the records are very variable, some being very ancient. The occurrence of the weevil in South Essex is based on Stephens (1831, 1839), while the records from Berwick are those of Selby (1844) and Murray (1853), and those for Edinburgh were published by Wilson & Duncan (1834), Murray (1853) and Stephens (1831, 1839). The record from Durham, though repeated by Win- gate (1905) and Luff & Sheppard (1980), was originally given by Ornsby (1846). “Institute of I errestial Ecology, Furzebrook Research Station, Wareham, Dorset. 12 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 Sg iS)s:7/ At the other extreme, many of the Scottish records are recent ones obtained during surveys of sand dunes and machair sites made by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology for the Nature Conservancy Council in 1976-1977 (Duffey & Welch 1979). Only the records for the Outer Hebrides have been published (Welch 1979), but these show that P. plagiatus occurred, often in large numbers, at 20 sites in the main islands of North and South Uist, Benbecula, Harris and Lewis, and also in the Monach Islands. More recently, the islands of Barra, Vatersay, Pabbay and Bernaray have been added to this list (Waterston 1981), so that the weevil is known from at least 19 10-km squares in the Outer Hebrides. Records from 16 of the vice-counties included in Fig. 1 have not previously been published. Unless otherwise stated, the records are my own: 19, North Essex; Colne Point, near Clacton, 15.vi.1967. 43, Radnor; Boughrood, swept from marginal, lush vegetation on shingle by R. Wye, 30.vi.1984 (Dr. R. S. Key). 44, Carmarthen; Bertwyn Sands, near Kidwelly, 27.ix.1965. 68, Cheviotland (Nor- thumberland North); Embleton Bay, 13.vii.1972. 73, Kirkcudbright; Southwick Merse, 8.v.1967, etc. (Dr. R. A. Crowson). 75, Ayr; “many localities and dates, e.g. Gailes, 19.vi.1965” (Dr. R. A. Crowson in litt.). 85, Fife; Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve, 16/17.vi.1966; also recorded from Tentsmuir by Duffey & Welch (1979). 92, South Aberdeen; Don (Duffey & Welch 1979). 96, Easterness; Whiteness, (Duffey & Welch (1979). 97, Westerness; Sanna Bay, Ardnamurchan, Argyll, 31.vii.1973. 101, Kintyre; Machrihanish Links, 2/3.vi.1981 (Dr. R. C. Welch, in Jitt.). 105, West Ross; Big Sand, near Gairloch, 7.vii.1966. 106, East Ross, Morich More (Duffey & Welch 1979). 107, East Sutherland; Ferry Links, 2.viii.1975 (included in Duffey & Welch 1979). 108, West Sutherland; Invernaver N.N.R., Bettyhill, 28.vii.1972; Strathy Bay, 31.vii.1972, and recorded from all these sites and six others by Duffey & Welch (1979). 109, Caithness; Links of Greenland and Dunnet Links, 3/5.vii.1974; recorded from Dunnet and two other sites by Duffey & Welch (1979). Inland records Records from the maritime vice-counties can include inland records as well as those from the coast, which are the greater number. In his Dorset list, Pearce (1926) included Coombe Wood; Wood Street, Wool; and Moreton as localities for P. plagiatus; these are about 4%, 5 and 9km from the sea, respectively, in a direct line. Combe Wood is interesting because it occurs on a patch of Reading Beds but is almost completely surrounded by Upper Chalk. I have taken the weevil on Wareham town walls, 12.vi.1981, about 2% km from the sea, but in an extensive survey of 22 heathland sites in Dorset, using pitfall traps and vacuum netting, no P. plagiatus were found (Webb & Hopkins 1984). PHILOPEDON PLAGIATUS IN BRITAIN 13 Fig. 1 The vice-county distribution of Philopedon plagiatus in the British Isles. Newbery (1898) recorded the weevil from Foxhall Heath (or Plateau) near Ipswich, East Suffolk, which is a stony and sandy site about 12 km from the sea (though closer to the Orwell Estuary). The site, also known as Foxhall Crag. Pits, was included by Claude Morley in his list of the Coleoptera of Suffolk (1899) and was well known, principally as a site for the rare carabid Harpalus froe- lichi Sturm (Morley 1901). Another inland site for P. plagiatus is Risby Warren, near Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, which is about 8 km from the Humber Estuary and much further from the open sea. Dr. R. S. Key found two dead specimens at the base of marram grass here (SE 933135) on S.vii.1985 (in litt.). Finally, of course, there are the inland records from Cumbria which have already been referred to (Read 1984). Perhaps more interest attaches to the occurrence of P. plagiatus in vice-counties which are entirely land-locked and much further 14 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 1S L987 than just a few km from the sea. There are nine of these vice- counties (Fig. 1). In Surrey, the weevil has been found in what appear, from the published records, to be at least three distinct sites, almost certainly in three different 10-km squares. Guildford is mentioned by Cham- pion (1900, 1903 and 1915), and a site near Guildford more pre- cisely specified as Compton Heath by Perkins (1915). Allen (1937) found P. plagiatus in a sandpit at Dorking, and it has occurred at Witley, a quite different part of Surrey (Champion 1903). In Berkshire, the only published record of P. plagiatus appears to be N. H. Joy’s for Wellington College (Fowler & Donisthorpe 1913). This locality is about 1% km north of Sandhurst and close to the Surrey and, particularly, the North Hampshire borders. The Suffolk Breckland is a well known area for the occurrence of many ‘arenaceous’ insects, and P. plagiatus is no exception. Most of the early records specify Brandon (Morley 1896, 1899; Jennings 1915), and the nearby Townstreet has also been mentioned (Anon. 1934). Freckenham was a popular collecting site at one time, although the locality is now largely destroyed as such by a com- binataion of intensive agriculture and plantation forestry; Donis- thorpe recorded the weevil there (1920) and between Mildenhall and Freckenham (1943). Other Breckland localities are Icklingham Plains (Morley 1908) and Barnham, near Thetford (van Emden 1952). My own records, for the period 1962-1966, are from Milden- hall, How Hill, Foxhole Heath and Lakenheath Warren. All the sites included here fall within the four 10-km squares TL67, 77, 78 and 87, and, as far as the records can be precisely located, in Suffolk. I have little doubt, however, that P. plagiatus is more widely dis- tributed in the Breckland and that it extends into Norfolk. The only inland records of the weevil which were specified by Fowler (1891) were for Worcester; Bewdley and Kidderminster were included on the authority of Blatch, but I have been unable to trace any published details. Worcestershire is a very poorly recorded county for Coleoptera, perhaps the least well known of all the English counties. However, Ashe (1921) found P. plagiatus at Hartlebury Common, about 2 km south of Kidderminster, though whether this was Blatch’s original site cannot now be determined. Tomlin (1908) recorded P. plagiatus from Staffordshire; this record appears to be that of Brown (1863) and from the Burton- on-Trent area. There are no details of the occurrence in Tomlin’s account and I have not been able to refer ro Brown’s original pub- lication. The only record of P. plagiatus in Shropshire is that of Pendle- bury (1937). The rather uninformative details are that the weevil was collected in the Oswestry district by J. Hignett. Although he did not publish, Hignett was a respected coleopterist in his day PHILOPEDON PLAGIATUS IN BRITAIN 15 and was responsible for the discovery of the weevil Polydrusus pilosus Gredler in Britain (Donisthorpe 1935); the occurrence of Philopedon plagiatus in Shropshire is certainly not impossible but it would be desirable to know more about its habitat there. The occurrence of the weevil at Boughrood, Radnor, in 1984 (Dr. R. S. Key), has already been detailed. This is a poorly recorded part of Britain and it is not impossible that other sites could be found in the area. Bedwell’s record of P. plagiatus in Sherwood Forest, Notts., was included by Fowler & Donisthorpe (1913) and Carr (1916), though he seems not to have published it himself. Carr also in- cluded records from Sherwood Forest by Taylor and by Tomlin. The date of Bedwell’s capture was 10.vi.1908. In Scotland, the only inland record of P. plagiatus appears to be that of Crowson (1971) for Dalserf, Lanark, where the weevil was found on the sandy banks of the Clyde. Although the inland records of P. plagiatus cannot compare in abundance and extent with those from the coast, there is a substantial number, sufficient at any rate to dispel the notion that the weevil is a ‘coastal species’. However, it is just possible that in some cases P. plagiatus could have been confused with the com- mon Cneorhinus plumbeus (Marsham). In the 19th century, the latter was often included in the genus Philopedon (as P. exaratus (Marsham)). It sometimes occurs on sandy soils and occasionally is found with P. plagiatus. For instance, Carr (1916) records Bedwell taking both species apparently in the same sandy land at Edwin- stowe, Sherwood Forest, on 10.vi.1908. It should be noted that P. plagiatus is wingless and has fused elytra. This means that none of the inland records (or any others) could be due to immigration by flight. Life history and feeding habits No detailed ecological study of P. plagiatus has been under- taken, but the outlines of its life history and ecology may be infer- red from records of occurrence and by piecing together published anecdotal accounts of its feeding habits and other biological features. Most records of live, adult P. plagiatus are from the early summer months of May and June. At the sites surveyed by Duffey & Welch (1979), pitfall traps were set from June to July and the catch collected three times during this period. Numbers were higher in the ‘June’ and ‘June/July’ catches than in the ‘July’ ones, though of course this may reflect activity rather than abundance (exact dates cannot be given because they necessarily varied from site to site). My own records show a preponderance of captures in May, with several occurrences in June and July and fewer in March 16 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 1S 1967 and April (Table 1). Again, these records, not being systematic, may reflect activity — in this case that of the collector. Dead speci- mens of P. plagiatus are often found, partly because they can be seen on open biotopes such as sand dunes. My few records of dead weevils are from the period May to September. Several of the occur- rences brought forward in these notes as new vice-county records are based on dead specimens, which explains the late dates of a few of them. Only one of my specimens of living P. plagiatus was captured after July, but this weevil is of particular interest. It was taken under a piece of wood at Winterton Dunes N.N. R. on 14.1ix. 1968, and both the deciduous pupal mandibles are intact. I have not taken any other P. plagiatus in this condition. Pupal mandibles are present in ‘short-nosed weevils’ (Otiorhynchinae and Brachy- derinae) for a short period after eclosion of the adults. The weevils use them to dig their way out of pupation sites in the soil, but the mandibles are soon lost (Donisthorpe 1942). The inference would seem clear: larvae of P. plagiatus hatch from eggs laid in early sum- mer and develop through the late summer, pupating and emerging as adults in the autumn; this would agree with the statement in Scherf (1964) that the species has a single annual generation. This is the normal life history pattern for weevils, particularly some of the ‘short-nosed’ species. For instance, leaf weevils, Phyllobius and Polydrusus species, are often abundant on broad-leaved trees from April to June, decline in numbers thereafter, and are seldom seen in August and following months, except in the north, where this timing is often delayed. However, the occurrence of P. plagiatus in early summer may not be the universal experience. Wilson (1958), summarising Somer- set records, noted that it occurred at Burnham in August, Septem- ber, November and December 1944 (C. N. Hawkins), and again in April 1945; at Berrow in December 1944 (also Hawkins), and in June 1950 (J. Cowley). Records from Dunster (Wilson) and Mine- head (Hawkins) were in May 1949 and 1948. No reference is made to dead specimens in the winter months, though this is a possible explanation of the records. Moreover, the few records of larvae of P. plagiatus do not ac- cord with the simple pattern of a single annual generation with active adults occurring from April to July. Van Emden (1952) obtained larvae taken on 14.x.1943 by D. Price-Jones in the Suffolk Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Living 1 4 23 is 8 0 1 Dead 0 0 1 1 y 1 2 Tabe 1 Numbers of occurrences of Philopedon plagiatus by months, all sites, authors’s own records. PHILOPEDON PLAGIATUS IN BRITAIN 17 Breckland, a single larva collected on 25.1936 by Donisthorpe at Swanage, Dorset, and two larvae taken by R. Siemss at Lubeck, North Germany, in April 1934. Van Emden also reared larvae from adults collected on 14.v.1943 in Suffolk (i.e. from eggs laid by the adults). He does not state how long these larvae, which appear to have included last instar individuals, took to develop. though the inference is that they did not overwinter. The occurrence of larvae, probably mature, though this is not stated, in April, May and October does not seem to be compatible with a simple annual life cycle, unless the time of pupation of larvae in the autumn and early winter is very variable. A possible explanation is that development does, or can, take two years. What seems certain is that emergence of active adults in the spring is synchronised, for, unlike most weevils but in common with other ‘short-nosed’ species such as the leaf weevils, living adults do not seem to be generally obtainable during winter (but cf. Wilson 1958). Scherf (1964) and others state that P. plagiatus feeds on marram grass (Ammophila arenaria) and, as Read (1984) says, it is normally associated with that plant. However, most short-nosed weevils (except Sitonini) are polyphagous and there can be no doubt that this is the case with P. plagiatus. Apart from the records quoted by Read, nearly all inland populations must feed on plants other than A. arenaria, as its distribution is entirely coastal, except for very few introductions (Perring & Walters 1972). The larvae reared by van Emden (1952) came from Breckland adults fed on couch grass (Agropyron repens). Seventy years ago, Fryer (1915) showed that P. plagiatus was polyphagous, citing Dutch works on its attacks on peas, rhubarb and roses, and his own observations of weevils from Guernsey feeding on runner beans. The association of this weevil with marram grass seems to be a case where the foodplant is the commonest species of the ‘yellow dunes’ which the weevil normally inhabits. Evan in this biotope, I have seen adults eating other plants, such as saltwort (Salsola kali). Champion (1915) and Perkins (1915) gave examples agreeing with Fryer’s observations that the weevil is a very polyphagous species, though both authors were quoting from inland experience. Fryer compared P. plagiatus with Otiorhynchus picipes F. (singularis L.), a species with notoriously catholic tastes. Habitat and habitat changes Philopedon plagiatus is not strictly a coastal species and is not greatly restricted by its choice of food. The common feature of all its localities is that they are very clearly sandy or arenaceous. The exact nature and origin of the sand at the sites seems to be un- important. The Dalserf, Lanark, site was a sandy river bank, i.e. alluvial (Crowson 1971), as, presumably, was the Boughrood, Rad- 18 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 15 1.1987 nor, locality. The Breckland sands are derived from loess and glacial boulder-clay; in some places there are accumulations of blown sand. The Surrey and Berkshire sites are on Tertiary sands and the Wor- cestershire ones on Bunter sandstone, which is also exposed to the east of Oswestry, Salop (cf. Pendlebury 1937). The other characteristic of most sites recorded for P. plagiatus is that they are open, that is, sparsely vegetated. Sandpits feature as many of the inland localities, particularly those in Surrey. It seems likely that inland sites have become fewer or smaller as vegetation has become denser in response to lack of rabbit grazing and scratching, following myxomatosis, though there is no evidence for this. Afforestation, particularly in the Breckland, has almost certainly reduced the abundance and range of P. plagiatus there. Acknowledgements I am grateful to Dr. R. A. Crowson, Mr. P. J. Hodge and Mrs. J. Morgan for information about the distribution of P. plagiatus in Scotland, southern England and North Wales, respectively, and to them and Drs. R. C. Welch and R. S. Key for permission to quote unpublished records. Dr. Key’s records were provided through the good offices of Dr. I. F. G. McLean. The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology and the Nature Conservancy Council allowed me to use records obtained during commissioned research. The Institute’s Biological Records Centre provided the outline vice-county map. Note added in proof: Dr. M. L. Luff has kindly provided recent records of P. plagiatus from Northumberland: Alnmouth (VC 68, NW 2410), 9 July 1979, and Seaton Sluice (VC 67, NZ 3277), 30 May and 4 July 1980. The latter site is a new, or at least a con- firmed, vice-county record. References Allen, A. A., 1937. Aleuonota aurantiaca Fauv., and other beetles in the Box Hill District, Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 49: 136-7. Anon., 1934. [no title] , Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 2(3): clviii. Ashe, G. H., 1921. Coleoptera in Worcestershire, 1920, Entomolo- gist’s mon. Mag., 57: 90. Brown, E., 1863. Fauna of the nighbourhood of Burton-on-Trent, J. van Voorst. Carr, J. W., 1916. The invertebrate fauna of Nottinghamshire, J. & H. Bell, Nottingham. Champion, G. C., 1900. Compsochilus palpalis Er. etc. at Woking, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 36: 162. Champion, G. C., 1903. Coleoptera at Guildford and Godalming, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 39: 278-9. PHILOPEDON PLAGIATUS IN BRITAIN 19 Champion, G.C., 1915. Philopedon geminatus F. as a general feeder, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 51: 219. Crowson, R. A., 1971. Some records of Curculionoidea (Coleoptera) from southern Scotland, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 107: 47-52. Donisthorpe, H. St. J. K., 1920. A new locality for Dryophilus anobioides Chevr. and some other Coleoptera from Freckenham and Barton Mills, Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 32: 153. Donisthorpe, H. St. J. K., 1935. Polydrosus pilosus Gredler (Curcu- lionidae, Col.) a species of Coleoptera new to Britain, Ento- mologist’s mon. Mag. 71: 37-8. Donisthorpe, H. St. J. K., 1942. Pupal mandibles in the Curcu- lionidae, Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 54: 22-3, 36-7. Donisthorpe, H. St. J. K., 1943. Coastal insects found inland, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 79: 125. Duffey, E. & Welch, R. C., 1979. The invertebrate fauna of dune and machair sites in Scotland (Unpublished report to NCC). Emden, F. I. van, 1952. On the taxonomy of Rhynchophora larvae: Adelognatha and Alophinae (Insecta: Coleoptera), Proc. zool. Soc. Lond. 122: 651-795. Fowler, W. W., 1891. The Coleoptera of the British Islands, 5: 208-9, L. Reeve & Co., London. Fowler, W. W. & Donisthorpe, Streets aeline Coletorchs of the British Islands, 6 (supplement): 306, L. Reeve & Co., Ashford. Fryer, J. C. F., 1915. The food-plant of Philopedon geminatus F., Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 51: 193. Jennings, F. B., 1915. On the food-plants of some British weevils, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 51: 167-9. Luff, M. L. & Sheppard, D. A., 1980. The Coleoptera of Castle Eden Dene: a supplement, Vasculum 65: 53-60. Morley, C., 1896. A day among the Deal sand-hills. — The beetles of old coastlines, Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 8: 231. Morley, C., 1899. The Coleoptera of Suffolk, J. H. Keys, Plymouth. Morley, C., 1901. The completed history of Harpalus frolichii Sturm. as a British insect, Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 37: 64-6. Morley, C., 1908. The insects of the Breck. Trans. Norfolk Norwich Nat. Soc. 8: 579-86. Murray, A., 1853. Catalogue of the Coleoptera of Scotland, Black- wood, Edinburgh. Newbery, E. A., 1898. Harpalus froelichi Sturm (tardus Pz.): an addition to the British list, Entomologist’s mon. Mag., 34: 84-85. Ornsby, G., 1846. Sketches of Durham, Andrews, Durham. Pearce, E. J., 1926. A list of the Coleoptera of Dorset, Proc. Dorset nat. Hist. antiq. Fld Club 47: 51-128. 20 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. VOL. 99 151.1987 Pendlebury, W. J., 1937. Entomology. Coleoptera. Rec. bare Facts Severn Vall. Fld. Club 46: 14. Perkins, M. G. L., 1915. The food-plant of Philopedon geminatus F .., Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 51: 266. Perring, F. H. & Walters, S.M., 1972. Atlas of the British Flora (2nd ed.), E. P. Publishing, Wakefield. Read, R. W. J., 1984. Two inland records of Philopedon plagiatus (Schaller) (Col.: Curculionidae), Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 96: 31-2. Scherf, H., 1964. Die Entwicklungsstadien der Mitteleuropaischen Curculioniden (Morphologie, Bionomie, Okologie), Abh. sen- ckenb. naturforsch. Ges. 506: 1-335. Selby, P. J., 1844. List of insects taken by Mr. Hardy in June and July 1843 in the neighbourhood of the Pease Bridge, Hist. Berwicksh. Nat. Club 2: 110. Stephens, J. F., 1831. Mlustrations of British Entomology. Mandi- bulata. 4: 123-125, Baldwin & Cradock, London. Stephens, J. F., 1839. A manual of British Coleoptera: 244, Long- mans, London. Tomlin, J. R. le B., in Page, W. (edit.), 1908. The Victoria History of the County of Stafford, 1: 87-96. Waterston, A. R., 1981. Present knowledge of the non-marine in- vertebrate fauna of the Outer Hebrides, Proc. R. Soc. Edinb. IIBa2 15-321 Webb, N. R. & Hopkins, P. J., 1984. Invertebrate diversity on frag- mented Calluna heathland, J. appl. Ecol. 21: 921-933. Welch, R. C., 1979. Survey of the invertebrate fauna of sand dune and machair sites in the Outer Hebrides during 1976, Proc. R. Soc. Edinb. 77B: 395-404. Wilson, J. & Duncan, J., 1834. Entomologia Edinensis or a descrip- tion and history. of the insects found in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh. Coleoptera, Edinburgh. Wilson, W. A., 1958. Coleoptera of Somerset, Proc. Somerset, archaeol. nat. Hist. Soc. 101 & 102 (suppl.): 1-167. Wingate, W. J., in Page, W. (edit.), 1905. Victoria History of the County of Durham 1: 98-113. COLIAS CROCEUS (GEOFF.) — In Devon one clouded yellow was observed to settle on White Clover at Start Point, Devon, SX820376, on the 26th June, 1986 the wind was southerly. A. J. BALDWIN, 33 Defoe Avenue, Kew Gardens, Surrey. A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY ah A HISTORY AND INVESTIGATION INTO THE FLUCTUATIONS OF POLYGONIA C-ALBUM L.: THE COMMA BUTTERFLY By COLIN PRATT* (continued from page 250) Causal theories Several chroniclers put forward conjectures as to why the Comma had fluctuated so greatly in range and numbers, with most concentrating on climate; some other elements, such as loss or change of habitat, were quickly eliminated — ‘“‘the places it fre- quented remain practically unaltered throughout the country” (Frohawk, 1914). Also ‘‘there is no suspicion of extermination by over-collecting, nor of destruction by fire or flood” (Barrett, 1893). It was thought that the answer might lie “in effects produced upon the atmosphere by increase of population, or by products of combus- tion, whether from houses, factories, or railway engines” (Joc. cit.) but there is no correlation between the distributions of c-album and a recent quantitative map of atmospheric pollution (Dobson, 1979) — and later national pollution levels were considerably higher than those of last century. In Kent it was thought that the butter- fly’s decline was “‘certainly not due to collectors, and is possibly due to altered agricultural conditions’ (Bull, 1897) but, as will be shown, this was not the case in this particular instance. The large-scale expansion of range ceased for a few years after 1935 and there were two events that could have contributed to this interruption; entire broods of larvae of the Comma’s near relatives A, urticae and I.io are known to have been eaten by the inordinately high numbers of wasps prevalent during 1935 (Fletcher, 1936) and there was a severe frost on May 17th which was said to have killed all butterflies on the wing at the time (Tulloch, 1936) and larvae were also killed. However, there is no evidence that c-album was adversely affected in other great wasp years or by other late frosts. The insect was apparently not especially prone to attacks by parasites, although Pimpla flavonotata Holm. and Pteromalus puparum Swed. have been bred from the early stages (Buckler, 1885) and its near relative A. urticae is sometimes heavily affected (Beirne, 1955). Generally, it is thought that birds do not significantly affect numbers; the spine protected larvae of c-album are unpalatable *5 View Road, Peacehaven, Newhaven, Sussex. D2 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 tS S7 when full grown but they are vulnerable to avian attack during early instars (Carrick, 1936). As an adult, the Comma has been specifically ignored by a Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) whilst taking [io L. (White, 1953), and yet eaten by Sparrows (Passer domesticus) (Warry, 1961). Insectivorous birds and espe- cially Sparrows did increase over the years of the butterfly’s decline but no corresponding decrease has taken place during the years of expansion. It has been suggested that the butterfly declined relatively recently in the New Forest because the “‘over-planting of conifers has led to the disappearance of sallow in the ridings” (Fraser, 1961), thereby leading to a paucity of bloom on which the adults were thought to almost exclusively feed after hibernation. Even if true, this effect would only operate locally. The hop as foodplant Some 40 different insects have been reported as feeding on Hop, Humulus lupulus L. (Theobald, 1925), of which about a dozen are macro-lepidoptera and two are butterflies — Inachis io L. and Polygonia c-album L. In addition to hop, in the wild the early stages of the Comma have been noted as feeding on stinging nettle (Urticae dioica L.), both common and wych elm (U/mus glabra Hud. and U. procera Sal.), various currants (Ribes spp.), and rarely on Horn- beam (Carpinus betulus L.) and Hazel (Corylus avellana L.); other feral foodplants listed include raspberry, honeysuckle, thistle, sloe, and willow (Kirby, 1909). An indeterminable amount of the distribution of hop is due to escapes from the brewing industry’s early hop-gardens, although it is thought to be native in England and Wales; examination of the plants distribution (Perring & Walters, 1976) reveals a striking similarity with that of c-album when at the height of its range in this country. Almost all of the distribution of purely commercial hop-growing (Parker, 1934; Coppock, 1964) is within that of the Comma’s — but when its range was most restricted; to a large extent this similarity also extends to Europe, although all these coincidences could be climatic. Detailed histories of hop culture have been published (Parker, 1934; Mathias, 1959; Burgess, 1964). Hop was a naturalised growth by 1428 but in 1511, or 13 years later, plants were introduced from the continent for the then newly fashionable brewing of beer. It was to be almost half a century before hop-gardens spread rapidly but by 1573 it was an established branch of agriculture. The first gardens were established at Maidstone and Canterbury — Kent being geographically well situated because of its climate, soil, access to London dung and casual labour — and after about a decade in Nor- folk, and later at Farnham and the Severn Valley. It was after the A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY 23 late 16th century that the practise spread from the south-east to the midlands. The national acreage increased over the 17th century and picked hops arrived from Holland at this time and during the following century when large quantities were recorded. By 1724 the national area under hop totalled more than 23,000 acres with over three-quarters grown in Kent, Sussex, Worcestershire, Surrey, Hampshire, and Herefordshire; more than 5000 acres were grown outside of these six counties. During the 18th century 6000 acres were grown near Canterbury alone, although much was grubbed out in 1780, hops were planted in abundance in Herefordshire, and smaller amounts were successful in Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, and elsewhere in the west midlands; by 1776 the plant was even being experimented with in Scotland, although comparatively little was grown north of the Trent, and Farnham was called the first hop capital of Britain. But a decline in the acreage farmed outside of the six prime counties took place — by 1822 the area had more than halved and half a century later only a tenth of the original area still grew hops. Nevertheless in 1870 hops were still cultivated in 53 counties — 40 in England, eight in Wales, and five in Scotland — as far north as Aberdeenshire; but this was to be the peak as a dramatic drop in distribution immediately took place. At this time more than 99% of the country’s total hop acreage was situated in the foremost six counties, with two-thirds in Kent. The last hops were grown in Scotland in 1871 and in Wales in 1874, then, “as the acreage fell away hops went out of cultivation almost entirely in all but the half-dozen counties” (Parker, 1934). Within these hop- growing heartlands the acreage peaked in 1878 at more than 71,000 acres; this slowly declined until 1887 when a sharper fall occurred, due to reduced demand and better yields through increased pest control. By 1909 the national acreage had halved and in 1917 had halved again. This depressed acreage of less than 20,000 acres has been maintained ever since. The future of the industry is currently under threat from a recent EEC ruling which allows “exposure to the rude gusts of market forces, world over-production and con- tinental hops’? (Sunday Times, 23/6/85); now, less than 8000 acres are cultivated in Kent and a third of the growers have gone out of business over the last decade. Although imports had come from all over the continent and some of the British colonies of the era, the comparative quantita- tive distribution of commercially grown hops has changed little since the latter part of the 19th century; as at present, just before the Second World War about two thirds of the country’s acreage was still grown in Kent and the far east of Sussex, with much of the remain- der being situated in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Of course, although the distribution and acreage of commercial hop-growing had collapsed, the plant was (and is) still widespread — but the 24 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 151.1987 unusually advantageous opportunities for c-album had gone. More than half of the hop varieties grown about 20 years ago were old established strains but changes in the remainder were most unlikely to have affected the Comma as all strains of hop are thought to be botanically inseparable. There is no evidence to show that c-album was an economically serious pest on hop in this country over the last hundred years — although “thousands” of pupae were mentioned at a Leominster hop-garden in 1875 (Barrett, 1893). But there is no doubt that hop was the insects primary foodplant throughout most of the last century and just previously; Moses Harris (1770) wrote that the larvae “‘generally feeds on the leaves of hop, but is sometimes found on the nettle’; in the mid-19th century it was said that larvae fed on various plants “especially hops” (Westwood, 1854); towards the end of that century the celebrated Mrs. Hutchinson called it “very common in hopyards” in Herefordshire and at about the same time similar remarks were made about the Maidstone hop district (Newman, 1871). Later, Dale (1890) mentioned that second brood larvae “would appear to prefer hop” and that “when the hop-picking season comes on, the caterpillars and also the chrysalides are found in much larger numbers’’; and the foremost authority of the era, Barrett (1893), agreed on the species foremost foodplant. But due to the decline of hop-culture, by the begining of the First World War no lesser an authority than Frohawk (1914) said that “it’s chief and natural foodplant is the common stinging nettle’; this has recently been confirmed by modern observation (Heath et al, 1984). On occasion, hop will no doubt locally still be the species primary foodplant, although pesticides would now keep these occurrences to a minimum in the remaining hop-gardens; equally, there were places where probably stinging nettle was always to the fore, such as north Wales (see Gardner, 1913). Almost all authorities researched who defined the primary foodplant of the Comma before the turn of the century chose hop and the vast majority of those after that time chose the ubiquitous stinging nettle — and the individual records of discovered larvae confirm this statement. It has been suggested that larvae fed on different foodplants depending upon brood, where “the second brood would appear to prefer hop, but as that plant is scarcely in leaf when the first brood are feeding, the early caterpillars must of necessity find other food” (Dale, 1890) — this being currant and stinging nettle (Hutchinson, 1881). There is some truth in the statement that “the Comma of older days was primarily a hop feeder, and that it disappeared through newer methods of hop spraying” (Lewis, 1951). As the acreage under hop increased after the late 16th century this no doubt led to an increasing incidence of associated insect pests, A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY 25 which would have included c-album. The first mention of pest control on hops was as early as 1697 when it was recommended that plants should be sprinkled with an infusion of Wormwood. Much later, during the 1860’s, dusting powders of soot and lime were used in an attempt to control flea beetle; at the same time sprays of soft soap and quassia extract began to be used — but the practise did not become general before 1883. After this time, in- secticidal spraying prevented disastrous crop failures and contri- buted to the decline in acreage through increased yields. At the turn of the century at Malvern the butterfly was listed as “formerly plentiful in hop-yards, but since the introduction of ““hop-washing”’ much less abundant, and probably still decreasing’ (Edwards & Towndron, 1899). After the First World War it was said of lepi- dopterous larvae on hop that “damage is rarely important and they are much less common than they were before the widespread use of insecticides” (Burgess, 1964) and that larvae of the Comma were now only found on the plant “from time-to-time”; in other late books on the pests of hops the species is not even mentioned. In 1949 systemic insecticides such as Schradan were first introduced and these completely revolutionised pest control on hops. There- fore there will never be a return to those halcyon days when Mrs. Hutchinson had “about one thousand larvae and pupae brought me from the few hop-grounds in our parish” (Hutchinson, 1881) of Grantsfield, in 1875; nor even in Yorkshire, where previously the butterfly had been reported as “alighting in hundreds on the blos- soms of the common wild Scabious” (Morris, 1870). On occasion, there were direct losses from human intervention, as specimens were sometimes obtained “‘with difficulty, some enter- prising collector having circulated advertisements in the local papers of the hop-growing districts in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, as well as posting placards in the villages, to offer to take all the larvae and pupae the hop-pickers could find, at a certain rate” (Buckler, 1886). However, the numbers enjoyed by c-album were sometimes so vast in these districts before pest control became efficient as to render these attentions negligible besides those of the hop-growers; aS a measure against pests, there was a habit “of collecting all the bine after the gathering is over and burning it, and thus all the larvae and pupae which have not been destroyed, when the poles are torn down and the hops gathered, perish in the fire, excepting those which have emerged and thus escape des- truction . . . it has been sad to see the destruction of larvae and pupae” (Hutchinson, 1881). It has been suggested that, after the loss of a hop-feeding race due to changes in hop-spraying methods, the species “‘e- established itself through immigrants which were primarily elm feeders, dislodged from which they can usually find nettle’ (Lewis, 26 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 151.1987 1951). Part of this is not quite as controversial as might at first be thought, as it has been concluded of lepidoptera as a whole that “there may be two or more biological races within a single species, each race selecting a particular foodplant” (Allan, 1943). Also “when a species has been reared for several generations on one of several alternative host plants, the progeny will tend to select the same host plant on which they were reared .... it is also possible . that in any given species there may be many heterozygous sine with all the possible combinations of host plant preferences. If this is the case, there may be a selective action of the environment in eliminating all the progeny which have a tendency to choose other host plants than those upon which they hatch” (Joc. cit.); it has been recorded that some species are unable to successfully complete there development after feeding readily on some alter- native plants (Balfour-Browne, 1944). Local races of c-album have been reported; one feeding on nettle and another on sallow in Somerset (Heslop, 1967), and on stinging nettle in north Wales (Gardner, 1913). Nationally, however, as has been shown, the insect largely retreated to the midland hop-growing areas, regaining territory from these strongholds, and any later tendency in food- plant preference would therefore have been biased towards hop; internationally, vagrants apart, the case for the occurrence of arrivals from the continent, elm feeding or otherwise, is less than proven. However, as the Welsh experience shows, there were races which fed on stinging nettle when the insect was at its nadir in this country and it has been shown that there was a change in the foremost foodplant at about that time, brought about by the collapse of commercial hop-growing; whether the change was due to polypha- gous c-album losing hop as a preferential opportunity, or became a change in dominence within monophagous races, either way the cause remains the same. There is recent evidence of local changes in primary foodplant (Baker, 1977); stinging nettle was reportedly the foremost pabulum for the Comma in south London earlier this century but in nearby north-west Surrey it was discovered to be elm in 1969 — until Dutch Elm disease forced a change to sallow, hop, and gooseberry, during the 1970’s. As the numbers of c-album were said not to have been affected, this shows that the species can have sudden changes in foodplant forced upon it in the wild, at least locally with those plants, without noticeable loss. Unless the predominence of an exclusively hop-feeding race is accepted, this runs contrary to any conclusions of widescale loss of territory due to the decline of hop-growing. Nevertheless, due to the mode and speed of loss of individual hop-gardens (grubbing up, virtually overnight) there can be little doubt that there were significant local numerical losses and perhaps even local extinctions from this cause. A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY Da | Despite several statements to the contrary, such as “the cause of its disappearance cannot be associated with cultivation or with any other interference with its requirements” (Frohawk, 1914), hops were not grown commercially in Scotland after 1871 or in Wales after 1874; in England, outside of the prime hop growing counties the acreage declined throughout the 19th century and its distribution completely collapsed after 1870. The butterfly was last recorded in Scotland in about 1870 and it disappeared from an accelerating number of English counties during that same decade. Also, hop washing, bine burning, and the increasing deployment of more efficient pesticides after the early 1880’s contributed to local rarity. (to be concluded) MUD-PUDDLING BEHAVIOUR OF THE GREEN-VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY. — Mud-puddling behaviour is a well documented and common phenomenon of male butterflies of tropical and mediter- ranean regions, but is of less common occurrence in temperate regions. The principal stimulant to these male aggregations is des- cribed as sodium salt (Arms et al., Science, 185: 372-374.) and large groups of males usually congregate and feed on damp ground contaminated by faeces and urine, presumably these areas are rich in available amino-acids. On 5 August 1986 I was visiting a coniferous area of woodland in north Bucks., a sunny but cool day after an evening of very heavy rain. On one 300 metre length of ride I noted seven aggre- gations of feeding male green-veined white butterflies, at the edge of puddles. Each group of males was densely packed, with approxi- mately one to five centimetres between individuals. The total number of males within each group were; 37, 21, 18, 17, 14, 13 and 6. No other aggregations of this butterfly were noted at any other puddles on this or any other ride. Close examination of the attrac- tive and non-attractive puddle margins revealed no evident dif- ferences between the puddles themselves and no signs of faeces. However, those puddles that were attractive were all immediately adjacent to vegetation that had been mown within the previous week. Presumably the heavy rain of the previous evening had washed the soluble products of decomposition into -these puddles, these being attractant to this butterfly. What is of interest is whether this is a rare phenomenon or is more common than generally believed. Also, is sodium salt involved in instances as described here? T. G. SHREEVE, 4 Chiltern Close, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Bucks. HP17 OFA. 28 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 IS i187) A FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC FEATURE FOR THE SEPARATION OF EJLEMA LURIDEOLA ZINCKEN AND E£. COMPLANA L. (LEP.: ARCTHDAE) By ADRIAN M. RILEY * The standard diagnostic feature for the separation of these two species is the attenuation of the costal streak at the apex of the forewing in E. lurideola. In E. complana this streak remains parallel to the costa through to the wing fringes. (See Skinner, B. 1984. Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles, p. 180). However, in the field, or when dead, unset, individuals are being examined it is difficult to use this character as these two species (particularly complana) roll their wings around their bodies in roughly tubular fashion, often hiding the forewing apices from view. Under these circumstances it is often better to use the following alternative feature. Eilema complana Filema lurideola Figure 1 shows the head and mesothoracic regions of the two species. In E. complana the patagia are completely orange, resulting in a straight border between themselves and the mesothorax. This gives the appearance of a neat “collar”. In E. lurideola the patagia are grey in the centre, resulting in a C-shaped “‘collar”’. Although the grey centre to the patagia is mentioned in some descriptions of FE. lurideola (e.g. Heath, J. 1979. Moths & Butter- flies of Great Britain & Ireland. Vol. 9, p.94) it has never been stres- sed as a useful diagnostic character. However, I have found it to be the most reliable and convenient feature to use when identifying Rothamsted Insect Survey light trap catches or live specimens in the field. *Entomology Department, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire. BUTTERFLIES ON MADEIRA 29 BUTTERFLIES ON MADEIRA IN APRIL 1985 By D. F. OWEN,* T. G. SHREEVE and A, G. SMITH The vutteit!y fauna of Madeira is remarkable in several ways. There are only 14 species but of these one, Pararge xiphia, is en- demic and three, Gonepteryx cleopatra, Pieris brassicae and Hip- parchia aristaeus, 1ave evolved endemic subspecies. Three species, Danaus plexippus, Artogeia rapae and Pararge aegeria, have colonised the island in relatively recent times; the most recent, P. aegeria, was first seen in 1976 (Higgins 1977), making Madeira the only place in the world with two sympatric species of speckled woods. There are also two symphatic red admirals, Vanessa atalanta and V. indica, both of which occur on the Canary Islands. Several vagrants have been recorded including Hypolimnas misippus (from tropical Africa), Colias hyale and Issoria lathonia (both presumably from the Mediterranean region), the latter once a common resident (Baker 1891), but not seen in recent years (Lace and Jones 1984). Gardner and Classey (1960) provide a comprehensive list of the literature on Madeiran insect life; the most up-to-date accounts of Madeiran butterflies are Swash and Askew (1982) and Lace and Jones (1984). We visited Madeira between 9 and 15 April 1985 with the inten- tion of the examining the spread of P. aegeria and its possible impact on the endemic P xiphia; the results of our investigations onthese two species will be published separately. We recorded ten of the 14 Madeiran butterflies. The two graylings not recorded occur later in the season, while G. cleopatra and P. brassicae were expected but not seen, possibly because of the time of year, or possibly because both species are less common than they used to be as a consequence of a decrease in the amount of laurel forest (their natural habitat on Madeira) and an increase in cultivation and forestry operations that make use of non-native species of trees. During the week we ex- plored all the major habitats on the island. Cloud, rain and cold severely restricted the activities of butterflies at higher elevations, particularly in the laurel forest, where conditions were rarely suit- able for butterflies to fly. The following species were recorded: Artogeia rapae (small white). Widespread but by no means common in waste areas and among cultivation, especially around Funchal, but also recorded at Faial on the north coast and at Canical in the east. This species first appeared on Madeira in 1971 (Swash and Askew 1982), and there was a mass invasion, presumed to be from Portugal, in 1974 (Wolff 1975). We found a mated pair east of Canical on 14 April but no other evidence of breeding: a quick search of cultivated cabbages revealed neither larvae nor damage by larvae. *2 Shelford Place, Headington, Oxford. 30 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 151.1987 Colias croceus (clouded yellow). Common in open areas at most elevations but especially near sea level on the tree-less Ponta de Sao Lourengo where on 14 April dozens of females were egg-laying on clovers and vetches. Two individuals of the female form helice were positively identified and there may have been others. Lycaena phliaeas (small copper). A female at Eira de Fora on 14 April is the only record. De Worms (1964) likewise found one only during a week’s collecting in April 1964. The small copper is described as locally common on Madeira and some specimens are very dark in coloration (Baker 1891) which suggests a distinct sub- species. However, our specimen is like a typical European small copper. Lampides boeticus (long-tailed blue). In ones and twos at many sites but nowhere common. A female was seen egg-laying on broom near Faial on 9 April. Vanessa atalanta (red admiral). Positively identified once only: Botanical Gardens, Funchal, 12 April, but several times may have been confused with the commoner V. indica. Vanessa indica vulcania (Indian red admiral). Two or three adults in the Botanical Gardens at Funchal and eight small larvae feeding on nettles, Urtica sp. (possibly dioica) growing in the shade of a tree. Three more adults were seen near Tabua where a few larvae were found on the same species of nettle growing in the shade of a banana plantation. Another larva was found on this same species of nettle near the north end of the runway of the International Airport. An adult was collected near Queimadas on 11 April. Larvae brought back to England were fed on stinging nettle and four adult butterflies were eventually reared. In March 1985, D. A. S. Smith saw six females laying eggs on Urtica sp. (presumed to be dioica) at Puerto de la Cruz and Agua Mansa, Tenerife. He also found iarvae at both sites. These nettles were alsc growing in the shade. The food-plant of Vanessa indica vulcania was apparently hitherto unknown. (Higgins and Riley 1980), possibly because the females lay on nettles in the shade, unlike V. atalanta which prefers nettles growing in the open. Cynthia cardui (painted lady). Abundant on Ponta de Sao Lourengo but not seen elsewhere, except for a single individual just outside Funchal. Larvae in all stages of development were found on thistles and mallow, especially on disturbed waste land bordering the roadside east of Canical. From larvae brought back to England we reared 17 adults from mallow and 22 from thistle, most slightly darker than the five specimens collected as adults. Pararge xiphia (Madeiran speckled wood). This endemic is found everywhere except in the more open places near the coast, the high plateau country and the Sao Lourengo peninsula. It is probably the commonest butterfly on Madeira. An egg was found on Holcus BUTTERFLIES ON MADEIRA 31 lanatus and two eggs and three larvae on Brachypodium sylvaticum at Achada do Cedro Gordo; a larva was found on Agrostis gigantea and 14 larvae on B. sylvaticum at Boca da Encumeada; and another three larvae on B. sylvaticum near Queimadas. Hence our findings suggest that B. sylvaticum is the chief food-plant. All the larvae were in the third or fourth instar. P. xiphia larvae have conspicuously longer tails than those of P. aegeria and the two species are easy to tell apart. Pararge aegeria aegeria (speckled wood). First recorded at Ribeiro Frio in 1976 (Higgins 1977), this butterfly is now wide- spread and common at low elevations, especially along the south coast, and shows signs of colonising many upland areas as well. It is especially associated with disturbed habitats: we found it among terraced cultivation, banana plantations and in gardens where P. xiphia was often absent, but in many places, particularly in the hills, the two species fly together. Two fourth instar larvae found on Brachypodium sylvaticum, one at Monte, the other at Achada do Cedro Gordo. Danaus plexippus (monarch). Single specimens at various locali- ties in the vicinity of Funchal, notably in the Botanical Gardens where at least three individuals were present on 12 April. Two larvae and many eggs were found on three plants of Gomphocarpus fruti- cosus growing on waste land west of Funchal. This milkweed is a native of sub-Saharan Africa where it is a common food-plant of Danaus chrysippus. A. J. Showler tells us that in January 1984 he found several larvae on Asclepias curassavica (a tropical American milkweed) in the Municipal Gardens, Funchal. These might be the first definite breeding records of the monarch on Madeira. References Baker, G. T. 1891. Notes on the Lepidoptera collected in Madeira by the late T. Vernon Wollaston. Trans. ent. Soc. Lond. 1891: 197-221. De Worms, C. G. M. 1964. Madeira in the spring, April 1964. Ent. Rec. 76: 252-254. Gardner, A. E. and Classey, E. W. 1960. Report on the insects col- lected by the E. W. Classey and A. E. Gardner expedition to Madeira in December 1957. Proc. Trans. S. Lond. ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 1959: 184-206. Higgins, L. G. 1977. The speckled wood (Pararge aegeria L.) in Madeira. Ent. Rec. 89: 22-23. Lace, L. A. and Jones, M. J. 1984. Habitat preferences and status of the Madeiran butterfly fauna. Bol. Mus. Mun. Funchal 36: 162-176. 32 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 LS i687 Swash, A. R. and Askew, R. R. 1982. A survey of Madeiran butter- flies, 1981. Bol. Mus. Mun. Funchal 34: 60-66. Wolff, N. L..1975. On the sudden mass occurrence in 1974 of Pieris rapae L. (Lepidoptera, Pieridae) in Madeira. Bol. Mus. Mun. Funchal 29: 26-32. A NOTE ON THE PROBABLE HABITAT OF CRYPTOPHAGUS FALCOZI ROUBAL (COL., CRYPTOPHAGIDAE) — _ In Britain, C. falcozi has been found in the wild only in Windsor Forest (Owen 1982 Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 118:22). The first examples found there (21.i1.1981) were in a rotten branch of beech lying on the ground below an old dead beech tree. In spite of repeated searching, no more specimens could be found at the site but some months later, in a different part of Windsor Forest about 4km distant, I found some in the hollow stump of another beech tree which had been blown down some months previously. While the tree stood, its hollow base had com- municated with the outside by a small hole at ground level. The stump was about 1.5m high and was composed of a shell of wood, soft and rotten on the inside with hard bark on the outside. The beetles were found by sieving rotten wood and debris from inside the stump. I do not know for how long the beetles continued to breed in the stump but they were still to be found there some 12 months later, that is about 18 months after the tree had been blown down and the interior of its hollow base exposed. Recently (22.v.86), I found about a dozen examples of the beetle in debris from inside the hollow stump of another ancient beech tree which too had been blown over. It was about 1km from the second tree. There were a few old fruiting bodies of a Gano- derma sp. (probably applanatum) inside and outside the shell of the stump. While the tree stood, there had been a small hole linking the hollow inside to the outside at ground level. The great similarity between the second and third sites, strongly suggests that the natural habitat of C. falcozi, at least at Windsor, is inside the hollow base of ancient beech trees. Until the tree blows down, this will often be (to coleopterists) a virtually inaccessible habitat which could explain the very few records for the species anywhere in its range. On this basis, the first examples taken must have comprised a temporary colony. Examples of Aeletes atomarius (Aube) were present in both the hollow stumps. In Britain, this is a rare species (though not so rare as C. falcozi) and could possibly be an associated marker species. J. A. OWEN, 8 Kingsdown Road, Epsom, Surrey KT17 3PU. LARVAL COLOUR IN SATURNIA PAVONIA 313) iat CONTEROE OF OLIVE LAKY AL COLOUR SATURNIA PAVONIA LINN. (LEPIDOPTERA: SATURNIDAE) By Dr. M. E.N. MAJERUS* In 1981, ona visit to the Loire Valley I collected 3 larval nests of Saturnia pavonia. The larvae were all in their second and third instars, each nest was probably the product of a single female. Surprisingly, the resulting fourth and fifth instar larvae were ex- tremely variable. This variation was due firstly to the amount and pattern of the green and black markings, which showed a range in the fourth instar from some individuals which were virtually all green to all black individuals. Secondly there was great variation in tubercle colours which were white, pink, yellow or orange. The imagines resulting from these larvae, supplemented occasionally with wild caught, Cambridgeshire males, have been used to set up stocks for studies into the genetics of this larval variation. The results to date suggest that while there is a high genetic component to both these aspects of larval variation, the genetic mechanisms are quite complex, and in the case of the green and black markings the variation is probably regulated by a polygenic system. In this note I wish to describe the discovery of an aberrant larval form and its genetic control. The larvae from one of the crosses (brood BE7) reared in 1982 produced 21 fourth instar larvae. The fourth and fifth instar ground colour of 3 of these was abnormal, the normal bright green colour being replaced by an olive green colour. These 3 larvae were sepa- rated from the rest of the brood. Only 2 emerged. They, and 2 of their sibling imagines, were used in further crosses in 1983. In addition another cross (BE56) in which neither parent came from BE7 produced a small number of olive larvae. Progeny from these broods were again used in crosses in 1984. The results of all these broods are given in Table 1. Because of the limitations of time and space only a proportion of larvae in most broods were retained to the fourth instar. Thereafter the larvae and cocoons were retained until adults emerged. All larvae were fed on hawthorn throughout. The larvae were scored for ground colour in the fourth instar. None of the larvae changed their basic ground colour between the fourth and fifth instars. The number of imagines produced from each colour class of larvae was also recorded for each brood. The most probable explanation of the data is that ground colour is controlled by a single biallelic gene, with the green ground colour dominant to olive, the olive allele being semi-lethal when homozygous. *Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Dowing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH. 34 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 SS 7/ It is suggested that one of the parents of the original larval nests carried the olive gene, and that brood BE7 was a cross between two heterozygotes. Further it is suggested that the parents of BES6, BE156, BE159, and the female parents of BE62 and BE67 were also heterozygotes carrying both the green and olive alleles. In this case BE7, BE56, BE156 and NE159 should each have given a 3:1 ration of green to olive larvae. However, in all these broods the number of olive larvae is less than a quarter the number of greens, though not significantly so. Broods BE62 and BE67 should have given a 1:1 ratio of green to olive, and this is close to observation although in BE67 there is again a deficiency in the number of olives. Brood BE134 the only brood in which both parents had been of the olive ground colour, all progeny were olive. In this brood the female produced 226 ova from which only 15 larvae hatched, and only 1 imagine was produced despite meticulous care and attention being lavished on the brood throughout. Indeed as Table | shows of the 42 fourth instar larvae which were scored as olive, only 9 (21.4%) reached the adult state while in the same broods, 86 adults were produced from 100 green scored larvae. This strongly suggests that the olive allele is semi-lethal, possible causing both reduced fertility and reduced viability. Finally cross BE180 in which the female parent came from a new and normal stock taken in Cambridge endorses the dominance of the green ground colour over olive, all progeny being green. Brood Origin and larval colour Number of larvae in 4th number of parents instar. Number of resulting imagines given in brackets Female Male Green Olive BE7 France normal France normal 18(16) 3(2) BE1l France normal France normal 55(52) 0 BE8 France normal France normal 23(8) 0 BE25 France normal France normal 50 (50) 0 BE26 France normal France normal 38 (33) 0 BE56 BE25 normal BE8 normal 37( 32) 8(1) BE62 BE26 normal BE7 olive 6(6) 8(0) BE67 BE? normal BE7 olive 10(9) 5(4) BE69 BE1 nomnal BE7 nommnal 83 (80) 0 BE70 Cambridge normal Cambridge normal 194(161) 0 BE134 BE67 olive BE67 olive 0 11(1) BE156 BE67 normal BE67 normal 18(12) 5(1) BE159 BE67 normal BE67 normal 11(11) 2(0) BE180 BE70 normal BE67 olive 50( 46) 0 Table 1 Results of broods reared to elucidate the inheritance of olive larval ground colour in Saturnia pavonia. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS a5 Notes and Observations TRACHEA ATRIPLICIS LINNAEUS, THE ORACHE MOTH, IN KENT.- On the evening of 8th August 1986, I went to Dungeness with the prime objective of looking for specimens of Thalera fimbrialis Scop. When I set up my lights, I did so on my own there being no other entomologists on the shingle that night. Probably just as well, as I have found that most good things seem to head for other entomolo- gists’ trap if there is a choice. It was a mild evening with light vari- able winds, following a period of mainly south-westerly winds. The early part of the evening was spent splashing about around the edge of a pond watching both male and female Acentria ephe- merella D. & S., (nivea Ol.) hurtling about over the surface. I could find no trace of the rudimentary winged female form in the weed or litter round the pond, but the winged forms of both sexes were very common. Back at the light, probable migrant moths were not common, and I recorded five Autographa gamma L., and three Agrotis ipsilon Hufn. Throughout the evening I noted sixty-six species of macrolepidoptera, and at 1.45 am, with very little moth movement, decided to pack up my lights. I was therefore startled to find a female Trachea atriplicis Linn., the orache moth, sitting in a trap. | was aware of specimens taken on the Essex coast the previous month, but was not expecting this particular green moth in Kent, so much later. The specimen was carefully boxed and kept in the hope of eggs. In view of the manner in which it battered itself to pieces over the next few days, I might as well have used thumb and forefinger, but it did lay about one hundred and twenty eggs, none of which proved fertile. I kept my lights running on until dawn but without any further excitement. This appears to be the first record of the orache moth for Kent. It would be interesting now to know if the continental populations of this moth have undergone any unusual expansions of range or size, to lead to records in England after such a long absence. Per- haps our continental friends could comment on any such changes. DAVID WILSON , Joyce House, Green Tye, Much Hadham, Herts. THE FAUNA OF SAND DUNES AT ALVOR (PORTUGAL) AND LANZAROTE (CANARY ISLES) — Although marine sand dunes appear to present a remarkably similar and consistent environment throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, their arthropod fauna differs widely between one place and another. For instance, the false-scorpion Dactylochelifer latreillei Leach is found through- out Britain, as is the salticid spider Marpissa (= Hyctia) nivoyi (Lucas) (Cloudsley-Thompson, J. L., 1959, Entomologist’s Mon. Mag. 95: 24); but M. nivoyi does not appear to occur in the Bay of Biscay where D. Jatreillei is also common (Cloudsley-Thompson, J. L., 1960, Entomologist’s Mon. Mag., 96: 49-53), while I found neither 36 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 Sa ST species among the dunes at Pamuok in south-western Turkey (1945, Entomologist’s Mon. Mag., 108: 165). In September 1984, and August 1985, I visited the dunes at Alvor, West of Portiniao in southern Portugal and, in September 1985, dunes on both the north, north-east, and the south coasts of Lanzarote, Canary Isles. In none of these did I find either D. latreillei or M. nivoyi. The dunes at Alvor appeared to me to be more sparsely populated than those at Pamuok, but I found a number of grasshoppers there as well as sphecid and mutillid wasps, a few scarabeid beetles and three species of Tenebrionidae which Dr. R. A. Crowson kindly identified for me as follows: Blaps sp., Tentyria sp. (most common) and a species of Zophosis and of Isocerus (or perhaps Dendarus). During the day they buried themselves on the shaded sides of the tufts of marram grass, whence they emerged at about 17.30h and could be collected as they walked on the surface on the dunes. Here they left numerous conspicuous tracks, especially the Blaps and Tentyria sp. I also obtained a nymph of the masked assassin bug Reduvius personatus (L.), for naming which my thanks are due to Ray Aldridge. It was camouflaged by particles of sand adhering to a viscid substance on its cuticle. This is by no means a new obser- vation: indeed the phenomenon is illustrated by S. W. Frost (1942, General Entomology, New York. Fig. 384), but it was new to me. T. R. Odhiambo (1958, Entomologist’s Mon. Mag., 94: 47) recorded similar camouflaging habits in nymphal stages of the reduviid Acan- thaspis petax Stal. in Uganda. The only spiders I found were yellow juveniles of a species of Araneidae, and juveniles of two lycosid species, one of which was sand-coloured and extremely cryptic. The dunes at La Calete on the north end of Lanzarote were almost sterile, but I found an immature Theridion sp. among the clumps of Sweda. At Arrieta, on the north east, and at Papaguayo on the south — where the dominant was a leafless composite shrub, Zollikoferia spinosa (kindly identified by Richard Bailey) — I could not find any spiders or insects other than a fly or two. The temperature and relative humidity on the surface of the sand was 37°C, 38% RH at 13.00h (La Calete, 16 September) 31°C, 60% RH at 17.00h (Papaguayo, 15 September) and 25°C, 65% RH at 23.00h (Puerto del Carmen, 15 September) — measured with a Kane — May electronic thermohygrometer (KM8000). These very moderate readings reflect the equable climate of the Canary Isles: the sparseness of the flora and fauna of Lanzarote is undoubtedly due to the infrequency of rain. — J. L. CLOUDSLEY-THOMPSON, Department of Biology, Birkbeck College (University of London), Malet Street, London WC1 7HX. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS i SCOTTISH INSECT RECORDS — Ina recent issue (£ntomolo- gist’s Rec. J. Var. 98: 123) Dr. I. D. Wallace recorded a pterophorid moth, Capperia britanniodactyla (Gregson), from a Scottish locality and stated that he had “not been able to trace any other Scottish records’. This prompts me to draw attention to a powerful research tool called the Scottish Insect Record Index (SIRI) that we maintain here at the Royal Museum of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Museum). Among several functions, the SIRI provides a fairly reliable and easy means of checking whether there are existing published records of particular species of insects occurring in Scot- land. The SIRI is an index only to published citations (i.e. it does not include existing but unpublished specimens in collections, or manu- script records) but, because it is based on a wide and compre- hensive survey of both old and modern literature, we believe it to be reasonably complete in this respect. The records are divided into Orders, within each of which the literature citations are arranged alphabetically according to the specific name as published. (There- fore synonyms must also be checked). For several years it has been energetically maintained by a competent entomologist, Dr. Joan Basden, and it is currently less than one year behind the present for most sources. The information for each entry is given in the form : binomen as published; vice county number (or other regional data); journal or book reference (to page only). It is neces- sary to check these references in order to evaluate what is said : some entries could be negative reports, or reiterations of past records. For example, this note will be indexed under C. britanniodactyla even though it brings forward no new record. Researchers, in the broadest possible sense, can either visit the museum and (by prior arrangement, please) consult the SIRI themselves, or else they can contact the Museum’s staff and we will be pleased to look for information on a limited number of species for them. We are, how- ever, regrettably unable to answer requests like “please send all Scottish records of such-and-such a group’: for more than a small number of species, I am afraid that you would usually have to visit us to consult it yourself. The maintenance of this important resource always has to compete for funds, and it is therefore desirable that users (including those who find no records of the species that con- cern them) acknowledge the Scottish Insect Records Index main- tained here in their publications. The recent records of C. britanniodactyla in Scotland traceable through the SIRI are as follows:— i. Proc. Trans. Br. ent. nat. Hist.; Soc. 14 : 25 (1981). VC 83. (A specimen taken by Dr. K. P. Bland on 5.vii.1980 on Blackford Hill, Edinburgh and exhibited at the B.E.N.HS. Annual Exhibition on 1 .xi.1980). 38 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. VOL. 99 Sys 7/ ii. Proc. Trans. Br. ent. nat. Hist. Soc. 15 : 36 (1982). VC 83. (A reared series from the same site, exhibited by Dr. Bland at the following year’s Exhibition on 24.x.1981). iii. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 96 : 257 (1984). VC 72. (This records Dr. R. P. Knill-Jones’ capture of this species at Tynron (misspelt “Tynson” in the paper), Dumfriesshire in 1982). iv. Glasg. Nat. 21 : 95 (1985). VC 75 and VC 86. (Recording captures at Ailsa Craig by P. Wormell and at Fintry and Ballantrae by I. C. Christie). A number of old records in the SIRI (as teucrii) would need more critical assessment owing to early confusions over the identi- fication and nomenclature of this and related species. — M. R. SHAW, Royal Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH? WE. ANASPIS COSTAI EM. & MORDELLISTENA HUMERALIS L. (COL: MORDELLIDAE) IN S. E. LONDON. -_ | have long kept a look-out in my home district for four not uncommon Anaspis spp. which might be expected to occur; namely frontalis L., pulicaria Costa, rufilabris Gyll. and costai Em. (The continued absence of the first is strange since it is regarded as one of the generally com- mon species.) Two years ago I managed to find there a solitary A. pulicaria, while this year (1985) I have at last taken a single male A. costai. Like the former, this was in Maryon-Wilson Park, Charlton, and was shaken from fragmentary remnants of hogweed flowers (unfortunately scarce in the locality) on 17th August. Previous records for the London suburbs, if any — under the name flava v. thoracica — are early and unsatisfactory; Lewisham and Brockley, by W. West in ‘Woolwich Surveys’, must be suspect because he has no record under A. subtestacea Steph. (now lurida Steph.) which is common enough hereabouts and far likelier to have been the species actually taken. The VCH list for Kent (Fowler, 1908) gives no record for East Kent; I took the species at Dodding- ton in that vice-county in 1965 (5.viii). It may be added that Fow- ler’s datum (/.c.: 166) ‘“‘On hawthorn blossom” (under flava v. thoracica) is inapplicable to A. costai, a late summer species not appearing until July. On the occasion of taking this insect at Charlton as above, I ob- tained also four examples of the uncommon Mordellistena humeralis L. (the usual British form coloured like neuwaldeggiana Panz., see Allen in press) from a late but still fresh hogweed umbel — the last anywhere in the vicinity — and a further four in the course of the NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS ahs) next few days. Except for one similarly in the same park in 1973, this was my first find of the beetle locally. Since the above very deceptive form of M. humeralis has up to now been confused in Britain with M. neuwaldeggiana, most records of the latter will require checking. A. A. ALLEN, 49 Montcalm Road, Charlton, London SE7. TWO INTERESTING ‘MICROS’ FROM WINDSOR, BERKS. — Oc- casionally when collecting in the eastern end of Windsor Great Park near what used to be the ‘Long Walk’, I have met with considerable numbers of Ochsenheimeria vacculella Fxv.R. ensconced under pieces of dry bark or dead wood on the trunks of oaks (e.g. 7 .vili.82). I do not remember having come across the species while working that habitat in other localities, and though this rather peculiar habit is well known, it probably ensures that the moth is less often seen by lepidopterists than by coleopterists. It certainly is quite different from that of our other two species of this grass-feeding genus. On 27th June 1985, near Bears’ Rails Pond further south in the Park, when scanning the trunk of a field maple for signs of an Ano- biid beetle, I detected and tubed a small white-marked black moth, unknown to me, sitting on the bark. This Mr. E. C. Pelham-Clinton tells me is the Psychid Narycia monilifera Geof., a species which though fairly widely ranging can hardly be called common, and which seems worth a mention in case there is no previous record for the area. Its condition is such that it may have recently emerged; and indeed its larval case could well have been on the bark close by, but unnoticed because of my ignorance (at the time) of the insect’s identity or life-history. — A. A. ALLEN. A VISITOR FROM AMERICA — On 6th May 1986 I found a pupa case on a stem of Asparagus plumosa (imported from Florida, USA), in New Covent Garden Market. The case was just 2 inches long, reminiscent of a zygaenid. The moth emerged on 25th May and was kindly identified by Mr. M. Honey of the BM(NH) as Artacia cribraria (Ljungh) (Lep.: Lasiocampidae). The prefered host plants are various species of oak under which the asparagus is grown in Florida. R. T. LOWE, 61 Erskine Hill, London, NW11. EUCINETUS MERIDIONALIS LAPORTE (COL., EUCINETIDAE ) IN SURREY. —I found an example of this beetle on the underside of a small piece of sound, dressed wood lying on sandy ground at the edge of small pine plantation on Ockham Common, Surrey on 20/5/83. Since then, I have searched for other examples at the site on a number of occasions but always unsuccessfully and I thought that I should record this singleton now before I forget to do so, especially as the beetle has hitherto been recorded only from Hamp- shire, the Isle of Wight and Suffolk (see Owen 1983 Entomologist '’s mon. Mag. 119:198). 40 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 Sri ose, The site at Ockham Common is at the edge of a motorway which was nearing completion at the time when I found the beetle. In all probability, the piece of wood was brought to the site in the process of road-way construction. The beetle too may have been transported there although the similarity of the site to that at which I found the species at Elveden (also at the edge of a small pine plan- tation) and the fact that on both occasions the beetles were found on the underside of a piece of wood lying on sandy ground suggests that the Ockham Common example probably bred locally. J. A. OWEN, 8 Kingsdown Road, Epsom, Surrey KT17 3PU. CAPTURE OF THE IMAGO OF SYNANTHEDON ANDRENAEFOR- MIS (LASPEYRES): ORANGE-TAILED CLEARWING. —_ Baker (in Heath J. ed., 1985. Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, 2: 369-388.) describes the imago of S. andrenaeformis as “except when newly emerged in early morning, seemingly non- existent”. This resulted in the species being considered extremely rare before the discovery of the larval foodplant, although it is now known to be widespread across the downland of southern England. On 16th July 1986 I visited Westcott Downs in Surrey looking principally for hoverflies. The day was very hot, and insects seem- ingly scarce, most flowers being apparantly unattractive. How- ever, on reaching a small group of limes which were in flower, the situation changed. The lime blossoms were alive with insects; hover- flies, bees and even several species of butterfly, and it was then that I netted an insect in flight which was seen to be S. andrenaeformis. Whether it was actually attracted to the flowers is open to question, but the site was some distance from the clumps of wayfaring tree where the larvae may be found. Several other species of clearwing have come my way since I started searching flowers for flies. On 7th June this year I took a specimen of S. culiciformis L. which was feeding on flowers of hawthorn on Chobham Common. Last year I found imagines of both S. myopaeformis Borkh., and S. tipuliformis Clerk at ground elder flowers in my garden. Other dipterists or hymenopterists must also notice clearwings from time to time, andI would be interested to hear of their records, especially for Surrey. G. A. COLLINS, 15 Hurst Way, Croydon, Surrey. SCOPARIA AMBIGUALIS (TREITS.) (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRA- LIDAE) — LARVA FEEDING ON ROOTSTOCK OF VALERIAN. = The early stages of Scoparia ambigualis (Treitschke, 1829) appear to be unknown so the following discovery is of interest. While col- lecting at Binn Wood Quarry, Glen Farg, Perthshire (O.S.Grid Ref. NO/1613; V.C.88) on 31.v.1986, my attention was attracted to a bank of lush vegetation in which one of the plants of valerian NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 4] (Valeriana officinalis L.) was wilting slightly. The day was bright and sunny but it had rained heavily in the morning. Closer investigation revealed what I took to be a tortricoid larva feeding on the super- ficial layers at the base of the stem and the upper part of the root- stock. It had excavated a groove extending about one-third of the way into the plant tissue. There was no apparent silk associated with the feeding and the larva would have become detached if the plant had been pulled up. It ceased feeding a few days later and in due course an imago of Scoparia ambigualis emerged on 6.vii.1986. Unfortunately a larval description and details of the cocoon were not recorded. Due to the abundance of this species in a wide range of habitats it probably adopts this mode of feeding on many dif- ferent species of plant. — K. P. BLAND, 35 Charterhall Road, Edin- burgh, EH9 3HS. DEFENCE REACTION IN THE SMALL TORTOISESHELL — During mid-August 1985, at Barlaston Rough Close Common, I was obser- ving an unidentified species of dragonfly hawking along the banks of a large pond. During the period of observation a number of insect prey were seized, including a wall brown (Lasiommata megera L.), which was consumed from a perch on a nearby tree. Shortly afterwards, the dragonfly approached a small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae L.) This butterfly turned and flew directly at the dragonfly, which promptly broke off the “attack”. The dragonfly tried twice more to secure the butterfly, meeting the same response each time. J. KORYSZKO, 3 Dudley Place, Meir, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs. LARVAL FOODPLANTS OF ALLOPHYES OXYACANTHAE L. (LEP.: NOCTUIDAE) —In the Highlands of Scotland this species is not uncommon, but the foodplants with which the moth is asso- ciated in England are largely absent, these being blackthorn, haw- thorn and apple (Rosaceae), and for the Highlands G. Harper (Ent. Rec. 66:98) notes birch and sallow, but without indication of the extent to which these plants are utilised. On June 13th, 1986, I found numerous oxyacanthae larvae on rowan (Rosaceae) at Avie- more and Nethy Bridge, Inverness-shire and at Grantown and Dul- nain Bridge, Moray, indicating Sorbus aucuparia as a major larval pabulum in the region. — _ B.K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. DIORYCTRIA SCHUETZEELLA FUCHS (LEP.: PYRALIDAE) IN SUFFOLK — _ A single specimen of this moth was taken at light at Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, on 7th August 1986. This species was first recorded in England in 1980 (Ent. Rec. 94: 1-3) and as far as I am aware is known only from Orlestone Forest in Kent and Playden in Sussex. — A. WATCHMAN, “‘Onchan’’, Black Lane, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk. 42 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. VOL. 99 eye a2) 37) AN ALBINO CINNABAR MOTH (LEP.: ARCTIIDAE) IN KENT. On 2.vi.1986 at Dungeness I obtained an albino Tyria jacobaeae L. in perfect condition at m.v. light. I was able to identify it readily as E. A. Cockayne ( Ent. Rec. 63: 263) described as ab. albescens ab. nov. a male, Joc. incog., taken in 1895 with the normally dark areas, including fringes and abdomen, ‘pale silvery grey’ adding ‘This is a beautiful albino’. I have seen this type specimen in the National Collection, together with a female from Woodchester, Glos., bred 1920. Curiously in this collection are two more labelled albescens in which the silvery grey is slightly less silvery and lacks the peculiar luminescence under strip lighting which is to be observed in the other two specimens; it would be interesting to know the genetic significance of this difference, assuming it is not due to the effects of killing agents, or other treatment. — B. K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. ODINIA MACULATA MG. (DIPT.) AT WINDSOR; WITH A NOTE ON TWO OTHER SPECIES INS.E.LONDON. — Odinia maculata Mg. appears so far to be very rare in Britain (early records are doubtless mostly referable to O. meijerei Coll.). In 1952 (Proc.R.ent.Soc. Lond.(B), 21:100-116) Collin separated out the true O. maculata and brought our two previously listed species up to four. The sole British examples of the last-named that he had seen were a pair taken by himself on a Cossus oak in the New Forest (1939) and one in the BMNH from Guestling, E. Sussex (1905); he remarks that the species is “obviously associated in some way with oak trees”’. It is fairly clear that, with one exception, these uncommon flies are connected with the sappy borings of wood- or bark-feeding beetles, and have more or less specific associations; and that, in the light of what we now know, O. maculata sensu Colyer & Hammond (1951, Flies Brit Isl.: 239) should be O. boletina Zett. The true maculata may well have been found again, but I have seen no further record. On 27th June, 1985, I caught a fly of this genus amongst the borings of the Buprestid beetle Agrilus pannonicus Pill. & Mitt. (=biguttatus F.) on the trunk of a large oak in Windsor Great Park heavily infested on one side by this insect. The exit holes were very numerous where the fly occurred but no other specimen could be seen. Though guessed at the time as probably O. maculata, its identity has only lately been confirmed; it presents all the charac- ters given by Collin (/.c.) for that species. The latter bears a strong resemblance to O. meijerei, which during the early 1970s was not scarce on sapping elms attacked by Scolytus beetles (its usual habitat) in this district — Blackheath, Greenwich, and Charlton; I have heard that this was also the case in various other localities. Besides this, in my home area I have found only O. boletina, and that but once — on a fallen poplar, where it may have bred out of NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 43 boleti in the base of the stump. Elsewhere I have met with it in Windsor Forest on fungi of this type on beech, always on the ‘gills’ of the fruiting bodies. Mr. P. J. Chandler has taken a third species, O. hendeli Coll., in S. London (Bromley). Mr. B. H. Cogan (1968, Ent. mon. Mag. 104: 252-4) has added two further species of Odinia to our list, whilst it is quite likely (as Collin has pointed out) that we possess also QO. ornata Zett. Evidently, therefore, a close watch should be kept for these interesting and attractive little flies, whose facies is very characteristic. — A.A. ALLEN. Is SCROBIPALPA COSTELLA (H. & W.) (LEPIDOPTERA: GELE- CHIIDAE) DOUBLE BROODED? — Emmet’s Guide to the Smaller British Lepidoptera (1979) describes Scrobipalpa costella (Humphrey & Westwood, 1845) as single brooded with larvae occurring in August and September which give rise to imagines in September that overwinter until June. This species is not common in South- east Scotland due to the scarcity of its food-plant but one example reared this year appears to have adopted a different strategy. A single larva was found feeding in the lightly spun terminal shoot of woody nightshade, Solanum dulcamara, at Seton Bents, Longniddry, East Lothian (O.S.Grid Ref. NT/4376; V.C.82) on 18.v.1986. The plant was an isolated one growing in the shade of a thicket of sea buckthorn. Subsequently a fine large specimen of S. costella emerged 28 vi.1986. This example would indicate that, even in a late year like 1986, this species can be double brooded. — K. P. BLAND, 35 Char- terhall Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3HS. SYNCHITA SEPARANDA REITTER — A THIRD BRITISH LOCA- LITy — One May evening, when examining a small sycamore log in my garden in Peckham, South-East London, I discovered several specimens of what I took to be Synchita humeralis Fabricius. The evening was hot and humid and the beetles were active, running over the wood and crawling under the thin bark where it was loose. Considering it unusual to find any beetle on sycamore, I referred to Mr. A. A. Allens paper on Synchita (Entomologist’s Mon. Mag. 1964, 100: 36-42). There was however, no mention of sycamore, but on closer examination it became apparent that my specimens were not S. humeralis, but S. separanda. Comparison with a speci- men of S. humeralis (bred from Daldinia concentrica by Mr.P. Soko- loff) and dissection of the aedeagus confirmed this identification. Mr. Allen gives two localities for S. separanda — Windsor Forest and Knole Park, Sevenoaks, hence my Peckham garden (coinciden- tally almost half way between Windsor and Knole) is the third recorded British locality. The association with sycamore seems odd at first, but a general association with fungus is apparent from Mr. Allen’s list of records. The log in question had been cut from a 50-foot sycamore tree in 44 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 15.i.1987 September 1985, and had become infected with a dark brown smut-like fungus under the thin bark. In this powdery pabulum the beetles were very common (more than 50 individuals in a log 3 feet 6 inches long and 6 inches in diameter) along with several hundred specimens of Enicmus brevicornis. Subsequently, both Mr. Allen and Professor J. A. Owen have informed me that when collecting in Windsor Forest, they found S. separanda under sycamore bark in company with the newly dis- covered Cicones undatus. Sycamore was first introduced into Britain from the Continent some time in the 15th century, but it has not become a common tree until recently. Even now, it is associated with hedges, plan- tations and gardens, and although it is widespread and grows vigo- rously from seed, it cannot be considered as a major constituent of British woodland. Assuming there to be some relationship be- tween the frequencies of plant-feeders and their specific food-plants, it is perhaps only now that sycamore-specific (or sycamore fungus- specific) insects can increase their ranges. (Alternatively, insects which feed on other plants but which can eat sycamore, may only now find enough sycamore to spread to.) Enicmus brevicornis is a case in point. Described as rare by all authorities until about 40 years ago, it is now extremely common on sycamore in gardens, hedges and woods. Future examination of sycamore may prove other species to be on the increase. RICHARD A. JONES, Garden Flat, 131 Chadwick Road, Peckham, London SE15 4PY. LATE EMERGENCE OF EREBIA EPIPHRONKNOCH) IN 1986 — Almost certainly due to the generally cool weather conditions ex- perienced for the greater part of the summer of 1986, the emergence of most butterflies in the west of Scotland was exceptionally pro- tracted. The small mountain ringlet was particularly delayed, with fresh specimens being seen on the wing just below the 2769’ summit of Beinn nan Imirean, near Crianlarich, as late as 9th August. J. MITCHELL, , 22 Muirpark Way, Drymen, by Glasgow, G63 ODX. XANTHOGRAMMA PEDISSEQUUM (HARRIS) (DIP.: SYRPHIDAE ), BRED FROM A LASIUS NIGER (L.) (HYM.: FORMICIDAE) NEST. — On 10.iv.1986 a fully grown larva of X. pedissequum was found in a gallery of a L. niger nest under a stone in an old limestone quarry adjacent to Old Sulehay Forest, Northamptonshire, TL 05-98-. This larva pupated a few days later and the adult emerged on 8.v.1986. Also in the nest were a number of root aphids, upon which the hoverfly larva may have fed. These were identified as Forda formi- caria von Heyden by Dr. R. L. Blackman of British Museum (Natural History). It is of interest that Dixon (1960, Trans R. ent. Soc. Lond. 112: 354) also records X. pedissequum from a L. niger nest, but NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 45 in this instance the aphids in the nest were of a Trama sp. A. P. FOSTER, c/o Nature Conservancy Council, Northminster House, Peterborough, PW1 1UA. EILEMA CANIOLA HUBN. (HOARY FOOTMAN) IN SWIRELAND — On 17th August 1986 at Baltimore Bay near Skibbereen, SW Ireland, a single caniola was attracted to m.v. light. According to Skinner Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles the only previous Irish record this century is by de Worms near Waterford in 1954. Other interesting species seen were: Euxoa obelisca D. & S., Agrotis trux Hb., Standfussiana lucernea L., Abrostola trigemina Werneb., Plusia festucae L., Eilema complana L., Selidosema brun- nearia Viil.and Stilba anomala Haw. A week earlier (10th August) amongst rocky ground near Kilaboy, Co. Claire, 120 species of macrolepidoptera were recorded at m.v., the best being 3 Acronicta euphorbia ssp. Myricae Guen., 1 Calamia tridens ssp. occidentalis Cock., 8 S. lucernea, 2 A. trige- mina, 4 Autographa bractea D. & S., 3 Setina irrorella L., 60 Litho- sia quadra L., 4 Coenotephria salicata ssp. latentaria Curt., 3 Peri- zoma bifaciata Haw., 2 Catarhoe cuculata Hufn., 6 Gnophos obfisca- tus D. & S. and 10 Aspitates gilvaria burrenensis Cock. DAVID BROWN, Jacksons Drive, 25 Charlcote, nr. Warwick. THE VOLTINISM OF CNEPHASIA CONSPERSANA DOUGL. (LEPIDOPTERA; TORTRICIDAE) IN THE INNER HEBRIDES. — Cnephasia conspersana, Douglas 1846, is a littoral and univoltine species throughout most of Britain but appears to be bivoltine in the Burren in Ireland. Two flight periods also seem to occur on the Isle of Coll in the Inner Hebrides. Imagines have been taken in the second half of July in three different years (i.e. 24.vii. 1982, 19 vii. 1985, 23.vii.1986) and a pupa found in the terminal shoot of Cerastium fontanum (common mouse-ear) on 19.vii.1985 emerged on 25.vii.1985. However a pupa found in spun leaves of Trifolium pratense (red clover) on 25.vii.1984 delayed its emergence until 17.viii.1984, while well-grown larvae collected on 19.vii.1985 (in seedpod of Rhinanthus minor (yellow rattle) and 21.vii.1985 (in the flowerhead of Hypochoeris sp.) emerged on 24 and 23 viii. 1985 respectively. Thus on the Isle of Coll a tendency to two flight periods appears to be due to a univoltine species adopting two different emergence strategies. - K. P. BLAND, 35 Charterhall Road, Edinburgh EH9 3HS. OBITUARY Lionel George Higgins, MA., MD., FRCS., FRCOG., FRES The death of Dr. Lionel Higgins on 9th October, 1985 at 94, was a very great loss to the worlds of entomology and medicine. 46 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 LS 1987 Perhaps best known for his co-authorship with the late N. D. Riley of the unsurpassed Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe and also the companion volume, of which he was the sole author, on the Classification of European Butterflies, Lionel Higgins was also famous for his studies of the Melitaeine butterflies. These excellent monographic works on the Palaearctic Melitaea, Euphy- dryas and Mellicta, and the Nearctic Chlosyne appeared in the Transactions of The Royal Entomological Society between 1940 and 1960, but he wrote numerous other important papers on butter- flies some of which appeared in this journal. His energy and enthu- siasm in his latter years were unfailing and it was something of a surprise when he once told me that he had not been expected to survive a severe bout of rheumatic fever in his childhood. He was thought too delicate to go to school in fact, and it was during his education at home that his lifelong interest in natural history was awakened. He recovered enough to endure the rigours of medical school and took his degree at Clare College, Cambridge, completing his clinical studies at St. Thomas’s Hospital, London. He joined the Royal Navy in 1916 and served as Surgeon Lieutenant in HMS Royal Oak and HMS Revenge at Scapa flow. On leaving the Navy he resumed his medical career and his progress in this profession was no less outstanding than his achievements as an entomologist. In 1920 Dr. Higgins became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, and after early membership of The Royal College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians he was elected a Fellow and became Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician for north west Surrey. In addition he was awarded an MD for his study of anaemia in premature babies. His greatest enthusiasm however was for the Holarctic butter- flies and he travelled widely through Europe, North Africa, the Mid- © dle East and North America, usually in company with his wife Nesta, collecting and recording distribution and regional variation. The results of these expeditions were recorded in various entomolo- gical journals, and with the publication of The Field Guide in 1970 his expertise was recognised world-wide. In 1972 the Zoological Society of London presented him with The Stamford Raffles Award for contributions to Zoology and 1982 he was awarded the H. H. Bloomer Award by the Linnaean Society. The superb entomological library which he built up over the years has been bequeathed to the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and his extensive collection goes to the British Museum, Natural History. I first met Lionel Higgins in 1970, but it was only within the last eight years of his long life that I came to know him as a friend and mentor and during that time was a regular visitor to his home at Focklesbrook Farm. With his calm manner and his gentle humour, he had a remarkable facility for quickly putting people at ease, so OBITUARY 47 that on only brief acquaintance he commanded affection as well as respect. The large gathering which filled St. Lawrence Church, Chobham at his memoral service was a testimony to the love and esteem with which he will always be remembered. C. J. LUCKENS. Current Literature Katalog over de danske Sommerfugle (Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Denmark) by K. Schnack (ed.) pp.163 Paperback. Entomolo- giske Meddelelser Vol. 52 (2-3), Copenhagen 1985. Available from Apollo; Books, Lundbyvej 36, DK-5700. Svendborg, Denmark. Price DK.140 (ca. £11). This book will be of considerable interest to British Lepidopterists as it bilingual, being printed in two columns Danish and English and is much more than a simple catalogue since recent ideas concerning the higher classification of the Lepidoptera and nomenclature are also included. The catalogue part of the work is presented in tabular form for each of 2319 species. The basis of distribution are the 11 Danish “zootopographical districts’. It is clear that records have been most rigorously vetted since evidence of at least one voucher specimen was a prequisite for inclusion. The recording of data included the examina- tion of a very large number of private collections so that this catalogue must be considered to be as free from recording error as possible. The list has been built upon the earlier check-list by Karsholt and Nielsen (1976). Changes in the higher classification from the earlier list are discussed in a chapter by N. Kristensen and of nomenclature in a separate series of numbered notes with an introduction by O. Kar- sholt (184 ref.). It is these two chapters which are likely to be of the most interest and concern of British Lepidopterists. Amongst major changes in classification is the almost complete reversal of sub-families in the Noctuidae and the inclusion therein of the Nolidae. There are many other major changes and some genera and sub-families have been transfered to other taxa mostly on the basis of very recent research by Minet, Nielsen, Robinson and Kyrki. Changes in the nomenclature are no less sweeping with such familiar names as Hoplodrina alsines being relegated to the status of junior synonym and the acceptance of the paper by Sommerer that Ectropis crepuscularia and E. bistortata are conspecific. In conclusion to the chapter on nomenclature Karsholt maintains that: “‘-a stability in the names of North European Lepidoptera is within reach. On the other hand J do believe that future systematic research on Lepidoptera will lead to considerable changes in generic names for a long time to come.”’ This is a most scholarly and careful national catalogue and should become a model for future systematic lists. — P.J.JEWESS. and special offers! New books. paperback editions F< =) HARLEY The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Edited by John Heath and A. Maitland Emmet ‘_. .welcomed by all serious amateur and professional entomologists and will remain the standard work in the foreseeable future.’ John F. Burton, British Book News Advance notice of Volume 7 — Hesperiidae to Thyratiridae The next volume in this series, in an advanced stage of preparation, is scheduled for publication in June 1987. It will include all the British butterflies and some families of larger moths. Colour plates are by the well-known entomological artist, Richard Lewing- ton. 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Colour prospectus available. * conditional on pre-payment: please add £6.50 per 5 vols. or £2.00 per single vol. p. & p. Published books will be sent immediately order received; Vol. 7 on publication. British Pyralid Moths - a Guide to their Identification by Barry Goater, BSc, MIBiol. No longer need lepidopterists have difficulty in identifying the pyralids encountered in the field, or in collections. All 208 species on the British list, including the rarest adventives, are illustrated in eight outstanding colour plates. ‘“,..aconvenient weight and size, clear to read and easy to use. . . the book represents a landmark.’ Antenna 21.5 x 15cm 176pp incl. 9. col. pls Clothbound ISBN 0 946589 089 £18.95* *please add f1.50p. & p. Breeding Butterflies and Moths —a practical Handbook for British and European Species by Ekkehard Friedrich (Translated from the German by Steven Whitebread, FRES), edited by A. Maitland Emmet, HonFRES The publication of this enlarged, English edition of Ekkehard Friedrich’s handbook, widely used on the Continent, fills a serious gap in the British literature. It contains detailed and illustrated instructions on Breeding Equipment and Techniques and provides Rearing Descriptions for about one thousand British and continental European species of Lepi- doptera. Additional material has been contributed by Brian O. C. Gardiner on semi- synthetic diets; by Jim Reid on Geometridae; and by A. Maitland Emmet, the editor, on the microlepidoptera. ‘Particular attention is given to those species which are considered generally by Lepi- dopterists to be difficult or troublesome to rear.’ from a review of the French edition of this work, Bulletin of the Amateur Entomologist’s Society. 25 x 20cm 176pp incl. 47 text figs H/B ISBN 0 946589 208 £20.00* early Dec., 1986 P/B 0.946589 11°9° £9'95* * please add f£1.50p. & p. The Spiders of Great Britain and Special Offer! Ireland Vols. 1-3 written and illustrated by Michael J. Roberts, MB, ChB, FZS The new definitive work on the British and Irish Araneae Volume 2 of this highly acclaimed work, covering the Linyphiidae (which includes the difficult ‘money spiders’) is scheduled for publication in March 1987, when the three- volume set will be complete. In its two text volumes (Vols 1 & 2), with full pages of superbly drawn comparative text-figures, showing genitalia and other parts necessary to determine species, and in its volume of outstandingly beautiful colour plates (Vol. 3), the work concentrates on the identification of the British and Irish fauna— the main purpose of the author. Life histories and distribution details are necessarily here kept to a minimum and given only to the extent that they may confirm identification. Volume 2, the most eagerly awaited part of the work, will also include colour plates of species new to Britain since publication of the earlier volumes, together with a check list of all British and Irish species. ‘this highly authoritative and beautiful work will be welcomed by all students of British arachnology who need to determine accurately their material.’ The Entomologist’s Record. Volume 2 = approx. 224 pp. incl. 4 col. pls and 100pp of text figs. ISBN 0 946589 06 2 Clothbound 29 x 20.5cm ee publication offer (open to end January 1987) £37.50* Price on publication not less than £45.00 Special offer on the set ISBN 0 946589 186 (full retail price £135.00) £115.00* *Offers conditional on pre-payment, adding £2.00 per vol. or £4.00 per set p. & p. Published volumes will be sent immediately to those ordering the set. For complete catalogue and/or colour prospectuses of above titles, please write or ‘phone publisher. Access and Visa cards accepted. Also available through bookshops or specialist entomological booksellers. Harley Books, Great Horkesley, Colchester CO6 4AH. Te/: Colchester (0206) 271216 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD AND JOURNAL OF VARIATION (Founded by J. W. TUTT on 15th April 1890) CONTENTS Two New Lycaenid Butterflies from the Eastern Cape Province. E.L.PRINGLE,1. The distribution of the Rannoch brindled beauty (Lycia lapponaria scotica Harrison) in Scotland. M. R. YOUNG and R. KNILL-JONES, 7. The distribution and ecology of Philopedon plagiatus Schaller (Col.: Curculionidae), with particular reference to inland records. M.G. MORRIS, 11. A history and investigation into the fluctuations of Polygonia c-album L.: the comma butterfly. C. PRATT, 21. A further diagnostic feature for the separation of Eilema lurideola Zinck. and E. complana. A. M. RILEY, 28. Butterflies on Madeira in April 1985. D. F. OWEN, T. G. SHREEVE and A. G. SMITH, 29. The control of olive larval colour in Saturnia pavonia Linn. M. E.N. MAJERUS, 33. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 6, 10, 20, 27, 32, 35-45 CURRENT LITERATURE 47 OBITUARY: L. G. Higgins 45-47. TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS ALL MATERIAL FOR THE TEXT of the magazine as well as books for review must be sent to the EDITOR at 4 Steep Close, Orpington, Kent BR6 6DS. : ADVERTISEMENTS, EXCHANGES and WANTS to P. J. JOHNSON, B.A., ALCAS ARR ES., 31 Oakdene Road, Brockham, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 7JV. Specimen copies will be supplied on payment of £1. 20 sterling. CHANGES OF ADDRESS to: C. PENNEY, F.R.E.S., 109 Waveney Drive, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 5QA. SUBSCRIPTIONS should be sent to the Treasurer, P. J. Johnson, B.A., A.C.A., 31 Oakdene Road, Brockham, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 7JV. REPRINTS: 25 copies, taken straight from the magazine are sent gratis to contributors of articles; these may contain extraneous matter. Additional copies may be had at cost price, and orders for these should be given, at the latest, with the return to the Editor of the corrected proof. Many ILLUSTRATIONS can be inserted in the text at no extra cost. However, full page plates can only be inserted on condition that the AUTHOR DEFRAYS THE COST. Contributors are requested not to send us Notes or Articles which they are sending to other magazines. All reasonable care is taken of MSS, photographs, drawings, maps, etc., but the Editor and his staff cannot hold themselves responsible for any loss or damage. Readers are respectfully advised that the publication of material in this Journal does not imply that the views and opinions expressed therein are ae by the Editor and publisher. SPECIAL NOTICE. — The Editor would be willing to consider the purchase of a limited number of certain back issues. Printed by Frowde & Co (Printers) Ltd Orpheus St. London SE5 &RR 2 Vol. 99 Nos 3-4 March/April 1987 ISSN 0013-3916 oe ge eee THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD AND JOURNAL OF VARIATION Edited by P. A. SOKOLOFFE, M. Sc., C.Biol., M. 1. Biol., F.R.E.S. with the assistance of A. A. ALLEN, B.SC., A.R.C.S. P. J. CHANDLER. B.SC., F.R.E.S. NEVILLE BIRKETT, M.A., M.B. C. A. COLLINGWOOD, B.SC., F.R.E.S. S. N. A. JACOBS, F.R.E.S. J. HEATH, F.R.E.S., F.L.S. J. D. BRADLEY, PH.D., F.R.E.S. E. S. BRADFORD Lieut. Col. A. M. EMMET, M.B.E., T.D., F.R.E.S. J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT, F.R.E:S. C. J. LUCKENS, M.B., CH.B., D.R.C.O.G. MCZ LIBRARY MAY 15 1987 HARVARD UNIVERSITY Registrar: C. C. PENNEY, F.R.E.S., 109 Waveney Drive, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 5QA Hon Treasurer: P. J. JOHNSON, B.A., A.C.A., 31 Oakdene Road, Brockham, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 7JV IAA ADD DAD DDD DDD DDD DDD DD DDD DDDLD DDD DODD LPI Ss a i ar a ar Sar ar ag Si ar a a rr a a A ras a ar ar Ye Va Vex Va Va Va Vs Yc Us Va Vz Ws Vz Vas it Va a Vk Ve Ve Va ee VAS PUBLISHED BIMONTHLY SUBSCRIBERS’ NOTICES (Subscribers’ notices can be inserted, subject to availability of space, at a cost of 10p per word. Items for insertion, together with remittance, should be sent to the Treasurer). WANTED — Large well-set with, preferably, stainless steel pins English butterfly and moth collection. Will collect where possible with own storeboxes. PETER FORDER, Gynesta, Moor Lane, Menston, Ilkley, W. Yorks. 0943-72303. WANTED — good collection of European butterflies with data. Purchase subject to inspection. Send details to : Keeper of Natural History, Museums and Art Gallery, Birmingham B3 3DH. HELL COPPICE/BERNWOOD FOREST — We are preparing a history of the butterflies of this area which includes Hell Coppice, Shabbington Wood, Oakley Wood and Yorks Wood in Buckingham- shire, and Waterperry Wood in Oxfordshire. We would be grateful for records of all species of butterflies — even the common ones — and would welcome information on the whereabouts of collections containing specimens from the area. Dr. D. F. OWEN and Dr. T. G. SHREEVE, 2 Shelford Place, Headington, Oxford OX3 7NW. FOR SALE — Interesting, varied, worldwide collection of butter- flies, moths and insects, made during early part of century, dis- played in three glass-fronted, mahogany-faced deal cabinets, twelve draws each. £1200. A. BAYNES 09323 47853 HELP WANTED — I am compiling an up-to-date list of the Macro- lepidoptera occuring in West Sussex. Any record covering the past three years would be welcome (including singletons). SEAN ODELL, 43 North Street, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1DU HELP WANTED — With regard to two projects in which I am presently involved I would be grateful for any records of Pug Moths (Eupithecia, Chloroclystis and Gymnoscellis spp) held by readers. Gaston Prior and myself are doing a county-by-county survey of this group and we are particularly short of records for Wigtown, Selkirk, Roxburgh and Fife, though any records would be most gratefully received. Secondly, a list of the lepidoptera of Shrop- shire is being compiled and records of all lepidoptera from that county would also be greatly appreciated. The appropriate acknow- ledgements would, of course, be given . ADRIAN RILEY, Ento- mology Dept., Rothampstead Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts. ABBOT’S WOOD AND ITS BUTTERFLIES 49 ABBOT’S WOOD — A HISTORY OF A WOODLAND AND ITS BUTTERFLIES By M. PARSONS * and M. HADLEY ** Introduction Abbot’s Wood is about 6 miles inland from Eastbourne and just north of the South Downs (OS grid. ref. TQ5607). Although con- siderable changes have occurred within the woodlands boundaries, the site has always been well frequented by entomologists and hence has a well recorded entomological history. At the turn of the cen- tury the wood was a hive of activity, as reflected by the number of notes appearing in various journals such as the Entomologist, the Entomologist’s Record and the Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine. The wood is also mentioned in several local lists, notably Jenner (1883-1886), the Victoria County History (1905) & Adkin (1928). Recently however, the wood has not been the mecca it once was, comparatively few entomologists visit the site regularly, and very little published material is available. In 1983 the Nature Conser- vancy Council commissioned a butterfly survey of the site, the objectives being to note the status and distribution of the species present as well as harmful management practices, and to suggest suitable management proposals which would be beneficial to the woodlands species. An unpublished work by Salvage (Circa 1975) laid the background history of the woodland; this has been supple- mented with the Forestry Commission’s plans and recent ‘compart- ment’ histories, along with information gleaned from various articles. This paper relates. the varying fortunes of the butterfly population to changes in land-use management practices. The History of the Wood Abbot’s Wood was once part of the vast Saxon forest of And- redesweald which stretched along the south of England from Kent to Hampshire. By the time of Henry I, the woods then known as Lindhersse were given to Battle Abbey and overseen by the Abbot, hence Abbot’s Wood. The woods remained part of this estate until dissolution under Henry VIII. There is evidence to suggest that the monks of the Abbey went to considerable trouble to drain their lands and ancient ditches and embankments are still present today. Many medieval industries seem to have occurred in the wood. * The Forge, Russells Green, Ninfield, East Sussex. ** 7 Beverington Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex. 50 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25 .it1.1987 DECIDUOUS ft wa CONIFEROUS [*s¢] SCRUB MIXED [ter] GRASSLAND [7.7] FELLED [_ | Fig. 1. Woodland changes 1898-1980. There was an osier plantation until comparatively recent times, this might have provided baskets for a kiln known to have been in the area. There is also evidence of a mill near Robin Post Lane, as well as three fish ponds from which the lake probably originated, therefore the woods would have been the scene of considerable human activity. Farming has carried on around the woodland for sometime, and in 1883 the trees of White Fields were being cut down and cattle let on to the land. The woodlands became the property of the Chatsworth Estate and were leased out for several years. At this pre-war time it was a mixed wood of birch, hornbeam and gigantic oaks and beeches. The rides and paths twisted and tur- ned to create a maze in which it was easy to get completely lost. Many wild flowers grew in profusion, several rare species occurring. ABBOT’S WOOD AND ITS BUTTERFLIES oul It was also renowned for its game, abundant bird life and of cou- rse its entomology, especially the butterflies, moths and beetles. During World War 2 and for some years after, a dire need for timber and charcoal brought about the beginning of the end for the oaks and beeches. Felling commenced from about 1940. Around 1941 the wood was mainly a wild unkept area of scrub under sparse stag-headed oaks, and there were no walkable rides. The wood was more accessable on the east side with some fine oaks and cop- piced sweet chestnuts still remaining. In preparation for ‘D-Day’ the wood became home for thousands of troops sheltering under the remaining trees. A wide strip was cleared of trees, levelled and prepared as a_ landing strip. Two large areas of Milton Hide were treated in a similar fashion though never used. In 1944 the first planting of conifers happened when the Chatsworth Estate planted a large open area with spruce, pine and larch. Most of the rest of the woodland was left to become a jungle. In 1949 new clearings were created by the felling of mature timber. The Forestry Commission acquired 880 acres in 1953 and commenced the task of reafforestation in 1954. This was at first with oaks, pines and other conifers, but latterly with just the conifers. In 1956 Milton Hide was burnt back as rabbits were thriving and causing problems to local farmers. It has taken just thirty years to alter the once predominantly oak woodland to the coniferous forest of today. The vast drifts of primroses, anenomes and bluebells that once covered the area are gone, the number of birds have declined as have the insects. It is interesting to note that Abbot’s Wood was declared a Site of Special Interest in 1954 and was removed from the schedule in 1966. The Butterflies HESPERIIDAE: Of the six recorded species in the woodland five may still occur. Thymelicus lineola Ochs., (Essex skipper) and T. sylvestris Poda., (small skipper) are both locally common, the former has only been recorded since the late 1970's, probably overlooked before this time. Ochlodes venata Tur., (large skipper) and Pyrgus malvae L., (grizzled skipper) are apparently much scarcer than in for- mer years and appear in low numbers. Erynnis tages L., (dingy skip- per) may have disappeared and was last seen in 1975. The sixth species, Hesperia comma L., (silver-spotted skipper) has not been recorded since Dale (1879) who describes it as ‘rare in the wood’, not surprisingly as the nearest suitable habitat for this butterfly is several miles away. PAPILIONIDAE: A _ single Jphiclides podalirius Scop., (scarce swallowtail) was noted in Robin Post Land, Bromley (1893). 52 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25 iti. 1987 PIERIDAE: Pieris brassicae L., (large white), P. rapae L., (small white) and P. napi Steph., (green-veined white) all occur in the woodland, although in earlier times a small form of P. napi Steph. apparently occurred, Jenner (1885). Gonepteryx rhamni L., (brim- stone) flies in fair numbers in selective rides, as does Anthocharis cardamines Ver., (orange tip) which frequents more open areas be- side the stream. Leptidea sinapis L., (wood white) seems to have occurred in the wood until 1878. Pratt (1981) concludes that the species disappeared from East Sussex at around that time. One later record from the Biological Records Centre cites a specimen seen in 1912, a possible vagrant or more likely an introduction. Migrant Pieridae include Colias croceus Geo., (clouded yellow) which is often recorded in favourable years, it was noted on the recent survey, Parsons (1983), including a single ab. helice. C. hyale L., (pale clouded yellow) was regarded as rare, Dale (1897), and has been recorded in the area recently, Pratt (pers. comm. ). Pontia dap- lidice L., (bath white), although not strictly within the woodland boundary was seen in a lane leading to White Fields (1879). A second was seen at ‘Hailsham’ by Hillman (Pratt, 1981). Aporia crataegi L., (black-veined white) was noted as ‘having occurred at Abbot’s Wood’ VCH (1905). A footnote by Goss, however, states that he had not seen the species since 1868. LYCAENIDAE: Both Callophrys rubi L., (green hairstreak) and Quercusia quercus L., (purple hairstreak) still occur in the wood, the latter being more frequent. The only other hairstreak. to have been recorded was Strymonidia w-album Knoch (white-letter hair- streak) last seen in 1944 (Biological Records Centre). Lycaena phlaeas Fab., (small copper) is no longer the common insect once mentioned by Dale (1879) nither is Polyommatus icarus Rott., (common blue), which is now only locally common. Celastrina argiolus Ver., (holly blue) although present, has fluctuated greatly. Adkin (1901) states that it was ‘unprecedently common’, Parsons (1983) saw but five examples of the species. The four remaining Lycaenids all seem to be casual visitors to the woodland. Cupido minimus Feuss., (small blue), Dale (1879), Lysandra coridon Poda, Dale (1879), Davys (1976, pers. comm.), and Parsons (1983), Aricia agestis D. & S. (brown argus) which appears at irregular intervals, all seem to be strays from nearby downland colonies. Lastly, Cyaniris semiargus Rott., (mazarine blue) a single specimen of which was captured by T. C. Hedley in White Fields in 1881 (Dynes, 1883). NEMEOBIIDAE: Hemaris lucina L., (Duke of Burgundy fritillary) was noted as ‘very rare’ by early recorders, Adkin (1928) cites the ABBOT’S WOOD AND ITS BUTTERFLIES 53 existence of a colony in the Eastbourne area, perhaps a vague reference to the woodland. Recent investigations, Pratt (pers. comm. ), suggest this colony did not linger past 1945. NYMPHALIDAE: Early authors regarded Ladoga camilla L., (white admiral) as a rarity although by the early twentieth century its fortunes were reversed and it became one of the most common of the woodlands butterflies, today it is only locally common. A species to be seen with certainty, according to Dale (1879), was Apatura iris L., (purple emperor), although Adkin (1928) stated that it had not been seen for many years. A singleton seen by Tomlin was noted by Adkin (1932). Vanessa atalanta L., (red ad- miral), Cynthia cardui L., (painted lady) and Aglias urticae L., (small tortoiseshell) have all been regularly recorded throughout the period, although only one A. urticae was noted on the 1983 survey. Nymphalis polychloros L., (large tortoiseshell), once ‘common’ (1879), seemed to have become absent by the 1930’s (Dale), a few individuals were subsequently seen, the last of these by Pepin (1962). Nymphalis antiopa L., (Camberwell beauty) is listed on the strength of a single record by Jenner (1885). Inachis io L., (peacock) is the most common nymphalid butterfly in the wood at the present time. Although not recorded until 1970 (Davys, pers. comm.) Polygonia c-album L., (comma) could have appeared in the wood in the 1930’s at a time when there was a general resurgence of this species. As a group, the fritillaries have suffered a serious decline with only three species recently recorded from the woodland, and all at low levels. Boloria selene D. and S., (small pearl-bordered fritillary) once a species of great profusion, was ‘common’, Alderson (1910), ‘common in our woodlands’, Adkin (1928), and Dyson (pers. comm.) mentions it as ‘very common in one particular part of the wood in the 1950’s. A dramatic decline has taken place however, with only a single specimen seen in 1983 (Parsons). Early workers also regarded B. euphrosyne L., (pearl-bordered fritillary) as common, this re- mained the case until a decline began in the 1960’s, with the last record being in 1980 (Pratt, pers. comm.). Of the immigrant Argyn- nis lathonia L., (Queen of Spain fritillary) there has been a single reported sighting in White Fields, Dale (1879). Out of three species A. aglaja L., (dark green fritillary), A. paphia L., (silver washed fritillary) and A. adippe Ver., (high brown fritillary) the last men- tioned was considered to be the most frequent, VCH (1905). It was soon to be regarded as scarcer than A. paphia L., Adkin (1928), and seems to have died out in the woodland in the 1940’s or 1950’s. A. aglaja L. was last seen in 1976, Pratt (pers. comm.) and A. paphia 54 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25.ii1.1987 was noted once on the survey in 1983 (Parsons). Eurodryas aurinia Rott., (marsh fritillary) seems to have been present around about 1892 when it was seen by several entomologists, but has not been seen since. Mellicta athalia Rott., (heath fritillary) has been re- introduced into the woodland more than any other butterfly, yet it was almost certainly resident until about 1918. Since that time num- bers recorded fluctuated greatly. Mr. Pickett introduced a stock around the time of the Second World War, Dyson (pers. comm.). The species flourished briefly until its final demise sometime be- tween 1956 and 1960. SATY RIDAE: With the exclusion of Hipparchia semele L., (grayling) all seven members of this family recorded still occur. The casual records of H. semele L., were strays from nearby calcareous en- virons. Pararge aegeria But., (speckled wood) only seems to have been noted since the late ninteenth century, with a period of absence in the 1920’s. Lasiommata megera L., (wall brown) still occurs, though in smaller numbers than before. A conspicuous satyrid that has declined in numbers is Melanargia galathea Ver., (marbled white), this is now confined to the Milton Hide area. Pyronia tithonus Ver., (gatekeeper) and Maniola jurtina Linn., (meadow brown) are still common, especially the former. Coeno- nympha pamphilus L.,(small heath) has been found throughout the recording period restricted to the grassier areas. Aphantopus hy- perantus L., (ringlet) is still very common in some parts of the woodland. Discussion As can be seen from Table I, 51 species have been noted, a re- markable total. However, immigrant and casual species account for 14 of these, leaving 37 species which have at some time or another bred in the woodland. At the time of writing 28 species may be breeding in the woodland, 4 of these are very scarce. The elm feeding S. w-album disappeared around the time of the Second World War. No elm occurs within the woodland today and it seems likely that any that did were cut down during clearance around this time. V. polychloros probably died out from the wood around the turn of the century coinciding with its general decline in the county, any subsequent sightings probably represent migrants. The reasons behind the lost of Apatura iris are less clear, although habitat loss in White Fields during the late 1880’s, would have had serious implications as the wood was the stronghold for the butterfly. In the 1940’s and °50’s about thirty species could be recorded within the boundary of the wood, some species of fritillary were Wally | SxBEDINC PROBABLY ABBOT’S WOOD AND ITS BUTTERFLIES 55 mxox x - : EEE sited «BREEDING T-sylvestris J. lineola H- comma Q- vcoata bitsec> dopey T- podalirius b-ginupis C-byale £- ¢ryceus G.rhamni £- brassicae Loy P-napi P-danlidice A-Cardamines C- cyan Q-quercus S.wealbus L-phscas C.minigus ——_—_— A-urticee Lbpcrale P-tithonus 4: Juctina © pssphilus, A-byperanthus Sea NR : i | Sear Eet eEReneneenien ee Satie Gameraetienaiammtrnmen ia ine itis A TARE I ec ls xwmx © =F BWQB Jt Ae LLL R TTT « t if | peta ie LIK MT eT ~ mn 7 ; co LL mM on i IA ii f com temm HAA é ete k sere eit ty OT E Ot ccc . i Sc A HI cm MT HNN TT 1 ees iiiioioiniinnnnTiAGiciTKN iii oS AR CT eect a 2 LMA a QM Cr X ee eT TITTY SwOiiiiininini : ! 1 c AAA HAA LAA QA 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 Table 1. Historical occurrence of Species in Abbot’s Wood 1870-1984. common, notably B. selene and B. euphrosyne, this seemingly coincided with clear-felling at this time. These activities would have created a large area of suitable habitat resulting in a population explosion. However, as the clear-felled areas were replanted with conifers and the crop began to mature, shade would have increased and the available habitat would have shrunk, this coupled to the lack of suitable glades would explain the serious decline in the fritillaries. 56 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 2510151987) A. adippe was the first to die out, soon followed by the final demise of M. athalia, after several successful re-introductions, A. aglaja lingered on until the mid 1970's. B. selene and B. euphrosyne underwent declines, although they may well still survive in the woodland. The decline of A. paphia was probably linked to the clearance of the large oaks required by the females for successful oviposition — there are few left standing today. As the conifers grew up, the ride edges would also have become more shaded rendering them unsuitable for P. malvae and E. tages. Because the initial replanting took place at the same time throughout the woodland, there would have been few suitable places where the diversity of the woodlands butterflies could have been maintained. There are few rides and glades and those that remain are not wide enough or do not have developed edges to support the species previously present. As a result of the survey in 1983, a management plan was pro- duced in liaison with a local Forestry Commission official. Taking into account financial constraints it is hoped that three areas are to revert, with management, to coppice with standards. These will be linked by widening specific rides and the opening up of ride inter- sections to form useful glades. It remains to be seen whether these recommendations will be fully implemented, although it should be possible to balance commercial timber production whilst en- hancing the populations of butterflies. Acknowledgements Our thanks are due to the many people who have helped us with information for this paper, our special thanks are due to the Nature Conservancy Council for financial assistance with the wood- land survey. In particular we would like to mention C. Robinson, W. Rimington, A. Bowley, D. Harvey, C. Pratt, P. Davys, R. Dyson and C. Smith. Particular thanks are due to the Biological Records Centre. References Adkin, R. (1901) Abundance of Lycaena argiolus near Eastbourne. Entomologist 34: 16, 17. —_———— (1920) Random recollections of the season of 1919 at Eastbourne. Entomologist 53: 78-90. ————— (1928) The butterflies of Eastbourne. Trans. Eastbourne Nat. Hist. Soc. ~ = (1932) Additions to the lepidopterous fauna of the County of Sussex since the publication of the Victoria County History List (1905). Entomologist 65: 28-33. ABBOT’S WOOD AND ITS BUTTERFLIES 27) Alderson, J. (1911) Lepidoptera in Sussex. Entomologist’s Rec. Ja Var 22 M9018: Battley, A. U. (1892) New Forest, Epping, Abbot’s Wood, Ching- ford etc. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 3: 161. Blenkarn S. A.(1901) Notes from Eastbourne. Entomologist 34: 25-26. Bromley, F. (1893) Butterflies of the Eastbourne district. Entomolo- gist 26: 19. Carr, F. M. B. (1899) Collecting at Hailsham, Sussex and Eastbourne. Entomologist 32: 276-278. Chartres, S. C. N. (1946) Nymphalis polychloros at Abbot’s Wood. Entomologist 79: 222. Colthrop, C. W. (1918) Some field notes for 1916-17. Entomolo- gist’s Rec. J. Var. 30: 50-54. Coulson, F. J. (1910) The Lepidoptera of Ruffet’s Wood and neighbourhood 1909-10. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 22: 248. Crisp, E. (1920) Melitaea athalia in Kent and Sussex. Entomolo- gist 53:18. Dale, W. C. (1879) Insect hunting in Abbot’s Wood. Entomologist IDS 2-157. : Esam, N. W. (1893) Abbot’s Wood. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 4: 153. Frowhawk, F. W.(1934) British Butterflies. Ward Lock. Gross, H., Fletcher W. H. B., (1905) V.C.H. 1: 164-190. Harding, W. G. (1918) Butterflies in Abbot’s Wood. Entomologist 51: 186. Hawes, F. W. (1885) Notes from Abbot’s Wood. Entomologist 18: YS. James, R. E. (1908) Lepidopterological notes from the Hailsham district — the Aurora Borealis and Treacle. Entomologist’s Rec. IVa, 20: 207. Jenner, J. H. A. (1873) Lepidoptera observed in Sussex during 1872. Entomologist 9:249. — (1885-86) Macrolepidoptera of East Sussex. Trans. Eastbourne Nat. Hist. Soc. Levett, R. J. R. (1948) Butterfly collecting in Balcombe and East Sussex. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 60: 95-97. Marcon, Rey. J. N., (1955) The hazards of the chase. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 88: 213. Meaden, L. (1913) Colias edusa at Hailsham and Brighton. Ento- mologist’s Rec. J. Var. 25: 183. Parsons, M. S. (1984) A butterfly survey of Abbot’s Wood. Report by the Nature Conservancy Council. Pratt, C. (1981) A History of the butterflies of Sussex. Booth Museum, Brighton. 58 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25.11.1987 Porritt, G. T. (1876) Capture of Lepidoptera in East Sussex. Ento- mologist’s Mon. Mag. 13:37-38. Robbins, R. W. (1892) Notes on collecting. Entomologist’s Rec. DE Vai SDS. Russell, A. (1912) Seasonal notes for 1912. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 25: 248-9. Salvage, S. (1975) Unpublished diaries. Sich, A. (1912) Euchloe cardamines ovipositing on Capsella bursa- pasturis. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 24: 221. Southerby, R. M. (1883) Lepidoptera of Eastbourne. Entomologist 16:22-23. Thornewill, Rev. C. F. (1883) Lepidoptera of Abbot’s Wood. Ento- mologist 16:35. Tugwell, W. H. (1892) The Lepidoptera of East Sussex in Early June. Entomologist 25: 156. Whinstone, J. P. (1883) Abbot’s Wood in July. Entomologist 16: 183-4. Worsley Wood, H. (121) Brenthis argynnis selene, second brood at Abbot’s Wood Entomologist 54: 17. EILEMA CANIOLA HUBN. (THE HOARY FOOTMAN) IN KENT — On the night of 23rd/24th August 1984 a specimen of F. caniola was captured in an actinic trap at Greatstone, Kent. According to Chalmers-Hunt (The Butterflies and Moths of Kent 3: 235) this represents the fifth confirmed record of this species for Kent this century. Although a number of Autographa gamma L. were taken on the same night, there were no other notable immigrants seen. My thanks are due to Bernard Skinner for confirming the identity of this moth. A. P. CLANCY, Delhi Cottage, Dungeness, Kent, TN29 ONE. COPRIS LUNARIS L. (COL.: SCARABAEIDAE) ON GUERNSEY — At about 12.05 a.m. on the night of June 14th/15th 1986 a male specimen of this rare dung beetle flew to my m.v. trap at Two Wells Barn, in the Vale district of Guernsey. According to notes very kindly provided by Mr. L. Jessop of the British Museum (Natural History) this species has not been on mainland Britain since 1955, but is said to be widespread in France. I cannot find any previous reference to this species on Guernsey. My trap was sited in agricul- tural land, and there were tethered cattle in close proximity. C. lunaris excavates deep brood tunnels beneath cow or horse dung. The light, sandy soils of Vale especially on the nearby L’Ancresse Common could, I am sure, be searched profitably for the surface “spoil heaps’ that indicate the underground activities of this in- teresting beetle. - M. D. BRYAN, Keeper of Natural History, Bir- mingham Museum. ONTHOPHAGUS NUCHICORNIS IN BRITAIN 39 ONTHOPHAGUS NUCHICORNIS L. (COL.: SCARABAEIDAE), A SPECIES MISUNDERSTOOD IN BRITAIN By A. A. ALLEN, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.* Though no-one would guess it from the literature — even up to and including Britton (1956:14) — everything points to this dung beetle as being a highly localized species with us, having moreover a special habitat. Personally I have found it at only three localities, all on the south-east coast: Deal and Littlestone (Kent) and Camber (E. Sussex), always on the loose sand of the dunes under or about dog dung — the only kind normally to be seen in such places. Inquiries among fellow coleopterists have elicited the fact that their ex- perience of this Onthophagus is remarkably similar, including that of so widely-ranging a collector as the late C. E. Tottenham. Mr. P. J. Hodge, however, has met with it not only at Camber but also in the Suffolk Breck and at Oxwich in the Gower Peninsula of Glamorgan, again always on sand. Mr. Colin Johnson, who worked the dung beetles intensively round about the 1960s, tells me that he never encountered it. This apparent restriction of the species to coastal dunes in comparatively few areas (the Breck is maritime in character) has never been pointed out in British works, as far as I am aware. Thus, the above facts contrast oddly with Fowler’s statement under O. nuchicornis (1890:14): “The most widely distributed of all our species!; not uncommon in the Midlands and the south. . . London district, not uncommon” and with the long list of localities that follows — considerably more than he had given above for the locally frequent O. similis Scriba (then known as fracticornis Preyss.). It might, therefore, be supposed that this is simply one more instance of an insect once rather common becoming very restricted and comparatively rare in recent times. Yet I cannot think that that is the case here. Fowler (/.c.) says nothing of the attachment of nuchicornis to sand, nor even of its liking for the coast as he had just done for ‘fracticornis’ (where it does not seem specially apt). The testimony of some of the older collections — or at least, of the few that I have consulted, now incorporated into the National (British) Collection at the BMNH — is instructive. In this, there are less than half as many exponents of nuchicornis as of similis. Some have no clearly marked locality; significantly, all the J. A. Power, I This statement, nevertheless, could well be correct if the Scottish records are genuine; the species, like O. similis, has since been recorded from Ireland (Joy, 1932). *49 Montcalm Road, Charlton, London SE3 8QG. 60 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25.11.1987 G. C. Champion and H. C. Dollman specimens are from Deal, the species’ apparent headquarters in the south-east, and they form the great majority; there are older ones from the Manchester district, Chesil Bank, and Bude. A few (Andrews Bequest) are labelled Reading — unlikely as a locality, and perhaps rather denoting the well-known early Plymouth collector of that name. The above facts scarcely bear out Fowler’s estimate of the British status of O. nuchicornis in his day. I can only suggest that the discrepancy may result from early confusion between this species and the closely related but much commoner O. similis. If so, its source is not far to seek: there seems to have been an idea then current that (of the two species) examples with the fore-body “bronze-green or coppery” (Fowler’s words) were ‘fracticornis’, while those in which it was black with little or no metallic reflec- tion could safely be referred to nuchicornis (cf.pp.11, 14). But this is illusory, even though there is always a certain (if slight) colour difference. For in fact a small proportion only of O.similis have the fore parts noticeably greenish, and that indistinctly (contrast O. vacca L. and O. coenobita Hbst.); the usual tint is an obscure nigro-aeneous, or in the words of Stephens (1839:156) ‘‘dusky- brassy”. Typical similis may thus, it seems to me, have been passing quite widely as nuchicornis among Fowler’s correspondents, on whom he relied for localities. That he himself was not entirely free of the error is seen from his key on p.11, which separates these species as above, and so is misleading — notwithstanding that his descriptions on p.14 correctly give the structural differences. Later authors (Joy, Britton) avoid the error, but the resulting misconcep- tion as to relative frequency and habitat has remained more or less to this day, in that no distinction in these respects is made between the two species. | In passing it can be said that to anyone familiar with O. similis, O. nuchicornis seen for the first time at once strikes the eye as somehow different — no doubt owing to elytral pattern as well as the colour-tone of the fore-body. Curiously, both Stephens and Fowler make it slightly the smaller of the two on average, but it appears rather that the reverse is the case. References Britton, E. B., 1956. Handbooks for the identification of British insects, 5 (11) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea). London. Fowler, W. W., 1890. The Coleoptera of the British Islands, 4. London. Joy, N.H., 1932. A practical handbook of British beetles, 1. London. Stephens, J. F., 1839. A manual of British Coleoptera, or beetles. London. LARVA OF PLUSIA PUTNAMI GRACILIS 61 THE LARVA OF PLUSTIA PUTNAMI GRACILIS LEMPKE (LEP.: NOCTUIDAE) By J. FENN* After two abortive attempts at rearing this species and several hours spent searching in vain for the larva locally where the moth appears annually in small numbers, I learned that 30 had been noted at Lopham Fen during one night in 1985. I decided that with such a density the fen would be crawling with larvae and accordingly, in the company of Mike Hall from nearby Scole, ven- tured onto the fen on the evening of 24th May 1986. After an hour searching the ride edges the only larvae noted were hordes of Philudoria potatoria, Mythimna species straminea and pudorina together with a few impura. Nothing remotely resem- bling a Plusia. Despondency began to set in. In desperation I decided to resort to a sweep net and almost unbelievably after the very first sweep a white-striped green larva lay curled in a ring in the bottom of the net. Closer scrutiny revealed only two pairs of pro- legs — a Plusia! A further nine larvae were obtained over the next hour and it became apparent that they only appeared after areas containing abundant growths of a species of Calamagrostis were swept. The following evening was extremely cool with a heavy dew and only 4 larvae were swept after two hours, including two almost fully grown. All the others had been in the penultimate instar, or smaller. We did, however, find one larva awaiting the final moult, halfway up a Calamagrostis stem; so conspicuous was it that we both spotted it simultaneously. Nine more larvae were swept on 6th June and I was delighted to find one in the act of feeding high up on a Calamagrostis blade. The larva is grass green, tinged with yellowish between the segments and becoming noticably darker above the spiracular stripe. The narrow dorsal line is darker green bordered with white from the rear of the thoracic to the beginning of the anal plate. The sub- dorsals are scarcely darker than the ground colour and also borded with white, the lower line being the more conspicuous, and con- tinuing through the thoracic plate to the end of the anal claspers. The upper white border-line is frequently incomplete. The white spiracular stripe sometimes appears yellowish, but under high magnification (x30) is seen to be clear white tinged with green along the edges. Spiracles show up even whiter than the stripe containing them; a row of about twelve tiny black-emitting warts just above the spiracular stripe and more setae scattered spar- *4 Pearces Close, Hockwood, Thetford, Norfolk. 62 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25..iti. 1987 sely over the dorsal surface; there are more hair-bearing black warts on the wrinkled ventral surface. Thoracic and anal plates are also green; head green, tinged slightly yellowish with, apart from the ocelli, a few tiny black warts and setae. True legs translucent green, brown tipped. Like festucae the larva is more elongate and smoother on the dorsal surface than other Plusia larva, tapering slightly fore and aft from the seventh segment. Length up to 37mm. Judging by the description of the larva of Plusia festucae in Volume 10 of Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, the only differences seem to be the length of the fully grown larva (43mm in festucae) and the colour of the spiracles — pink in fes- tucae, white in gracilis. The cocoon is slightly off-white and elongate, somewhat re- sembling that of a burnet and usually spun on the underside of a grass blade. The pupa is semi-gloss black with varying amounts of pale green on ventral surface. Where reduced to a minimum the green is confined to the apical areas of the wing sheaths and small patches on the first two abdominal segments. One pupa however, was pre- dominately pale green with the black confined to a narrow strip along the dorsal surface. Of eighteen larvae retained, nine produced adults between 20th June and Ist July, thereby confirming their identity. In cap- tivity the larvae were not choosy feeders. Although provided with a constant supply of Calamagrostis, which seemed to be C. canescens, being much more slender than the common C. epigejois, they also ate Dactylis, Bromus, Avena and a tall Poa species. This may, of course, have contributed to the 50% failure rate! HIPPARCHIA SEMELE L. (GRAYLING BUTTERFLY) IN PERTH- SHIRE. — According to Thompson (1980) Butterflies of Scotland p. 189 this species is extinct in Perthshire. It was with considerable surprise, therefore, that I discovered three specimens (two males and a female) whilst exploring the Braes of the Carse region to the east of Perth on July 18th, 1986. The specimens were flying along a grassy bank by a lane in what appeared, at first sight, to be an unlikely habitat for semele. I contacted Mr. M. Taylor of Perth Museum who in turn kindly contacted Mr. Thompson on my be- half about the record. Since the publication of his excellent book, Mr.Thompson has rediscovered semele in its’ old locality of Kinnoull Hill which also lies to the east of Perth. I would ask any readers who may have found this species in Perthshire to forward their records to Mr. Taylor along with any other records they might consider of interest. M. D. BRYAN, Keeper of Natural History, Birmingham Museum. HELIOTHIS PELTIGERA IN DORSET 63 HELIOTHIS PELTIGERA (LEP.: NOCTUIDAE) — THE BORDERED STRAW IN DORSET By MARGARET BROOKS* For the last few years, my colleague Stuart Roberts and I have been conducting a survey of the moths of Holt Heath National Nature Reserve, in Dorset. On the evening of July 12th 1986 we were crossing an area of wet heath on the reserve at dusk when Stuart disturbed a moth feeding at bell heather flowers. He captured it, and on examination it proved to be a female Heliothis peltigera (bordered straw), in good condition. The only species of groundsel growing in that vicinity was heath groundsel (Senecio sylvaticus), so the following day the moth was placed in a container with some of the heath groundsel. On July 14th she commenced laying, placing the eggs either singly or in pairs, tucked among the buds or on the undersides of the leaves. Eggs were laid over a period of 3 days, and larvae began emerging five days after the eggs were laid. In view of the difficulties associated with breeding H. ‘here gera in this country, it was decided to maintain most of the larvae in a high temperature. As a control, 12 larvae were kept indoors at temperatures of 18-200C. The remaining larvae — 18 in number — were kept in a south-west facing conservatory during the day, in a temperature of 24-270C, and in the kitchen at night, at 21°C. During the first and second instars the larvae fed on the flowers of the groundsel, but subsequently attacked the leaves, demolishing them at a most alarming rate. By August 11th, several of the larvae in the conservatory were in their final instar, and 3 colour forms were present — ground colour light green, ground colour dark green, and ground colour light green with pink dorsal patches. On August 15th one began to wander, and was provided with sterile potting compost as a pupating medium — this was accepted, and the larva disappeared below the surface. At this time the larvae being kept at room temperature were only half grown, and several had died ex- hibiting symptoms of virus disease. In time all of them perished, while only 5 of the larvae kept at higher temperatures were lost. The pupae were kept at the same high temperatures, and the first moth emerged on September 11th, followed the next day by an- other. A total of 9 moths emerged — one pupa developed white mould, and 3 died when their contents liguified. *7 Milton Road, Wimborne, Dorset. 64 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25.11.1987 Early in the week commencing July 20th, a first instar larva escaped from its container and wandered on to some cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix) flowers which were close by, by, having been gathered for the purpose of feeding larvae of another species. It began feeding on the flowers, and was kept indoors in the same room as our ‘control’ batch. Its growth rate compared very favou- rably with that of the larvae in the conservatory, and it buried for pupation on August 19th. It was of the light green with pink patches form, and had fed exclusively on the flowers of cross-leaved heath at room temperatures, i.e. 18-200C. A healthy pupa was produced, and the moth — a perfect female — emerged on September 25th. Is cross-leaved heath a new pabulum for H. peltigera in the U.K.? The flowers would seem to beahealthy diet, as the frass produced is quite dry, in contrast to the very wet frass produced by a diet of heath groundsel leaves. References Heath et al. Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. 10. Pratt. C. The fate of H. peltigera D. & S. in Sussex. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 93. 137-141. Allen, P. B. M. Larval Foodplants. RHAMPHOMYIA BARBATA MCQ. (DIPT.: EMPIDIDAE) AND CANT- HARIS FIGURATA MANN. (COL.) IN S.E.LONDON. — On8thJune last, on some marshy ground just east of Shooters Hill, I caught a male of the above very local and usually rare fly by sweeping rank herbage of various kinds in a willow spinney. Though some time was spent at the place, no other was seen. The species is tolerably distinctive in the net by its grey thorax and reddish abdomen, and is remarkable in the male sex from its peculiar hind-leg characters. The records cf R. barbata appear to be scattered and not numerous; for N. W. Kent, Collin (1961, Brit. Flies 6(2): 372) gives Dartford (Yerbury) and Thames Marshes (H. W. Andrews). At the same time and place I swept two males and a female of the soldier-beetle Cantharis figurata Mann., all within a very limited area. This is not a common species, as Fowler remarks in the VCH list for Kent (1909:155) in recording it from Chattenden and Snodland — both places much farther east in the county. I have always found it very local and somewhat scarce; like the previous insect, it is probably new to the London Suburbs. — A. A. ALLEN. LOMOGRAPHA CARARIA ON JERSEY 65 LOMOGRAPHA CARARIA (HUBN. (LEP.: GEOMETRIDAE) ON JERSEY — A NEW SPECIES TO THE CHANNEL ISLANDS AND THE BRITISH ISLES By ADRIAN M. RILEY * An individual of this species was caught in the Rothamsted Insect Survey light trap on Jersey (Site No. 146) during the period 1-3-viii-1981 and was identified from the colour figure in Spuler (1910). The specimen has since been given to the British Museum (Natural History) who have confirmed its identity. Cararia is not known to be migratory and there were no known migrant species caught in the Jersey trap around this time. Seitz (1912), Culot (1919) and Forster and Wohlfahrt (1981) state that the species is both local and scarce so it is possible that its European distribution is far greater than presently assumed. The larval food- plant, poplar, is common in the vicinity of the Jersey trap and the possibility of cararia being resident on the island should be thoroughly investigated. This species is rarely mentioned in con- tinental literature but the following notes give a brief account of its known biology. The distribution abroad includes S.E. Europe and Asia. It is found to an altitude of 600m, inhabiting damp areas adjacent to rivers and streams (Seitz 1912 and Forster and Wohlfahrt 1981). It can also be found along avenues of poplars (Koch 1976). The flight time is usually early June to mid-August, though in the extreme south- east of its range it flies from early April to August in two overlap- ping generations (Forster and Wohlfahrt 1981). The egg is reddish brown and oval (Forster and Wohlfahrt 1981). The larva is described as ventrally light green, dorsally light yellowish green with darker dorsal chevrons and a dark violet dorsal stripe. The head is dark brown. It feeds from July to September on poplar (Forster and Wohfahrt 1981) and possibly oak and lime (Koch 1976). It pupates either in a loose cocoon on the ground or in a rolled or folded leaf (Forster and Wohlfahrt 1981). The pupa is short and thick, dorsally reddish brown, paler ventrally. Wing cases green. The species overwinters in this stage. Good colour illustrations of the adult are given in Spuler (1910) and Koch (1976). Acknowledgements Thanks are extended to Mr. G. Thomas for operating the Jersey light trap, Mr. R. Long of the Societe Jersiaise and Mr. B. Skinner *Entomology Department, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire. 66 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25..it1.1987 for their help and advice, and Mr. D. S. Fletcher of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) for confirming the identify of the specimen. References Forster and Wohlfahrt (1981) Die Schmetterlinge Mitteleuropas. 5, Geometridae, p. 202. Koch, M. (1976) Wir Bestimmen Schmetterlinge. 4, Geometridae, p. 192-193 & pl. 12, fig. 285. Seitz, A. (1912) Macrolepidoptera of the World. 4p. 36. Spuler, A. (1910) Die Schmetterlinge Europas. 3, pl. 59, fig. 5. NOTES ON THE RED UNDERWING, CATOCALA NUPTA LL. (LEP.:: NOCTUIDAE) — On 18th September 1984 I captured a female nupta in my garden m.v. trap. Following advice from Bernard Skin- ner, the moth was confined to a netting-covered container with a pad of sugar-soaked paper for food. The next morning, several eggs had been laid through the netting. A few more eggs were added each night until around 50 had been laid, at which time the moth ex- pired. The eggs, still attached to the netting and contained in a small plastic box, were overwintered in an outside car-port. In spring they were lightly sprayed and transferred to a refrigerator until the leaves on the local black poplars (Populus nigra L.) were about to open. The first larva hatched in late April, with a second ten days later (when the first was about one inch long) and a third after a further two weeks. The first larva formed a loose cocoon in soil during the first week in June, followed by the other two a week later. All the moths emerged between the 8th and 9th July. (No doubt indoor rearing caused these early emergences). The interesting observation is that although there were four weeks between the first and last hatchings, the larvae pupated within two weeks of each other, and emerged within two days! R. F. McCORMICK, FRES 125 Brocks Drive, North Cheam, Surrey. PINION-SPOTTED PUG (EUPITHECIA INSIGNIATA HUBN.) (LEP.: GEOMETRIDAE IN SUFFOLK. -— _ A single male of this species was caught in the Rothamsted Insect Survey light trap at Broom’s Barn Experimental Station near Bury St. Edmunds (Site No. 88, O.S. Grid Ref. TL 752 656) on the night of 4/5-vi-1985. So far- as I am aware this species has not previously been recorded in Suffolk. Thanks are extended to A. Thornhill for operating the trap at Broom’s Barn. ADRIAN M. RILEY, Dept. Entomology, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts. ALS 2JQ. COPPER UNDERWINGS 67 DO COPPER UNDERWINGS (AMPHIPYRA SPP.) CRAWL AWAY IN ORDER TO DIE IN PEACE? By BRIAN O.C. GARDINER* Many years ago (Gardiner 1959) I remarked how dead examples of the copper underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea L.) could nearly always be found inside attic windowsills. This was before the sepa- ration of this moth into two species, pyramidea and berbera. (Flet- cher 1967) Since then I have from time-to-time noticed one or other of them in many similar situations, but particularly in out- door sheds and barns. Indeed, so many did I at times come across in such situtations that I wondered if they had not deliberately chosen to creep into such locales as they felt their end was approa- ching. While it can be argued that memory can play one false, I have over the years had the distinct impression that it is by far the com- monest moth, in terms of percentage of the total moth population to be so found. Recently chance came my way to carry out a survey of the actual numbers involved. The chance was presented by be- coming involved in the search for housing, both for friends and my own children. This involved visiting and viewing many houses in the Cambridge area during the autumn and winter of 1985. Many of these had garden sheds, often neglected and in poor condition, hence ideal as habitations for all sorts of insect. Noticing a specimen of the copper underwing in one of the earlier houses visited, I decided to keep a specific look out for it in future. Rather to my satisfaction the results showed that my earlier impression was correct. It was not only present in most of the properties visited, but was by far away the commonest moth to be found. Due, however, to the fact that many of them were in poor condition, often partly or entirely (apart from wings) eaten by spiders, clothesmoths or larder beetles, it was not possible to determine the exact species involved and so no attempt was made to do this. It is likely, since both occur in the Cambridge area, that a mixed population was involved. The numbers of moths found are presented in Table 1. These results quite clearly indicate that copper underwings like to enter sheds and attics and they then became trapped therein. It seems likely that this is due to their habit, like their congener, the mouse (Amphypyra tragopoginis Clerk), of being rather secretive and tending to scuttle rather than fly. One might also assume that the members of this genus are thigmokinetic and having found the crack under the door or around the windowsills have crept in, in order to have the feel of all-round comforting protection from pre- *18 Chesterton Hall Crescent, Cambridge. 68 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25 iti. 1987 Location Number Copper Yellow Other Underwings Underwings Moths Sheds Vy 23 7 8 Attics ay 14 4 12 Table 1. Numbers of copper underwings, yellow underwings and other moths found trapped on the windowsills of sheds and attics in Cambridge during autumn/winter 1985. dators. When the time has come to leave the following day, or when danger is passed, they have taken the wrong turning and ended up trapped in the shed or attic. One explanation as to why they cannot find their way out again, as they did to enter, could be that on entering they are going towards a dark place, but in order to exit they would of course be heading towards the light shining through the window. It is more than likely that they also enter other rooms but when these are in constant use they get the opportunity to escape when the windows are regularly opened. References Fletcher, D. S. (1967) Amphipyra pyramidea Linnaeus and A. berbera Rungs(Lep., Noctuidae), two species confused.. Entomo- logist’s Gaz. 19:91-106. Gardiner, B. O. C. (1959) The Lepidoptera of a Dover Garden. Entomologist’s Gaz. 10: 2-16. PIMPINEL PUG (EUPITHECIA PIMPINELLATA HUBN) (LEP.: GEO- METRIDAE) IN LEICESTERSHIRE — A single male of this species was caught in the Rothamsted Insect Survey Light trap at Empingham (Site No. 280, O.S. Grid Ref. SK 953 087) on the night of 5/5-viii-1986. The identity of the specimen was confirmed by examination of the genitalia. So far as I am aware this species has not previously been recorded in Leicestershire. Thanks are extended to M. Tyler for operating the trap at Empingham. ADRIAN M. RILEY, Dept. Entomology, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts, ALS 2JQ. ANTICHLORIS ERIPHIA F (LEP.: CTENUCHIDAE) A CORRECTION — Ina recent account (Barnett, R. Ent. Rec. 98: 240) a specimen of A. eriphea taken in 1985 was claimed as the first record for Britain. It has since been drawn to our attention that the first British specimen was recorded in 1980 (Evans, K. Ent. Rec. 93: 230) and a second was noted in 1982 (Young M. Entomologist’s Gaz. 34:53). PAS. A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY 69 A HISTORY AND INVESTIGATION INTO THE FLUCTUATIONS OF POLYGONIA C-ALBUM L.: THE COMMA BUTTERFLY By COLIN PRATT* (Concluded from p. 27) Climate In entomological folklore it has been said that “‘to see many Polygonia c-album L. in the spring fortells a good year for butter- flies” (Pard, 1980). More likely, it was also said that sunless sum- mers greatly reduced the Comma’s numbers (Frohawk, 1914) and that “a conjunction of unusually severe winters, and wet summers” caused disappearances (Dale, 1890) — this was again proposed more recently (Dennis, 1977) — and that the seven consequecutive wet years from 1875 to 1881 combined with the severe winter of 1880/1 caused decline (Dale, 1890). It has been shown that the species benefits from warm weather from May to September in part of Finland (Nyland) (Ekholm, 1975); it has also been intimated that the lower temperatures and less sunshine over the summer months endured in this country between 1870 and 1920 caused the decline of the Comma (Turner, 1986). One shrewd observer thought that the 20th century phenomena “only a temporary expansion of range due to fine summers and mild winters. . . . in spite of the severe frosts in May, the Comma seems to be even more abundant this season” (Bagnall-Oakeley, 1935). The foremost authority on c- album in early years was quite specific and said that ‘‘the finest specimens I have ever bred have been when very early warm springs have tempted the butterflies out, and ova being obtained and hat- ched, the larvae have been subjected to a return of cold unseasonable weather, and have fed up slowly. If cold came before the ova hatched they perished, if not placed in a warm room” (Hutchinson, 1896). Other experts were less definite and thought that the decline was caused by “some subtle and unnoticed change of climate”’ (Barrett, 1893). Thus there has been a consensus that, like A. crataegi which suffered large losses after wet Septembers (Pratt, 1983) and L. camilla whose range fluctuated with June temperatures (Pollard, 1979), this species is unusually affected by prevailing weather — in favourable seasons occurring in abundance in three broods and in adverse seasons occurring in an apparently single autumnal brood as a rarity. The decline of c-album has other similarities with that of A. crataegi; both enjoyed similar geo- *5 View Road, Peacehaven, East Sussex. 70 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25 ii. 1987 graphical distributions in Great Britain and Europe and both lost colonies throughout the 19th century with sudden accelerating declines after about 1870. Indications might be gained from the fact that the insect mainly retreated to the hop-growing areas where “‘the situation had to be sheltered from cold winds, yet airy; moist but not wet; its climate as gentle and warm as could be found in Eng- land” (Mathias, 1959). Examining the monthly, seasonal, annual, and decadal weather records (Brody, 1916; Central Statistical Office, 1940-1985; Glass- poole & Hancock, 1936; Manley, 1974; Meteological Office, 1952; Nicholas & Glasspoole, 1932) from the 17th century to date, there is no evidence that snow and, surprisingly, sunshine and rainfall, is involved in the fluctuations of this butterfly. There is only one significant short-term climatic coincidence with the years when c-album was uncommon — seasons of comparative rarity were usual- ly preceded by a warm February, followed by overall low April to June temperatures, with the first and last mentioned months having the best individual correlations. The insect suffered sudden drops in numbers, or was unusually infrequent, in 1813, 1816, 1874, 1876, 1877, 1882, 1884, 1885, 1894 and 1913 — in every case except 1877 June was a cold month, and except for 1816 every February was warm. Despite some similarity with Mrs. Hutchinson’s observations, there is no further relationship with the month of February. In the longer term, from 1811 to 1825 inclusive there were only three seasons which enjoyed warm June’s and, 1877 and 1878 apart, there was a unique period of such weather from 1871 to 1886 inclusive, and more followed. Excluding 1905, there were no warm June’s from 1901 to 1909 and, excluding 1925, from 1922 to 1929. More favourable and varied temperatures during this month then followed for many years. Over the present decade the first two June temperatures were average or less and the following three all above average. However, a cold June did not preclude a season of abundance, although warm months did predominate by a ratio of seven to three in those years of high numbers listed earlier. The trends in cold June’s were matched by the seasonal figures for Spring (March/April/May); there was only one cold Spring during the 1840’s but eight over the following decade. Excluding the mid 1890’s, from 1876 to 1910 there were only two Springs with much above average temperatures (1659 to 1973), and most were cool; but from 1918 to mid-century a warmer regime prevailed — from 1933 to 1950 only one Spring was really cold (1941). Even after the middle of this century until the present decade there have been only eight cold Springs and a dramatic rise in these temperatures took place in 1981 and 1982 when the highest Spring temperatures for 20 years were recorded. This short period coincided with an A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY rp unprecedented rise in numbers in northern districts, accompanied by territorial gains. “Temperature produces its results on the abun- dance by affecting the activities and rates of development of all stages of Lepidoptera, the activities of the natural enemies, and the rates of development of the food-plant”’ and “reductions in breeding and egg-laying activities that follow reductions in activities caused by unfavourable temperatures can result in scarcities or extinctions” (Beirne, 1955); for example, A. urticae was nearly extirpated in north-east England after the bad summers of 1902 and 1903, and at Oxford in 1918. Nevertheless, despite some correlations, the onset of warmer Springs in 1918 had been preceded by the spread of the butterfly into nearly half a dozen counties and the cold June’s of the 1920’s when the species was rapidly spreading shows that the weather over the second quarter of the year was not singularly or even primarily responsible for the distributional fluctuations under review; but not surprisingly, there is some evidence that low tem- peratures during this period did at least contribute to short term numerical variations. Long term Winter temperatures (December/January/February) played a larger part in the territorial fluctuations of this insect. The lowest decadal average Winter temperatures recorded in this country since 1790 came during the first two decades of the 19th century;' this coincides precisely with the butterfly’s decline in southern counties and with Stephens observation of recent wide- spread scarcity, made in 1828. Similarly, the highest of these tem- peratures recorded during the 19th century came during the 1850’s butterfly decreases ———= butterfly increases ———— degrees centigrade ' os @1ep 02 be! 1850 1900 1950 Fig. 1 Mean decadal central England winter temperatures 1800 — date with ter- ritorial fluctuations of P. c-album (from Manley, 1974, and Central Statistical Office, 1985). 12 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25.iii.1987 and 1860’s; this coincides precisely with the increase in distribution in northern counties. The worst period of sequentially cold winters since the early 19th century took place over the late 1880’s and early 1890’s (1886-1888, 1891-1893 inclusive) and a large number of county-wide declines and extinctions took place at this time. During this century there was a dramatic increase in these tem- peratures after 1909 lasting until the second world war, resuming again after 1970; the change was so great that the highest half decade temperatures since the 1730’s were recorded. The trend can also be illustrated by the number of warm winters; excluding 1917, there was a unique period of sequentially warm winters from 1910 to 1927 and, excluding 1934, 1936 and 1979, from 1930 to 1939 and from 1971 to 1984 inclusive; again, this coincides well with the distributional fluctuations of the butterfly documented earlier — even down to one of the temporary halts during the 1930's. The evidence suggests that a significant alteration in long term winter temperature trend predominently affects distribution, rather than variations around a particular temperature value; this would explain the fact that the Comma’s widest distribution ever, within recorded entomological history, was recorded during the early 19th century (being almost equalled in about 1870); this peak was preceded by a century which contained only two decades of above average (1660 to date) winter temperatures, the 1740’s and 1790’s ... . or did the expansion of commercial hops into Scotland and elsewhere over the last quarter of the 18th century introduce c-album with it? At any event, those published comments that exist from such an early era at least confirm that the species was not thought to be a particularly common one in many places away from its hop-gardened heart-lands, especially when compared to nowadays, despite the more northerly range — see map 1. It is noticable that it takes a minimum of three to five years of a consistent and substantial change in these temperatures for territorial alterations to occur, or at least be large enough to be recognised, but a decade is the most applicable period. It could be expected that the areas where c-album successfully took refuge were those that enjoyed warmer winters. The butter- fly almost certainly survived in the Oxford district, within an out- crop of hop-gardens, and detailed local 19th century temperature records have been published (Lewis, 1937); analysis shows that the winter temperatures recorded consistently exceeded those calculated for central England (Manley, 1974) during the same period by about three degrees F. There is a short period of apparent anomaly during part of the 1860’s, where both increases and decreases in territory were noted; however, the former were reported from the north and the latter were all south of Liverpool. A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY 13) “The mortality of insects caused by winter cold is probably the main factor controlling the abundance of most insects in tem- perate latitudes” and “the northward distribution of insects in the Northern hemisphere is often limited by the annual minimum temperature” (Uvarov, 1931). Furthermore, “populations of species that just reach the northern limits of their ranges in the British Isles have been affected detrimentally” (Beirne, 1955) by severe winter cold. But in this instance it was not minimum temperature that promoted fluctuation, rather a series of different temperatures over a number of years breaking from an established trend. But this is not the end of the climatic coincidences. Examining the isopleths on a map of the average means of relative humidity (1921-1935) (Meteorological Office, 1952), there are only three areas in the British Isles which enjoy a relative humidity of below 75% during all three winter months — much of Aberdeenshire, a small portion of south Yorkshire, and by far the most extensive area, east of the Welsh mountains from the Severn Valley almost to the north coast. The first mentioned adjoins the most northern reports of c-album, parts of Yorkshire have always had an unusual affinity for the insect (the species hung on here in isolation until at least 1902, with a similar positive history in more modern times), and the remaining area coincides well with that of the Comma when at its lowest ebb. A penchant for low humidity would explain the species survival in the colder, but less humid, parts of Europe and the fact that the butterfly was usually much less frequent in our coastal districts; this especially applies to western areas as there is no 19th century record from Cornwall and the insect was loath to colonise the west-facing Welsh coast. In Finland high frequency butterfly years are accompanied by an average drop in humidity of 14% (Ekholm, 1975). However, it is known that an increased westerly air flow took place in this country over the first half of this century starting in 1896, dramatically increasing after 1902, and peaking in 1923 (Lamb, 1965); being of a more humid character, this would seem to limit speculation from this quarter — at least as a Singular factor — unless detrimental humidity levels were already attained during our more average winters, the combination with cold bringing the deleterious effect into play. Still, the insect retreated to, and survived almost exclusively in, refuges containing the lowest winter humidity in the country — the largest and southern-most also coinciding with the distribution of commercial hops (Kent apart). That the primary decline in distribution of c-album was caused by climate, as opposed to the loss of hop, is demonstrated by the otherwise inexplicable early 19th century decline in the south- eastern hop-gardens and elsewhere along the south coast. 74 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 2511987, Thus at the times of the butterfly’s main declines and increases in frequency and distribution there were differential climatic coin- cidences — and the evidence suggests that more than one seasonal variation was involved. The species distribution was primarily de- termined by long-term winter temperatures, which explains the losses during hibernation; whilst frequency in the shorter term was often detrimentally affected by low temperatures during the second quarter of the year, a time of known difficulty, which would have restricted numbers in the main autumnal flight by the limitation of the first brood — both of these factors being particu- larly prevalent over the latter years of the 19th century and just after. Summary Just after the middle of the 18th century the range of c-album reached at least as far north as county Durham and over the early years of the 19th century it enjoyed a distribution that reached as far as Edinburgh but by the middle years of that century the species had retreated from the north and declined in frequency in the south and east. Much territory was regained north of Liverpool after 1855, reaching a maximum in a return to Scotland in the very late 1860's. After about 1870 a much more serious retraction of range took place. This culminated in the butterfly being at its nadir in this country in 1913. The insect commenced a revival during the fol- lowing season that eventually resulted in much, but not all, of its former distribution being regained — reaching another maximum in the middle years of this century. From that time until the mid 1970’s another decline in northern distribution took place, accom- panied by a drop in frequency in many other counties. In the mid 1970’s another expansion of range commenced which has continued until the present time (1985). All stages of c-album are unusually affected by temperature and the foremost causes of fluctuation were climatic. The most power- ful was that of long-term winter trends and sequences, which coin- cided with territorial fluctuations — higher temperatures gains, lower temperatures losses; low temperatures during the second quarter of any year also often coincided with low numbers. Prior to this century the history of the Comma in this country was intimately bound with that of commercial hop-growing; the decline in acreage outside of the prime counties over the first three- quarters of the 19th century and its sudden collapse in distribution during the 1870's, and later, significantly contributed to the syn- chronous decline suffered by c-album. In addition, increasingly efficient insecticidal sprays commenced in general use on hops after 1883 and this, and other practices, further limited the num- A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY Te bers of all lepidopterous larvae successfully reaching maturity on the plant. Nevertheless, the insect almost exclusively retreated in distribution to those counties in, and adjacent to, those where hops were still farmed, these being the areas of lowest winter humidity. There is considerable documentary evidence gained from extensive field experience, to suggest that at around the turn of the century, due to changes in hop culture, the butterfly’s primary foodplant changed from hop to stinging nettle. Acknowledgements I am greatly indebted to the following entomologists for a num- ber of important unpublished records — Mr.M. White, Mr.B. Goater, Mr. R. Warren, Mr. J. E. Green, Mr. F. Harrison, Mr. C. F. Steedman, and especially Mr. R. F. Bretherton. I am also most grateful to Mr. B. Skinner for the use of his entomological library. References and Bibliography Agassiz, D., 1981. Lepidoptera of the Isles of Scilly. Allan, P. B. M., 1943. Substitute Foodplants. Entomologist’s Rec. IVa: SS N23" Anonymous, 1911. Report of the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London, 1/2/11. Entomologist’s mon. Mag., 22: 97-98. Archer-Locke, A., 1979. Late Emergence of Comma Butterfly. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 91: 310. Bagnall-Oakeley, H. K., 1935. Note. Sussex County Magazine, 9:5 22. Baker, P. J., 1977. The Polyphagous Habits of Polygonia c-album (L). Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 89: 156-157. Balfour-Browne, F., 1944. Substitute Foodplants. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 56: 104. Barrett, C. G., 1893. The Lepidoptera of the British Islands, 1. Reeve, London. Bath, W. H., 1893. Observations on Vanessa c-album. Entomologist, 26: 338-342. Baynes, E. S. A., 1964. A Revised Catalogue of the Irish Macrole- pidoptera. Classey, Hampton. ————————— , 1970. Supplement to a Revised Catalogue of Irish Macrolepidoptera. Classey, Hampton. Beirne, B. P., 1955. Natural Fluctuations in Abundance of British Lepidoptera. Entomologist’s Gaz., 6: 21-52. Bishop’s Stortford & District Natural History Society, 1949. Macrolepidoptera of Bishop’s Stortford and District. 76 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25.11.1987 Bretherton, R. F., 1939. A List of the Macro-lepidoptera of the Oxford District. Ashmolean Natural History Society of Ox- fordshire Proceedings & Report for 1939. Brodie, F. J., 1916. The Incidence of Bright Sunshine over the United Kingdom during the Thirty Years 1881-1910. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 42: 23-38. Broom, P. L., 1977. An Unusual Brood of Polygonia c-album (L.) f. hutchinsoni Robson. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 89:35. Buckler, W., 1886. The Larvae of the British Butterflies and Moths, 1. Adlard, London. Bull, J., 1897. The fluctuation in numbers of Sedentary Species of Lepidoptera. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 9: 273-276. Burgess, A. H., 1964. Hops. Interscience, New York. Carrick, R., 1936. Experiments to test the efficiency of protective adaptation in insects. Trans. Roy. Ent. Soc. Lond., 85: 131-140. Central Statistical Office, 1940. Annual Abstract of Statistics. HMSO. SSS SS SSS , 1950. Ibid. —————————————— , 1960. Ibid. a , 1970. Ibid. ——— , 1980. Ibid. a , 1985. Ibid. Chalmers-Hunt, J. M., 1960. The Butterflies and Moths of Kent, 1. Arbroath. Collinson, W. E., 1970. Butterflies and Moths of Halifax and District. Coppock, J. T., 1964. An Agricultural Atlas of England and Wales. Faber & Faber, London. Dale, C. W., 1886. Lepidoptera of Dorsetshire. Ling, Colchester. —————— , 1890. The History of our British Butterflies. Kempster, London. Dennis, R. L. H., 1971. The status of Polygonia c-album L. in north Wales. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 83: 305-309. —————— , 1977. The British Butterflies. Kempster, London. Dennis, R. L. H., 1971. The status of Polygonia c-album L. in north Wales. Entomologist’s Rec.J. Var., 83: 305-309. a , 1977. The British Butterflies. Classey, Faringdon. Dobson, F., 1979. Lichens. Richmond. Donovan, C., 1936. A Catalogue of the Macrolepidoptera of Ireland. Burrow, London. Downes, J. A., 1948. The History of the Speckled Wood Butterfly (Pararge aegeria) in Scotland, with a Discussion of the Recent Changes of Range of other British Butterflies. Journal of Animal Ecology, 1948: 131-138. Duddington, J., & Johnson, R., 1983. Butterflies and Larger Moths of Lincolnshire and South Humberside. A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY Th) Edwards, W., & Towndrow, R. S., 1899. The Butterflies and Moths of Malvern. “‘Advertiser’’, Malvern. Ekholm, S., 1975. Fluctuations in Butterfly Frequency in Central Nyland. Notulae Entomol., 55: 65-80. Firmin, F., & Pyman, G. A., et al, 1975. Guide to the Butterflies and Larger Moths of Essex. Essex. Essex Naturalists Trust. Fletcher, T. B., 1936. Wasps as enemies of butterflies. Entomolo- gist’s Rec. J. Var., 21: 10-11. Ford, E. B., 1945. Butterflies. Collins, London. Ford., M. J., 1982. The Changing Climate : Responses of the Natural Fauna and Flora. Allen & Unwin, London. Fraser, F. C., 1961. A Note on the Ecology of Polygonia c-album L. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 46: 242. Frohawk, F. W., 1914. Natural History of British Butterflies, 1. Hutchinson, London. Gardner, W., 1913. Notes on the Distribution of Polygonia c-album. Entomologist’s mon. Mag., 24: 89-90. Garland, S. P., 1981. Butterflies of the Sheffield Area. Sheffield City Museum, Sheffield. Glasspoole, J., & Hancock, D. S., 1936. The Distribution over the British Isles of the Average Duration of Bright Sunshine: Mon- thly and Annual Maps and Statistics. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 62: 247-259. Goater, B., 1974. The Butterflies and Moths of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Classey, Faringdon. Harper, G. W., & Waller, W. E., 1950. Notes on Breeding the First Generation of Polygonia c-album. Entomologist, 83: 145-148. Harris, M., 1775. The English Lepidoptera. Robson, London. Heath, J., 1970. Provisional Atlas of the Insects of the British Isles, Part 1. BRC, Huntingdon. ————— , 1974. A Century of Change in the Lepidoptera. In.: Hawksworth, D. L., The Changing Flora and Fauna of Britain, pp: 275-297. ————— , 1975. Provisional Atlas of the Insects of the British Isles, Part 1. BRC, Huntingdon. ——— , 1982. Distribution Maps of the Butterflies of the British Isles. BRC, Huntingdon. ————— , Pollard, E., Thomas, J. A., 1984. Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland. Viking, Middlesex. Heslop, I. R. P., 1930. Polygonia c-album and Thecla w-album in Somerset. Entomologist, 63: 140-142. ————————— 1967. A 1958 Survey of the Butterflies of Black- moor Copse Nature Reserve. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 79 :296-302. Higgins, L. G., & Riley, N. D., 1970. A Field Guide to the But- terflies of Britain and Europe. Collins, London. 78 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25.11.1987 Hodgson, S. B., 1936. The Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album) in Hertfordshire. Transactions of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society, 20: 1:43-46. Howarth, T. G., 1973. South’s British Butterflies. Warne, London. Hutchinson, E. S., 1881. On the supposed extinction of Vanessa c-album. Entomologist, 14: 250-252. ———_—_— , 1896. Vanessa c-album. Entomologist, 29: 312. Johnson, E. E., 1955. Late Appearance of Polygonia c-album L. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 67: 34-35. Kirby, W. E., 1909. Butterflies and Moths of the United Kingdom. Routledge, London. Lamb, H. H., 1965. Britains Changing Climate. Jn: Johnson, C. G., & Smith, L. P., The Biological Significance of Climatic Changes in Britain. Symposia of the Institute of Biology, No. 14. Aca- demic Press, London. fe Le Pard, G. F., 1980. The Folklore of the Lepidoptera. Entomolo- gist’s Rec. J. Var., 92: 270-272. Lewis, E. S., 1951. Polygonia c-album L. Bull. amat.Ent.Soc., 10: 47. Lewis, L. F., 1937. Variations of Temperature at Oxford, 1815- 1934. Meteorological Office, Professional Notes, No. 7, 5:2 -12. Manley, G., 1974. Central England Temperatures: monthly means 1659 to 1973. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 100: 389-405. Mason, G. N., 1901. A List of Lincolnshire Butterflies. Transactions of the Lincolnshire Naturalists Union, 1: 76-85. Massee, A. M., 1937. The Pests of Fruit and Hops. Crosby Lock- wood, London. Mathias, P., 1959. The Brewing Industry in England 1700-1830. Cambridge University Press. Merrett, C., 1667. Pinax. London. Meteorological Office, 1952. Climatological Atlas of the British Isles. HMSO. Morris, F. O., 1870. A History of British Butterflies. Bell, London. Nash, R., 1975. Butterflies of Ireland. Proc. Brit.ent.Nat.Hist.Soc., 7: 69-73. Newman, E., 1871. An Illustrated Natural History of British Butter- flies. Allen, London. Newman, L. H., 1950. Further Notes on the Ist Generation of Polygonia c-album. Entomologist, 83:230. Newman. L. W., 1908. Paper read to the City of London Entomolo- gical Society, 4/11/08. Entomomolgist’s Rec. J. Var., 20: 309- 310. Nicholas, F. J., & Glasspoole, J., 1932. General Monthly Rainfall A HISTORY OF THE COMMA BUTTERFLY 79 over England and Wales, 1727 to 1931. British Rainfall, 1931: 299-306. Parker, H. H., 1934. The Hop Industry. King, London. Perring, F. H., & Walters, S. M., 1976. Atlas of the British Flora. EP Publishing, Wakefield. Pollard, E., 1979. Population Ecology and Change in Range of the White Admiral Butterfly L. camilla L. in England. Ecol. Ent., 4: 61-74. Pratt, C. R., 1981.A History of the Butterflies and Moths of Sussex. Brighton Borough Council, Booth Museum of Natural History. hiss , 1983. A Modern Review of the Demise of Aporia cra- taegi: the Black-veined White. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 95: 45-52, 161-166, 232-237. Pyman, G. A., 1975. Guide to the Butterflies and Larger Moths of Essex. Riley, N. D., 1929. The Comma Butterfly in England. Nature, 26/10/2976537 Routledge, G. R., 1909. The Butterflies of Cumberland. Transac- tions of the Carlisle Natural History Society, 1: 98-113. Rutherford, C. I., 1983. Butterflies in Cheshire. Sandars, E., 1955. A Butterfly Book for the Pocket. Oxford Univer, sity Press. Sheldon, W. G. , 1930. Polygonia c-album and Thecla w-album in Somerset. Entomologist, 63: 140-142. Smith, L. P., 1968. Seasonable Weather. Allen & Unwin, London. Smith, S. G., 1948. The Butterflies and Moths found in the Counties of Cheshire, Flintshire, Denbigshire, Caernarvonshire, Anglesey, and Merionethshire. Proceedings of the Chester Society of Natural Science, Literature, and Art, 2: 6-250. ——————— , 1949. The Butterflies and Moths found in the County of Montgomeryshire. Preceedings of the Chester Society of Natural Science, Literature, and Art, 3: 4-71. Stainton, H. T., 1857. A Manual of British Butterflies and Moths, 1. Voorst, London. Standfuss, M., 1900. Synopsis of Experiments in Hybridization and Temperature made with Lepidoptera up to the end of 1898. Entomologist, 33: 161-167. Stephens, J. F., 1827/8. Illustrations of British Entomology, 2. London. Theobald, F. V., 1930. Notes on Insects Feeding on Hops in 1928 and 1929. Entomologist, 63: 7-9. Thomas, J., & Webb, N., 1984. Butterflies of Dorset. Dorset Natural History & Archaeological Society, Dorset. Thomson, G., 1980. The Butterflies of Scotland. Croom Helm, London. 80 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25..it1.1987 Tulloch, J. Bi"G., 1936. The Great’ Frost or May,*1935,!and its Effects on Butterfly Life. Entomologist, 69: 54-55. Turner, J. R. G., 1986. Why are there so few butterflies in Liver- pool? Antenna, 10: 1, 18-25. Uvarov, B. P., 1931. Insects and Climate. Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., MONEDA. Walker, J. J., 1938. The Comma Butterfly, Polygonia c-album (Linn.): its Decadence and Revival as a British Insect. Transac- tions of the Society for British Entomology, 5: 282-290. Warren, R. G., 1975. Atlas of the Lepidoptera of Staffordshire, part 1, Butterflies. Warrey, H., 1962. Polygonia c-album. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var., 47:25. West, B. B., 1949. Bedfordshire Butterflies. The Bedford Naturalist, Soo 241" i Westwood, J. O., 1854. The Butterflies of Great Britain with their Transformations. Routledge, London. White, E. S., 1953. Birds and Butterflies. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var- 38°55" The vast majority of the records correlated for this paper were gleaned from the Entomologist, Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation, Entomologist’s Gazette, and the Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, also consulted were the Victoria County Histo- ries of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Hert- fordshire, Essex, Surrey, Kent, Bedfordshire, Somerset, Hereford- shire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Rutland, and Sussex. Notes and Observations A PRODUCTIVE OAK IN A S.E.LONDON WOOD. — In the eastern portion of Oxleas Woods SSSI at Shooters Hill (over whose fate, alas, the proverbial sword of Damocles now hangs) there stands a fine oak, massive, spreading, and still vigorous. On 30th October 1984 this tree was found to have, on one side of its trunk, a number of smallish sap-runs, tending to coalesce into a diffuse sappy area much frequented by wasps and mostly small Diptera. The latter were few in species — I need mention only Dryomyza anilis Fall., whose numbers reached a peak on 11th November. It was the Coleoptera that proved unexpectedly interesting, in quality if not in quantity. To obtain them, however, was far from easy owing to the effort needed to prise off small pieces of the thick, extremely tough and tenacious bark, under and between which the beetles were to be found half hidden by sappy accumulations. A few also were sifted out of debris at the foot of the tree where a little sap had penetrated. They were (omitting species of no par- ticular note):— NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 81 *Epuraea guttata Ol. and F. pusilla Ill., both singly; *Cry- ptarcha strigata F., 3, and 3 more on 17.v.85; Carpophilus sexpus- tulatus F., *Thamiaraea cinnamomea Grav. and *T. hospita Mark.., all singly; Atheta taxiceroides Munst., plentiful on 11.xi but hard to secure, running in warm sunshine in and out of crevices and fissures of bark. I had never before encountered any of these in the S. E. London area (not even the widespread FE. pusilla); but what is especially noteworthy is the occurrence of the four starred species traditionally associated almost exclusively with Cossus-infected sap, though I could find no evidence of the latter’s presence. Compare my remarks in 1985, Ent. Rec. 97: 32-3, regarding an undoubted Cossus oak at Blackheath (which yielded none of the above!). I have now to retract the suggestion there put forward that because of the extreme rarity of Cossus in this area to-day, its specifically associated beetles probably no longer exist there. On the contrary, it now seems that in the absence of Cossus they can make do quite well with uninfected sap (and may increasingly be obliged to do so). A. taxiceroides was a notable find, since not only is the species new for the London district but the above habitat also is unrecorded for it; previous captures (not yet numerous) connect it with nests and especially squirrels’ dreys. Experience points to it as an autumn species, and indeed it was found the following spring to be replaced on the oak by the closely-allied A. nigricornis Thoms. Had this profitable tree only been discovered earlier in the season (assuming the sap was then flowing) other notable insects might well have been obtained — including, possibly, the remaining three members of our little band of recognized ‘Cossus’ beetles. That is, apart from Tachinus bipustulatus F. which, formerly not rare, seems unaccountalby to have died out (or very nearly so). The absence of Soronia grisea L. at the Oxleas oak, contrasting with its abundance at the Blackheath one, was surprising. It remains only to say that, as foreseen, this noble tree quickly healed its wounds by fresh growth, all sap flows having dried up by the following June; hardly a trace now remains of its previous scarring. I am grateful to my friend Alex Williams who on his first visit to the wood happened to light upon the tree and, having col- lected from it three of the above species, promptly informed me of the fact. — A. A. ALLEN. A NOTE ON THE APPARENT LOWERING OF MORAL STANDARDS IN THE LEPIDOPTERA — It is a sad sign of our times that the National newspapers are all too often packed with the lurid details of declining moral standards and of horrific sexual offences committed by our fellow Homo sapiens; perhaps it is also a sign of the times that the entomological literature appears of late to be 82 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25 .it1.1987 heading in a similar direction. I published a short note on aberrant sexual behaviour in butterflies observed on Mount Kenya in 1983 (Tennent: 1984) and recently returned home from a spell abroad to find similar behaviour recorded in no less than three of the latest issues of different entomological journals (Hobbs: 1986, Knill-Jones: 1986, Winter: 1985). Unfortunately, I’m afraid there’s more:— I was in Morocco recently and spent some time in and around Oukaimeden in the High Atlas Mountains south of Marrakech. On the 11th of June 1986 I was lucky enough to stumble upon a thri-. ving colony of Cyaniris semiargus maroccana just emerging in some long grass at ca. 2600 metres. Having taken some photographs | observed a cluster of four males flying closely around what I as- sumed to be a freshly emerged female sitting with her wings closed low down in the grass. Wanting photographs of a pair in cop I waited to see which, if any, of the males would be the successful suitor but soon realised that the object of their attention and affections was also a male. The attendant males vied with one another and each was curving his abdomen in a frantic attempt to make contact with the abdomen of the emerging male. The latter did not respond but was unable to escape as it’s wings were still soft. It laboriously made it’s way up the grass stem and was much buffeted by the others en route. The situation became even more strange when a fresh female came to rest with her wings open on a grass stem no more than a foot away. One of the four males approached her, she immediately raised her abdomen and vibrated her wings but after a very cursory examination the male returned to the pack and continued forcing his attentions on his fellow. During the next hour or so I saw a further three groups of males, one of which contained eight indi- viduals, behaving in a similar manner towards fresh males whose wings were not yet dry. Males on the emergence ground outnumbered females by about five to one although the latter sex were still common. The fe- males habitually rested with their wings open and were often visited fleetingly by passing males, however, I did not see any female being ‘pestered’. The time was about midday. To set the reader’s mind at rest I should also record that I subsequently observed a number of ‘normal’ pairs in cop; at least some individuals had the furtherance of the colony at heart and the appearance of the colony next year is thereby assured. Whatever next? ! References: Hobbs R.1986. Comma butterfly attempting to copulate with a Small Tortoiseshell. Ent. Rec. 98: 165; NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 83 Knill-Jones S.A. 1986. Courtship display between a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) Entomolo- gist’s Gazette 37 : 82; Tennent W. J. 1984. Fresh mountain air .....? Ent. Rec. 96: IB e132; Winter D. 1985. Misdirected Monarch mating behaviour (Danai- dae: Danaus plexippus) or Noblesse oblige? Journal of the Lepidopterist’s Society 39(4) : 334. W. J. TENNENT, 1 Middlewood Close, Fylingthorpe, Whitby, N. Yorkshire. LOPHOSIA FASCIATA MG. (DIPT.: TACHINIDAE) IN THE LONDON SUBURBS, AND AN APPARENTLY NEW HOST RECORD. — Aspecimen of this elegant and distinctive Tachinid emerged (2.vii.86) from a puparium voided on or about 18th June by a hawthorn shieldbug, Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale L., taken on the 13th at Oxleas Wood SSSI, Shooters Hill. (As appears usual in such cases, the bug showed no sign of being troubled by the parasite and remained alive several more days.) Van Emden (1954, Handb./dent.Brit.Ins. 10(4a): 10) does not include Acanthosoma at all in his list of host-list of British Tachinidae, stating under L. jasciata (p. 21) only that it has been bred from the shieldbug Aelia. The latter has never occurred to me in this district, nor do I think it was present in the vicinity when my friend Dudley Collins found an example of the fly inside a window of his house at Carshalton Beeches (Surrey) several years ago. A possible host there might have been either of two other Pentatomoids, Elas- mucha grisea and Cyphostethus tristriatus, both having occurred close by. Lophosia fasciata is always a scarce insect, which has probably been more often taken in the New Forest area than elsewhere; there, at least, it has been said to favour the flowers of parsnip. The present record is likely to be the first for Greater London, and perhaps also for West Kent. — A.A. ALLEN. THE BRIMSTONE, GONEPTERYX RHAMNI L. EGG-LAYING ON DOCK. — During field work for the butterfly atlas project in Hertfordshire, at Westmill near Buntingford, on 12th June 1986, observations were made on a female brimstone which was explor- ing rough vegetation at the edge of a horse paddock near the River Rib. The butterfly eventually circled a small patch of curled dock (Rumex crispus L.) and appeared to be inspecting for egg-laying sites on both stems and leaves. This activity was watched for some five minutes, at which point an examination was made of the plants being used and newly-laid brimstone eggs were found. It was estimated that at least 10 eggs were laid in this time, almost entirely on one clump of the plants. These were in semi- shade but not near any other rough vegetation. In particular, no bushes of buckthorn Rhamnus catharticus L., the only one of the 84 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25 ..it1. 1987 usual food-plants found in the region, was present anywhere in the locality. The eggs were laid, as usual, singly either underneath the edge of leaves or occasionally on stems. The next day, in the company of B. R. Sawford, a further examination of the plants was made, when 15 eggs were located, some on nearby plants, but most on the original patch. A couple of eggs and a portion of food plant were taken for rearing to see if the caterpillars would feed normally. Later, on 20th June, a return visit was made to try and find caterpillars in the wild, but unfor- tunately, the field had just been rough-cut, and, despite a detailed search of the debris, only one egg was discovered. The success of this abnormal food plant in the wild was not therefore established. With the eggs removed for rearing, however, one caterpillar hatched, but refused to eat the dock, and died. Whether this was a sickly specimen or whether the food plant was unpalatable, however, will never be known. As a corollary to this observation, a record submitted by an- other observer, Mrs. J. King of Flamstead, for the Hertfordshire atlas also indicates that a female brimstone was watched laying eggs on dock (species not stated) at Flamstead on 16th July 1986. In this case it is not known whether buckthorn exists in the vicinity. However, while one record may be an aberrant coincidence two records separated in both time and space perhaps need further examination. TREVOR J. JAMES, North Hertfordshire Museums Service, Old Fire Station, High Street, Baldock, Hertfordshire SG7 6AR. GLAENOCORISA PROPINQUA (FIEB.) (HET.: CORIXIDAE) IN WEST CUMBRIA. -— _ I took two specimens of this local corixid in Lank Rigg Tarn (NY09.11) Cumbria on 12 May 1986. The tarn lies at an altitude of about 1,750 feet and is situated near the sum- mit of Lank Rigg fell, in an exposed situation. Glaenocorisa prop- pinqua is an uncommon species and found mainly in northern Britain, but has also been recorded from Ireland, Scotland, York- shire and also Somerset. T. T. Macan in his Key to the British Water Bugs (1965, Scient.Pubs.Freshwat.biol.Ass. No16:67) states that the species is scarce in the Lake District and found only oc- casionally in tarns. Macan (1976, J. Anim. Ecol. 45: 913-922) gives Hodson’s Tarn as a locality for this corixid, and suggests that it is a casual migrant without a habitat in the Lake District. — R.W. J. READ, 43 Holly Terrace, Hensingham, Whitehaven, Cumbria CA 28 SRF. THIRD-BROOD SPECIMENS OF ECTROPIS BISTORTATA GOEZE (LEP.: GEOMETRIDAE) — On October 13th 1986 a male of this species was observed at m.v. light at Dartford; this is particularly noteworthy in view of the poor summer conditions prevailing in NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 85 1986 and the fact that Chalmers-Hunt (Butterflies and Moths of Kent 3 1968-81) gives no record of such specimens. The second brood here, according to my m.yv. trap observations appears to extend over a period of about a month during July and August, rarely late June. However, two other possible third brood moths have appeared at the light — September 9th 1979 (second brood 12.vii-7.viii) and September 18th 1982 (second brood 5 .vii-7.viii). This Journal makes reference to several further examples — one in 1952 of which no detail is given (Ent. Rec. 65: 48), two at Weston-super-Mare on November 10th 1956 (Ent. Rec. 69: 20), Southend on September 15th 1969 (Ent. Rec. 82: 16) and Wimbledon on September 9th 1970 (Ent. Rec. 83:205). In addition the Essex Naturalists’ Trust (A Guide to the Butterflies and Larger Moths of Essex, 1975) regarding voltinism in bistortata concludes “not infrequently yet again in September and early October.” Unfortunately no detail is given as to how frequently, and exactly when and where. Regarding the standard textbooks only South (Moths of the British Isles, 1939) notes that specimens have been observed in September and October. One wonders if apparent third brood bistortata are as scarce and so localized as the few pub- lished records suggest? What is perhaps more important, without such records coming to notice by being published, changes in their distribution and frequency cannot be assessed. — B. K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. LATE RECORDS OF HYPSOPYGIA COSTALIS FAB. AND ORTHO- PYGIA GLAUCINALIS L. (LEP.: PYRALIDAE) — Goater (British Pyralid Moths, 1986) gives both H. costalis and O. glaucinalis as being uni- © voltine, flying in July and August. I recorded H. costalis from my garden light trap on Ist, 14th, 15th, and 16th October 1986 and a single O. glaucinalis on 14th October 1986. One possible explanation is that both species inhabited a fermenting compost heap, the heat from which advanced their development. IAN D. FERGUSON, 31 Cathcart Drive, Orpington, BR6 8BU. POLYPHAENIS SERICATA (ESP) (LEP.: NOCTUIDAE). FIRST GUERNSEY RECORD FOR 80 YEARS. — On the evening of 14th August 1986 we were working the m.v. light at Petit Bot, at the bottom of a wooded valley on the south coast of Guernsey. We were just on the point of giving up after recording 45 species in approximately two hours when a very well-marked noctuid settled on the sheet. The moth, slightly smaller than Noctua comes (lesser yellow underwing), was pale green with fine black edging to the stigmata, a broad olive green terminal band and fine white markings dorsally to the antemedian and subterminal fascia. As if the markings on the forewing were not striking enough the hind 86 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25.it1.1987 wings were burnt orange with a broad blackish brown terminal shading. After some research the insect was eventually identified in Atlas d’Entomologie Lepidopteres de France, Tome II as Polyphae- nis sericata. The distribution is given as ‘all of France with the exception of the northern regions’. This moth is figured in Michael Chinery’s new Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe. This species was first recorded in Guernsey by the eminent local entomologist Mr. W. A. Luff in July 1872 at sugar and that specimen was figured in Entomologist 9: 73. In Luff’s article on Non-British insects published in the 1907 Transactions of The Guernsey Society of Natural Science and Local Research (now La Societe Guernesiaise) he states that he had taken several more specimens. As far as local records show this was probably the first Guernsey record of this species for at least eighty years. RICH & MARGARET AUSTIN , Maymyo, Les Amballes, St. Peter Port, Guernsey. C.I. EXPERIENCES WITH THE WHITE-BARRED CLEARWING, SYNAN- THEDON SPHECIFORMIS D. & S. (LEP.: SESIIDAE) — I had long been aware that Mr. B. R. Baker, of Reading, was very knowledge- able about that fascinating family of moths, the clearwings. Accor- dingly, in May 1986, I rang him and asked if he could help me with spheciformis. Up to quite recent times here, spheciformis mines were made in alder (Alnus sp.). Then, following winter cutting by con- tractors supplying birch for steeplechase fences, the moth became reasonably plentiful in the stumps of birch. These stumps were usually between 1 and 8 cm diameter and an average of 24 cm above ground level. Mr. Baker told me that the cutting of birch, on the heath south of Reading, had not been as great as usual; but that it might be possible to locate a few mines. Accordingly, on 14th May I joined him for a search of the Reading heaths. It was a cold day, with some persistent rain; our spirits were not much lifted by the obser- vation that many pupae had been removed by birds. However, under Brian Baker’s excellent guidance, we cut a few stumps which held possibilities, some showing clearly the exit prepared by the larva — a circle of bark 6 mm diameter, slightly discoloured, which gave under slight pressure. In all, eleven sticks were cut. For their reception I had prepared a small aquarium (33cm x 24cm) with 8cm of sand covering the bottom. Into this I stuck my birch sticks, gave the sand a good watering, covered the top with a piece of plate glass, and placed the entire structure in a glasshouse. Unfortunately, when the sun shone, the aquarium misted up. Removing the glass top produced a breath of tropical heat. Before long the birch twigs had come into NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 87 full leaf. Rather ill-advisedly, as it happened, I decided to leave the top off the tank to allow more efficient evaporation. The fol- lowing morning, the 2nd June, I arrived at about 10.30 hours to inspect and, to my joy, saw a large empty pupa case protruding from the top of a stick. My delight was soon tempered with appre- hension when I realised that the recent occupant was now loose in the glasshouse. However, after a few moments with a net, I had secured a fine male spheciformis. Having composed myself, I returned to the tank to dry the walls of the aquarium, when I was lucky enough to observe the appearance of a pupa thrusting through the bark of a birch twig. I give the timing of the whole operation, from this point until the imago was ready to fly: 1. Pupa broke through bark at 10.51 hrs. but protruded only 6mm. Pupa swelled and shrank several times, but made no forward movement. 2. At 11.12 hrs it suddenly wriggled and completed its protrusion. The pupa was black in colour and quite sharply pointed. The full protrusion measured 1.4cm. 3. At once the two antennae sprang free and the pupa burst. The insect emerged on its back, as it freed itself from the pupa case it righted itself by gripping first the pupal case and then the birch twig. 4. The moth rapidly climbed the twig (6 cm above the exit hole) and, after a brief pause, ascended the sides of the tank and began expanding its wings . Full expansion was achieved 19 minutes after eclosion. The wings at this point were held butterfly-like over the back. 5. After 11 minutes the wings were lowered into the normal po- sition and the insect was ready for flight. The whole operation took 51 minutes. I was particularly struck by the length of time the insect re- mained so vulnerable, particularly when the pupa remained partially protruded. For the record, 11 sticks produced 9 perfect moths — 5 males and 4 females. One stick, 3.1 cm diameter, yielded 3 pupae; but two of the largest stumps, some 8 cm diameter, produced no pupae, but masses of frass — suggesting that they contained only first year larvae. E. C. L. SIMSON, Crossbythwaite, Plowden Park, Aston Rowant, Oxford OX9 5SX. AN UNUSUAL ABERRATION OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY FRITILLARY, HAMEARIS LUCINA L. — _ While observing these butterflies on Noar Hill, Hants on 8 June 1986 (and incidentally was pleased that they were in reasonably good numbers) an un- usual aberration was seen. At first, on the wing, it looked like a 88 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25 .iti. 1987 worn individual but when it settled I was surprised to see that the background colour of the forewings, instead of the usual brown, was a chalky white while the hindwings were normal. Fortunately I was able to obtain a few photographs. It seems to have been an intermediate form of ab. leucodes Lamb as shown under Fig. 24, Plate 8, of Aberrations of British Butterflies by A. D. A. Russwurm, (Classey 1978). — _ S.L. MEREDITH, 5 Rutlish Road, Merton Park, London SW19 3AL. ISCHNOPSYLLUS SIMPLEX ROTHSCHILD (SIPHONAPTERA) IN SCOTLAND — _ A female Ischnopsyllus simplex simplex Roths- child has been taken from a Natterer’s Bat, one of its normal hosts, found dead at Thornhill, Stirlingshire, in August 1986. This flea does not appear to have been recorded from Scotland before. Natterer’s Bats are not regarded as common in Scotland though activities by local bat groups are proving it to be slightly more so than previously realised. This bat was found freshly dead and as it was still warm this particular flea had not yet vacated its host. The upsurge of interest in the conservation and distribution of the Chiroptera in this, the National Bat Year, should produce a corresponding growth in new data concerning their parasites. However, disturbing or handling bats solely in order to remove or examine parasites should be discouraged. It would be illegal under the protective provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) to do so without a licence. Some acarines (mites) found on the same carcase and on that of a Daubenton’s Bat brought into the museum earlier in the year remain as yet unidentified. - E.G. HANCOCK, Art Gallery & Museum, Kelvingrove, Glasgow, G3 8AG. BUPITHECIA ABIETARIA GOEZE (LEP.: GEOMETRIDAE) IN N. W. KENT. — A fine female of this rare species attended my garden m.v. light on July 21st 1986. Chalmers-Hunt (Butterflies and Moths of Kent 3, 1968-81) notes only three previous records for Kent, two of these being for N. W. Kent — Lee, 1861 and Gravesend, 1871 — the third being for E. Kent about 1925, while L. and K. Evans (A Survey of the Macro-Lepidoptera of Croydon and N. E. Surrey, 1973) lists one for Streatham, 15.vi.1957. Mature spruce plantations have never been a feature of this area, but mature ornamental coni- fers of many kinds abound and perhaps these have sustained this species at a low density. — B.K. WEST, 36 Briar Road, Bexley, Kent. Current Literature Country Life Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies of Britain and Northern Europe By R. Gibbons. 144 pp. numerous colour illustrations. Country Life Books 1986. Boards £12.95 limp ELOY. It is pleasing to record that the general awareness of Odonata CURRENT LITERATURE 89 is being matched by an increasing number of publications on this group, although dragonfly books always seem to retail at higher prices than corresponding butterfly books. This book is beautifully illustrated with photographs of living insects and the text is readable and informative. It would not seem possible to identify all the species covered with certainty from this book, but it does provide a useful companion to d’Aguilar’s Field Guide (reviewed Ent. Rec. 98:261). DK. Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe By M. Chinerv. 320 pp. many col. illustrations. Collins 1986. Boards £10.95; limp £6.95. This new work by Michael Chinery is a worthy complement to his “Field Guide’’ first issued in 1973. Whilst the latter provided a good introduction to biology and taxonomy, as well as illustrating set specimens, the current work aims at a much higher species cover- age, with over 2000 illustrations of insects and other arthropods in natural poses — most useful for the field worker. A well produced and thoroughly recommended book. Breeding butterflies and moths: a practical handbook for British and European species By Ekkhard Friedrich, translated by Stephen Whitebread and edited by A. M. Emmet. 176pp. 47 figs. Harley Books 1986. Boards £20.00; limp £9.95. Originally published in Germany in 1975, this work has been translated into French and now English, the current edition having been expanded and updated with additional contributions from J. Reid and B. O. C. Gardiner. Following an introductory section on the use of the book, the work divides into two parts: Part I contains a general introduction to the fundamentals of breeding, equipment and techniques, oviposition, larval rearing, pupation and emergence, followed by short sections on killing and conservation. Part II comprises detailed rearing instructions. Following a general intro- duction, each species or group of species is treated under the head- ings of mating and pairing, oviposition, rearing of larva, overwinter- ing, pupating and foodplants. The microlepidoptera are treated in a more general fashion, usually on a family basis. The work con- cludes with a bibliography and compilation of useful information on suppliers, and an index to species and foodplants. The emphasis throughout this book is an entirely practical one; it is packed with information and tips and there can be few breeders of Lepidoptera who would not benefit from reading it. Not all available techniques are covered — for example the highly successful soil-free techniques for pupating Sphingidae are omitted — but this does not detract from the book’s value. Foodplant details are only 90 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 given for a few species, so those rearing British material will need Skinner’s Moths of the British Isles and P. B. M. Allan’s Larval foodplants. Those attempting European species will also need access to Forster and Wohlfaht Die Schmetterlinge Mitteleuporas. Criticisms of this work are few and minor, for example some of the botanical references have newer editions than those cited. The book, is well presented, and highly recommended for all those interested.in breeding Lepidoptera. PAS. RSCN Guide to Butterflies of the British Isles By J. A. Thomas. 160pp. many maps and colour illustrations. Country Life Books 1986. limp £4.95. One wonders how many more books on British butterflies can be produced — a recent visit to a local bookshop produced a tally of nine guides on the shelf! It is very difficult to find much that is new in this book, but the approach and presentation is very good. The photographs of living insects are pleasing, and each species is con- sidered on a two-page spread under the headings of adult identi- fication, young stages, habitats and behaviour, and distribution and status (with map). An excellent feature is a habitat sketch for each species indicating where one might expect to find eggs, larva and pupa. The text is free of jargon, the price reasonable and the authors expertise well used. An Atlas of the Carabidae (Ground beetles) of Northumberland & Durham. By M. D. Eyre, M. L. Luff, and S. G. Ball. 96pp Nor- thumberland Biological Records Centre Special Publication No. 2, 1980. Obtainable at £5.50 post free from the Hancock Mu- seum, Barras Bridge, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4PT. This comprehensive work follows the pattern set by the first publication in the series (reviewed Ent. Rec. 98:36). The format, lay-out, and method of recording is practically the same, except that an index to specific names is added; these details need not, therefore, be again noted here. There is however one very marked improvement, in that the distribution maps are all printed the same way up. Here too, sources of records are fully discussed, and again Hardy and Bold figure very largely among the early recorders. A num- ber of Fowler’s (1887) and Moore’s (1957) records are shown to be erroneous, being in fact attributable to Cumberland and not to the region under study. Species to be deleted, or at best very doubtful, are Notiophilus 4-punctatus, N. rufipes, Dyschirius angu- status, Thalassophilus longicornis, Trechus fulvus, Bembidion semipunctatum, Agonum nigrum, A. 6-punctatum, Harpalus pun- cticollis, H. froelichi, H. 4-punctatus, H. tenebrosus, Anisodactylus CURRENT LITERATURE 2 binotatus. An interesting recent find is a specimen of the very rare Amara nitida from Hamsterley Forest, Co. Durham, 1985 — much the most northerly record so far. As expected, the best-represented genus is Bembidion. Students of our beetle fauna will find the data here assembled well worth their close attention, not least for the light shed on habitat preferences — which in a few cases do not fully agree with what generally obtains in the south. In all, this is a worthy second in a series which holds out great promise, and all concerned deserve congratulations on the outcome of their labours. — A. A. A. A Field Guide to the Caterpillars of Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe By D. J. Carter and B. Hargreaves. 296pp. 35 colour plates. Collins 1986. Boards £9.95. Any book on the identification of the larvae of British Lepi- doptera is a welcome addition to our bookshelves, but an attempt to cover the European fauna in a single volume, even of the excellent “Field Guide” series, is bound to leave some readers with a sense of frustration. The authors have chosen to illustrate some 500 species, around 10% of the total butterflies and larger moths. Each species is considered under the headings distribution, description, habitat, foodplant and biology. The plates group insects according to larval foodplant — an excellent idea — and illustrations of many imagines appear in the margins opposite their respective larva. A plate of larvae easily confused with Lepidoptera is usefully included. The end-papers depict typical silhouettes of larve (an extended version of those appearing in the ‘“‘Observer’s” caterpillars). A concise bibliography is also included. As a field guide for the general naturalist this is a very useful publication, although the reviewer was not entirely convinced by some of the illustrations, and did not agree with a number of the points raised in the text. The serious lepidopterist will be disap- pointed by this book (although it must be stressed that the authors make no claim of comprehensive coverage). The butterfly enthusiast is better served with Bodi’s “The caterpillars of European butter- flies”, and the student of moths must return to diapause and con- tinue to wait for an accurate and comprehensive account of lepi- dopterous larvae. PAS Butterflies East of the Great Plains — an Illustrated Natural History by Paul A. Opler and George O. Krizek. John Hopkins Univer- sity Press. Boards. £47.50. A great many American lepidopterists reside in the populous Eastern States, yet the only comprehensive work on the butterflies 92 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 25 .i11.1987 of this region until now has been the excellent Field Guide by Alexander Klots, published in 1951. This new book, Butterflies East Of The Great Plains, represents a change of emphasis, concentrating on biological relationships and ecology, rather than distribution and identification. Unlike its predecessor it unfortunately con- fines itself only to the United States instead of covering the whole of Eastern North America. In the early pages the historical aspects of butterfly study are discussed, from colonial times onward, and it is interesting to learn that Linnaeus himself named seventeen species of North American butterfly. There follows several passages on the study of butterflies, classification and morphology. The sections on distribution and habitat, (where “‘life zones’ for indicator species are discussed and illustrated by black and white photographs) and also those on butterfly behaviour and life history are highly informative and well written. i: The main part of the book consists of species accounts of all butterflies reliably recorded from the Eastern States. Each is headed with the common and scientific name of the butterfly and sub- divided -into paragraphs under the familiar headings of Range, Habitat, Life History and descriptions of Adult and Early Stages. More unusual are the sections on butterfly nectar sources and Etymology — the latter being a unique feature of the book and use- ful for those unversed in classical mythology. Distribution maps accompany the text for the majority of species. Most of the species dealt with are illustrated in a section of 324 colour plates of living butterflies. These are beautifully photo- graphed in natural surroundings, but some are plainly inadequate for identification and although adult butterfly measurements are given in the text, there is no indication of scale on the plates. In my opinion this is where additional plates of specimens on a plain background would have been useful, though there seems to be a universal reluctance at present to use the cabinet specimen for illustration. The book does make the claim that its purpose is to emphasize the butterfly as a living organism, but the policy of photographing only live specimens does create difficulties when, for example, pointers for identification need to be demonstrated or a range of variation shown. Also I was surprised to see the Py- renees given as a provenance for the illustrated examples of both Proclossiana eunomia and Clossiana selene. The former is admittedly an uncommon and local butterfly within the north-eastern States, but surely an indigenous selene could have been found to depict the rather distinct nearctic form. These are minor criticisms though for what is a beautifully produced and above all interesting book. As a natural history it is excellent, and well worth its price. — C. J. LUCKENS. HELP WANTED — I am compiling an up to date list of the butter- flies and moths of Northamptonshire, including the Soke of Peter- borough (VC32). Any records welcome. J. W. WARD 109 Blandford Avenue, Kettering Northants NN16 9AS. PROMPT EFFICIENT SERVICE OVERSEAS ENQUIRIES WELCOME For details and sample labels, write to: P.D.J. HUGO, 115, Thrupp Lane, Thrupp, STROUD, Gloucestershire. GL5 2DQ. & Brimscombe 882134 (Please mention this journal in your reply) L. CHRISTIE 129, Franciscan Road, Tooting, London, SW17 8DZ Telephone: 01-672 4084 FOR THE ENTOMOLOGIST Books, Cabinets and Set Specimens - Price lists of the above are issued from time to time so if you would like to receive them please drop me a line stating your interests. Mainly a postal business but callers welcome by appointment Member of the Entomological Suppliers’ Association The Society was founded in 1935 and caters especially for the younger or less experienced Entomologist. For details of publications and activities, please write (enclosing 30p towards costs) to A.E.S. Registrar, c/o 355 Hounslow Road, Hanworth, Feltham, Middlesex. THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD AND JOURNAL OF VARIATION (Founded by J. W. TUTT on 15th April 1890) CONTENTS Abbot’s Wood — A history of a woodland and its butterflies. M. PARSONS & M. HADLEY, 49. Onthophagus nuchicornis L. (COL.: SCARABAEI- DAE), a species misunderstood in Britain. A. A. ALLEN, 59. The larva of Plusia putnami gracilis Lempke (Lep.: Noctuidae). J. FENN, 61. Heliothis peltigera (Lep.: Noctuidae) — the bordered straw in Dorset. M. BROOK, 63. Lomographa cararia Hubn. (Lep.: Geometridae) — A new species to the Channel Islands and the British Isles. A. M. RILEY, 65. Do copper underwings (Amphipyra spp.) crawl away in order to die _ in peace? B. O. C. GARDINER, 67. A history and investigation into the fluctuations of Polygonia c-album L.: the comma butterfly. C. PRATT, 69. Notes and observations: 58, 62, 64, 66, 68, 80-88. Current literature : 88-92. TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS ALL MATERIAL FOR THE TEXT of the magazine as well as books for review must be sent to the EDITOR at 4 Steep Close, Orpington, Kent BR6 6DS. ADVERTISEMENTS, EXCHANGES and WANTS to P. J. JOHNSON, B.A.., MICA SEER ica 31 Oakdene Road, Brockham, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 TIV. Specimen copies will be supplied on payment of £1. 20 sterling. CHANGES OF ADDRESS to: C. PENNEY, F.R.E.S., 109 Waveney Drive, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 SQA. SUBSCRIPTIONS should be sent to the Treasurer, P. J. Johnson, B.A., A.C.A., 31 Oakdene Road, Brockham, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 7JV. REPRINTS: 25 copies, taken straight from the magazine are sent gratis to contributors of articles; these may contain extraneous matter. Additional copies may be had at cost price, and orders for these should be given, at the latest, with the return to the Editor of the corrected proof. Many ILLUSTRATIONS can be inserted in the text at no extra cost. However, full page plates can only be inserted on condition that the AUTHOR DEFRAYS THE COST. Contributors are requested not to send us Notes or Articles which they are sending to other magazines. All reasonable care is taken of MSS, photographs, drawings, maps, etc.,; but the Editor and his staff cannot hold themselves responsible for any loss or damage. Readers are respectfully advised that the publication of materialin this Journal does not imply that the views and opinions expressed therein are shared by the Editor and publisher. SPECIAL NOTICE. — The Editor would be willing to consider the purchase of a limited number of certain back issues. ‘Printed by Frowde & Co (Printers) Ltd Orpheus St. London SE5 8RR a? 0 Vol. 99 Nos. 5-6 May/June 1987 ISSN 0013-8916 Pe ree eee a THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD AND JOURNAL OF VARIATION Edited by P. A. SOKOLOFF, M. Sc., C.Biol., M. I. Biol., F.R.E.S. with the assistance of A. A. ALLEN, B.SC., A.R.C.S. P. J. CHANDLER, B.SC., F.R.E.S. NEVILLE BIRKETT, M.A., M.B. C. A. COLLINGWOOD, B.SC., F.R.E.S. S. N. A. JACOBS, F.R.E.S. J. HEATH, F.R.E.S., F.L.S. J. D. BRADLEY, PH.D., F.R.E.S. E. S. BRADFORD Lieut. Col. A. M. EMMET, M.B.E., T.D., F.R.E.S. J. M. CHALMERS-H UNT, F.R.E.S. C. J. LUCKENS, M.B., CH.B., D.R.C.O.G. MCZ LIBRARY pie 12 1987 HARVARD UNIVERSITY Registrar: C. C. PENNEY, F.R.E.S., 109 Waveney Drive, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 5QA Hon Treasurer: P. J. JOHNSON, B.A., A.C.A., 31 Oakdene Road, Brockham, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 7JV Va Va Wa Vi Va Va Va Ve Ws Ye Va Vz Vs We Va Vee a VV Vn Vax a Va GS PUBLISHED BIMONTHLY DADA D DA AD DD DADS DDD D_DDD DDD DAA PD DLDLD DD A DDD DOO SO Go Ge OO EO OO OA OA OO AOA OO OG SUBSCRIBERS’ NOTICES (Subscribers’ notices can be inserted, subject to availability of space, at a cost of 10p per word. Items for insertion, together with remittance, should be sent to the Treasurer). FOR SALE — 20 draw cabinet. Solid mahogany throughout. Glazed door. Drawers rather shallow, max. interior depth 1 inch (25mm.) David Agassiz. Telephone 0375 373215. L. CHRISTIE 129, Franciscan Road, Tooting, London, SW17 8DZ Telephone: 01-672 4084 FOR THE ENTOMOLOGIST Books, Cabinets and Set Specimens Price lists of the above are issued from time to time so if you would like to receive them please drop me a line stating your interests. Mainly a postal business but callers welcome by appointment Member of the Entomological Suppliers’ Association THE AMATEUR ENTOMOLOGISTS’ SOCIETY The Society was founded in 1935 and caters especially for the younger or less experienced Entomologist. For details of publications and activities, please write (enclosing 30p towards costs) to A.E.S. Registrar, c/o 355 Hounslow Road, Hanworth, Feltham, Middlesex. THE NATURALIST (founded 1875) A Quarterly Illustrated Journal of Natural History Edited by M. R. SEAWARD, M.Sc., Ph.D. Annual subscription: £8.00 (post free) Single numbers £2.00 Separates of the collected instalments of the:— LEPIDOPTERA OF YORKSHIRE (Macrolepidoptera) which appeared serially in The Naturalist (1967-1970) are also available on application. Price 5Op plus postage The Editor of the Naturalist University of Bradford, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 !1DP CICONES UNDATA — NEW TO BRITAIN 93 CICONES UNDATA GUER (COLEOPTERA: COLYDIIDAE) NEW TO BRITAIN By H. MENDEL* and J. A. OWEN** On 19th. February 1984 two specimens of Cicones were col- lected from beneath a loose flake of bark on the trunk of a mori- bund sycamore, Acer pseudoplantanus L. in Windsor Great Park, Berks. In the field, the two specimens were provisionally identi- fied as C. variegata (Hellwig) but direct comparison later showed that they were not this species. Reference to Vogt (1967) suggested that they were C. undata, a species which had not previously been recorded in Britain, and this was subsequently confirmed by com- parison with specimens of undata at the British Museum (Natural History). Using Joy (1932), C. undata keys out easily to the correct genus by the circular club of the antennae and the irregular depres- sions of the pronotum and the two species may be separated as follows:— — Proportionally broader and less elongate (Fig. la); obviously more convex and with alternate interstices of the elytra raised. Pitchy, near black, elytra variegated with small reddish marks with white scales, fOMMING ALresullan Ehansverse DandS... se essa eet ae) caaeae variegata. — Proportionally narrower and more elongate (Fig. 1b); much less convex and with interstices of elytra flat. Reddish marks and white scaling on elytra more extensive to the extent that in many specimens the impres- sion is of pale elytra with dark marks, rather than vice versa. . . . undata. Figure 1 (a) Cicones variegata (b) Cicones undata. *c/o The Museum, High Street, Ipswich, IP1 3QH **8 Kingsdown Road, Epsom, KT17 3PU. 94 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 SViNIST Although these differences are largely comparative it is easy, in practice, to separate the two species, even with the naked eye. Both C. undata and variegata are of the same general size but the former is more variable in this respect ranging from 2.2-3.5 mm in the series of 23 specimens examined. Since the provisional notice of the original discovery (Mendel & Owen, 1984) C. undata has been found on many occasions at the original site, by the authors and other-coleopterists and, on 16th August 1986, was still quite plentiful there under flakes of bark on dead and dying sycamores. It has, to date, been recorded in the months of February, April, May, July, August, November and December. Large numbers were found on 30th August 1984, including teneral specimens, and it seems likely that adults are long-lived and survive the winter. They will probably, eventually, be found in every month of the year. C. undata is not only associated with standing timber. The only examples found away from the original area were taken by one of us, in company with Synchita separanda (Reitter), under the bark of a sycamore log at the southern end of Queen Anne’s Ride about 2km. from the original site. C. variegata is normally associated with encrustations of the fungus Ustulina deusta (Fr.) Petrak on dead beech, Fagus sylvatica L. and is well known, though rare, at Windsor. If C. undata is con- fined to sycamore, a species thought to have been introduced by the Romans (Mitchell, 1974), it can hardly be an ancient forest relict in Britain. It would seem, however, to be an unlikely intro- duction. It may turn out to be associated with field maple, Acer campestre L., which has a very similar bark structure. There are a number of old field maple trees in Windsor Great Park. On the Continent C. undata is a rarity and has been found in France, Upper Silesia and Czechoslovakia (Vogt, 1967). Acknowldgements We thank Mr. R. D. Pope for confirming the identification of one of the original specimens and Mr. A. R. Wiseman (Deputy Ranger, Crown Estate) for permission to collect in the Windsor Forest area. References Joy, H. N., 1932. A practical handbook of British beetles. London. Mendel, H. and Owen, J. A., 1984, A new Cicones (Colydiidae) from Windsor Great Park. Coleopterist’s Newsletter, No. 16, (os Be Mitchell, A., 1974, A field guide to the trees of Britain and Northern Europe. Collins, London. CICONES UNDATA — NEW TO BRITAIN 95 Vogt, H., 1967, Familie: Colydiidae. In Freude, H., Harde, K. W. and Lohse, G. A. (Eds.), 1967, Die Kafer Mitteleuropas, Band 7. Goecke & Evers, Krefeld. NOTABLE COLEOPTERA AT PASHFORD POORS FEN, SUFFOLK. — Pashford Poors Fen, near Lakenheath, is one of those interesting pockets of wetland on the edge of the Breckland in north-west Suffolk. Even though spring fed it is drying out as a result of the drainage of adjacent arable land, and suffering from scrub encroach- ment. The area is a nature reserve (Suffolk Trust for Nature Con- servation) and has been scheduled a Site of Special Scientific In- terest. The list of Coleoptera recorded from the fen grows steadily with each visit, and one small area of damp hollows, which is per- haps better described as grazing meadow than fen, is particularly tich. The following species which have been swept in that area are of special note. Agapanthia villosoviridescens (Degeer) — 15.vi.1980 & 6.ii. 1980. Single examples, often in flight, are found regularly in Breck- land and there is little doubt that this species has become more common since it was first discovered in Suffolk, at Mildenhall, in 1946 by G. Burton (Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc., 6: 52-53). Large numbers, as were found at Pashford in 1980, are thought to result from local breeding and have only been recorded in recent years. Mr. J. W. Digby found the species in great numbers at Thelnetham Fen, on 17th. June 1978, and Mr. D. R. Nash found ‘about a score’ with little effort, on 25th. June 1983, at Barton Mills again in north- west Suffolk. Cryptocephalus exiguus Schneider — 15.vi.1980. Now regarded as a great rarity and only previously taken in Suffolk at Oulton Broad, by E. C. Bedwell in 1898 (Morley, C., 1899, Coleoptera of Suffolk. Keys, Plymouth), and at Mildenhall by Morley in 1899. Both these records refer to pairs of specimens taken in cop. and the Mildenhall specimens survive, in the Morley Collection, at Ipswich Museum. Only a single example was found at Pashford. Chrysolina fastuosa (Scopoli) — 15.vi.1980, 6.vii.1980, 10.viii.1980 etc. An uncommon beetle in Suffolk found sparingly at Pashford on Common Hemp-nettle, Galeopsis tetrahit L. It is interesting that Mr. E. Milne-Redhead also found the species in Suffolk in 1980, again on G. tetrahit, at Sprat’s Water Nature Reserve (S.T.N.C.), near Lowestoft, on 6th. July. Longitarsus brunneus Duftschmid — 22.v.1981 (det. M. L. Cox) Early Suffolk records for this scarce fenland species are confused with those for L. luridus (Scopoli), so it is worth noting its presence at Pashford. 96 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 Stenocarus umbrinus (Gyllenhal) — 6.vii.1980. Usually associated with field edges or disturbed ground, rather than fenland, it is likely that the single example found at Pashford was a ‘stray’ from an adjacent cornfield, red with Poppies, Papaver rhoeas L., with which the species is associated. Ceutorhynchus angulosus Boheman — 15.vi.1980. Since this was recorded ‘new to Suffolk’ (Mendel, H., 1983, Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc., 19: 337-40) I have been informed that Dr. M. G. Morris also took a specimen at Pashford, on 18th. June 1969 (Morris, in Jitt.). Acalyptus carpini (F.) — 10.viii.1980 & 22.v.1981. First recorded from Pashford Poors Fen, and Suffolk, on 10th August 1980 and shortly afterwards at the same site by Dr.R.C. Welch on 26th. August 1980 (Suffolk Biological Records Centre, unpublished ms.), this fenland species is associated with Sallows, Salix spp. A. carpini is well known from Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire, and has been re- corded from Great Fen, Lopham, just over the Suffolk border in Norfolk (Pope, R. D., 1968, Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc., 14: 25-40). I thank the Suffolk Trust for Nature Conservation for per- mission to collect at Pashford Poors Fen Nature Reserve, Dr. M. L. Cox for identifying Longitarsus brunneus, Drs. M. G. Morris and R. C. Welch, and Messrs. J. W. Digby, E. Milne-Redhead and D. R. Nash for allowing me to include their unpublished records. — H. MENDEL, The Museum, High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3QH. TWO ADDITIONAL SITES FOR EUDECTUS WHITEI SHARP (COL:: STAPHYLINIDAE) IN SCOTLAND. — The paucity of recorded sites for E. whitei in Britain prompts me to record somewhat be- latedly that I took a single example from fine gravel among sparse vegetation on an exposed ridge on Sgurr Mhor, Wester Ross (1110m) about 100m below the summit in July 1982 and two examples on Ben Lawers, Perthshire (1214m) on the south side just below the summit in May 1984. These would appear to be respectively the most northerly and most southerly records for the species in Scot- land though it is, of course, recorded from a few sites in the Pen- nines. J. A. OWEN 8 Kingsdown Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 3PU. OTIORHYNCHUS PORCATUS (HERBST) (COL.: CURCULIONIDAE) IN LEICESTERSHIRE -— Pitfall traps containing a 5 per cent solution of formalin have been operated in my garden in Leicester since 1979 starting each year on 1 April and ending on 31 October. All beetles trapped in 1979-84 have been identified by Dr. D. God- dard. Among them are 31 Otiorhynchus porcatus, distributed as follows: 1979 (2), 1980 (2), 1981 (4), 1982 (5), 1983 (14) and 1984 (4). This suggests an established population of a species which is new to Leicestershire. DENIS F. OWEN, 66 Scraptoft Lane, Leicester CES TEU: VARIATION IN THE MEADOW BROWN 97 FURTHER NOTES ON VARIATION IN A NORTH DORSET COLONY OF THE MEADOW BROWN BUTTERFLY, MANIOLA JURTINA L. By RUPERT D. G. BARRINGTON, B.Sc.* In a previous article (Ent. Rec. 96: 259-263) I discussed the remarkable numbers of aberrations of M. jurtina that have appeared in a meadowland colony near Shaftesbury, North Dorset, over the past few years. The following is a summary of the interesting speci- mens recorded since 1983. In this colony the emergence commences around the second week of June with a trickle of males. The num- bers rise up to a peak on or about 13th July when the majority of specimens emerging are female. Numbers then decline leaving a long tail of mostly females lasting into the second week of August. The more sombrely coloured males do not vary in so striking a man- ner as the females, but both sexes exhibit all types of variation. The first aberration of 1984 was a fresh male on 24th June in which the underside of the hindwings was darker than type, and more or less unicolorous. This was probably an extreme example of ab postmultifidus Lipscomb.The range of expression of this aberration is considerable. Breeding results, which I hope to pub- lish shortly, suggest a multifactorial inheritance pattern, which has a considerable weakening effect. Extreme examples have occured in females in which the hindwings are almost unicolorous. Such forms have not been recorded in this colony, but two were noted by the late J. C. B. Craske on Gomshall Down in Surrey, and another ex- treme form, taken by R. E. Stockley, was beautifully illustrated by A. D. A. Russwurm in Howarth’s Butterflies of the British Isles (pl. 20 fig. 11). On 25the June, a male which appeared in flight to be one of the frequent bleached forms, turned out to be ab subtus-albida Silb. (figure 1) in which the fulvous colouration on the underside of the forewings is replaced by a dirty cream. The fulvous tint to the un- derside of the hindwings is also absent leaving them grey. The fol- lowing day two fresh Male ab postmultifidus were easily netted as they fed on lesser knapweed, a plant usually in flower during the first two weeks of the flight period, on which the males and the few females present at this time congregate in numbers. Later on, the knapweed is superseded by creeping thistle and water dropwort as these plants reach full bloom. I was next able to work the area on 12th July when, in oppres- - sive conditions with slight drizzle, I found a fresh and extreme female ab postmultifidus sitting low down in the grass. On the same day a female ab subtus-albida was netted (figure 2). This form is *The Old College Arms, Stour Row, Shaftesbury, Dorset. 98 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 more often seen in the male. The only other major aberration of 1984 was a well marked ab fracta Zweiglt taken as it rested on the ground. Quite a number of females transitional to ab postmulti- fidus were noted, usually with the hindwing median band narrowed and the forwing fulvous reduced to some extent. During 1985 I was able to work the area for the majority of the flight period and took the opportunity to carry out some population studies using the mark-release-recapture method: the butterfly numbers peaked on 13th July with around 8100 specimens. The total number in the colony over the whole of the 1985 flight season being about 13500. Considering that the population occupies an area of no more than a couple of acres, the concentration of butter- flies per unit area is very high. Casual observations would suggest that all the hayfields in the local area support similar populations. These fields are unsprayed and unfertilised. 1985 was a productive year for aberrations — the first seen being a male on 24th June showing a small area of homoeosis on one hindwing. This consisted of the partial reproduction of the forewing apical spot and a little of the surrounding colouration. At the start of June we enjoyed a fine, sunny spell that was all too short, the weather from then on being the cool, wet conditions that so characterised that summer. When the weather was windy as well, as it often was, working for jurtina proved difficult. The butterflies did not feed on the flowers in anything like the expected numbers, sitting instead on the grass stems (the more it rained, the lower they sat!) and when disturbed were carried off by the wind to distant parts of the meadow. On 2nd July, a hot, sunny day, a freshly emerged male ab sinis-anommata Verity was captured (figure 3). On the same morning a male ab decrescens Leeds was netted. This form has reduced venation, al- though on this specimen only one hindwing was affected. The most striking forms of this aberration occur in the blues and fritillaries where the black markings join up down the wings where the veins are absent. This character is known to be inherited in the fly Droso- phila, and there is no reason to suggest that this is not so in but- terflies. The capture of an almost identical specimen, albeit a female, in the same area two years ago may support this suggestion. On the 4th of July I noticed a black male ab antinigromargo- postatrescens Leeds feeding from water dropwort. This was success- fully captured (figure 4) and proved to be similar to a female taken at almost exactly the same spot in 1983 (figured in Ent. Rec. 96: 261). On 8th July a second male of this form was noted and the same evening, amongst several females resting on the thistle heads, was a dark, male ab postmultifidus. The 10th of July saw the first of 3 good ab fracta Zweiglt (figure 5). The first specimen, found feeding on lesser knapweed, also had a shiny upper surface (ab glabrata Leeds) — probably a VARIATION IN THE MEADOW BROWN 99 scale defect. 12th July was a reasonable day and a female from this- tles that was transitional to postmultifidus on the underside was an extreme antiaurolancea Leeds on the upperside — the forewing fulvous being greatly reduced (figure 6). On 13th July I spent some time looking over the thistle heads, and was rewarded with a female specimen showing extreme homoeosis on one hindwing (figure 7). The homoeosis consists of a large area of orange splashes and streaks on the normal pattern of the left hindwing. This fine aberration is less striking when figured in monochrome. During the afternoon my friend, John Simner came to spend a couple of hours in the field and was rewarded with, remarkably, another fine male postatrescens, in reasonable condition. By this date, the colony was at full strength and jurtina was in greater profusion than I have ever known. One other interesting aberration taken the same evening was a male anticastanea Leeds netted as I was leaving the fields. In this aberra- tion, the fulvous of the forewings is darkened to a red-brown. This is very apparent on the underside, and the upperside fulvous circle that surrounds the apical spot was also dark in colour. Although this is only a minor change in the upperside colour pattern it does make the apical spot very much less obvious. In all probability this spot acts as a focus to divert the attention of predatory birds from the boby of the insect, and the fulvous ring may serve to accentuate this function. From 14th to 20th July, only minor varieties were noted, including several female ab addenda Mosley (one or two extra black spots below the apical spot of the forewing). Several ab hueni Krul were also noted — in this form the fulvous of the upperside of the forewings is replaced by light brown, and the whole ground colour is of a paler greyish-brown colour. On the underside of the forewings the fulvous is covered by a light brown suffusion. On the 20th July one of several females on a thistle head had a black suf- fusion over the hindwings, being transitional to ab postatrescens (figure 8), whilst another seen the same day was ab transformis Leeds. In this form the upperside colour is paler than normal with the fulvous replaced by cream. On the underside of this specimen the whole pattern is a creamy colour. The final insects of note were taken on 24th July, and included a well-marked female ab addenda and a female ab antiultrafulvescens Leeds in which the fulvous of the underside of the forewings is very dark-red, and the remainder of the underside is considerably darker than type. Of particular interest was the number of bleached forms (ab partimtransformis Leeds) that occurred during 1985 — many more than in previous years. Many theories have been advanced to explain the production of bleached insects, with causal factors suggested including humidity, temperature, sudden light and developmental damage. These are somewhat vague, and in all probability there is 100 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 a genetic influence on the developing scales. I have noticed that the bleached areas of the wing tend to be especially weak — usually the first area to become chipped or torn. The scale defects on a bleached male are shown on the scanning electron micrograph, (figure 9.) A further interesting observation was the occurance of a melanic specimen in 1983 followed by five specimens (4 male, 1 female) in 1985. Melanics are very rare, so the appearance of six in three years strongly suggests a genetic influence. The late C. G. Lipscomb bred from a melanic female, obtaining a normal F1 generation but only type females and no males in F2. Melanic forms are often deformed to a greater or lesser extent, and the available evidence would suggest that melanism in jurtina, rather than being the simple recessive or dominant encountered in some other Lepi- doptera, is a complex, multifactorial condition, which may be sex- linked and is obviously lethal in some combinations. A more thorough breeding programme is required to resolve this problem. It is well known that butterfly specimens are occasionally en- countered with the mark of a bird beak across the wings, but there are few reports of actual observations of birds capturing butterflies. In this colony, in 1985, I observed on several occasions, swallows swooping low over the fields, and taking adult jurtina from thistle heads where the butterflies were feeding. At times 8 to 10 swallows were working the fields and, over the whole flight period, must have accounted for a substantial number of butterflies. An example of double mating was probably seen in 1985. On 16th July I observed a female, previously marked on 8th July, in cop. The specimen must have been at least 8 days old, and it is unlikely that this was the first mating. When sperm is passed from male to female an additional substance, the Receptivity Inhibiting Substance (RIS) is also transferred. This substance supresses both ‘calling’ and the adoption of courtship postures by the female. Studies by Ford and Eltringham on the pearl-bordered fritillary suggest that visual factors are predominant in attracting males to females, the pheromones only acting over a very short range. Perhaps second matings occur when the supply of RIS is exhausted? KEY TO FIGURES Fig. 1 ab subtus-albida Silb. male 25.6.1984; fig. 2 female 12.7.1984; fig. 3 ab sinis-anommata Vty. male. 2.7.1985; fig.4 ab antinigromargo-postatrescens Leeds male. 4.7.1985; fig.5 ab fracta Zweight. female. 20.7.1985; fig.6 ab antiaurolancea Leeds female. 12.7.1985; fig.7 homeosis. female. 13.7.1985; fig. 8 transition to ab postatrescens. female. 20.7.1985. VARIATION IN THE MEADOW BROWN 101 102 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5 .vi.1987 Figure 9 area of right forewing of ab partimtransformis Leeds A: area of normal scales B: area of deformed, bleached scales Note: some scales have been re- moved from this specimen. Scale loss is not a feature of this aberration. (Scan- ning microscope x 60). Acknowledgement I would like to express my thanks to R. M. Craske for his help in supplying much information on aberrations of Maniola jurtina. References Ford, E. B. Butterflies Collins 1945. Ford, E. B. Ecological Genetics Chapman and Hall, 1975. Lipscomb, Maj. Gen. C. G. Maniola jurtina L. a breeding experiment Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 83:333. Russwurm, A. D. A. Aberrations of British Butterflies Classey, 1978. Howarth, T. G. Colour Identification Guide to Butterflies of the British Isles Viking 1984. PYRGUS MALVAE L. (GRIZZLED SKIPPER) IN MID-JULY a I was interested in the note from Mr. A. A. Allen (Ent. Rec. 98: 61) in which he reports seeing the above species in W. Norfolk on 14 July 1985. On 16 July this year, in Tugley Wood, Surrey. I also saw a single individual of this species. Likewise, it was in perfect condition. — S. L. MEREDITH — 5 Rutlish Road, Merton Park, London SW19 3AL. HABITAT SELECTION IN LEPIDOPTERA 103 DIFFERENTIAL HABITAT SELECTION IN THE LEPIDOPTERA: A NOTE ON DECIDUOUS VERSUS CONIFEROUS WOODLAND HABITATS By Dr. P. W. E. KEARNS and Dr. M. E. N. MAJERUS* In July 1984, a short excursion was made to north and mid- Wales. The main purpose was to collect samples of the grass Agrostis tenuis from disused copper mine tips, and to look for ladybirds. But a couple of Heath moth traps were taken, for use if suitable sites were found. The two traps were set up on South Stack Heath, Anglesey (SH 217 802; SH 218 802) on the night of July 11th. It was a windy night and the catch was disappointingly low in both traps; there was nothing unexpected and only 44 moths of 8 species were recorded. The visit to Anglesey was disappointing for other reasons. We had hoped to sample graylings (Hipparchia semele) from the Great Orme’s Head site where dwarf forms are supposed to occur (Ford, 1957), but none were found in the cloudy con- ditions. Ladybirds were also scarce, and a long search of a coni- ferous plantation (Newborough Forest, SH 403 648) resulted in only a few adults. In addition, the copper mine tip at Parys Moun- tain (SH 904 445) was found to be almost totally denuded of A. tenuis probably as a result of previous sampling excursions by university lecturers and researchers. Consequently, we moved south to Drws-Y-Coed where plentiful supplies of A. tenuis were found on a disused mine tip (SH 544 533). During the day ladybirds were sought at several sites, but they were still scarce, though reasonable numbers of Aphidecta obliterata and Adalia decempunctata were found in Ystwyth Forest (SN 661 729). On the night of the 12th., the moth traps were set up 20 yards apart, on either side of a lane near Ynys-Hir, Dyfed (SN 686 947). This lane divided a conifer plantation from an area of mixed deci- duous woodland. The conifer in question was douglar fir, and there was very little ground vegetation, though there was some ivy on the trees close to the trap. On the other hand, the deciduous wood was extremely heterogeneous, containing hazel, sycamore, birch, field maple, oak, elm and hornbeam; and there was a rich ground vegeta- tion with bramble, bracken and honeysuckle being most dominant, together with many other species of broad-leaved plants and grasses. The subsequent catches in the two traps following the positioning of one amongst the conifers the other amongst the deciduous trees has enabled an interesting comparison to be made of the effect of these two different, but almost adjacent habitats. *Department of Genetics, Downing Street, Cambridge. 104 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 The total catches are given in table 1. It is perhaps not un- expected that trap 1, which was sited in the deciduous woodland produced nearly twice as many species as trap 2. Thirteen species were found in both traps. Only 7 species of moths taken in trap 2 were absent from trap 1. Of these, the com- monest, the barred red (Hylaea fasciaria L.) is of course, associated with coniferous woodlands, as the larvae feed on scots pine and a range of other conifers. Similarly, the larvae of the grey pine carpet (Thera obeliscata Hb.) feeds on scots pine. The occurrence of the other five species taken in trap 2 but not in trap 1 is of less significance as only 1 individual of each was recorded. Certainly, there is no obvious association between conifers and any of these species. Of the 23 species taken in trap 1 but absent from trap 2, none has a particular association with conifers; the larvae of all the species feed on deciduous trees or a range of low growing herbaceous plants and grasses. One or two species were of particular note to us. It was a pleasure to see both the scarce silver-Y (Syngrapha interrogationis L.) and the beautiful snout (Hypena crassalis Fab.), as these do not occur in East Anglia. The satin lutestring (Tetheella fluctuosa Hb.) was also of interest, for although we have seen this before in Staf- fordshire, these three specimens were the first non-melanics we have seen. It is of note, but quite expected, that all the peppered moths (Biston betularia L.) taken were of the typical nominate form. On the whole this catch tended to make the trip rather more worth while than it had been hitherto, and the sharpness of the distributions of some of the species to their preferred habitats surprised us. But undoubtedly, the most interesting feature of the whole trip concerned the two commonest species of moth that we took. Almost a hundred individuals of the mottled beauty (Alcis repandata L.) were recorded; 41 in trap 1 and 58 in trap 2. The majority were of the nominate form, however, 11 were of the banded form f. conversaria Hb., and two of a melanic form either f. nigricata Fuchs or f. nigra Tutt; the former according to Kettle- well (1973) being a non-industrial melanic and the latter an in- dustrial melanic. The amazing thing was that all the darker forms were taken in trap 2. Kettlewell has suggested that f. nigricata exists in a polymorphism with the typical form in the Black Wood of Rannoch, Perthshire, a relict Caledonian pine forest. Although it is more conspicuous when it rests on pine trunks, it is less so when it has to take to the wing during the day in the rather poor light under the pine canopy. The light conditions in the deciduous wood were certainly much brighter than under the conifers, and so Ket- tlewell’s contention might have a bearing on the distribution of the dark forms we found. HABITAT SELECTION IN LEPIDOPTERA 105 Species Trap 1 Trap 2 Alcis repandata Linn. 41 58 Semlothisa liturata Cl. Polia nebulosa Hufn. Idaea aversata Linn DiarSia brunnea D.& S. Polia hepatica Cl. Nudaria mundana Linn. Spilosoma luteum Hufn. Apamea remissa Hb. Campaea margaritata Linn. Noctua pronuba Linn, Lacanoblia oleracea Linn. Mesapamea secalis Linn. Dliarsla mendica Fabr. Tetheella fluctuosa Hb. Biston betularia Linn. Eulithis populata Linn. Herminia tarsipennalis Treit Cerapteryx graminis Linn, Geometra papilionaria Linn. Ecliptopera silaceata D.& S. Lomographa bimaculata Fabr. Apelra syringaria Linn. Ectropis bistorata Goeze. Ectropis crepuscularia D.& S. Scotopteryx murcronata Heyd. Habrosyne ritoides Hufn. Ptilodon capucina Linn. Hypena crassalis Fabr. Syngrapha interrogationis Linn. Xestia triangulum Hufn. Hoplodrina blanda D.& S. Rusina ferruginea Esp. Apamea crenata Hufn. Euplexia lucipara Linn. Caradrina morpheus Hufn. Hylaea fasciaria Linn. Thera obeliscata Hb. Mesoleuca albicillata Linn. Eupithecia vulgata Haw, Phalera bucephala Linn. Mythimna ferrago Fabr. Xestia ditrapezium D.é& S. RPRrRPWrRNrNNN J BPR RP RP RP RP RP RP RP RP RP RPP RP RP RP PN NNNWERP ERP RP RP EP EN WVIOOD PrPrPreNw Table 1 A comparison of species taken in two Heath traps on the night 12/13 July. The traps were situated 20 metres apart, trap 1 in deciduous woodland and trap 2 in a conifer plantation. Yet it suggests that the conversaria and nigricata forms have a very strong habitat preference for the conifer area or alternatively an aversion to the lighter conditions of the deciduous wood. The situation with respect to the tawny-barred angle (Semio- thisa liturata Clerck) was even more spectacular. Not surprisingly, the majority of the specimens of this pine feeding species were taken in the conifer wood, 36 compared with 9 in the deciduous wood. Of those taken, 21 were of the melanic form nigrofulvata Collins. All except one of these melanics were taken in trap 2, that is to say, the conifer trap. That the melanic form should com- prise 53.33% in the conifer plantation and only 11.1% in the deci- fuous wood suggests to us that the forms of this species also have some method for distinguishing between their habitats or surroun- dings. It is known that the different forms of some species of moth select fairly specific backgrounds to rest on (see Sargent, 1969; Kettlewell, 1973; Boardman, Askew and Cook, 1974; Majerus, 106 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 1982). From our brief observations it seems that the different forms can also distinguish between the conditions surrounding them in some way. The range of differences between the catches in two traps set so close together, but in such different environments, calls for other similar sites to be found and more extensive research to be done. Acknowledgements We are grateful to John Spencer of the Department of Genetics, Cambridge, for acting as a driver, and his general assistance during the trip. We are also indebted to the R.S.P.B. wardens for the South Stack and Ynys-Hir reserves for their advice. References Boardman, M., Askew, R. R. and Cook, L. M. (1974) Experiments on resting site selection by nocturnal moths. J. Zool. Lond., 172: 343-355. Ford, E. B. (1957) Butterflies (31d. edition). Collins. London. Kettlewell, H. B. D. (1973) The evolution of melanism. Clarendon. Oxford. Majerus, M. E. N. (1982) Genetic control of two melanic forms of Panolis flammea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Heredity, 49: geil Wi Sargent, T. D. (1969) Background selections of pale and melanic forms of the cryptic moth, Phigalia titea. Nature, Lond. 222: 585-586. 7 Stewart, R. C. (1977) Further experiments on resting site selectio by the typical and melanic forms of the moth Allophyes oxya- canthae (Caradrinae). J. Zool. Lond., 181: 395-406. BUPROCTIS CHRYSORRHOEA L, (BROWNTAIL MOTH) IN NORTH HAMPSHIRE — Further to T. G. Winter’s note (Ent. Rec. 98: 209) an m.v. light operated at Kemsholt (SU 605495) attracted brown-tail moths as follows: 16.vii.1983 (2); 7.vii.1984 (1); 11 vii. 1984 (1) and 14.vii.1985 (1). Also in V.C. 12, at North Warn- borough (SU 728536) 2 were recorded on 17.vii.1983. All dates refer to the morning of inspection, and all moths were males. During the 3 years of operating an m.v. at Kempsholt, chrysorrhoea was recoded in each year, suggesting that it is established locally. J. W. FRADGLEY, The White House, Merley Park Road, Ashington, Wimborne, Dorset. BRITISH ORTHOPTERA IN 1985 107 CONOCEPHALUS DISCOLOR (THUNB.) (ORTHOPTERA) NEW TO WILTSHIRE AND OTHER NOTES ON BRITISH ORTHOPTERA IN 1985 By JOHN PAUL* On 12 October 1985, c.11.00 hours, I found two stridulating male Conocephalus discolor (Thunb.) amongst long grass in an unremarkable field on the edge of Landford Common, South Wilt- shire (SU 261180). Landford Common is continuous with the northern boundary of the New Forest. This appears to constitute the first record of this bush-cricket from Wiltshire. Furthermore, this is the first record of this species from an inland county; pre- vious records being from Dorset, Hampshire, Wight, East and West Sussex. It is clear that C. discolor is undergoing an expansion in its range of distribution. Haes (1984) documents its recent discovery and spread within the New Forest. The New Forest is possibly the area best worked and known by Orthopterists in Britain (Ragge, 1965; Brown & Searle, 1974), yet the first New Forest record of C. discolor was made as recently as 1977 (Haes, 1984). Since then, scores of new sites have been reported within the Forest. In the late summer of 1985 this bushcricket was found to be one of the more conspicuous and widespread of the New Forest Orthoptera. My records are:— East End (SZ 366982). 28.xi.85. On bog myrtle. Others: Tetrix undulata. Keyhaven Marshes (SZ 317923). 28.xi.85. In tall grass. Others: C. dorsalis, Chorthippus albomarginatus, Ectobius panzer. Oberwater (SU 268028). 28.xi.85. On bog myrtle and ling. Others: Metrioptera brachyptera. Oberwater (SU 265026). 28.xi.85. In quaking bog on long grass. Others: Stethophyma grossum, M. brachyptera. Ibsley Common (SU 168102). 28.xi.85. On bog myrtle and ling. Others: Omocestus rufipes, Ch. brunneus, Ch. parallelus, Myr- meleotettix maculatus, M. brachyptera. Nomansland (SU 263175). 12.x.85. On bog myrtle. Others: S. grossum. Also on 12.x.85, I found C. discolor at Sinah Common, Hayling Island (SZ 703991) on gorse in association with Platycleis albopunc- tata and by Swanbourne Lake, West Sussex (TQ 017080) on rough chalk grassland amongst a colony of Gomphocerippus rufus. Thus, C. discolor, which was regarded as a great rarity in Britain only a few years ago, can now be found with ease over a vast diversity of *104 Southfield Park, Bartleman Close, Oxford OX4 2BA. 108 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 habitats. All of these 1985 C. discolor were of the usual green form and none was hypermacropterous. By contrast, in 1984 I found many brown and/or hypermacropterous specimens in South Hamp- shire. Hypermacropterism seems to be a feature of an expanding population, as appears to have been the case during the hot summers of 1982-4 when C. discolor was seen to spread to many new sites, many specimens being hypermacropterous. Perhaps the cool, damp weather of 1985 inhabited the development of hypermacropterous forms in some way. The common green grasshopper, Omocestus viridulus some- times occurs as a beautiful variation, termed ‘var. purple’ by Ragge (1965), in which the usual green colour is replaced on the sides of the thorax and abdomen by a pinkish purple. There is a purple medial stripe on the dorsal surface of the pronotum. Var. purple has been recorded only amongst females of O. viridulus. This colour form is sufficiently distinctive and scarce to warrant special mention by Lucas (1920). I collected two specimens of var. purple in 1985: Exmoor, Somerset 6.vii.85 and Penkridge Bank, Staffs., 10.viii.85. One wonders if a combination of heathland habitat and cool, damp weather favours the generation of this colour form: these are the only two I have seen. On 11.x.85 I collected a female scaly cricket, Mogoplistes squamiger, from Chesil Beach, Dorset and observed her in captivity for several weeks. She was discovered at dusk amongst stones at the head of the Fleet. This is the only known British locality for what is otherwise an insect of the Canary Islands and Mediterranean coast. Very little is known of its life history and habits. In life, M. squamiger is attractive and rather more cricket-like than the shrunken museum specimens would suggest. The ovipositor is a dull orange with a black tip. In captivity, the cricket was noted to be nocturnal in appearance, hiding under stones during the day. Sometimes she was observed climbing amongst sprigs of vegetation at night. She fed readily on damp bread, diluted honey and a dead fly. After death eight eggs were located; some thrust vertically into sand, some lying-flat on the sand, others wedged against the side of the jar. When seen under the light microscope at a magnification of x50, no obvious surface feature was discerned. These ova are of a uniform dull yellow, c. 1mm by 3mm. They are being kept under observation. Good weather in September and October ensured that many Orthoptera were active late into the season. For example, at Spurn Head, Britain’s most northern locality for C. dorsalis, a stridulating male was found as late as 20 October. My last Midland record was that of a colony of Ch. brunneus at Chasewater, West Mids., 24.x.85. In southern England some hardy Orthoptera were found well into November despite the onset of hard frosts in that month. My BRITISH ORTHOPTERA IN 1985 109 November records for 1985 are as follows: Black Rock Gully, Avon Gorge, Bristol, 2.xi.85, P. griseoaptera, many stridulating males. Brean Down, Somerset, 10.xi.85, P. albopunctata, one stridulating male; abundant and active Ch. brunneus; Ch. parallelus, one stri- dulating male. Brent Knoll, Somerset, 10.xi.85, Ch. brunneus, 2 366;G. rufus,1 36 6 9, confined to an area recently cleared of brambles. Westhay Moor, Somerset, 10.xi.85, P. griseoaptera, one stridulating male. Black Rock Gully, 11.xi.85, P. griseoaptera, several stridulating males; Ch. brunneus, two stridulating males. Brown’s Folly, near Bath, 12.xi.85, Ch. brunneus, one stridulating male; Ch. parallelus, one stridulating male, one female; P. griseoa- ptera, 1 9 . Chapman’s Pool, Dorset 13.xi.85, a temperature of -80C being recorded at Hurn Airport the night before, P. griseoap- tera, Ch. brunneus (including one female var. green), Ch. parallelus, P. albopunctata, all four species being common, active and stridu- lating. Black Rock Gully, 15.xi.85, P. griseoaptera, one stridulating male; Ch. brunneus, one stridulating male. Rooksmoor, Glos., 15.xi. 85, there having been a light snowfall at this site on 9.xi.85, fol- lowed by several hard frosts, G. rufus, 1 ° , moderately active. Thus, despite exceptionally cold, wet weather early in the year, 1985 yielded a good many Orthoptera records later in the season. One wonders if C. discolor will continue to spread further inland. In my room I have seven Wood crickets, Nemobius sylvestris, taken as nymphs in October. They have matured rapidly in cap- tivity to become stridulating adults by early February 1986. In- terstingly all seven matured into males. References Haes, E. C. M. (1984). An apparent expansion of the known range of Conocephalus discolor (Thunberg) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) into the New Forest and heathlands of east Dorest? Entomolo- gist’s Gaz. 35: 64-65. Ragge, D. R. (1965). Grasshoppers, crickets and cockroaches of the British Isles. London. Brown, A. J. & Searle, C. A. (1974). A survey of the Orthoptera of the New Forest. Entomologist’s Gaz. 25: 285-292. Lucas, R. J., (1920). A monograph of the British Orthoptera. Ray Society. UNUSUAL BEHAVIOUR OF THE ANT LASIUS ALIENUS (FORST.) In a previous note (Robbins, Ent. Rec. 93: 42) I reported the occur- rence of Lasius fuliginosus (latr.) in a first-floor flat. In Sept. 1986 L. alienus also occurred indoors, though this time in a bedroom on the South side of the building. The insects had travelled up inside 110 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 S.vi 9ST the cavity wall and were emerging indoors through a crack in the plaster by the window-sill. Several alates, accompanied by workers, were found. Further emergence, was discouraged, but nonetheless on subsequent days a further 3 or 4 alates and a few workers were noted. I have mislaid my notes made at the time, but I think that Sept 25th was the date on which the insects were first observed, whilst the final observation was of a couple of workers seen four days later. Incidentally, this is the first indication I have had of the occurrence of L. alienus in this part of Warwickshire. — J. ROBBINS, 123b Parkgate Road, Coventry, CV6 4GF. HYGROPORA CUNCTANS (ERICHSON) (COL.: STAPHYLINIDAE) IN INVERNESS-SHIRE. — On a visit to a site near Lock Vaa with my friend Mr. Richards Lyszkowski on 22.vi.86, I collected a num- ber of beetles by treading moss at the edge of a pond, among which were a male and female of H. cunctans. This very local species was first taken in Britain at Brockenhurst in 1914 (Walker 1914 Entomologist’s Mon. Mag. 50, 194), and subsequently at Shell Bay near Studland (Harwood cited by Doni- sthorpe, 1929 ibid. 65 239), The Lizard, Cornwall (Bannister 1936 ibid 72 78) and at Slapton Ley (Allen 1944 ibid. 80 24). A record from Kent (Williams 1970 ibid. 106 21) turns out to have been based on a misidentification and the author has asked if I would set the record straight by including notice of this. I can find no other published record for this species in Britain but my friend Mr. A. A. Allen tells me that the late P. Harwood took the species (probably during the 1940’s) at Kinrara on Speyside — a site only 10 km from where I found my specimens — but apparently did not published his find. While my find does not, as I first thought, constitute the first Scottish record for this species, it serves to confirm the presence of this beetle in a locality considerably distant from its hitherto recog- nised haunts on the south coast. In a wider context, however, its presence in Scotland is perhaps not surprising for it occurs throughout Scandinavia (Silverberg 1979 Enumeratio Coleopte- rorm Fennoscandiae et Daniae). In northern Scandinavia, another member of the genus, H. longicornis Palm, is also present. The means of distinguishing the two species is given in Palm (1972 Svenk Insektfauna 9 pt 7.) I thank Mr. A. A. Allen for confirming the identity of my specimens and telling me of the earlier Scottish record, Dr. M. Shaw for checking for me the Scottish Insect Index maintained at the Royal Museum of Scotland and Mr. P. M. Hammond for one of the references cited. J. A. OWEN 8 Kingsdown Road, Epsom, Surrey KT17 3PU. LEPIDOPTERA OF ABERDEEN AND KINCARDINE 111 LEPIDOPTERA OF ABERDEENSHIRE AND KINCARDINESHIRE By R.M. PALMER* and M. R. YOUNG** 5th Appendix The species listed below represent additions to the list of Lepidoptera for Vice-counties 91-93 since the publication of the previous appen- dix (Ent. Rec. 96: 162-164). Of the 53 species in the main section 38 are completely new records and the remaining 15 are rediscovered species, which were mentioned previously in literature published between 1878 and 1907. Unless otherwise indicated the records are those of the authors and relate to the period 1983-85. We take this opportunity to thank the following entomologists who have provided records as indicated in the list: K. P. Bland, P. Brown, M. W. Harper, R. Knill-Jones, J. R. Lang- maid, P. Marren, A. Payne, E. C. Pelham-Clinton and M. Townsend. As in previous appendices the main list is followed by a supple- mentary list containing records of species which are new to one or more of the Vice-counties 91-93. References Cruttwell, C. T. 1907. Entomologist’s mon. Mag. 43: 256-7. Palmer, R. M., Pelham-Clinton, E. C. & Young, M. R. 1984. Ento- mologist’s Rec. J. Var. 96: 41-2. Reid, W. 1892. List of the Lepidoptera of Aberdeenshire and Kin- cardineshire. Trail, J. W. H. 1878. Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Aberdeen, 1878: 28-42. Young, M. R. 1984. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 96: 95. (1) NEW OR REDISCOVERED SPECIES Eriocrania haworthi Bradl. Common among birch (Reid 1892); 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR.. | Ectoedemia albifasciella Hein. 92 Craigendarroch wood (JL, ECP-C). 93 Gight woods, mines on Quercus. Stigmella roborella Johan. 92 Ballater (JL, ECP-C). * 2 Glenhome Gardens, Dyce, Aberdeen. ** Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen. 112 S. basiguttella Hein. Bucculatrix ulmella Zell. Caloptilia robustella Jackh. C leucapennella Steph. Callisto coffeella M.-R. Phyllonorycter harrisella L. P. iio Zell. P. quinqueguttella Stt. Argyresthia glabrateHa Zell. A. glaucinella Zell. Rhigognostis incarnatella Steud. Coleophora milvipennis Zell. C. albitarsella Zell. C. lithargyrinella Zell. C. genistae Stt. C. peribenanderi Toll. Exaeretia ciniflonella L & Z Agonopterix subpropinquella Stt. Isophrictis striatella D. & S. Teleiodes decorella Haw. Bryotropha umbrosella Zell. Lita solutella Zell. Gelechia sororculella Hb. Scobiapalpa obsoletella FvR Batrachedra praeangusta Haw. Mompha propinquella Stt. ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 92 Craigendarroch wood, mines on Quercus. 92 Craigendarroch wood, imagines, late June, larvae com- mon on Quercus, late August. 92 Craigendarroch wood (JL, ECP-C). 92 Near Aberdeen (Reid 1892); Dinnet oak wood NNR (MWH). 92 Glen Callater, one, 1983 (Ent. Rec. 96: 41-42). 92 Near Monymusk and Craigen- darroch wood. 93 Gight woods, bred from mines on Prunus spinosa. 92 Foveran, bred from mines on Salix repens. 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR (QL, ECP-C). 93 Gight wood, bred from larvae in bark of Quercus (RK-J,MRY). 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR. 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR (JL, ECP-C). 91 St. Cyrus NNR, bred from cases on Origanum (MWH, MRY). 93 Gight woods, cases on Stellaria holostea (RK-J, MRY). 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR (KPB). 91 St. Cyrus NNR. 92 Crathie woods, one, 1985 (MWH). 91 St. Cyrus NNR, bred from larvae on Cirsium vulgare. 92 Hatton of Fintray, one, 1973. 92 Dinnet oak wood NNR (MWH), Craigendarroch wood. 92 Balmedie. 92 Braemar (Cruttwell 1907); Morrone Hill NNR (RK-J). 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR. 92 Kingswells, one, 1974 (det, ECP-C). 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR. 92 Inverurie. LEPIDOPTERA OF ABERDEEN AND KINCARDINE 113 Acleris literana L. Ancylis mitterbacheriana D. & S. A. laetana F. Epinotia nisella f. cinereana Haw. FE. caprana F. Rhyacionia duplana logaea Dutt. Pammene splendidulana Guen. P. fasciana L. Cydia lunulana D. & S. Donacaula mucronella D. & S. Rhodometra sacraria L. Euchoeca nebulata Scop. Lomaspilis marginata L. Lycia lapponaria Bois. Alcis jubata Thunb. Manduca rustica F. Deilephila elpenor L. Leucoma Salicis L. Agrostis clavis Hufn. 92 Near Monymusk, bred from pupa on Quercus. 92 Upper Deeside (Trail 1878); Craigendarroch wood. 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR, bred from larvae on Populus tremula. 92 Braemar (Trail 1878); Muir of Dinnet NNR. 92 Rare, Braemar, Inverurie (Reid 1892); near Crathie, bred from larvae on Myrica gale. 92 Scotston Moor (Trail 1878); Glentanar, 1985. 92 Braemar, Kemnay (Reid 1892); nr. Monymusk. 92 Craigendarroch wood, one, 1984 (ECP-C); believed to be the first record from Scotland. 92 near Crathie. 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR. 92 Kirkhill forest, one at light Oct 85 (MT). 92 Kirkhill forest, one, 1985 (MT). 91 Near Stonehaven (Trail 1878). 92 Kirkhill forest, one, 1985 (MT). 92 near Crathie, one female and larvae on Myrica gale (AP, MRY). 92 Kirkhill forest (MT); Muir of Dinnet NNR and near Mony- musk. 93 Oldmeldrum. 92 Aberdeen, one, 1983 (Ent. Rec. 96: 95). 92 Aberdeen, one (Trail 1878); one male, 1983. 93 Haddo House, larvae on Epi- lobium angustifolium. 91 St. Cyrus NNR, one, 1985. 92 Inverurie, one (Trail 1878); Aberdeen (Reid 1892). 93 Peterhead, one (Trail 1878); Pitcaple, one (Reid 1892). 91 Banchory, scarce (Reid 1892); St. Cyrus NNR, one, 1983 (PM). 114 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 Rhyacia simulans Hufn. Widespread but scarce (Reid 1892); 92 Kirkhill forest, one, 1985 (MT). Orthosia populeti F. 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR (PM). Craniophora ligustri D. & S. 91 Rare, Banchory (Reid 1892). 92 Muir of Dinnet NNR (PB). Mesapamea secalella Remm. Dissection of specimens of secalis/ secalella from V-c’s 92 and 93 showed 33% of the sample were secalella. The newly sepa- rated species appears to be widespread throughout the area. Nycteola revayana Scop. 92 Dinnet oakwood NNR, larva, 1984 (MWH). 93 Pitcaple (Reid 1892). (2) SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF NEW VICE-COUNTRY RECORDS (a) (b) (d) New to Kincardineshire (91): Lampronia praelatella D. & S.; Pammene rhediella C1; Dichrorampha aeratana P. & M. New to S. Aberdeenshire (92): Stigmella alnetella Stt; Schiffer- muelleria subaquilea Stt; Semioscopis avellanella Hb; Mono- chroa tenebrella Hb; Epiblema costipunctana Haw; Dichroram- pha sedatana Busck. New to N. Aberdeenshire (93): Fomoria weaveri Stt.; Buccu- latrix demaryella Dup; Parornix anglicella Stt.; Phyllonorycter geniculella Rag; Coleophora juncicolella Stt.; C. striatipennella Nyl; Elachista regificella Sirc; E. gleichenella F; Diurnea phry- ganella Hb; Depressaria weirella Stt.; Scrobipalpa samadensis plantaginella Stt.; Philedonides lunana Thunb; Epinotia frater- nana Haw; E. mercuriana Frol; Dichrorampha plumbagana Treits. Species now recorded from all three vice-counties: Micropterix aureatella Scop.; Eriocrania sangii Wood; Stigmella hemargy- rella Koll.; Glyphipterix thrasonella Scop.; Swammerdamia pyrella Vill.; Coleophora paripennella Zell.; C. sylvaticella Wood; Chrysoesthia sexguttella Thunb.; Teleiodes sequax Haw.; Mompha raschkiella Zell.; Orthotaenia undulana D. & S.; Platyptilia gonodactyla D.& S. 4 THE BRITISH SPECIES OF STEGANA 115 THE BRITISH SPECIES OF STEGANA MEIGEN (DIPTERA: DROSOPHILIDAE) — DELETION OF S. FURTA (LINNAEUS) AND ADDITION OF FOUR SPECIES OF THE COLEOPTRATA (SCOPOLI) GROUP By PETER J. CHANDLER* Two species of Stegana have been included in the British list (e.g. Fonseca, 1965; Kloet & Hincks, 1976) under the names Ste- ganina coleoptrata (Scopoli, 1763) and Stegana furta (Linnaeus, 1766). Most authors have regarded Steganina as a sub-genus of Stegana and this view is followed here. LaStovka & Maca (1982) have provided an excellent revision of the European and north American species of sub-genus Stegana sensu stricto and of the coleoptrata (Scopoli) group, which encom- passes all the species of Steganina known from these regions. While S. furta is the only European species of the typical sub-genus, seven European species have been discerned in Steganina (one of them Holarctic in distribution, two others also found in Japan) in addition to 3 species recorded only from north America. Stegana (sensu lato) are slender bodied with the thoracic dor- sum and abdomen ranging from yellowish brown to blackish brown. In Steganina the pleura are usually pale yellow below and with a broad dark stripe above and the face is partly pale with a dark transverse band but these parts are not particoloured in Stegana sensu stricto. The legs and halteres may be yellow or partly dar- kened. The broad wings, with strong veins and a brownish or blac- kish tinted membrane, are usualiy held curved down over the sides of the body when the fly is at rest. They are associated with decaying trees and may be seen settled in crevices of tree trunks, visiting sap flows or swept around fungus encrusted dead wood. La§tovka & Maca (1982) summarised life history data, which suggested that some species may be associated with particular trees but many earlier records including rearing from under bark of various trees, required confirmation of specific iden- tity. There appear to be some differences in habitat between the species here established as occurring in Britain but these do not always correspond to the European data on these species. The association of “coleoptrata’ with the fungus Hypoxylon fragiforme (Pers. ex Fr.) Kickx. (=coccineum Bull. ex Fr.) cited by Chandler (1978) was based on rearings by P. A. Buxton and myself from beech bark attacked by this fungus. The specimens from both rearings have now proved to be S. nigrithorax Strobl. Some Amiota species certainly develop in similar hard wood en- *Weston Research Laboratories, Vanwell Road, Taplow, Maidenhead, Berks. 116 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 crusting fungi but it is unclear whether the larvae of Stegana have a definite association with fungal fruiting bodies or merely develop under bark attacked by the fungus. Although easily recognised as a genus, all Stegana species look very much alike and there had been much nomenclatorial confusion in the literature. Duda (1934) recognised only one species in Stega- nina but included under it some named varieties which were of uncertain status. One of these, stroblii Mik, was recorded in error from north Scotland by Basden (1954), resulting in its citation as British by Bachli & Rocha Pité (1982) who recognised it as a distinct species. The material referred to by Basden belongs to the true coleoptrata while stroblii is synonymous with the much larger species hypoleuca Meigen. The species composition worked out by LaStovka & Maca dif- fers from that in the recent Palaearctic Catalogue (Sods et al., 1984) in that hypoleuca Meigen and nigrithorax Strobl are raised from synonymy under coleoptrata and replace the names stroblii Mik and excavata Okada respectively. The latter species and Jongifibula Okada were newly recorded from Europe. Two other species, baechlii and similis, were described as new. The usage of the name hypoleuca was based on a Lectotype designation by LaStovka & Maca from two female syntypes; they noted that Meigen had in- cluded other species under the name and it should be noted that Meigen’s coloured illustrations of hypoleuca (Morge, 1975: Plate 269, Fig. 5) probably represent similis. The characters given by Fonseca (1965) to separate furta and coleoptrata serve to distinguish the sub-genera. Examination of material in British collections has disclosed that at least five of the seven European species of Steganina occur here. On the other hand, no British material of S. furta has been discovered. Mr. E. C. M. d’Assis Fonseca has informed me that he had not seen British speci- mens of furta but it was included in his key on the authority of J. E. Collin. However, in the Verrall-Collin collection (Hope Dept.) the series under the name curvipennis (Fallén), a synonym of furta, consisted of coleoptrata (Scopoli) while the series under the latter name comprised other species: all were similis LaXtovka & Maca except one male of nigrithorax Strobl. Collin’s “curvipennis” were all collected later than his declaration (1911) that he had not seen a British specimen of curvipennis, “though it must occur in Britain” on the authority of Haliday. Both coleoptrata and furta were cited as British by Haliday (1856) but without supporting data. Haliday (1833) had described a new species as Stegana annulata, which he placed in synonymy under coleoptrata in 1856. There is no material of Stegana in Haliday’s collection (in the National Museum, Dublin) and LaStovka & Maca were thus unable to decide on the identity of annulata. Although the description is short, it could only refer to coleoptrata of the species known from the British Isles, and this THE BRITISH SPECIES OF STEGANA ey is also the most likely species to occur in Ireland from its British distribution. Unfortunately, no material of Stegana has been collected in Ireland more recently although occurrence in some of the older woods there might not be unexpected. It is not known on what Haliday based inclusion of furta in the British list, but until definite evidence to the contrary becomes available, I consider that furta should be deleted from our list. S. furta is widespread in central and southern Europe, recorded from dry wooded and open habitats by LaStovka & Maca. I have taken it by sweeping in various habitats, mainly by wooded streams, in Spain and France. It has been reared from birch bark attacked by beetles. The type material of furta and its synonym curvipennis were, however, from Sweden and all seven species of Steganina also occur both in Scandinavia and in central Europe. It is thus pos- sible that both furta and the other two Steganina may occur in Britain. S. mehadiae Duda is another large species similar to hy- poleuca but with the thorax mainly black above and the wings more evenly darkened, while S. baechlii La8tovka & Maca is a small species with the frons strongly narrowed in front, while it is nearly parallel sided in the four small species here recorded from Britain. LaStovka & Maca figured all aspects of the ¢and ? genitalia of all species recognised by them. The difference between species is small (especially in females) but apparently constant. The lateral view of the clasper (“‘surstylus” or gonostylus) provides the readiest means of separating species and, if the hypopygium is deflected before drying, can be used to recognise dry specimens. External characters are less constant and the key provided by LaStovka & Maca requires great care in interpretation. The British material examined may be sorted on the basis of the following key, in which furta is included for convenience, but examination of genitalia is desirable for confirmation. Teneral examples with less pronounced colour characters are frequently encountered. Key to British species of Stegana 1 Longer eye axis vertical, frons and face making obtuse angle in profile (Fig. 2). Mesonotum and abdomen black, face and pleura blackish with- out distinct pattern. Palpi dark. Frons dull yellow in front without dark transverse band. Femur I dark apically, II-III mainly dark, tibiae yellow. Wing length d 2,3-2.8, 9 3.0-3.3 mm. (sub-genus Stegana sensu stricto) Duethide coisa hils Datnetitiae ate ata Oer,. SBA ib Pea! furta (Linnaeus) — Longer eye axis more horizontal, frons and face making a right angle in profile (Fig. 1). Body colour various, face pale with a dark horizontal band below, pleura pale below with a broad straight edged longitudinal stripe above. Palpi yellow. Frons shining, with more extensive dark mar- kings. Legs with dark markings more restricted. (sub-genus Steganina Wheeler) 118 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. 99 5.vi.1987 Large species, wing length 5.0-5.5 mm in 9, about 4 mm in d . Acro- stichals more numerous, in 14-20 rows. Palpi wide, with more than 20 setae. Wing strongly darkened to middle of cell r4+5, paler behind. Mesonotum yellowish orange, sometimes with darker markings on disc. Frons with dark markings on disc not separated from subapical dark markings, more extensively orange near vertex. ... . hypoleuca Meigen Smaller species, wing length less than 4.0 mm in 9 and 3.5 mmin dG . Acrostichals in 8-10 rows. Palpi narrower, with less than 15 setae. Wing darkened in cell rl and anterior part of r2+3, then progressively fading behind but entire wing more suffused than inhypoleuca.......... 3 Thorax blackish on mesonotum and scutellum. Halteres with knob more or less darkened. Frons almost entirely dark with markings on disc fused with deeper black subapical band, only small pale spots about proclinate bristles. Legs with femur I dark apically, II-III black on apical half, tibiae II-III] with dark bands basally. Wing veins more blackish. a isos Ane ea MONE SARs ORO ac tity Mee the ALA Wil al coleoptrata (Scopoli) Thorax with mesonotum yellowish brown on ground with more or less extensive dark brown discal markings. Halteres with knob yellow (knob brownish apically in some examples). Dark markings on disc of frons usually more separate from subapical black band. Wing veins more brow- TIS Cte eels k AG oat SEL eS Wh Sher ake. Site Ree ceed ono ee eee 4 Mid and hind legs with femora and tibiae bearing distinct brown to black bands on apical half of femur and basal half of tibia. Genae wider, ratio of short diameter of eye to their maximum width (in profile) less than 3, subequal to width of third antennal segment. Frons with orbits as well as transverse area above subapical black band yellow. .. . nigrithorax Strobl Mid and hind legs with femora and tibiae bearing at most vague light brown bands in these positions. Genae narrower, ratio of short diameter of eye to their maximum width 3 or more, generally narrower than third ANLEMMAl SOMO. vaicgd